Fay immediately knew it was a dream. She had awoke in what she believed to be was a cave. She heard shouting at the entrance and whipped around to see four figures cloaked in hoods. Two of them we're carrying a stretcher with someone on it while the other two guarded the front and back. They walked right past Fay and stopped at the end of the cave. The one up front spoke a word in a language she had never heard before and the back of the cave split open to reveal an orange light. Fay followed them in and found a long hall with torches hanging on each side of the wall.

They went through quite a few twists and turns until they emerged into a giant area. It had a ceiling as high as some of the tallest trees with a cold, rocky floor. There were many different kinds of stairs leading up to these ledges where sheets covered caves. Many of the sheets were pulled open to reveal men, women, and elves, as well as children. Everyone was dressed in tunics or a simple shirt and pants. Fay didn't see a single child, woman, or elf wearing a dress. It was like a village, though instead of houses everyone had a cave for a home. If Fay hadn't seen in for herself she would have thought of a cave being dark and dreary and not at all like a home. The caves, however, we're decorated to feel warm and comfortable.

Fay didn't stay long to admire the scenery, she was too busy to find out what was wrong with that one person. She followed down many more pathways until they finally reached their destination. A circular area with sheets covering at least ten doorways or cave rooms. There was one part where a doorway should have been but instead it was a small waterfall filling a little tiny pond. Fay guessed this was the infirmary. A dark brown haired elf exit one of the rooms, pulling the sheet to cover the entrance.

"Mae," A male voice said.

The elf, Mae, dropped a bowl she had been holding and ran to the figure on the stretcher.

"Lothiriel," she whispered.

Fay looked shocked. She stepped closer to inspect the face and sure enough it was Lothiriel looking to be twenty years older. Fay hadn't recognized her, because she had grown much paler and her lips were purple. Strips of her brown hair had begun to turn gray and if Fay could touch her skin she would have guessed it to be as cold as ice.

"This is very tricky magic at work here," Mae spoke.

"Can you save her?" The male asked with worry.

"I'll do my best," Mae said and began calling out commands to her helpers.

They began mixing ingredients Fay had never even heard before. Before long Mae lifted Lothiriel's head and poured the potion in her mouth. Fay watched in anticipation as Lothiriel's chest slowly stopped rising and falling. Before Fay could scream out in sadness and anger Lothiriel's eyes sprung open, taking in a deep breath, aa color came back to her face. Her hair began to turn back to brown and she looked like her young beautiful self again.

"Welcome back, Lothiriel," Mae said.

With that, darkness surrounded Fay.

She woke up by someone's voice.

"Fay," They whispered, "Fay, it's time to wake."

She woke up in a pile of leaves, Legolas towering over her. She blushed a bit, praying to the Valar that she didn't do anything to embarrassing while sleeping. Aragorn had his ear pressed against a rock, his eyes closed as if he were concentrating.

"They are about two days or more ahead of us," She heard Aragorn mutter to himself when she had approached him.

Gimli came up behind them, heaving a sleepy yawn.

"From here on out we do not stop," Aragorn ordered, "We will track these orcs day and night if we have any chance of saving Merry and Pippin."

No one disagreed and they began running up the rocky slope. Every once in a while Aragorn or Legolas would pass one another to be up front while she and Gimli carried the caboose, mainly Gimli. There were times where Fay slipped on a smooth stone, twisting her ankle, but she ignored it and continued on. Their main priority was Merry and Pippin. They didn't have time to worry about a little swollen ankle. Three days of nonstop tracking, only stopping when Aragorn put his head to the ground.

When he did so by midday, Fay stopped and put her hand on her knees, breathing heavily. Her legs felt numb, her chest hurt from breathing so hard, and her heart beat so rapidly she wouldn't have thought it possible to beat so fast. They had little water left as well as food, so she had begun getting lightheaded. Gimli trudged up the hill, using his axe as a walking stick. She felt jealous towards Aragorn and Legolas. Through this entire running spree they hadn't even looked like they broke a sweat, as if this was nothing compared to other times.

She hadn't even realized they had begun running again until Legolas yelled out behind him, "Come on, Gimli and Fay."

Gimli began mumbling to himself in a tired and agitated manner. They ran across a long plain, entering between two giant, long rocks. They stopped suddenly, making Fay run into Aragorn and fall on her bottom. She lay there in the grass, not wanting to get back up. She heard a thud behind her and looked to see Gimli rolling down the hill.

"Come Gimli and Fay!" shouted Legolas, "We are gaining on them!"

"I'm wasted on cross country," Gimli shouted back, "We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances."

Fay couldn't help but chuckle at his remark. They ran up to the top of a rocky hill which gave them a view across the plains.

"Rohan," Aragorn spoke, "Home of the horse lords. There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us."

Fay looked far ahead and noticed a black blob far ahead.

"Legolas," Aragorn called out, "What do your elf eyes see?"

Fay knew Legolas would probably be able to see the orcs more clearly as he was a full blooded elf.

"The Uruks turn Northeast," he replied then a concerned looked crossed his face, "They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

"Saruman," Aragorn said.

"But what would Saruman want with Merry and Pippin?" Fay questioned.

"He wants The Ring," Aragorn answered, surging forward, "He must think one of them has it."

"But when he finds out they don't?"

Gimli made a sound with his voice and knife slicing motion over his throat making Fay gulp. Fay looked out at the blob growing smaller.

"You two had better keep your mouths shut," Fay muttered to herself before running down the hill.