On the 15th morning of their travels, Braelorn said that they had followed the Entwash far enough North. According to his map, they only needed to take an Eastward bearing, and they'd be in East Emnet. Suladân agreed with his assessment, and the party made ready to cross the river.
To make it easier for the horses, both Suladân and Braelorn dismounted and waded through ahead of Dalamyr and Geld, leading them by the reins while Telk and Cina clung to their saddles. They had made it past the halfway point when Suladân lost his footing and was swept up in the current. He let go of Dalamyr's reins, not wanting to drag the horse with him. After a moment of struggling to gain purchase on the river floor, Suladân's downriver movement was halted by a strong arm. "Gotcha." Braelorn grunted, as he held Suladân up while he gained purchase.
Suladân thanked him before making his way back to Dalamyr and taking his reins before resuming the fording. The rest of the way went without incident, and the four travelers were back on their way.
After only a few minutes of looking over the vast plains of East Emnet, it became clear to both Braelorn and Suladân that finding two Hobbits in this land would not be an easy task. They stood their horses side-by-side as they inquired further as to the location of Telk and Cina's parents. "Was there any specific place that they mentioned?" Braelorn asked both Hobbits simultaneously.
"I don't remember them even mentioning this place." Telk admitted.
Cina shook her head, staring wide-eyed between the two men.
"Our best bet is to just wander, I think. We'll see anyone for miles out here." Suladân commented truthfully. The rolling hills allowed unbroken vision for a league.
So the two riders urged their horses to a run and set out straight East. They rode for hours, with no sign of other travelers. Soon, the hopelessness of their task set in on the two riders, and they shared a doubtful look at each other, then down at their charges before continuing to scan the horizon.
Suddenly, a group of dark shapes appeared on the Southern horizon, moving quickly in a Northwestern direction. "That looks like a larger group than two Hobbits..." Saludân commented, squinting at the dark shapes.
It took Braelorn a few moments of watching their movements to realize what they were. "Get down, Orcs!"Braelorn whispered hoarsely, before dismounting Geld and pulling Telk off of the saddle. Then, he pulled Geld's head down to the ground. This was some sort of signal to the horse, because it immediately lay down on the grass.
Suladân had dismounted and pulled Cina down, and was wondering how to get Dalamyr down, when he did so of his own accord. "That's a smart horse." Braelorn commented as he got onto his belly and crawled onto the top of a nearby hill, to be able to watch the Orcs.
"And that's a well-trained one." Saludân answered, directed at Geld, before he followed Braelorn onto the hill, keeping low as well. He warned Telk and Cina to stay by the horses, and to keep their heads down.
The Orcs didn't appear to notice the presence of the companions, and continued headed Northwest. Braelorn noticed the Orcs begin to panic and form into rough battle-formations at the same time that Suladân noticed a group of riders, numbered at about 40, riding in from the West, right at the Orcs, their purpose clear.
Both companions alerted each other of their discoveries as the Horsemen formed a wedge formation and collided with the Orcs' weak line. The riders decimated the Orcs with their shortbows and lances, and moved quickly to mop up those that had survived the initial attack. Then, the Riders dismounted and began to pile the bodies of the dead Orcs.
"I think these are the fabled Rohirrim. The Riders of Rohan." Braelorn said excitedly, as he began to get up to hail the riders. Saludân pulled him back and pointed out another rider that had appeared in the West. He rode an all white horse and was dressed completely in white, the same color as his flowing hair and long beard. He raised his white staff and sent a beam of light into the air. The Riders of Rohan turned from their work to face the new arrival.
Once the White Rider had reached the Rohirrim, one of the Riders that Braelorn quickly identified as the one who had led the charge, and was likely Éomer, their leader, approached the White Rider and the two conversed briefly, before Éomer called something to the other Riders, and they all mounted up with a mighty war cry. They formed up behind the White Rider and Éomer and were about to ride off to the West.
Saludân and Braelorn decided together that now was the time to reveal themselves. They simultaneously stood up and Braelorn called, with his booming voice, "Hail, Riders of Rohan!" The Rohirrim turned by direction of Éomer, and closed the distance quickly, surrounding Braelorn and Saludân with a forest of spears.
The White Rider stepped in and said to the Rohirrim, "These are clearly not Orcs, lower your weapons." They complied, returning their spears to carry position.
Braelorn immediately thanked the White Rider and explained, "We're travelling through this area to help our young charges, Hobbit children, to find their parents which we've been told are in this area."
The White Rider looked to the Hobbit Children with a smile before returning his attention to Braelorn. "There is an air of destiny about this meeting. Perhaps it would be best for you to accompany us to Helm's Deep. They are under attack and could use any help they can get." The White Rider offered, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.
Éomer entered the conversation at that moment, "I do not think it wise to put our trust in a Southron-" But The White Rider cut him off with a look.
"I think I would be able to suppress the urge to stab every person around me not from Near Harad long enough to help." Suladân stated with a sneer.
Éomer was about to say more, but The White Rider cut him off again, "Then it's settled, you will ride with us immediately for Helm's Deep. Every moment we waste is another life lost." Éomer bowed his head, humbled, before turning his horse about and calling for the Rohirrim to follow.
Braelorn and Suladân returned to their horses, helping them back up to their feet, then lifting the Hobbits up, but this time to the back of the saddle before climbing aboard themselves. They turned their horses in the right direction, before urging them up to full speed, to catch up with the Rohirrim already pulling away.
"I'm sorry about your parents, Cina." Suladân said over this shoulder to the Hobbit, who was clinging to his back.
"It's alright. I...lied about my parents. They died back in the forest, where you found us. I didn't want you to leave me and my brother behind in the city." Suladân was stunned by the news, but couldn't stay angry at the Hobbit for her manipulation. While she did do it for selfish reasons, he just couldn't stay mad at her.
As they rode with the Rohirrim, Braelorn pulled Geld up beside Dalamyr and called over to Suladân, "I just realized who The White Rider is, it's Gandalf! From the story!" This was news to Suladân, he thought Gandalf was dressed in gray robes, not white.
They rode for three days and nights, not stopping for anything. Gandalf insisted they didn't stop. Suladân and Braelorn had to put their armor on mid-ride, so they had the Hobbits help by getting the pieces out and working the straps. Braelorn's heavier, steel armor took longer to put on than Suladân's lighter, bone and wood composite armor.
At several points during their riding, Éomer lifted a horn to his lips, and blew a long note. After a few minutes, and a few dozen Rohirrim would join the rapidly growing host. Their number swelled to more than ten times it's original size.
On the last night, Suladân could tell they were getting close, as sounds of battle reached his ears. He couldn't tell who was winning, or how big of an army they were facing. As they got closer and closer, Gandalf directed the Rohirrim to swing around a ridge, and Suladân could hear the sounds of battle below. They rode around the ridge until it sounded like they were on the East side of the battle.
Then, Gandalf began to recite something, "Look to my coming on the first light of the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East." As if right on cue, the sun burst from the Eastern horizon as Gandalf turned the host of Rohirrim down a steep slide of gravel. Suladân could see thousands of dark bodies below, assaulting a fortress built into the side of the mountain. As dozens of horns were blown by the Rohirrim charging down the slide, the dark bodies turned and looked directly into the blinding light. Gandalf rode at the front, with Éomer, Suladân, and Braelorn just behind.