Earein stood silently waiting as Aragorn lay against the rocky ground, eyes closed, and listening.
The Uruk'hai were nowhere to be seen, but with a ranger they were able to follow. Not that it was easy going by any means. Looking back, the woman spotted Legolas and Lariniel moving up the incline they were on. Aragorn got up, muttering.
"Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent."
Sighing, Earein straightened her belt.
"Guess we must move faster as well. After three days and nights with no food or sleep, I can see it now: we reach the Uruk'hai and the moment we do we all pass out from exhaustion. Fantastic."
Aragorn gave her a stern look, but his lips twitched with amusement. He looked back and shouted to the others.
"Hurry!"
They all continued their run across the land. It was a barren terrain. Small bushes, dirt, and rocks were all they could see for miles around. The hills gave a bit of trouble but it was expected as they were moving toward Rohan, a grassy land which was perfectly good for keeping horses. Earein thought back to Meia, wishing her dear horse were there now, but she knew nothing of the horse's whereabouts. Meia was a free spirit, who came when her father had called her. Wishing desperately she had paid more attention to Gandalf while he was living, she trudged on.
It was another day at least before Aragorn stopped them by stooping down and pulling a leaf pendant out of the ground.
"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall."
"They may yet be alive!" Legolas said, hopefully.
Lariniel glanced down at Aragorn.
"How far ahead are they?"
"Less than a day ahead of us. Come."
They all moved forward before Earein turned back, brows furrowed. She was about to call for Gimli, but he came rolling down the hill at that moment. She could not help but burst into laughter. She knew Legolas called out to the dwarf, but her laughter would not subside. She moved on after seeing that he got up. The dwarf shouted at them.
"I'm wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances."
Earein could hear Lariniel's melodic laughter from up ahead. They stopped at the top of another hill not too long after, for they had officially reached the land of Rohan, home of the Horse-lords, as Aragorn put it.
"There's something strange at work here," the ranger noted," Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us."
Earein felt it as well. It was as if there was a shadow in the land. As they continued on, Legolas took the lead. Eventually Aragorn called out to him, asking what he saw.
"The Uruks turn northeast. They are taking the Hobbits to Isengard."
"Saruman," Earein and Aragorn mumbled at the same moment.
Another day went by. Dawn the next morning came with a red sun. Earein examined the serious look on Lariniel's face as they stopped over a ridge.
"What is wrong?" she asked.
Legolas answered from behind her.
"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night."
Glancing over at Aragorn, the woman and he shared the same concern. Shaking her head, she moved on.
"They are fine. They have to be."
They continued on. Around midday, Aragorn stopped and motioned for them to hide among the rocks. They did so, gathering close and hiding low. An extremely large group of riders were passing by them. They were armed well. Aragorn looked at everyone before moving out behind the mass of riders. Earein and the others followed swiftly.
"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" he called out to them.
As a unit they turned and came back toward them. It was a rather intimidating sight. Aragorn and Legolas both moved the females behind them as the males all turned their backs to each other. The riders circled around them, closing them in. They all pointed spears at them. A rider came out of the group and addressed them.
"What business do Elves, a Man, a Wizard, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly."
Gimli looked up at the speaker.
"Give your name, horse-master, and I shall give you mine."
Aragorn and Earein both gave him a look. The rider was not amused at all. Getting off of his horse, he advanced on the Dwarf. Aragorn put a hand on Gimli's shoulder.
"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."
Legolas swiftly pulled an arrowed and aimed for the rider, making the circle of riders tighten, ready to fight.
"You would die before your stroke fell."
Lariniel put a hand on Legolas's arm as Aragorn lowered the bow. Earein and Gimli's eyes were wide. There was an ugly silence before Aragorn turned to the rider.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, Earein daughter of Gandalf, Lariniel of Lorien, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your king."
"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," the rider responded, his face falling somber," Not even his own kin."
The spears pointed at them were lifted as the rider took his helm off his head.
"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say as an old man hooded and cloaked. And everywhere, his spies slip past our nets."
His eyes lingered on Earein. She stared him down. Evidentially magic was beyond welcomed at this point.
"We are no spies," Aragorn assured him," We track a party of Uruk'hai westward across the plain. They have taken three of our friends captive."
"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."
Gimli spoke up.
"But there were three Hobbits. Did you see three Hobbits with them?"
"They would be small," the ranger added," Only children to your eyes."
There was a hesitation where Earein bit her lip. The man then looked up at them.
"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them."
He turned and pointed over a ways were there was white smoke billowing in the wind. Earein's hand fell forward into Aragorn's, which he held behind him for her. She swayed for a moment, but took a deep breath to stay calm.
"Dead?" Gimli whispered.
The rider nodded and apologized. Legolas put an arm around the Dwarf's shoulders, while Larieniel put a comforting hand to Earein's shoulder. The man whistled.
"Hasufel! Arod! Aoibheann! May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell."
He handed the reins of two brown horses and a white one to Aragorn before getting back on his own.
"Look for your friends," he told them," But do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!"
The riders all departed quickly, leaving the five of them standing with the horses. Earein pulled free of her friends.
"Let us move quickly."
The others nodded. Lariniel helped Gimli onto the white horse, Arod, behind Legolas before hopping onto Aoibheann. Aragorn got onto Hasufel before holding out a hand to Earein. She gracefully mounted behind him before they moved off following the smoke. After a half day's ride, they found the carcasses still burning in a huge black mass. The head of the leader was mounted on a spear.
"Ugh," Lariniel turned up her nose at the smell.
Dismounting, they all split up. Aragorn and Legolas searched around the bodies while Gimli, Lariniel, and Earein looked through the bodies. Gimli was the one who found a belt. Gathering around him, their hearts sank. Legolas and Lariniel started up an Elvish prayer for the dead while Earein knelt to the ground. She thought of their poor innocent faces. Grasping handfuls of grass she ripped them up in anger. She jumped as Aragorn kicked a helmet and screamed in anger before falling to his knees.
"We failed them," Gimli sniffed, tears in his eyes.
Aragorn began to study the ground. He sighed.
"A Hobbit lay here. Another...and the last. They crawled."
He began moving the directions of which he spoke. The others followed him closely.
"Their hands were bound."
He got up and walked around the pile before kneeling down and pulling up some rope.
"Their bonds were cut. They ran over here. They were followed."
Aragorn started jogging, his voice becoming excited.
"Tracks lead away from the battle into Fangorn Forest."
They stopped at the edge of the forest. Staring, they could barely believe it. The forest of Fangorn had many stories to tell, none of which were very good. Most were wary and never went in. That the Hobbits went in made their hearts heavy still. Earein stepped forward and faced the others.
"Let's get our friends."
Lariniel smiled and followed after the woman. The males moved forward just after them. It was dark, making it seem like late evening. They followed Aragorn again as he scanned the ground. What they were following exactly, not even Aragorn was sure. It was almost a day before they made real progress.
"These are strange tracks," he murmured.
Gimli stumbled through some roots.
"The air is so close in here."
"This forest is old," Legolas told them," Very old. Full of memory...and anger."
Earein looked at Lariniel with a meaningful look.
"He is so cheery."
Lariniel shook her head.
"He speaks honestly."
The trees suddenly groaned, causing them all to tense. Gimli pulled up his axe.
"The trees are speaking to each other!" Legolas said.
They all turned to look at Gimli, the most panicked of the group.
"Gimli!" Aragorn hissed," Lower your axe."
He did so awkwardly. Earein went over and put a hand on his shoulder, ushering him farther into the forest with them. Legolas suddenly turned.
"Aragorn, nad nâ ennas!"
Earein and Lariniel turned their heads swiftly. Gimli looked toward the females.
"What did he say?" he asked in a hushed tone.
"Something is out there," Lariniel informed him, nodding in the direction Aragorn and Legolas were moving.
Lariniel stayed back with Gimli and Earein moved over to the others.
"Man cenich?"
What do you see? Earein glanced around.
"The White Wizard approaches."
The entire group froze as he motioned to their right. Earein took a step back from the males so she was in the middle of the group. This was one person she would use magic against if she had to and she wanted no one else in the way.
"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us," Aragorn muttered.
Everyone readied their weapons. Lariniel, not wanting to alert him with her bow, pulled a dagger from her belt. Earein slowly slid the staff apart to use her sword.
"We must be quick," Aragorn said, his voice tight.
They all then turned ready to attack.