Moonbreeze (Legolas x OC)

Part 20

They reach the to Ithilae familiar sight of the hill before the forest. The trees of Fangorn stretch their shadows towards them as the sun is still rising behind them.

The grass is splattered in dark blood, as Orcs and Uruks alike have been thrown upon a heap, not all of them in one piece and left to smolder on the fire started by the riders of Rohan.

Ithilae does not wish to be left behind and searches along side the others for a clue as to what happened to the two hobbits that were with her before.

Gimli rakes through the corpses with his axe before pulling something from it that looks awfully familiar. "It's one of their wee belts." he states, his voice wavering.

"Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath. (May they find peace in death)." Legolas whispers, his face downcast as he concludes the worst.

Ithilae shakes her head in disbelief as Aragorn kicks an Uruk's cut off head, still lodged in its helmet before unleashing a shout of defeat, falling to his knees. The scream shakes his companies' bones.

Gimli wipes at his eyes. "We failed them." he mutters sadly. Voicing the thought that runs through all of their minds.

Aragorn's eyes roam the stirred ground before them, reading the marks. "A Hobbit lay here. And the other." he pieces together as his fingers trail upon the markings. "They crawled." he adds, seeing the trail continue away from him. He spring to his feet and his companions follow after him.

"Their hands were bound." Aragorn continues retelling the story of that night. He picks up a discarded piece of rope further on ahead. "Their bonds were cut."

His movements are becoming more brisk as he continues. "They ran over here. They were followed." he explains, making Ithilae remembers how eager the Orcs were to get their hands on them.

"Tracks lead away from the battle..." Aragorn says before coming to an abrupt halt. The looming trees of Fangorn form a wall onto his path. "..into Fangorn Forest." he realizes.

Gimli's eyes widen. "Fangorn? What madness drove them in there?"

"Never mind that." Ithilae states, her heartbeat picking up at the glimmer of hope rising to the surface. "They could still be alive!" she calls before dashing into the cover of the trees, startling the men.

Aragorn glances at the other two before shrugging and following after.

"She's mad!" Gimli calls, making Legolas smile lightly before pulling the dwarf with him into the thicket. The sun is soon blocked from their sight by the thick canopy and the wrangled and ashened colored stems.

Gimli soon spots a dark liquid dripping from the leaves of an outstretched branch. He fingers it before laying a finger on his tongue. He grimaces. "Orc blood." he states before spitting out the wretches substance.

Ithilae comes up beside Aragorn who looks intently at the soil before him. "These are strange tracks." he mutters, making her tilt her head a she gazes at them as well. They look familiar.

"These are Ent tracks." Celebrimbor speaks in her mind, reviving an old memory of Ithilae. She has been in the forest before, a long time ago, even for Elvish standards. Maybe that is why she does not felt any trepidation in entering. She knows the trees are not out to harm her if she leaves them be.

She has come across an Ent at that time and it was one of her most memorable meetings. It was also a test to her youthful patience...

Amused at Aragorn's befuddlement on the tracks, she says nothing before continuing on ahead, now able to follow the clear trail of Ent footfalls.