Splint
Chapter Thirty-Six: Hour of the Wolf
AN: Hurr... I'm gonna get yelled at for this one, I know it. Sorry guys, but it's a long break before the next chapter. Hopefully, sometime mid-September.
When they returned, late afternoon, to an empty camp, Cadoc's heart jumped into his throat. When he spotted the white arrow buried in one of the oak trunks, very near to Rukhash's height, a cold, sick feeling crept over him. He knew no folk, aside from elves, that fashioned white arrows.
He found no trace of blood. Somehow, that knowledge allowed him to push down the overwhelming anxiety that threatened to overtake him and grant him the calm he needed to examine their camp more closely.
There was a depression where she had obviously stretched out near their packs and her boots were haphazardly kicked off directly next to it. The shaft of one boot rustled of its own accord and a small squirrel popped its head out of the top. Frowning, Cadoc kicked at it and the little rodent squeaked and scurried away and up a tree.
He could hear Hedon lead his lumbering, ancient horse into the clearing. The younger ranger cleared his throat and Cadoc turned to see his friend regarding the white arrow sticking out of the tree. "That does not bode well," Hedon said dryly. Dropping the pack of supplies on his back, Cadoc glared at his young companion before stomping past to examine the area outside the copse of trees.
"I am sure she is fine, Cadoc," Hedon reasoned to the older man's retreating back, but Cadoc was in no mood for discussion right now. There! Her trail was easy to follow. Rukhash's clawed feet left little furrows where they hit the ground, even on the denser soil. Returning to where his weapons were stashed, he quickly fastened his sword to his belt and snatched his short bow from where it was packed with the rest of his belongings, strung it and tucked the several short arrows he kept with him through a loop in his belt. An injury to his eye had weakened the muscles and made his aim over long distances not quite true, which was why he rarely used his bow, but he had learned over the years to compensate for this. His shot was decent, if not, necessarily, always accurate.
"There are two of them," Hedon stated as Cadoc stalked back towards Rukhash's trail.
This was not news. Cadoc had seen the pair of lighter, subtle depressions following after Rukhash's tracks. In some spots they were barely a shifting of grass, but they were tracks made by elves all the same. "I am aware."
He broke into a light trot, not wanting to miss a turn in the direction of his quarry. Cadoc heard Hedon crashing carelessly through the underbrush after him, leading the nag in his wake. "Cadoc," he called, "you cannot slay two elves! You will have far worse than the King's judgement to fear if you do something so fool hearty."
Stopping suddenly, Cadoc whirled on Hedon, enraged. "I will protect her with my life," he growled. "Nothing you say will stop from doing that. If you are so worried about what might become of it, then go back to camp and wait for me there."
Blinking, Hedon watched Cadoc turn and break into a run. The younger ranger paused for a moment before gathering his nerve and following after. Cadoc was a lousy shot with a bow, and pitting himself against two elven warriors – especially the type that had no qualms with hunting down orcs – would be tantamount to suicide.
She was exhausted.
Blinking against the oppressive light, Rukhash glared up at the hundred or so feet she still had to go. The fallen tree may have provided an easier climb to the summit than the sheer face of the cliff, but she was barely halfway up and the dried, dead bark had already scratched up her knees and thighs and palms. Meanwhile, her stomach churned queasily in the garish noonday sun. Rukhash scowled to herself, forcing the bile back down her throat. It was a fine time Cadoc chose to go galavanting off with his friend! She hoped he was having a good time shopping. And damn it all, if this tree didn't have the prickliest bark she'd ever encountered in all her life.
"Fucking golug," she grumbled under her breath as she inched up a little more. If she ever saw that pair again, she would be sure to give them a piece of her mind. Rukhash could practically feel her mood souring by the second, her earlier fear quickly being replaced with ire, and she wasn't sure who she was more furious with at the moment; Cadoc for leaving her alone or those twat elves that decided to shit all over her morning.
Gritting her teeth, she managed to drag herself up another foot, her progress painfully slow. Her hand, sweaty and raw, slid on a stripped patch and she nearly pitched over the side. In that frantic moment, her walking stick slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the ground forty feet below her to land in a cluster of dense thistle. Rukhash stared down after it with a profound feeling of hopelessness. With a frustrated growl, she rested her head against the rough bark beneath her.
Her stomach rumbled, but whether it was with hunger or sickness, she couldn't tell. Her bladder felt like a weight in her abdomen, and she hoped that she didn't piss herself during this infuriating climb. As if she didn't feel shitty enough, the injury to her ankle continued to throb. If not for that sprain, and the possible concussion she had, she could have bounded up this blasted tree in a few minutes. Squeezing her eyes shut, she felt as though she might cry, but all the tears in the world wouldn't help her reach the summit. Rukhash bared her teeth and growled instead, angry at her situation, angry at that pair of nancy, cunt elves, angry at Cadoc for not being here and angry at her own weakness. She had dragged herself out of worse scrapes than this!
Snuffing and swallowing to wet her dry throat, Rukhash rallied all of the stubborn nerve and barely suppressed rage she had in her and struggled to pull herself forward.
As Cadoc followed Rukhash's tracks, he was bolstered somewhat by the speed at which she was running. Rukhash was fast, nearly as fast as a horse, and Cadoc held out hope that she may have outrun her pursuers. Her trail led up a steep slope to a small ridge. Glancing up, Cadoc noticed a narrow line of pine trees along the top, silhouetted against the blushing sky. The lack of any noise made him anxious. How far had she run? Was she still running or had she found somewhere to hide? All of her weapons were left back at their campsite, so Cadoc doubted she would try to fight. Unless she was cornered, he thought anxiously as he started to climb the ridge. Please be hiding somewhere, Rukhash.
He had barely managed to scale a dozen feet before Hedon called for his attention. Turning, he caught site of Hedon atop his horse. The younger man was pointing to the side, and Cadoc's line of site followed his direction. The incline sloped down along the ridge and back up again to where it met the top a hundred yards away. Situated under a wide, short tree at the top of the hill was a small, dark figure nestled among its roots.
Hopping from the ridge, Cadoc started towards the tree, sprinting at first, but as he neared, and realized it was, indeed, Rukhash that was slumped at the base, his pace slowed with dread. She was covered in red scrapes along her legs, her right ankle roughly bandaged and Cadoc assumed the worst. She did not stir, and he could not tell whether or not she was breathing.
Kneeling at her side, Cadoc brushed his hand along her sweaty cheek. He was relieved to see her flinch. "Rukhash," he called softly.
Her eyes fluttered open and her amber gaze fixed on him wearily. "Water," she rasped and Cadoc quickly pulled the small canister from his side, glad that he didn't think to drink much from it during his trek to and from the village. He passed it to her as he helped her sit up, and Rukhash snatched it from his hand, pulling out the cork and drinking from it greedily. Cadoc was silent as he watched her gulp down the water as if she had nothing to drink for days. After a hurried breath, she continued until she had drained the whole thing. Finally, with a long sigh, she turned towards him, an exhausted look on her face, and promptly smacked him up the side of the head.
Cadoc blinked, a little stunned. That hurt! "What was that for?" he exclaimed, affronted.
A permanent scowl settled on her face. "Where the fuck were you?" she growled. "I hope you 'ad fun traipsin' around 'at village while I were bein' chased offa cliffs! I were nearly skewered, you know."
A guilty look passed over Cadoc's face. "What happened?"
"I were just mindin' my own business," Rukhash hissed, angry now as she recalled it, "and then these two golug twats jus' up an attacked me! So, I took the ox's advice." Here she nodded at Hedon, who had dismounted and was standing behind Cadoc, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I fuckin' bolted, but they tore after me like I flipped off their mum or somethin'. I fuckin' made this stupid jump off that cliff into a tree and they just... Well, fuck Cadoc they jus' floated right after me! Like a pair a fuckin' I-don't know-what!"
Her eyes were welling up with the memory and Cadoc clasped her hands in his as she struggled to keep her breath steady. "They were gonna kill me," she whimpered, "and I says 'please, please...'" her hand pulled free from his and came to rest on the flat surface of her belly. "Then they just up and took off! They just left me there with my ankle all swelled up an' no way ta get back." She dissolved into weeping then, pressing her face into Cadoc's chest. He patted her back lightly, urging her to calm down.
"You are fortunate they showed you mercy," Hedon blurted out.
Rukhash's head shot up as she chucked the empty canister of water at Hedon, her whole demeanor suddenly furious. "Oh, fuck you! Fuck you and fuck them! What the fuck was I doin' that I deserved that yea? Mindin' my own fuckin business is what!" Growling, Rukhash struggled to stand, holding onto the tree to help her up. Cadoc recognized when Rukhash was ready to wind herself up into a fury and he quickly rose and scooped her into his arms. She made a little yelping noise as her arms automatically went around his neck.
Cadoc walked past his bewildered friend. He heard Hedon scoff quietly as he passed, but Hedon was his last concern at the moment. Right now, Cadoc wanted to get Rukhash back to camp so he could have a look at her ankle. At least she seemed to be calming down, her head falling to rest against his shoulder.
"I'm still mad at you, ya know," she informed him.
"That's fine," Cadoc said calmly. "I am relieved that you aren't dead. When I found our camp empty I feared the worst."
"Think I'm lucky, do ya?" Rukhash said sourly.
"From the sound of it, your day has been decidedly unlucky," Cadoc told her," but I am glad that those elves chose not to kill you, even as I am extremely unhappy that they troubled you in the first place."
"Cadoc," Rukhash said quietly, "I keep gettin' this eerie feelin' that they ain't gone."
Cadoc's steady stride faltered at that. The sloping landscape near the ridge was fairly open, covered mostly in coarse grass and sharp rocks, with an occasional tree sprouting up from the landscape. The area where they camped was a little more dense, but not by much. Those elves must have been very stealthy to have snuck up on Rukhash. Her senses were keener than most. "Are you still having that feeling now?"
"I ain't sure," she admitted uncomfortably. "I ain't sure if I'm just spooked or if they're really hangin' around."
Cadoc had known quite a few elves over his tenure, some he had been on more friendly terms with than others. They were a people that were very attune to the world around them. Much of the knowledge inherent in his Order regarding the forest and tracking was said to have come from elves originally. Cadoc knew, if any would be able to hide in an open plain, it would be an elf.
Hedon led his horse alongside them. Cadoc glanced askew at his friend while Rukhash preferred to staunchly ignore him, tucking her head against Cadoc's neck. "It would be quicker if you put her on the mare," Hedon said quietly, a contrite look on his face.
"Rukhash despises horses, and she has been through enough today," Cadoc countered. He felt her hug him a little tighter. "Ride ahead of us, my friend, and collect our things. We should try to put some distance between ourselves and this place."
Hedon's brow rose. "It is nearly dark."
"Then we will travel in the dark," Cadoc said in a stern tone. "The moon will be out in full tonight. I would like to try and reach that river we passed on our way back. Rukhash's ankle is sprained, at least, and the cold water will help to bring down the swelling."
Without a word or backward glance, Hedon was on his horse and riding into the distance in short order. Cadoc bit the inside of his cheek. The younger ranger dwarfed his mare, and the pair of them were a comical site. Turning his attention to Rukhash's swollen ankle, Cadoc frowned.
"So, how bad do you think your ankle is?" he asked her.
"Pretty bad," she admitted, not bothering to lift her head from his shoulder. "Ain't broken, though, I'm sure a that, but It'll be a few days 'fore I can walk decent on it. Water's a smart idea though. If it's cold enough It'll help a lot."
"I may not be a healer of your skill," Cadoc said with a smile, "but I have had to treat much worse than a sprained ankle out in the wilderness. You are not the only one who knows your way around medicines."
Rukhash snorted. "Water ain't a medicine, Cadoc."
"Close enough," Cadoc said with a shrug and Rukhash giggled. He was relieved to hear her laugh.
It was past midnight by the time they reached the river, and they were all exhausted. Cadoc left Hedon to light a fire and start dinner while he carried Rukhash down the short slope to the river bank. It was rocky here, and the wide, flat granite that cropped up along the shore hid them from camp and allowed for some privacy while he helped her strip her mangled tunic.
"Aw now," she teased when she saw he picked out a change of clothes to replace her torn tunic, made shorter because she used much of it to bind her ankle, "how's Hedon gonna catch a peek of my rear?" She smiled rakishly as she undid the ties of the leather strap that bound her chest.
Cadoc shook his head and laughed. "You are horrible," he said without conviction.
He had brought the flask of soap and a rag down with them along with some fresh wrappings for her ankle and bandages and salve for the scrapes on her knees. While Rukhash washed up, Cadoc gently undid the makeshift binding on her ankle. She was in bad shape. Her ankle was puffed up to nearly twice the size and lumpy where it was not completely covered. Grabbing her by the knees, he swiveled her so her feet could dangle in the cool water.
Rukhash giggled and sighed with relief as the water numbed the throbbing ache. "I could get used ta ya waitin' on me," she said with a rue smile as she finished wiping her face and stomach, relieved to scrape some of the day's grime off.
Cadoc pressed his lips to her damp forehead. "You did far more for me when you knew me less," he said as he settled behind her and pulled her hair behind her back.
"What're you doin'?" she asked as he began to separate it into little clusters.
"I thought I would plait it for you," he informed her. It had grown wiry over the past few days. He thought she might appreciate getting it out of her eyes. "Unless you prefer to wash it."
"Water's too cold ta go dunkin' my head in it," Rukhash commented off handedly. The trees here were low and dense, and in many places willows dipped into the water. The moon was bright, bathing everything in a cool, blue light. Finished with her brief bath, she sat silently while he worked, too tired to tease him about playing with her hair. Besides, Cadoc's gentle touch was making her sleepy and relaxed. She yawned widely as she blinked listlessly at the far shore feeling cool and comfortable and ready for food and bed. The horrors of that day seemed miles away.
Tying off the end, Cadoc laid the braid over Rukhash's naked shoulder. She smiled at it as she fingered the neat, tight plait, amused. "Lookit you," she teased. "Fancy, fancy."
Cadoc chuckled. "Such is the fate of an older brother. Edda was always asking me to braid her hair when she was little. Sometimes I think she undid them just to have me braid it again."
She smiled over her shoulder at him, her bright eyes glinting, before grabbing her clean tunic and pulling it over her head. She left her belt and chest binding off, preferring not to sleep with them on. Taking her feet out of the water, Rukhash prodded lightly at her ankle. The swelling had abated considerably. She allowed Cadoc to bind it, while she salved the scrapes on her knees and bandages them. The cuts on her thighs and hands were shallow and scabbed over, so she left those alone. They didn't itch or burn, so she wasn't as concerned with them as she was the deeper wounds.
"I'll bring these up and come back for you," Cadoc offered as he gathered up her filthy tunic and belt and the unused bandages and salve. She watched him bound up the rocky slope with a small, affectionate smile before turning towards the river again. A subtle movement on the far shore captured her attention, and Rukhash caught sight of a pale face staring at her through the trees.
For a frantic, heart racing moment, her voice caught in her throat. Then, the face vanished and she screamed.
Cadoc was at her side in seconds and Hedon wasn't far behind. Before they could ask, Rukhash pointed towards where the face had been. "I saw someone!" she croaked in a shaking voice. "Across the shore, by that knotty tree."
Scrutinizing the area of the shore she was looking at, Cadoc could not see a 'knotty tree'. Beneath the canopy of leaves was only blackness, but Rukhash's eyes were far better than his in the darkness.
"Stay with her," Cadoc ordered Hedon, who was squinting at the far shore with a confused expression.
Hedon nodded and Cadoc made his way across the river, traveling along an area of raised stone a little upstream that formed a small waterfall. The water here was no deeper than the height of his boots, and the ranger was able to cross it easily. Pulling his sword from its sheath, Cadoc ducked under the low overhang of foliage and into the wood. Cadoc made his way deeper into the forest and slightly downriver, to where he believed Rukhash had pointed.
He moved slowly, pausing often to see if he could catch any movement among the shadowy shapes surrounding him. As his eyes began to adjust to the gloom, Cadoc could make out the dim form of a short, leafless tree up ahead, its trunk covered in knotty, dark spots. Shaking his head, Cadoc quietly marveled at Rukhash's sharp eyesight. The tree was twenty yards in from the shore and shaded by the larger trees around it. No man would have been able to spot it at night and so far away.
There were no tracks along the ground, either subtle depressions or stray twigs, that would give away someone's passage, but that did not surprise Cadoc. When they were chasing Rukhash, those elves were probably not as concerned with hiding their trail as they were now that they were spying on her.
Coming to stand near the tree, Cadoc glanced around, and his eyes fell on a low, bright slab of granite a little downhill, closer to the river. Laid across its wide, flat surface was a white arrow. As he approached the rock, he looked through the part in the low hanging boughs. He had a clear view of the far shore. Hedon was standing stiffly next to Rukhash, still trying to see under the canopy. He looked somewhat comical, squinting so hard his eyes almost appeared shut. Rukhash caught sight of him immediately, an unsure look on her face as she raised her hand in acknowledgement. Cadoc returned the gesture and she smiled a little, but looked no less anxious.
Cadoc scowled at the arrow as it lay harmlessly on the rock next to him. Whoever put it here did not leave it by accident, and Cadoc doubted he had frightened two elven warriors away. Cadoc had a great deal of confidence in his own abilities, but he was not a man of foolish bravado. More so, the far shore was nearly thirty feet away. Close enough for an easy shot, but far enough that Cadoc would have had no time to cross the river before a second arrow was notched. A skilled bowman could have killed both Rukhash and himself without breaking a sweat.
What angered him most of all was that it seemed to be a message. Cadoc plucked the arrow gingerly from its spot, examining the long, white shaft before turning and glaring into the dark forest that surrounded him.
"Am man theled?" he called out, holding the arrow before him. "Should I thank you," he continued in Sindarin, "for sparing my wife? Or should I be thankful that you have injured her as she carries my child?" Cadoc paused for a moment, listening, but no response came. "We have done nothing! We wish only to be left in peace." There was still no answer, and Cadoc wondered if they had gone already. Deciding that he had said his piece, Cadoc dropped the arrow on the rock and turned to head back across the river.
Hedon had a puzzled look on his face as Cadoc returned. "What happened?" he asked.
"Nothing," Cadoc said as he gathered Rukhash in his arms. "I believe they have gone."
Nodding, Hedon followed Cadoc up the slope to camp. None of them slept that night, and they were on the march by sun up.
Though he had planned to leave the pair of them now that he had a mount, Rukhash's injury demanded that Hedon stay. She could manage walking for very short distances, but her injury would only be exasperated if she continued to put weight on her ankle. Hedon was surprised when she agreed to sit on the hose along with their packs.
"Cadoc'll kill 'imself carryin' me around all day," she had said, a weary look on her face. Hedon was impressed she was so willing to put aside her distaste for horses, but then, he realized, it shouldn't have been. On numerous occasions, she had declared her loyalty and care for Cadoc. She did not want to see him injured any more than Hedon did. He found himself feeling guilty for his harsh words towards her, and about her. The orcess was fairly subdued for the first few days after her injury, tired and in pain, and Hedon was surprised to find that he shared – to a much lesser extent – Cadoc's outrage that she had been harried by those elves, whoever they were.
They traveled the South Road towards the Harad Way for nearly five days. It was a wise move, on Cadoc's part. Tracking them in the wilderness, with no other trail but their own to follow, would be a simple task, but the roads were traveled by merchants and traders, and their passage would be obscured by the numerous, other tracks. To avoid the heavier traffic, they traveled at night, stopping to rest off the road during daylight hours. The moon was starting to wane, but the light it cast was more than adequate for night travel on a cleared road.
For the most part, Hedon's discourse with Rukhash was limited to necessary conversation. He did not want an attempt at apology to take the dark turn it had a few weeks before, and he wanted to part ways with Cadoc without an argument.
As they neared the juncture near the Harad Way, where Cadoc planned to turn south and make for a pass through the Duath Mountains, Rukhash's injury was beginning to abate. She could put more weight on it, and had even walked the better part of a night without assistance before they came to a stop for the day. Hedon finally felt comfortable leaving the pair of them alone, and told Cadoc that he would believing the next night to make for Emyn Arnen.
"We may not have seen any elves in the past week, but Dellon is still after you," he told Cadoc as the older ranger fixed their meal. "If an audience with Lord Faramir is going to do any good, I should have it soon."
Cadoc nodded. "I would thank you again for all of your help, my friend."
"Of course," Hedon said, shaking his head. "I could do nothing less." He paused for a moment, trying to think of a good way to put his words. Rukhash had taken to the surrounding trees to relieve herself, and Hedon could not think of a better time to try and apologize, to his friend at least, for his temperament regarding the female Cadoc considered his wife. "I am sorry," Hedon said finally, "that she and I do not get along."
Cadoc looked up from stirring the bubbling pot in front of him, an unreadable expression on his face. He fixed Hedon with a small smile. "I appreciate that you try," Cadoc said before turning back towards breakfast, an odd concoction of oats and ham and wild leeks that was surprisingly savory. Rukhash wouldn't touch any sort of grain unless it was mixed in with some kind of meat. Hedon thought it was a bit of a waste, using up so much meat, but he supposed the orcess's needs were more on Cadoc's thoughts than tight rations.
Rukhash took that moment to return to camp. She had a slight limp, but otherwise managed herself well enough. She ignored Hedon as she passed him and took a seat near Cadoc. "Smells good," she said, sniffing lightly at the air. "When's it ready? I'm starved."
"You have perfect timing," Cadoc smiled at her as he ladled some of the oats and meat into a bowl and passed it to her. Hedon took his own seat across from Cadoc, and the three of them ate breakfast quietly. Rukhash shoveled her food into her mouth with usual gusto and asked for seconds before either of the men had more than a few bites.
Rising from his seat, Cadoc collected his sword and headed off to situate himself between camp and the road to take first watch. Hedon was left alone with Rukhash. The younger ranger regarded her quietly as she dug in for thirds. Hedon shook his head reprovingly – her manners were appalling – and finished his own meal.
"I ne'er realized what a shit cook I was til Cadoc started cookin' fer me," Rukhash said appreciatively between mouthfuls.
Glancing around Hedon realized that Cadoc was gone and she was speaking to him. Was she striking up a conversation?
Rukhash raised a brow at him as she chewed thoughtfully. "It's good, right?" she said, raising her bowl slightly. Hedon wondered what she was getting at. She hadn't spoken a word to him in a week.
Unsure of what to say, Hedon placed his breakfast to the side. "It is," he said. He decided less was more, in this situation.
She regarded him for a long minute as she finished her third bowl, and Hedon wondered what was going through her head. She seemed intently thoughtful. Finally, she set aside her own, empty bowl and brushed her hands together, cocking her head to the side. "You think you'd like me better if I were a Woman?" she asked.
Hedon started at that. The orcess didn't seem particularly cross with him, or in an argumentative mood. In fact, Rukhash seemed somewhat interested in his answer, sitting quietly while she waited for him to respond. Hedon considered her statement. If she were a woman, she would easily be the crassest woman he had ever met. "I don't think so," he said at last. "I actually find you rather boorish."
Rukhash laughed out loud at that, her eyes twinkling, and Hedon wondered if boorishness was some manner of orcish virtue. "That's fine," she giggled. "You'd be one a the most borin' orc lads I ever met, if you were an orc lad. Don't think I'd like you any more'n I do neither, if we were the same type. So, at least we can agree on that."
Huffing quietly, Hedon nodded.
"But we both care about him," Rukhash added in a soft tone, nodding in the direction Cadoc had headed. "Don't we?"
"I suppose there are two things we can agree on, then," Hedon admitted with a small smile.
The orcess fingered the hem of her tunic thoughtfully. "What do ya think it's gonna do, you goin' ta talk to 'is boss?"
"At the very least, I am hoping Lord Faramir will lift the bounty on the two of you," Hedon said. "You still have a few more weeks before you will reach the mountain pass Cadoc is aiming for. I am sure you would prefer not to have to look over your shoulder every few seconds for the rest of your journey."
Rukhash nodded quietly at that. "That'd be nice," she said thoughtfully. "You think he'd lift that other charge; the one what calls Cadoc a traitor? He seemed real upset at that."
"I am not sure," Hedon admitted. "I believe it is a matter for the King to decide, but Lord Faramir is held in high regard. If he is sympathetic to Cadoc's situation, I'd hope that he would speak on his behalf."
Biting her lip, Rukhash shifted to stretch out her legs. Her gaze had wandered off to the side, and she seemed to be thinking hard on something. With a frown, Hedon noticed her hand move to her abdomen. "How are you feeling?" the ranger asked. She seemed, at least to Hedon, to not be quite as ill anymore.
"Eh?" Rukhash started. She lifted her ankle and rotated her foot inside her boot. "It's a bit stiff, but my ankle should be fine," she said, misunderstanding his meaning. "I bounced back from worse sprains in less time, an' I been off my feet all week. Felt real good last night, walkin' on it."
Clearing his throat, Hedon nodded obligingly. "What about your... other condition?"
She regarded his uncomfortable expression with a knowing grin. "You mean the sproglet? It seems all right, tough lil' blighter." she patted her belly with a small smile. "Might start feelin 'im bounce around soon. Felt 'at real early with my last one." Rukhash's attention shifted to the ranger across from her. "Least I ain't loosin' my lunch no more," she added with a smirk.
"Well," Hedon said awkwardly, "that is good, I suppose."
Looking up, Rukhash regarded the bright sky with a thoughtful frown. "Better catch some shut eye 'fore it gets too late," she commented off handedly. "I always wake up when it starts gettin' hot." Tossing her bowl near Cadoc's empty one, she turned over the cover for her sleeping roll and tucked herself in.
"Sleep well," Hedon told her, glad she seemed eager to drop the conversation.
"Yea yea," she yawned, not bothering to lift her head from where it was pillowed on her arms. "You too. G'night, or g'day... or nar mat kordh-ishi. Whichever you prefer."
Her breathing evened out in minutes and Hedon decided she had the right idea. After checking on the old mare tied up nearby, he laid down on his own pallet, staring wearily at the canopy above, and willed sleep to come.
Hedon left the pair of them the next day, heading north into Emyn Arnen while Rukhash and Cadoc headed over the Poros and into South Gondor. They traveled the Harad Way south for a few days, keeping their nighttime schedule, until the moon no longer afforded them any light. Cadoc wanted to turn them east anyhow, since a Ranger station was even further south, and he needed to angle their course towards the pass through the mountains that would take them into Mordor. So, their path angled east, taking them through the dense, less populated forests that stretched along the mountains, from Ithilien to the Harnen River.
They took to travel in the daylight, the dense canopy allowing Rukhash a rest from the oppressive sun. To some extent, Rukhash missed traveling at night, though it was easier for her to sleep in the cool of evening. Three days into their trek into the forests of South Gondor, with little more to cause them trouble than an angry skunk – Cadoc had burned that set of clothes – Rukhash realized that they were nearly in the clear. It would be only a little over a week before they reached the mountains, and then they would be safe.
More than that, her belly was just beginning to pop out and Rukhash could swear that she had felt the first, tentative flutters of the baby. It was exciting, even as she struggled to curb her enthusiasm. They had a ways to go yet, but more and more, it would seem as though they were going to make it. Looking to Cadoc where he sat next to her, on to of a large chunk of rock that set him above her – his attention fixed on the surrounding forest as they took a rest for the night – she felt herself smile and her sight started to blur with emotion.
Turning towards his wife's sniffing, Cadoc realized she was crying. "Are you all right?" he asked, concerned. Their conversation had been light for a while now, and Cadoc couldn't understand why she would be crying when, just this afternoon, she had been thrilled because she thought she felt the baby kick.
"I'm jus' happy," she said tearfully, wiping her face. "I can' help the waterworks. It just comes an' goes whenever it wants now a days."
Smiling gently at her, Cadoc shifted off of his perch and came to sit next to her, drawing her against him. "I am happy as well," he told her softly before pressing his lips against her crown. "Is it kicking now?" Cadoc asked, curious. He had thought she was moving along much more quickly than Ingrid had, and Rukhash had confirmed this when he had mentioned it by informing him that she would come to term in twenty-four weeks, a significantly shorter time than a woman would.
Concentrating, Rukhash wrinkled her nose. "Nar," she said at last. "Ain't movin' around right now. It'll be a few more weeks 'fore I start feeling' it regular, and a little longer'n that 'fore you'll be able ta feel it."
Placing his hand above Rukhash's, where it rested on the swell of her belly, Cadoc brought his mouth to hers. As Cadoc moved to lay her back and covered her body with his own, he realized there were still many obstacles for them to face, but at this moment all he could think on was the feel of her skin against his and the soft sounds she made in the darkness.
Rukhash woke with a start. Frowning, she peered into the darkness, unsure what exactly it was that had woken her. Cadoc was no longer by her side, but he had left a while ago to take first watch, telling her that he intended to check the perimeter. Stilling, she pitched her ears forward, listening intently as she scented the air. Annoyed that she could hear and smell nothing, she gingerly tossed the covers off of her and pulled her tunic on. The fire had burned out at some point, and Rukhash didn't like that all. Why wasn't Cadoc back from his rounds yet?
Rolling to her feet, Rukhash palmed her knife and followed his faint scent out of camp. A quiet, angry grunting from a thicket up ahead caught her ear, and Rukhash hurried forward to investigate. In the middle of the shadowy clearing was a dark shape hovering menacingly over her shaûk. Cadoc was lying on the ground, a bruised lump forming on his temple, completely still. Two, blood red eyes fixed on her, and the large, black orc that had knocked Cadoc unconscious grinned.
Rukhash swallowed down the anxious lump that formed in her throat, not wanting to think of what condition Cadoc might be in. Whimpering and quivering wouldn't do him any good right now. With a hiss, Rukhash mustered all of her haughty, Uruk hai disdain and brandished her curved knife. "Oi!" she barked. "What the fuck you think yer doin'? He's mine."
"Them's big words, little rat," a voice sounded from too close behind. Before she could whirl around, a large hand gripped her bicep and spun her, catching her knife in his giant palm as she took a swing. Rukhash came face to face with a pair of amber eyes fixed in a scarred face. "Yer keepin' awful queer company now a days, little sis."
Blinking, Rukhash could barely find her voice. For all she knew, she was speaking to a ghost. "Thraangzi?"
Her elder brother grinned, toothy and white. Then there was a sharp pain in the back of her skull and Rukhash knew no more.
Translations
Am man theled? (Sindarin) lit. For what purpose? trans. Why? [This is pulled from a Sindarin site, as I am not well versed in the language myself, but thought a little belonged in Cadoc's response to the elves, even though I switched to "translated italics" immediately after (and, really, would you have preferred to scroll all the way down here to see what he said?). If you are well versed in Sindarin and you find there is fault with the usage, please PM me and let me know the best way to fix it.]
Nar mat kordh-ishi. (SV Black Speech) trans. Do not die in bed. [This phrase has several meanings, but in this instance it is used in the sense of "sleep tight."]