Friend or Foe?
Alana looked across the fire to where the new creature, Gollum, lay trying to rid himself of his collar. His skinny hands were grabbing onto the rope and he was wailing.
"It hurts us! Take it off us!" Gollum rolled about on the ground, like he had been doing for the past hour or two.
"Every orc miles from here will find us with this racket, Mister Frodo." Sam said, clinging to the rope in his hand. Frodo shook his head.
"It hurts us! Master! Take it off us!" Gollum screamed again.
"Oh, shut up." Alana grumbled.
Gollum looked up angrily. "What does ancient elf know of Gollum."
Alana was insulted. "Hey, now." She growled, standing up quickly and advancing on Gollum. "I may not be ancient, but I'm not stupid. You piece of scum." Alana kicked at Gollum.
"How old are you, Miss Alana?" Sam asked, looking up from Gollum for a second.
"Sixty. In your terms I'm twelve, though. Elves mature five times slower than men of hobbits." Alana began to pick up rocks, and seeing the hobbits faces she said. "For protection if the creature escapes."
"You would have been born around the same time Bilbo was in Mirkwood, then." Frodo commented.
"Why do you think Grandfather was so uncomfortable with strangers? Thought someone was going to steal me from my cradle." Alana grinned for the first time in weeks.
Frodo smiled lightly. Alana so far had made the journey a whole lot easier on him by seeing things far off and taking night watches. She would tell Elven lore and other stories, sing at night, and though she was still grieving, she gave light humor sometimes, and made then laugh more with her hard expression.
"Master! Take it off us!" Gollum was now at Frodo's feet, wailing. Alana sighed and sat down.
Frodo reached down towards Gollum. "Don't take it off him, Frodo, unless you are sure whether he's friend of foe." Alana warned.
"Don't worry, Miss Alana, I know."
***
Thranduil walked across the bedroom floor, to a large chest to put another letter in it. This letter, however, was happier than the others that he had put in it this year. This letter was telling him that his son still lived, and that it was a miracle he did. The first letter that year spoke of death, and the other of Alana's flight, to die.
'I wish I could tell her now that her father lives.' Thranduil thought sadly. Opening the ancient chest he laid another letter on top of the thousands he and his own father had had. One day he would take them all west.
'if only.'
***
Gollum was now running happily along in front of the trio walking to Mordor.
"I can't believe that you trusted that worm." Alana said, thinking of all the insults Gollum had thrown at her.
Frodo smiled. "You're just jealous that he likes me more than you." Frodo jested.
"Jealous? I pity you." Alana smiled at Sam who was not enjoying Gollum's stay any more than she was.
Frodo grinned again, feeling as though the ring was as light as air right then.
"I wonder what the rest of the Fellowship is doing." Sam said suddenly.
Alana nodded. She was wondering that too.
***
Aragorn was tossing and turning in his blankets inside of Helm's Deep. Tonight was the last time he'd be here, after this he was going through some passage with the people of Rohan. Suddenly Aragorn felt something sniffing him.
Starting up and reaching for his sword, Aragorn turned to face a large wolf, that had stopped sniffing him abruptly. The wolf whimpered, and then turned to hide behind the sleeping Legolas.
Legolas awoke to see Aragorn's sword being held right behind his head.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"There's a wolf behind you. I'll kill it." Aragorn pulled his arm back for the kill but Legolas stopped him.
"No!" Legolas laughed and said, "This is Nilcoire, he's a Mirkwood hunting wolf! He probably just sniffing you out."
Aragorn frowned. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Wanted you to meet him first hand." Legolas grinned.
"Stupid Elf." Aragorn said to him, sounding like Gimli.
"Clumsy Human." Legolas muttered.
R/R Please!!!!!!!!!! Tell me if I should skip seeing the Oliphants or not. (Need to see the movie to know what Oliphants.)