Hi guys!

First of all I want to thank Celridel for her help but also I want to invite you to leave your reviews, they're extremely important for me.

And said this let's go with the next chapter... Chapter 17!

Chapter 17: Hunting some orcs

The man of Gondor was choking on his own blood, Marrow noticed, and her eyes glittered. He had staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on his sword.

"Congratulations, human. You have beaten a large group of orcs, let's see if you have the same luck with a mutant."

Boromir leapt back, as one of the thorns of her armor pierced him. The pain was crippling, he knew his time was ending. He rolled under a pair of spikes that nailed themselves to the tree behind him, and in anguish wondered if his Little One was still alive. And the hobbits? Frodo? The fate of Middle Earth?

Marrow was far more agile than him, she danced mockingly around him, and his movements became slower, labored. He could do nothing but defend himself against the storm of the attacks. At last he paused deliberately, waiting till Marrow drew a little closer, her slitted eyes laughing, as she dashed at him, he feinted, but only knocked one of the spines that protruded from her left elbow, cutting her forearm.

Frowning, Marrow drew back. This man was a true warrior, and therefore, must die a painful death. She had been wounded by an inferior, a monkey.

She swooped under his blade, and punched him, the long spine piercing his stomach.

Boromir's eyes widened in shock, as he fell to his knees, still clutching the hilt of his sword. Marrow raised her feet to kick him , but Boromir threw his sword, and she was forced off balance and toppled to the ground.

Making one last appeal to his strength, Boromir rose to attack, but Marrow easily rolled to her feet, and thrust one of her spines through his chest, smiling as he wriggled like a worm on a hook.

She rose to her feet, preparing to give him the killing blow, when an arrow whistled by her, it's feather fletching tickling her ear. She spun round, furious, to see a tall Elf snatching another arrow up, and behind him a dwarf and a Man.

Marrow calculated her chances. The rest of her Orcs were most likely defeated, and the Elf was clearly a skilled bowman. The Fellowship was broken, that was enough. So she ran, dodging the arrow and disappearing into the forest within seconds.

Aragorn was kneeling besides Boromir, tears in his eyes. The nobleman's voice was hoarse and barely audible as he whispered. "Kitty. Where's Kitty?"

"We thought she was with you." murmured Aragorn. "Now, lie still."

Boromir coughed. "No. They've taken her. They have gone: the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them as well. I tried to take the Ring from Frodo." he said. "I am sorry. I have paid." His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there. "I think they are not dead. Orcs bound them.' He paused and his eyes closed wearily. After a moment he spoke again. "Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed."

"No!" said Aragorn, taking his hand and kissing his brow. "You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace! Minas Tirith shall not fall!"

Boromir smiled. "And I would have followed you. My brother…..my captain…my King."

Aragorn smiled sadly, as a tear trickled down Boromir's cheek. "I swear we shall save her."

"I have failed her." whispered Boromir. "Like I have failed Lindalwen."

"We will save her. I swear." Murmured Aragorn.

Boromir frowned slightly, and turned to his head towards Legolas. The Elf was standing uneasily, though his eyes were sad. He had never seen death of the Free Races so close. His race was immortal. Boromir swallowed, and with a great effort took off his ring, which bore the noble arms of his family and held it out to the Elf.

"Give this to my 'Little One'." he said "Tell her when she arrives in Minas Tirith to show it. This ring will allow her to be safe there."

Legolas frowned at this. Again, he felt that strange feeling, but this changed to great astonishment when Boromir whispered. "Legolas, give me your word you will protect Kitty. That you will never leave her side. Swear by your honor."

"I give you my word, I shall do it all." said Legolas.

Boromir laughed weakly. "What? Do you think I loved her, Legolas? No, she was my Little One, but you are the one who loves her, even though it will cost your life."

Legolas opened his eyes wide, about to protest, but Aragorn's voice was frantic. "Which way did they go? Was Frodo there?". But Boromir did not speak again.

A long and heavy silence followed Boromir's death, Aragorn kissed Boromir's brow while murmuring: "Be at peace, son of Gondor."

Then he stood up and looked to Gimli who bowed his head in signal of respect.

"They will look for his coming from the White Tower, but he will not return." said the Ranger

Legolas looked at the dead man, in silent grief and shock.

They laid Boromir to rest in the grey boats of Lothlórien, and pushed out into the river, so that the Anduin would take him away, bearing him to the Sea.

Legolas was torn. He had sworn to travel with Frodo, but he had also sworn to Boromir to protect Kitty. Gimli's voice broke him out of his reflections.

"We should hurry! The two young hobbits must have already crossed to the other shore!"

Aragorn stood unmoved, staring at the slender spike he had withdrawn from Boromir's shoulder, and then at last said. "Frodo's fate is now longer in our hands. My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left. Come! We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark!"

Legolas bowed his head, relieved, but Gimli's voice was thick. "Then it has all been in vain! The Fellowship of the Ring has failed!"

Aragorn put his hands on their shoulders. "Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Kitty nor the hobbits to torment and death, not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let us hunt some orcs!"

Legolas smiled grimly, and started the journey, running towards their friends.

The Uruk-Hai were also running, their prisoners on their backs. The Hobbits were awake, wounded and bruised but otherwise whole.

Kitty had barely awakened, and was just beginning to struggle when a large Orc, bearing the symbol of a white hand came to drug her again, ignoring the Hobbits' protests of "Do not! Leave her! You are going to kill her!"

But they went on, at a great speed, and day and night faded into a dark dream.

When their pace had stilled, Pippin half woke, and in the darkness, barely caught sight of a group of Orcs slipping through the night: long-armed crook-legged Orcs. They had a red eye painted on their shields. Uglúk stepped forward to meet them. "So you've come back?" he said. "Thought better of it, eh?"

"I've returned to see that Orders are carried out and the prisoners safe." answered Grishnákh.

"Indeed!" said Uglúk. "Waste of effort. I'll see that orders are carried out in my command. And unless you've got some guts for fighting, you've taken the wrong way. Lugbúrz was your road. The Whiteskins are coming. What's happened to your precious Nazgûl? Has he had another mount shot under him? Now, if you'd brought him along, that might have been useful – if these Nazgûl are all they make out."

"Nazgûl, Nazgûl." said Grishnákh, shivering and licking his lips. "You speak of what is deep beyond the reach of your muddy dreams, Uglúk. But what of the mutant? Is she drugged?"

"What do you think I am, swine? Of course she is drugged. I have no more time to waste, the Horsemen are on our tail! Move!"

Pippin had playing desperately with his brooch, pulling on it with his teeth. At the last, he spat it out, in the sliver of hope it might be found. But Orc-feet trampled it down.

Aragorn was listening intently with his ear pressed to the ground. "Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" he said while standing up

"Come on, Gimli!" called Aragorn

"Three days and nights pursuit… no food, no rest, and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." the Dwarf panted.

Several hours have passed before Aragorn dropped to his knees and held up the brooch. "Not idly do the leaves of Lothlórien fall!"

"They may yet be alive." said Legolas though his voice faltered a little.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come! I'm sure that the three are alive."

Legolas nodded but turned around when he heard that someone stumbled and fell.

"Come Gimli! We are gaining on them!" exclaimed Aragorn

"I'm wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances." answered the tired dwarf.

But Aragorn stopped, his grey eyes slitted. "We are in Rohan. Home of the Horse Lords. But there's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to our enemies, and sets its will against us."

Legolas scanned the plains. He was anguished for Kitty, and could feel nothing but a sickening sense of pain. Was Kitty sick? Was she poisoned? Or was only his worry for her?

"Legolas, what do your Elf eyes see?" asked Aragorn suddenly.

The Elf shook his head, focusing his eyes. "The Uruks turn northeast. Or so says their trail. The grass is trampled down. They are taking the hobbits and Kitty to Isengard"

"Saruman." murmured Aragorn. "The symbol of the White Hand. That his emblem."

"Do you think that that… that… whatever had attacked Boromir is with the orcs?" asked Gimli, his voice rough.

Aragorn and Legolas looked to each other. They hoped not. If only Kitty were with them…

Saruman was walking through the pits of Isengard, his voice deep and angry. "I want them armed and ready to march within two weeks."

"But my lord, there are too many! They cannot all be armed in time, we don't have the means." answered the orc who was following him.

"Build a dam, block the stream, work the furnaces night and day!"

"We don't have enough fuel to feed the fires." muttered the Orc, cowering.

"The Forest of Fangorn lies on our doorstep. Burn it."

"Yes, my lord."

Saruman leaned on the window of Orthanc, worried. He had heard no news from Marrow. Had she succeeded in kidnapping Shadowcat? He hoped so. She would make a good warrior, if she would accept his offering. If not, he had other ways to convince you.

A snarling Orc-voice interrupted his thoughts. "My Lord, a messenger has come."

Saruman immediately to the Orc who had just arrived. "I assume that you bring me good news."

The orc bowed fawningly. "Yes, my Lord. The Captain Marrow sends you word."

"What had happened?"

"The Fellowship had been broken. One of them was killed by the Captain herself. Two Halflings and the Shadowcat are being brought her with all speed."

"And Marrow?" asked Saruman, eager for news of the Ring.

"She said nothing else, my Lord, but she is following a path. She said you need not worry, she will take care of everything."
Saruman frowned. Certainly, she wouldn't take the One Ring for herself, none of the mutants desired it. But something was happening, and it was as well to be prepared.

It was nightfall once more, and the Uruk-Hai and Morgul Orcs and been forced to halt. They had stopped in a field, near the borders of a forest, and began to hew the wood and light a fire.

Wriggling through the tall grass, Merry crawled towards Pippin, something in his hands and whispered. "I think we might have made a mistake leaving the Shire, Pippin."

"You think?" asked the younger hobbit. "What do you have there?"

"This is what they use to drug Kitty. Already she's starting to wake up, soon she'll be fully well and she'll help us to escape."

Pippin looked towards Kitty who had started to blink. "Do you think she'll be able to?"

"I hope so but…"

"Sh! Listen!" hissed Pippin. "What's making that noise?"

Merry was silent, listening to the low groans and rumbles coming from the forest, above the sounds of the Orcs chopping wood. "It's the trees."

"What?" exclaimed Pippin, astonished.

"You remember the Old Forest? On the borders of the Buckland? I am a Bucklander, I used to go in there. Folks used to say that there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall and come alive."

"Alive?"

"Trees that could whisper, talk to each other, even move…"

"I'm starving! We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!" snarled an Orc, interrupting them.

"Yes! Why can't we have some meat?" added an orc, looking at the hobbit. "What about them? They're fresh"

"They're not for eating!" shouted Uglúk.

"Then what about the witch?" the Orc hissed. "She's drugged."

"She's not for eating either. Besides, the drugs might have worn off. We should do it again."
Merry and Pippin lay silent, terrified. Kitty lay unmoving. She had heard all.

"Get back, scum!" shouted the leader of the Uruk, seeing the Orc approach Kitty. "T prisoners go to Saruman, alive and unspoiled. Especially the woman."

"And why alive? And why is the woman so important? She would give very good sport!"

The rest of the army agreed. Kitty trembled. She had to find a way to flee, but how..

A head rolled in front of her, and she nearly screamed, as Uglúk bellowed, his scimitar dripping black blood. "Looks like meat is back on the menu, boys!"

The orcs and the Uruk piled on the dead orc for a bloody feast. In that moment, Merry saw that Kitty, after closing her eyes for focusing, had passed through the ropes and was crawling towards them. "Give me your hands." she whispered, finding she was so weak she could only barely managed to make Pippin's hands pass through the ropes.

"Can you go?" hissed Merry.
"Yes." whispered Kitty stubbornly, but Uglúk heard her and turned on them.

"Go!" screamed Kitty. "Go, go, go!"

The two hobbits were dashing to the forest, and Kitty stumbled to her feet, seizing her hair to force her head to the ground. Kitty yelled in pain, and he laughed.

"Go on, call for help,. Squeal! No one's gonna save you now!"

Blood spouted from his mouth, the edge of a spear protruding from his chest. Horses whinnied, men shouted and the Orcs screamed. "Kitty! Come on!" shouted Pippin.

Kitty struggled to her feet, and then toppled over.

We all know what happens with the two hobbits but what will happen to Kitty?

Waiting for your reviews guys! They're extremely important!