Slowly the approach of dark figures began to emerge over the horizon. Jaen hadn't even noticed this, let alone try to hide. Leah always saw things coming before her; probably because of the difference and hight between the two, she thought. But this seemed highly unlikely, because she also heard things approaching before Jaen, too. It all bewildered Leah, why two people could be so different, yet so the same.

A very large rock stuck up out of the ground, almost as though it was a cliff, though there was no difference in altitude for miles. Leah and Jaen climed up on their bellies, trying to remain unseen by the approaching "things".

"I don't see why we have to do this!" whimpered Jaen, "I see no one to hide from, let alone crawling up on one's middle! After all, Leah, we just had second breakfast, and I'm feeling quite full."

"You should be, from what all you've been eating! Honestly, you and your meals. Why is it that you insist on having six meals a day, plus dozens of sweats in between?"

"I don't know, I honestly don't know. On one hand" and here she stuck out her hand, which looked a bit chuby to Leah, "It makes perfect sense to stop and have meals when one's hungry, and on the other, I wish I didn't do it. Too much work to prepare and clean up." Leah nodded with that, though Jaen didn't notice that she didn't agree with her, but wanted the conversation to stop being always about food. "But then again, we seem to have a lot of fun, don't we? With the cakes, the wines, the breads-"

Leah blocked Jaen's ramblings out of her mind while she concentrated on the approaching figures, and keeping Jaen to move up the rock. It seemed that Jaen couldn't do two things at once, but she insisted on talking. "You must see the figures now!" she interupted. "They are approaching faster, as though- as though they see us!" Jaen looked and finally saw them stampeding towards them at amazing speed.

"There are eight of them. Four small ones at the end, two in the middle, and one- why! one's even shorter than you, Jaen!" Jaen smiled a bit, then thought that this might be an insult. "No offense or anything, Jaen. Oh my! And one, one is far ahead. His hair is golden and flows behind him. My god.... he's gorgeous!" Leah began to slow down, and Jaen tapped her and hurried her up, for the first time ever. "The plan, is to keep quiet, and to......." Hmm...what was the rest of the plan? She hadn't thought about anything else.... "Oh yes, find out his- I mean their names, and what their business is of." With that, they reached the top of the rock, and noticed that the sides came up about 3 feet, forming a sort of wall. Perfect for what Leah had just decided on doing.

"Ready your sword, Jaen. We may run into unwanted company. And pull your hood up so they can't see your face." ----------------

They had been traveling all day, and rest was impossible, for fear of being spotted by Orcs; hiding was not an option. The desert was open, and they could be seen for miles, if anyone actually traveled in these conditions.

"DOES anyone ever travel in these conditions?" complained Gimli, for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. "No, marked trails, no mines, let alone any signs of recent travel! Honestly, if a dwarf was the leader of this fellowship, we would-"

"Be sitting in an Orc Prison." Legolas finished, clearly not what the dwarf intended to say.

"Well, Mr. Prissy Pants, what do you think an elf would do if he were in charge, eh? All fruits, them elves. Females all the way through. Can imagine what they'd do- conduct a beauty salon is what I say! I can see the schedual all layed out on pink paper: 'Monday- Nails, Tuesday- Hair, Wednesday-"

They went on for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only 20 minutes. The rest of the company was taking pleasure in the day's entertainment. Twas a joy.

"Ooo! Look at me, I'm prissy pony pants riding off to save the day with my bow and-" Finally, Legolas stuck out his leg and triped Gimli onto the ground. "Honestly, now. No class at all these elves...and you didn't have to get me in the stomach."

"Sorry then...I supose." said Legolas with a gallon of sarcasm.

"I see that all of the magnificent events have taken away all your attention, and you haven't noticed that there is a giant rock up ahead." Sam said, pointing towards it.

"Yes, Sam! And shade!"

Legolas was the first to sprint towards it. The rest followed, the hobbits stumbling behind last. "HALT!"