Yet again, another shorter chapter. I apologize… I am wholly sorry. It just did not call for the normal amount. I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did writing it, it was a blast!

~Hoshiko

Findings of a Warrior

The waters of the Anduin gushed through the riverbed. The day was clear and bright, you would not have known that that day there had been blood spilled this day. Yet, in its waters, the Anduin showed signs of it, for it carried a body of a man. He was clad richly in furs, though these were very weather beaten and soaked through. His wet, dark hair matted to his head, and the water was red where his blood had been spilled.

As if the waters knew of his presence, the next bend it hit, it dumped the body on the sandy beach. He lay there, not moving, it seemed as if he were dead. The sun can be a great healer, though, and he moved.

At first, it was only his hand, but as he flexed it more and more, he brought his arm up and groaned. He had tried to move the other and it didn't work. He sat up slowly, and took from his left arm a knife. It hurt, and he winced in pain but did not complain. With his good hand he ripped off a piece of cloth from his tunic and rapped it around his wound. Luckily, it had not wholly gone through his arm. With his good hand and teeth he tightened the bond.

'You let the hobbits be taken, you fool.' He said to himself in loathing. 'Teredon, your father was right, you are an idiot.' He muttered and stood. The sun was hot under all his robes, but in his half-awakened state he did not heed it, and did not bother to take off his extra clothes. He stumbled, fell, and did not get up.

Teredon could see the hobbits looking at him, grabbing at his hand to try and help him up. Before they could they were grabbed from behind and faded away. He screamed for them, but it did not help, and the dream ended.

Teredon could hear the crackling of the fire, and he wondered if it had all been a dream. He would wake up, and look around the camp, Terry, Param, Ondril, and Brom, all safe, sleeping. He cracked one eye open, and saw it was not so. The light hurt his head, so he closed it again.

'I was wondering when you would a wake.' A voice said. Teredon's eyes flew open, and he looked at the stranger. He was old, and a cloak hid his face. His body was bent with years and Teredon had no idea who the old man was. 'You are lucky I found you. Well, actually, it was not me that found you, but rather Starflight my horse. He started running off course, and didn't listen to me when I told him to stop. Who would have thought a man's horse would be smarter than the man himself, hm?' he laughed and Teredon shook his head, still slightly dizzy.

'Who are you?' He asked, and the old man stopped laughing.

'Now, now, no time for that. You will find out when the time is right, but you need not worry, I am a friend.' He said, and as Teredon sat up he gave him a bowl of food. Something in the old man's voice told him he truly was in good company. 'Now, you look like you have been traveling for quite some time. I'm in need of a good tale, tell me of your adventures.' The old man said, and Teredon nodded. He told the old man, start to finish of his traveling with the Fellowship, leaving out the fact of the Stone.

'And then… they took the hobbits and I fell, being washed up somewhere on the riverbed.' He said, and the Old Man nodded, thinking of all the things he had heard. 'Do you know where we are?'

'Well, I found you near the South Undeep, but I took you on my horse and we have ridden a great distance. We are just west of Sarn Gebir of Emyn Muil.'

'Sarn Gebir? That is more than a week's ride from the South Undeep, your horse must ha-' He started, but the old man stopped him with his hand.

'My horse is one of the few of the Mearas, he is the quickest horse you will ever lay eyes on. He fly's like the wind, or rather, a shooting star, hence his name.' The old man explained, and Teredon looked at the horse that was currently grazing in the grasses of Rohan.

'The only other Mearas I am aware of was the great horse named Shadowfax. It could be tamed by none except an Istari name-'

'Gandalf. You may find that I am very learned in that war, Master Teredon.' He said, and Teredon immediately stood and unsheathed his sword.

'How do you know my name?'

'I know more than your name, I also know that you left out one important detail in your story. There was a stone, wasn't there, Master Teredon, carried by another hobbit?'

'Who are you? How do you know of the Stone?'

'As I said, I know more than you think.' The man answered and stood. Teredon took his as a sign that he was going to attack him, and he started to swing his sword. It grew too hot for his touch, though, and he dropped it. 'I would not suggest attacking me, I am a friend.' The old man said, and cast aside his cloak. It revealed a bright white light that Teredon had to shield his eyes from. The light faded, though, and it revealed a very old man indeed, clad in white, with a snow-white beard and hair. Teredon bowed immediately.

'Brendalin, you must forgive me, I d-' he said, and Brendalin nodded.

'Brendalin… yes, I believe I know that name. Brendalin the Grey. Well, as you can see, I've gone through a slight change. I am Brendalin the White, now, and I have come to help you. It is an ill fate that I find you as such.' He said, and Teredon stood, putting his sword in its sheath.

'How is it you came back, I- we- saw you disappear!' he said, and Brendalin nodded.

'Well, after you saw me disappear, we had been transported to a place where no time passes, or passes too quickly. Seconds were years, years milleniums. It seemed as if we stood on nothingness, but we stood firm, on the same level. Around us were millions of stars and lights, all still.

I took up my sword and hit him again and again. Using my staff I conjured the forces of the universe, and put it into my sword. After he threw more flame at me, I hit him with some of the energy from my staff. He fell forward, as I had planned, onto my sword, which pierced his heart. He had fallen upon my foot, too, though, and I attempted to pull it out from under him. I was too injured from the battle to, though, and I felt my breath leave me. At some point my body was transferred from the place of no time, back to Middle-earth. My breath came back to me, and I found myself on top of the Mountains of Mirkwood. How I became there, I do not know, but I found that I was unclothed. Too weak to climb down the steep slopes myself, I blew a desperate whistle and immediately to me came an old friend. An eagle, they always come to my aid. He brought me down to the doors of the Mountain, and they let me in.

There the Lord and Lady had me clothed in white, for they could sense the change, and told me that you had left three days before my coming. I thank them and left, the eagle taking me to the fields of Rohan where I found Starflight.' Brendalin told his story, as Teredon looked at him in awe.

'It seems you are destined to do that!' he said when Brendalin finished. Brendalin had looked pained to tell his story, but he laughed at this and nodded.

'Yes, so I am.'

'Yes, but, can you tell me… the other Istari, where is he now?' Teredon asked, his curiosity had continually grown about the Istari, for they had seen nothing of him.

'He has moved from his original spot in the Isengaurd to Mordor. He has grown wiser, for he knows that Mordor is the safer spot, for it is better guarded. What he is planning in that place I do not know, for I have not been able to keep an eye on him since he moved there.' Brendalin explained.

'I see.' Was all Teredon could say, and he sat staring into the light of the fire.

'Now, I will take you to Gondor tomorrow. For, you see, that horn has been missing from it for a great time.' He said, eyes twinkling. Teredon looked down into the fire, ashamed.

'I failed on the quest, I would be bringing shame upon Gondor.' He said, and Brendalin put his cloak back on.

'You fought valiantly and have seen more battles than anyone in your house. Besides, your father is away with your brother. When he returns I will tell him of your adventures. We've been friends for a great time, he will see that you have brought glory to the Stewards of Gondor.' Brendalin said, but Teredon looked doubtful. He laid himself down to sleep, making sure to not lay on his bad arm, which he had found had been newly bandaged.

Teredon had a dreamless sleep, and he awoke late in the next morning. He felt very rested, and when he moved his shoulder he found that it was nearly healed.

'What magic had you given me, that my arm would heal this quickly?' he asked, and Brendalin smiled.

'No magic, but athelas. Of course, in the hands of a proper healer, it would be wholly healed by now.' Brendalin said, and looked around. 'Now, where is that horse?' he muttered, and whistled again. Not only did Starflight come this time, but also so did a walnut colored horse, coat shining in the light of the day. Teredon looked at it in wonder and pet its nose.

'That one had yet to be given a name, though he is just as quick as Starflight.' Brendalin explained, 'he was also easily tamed. Keep good care of him, though, for he is valuable to Rohan. Now, if we are ready, let us be off!' he said, and Teredon mounted his horse, riding along side Brendalin.

They rode for the rest of the day, and in the middle of it Teredon shouted over to Brendalin.

'Brendalin, where are the others, can you tell me?' he asked, and Brendalin nodded.

'Yes, yes I can. Aradraen, Relnik, and Froin are following the group of orcs that have Param and Terry. If they are not careful they may loose track of them. Now, do not worry yourself, I do not believe any harm will come to Param and Terry. Ondril and Brom have gone off by themselves, they have reached the Emyn Muil by now. My hope lies with them, for there are more dangers than I believe they realize.' Brendalin said, and Teredon looked straight ahead of them.

'I see, then Param and Terry are still alive?'

'Yes, and finding out more about themselves than I believe they had ever dreamed they had done.' He said, and this puzzled Teredon, so he puzzled himself the rest of the day with it. With their horses they rode on during the night, and near the middle of the night the White City could be seen. It showed bright against a dark sky, lanterns giving off the light.

'Minas Tirith… welcome home.' Teredon said to himself as they came upon the gates of his city.