The Night's Wanderer

Chapter 15 ✪ Stride by Stride

As the sun rose into the sky, Morrandir awoke to its warmth on his face against the dew that had formed on his skin. The birds in the trees littered around them were just starting to wake, filling the air with small chirps and the beating of their wings.

This was how Morrandir liked to live. 

Out in the open and submersed in nature. 

As a Wild Elf. 

Not wasting too much time by basking in the tranquil moment, he emerged from his bed roll and secured it back to his pack. The glass jars and phials lining the bottom of his pack all clinked together as the bag swayed. 

Legolas sat on the top of the stone, having taken the last watch an hour ago. His ears had picked up the quiet rustle of a bed roll being packed away but the clink of glass told him who was awake. 

"I hope you're well rested," Legolas spoke up as his ear registered Morrandir's quiet movements of approach. The slimmer elf sat beside the Prince, thinking up his reply. 

"As well as can be." He said while sniffing the air a bit. The rancid smell of orc blood had left the air, the morning dew washing it away.

"What is it you smell?" Legolas queried in a whisper, his ears picking up the sniffing noise as Morrandir turned his head in different directions. 

"Tis not what I smell but what is not in the air. I had been following the scent of orc blood since we first started to track the two Troublemakers, but the morning dew has washed it away." Morrandir spoke, being much more open than either elf had predicted. 

Before Legolas could say anything else, Aragorn made himself known behind them, yelling at Gimli to wake up. 

"It's a fine morning to track and hunt. If you wake up we can start." He declared, nudging the dwarf in a harsh manner with the handle of his sword to wake up. Their only evidence of a successful awakening was the silence settling over their camp, the air having before been filled with loud snores. 

Rolling his shoulders, Morrandir put his pack back onto his back and touched his belt, checking the sheaths of his swords. Both were still there. Waiting for the others to be ready, he stretched his back and legs for the run ahead of them.

Giving Aragorn a short nod Morrandir was ready for the day ahead, already knowing they had lost distance in the chase with the Uruk-hai hoard.

Once they were off the remains of the Fellowship carried on their run into the next day. Aragorn had caught the tracks of the Uruk-hai and, after a day, Morrandir could make out the back of the hoard in his sight, reassuring him that they were going the right way.

When they took a moment to pause, Aragorn listening to the ground for the steps of the Uruk-hai, Morrandir took a moment to rummage through his pack and find a potion that would come of great use. 

Handing the thin rectangle phial to Gimli, he prompted the dwarf to drink the sweet fruit-scented liquid. Gimli took it with a shrug, downing it in one, before asking its purpose. "My guess is this ain't some fruit wine, is it, Laddie?"

Shaking his head with an amused smile Morrandir took back the empty phial. "It will give you more energy, energy filled for the run ahead as I doubt Aragorn will let us rest the evening come." He informed before taking the phial back to return it to his pack. 

"Their pace has quickened," Aragorn muttered from his place on the ground, drawing their attention to him, "They must have caught our scent." He quickly informed, in a more than knowing tone. 

Giving himself a quick sniff, Morrandir didn't understand what the Ranger meant. His clothing still smelt rather clean, and the blood from the orcs would only disguise his smell further.