oooooh. well spotted sprite. missed that one. not to worry - have come up with a reason for it. you were the only person to spot that. well, spot that and point it out anyway. as for chocolate it's gotta be Cadbury's. *DROOL* at easter I discovered 'Cadbury's Dream' egg - like a creme egg only better. much better. heavenly. white chocolate shell with soft white chocolate centre. all I can say is roll on next easter... And here's the next chapter. It's still not mine and it's 7:05AM. Yep - AM. I've been up since around 3:00am cos I can't sleep. Dammit. And I don't own LOTR either. Double dammit...

What's Going On.

Eventually I stopped crying. Thingaladion was still unconscious as I wandered over to check on him. Then I noticed something. Something that I had previously missed. Thingaladion's horse was saddled. Yes saddled.

"So much for bareback riding you wimp." I muttered as I turned him over onto his back. "Ouch." I commented noticing the bruising on his face. "That's gonna take some healing. Come on evil elf, let's get you back to Mirkwood."

And somehow with strength I didn't know I possessed I managed to get Thingaladion back on his horse.

***

Tying his hands together with some rope that had been on his horse just so he didn't escape I noticed he was groaning and starting to come around.

"Unconscious evil elf is better than awake evil elf." I said aloud as he continued to groan. Then I picked up a nearby rock and clouted him on the back of the head.

The groans stopped.

***

I mounted back onto my horse and we started the trek back to Mirkwood at a somewhat slower pace than we had set out. I held onto the reins of Thingaladion's horse as it followed us bearing the still unconscious Thingaladion.

By the time we had got back to the borders of Mirkwood Thingaladion was beginning to wake up again.

"Damn." I muttered to myself, cursing my stupidity for leaving the rock I had used on him earlier. "Where's something big and heavy when you need it?"

We entered the dense forest. Then Thingaladion's moans abruptly stopped. I turned around to see him lying on the forest floor and a very heavy branch that I had only moments before ducked to avoid was swinging suspiciously back and fore.

"Ahh. Unconscious elf can't look to see when he needs to duck his head." I noted with satisfaction.

***

I dismounted to heave Thingaladion back onto his horse. And then I noticed something. Something I hadn't noticed before. Something that puzzled the hell out of me. Something that couldn't possibly be right. And something that explained Thingaladion's wimpy riding technique. His hair had uncovered something.

His ear.

It was round.

Like mine.

Like my perfectly round, non pointy HUMAN ear.

I gulped. And my senses which had previously ignored all manner of danger in Middle Earth came alive. And I sensed something. That I had found out something that I wasn't supposed to know. This was not good. Not good at all.

Idiot.

*************************

The plot thickens. What's going on? Shock Horror! Didn't expect that now did ya? Right then. I'm off to go and get ready. I'm wide awake now - but by midday I'll be wanting my bed. R&R and make me feel better!