BRIDGES
Disclaimer: I know nothing, I see nothing, I hear nothing!
Summary: An adventure awaits our favorite ranger and elf. This is another "Fin" adventure.
Please read and review.
Thanks to all who have so far reviewed my story. I am new to this, but I seem to have many ideas swirling through my head. I appreciate the nice comments and also knowing you are enjoying this adventure that is poring out of my computer.
Chapter 11
The water was so cold. Her body felt so numb, but at least she could not feel her injuries. She had been swept downstream to where the water was calmer, and was slowly making her way to the bank. Even though she could not feel her injuries, they still hindered her movements. Finally she could feel the bottom with her feet, but she had no strength left to support her own body. The motion of the water gently propelled her closer to the bank. She grasped a handful of reeds that were growing near the bank and pulled her body closer as the sharp edges of the plant tore through the flesh on her hands.
Fin sighed as she felt the bank beneath her body. How long had it been since she had been on solid ground? It seemed like forever. Using the last of her strength, she rose to her hands and knees and crawled onto the dry ground of the grassy plain. At last, sure she was safe from the freezing water, she collapsed into darkness.
The sun was starting to sink in the sky as Fin slowly came to consciousness. She felt something nudge her, and heard heavy breathing close by. She lay motionless for several minutes as this happened again. Finally, she picked her head up and looked into the deep brown eyes of Legolas' horse. It blew a greeting to her through its nose, and nudged her again.
"Has he truly taught you to communicate? I would swear you are trying to tell me to get up!"
Fin pushed herself into a sitting position. She was dizzy and her stomach rolled with the nauseous feeling the pain from her wounds brought. Her body ached all over, she could barely remain upright. Her arms braced her body so she would not fall over. Just having a coherent thought was an effort.
The horse waited patiently beside her, it seemed to sense her need for quiet stillness. The dizziness was somewhat under control, now if she could get the things that were within her line of vision to stop shifting about. She reached up and tried to rub the fuzziness from her eyes. She could feel the cool breeze playing in her hair, and she could hear the call of night birds beginning to awaken. Suddenly she remembered where she was and how she had gotten here.
Where is Legolas? She remembered him being pulled up onto the branch by Tan and Estel, but they were unable to get her out as well. Why? The tree. The tree had slammed into her and knocked her away. She cautiously picked up the edge of her tunic and looked at the bruises and cuts that marred both sides of her body. She felt along each and was rewarded with intense pain when she touched several broken ribs. The wound had bled quite a bit, but the water had swollen the cut and stopped the bleeding. She was chilled by the wind as it picked up, stirring leaves from the ground.
The others would try to find her. She was sure they would. But shouldn't they be here by now? She glanced at the angle of the sun and realized it would be night very soon. She could not be out here, alone and injured in the dark. Too many creatures roamed at night.
I need to find them. Maybe something else happened and they could not come. She worried for her friends. How badly was Legolas hurt? Maybe they could not look for her because they could not leave him. The horse! Maybe they had sent the horse for her. She looked up at the horse, and it looked back at her. Is that what you are trying to tell me? I guess I need to learn to speak horse!
She slowly got to her feet, gripping the horses mane for support. She stood still until the wave of dizziness passed. How am I going to get on you? I do not know how to ride a horse. Will you even let me?
The horse seemed to answer her with a nod and shake of its head, and it slowly moved, knowing she would not let go. It moved close to a large rock and then stopped.
Am I supposed to climb this rock? The horse turned its head and nudged her a bit toward the rock. I guess so, horse friend. She turned and sat on the flat rock, then scooted backward. She was very unsteady on her feet, and could not climb. Grabbing the horse again for support, she rose. She was high enough now to lean over the horse. He stood calmly as she did this. She swung one leg over and found herself seated on it's back.
Well, well, well. Look what I did! I'm on the horse! Now what? Needing no guidance, the horse turned and started walking back upstream. That's it. Good horse.
"Find Legolas."
Disclaimer: I know nothing, I see nothing, I hear nothing!
Summary: An adventure awaits our favorite ranger and elf. This is another "Fin" adventure.
Please read and review.
Thanks to all who have so far reviewed my story. I am new to this, but I seem to have many ideas swirling through my head. I appreciate the nice comments and also knowing you are enjoying this adventure that is poring out of my computer.
Chapter 11
The water was so cold. Her body felt so numb, but at least she could not feel her injuries. She had been swept downstream to where the water was calmer, and was slowly making her way to the bank. Even though she could not feel her injuries, they still hindered her movements. Finally she could feel the bottom with her feet, but she had no strength left to support her own body. The motion of the water gently propelled her closer to the bank. She grasped a handful of reeds that were growing near the bank and pulled her body closer as the sharp edges of the plant tore through the flesh on her hands.
Fin sighed as she felt the bank beneath her body. How long had it been since she had been on solid ground? It seemed like forever. Using the last of her strength, she rose to her hands and knees and crawled onto the dry ground of the grassy plain. At last, sure she was safe from the freezing water, she collapsed into darkness.
The sun was starting to sink in the sky as Fin slowly came to consciousness. She felt something nudge her, and heard heavy breathing close by. She lay motionless for several minutes as this happened again. Finally, she picked her head up and looked into the deep brown eyes of Legolas' horse. It blew a greeting to her through its nose, and nudged her again.
"Has he truly taught you to communicate? I would swear you are trying to tell me to get up!"
Fin pushed herself into a sitting position. She was dizzy and her stomach rolled with the nauseous feeling the pain from her wounds brought. Her body ached all over, she could barely remain upright. Her arms braced her body so she would not fall over. Just having a coherent thought was an effort.
The horse waited patiently beside her, it seemed to sense her need for quiet stillness. The dizziness was somewhat under control, now if she could get the things that were within her line of vision to stop shifting about. She reached up and tried to rub the fuzziness from her eyes. She could feel the cool breeze playing in her hair, and she could hear the call of night birds beginning to awaken. Suddenly she remembered where she was and how she had gotten here.
Where is Legolas? She remembered him being pulled up onto the branch by Tan and Estel, but they were unable to get her out as well. Why? The tree. The tree had slammed into her and knocked her away. She cautiously picked up the edge of her tunic and looked at the bruises and cuts that marred both sides of her body. She felt along each and was rewarded with intense pain when she touched several broken ribs. The wound had bled quite a bit, but the water had swollen the cut and stopped the bleeding. She was chilled by the wind as it picked up, stirring leaves from the ground.
The others would try to find her. She was sure they would. But shouldn't they be here by now? She glanced at the angle of the sun and realized it would be night very soon. She could not be out here, alone and injured in the dark. Too many creatures roamed at night.
I need to find them. Maybe something else happened and they could not come. She worried for her friends. How badly was Legolas hurt? Maybe they could not look for her because they could not leave him. The horse! Maybe they had sent the horse for her. She looked up at the horse, and it looked back at her. Is that what you are trying to tell me? I guess I need to learn to speak horse!
She slowly got to her feet, gripping the horses mane for support. She stood still until the wave of dizziness passed. How am I going to get on you? I do not know how to ride a horse. Will you even let me?
The horse seemed to answer her with a nod and shake of its head, and it slowly moved, knowing she would not let go. It moved close to a large rock and then stopped.
Am I supposed to climb this rock? The horse turned its head and nudged her a bit toward the rock. I guess so, horse friend. She turned and sat on the flat rock, then scooted backward. She was very unsteady on her feet, and could not climb. Grabbing the horse again for support, she rose. She was high enough now to lean over the horse. He stood calmly as she did this. She swung one leg over and found herself seated on it's back.
Well, well, well. Look what I did! I'm on the horse! Now what? Needing no guidance, the horse turned and started walking back upstream. That's it. Good horse.
"Find Legolas."