Vega panted harshly to herself, she chided her self for being out of shape, then chided herself for not leaving that day when Gandalf came to ask her for help. And now she was alone and tracking Strider and the four Hobbits as best she could, she did think in times like this her curse came in handy as she used her Feline form to tease out the scents of Strider and the four Hobbits that followed him. She was at least a half day behind, when she made her way to Bree she had changed back into her human form and asked for the Ranger, the Inn Keeper of the Prancing Pony had told her that the Ranger set out the morning before with four Hobbits. And when she asked about Gandalf he told her that the Hobbits had asked the same thing and said he hadn't seen him for six months, with this news she knew something must have happened and feared what it was especially when she caught the overwhelming scent of the Nazgul. That had made her push threw the night and half the next day when she found the scent tracking her friend and the Hobbits.
As Vega rested she supposed she didn't despise her curse, she actually quite liked the ability to become her favorite animal, it was the fact that if it weren't for the stone she wore her sanity and humanity would disappear and she would be nothing but a beast, she would cease to exists. Already she took on several characteristics of her feline half while in her true form of a elf…or half elf as she was. She had fangs though not as long as her feline self her fingernails were more claw like her sense were even more heightened to which she thought of an average elf's senses as well as her agility and speed. Then there were her eyes, she could see in the dark rather well but the most noticeable change was there color. She had been born with strange silver eyes, but after she had been cursed they began to have the flecks of liquid gold color much like those of her wild feline brethren. Even though it scared her she had to admit that she considered the other Black Leopards her breather, for she was also one of them and had there same needs, one of which was rather annoying during matting season. Vega couldn't count the times she had been propositioned by a male feline.
With a shake of her massive feline head at those thoughts and memories she stood and stretched her limbs licking a bit of misplaced fur back into position before picking up her friends trail again. She wasn't to worried about losing it she was pretty sure she knew Strider enough that he would take the hobbits to Rivendell and would most likely stop at WeatherTop this night, and knowing exactly where that was she sped off in it's location.
When she finally came in view of the giant relic of the past she stopped to caught her breath, panting she sneezed as the scent of wood smoke clogged her sense of smell. She could see the small fire in a crevasse of the base and here the slight yelling as someone was putting it out and cursed Strider for not telling them to not make a fire, especially were the light from it could be seen for miles. But she knew the damage had already been done as the high pitched screech of Nazgul surrounded the group. With a defiant screech of her own she ran toward the danger hoping she wouldn't be to late to.
Strider swung his blade at the fourth Nazgul one of them he had already forced to flee, he tossed his burning torch at his current enemy glancing around to see were the other three were, the three hobbits were huddled together Sam lying partly contuse at there feet and Frodo nowhere to be seen. He prayed he hadn't put the ring on again and was just hiding well, but by the way the Witch King was acting it was unlikely and Frodo had become invisible. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Witch King stab something with his blade and knew that Frodo was on the receiving end. Finally chasing away another wraith he confronted the other three, forcing the one away from where Frodo lay, they weren't happy about this and gathered around him. Each attacking him in turn forcing him backwards and toward the edge where he had little room to fight, Strider cursed again as he was forced to give up more ground and cursed even harder when his back met with solid stone. The Nazgul had succeeded and he was trapped by the three, he blocked and attacked the best he could but while one attacked so did the other, he ducked and heard the screeching of metal on stone and when he attacked again saw the strike that would end him.
There was a screech of defiance as a black mass leapt past him and onto the Nazgul who was about to claim his life. Another screech of defiance and filled with rage sounded from the black mass, and it was strangely… familiar to him. As one of his adversaries was distracted Strider went on the attack picking up his still light torch and used it to set them one on fire, as it screeched so did the black mass as it was flung away from the enemy. It landed lightly on it's feet and immediately sprang again and heard the screech form the Witch King as they began to retreat, in a last attack he threw his flaming torch and caught him on fire. As things began to settle he watched the black mass pick itself up and shake it's body vigorously, seeing as it was a jungle cat Strider raised his sword threateningly and was baffled when he felt the amused bush of minds. Then he saw the eyes.
"Vega!?" he asked and felt the amused brush on his mind again followed by a quick tackle that sent Strider to the ground as Vega licked his cheek twice and rubbed her furred head on his shoulder with a purr. "How, when?" He asked confused but immensely happy to see what he considered his soul sister, as he ran his bloody hands threw her silky soft black fur and hugged her neck.
"Gandalf." Was Vega's answer to both his questions as she purred in enjoyment at the contact, especially from this particular man. But there reunion was short lived when one of the Hobbits yelled for Strider. Frodo had finally reappeared and was withering in pain.
"He's been stabbed by a Morgul Blade, this is beyond my skill to heal. He needs Elvish medicine." Strider said and picked up the small boy. Two days they traveled as swiftly as they could trying to reach Rivendell before Frodo would fade, and nobody stopped to wonder why a rather large feline was now traveling beside them. There there travels Strider and her would take turns carrying Frodo but one night they had to stop the poison was spreading fast.
"Come on Frodo, stay with us. Fight there call not with your body but with your mind, you are strong I know it." Vega spoke into the boys mind while he laid on her back gripping her fur.
"Who are you?" he asked her the first time she had done this.
"I am a friend, I'm mostly known by Vega. Now listen to me and my voice and stay strong." She encouraged. And It helped Frodo as he focused on her light voice he could see her in his mind, and thought it strange. At one time the beautiful and grounding voice came from a large feline that he had vaguely seen at weather top, and other times he could see a beautiful Elf overlapping the feline. It confused him but he held onto that voice.
"Strider he's fading, and fast." Vega spoke up and he pulled the boy from her back to inspect the wound.
"Sam, do you know the Afelis plant?" Strider asked the sandy haired hobbit.
"Afelis?" he asked confused by the elven name.
"Kinsoil."
"Kingsoil, that's a weed."
"It may help slow the poison, quickly." Strider urged and they split up to find the plant leaving the other three to be watched over by Vega. She paced the confines of there secluded spot, when she tried to return to her true self she found she couldn't, she glanced down at the pendant that rested on her furred chest. The emerald green stone was split diagonally with a small crack branching off, fear took hold of her, that was the only thing that helped keep her sane. Beginning to hyperventilate she forcefully forced her self to sit and take deep even breaths, there was no use panicking now, he just had to trust Gandalf's words that she was stronger than he thought. Besides they had bigger problems, while they had been traveling she had questioned Strider and he had filled her in on the situation.
Three sets of footsteps approached them one set considerably lighter, and she panicked when she recognized the scent of Arwen. Fear ran threw her and she slipped into the shadows hoeing her presence would go unnoticed as she watched. Arwen pulled Frodo from the shadows as Strider placed mashed up Kingsoil in the wound, before they decided to send him on ahead on her horse with her. Strider tried to make her see that it was safer for him to ride back with the hobbit but she argued that she was the faster rider and her father would protect her once she crossed the borders. Vega could see the reluctance in her soul brother's eyes but her let her go telling her to ride fast and not to look back, and they didn't.
