Chapter 12

Ornella awoke the following morning with a headache and puffy eyelids. Memories of last night came crashing down and she nearly started sobbing anew. She couldn't recall even falling asleep, crying herself into a slumber amongst the pack of dogs. Aldo was the most worried, never having heard her make such noises even in their past life.

Aldo, who had been blissfully unaware of what was occurring between Beorn and Ornella the entire time, went in search of answers.

Why does she make terrible noises? Aldo asked one of the other dogs quietly.

Ask our beloved Beorn, one of the dogs suggested, humored by the idea.

Aldo asked no further questions, resting his head pensively on his arms. His mind scrambled, attempting to piece together what all the other animals managed to figure out. When he couldn't figure it out, he was suddenly filled with a frustrating displeasure. He slipped away from Ornella's side, going in search of Beorn. Aldo was not one to anger easily but as far as the dog was concerned, no one upset his master and got away with it.

Why, he'll have a piece of my mind, Aldo grumbled to himself, head high and determined.

He searched all over the property. With Beorn nowhere in sight, Aldo followed his nose. He walked longer than anticipated, having found the skin-changer still naked among the clover fields. He had stayed there all night, hoping space would alleviate his heartache. Minutes turned to hours, dawn broke and his chest hurt continued to hurt as much as it did last night.

A sorrowful energy radiated from the skin-changer like a black miasma, forcing Aldo to pause. But, remembering why he was there, he began to bark at Beorn's back.

What did you do to my master, he demanded, I would have you tell me at once!

His attempt at sounding intimidating was almost laughable. Beorn answered with a surprising calm.

"Your master put herself in harm's way."

That does not answer my question. She cries and very frightfully.

"She received a good and well-deserved scolding. Nothing more," Beorn continued, abnormally patient.

Though Beorn felt justified in his response, her terrified face flashed in his mind. He had been harsh, yes, but she had also been thoughtless.

You must go to her, Aldo insisted.

"I will," Beorn assured him, "But, now is not the time. Now, go and look after her."

Aldo hesitantly obeyed.

So much for telling him off...

The dog rushed back, eager to check on his master. When returned to the stable where she slept, she was gone.

Ornella rode Mara fiercely through the vales, blinded by tears and the harsh wind. She didn't look back, gripping Mara's mane as the satchel she had taken from Beorn bounced against her hip. Difficult as it was, she had made up her mind; she was leaving.

Ornella wasn't sure where she was going, only knowing that she would go alone and on foot. But, if Beorn noticed her missing, she would never be able to outrun him if he chose to follow her. So, she took Mara – only until she was out of the open fields then Ornella had every intention of sending Mara back to her master.

Stupid as it was to travel on alone, she couldn't bear the idea of taking Lucky and Aldo from the peace and safety they deserved. She knew Aldo would follow her to the ends of Middle Earth. So, she waited until he was distracted before rapidly packing her bow and a satchel filled with food. She dawned her cloak and tip-toeing away.

Mara rode unhappily, unsure of where the woman was going but knew Beorn wouldn't want her so far from home. She had tried to resist, yanking away from the distressed maiden who nearly begged for Mara to cooperate through tears. Taking pity on her, Mara allowed it. She was sorely regretting it after Ornella refused to stop, commanding Mara to go faster.

The mare would continue for hours.

It was only when they finally arrived at the entrance of Mirkwood Forest did Ornella allow Mara to stop. She looked at the entrance curiously, wiping the dried tears off her face. Sliding off Mara, she began to walk towards the ivory pillars and statues gracing the entrance. The forest began to grow around the structure, giving it an eerie, abandoned appearance. Looking through the trees ahead, Ornella shivered – there was something off about this forest.

Her body jerked at the sudden sound of Mara neighing, trotting to approach her. The horse nudged Ornella roughly, attempting to steer her away with her large head but Ornella ducked underneath her. She looked at the horse and spoke with a sternness that matched her expression.

"Go home, Mara," She said emotionlessly, "This is goodbye."

Mara snorted in protest but before she could stop her, Ornella turned on her heel and ran swiftly into the forest. Mara paced back and forth, sputtering anxiously – she was too afraid to go into the forest after her.

What have I done, Mara became desolate, I should never have allowed this.

She did the only thing she could think of: she trotted faster than she ever had in her life to warn Beorn of Ornella's recklessness. The horse could only pray that Ornella would stay safe until then.

Once Ornella was sure Mara would not follow her, she slowed her pace to a hesitant walk. Peering all over wildly at every crack of a twig or falling leaf, she couldn't help but feel something sinister about this forest.

"I just have to get to the other side," she whispered to herself in a pathetic attempt to soothe her nerves.

She cracked her knuckles, the sound like exploding fireworks echoing through the silent trees. She continued to shiver now and then, crossing her arms under her breasts tightly. She could feel eyes on her but blamed her paranoia. She continued to follow the path, glancing at the muddy waters. She was thirsty but wasn't sure she was willing to drink from these particular waters. She sighed heavily through her nostrils, her mind beginning to wander once the initial spook of the forest wore off.

How she wished she could stop thinking of the skin-changer. Her throat began to swell again, eyes glistening with fresh tears. She wondered if she should have waited until he formally kicked her out before leaving. That was what she had been anticipating – him asking her to leave – but she was too cowardly to face him again.

Guilt and heartbreak began to slowly consume her, tears finally falling down her golden cheeks. She gasped and hiccupped, holding back cries. She wished she had the courage to have at least bid him farewell.

Rustle.

Ornella froze, catching a swift shadow dashing through the trees from the corner of her eye. She knew now this forest was definitely not abandoned. Pitch-black eyes scanned the trees frantically, her heart now skipping in her chest. She wasn't willing to wait and see what it was.

She ran.

The rustling became louder, following after her. She began to pant, too terrified to look over her shoulder. Whatever sinister presence she felt earlier should have been enough warning for her for she was now its prey. She ran as fast as her long legs could carry her, skidding to a painful stop when a monstrous spider jumped from the trees above and right in front of her.

She slid hard, her legs pushing her onto her back in an attempt to run the opposite direction. She looked up at the monstrous spider, petrified and unable to move. It hissed at her fiercely, its beady eyes making Ornella's skin shrivel. She scrambled to her feet, unable to think of anything else to do but run in the opposite direction.

She turned to do just that, stilling when another spider blocked her path. She was trapped, having waltzed herself to her own death. She saw nothing but darkness as the two spiders spit out their webs from either side of her, wrapping her up off her feet.

Beorn...