Chapter 6: Direction Change


*New* A/N: Holy mother-of-editing on high, this chapter was edited so much...damn, I think this one came out better than the first three times I edited it! Have fun with this one! Completely new Legolas/Valaina moments in this chapter...just letting y'all know ^^ oh, and it went from 3,195 words to 5,389 words. So, ha! ... Don't mind me...I just got a little excited...lol...


Valaina could not remember falling asleep, but she did, however, remember her dreams, nightmares really. They were what had brought her awake a few hours before dawn, not that she wasn't going to wake up soon anyhow. Her new journey brought back the memories of old, a few she did not wish to relive, the few that she always seemed to relive in her dream state of mind. However, this one memory was relived more so than other memories; this time, it was of the demise of her desert mare Isil, one of the few trusting companions Valaina had throughout her lifetime.

Valaina sat up quickly in surprise and shock, her breath short as if she had been sprinting. She scanned the clearing, her eyes passing over each of her sleeping companions as she did so, all except one who she could not spot. She ran a hand down her face, her chest tight with the pain of her memories, tears nearly brimming her eyes before she shook her head of the memory that had happen some sixty-odd years back. "I did not think you were one to have nightmares," the voice of her missing companion started.

Valaina glowered at the ground as she grabbed her weapons and began to place them on herself. "I do have them…occasionally…" Valaina grumbled her response.

"And what could you possibly have nightmares about? Being a generally appealing and welcoming person?"

Someone grumbled in their sleep before snoring once more, and Valaina vaguely thought it was Gimli, but the dwarf and two certain hobbits tended to snore rather loudly for her to discern who was who. "Follow me…" Legolas said as he turned from Valaina's slowly standing form and back to his watch post.

Valaina grumbled a few insults as she placed her short swords on her back and followed the elf prince away from the fellowship to a quieter spot, swiftly mumbling the charm to her eyes.

Legolas didn't say anything as he looked at Valaina's dark sapphire eyes, memories flashing in his own as he took her appearance in, attitude and all. "You were the elf that accompanied those dwarves sixty odd years back," he said slowly in slight anger.

"Yes, I was," Valaina said as she placed her arms over her chest. "It took you long enough to remember that."

"You threatened me."

"You threatened my companions."

"Fair enough. And your eyes…" he started but paused as he gauged Valaina's reaction, and when he received nothing but a blank look he continued, "…they are not truly blue…"

Valaina would have given an annoying growl, but her slowly rising anger set off the charm and they changed once more back to the scarlet red. "No, they are not…is that all you remember?"

"I…well…" Legolas trailed off and Valaina gave an unelf-like snort.

"I thought as much," she sneered. "With you being the crowned prince of Mirkwood I should have known your head would be filled with just as much hot air as your father."

"Oh, don't tell me the dwarves rubbed off on you that much," Legolas said in mock horror.

"No," Valaina admitted with a bit of anger. "I don't like your daddy in general."

"And why is that? Is it because you insulted him and in turn he insulted you?"

"I insult just about everyone," Valaina said in a matter-of-fact voice. "As for your dad…"

Legolas crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. "Go on," he said in a bored tone.

Valaina had to hold in the urge to punch the bored, uncaring look off of Legolas's face. "He sent one of his half-elven guards after me as I was leaving his stupid forest. That guard just so happened to wield a mace and he nearly killed me," Valaina said in anger. "Because your father didn't have enough guts to come after me himself that day, he sent one of his own men after me instead."

"You're alive now, are you not? Those dwarves rubbed off on you too much," Legolas dismissed the matter. "You are just over exaggerating."

"Am I now?" Valaina asked as her glare hardened.

She untied her leather jerkin and lifted up her undershirt to her chest to reveal part of a long, jagged scar across her torso from her right shoulder to her left hip along with several other deep, jagged scars around it. "Still think I'm over exaggerating, prince?" Valaina asked harshly. "This is from that half-elven guard your father sent to kill me as I was leaving Mirkwood."

Legolas just stared at the scars. "He sent someone to do this to you?" he asked in disbelief.

"I just said that."

"Why?"

"How the hell would I know?" Valaina asked as she pulled her white undershirt down and began to tie her coal grey, leather jerkin once more.

"That looks like it was painful."

"I almost died," Valaina glared at him. "How would that not be painful?"

"Well, I am sorry," Legolas said sincerely.

Valaina's glare did not let up as she looked at the elf in front of her, searching for some kind of lie, but she couldn't see one. "Do you know what I am?" she asked cautiously.

"An elf?" answered Legolas confused.

Valaina raised her eyebrows at the elf prince, but he seemed thoroughly confused by the question. "Partially…" Valaina answered slowly, her own confusion showing in her eyes.

"A…strange elf?"

"Hey," Valaina said in offense.

"I've never met an elf that comes back smelling a bit like a warg after three hours of disappearing."

Valaina stiffened at the mention of said wargs. "Thanks, it's good to know I smell like a warg," she said sarcastically.

"How many?"

"What?"

"How many were there?"

"It was a small pack…" Valaina tried lying, though the elf prince did not believe her, "…of twenty…"

"And you came back without a single scratch?"

"No," Valaina said in shock. "I got my ass beat up pretty bad. I just bandaged myself up. Didn't you see the bandages?"

"You are wearing long sleeves."

"Oh…right…I knew that!"

"Of course you did," Legolas said with a half smirk.

"You were the one who thought that I was unharmed," Valaina tried.

"You chose to run into them."

"Did not."

"Whatever you say, my lady."

Valaina glared at Legolas who returned the glare with a smirk before he sat down on the fallen log behind him. "You and Aragorn are close," he started.

"Change of subject much?" Valaina muttered in annoyance as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"How did you two meet?"

Valaina gave a sigh. "Well…" she started and then trailed off in embarrassment.

Legolas raised an eyebrow in question. "Yes?"

Valaina sighed again. "I ran him over with a horse," Valaina muttered and was answered with a laugh.

"You sure have a strange way of introducing yourself to others, mellon nim."

"You are one to talk. You snuck up on me and then nearly shot me with an arrow," Valaina defended and then stopped in shock at the two words he said: mellon nim. What?! she thought in confusion.

"At least I did not run you over with a horse," Legolas continued. "What kind of horse was it anyhow?"

"A large draft horse about nineteen hands tall."

Legolas laughed again and Valaina's cheeks grew hot with embarrassment and confusion before she added, "Might as well tell you that he also fell into the river he was near."

Legolas looked as if he was about to fall to the ground laughing as he bent over and held his stomach. After a good few minutes, he wiped away the tears from his eyes and looked out back to the Fellowship as he spotted Aragorn's sleeping form. "I can only imagine what he looked like coming up out of the water," he said with a huge smile. "He must have been furious and shocked at the same time."

"That he was," Valaina said as she still contemplated what the elf prince had said: mellon nim.

"What about Gandalf? Did you run him over with a horse as well?"

"No. We met under different circumstances."

Legolas's laughter fell from his face as he heard the hidden meaning behind her words. "What happened?" he asked in curiosity.

"That," Valaina said turning to Legolas, "is between Gandalf, Aragorn, and I alone."

"Then in time you will tell me?"

"Doubtful."

"You really are strange, mellon nim," Legolas said with a smile.

There was that phrase again: mellon nim; my friend. Valaina frowned at it. "You consider me a friend?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, you are a part of this fellowship, are you not?" Legolas asked.

"But, what about my eyes? Aren't you the least bit suspicious?"

"I am."

"And you think I am just strange? Nothing more?"

"Yes?"

"And you trust me despite what happened when I was traveling with the dwarves?"

"Aragorn trusts you as well as Gandalf," Legolas said in a serious tone. "As do the hobbits. That is enough for me. Whatever quarrel you have with my father is between you and him. As for what happened with the company of dwarves," Legolas took in a breath and let it out, clearly anxious, if not a bit reluctant, about what he was going to say, "let us forget that, shall we? And perhaps just start over on better terms?"

Valaina stood their gawking at Legolas. Did he just…dismiss that whole incident? she thought. "Alright…" she said slowly and then remembered something. "What about my eyes? You didn't answer that."

Legolas contemplated the lycan for a moment and then shrugged. "I think they are odd," he started and Valaina looked slightly hurt, "but I also think that they are quite interesting. Almost as interesting as you are."

Was that a compliment? Or a statement? Valaina thought. "So…you aren't going to try and kill me?" she stated rather than asked.

"No," Legolas said appalled. "Why would I do that?"

"Most try to kill me when they see my eyes."

"Most have never seen a she-elf with red eyes."

"That is because I am the only one with red eyes."

"I find nothing wrong with you having red eyes," Legolas said.

"Dawn is approaching," Valaina stated as she looked to the slowly lightening sky with the rising dawn sun, and an escape from Legolas. "We should wake the others."

"Dawn has yet to break the sky completely," Legolas said as Valaina hurried back to the Fellowship.

"Aragorn said we leave at 'first light'. It is first light and time to get moving," Valaina said over her shoulder which earned her a shake of the head from Legolas.

"You are strange, Valaina," he murmured as Valaina awoke Aragorn.

"Valaina, it's not even dawn!" the ranger said in annoyance.

"It is close enough," she defended herself. "See?"

"I see a barely light sky…"

"It is light nonetheless," Valaina said.

"First light means dawn, Valaina," Aragorn huffed.

"It is dawn."

"No, it is an hour before dawn."

"It's first light then."

"Valaina…"

"Let's get going, Aragorn! You're wasting daylight."

"It's not even dawn yet!" Aragorn said in exasperation as Valaina bound her eyes once more. "How can I be wasting daylight when there is none to waste in the first place?!"

Legolas listened as the two argued back and forth, the others slowly waking up from the loud, obnoxious voices. Aragorn's reprimand of "first light" went ignored by the scarlet eyed lycan much to the ranger's, and a certain wizard's, slight anger.


The Fellowship continued to walk through the forest and continually upward toward the Misty Mountains. Gandalf's path was to go over the mountains rather than around or under them, which greatly increased the complaining of certain members of the company. "Why climb when we can go under and enjoy the comforts of home?" Gimli was saying to Boromir as they just left the forest and started making their way up the side of the mountain outcroppings.

"Are you talking about Moria, Gimli?" Valaina asked from behind the dwarf.

"Yes, what's it to you, lassie?" came the short reply.

"Balin is there," she said in a far off sort of voice. "I would very much like to see him again."

"You know Balin?"

"Yes. I had traveled with your father and the company of Thorin Oakenshield to help reclaim Erebor. Didn't Gloin say anything about me to you? Or the rest of the company for that matter?"

Gimli's eyes seemed to lighten with recognition. "You are the lass that they talk so fondly of, then!"

"Well, yes," Valaina said in slight exasperation. "Did the name mean nothing this whole time?"

Gimli went to say something else after a bit of stuttering when Aragorn called Valaina back to him. "Excuse me," she muttered.

Valaina stopped and waited for Aragorn and, to Valaina's slight horror, Legolas to catch up to her. "Legolas told me that he figured out who you were," Aragorn started.

"It only took him well over a few weeks…" Valaina snickered.

"I had more important things to figure out than how I knew you," the elf said in his defense.

"You mean you were too focused on someone else rather than your memories."

"Yes…it just so happened I was focused on what we were to do with Frodo and the ring."

"Oh, right," Valaina smirked. "It wasn't the fact you were trying to get me to fall for your pretty boy routine, was it?"

Aragorn shook his head at the slight bickering that had started up between the two once more. "Does Gimli know who you are truly?" Aragorn asked.

"He may…if I prod him enough…"

"I mean, does he really know you…?"

"Gimli should. This one…" Valaina turned and jerked a thumb over her shoulder at Legolas, "…knows that I insulted and threatened him back when I was traveling with Thorin's lovely little group. And my eyes are actually red. But that is all he remembers."

"We'll camp here for the night," Gandalf called back cutting off their conversation, and Legolas' reply, as they stopped at an outcropping of the Misty Mountains for the evening. "Valaina, will you do us the honor of catching dinner if you so happen to find any?"

"Yes, Gandalf," Valaina said with a fake smile that faded immediately when the wizard turned back. "You only want me to go scouting."

Aragorn gave Valaina a small shove. "Get going, then," he smiled.

"I won't find shit in these rocks," Valaina said. "I couldn't pick up any tracks or scents on the way up."

"Scents?" Legolas asked in serious confusion.

"Then just scout the area and Sam will make something from our provisions," Aragorn continued as if Legolas didn't say a word.

"You all just want me gone," came the huffy response from the lycan.

"Correction, Gandalf wants you gone."

"Annoying, stupid, angry-"

"I can hear you, Valaina. Do well to remember what happens when you insult a wizard. Blue is your favorite color, correct?" Gandalf called back to the lycan as he alluded to the time he had turned Valaina's white wolf coat blue.

"-rude wizard!" the lycan finished as Gandalf chuckled at her retreating back.

After about half an hour, Valaina returned to the now set up camp empty handed. "See? Nothing," she said as she plopped down next to Aragorn as Sam dished out some sausages for the lycan. "Thank you," she said as she took the plate and ate it.

"Bilbo talks very fondly of you, Valaina," someone said after a little while, and Valaina turned her head to regard Frodo who sat a few feet away from her.

"He does, doesn't he," Valaina said with a small smile as the hobbit's face popped up into her mind. "We had a good time on our journey…"

Boromir was showing Merry and Pippin the basic stances to sword fighting along with Aragorn while Gimli had moved away from the company to smoke his pipe and, quite possibly, be as far away from Legolas as possible. Gandalf, who sat nearest Frodo and Sam, currently gave Valaina a "be careful" kind of look. "Bilbo has said a lot of things about you," Frodo said with a smile. "He said that you are a great fighter."

"Has he now?" Valaina said with a nod.

"He told me of the incident with the three trolls."

"And has he told you of the time when I ended up carrying him through a river?" Valaina asked.

Frodo gave a knowing nod. "Yes, he's quite fond of that one as well. You are actually quite the popular legend back in the Shire, you know."

"I am?" Valaina asked in shock.

"No one really believes Bilbo too much. They think that he is a bit crazy."

"But you believe him."

"Of course," Frodo said with a smile. "He's my uncle."

"And the troll incident?"

"That is one of my favorite stories," Frodo admitted with a smile.

"That is one of mine as well," Sam added. "Though, I think all the Shire in general likes that story."

"That was a good one," Valaina said with a nod. "It was interesting to say the least, and quite hilarious. I often bring it up with the dwarves when I see them."

"I bet they don't take well to that."

"No they don't for they always remind me that was I was tied to a tree," Valaina gave a small ghost of a smile at the memory as her hand skimmed her neck. "How I wish I could go on that adventure again. It was…interesting and unexpected to say the least. I miss them all terrible."

"Who?"

"The company. I miss traveling with the old company. I miss the stories, the bets, the pranks, the fighting, and the bickering. I miss it all."

"But you're on an adventure now," Sam said.

"Yes," Valaina admitted with a heavy heart. "But it's not the same. It is never the same twice. I've had many adventures, but the one with Bilbo and the dwarves was one of my most memorable. Especially the Durin brothers…"

Valaina trailed off as she looked down, and Gandalf leaned forward as Valaina gave a great sigh and stood. She moved off and left the three by the small camp fire. "Is she alright?" Sam asked.

"She misses the old company is all," Gandalf explained. "She is very close with the dwarves of the company, and often visits Erebor, but she never stays long and only sees a familiar face or two before having to leave once more due to some other tensions in the area."

Valaina had situated herself on top of a high rock so that she could look at the Fellowship without them being able to see her current feelings. Thinking of the old company really made her realize that she would one day no longer be able to visit the dwarves face to face, but rather face to grave. As she stayed immortal, they aged. As she looked out at the fellowship, her hidden eyes landed on Aragorn. He too, would one day grow old and die while she lived on. That was what she hated most about being immortal; watching her friends grow old and die before her eyes while she lived on, forever young.

Valaina shook her head to clear away the thoughts of sorrow to focus on the present rather than the future (which she hated doing anyhow), and concentrated on the sparring session Boromir had started with Merry and Pippin. The clashing of a sword on another sword rang out in the area as Boromir sparred with Pippin as Aragorn handed out pointers every now and then to the hobbits. "One…two…five. Good! Very good," Boromir said in slight pride as the hobbit performed each move better and better.

"Move your feet!" Aragorn called out to the hobbit.

A little faster, Pippin, Valaina added in her head. There you go…

"You look good, Pippin," Merry said with a wide grin to his cousin.

"Thanks," Pippin said back with a large smile as they swapped places.

Merry is getting better as well. He is getting the hang of moving his feet faster and getting his sword around quicker.

"Faster!" Boromir said as he began again at a gradually increasing pace as the hobbits got the hang of wielding a sword.

"You two are getting better!" she called out to the hobbits. "A little more practice with moving your feet, and you can probably start some more advanced moves."

They both stopped and beamed up at the lycan, pride at their improvement and the lycan's comment clear in their eyes and face. "Why don't you come down and spar with me, Valaina?" Boromir asked as he twirled his sword expertly to show off. "Or are you too scared I can beat you?"

This sparked not only the hobbit's interest, but also Gimli and Legolas's. Valaina looked at the Gondorian, and saw in his eyes the same emotion in hers; he wanted an actual challenge for once and was tired of waiting for something to come after them. Valaina stood up on the rock and unsheathed her dual blades. She twirled them dangerously, the blades glinting slightly in the sun before she sheathed them once more. "Why not?" she asked and earned giant smile from Merry, Pippin, and Boromir.

She jumped down from the rock, the three expecting some graceful move from the lycan, but they were greatly disappointed when she just landed low and steady, and began to walk toward them. However, as she passed Aragorn he caught her arm. "Are you calm enough to do so?" he mumbled.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Valaina answered in the same low voice though she was rather confused.

Aragorn let her go, a small smile on his face at the fact that she was growing stronger against the Ring's effect on the Rage. The hobbits joined Aragorn where he was safely sitting away from the two warriors. Gimli and Legolas also joined them, though Legolas leaned against a rock near Aragorn instead of sitting next to the dwarf. Gandalf was busy with Frodo and Sam, and was currently showing them the map of Middle Earth as well as explaining several different passages and roads.

Valaina unsheathed one of her short dual blades once more, and looked at Boromir, her hidden eyes beaming in excitement. "Only one?" Boromir asked in a mock upset tone. "I'm hurt."

"I only use two if I feel the need," Valaina said as she twirled her blade.

"Which is more often than not," Aragorn told the small gathering around him. "She uses one as a shield and the other as the actual sword…watch her close enough and you'll see she uses them as an extension of herself, like an extra limb. She will not be graceful like the elves are…"

Boromir attacked first, going easy on the lycan to which she scoffed. She countered the movement quickly and kicked Boromir in a spot he wished not to be kicked again. Ever. "If you want to spar with me," Valaina said stepping back, "then don't go easy on me."

"Got it," the Son of Gondor groaned as he regained his feet.

Aragorn shook his head. "That wasn't nice," he stated.

"I was just sparring," Valaina said innocently with a shrug to which the hobbits snickered.

"That was dirty," reprimanded Legolas though he too hid a smile.

"She also fights dirty…" came a mumbled comment from Aragorn. "Nothing about her fighting is the typical sparring session…"

Boromir attacked again, this time he held back enough for an average swordsman to spar with. As he brought his sword around in a sideswipe, Valaina flipped her sword so the blade was pointing down toward her arm. She faced the sword's oncoming blow and met the blade with her own, and then slid her sword downward against Boromir's toward the point while pushing away from her and sending the blade back the way it came. She grabbed the handle of the sword and jammed it into Boromir's hand, stopping him from moving his blade anymore, and placed her blade gently against his throat. "Again," she said as she back away, "you may have to actually fight me."

Before Boromir could attack her, Valaina jumped forward, bringing her blade down in an arc only to change directions at the last minute. Boromir blocked the onslaught before beginning his own, this time holding nothing back. He was an amazing swordsman, and nearly outmatched Valaina, yet she was not going to be defeated easily. After a few minutes of the ferocious fighting, Valaina dropped to the ground in a crouch and swung out her leg to kick Boromir's own out from under him. The Gondorian dropped to the ground with a grunt which gave Valaina enough time to unsheathe her second sword as she rolled backward and up onto her feet. They fought for a good long while, the hobbits, Gimli, and Legolas thoroughly impressed by the lycan's ability to hold out against a much better opponent than herself.

Valaina's one blade clattered out of her left hand from a jarring hit brought down by Boromir's sword, something Valaina hadn't experienced in a while. She had enough time to block Boromir's next attack which would have stabbed her in the gut if they were not only sparring. Unfortunately, she miscalculated speed of the blade and as is slid against her own, and slit her forearm good and deep. Valaina didn't notice until she easily disarmed Boromir, a frown on his face. "What are you doing?" she asked in a hurt voice. "That was good! Why did you just give up?"

"You're…arm?" Boromir asked with a nod to Valaina's bleeding forearm.

"What about…it…"

Valaina then felt the stinging pain of the gash as the blood welled up on her long sleeve. "Oh," she said and then shook her head. "It's just a little cut, nothing deep."

Aragorn jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm gently. "Nothing deep?" he nearly shouted. "That is the opposite of deep! Go get bandages for that now!"

Valaina yanked her arm back from Aragorn causing her to flinch in pain. "I'll be fine," she snapped at him. "It's not like I've never gotten a cut before."

"That's not a cut…never mind," Aragorn said in exasperation.

Blood dripped down her arm as Valaina sheathed her dual blades in great reluctance. "I am sorry, Valaina," Boromir said as he cleaned his own blade.

"It was my fault," Valaina said with a wave of her bad arm only to hiss in pain again. "Damn it," she mumbled.

She sat next to Aragorn with a huff, mad that she had to stop her fun as Merry and Pippin stood up and moved to spar once again with Boromir, both now very impressed with Valaina's fighting skills along with Boromir. Gimli gave Valaina a pat on the shoulder as he stood up, a smile on his face. "You fight good, lass," he said. "For a she-elf."

Valaina smiled to herself. It was a compliment from the dwarf as well as a challenge. "Thank you, Gimli," she said in a sweet voice. "Though, I would have thought you already knew that."

"Knew what?"

"That I can fight. Didn't Gloin or Oin tell you about me?"

"Oh, they said plenty about your fighting habits," Gimli said. "Actually, they bragged about your fighting. And then they would talk about how you would always beat Kili and Fili in a match against the two."

"They told you about that?" Valaina asked. "Did they tell you about the three on one match between Kili, Fili, Thorin and myself?"

"Aye," Gimli said with a smile. "They told me about that. All the details."

"Why didn't you join us on the quest?" Valaina asked as Aragorn was cleaning her arm.

"My father wouldn't let me," Gimli grumbled.

"If you were with us on that quest," Valaina shook her head, "you would for sure see just how much fun we had. Well, the majority of the time we had fun."

"I am sure you all did, lass," Gimli said before giving Valaina a challenging look. "But, I do not know you as well as my father knows you."

"Then I shall have to prove myself to you, then, since you are too stubborn to trust your father about me. Or the rest of the company's word for that matter."

He gave a nod and walked off to where Gandalf was sitting and started his usual grumbling once more. He talked with Gandalf about going through Moria, to which Valaina half agreed for she wanted to see Balin, Oin, and Ori badly.

"Ow!" one of the hobbits yelled.

"Sorry!" Boromir yelled out as he dropped his sword.

One of the hobbits, Valaina did not know who for she was not looking at them as Aragorn finished wrapping her arm, had gotten a cut as small as a paper cut. Pippin yelled out, "Get him!"

"For the Shire!" Merry added.

They tackled Boromir to the ground, the three of them and Aragorn laughing. Aragorn stood to break it up only to be pulled down by Merry.

Valaina looked up and noticed that Legolas had moved positions and was now staring out over the horizon looking at something, and Valaina caught sight of an odd, dark cloud in the distance. "What is that?" she mumbled as she joined him.

Someone else must have noticed the dark cloud and voice the same opinion. "It's nothing, just a wisp of cloud," Gimli grunted.

"It's moving fast, against the wind," Boromir said standing up slowly from the dog pile that had occurred with him and the hobbits.

"That is no cloud," Valaina said.

"Crebain, from Dunland!" Legolas called out as both he and Valaina made out the swift forms of black birds.

"Hide!" Aragorn shouted as he grabbed his sword.

The Fellowship scrambled about as they grabbed their items and threw them into hiding spots. Sam put out the fire before jumping under a rock with Frodo as Aragorn picked up his cloak and then dove under the same rock with Frodo and Sam. Boromir, Merry, and Pippin hid under another rock sheltered by scraggly bushes as Gandalf found his own wizardly spot in between two rocks covered in the same scraggly brush, completely disappearing from view. Gimli disappeared under a rock as well with his axes held close to him, and Legolas bounded off the rock and ran for his own hiding spot in the brush. "Valaina!" someone called out to the lycan, yet she didn't hear them.

The roaring of Saruman's voice sounded in her head as the birds drew near, rooting her to the spot as she fought against the voice rather than the anger. "Move!" Aragorn shouted into Valaina's head making her misstep and fall ungracefully straight into the brush below the rock, hitting her forehead in the process.

The birds circled the area twice, not really looking for the fellowship at all, before rising up and heading back the way they came. "Spies of Saruman; the passage south is being watched," Gandalf stated the obvious before he turned to look towards the massive snow covered mountains in the distance.

"What makes you say that?" Valaina mumbled as she placed a hand to her forehead.

"We must take the Pass of Caradhras."

Legolas stood from his spot in the brush as did the others with Valaina being the slowest as she sat up from her spot and held a hand on her head. "Damn birds," she mumbled as she stood up.

"What was that?!" Aragorn said under his breath as he came over to Valaina.

"Saruman decided to try to get into my head," Valaina said as she pulled away her hand from her forehead, blood covering her palm. "That bastard…"

"Are you alright now?"

"Fine…just dandy…"

"Valaina…"

"I'm fine, Aragorn," Valaina said with a sigh. "Just a cut."

"Now you get your wounds right."