Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings or any of its characters! Some of this was also influence by World of Warcraft. A game completely owned by the Blizzard company. I only use some of the words simply for lack of creativity.
She took off running. When Aragorn decided that they could not continue without him taking a look at the injury Ranger had received in Moria. However like all injuries animals, she had become frightened and took off. Running away at a speed that should not be capable of with a limp. He whistled and yelled and called, with the others companions, but to no avail. She had become a blur and then...a speck and then...gone. "Aragorn, we should have not expected less." Boromir tried to consult him. "She is a wounded animal. Of course she would take off." That hardly made Aragorn feel better, no matter had reasonable it was. "She will return Aragorn, she is loyal. You know this." Legolas told him. Placing a comforting hand on the Man's shoulder. Still Aragorn stared in the direction the beast had run away. Worry gnawing at his insides. But they couldn't stay in the same place to long. With one last look to direction she went. Aragorn tightened the belt holding his sword and took off in a jog. The others fell in behind him.
The pain was ignorable, easily becoming lost in her frayed nerves. Ranger ran with no real destination in mind. She wanted to get away, to clear her mind of the horrors she had seen in that dark place. She wandered until a scent had caught her attention. It was familiar and yet so strange and new. She couldn't begin to remember where it had come from. Finally she stopped when her breath came out in pants that made her lungs burn. She fell sideways on the ground. Panting her tongue falling out of her mouth. While Ranger failed to catch her breath, her mind finally caught up with her.
Gandalf, the gray wizard, had died right before her. Had swatted her away like some annoying fly. Ranger whined and flatted her ears against head. She had hardly been close to the wizard but he was nice enough and Aragorn trusted him. That was enough for her. Ranger sat up and shook her head. Ridding her self of leaves and thoughts alike. She stood up, favoring her right over her left, and took her in surrounding. It was a forest that much she knew, but not Lothlorien the Golden Woods.
The scent she had unconsciously followed. Rumble of buildings laid among the plant life. A city long forgotten in time. Walls covered in ivy with faded words and pictures hidden behind. A certain set of runes caught her attention and Ranger inspected them closer. Through she could not read, it was the picture that drew her eyes further. A wolf, large and taking up most the wall, made of ivory and a ruby set as it one eye shown. It had its head thrown back as it howled. A crown of spikes that looked like daggers sat upon its head. Ranger tilted he head. The wolf seemed familiar as well.
Frodo whipped his head back around. "You have seen one these?" He pointed to Ranger with Sting. Bilbo nodded, waving his hand nonchalantly. "Oh yes, as white as snow he was, with blood red eyes. Terrifying creatures if you get on their bad side. Luckily for me they seem to have nothing against Hobbits."
Bilbo, the old Hobbit, mentioned a wolf of such coloring perhaps they were one and the same. But time to dwell on it was little, because another scent caught her attention. Aragorn, the scent she knew well and liked most. The smell of sweat and earth and something purely Aragorn. Ranger made to follow the smell but the wound from Moria had finally decided to make it self known. Ranger yelped in pain as her leg spasmed and collapsed.
Pain pulsed through her. The small cut had become infected. Ranger whined and tried to push herself up again. She closed her eyes and lay still in the leaves and dirt. Sleep was a welcome comfort. Ranger sighed and relaxed, pain dulled when she didn't move. She should sleep and return to Aragorn later. Then she remembered that injured animals that lay down rarely got up again. Then her eyes snapped open and filled with fire. Ranger stood with a bit of a struggle. Wincing in pain. She caught a whiff of Aragorn's scent among the others. It was faint and the source was far away. Ranger groaned and pushed herself forward. Ignoring the pain, she ran for it.
"We have found your animal friend." Haldir said and stepped aside to let Ranger pass him. Aragorn jumped up, dropping his sword, and ran to her. Holding her neck in a tight hug. She laid her heavy head over his shoulder and Aragorn welcomed the weight. Ranger huffed a sighed and relaxed her stiff muscles. Suddenly falling. "Whoa!" Aragorn caught her head before she hurt herself further. "The wound." Aragorn remembered. "Help me get the harness off." He told Boromir and Legolas. The Man and the Elf worked quickly to rid Ranger of the heavy burden while Aragorn soothed the growling beast. "She'll need a bath. No use cleaning the wound if the rest of her is still filthy." Aragorn said and Sam chuckled a bit. "It'll be a sight to see, remember what I said back in Riverndell Mr. Frodo?" Sam said to the Ring-bearer. Frodo looked at him with a confused expression.
Aragorn brushed Ranger's newly cleaned hair with a horsehair brush. The beast fast asleep on the floor. Her wound cleaned and tended to with the help of Kingsfoil and her own quick healing. The injury wouldn't bother her anymore. Ranger almost purred under Aragorn's hands. Her huge head resting on his lap and the heat from her body almost made him start to sweat.
A Olorin i yaresse…
Mentaner i Numeherui
Tirien i Romenori…
Melme noren sina
nura al
Earo….
"Lament for Gandalf." Legolas said pensively. Merry looked up from setting up his bed. "What do they say about him?" The Hobbit asked. "I have not the heart to tell you. For me the greif is still too near."
…Maiaron i Oiosaila
Manan elye etevanne
Norie i malanelye?
…Ilfirin nairelma
ullume nucuvalme.
Nauva i nauva…
Sam crouched down to make his bed. "I bet they don't mention his fireworks. There should be a verse about them." He said to Merry. Frodo watched them from a distance in the shadow. After a moment, Sam stood up.
The finest rockets ever seen,
They burst in stars of blue and green…
Gimli snored loudly.
Or after thunder…silver showers..
Aragorn turned, annoyed and swatted the Dwarf's pillow, elicting a grunt from Gimli.
Came falling like a…rain of flowers….
Sam squatted down again. "Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road." He muttered. Ranger suddenly woke by the lack of song. She stood, despite Aragorn's protests, and stood looking up at the trees where the Elves sang. She sat down and let loose a howl. But it was not the harsh and loud one the Fellowship was used to. It was soft and flowed like water in a river and it echoed. Mixing with the enchanting voices of the Elves. She stopped and listened as her voice was carried through the air. Creating a soulful tune.
The Fellowship listened in awe. The beast's voice mending to the wind and the voices around it.
…U-reniathach
i amar galen
I reniad lin ne mor, nuithannen.
Ranger swayed in the breeze like grass. Her eyes closed and her body relaxed. Her song easing some pain from the Fellowship's hearts.
A/N: that's all for now folks! Ranger is all brand new and good again!
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