The Return

Something In The Brush

     {Third Person}

A pale sunrise rose slowly. Aragorn and Elrohir stayed up through the night caring for the wounded. But now with the coming light, Elrohir walked away from where they had set up the tents the night before in hopes of finding the other two soldiers that were still missing. Dead, though as they would likely be, he needed to know to settle his own conscience.

He headed north atop the snow and he hadn't gone far when he spotted something in the brush that grew up between the rocks. "Estel!" He called, running over to the brush. There he found what he had been looking for; one of the his warriors. No movement came from him and his skin was deathly pale. Elrohir reached for his wrist but found no pulse.

Aragorn appeared moments later. "What is it?" He asked but there was no need for Elrohir to answer. He saw the body that looked to have been thrown onto the brush and reached to place his hand on his neck.

"He's dead." Elrohir stated.

"Yes." Aragorn answered, but then frowned. "Look, there are marks on his neck." 

Elrohir glanced at the fallen warrior's neck, seeing that Aragorn was right and his brow furrowed, puzzled.

"There is no blood." He said, noticing the snow covered ground was clean. "Unusual for an Orc to kill without drawing any." 

Aragorn was silent for a moment as he surveyed the ground. "I don't think it was an Orc. Look." He pointed to the tracks on the snow.

The only deep tracks in the snow were Aragorn's. The three other tracks that were present barely made an indent in the snow. Only a skilled eye would be able to see the elven footprints. "It would seem that whomever was on watch with this ellon, killed his partner." Aragorn said as he stood back up.

Elrohir looked at him, fists clenched, shocked that Aragorn would be so quick to make such an accusation. "And why would one of my warriors kill his partner, pray tell."

Aragorn sighed, "I don't know. But there is no signs of a struggle and the ground speaks for itself, only an elf could have killed that ellon, whether it was his partner or not." With that Aragorn turned and walked back to camp fully aware of the glare he was receiving from the elf.

With all of his ellyn now accounted for, Elrohir made to follow but then stopped when the thought occurred to him. They were all accounted for... Expect for the Silvan, Dolenel. His eyes widened in horror. Surly he wouldn't have... But then again, Elrohir hadn't known him that long and he quickened his pace to find Thaladir, he would know where Dolenel was at the time of the attack.

He found him sitting in the corner of one of the tents. Elrohir sat down across from him. He hesitated, trying to figure out the best way to say it. "Aragorn and I believe that whoever was on watch on the north side may have killed their partner." He stated and Thaladir stared at him in surprise, but said nothing, so Elrohir continued despite the slightly unnerving gaze. "Do you know whom it was?" 

Thaladir nodded, no emotion playing on his face. "Dolenel volunteered to go with one of them just before the attack." He said, and drilled the elf opposite him with a hard stare and his voice low. "He is my best warrior. He would never harm a fellow soldier." 

Elrohir shook his head and sighed, he hated placing the accusation, but his warrior was dead and it was not done by any Orc 'less they learned to walk atop the powdered snow. "There were no signs of a struggle or of anyone else being there."

Thaladir stared at him, his mind spinning, but his gaze did not falter until Aragorn entered and both elves turned. Elrohir stood to walk out, halting briefly next to Aragorn, "It was Dolenel." Surprise was evident on Aragorn's face. He nodded to Elrohir who then walked out.

Aragorn sat down next to Thaladir and started to change the bandages on his back. Neither of them spoke. Aragorn knew by the expression on the Silvan's face that he did not believe his warrior was responsible for the ellon's death, so wisely he elected to said nothing.

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Haldir surveyed the sight before him. The sun was starting to set for the third time since they had found Legolas and now the camp had come into view. A light from a fire flickered at its center telling him that someone was indeed there.

Motioning for his ellyn to follow him, they headed down the mountain. Little movement came from the camp and Haldir wondered as to why.

Night fell and Aragorn walked out of one of the tents only to be met by Haldir and his ellyn. Aragorn rubbed his eyes and blinked at the sight. He needed to get some rest, he thought, as he was beginning to see things. 

"You're not seeing things mellon nin." Haldir said, seemingly reading Aragorn's thoughts.

"How-?" Aragorn started but Haldir cut him off.

"Lady Arwen told us where to look. She was afraid you had been captured also."

"Arwen! You saw her?"

"Yes, she is well, a little shaken, but well, considering the circumstances. Legolas was with her also. Two of my ellyn are taking him back to Caras Galadhon." Haldir looked around, seeing that several of the tents were scattered and torn. "What happened here?"