Chapter 7

Tensing, Selinde prayed to Illuvitar that she wouldn't hear certain sounds, knowing all too well that within minutes her prayers will have gone unanswered. Urging her horse faster, the Elf hoped to leave those particular demons in the dust.

"Noro lim, mellon nin, noro lim!"

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Entering the woods was bittersweet for Legolas. Here it was that they had originally planned on journeying to, but he knew that his home was last on anyone's mind. A wayward Elf had taken precedence, and he was not at all sorry for it.

Kaolith had been doing well, better than was expected, for the Noldor Elves and their brother had been warned that she may relapse more and more, but they would take each obstacle as it came. She knew, however, that something was wrong, and willed it to stay away until they could find her friend. Why it was that they were looking for her had slipped her mind, but it would come back to her; or so she hoped.

Looking around, Tanad was suddenly glad that he was sharing a horse with one of his friends. As grown up as he wanted to believe he was, the boy could feel the fear instilled in his heart by the forest. Mumbling to himself and watching nothing but the ground passing his feet, he missed the looks of amusement that were on the others' faces.

"This place is spooky."

Suddenly, the horses reared, and two were thrown. Stumbling to their feet, Kaolith and Tanad drew their weapons, as did the others.

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Selinde urged her horse on. She hadn't figured out what was behind her, and she really didn't care. Most everything in these woods was evil and she didn't want to face it alone. She had no idea how close she was to the other side of the forest, but was praying she would make it there, before whatever was following her caught up.

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Kaolith, Tanad and the others were waiting for the attack and were surprised when a rather familiar horse came running past with a particular she-Elf riding. They didn't have much time to think about it, when the band of Orcs soon followed. This was a small band of Orcs for they figured one lone rider would be easy to fell. As it turned out, it was just the opposite, and none of the group was injured.

Not long after the Orcs had been disbanded, Selinde sauntered back into their midst. She was desperately trying to figure out when she got turned around. And why in Mordor was she going back the way she came.

Aragorn had just finished checking over the 'children' in his care when she came into their camp, taking them all by surprise. Kaolith was sitting, staring at her dumbly, not sure of what to make of the situation.

"Not...a...word," she said, knowing what was coming from at least one of them.

Elrohir was faster, however, and had started before she did. "What, your human side get you lost?" he tried to suppress a smile, but was quickly losing the fight.

Elladan smacked his brother upside the head while Tanad and Aragorn looked at her worriedly. They still weren't sure of how upset she was, and Kaolith wasn't helping matters by sitting in silence. They turned to her, trying to elicit some response, and were met by a look that Strider had come to know as one that had her deep in thought. Thinking of a quick barb, that was.

"Kao?" she turned to the snickering Elf behind her, "does she remember me?"

"Of course I do, silly Elf. But...but...but you got lost, I think. Maybe. Oh shoot, where's a pine cone to throw when you need one?"

"First of all, I didn't get lost. That would be the horse's fault. She must have turned sometime while I was sleeping."

Tanad couldn't resist getting involved. "But wouldn't you be able to tell that you were going past the same thing twice?" He asked.

This time Elladan spoke. "That would require being able to see what you had passed the first time. Wouldn't it?" He looked at Selinde.

They could all see her cheeks turn red. But before any of them could continue this line of questioning, Selinde continued.

"Second," she paused and turned to the young girl who meant everything to her. "I am so sorry I bolted," she said kneeling in front of the girl. Kao reached up and put her finger to Selinde's lips.

"No need to apologize. A good friend said I should remember what you went through last time, and made me realize how hard it could be for you to do it again."

They all were silent for a moment, trying not to disturb the friends. Leave it to Elladan to be the first.

"We need to get you back to Ada so he can check on you. Everyone lets get ready to head back to Rivendell."

They all agreed, and started once again to ready the horses. All that is except one.

"Have a nice ride then," Selinde said. "I have something else I need to do first."

She mounted her horse and once again headed off toward her destination.

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Kao looked back at Selinde, and then turned her horse abruptly around. "Right, yeah, you guys go back to Lord Elrond, I'm following her. Is it only me or do we not know where she's trying to go?" She looked fearfully at the others, hoping that she hadn't missed anything.

"No, mellon nin, you aren't forgetting anything, she didn't tell us where she's trying to go. Speaking of which," Strider and Tanad had turned their horses around at this point, "I want to know where she's going, and why she thinks it's safe to go through Mirkwood alone. You guys coming?"

Elrohir's horse followed directly behind Legolas's, but Elladan was persistent. "We should get back to Imladris...we need...wait, we need her if we're going to have Ada make sure she's all right. Let's go then."

Smiling, Kaolith sent her horse into a canter, not wanting to tire it out unnecessarily, but at the same time wanting to catch up to her friend. Relaxing into the easy pace of her horse, the Ranger almost forgot that she was in the dark realm of Mirkwood. Almost, but not quite.

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It didn't take long for her to catch up, because Selinde wasn't going that fast. She was hoping at least Kao would join her, so she wouldn't be alone in the woods.

"Selinde, where are you going?" She asked her friend.

Selinde slowed her horse down even more, and let Kao fall in line next to her. The others, she noticed had also followed.

"I need to know who I am," was her answer to her friend.

Kao looked confused. "Selinde, what more do you need to know? You are my friend, my sister, I just ......"

Selinde didn't let her continue. "This is not about you." The she-Elf was starting to get angry. "I need to understand more about my people, can't you understand that? If there is anything left of Bethune, I need to find it."

Strider heard what she said and called out to her. "Selinde." She and Kao stopped and turned to acknowledge Strider. "You do not plan to go there do you? That is not a safe place to be, and you more than anyone else should know that."

She did not get the chance to answer when the rest of the Orcs that had not engaged the group in the first wave caught up to them. Dropping quickly to stand on their own two feet, the group sent the horses from the site, knowing that the Orcs would not concern themselves with the beasts.

Drawing their weapons, and moving to a circular formation, the humans found themselves with an Elf on either side. A familiar gleam shone in all of their eyes as the reasoning that the more Orcs they killed, the less there were took over, shielding them from the deaths.

Tanad was sandwiched between the twins, fighting off Orcs as they poured in, with no strategy showing itself to the band. Having only mastered the use of his daggers, the boy was careful in his movements, not wanting to cause undue worry to the elder members of his group. Dispatching the fell creatures one after another, he knew that Kaolith would be proud of him, if she got the chance to notice.

Kaolith found herself fighting beside her sister and the Mirkwood prince, both of who had overly somber expressions on their faces. Being simply a young human, she still found a twisted joy in the fights, and wondered if something else was invading their thoughts. She was brought back to their situation painfully as an axe grazed her shoulder. *Damn, thought that was healed enough,* she reflected as the offending Orc misplaced his head.

Aragorn watched as the elder twin to his left and his best friend to his right fought valiantly against their foes. He, too, noticed the grim features that Legolas exhibited, but knew that it had more to do with the beasts in his homeland than anything else. Seeing Selinde to his other brother's side, he knew that he should only worry about the present, and this seemingly never-ending foray of Orcs, but couldn't help but worry. He would follow her, of course, knowing that the females got into way too much trouble for their own good, but did not know how wise this adventure was. He, too, learned the hard way that one should concentrate in battle.

When Kaolith had dispatched the last of her enemies, she looked down at her feet. Two Elves lay there, neither looking too healthy. "Strider, help." She looked up, expecting the Ranger to be at her side, but instead saw no one.

"Oh great, everyone went and got themselves lost! Stupid, ugly, smelly, dumb Orcs." It did not occur to the Ranger that the 'stupid Orcs' had actually succeeded to divide and conquer, and she was without her pack.

Kao glanced around one more time to make sure there were no more Orcs, she then bent down to her two friends. "Selinde, Legolas, are either one of you conscious?" She was speaking in a quiet voice, just in case more evil lurked near.

Legolas sat up holding his ribs. "Yes, little one. I still walk in this world. Are you injured?"

Kao nodded. "My shoulder, the one that was recently healed. I believe it is just bruised, but I could use help wrapping it. As you need help with your ribs."

Legolas just smiled, and they both went over to Selinde's side. She opened her eyes and cursed under her breath.

Legolas laughed. "I didn't expect to hear that. Are you okay, any injuries?"

"I am fine," she growled as she pushed them away.

"Then what is that large lump on your head, mellon nin?" Kao asked.

"That is where that foul beast hit me, because I could no longer see it." They could tell she was not happy. "Don't worry, my sight has returned." She paused and looked around. "Where are the others?"

"I don't...I don't know, they went and got themselves lost." Kaolith looked around the area, noticing for the first time that they were not in the same clearing that they had been.

"Are you sure it is they, and not we that got lost, little one?" Legolas smiled ever so slightly at the girl's pride.

"Of course I'm sure, we aren't lost. Besides, you live in Mirkwood, shouldn't you know where we are? Why are you asking me?" Kaolith stuck her tongue out as she helped the she-Elf to her knees, checked the lump, and then to her feet. "Anyway, we came from...umm...this way...I...yes, this way." She bent down, following the trail of Orc footprints back the way they came, stumbling over Elrohir as she looked back to see if the Elves were following. Landing on top of him, she was startled that he did not move.

Pulled to her feet by one of the Elves, she didn't need to turn to know which one, she reverted into a healer's attitude, and wished once again for her pack that was still strapped safely to her horses saddle. Shaking the Elf's shoulder gently, she was pleased to hear him groan and watched as he put a hand to his head and then sat up.

Looking at the group, he asked, "are you all okay? I ran past you fighting some Orcs, but couldn't stop at the time." He stopped at Kaolith's confused expression. "Kao, you all right?"

"Yes, mellon nin, but...you said you ran past us. Was that away or towards where we were originally?"

"Away from, why?"

"Oh no reason, just don't tell them that." She motioned to the two Elves who were searching for athelas. They had, of course, heard the whole conversation, and exchanged glances.

"She tracked the wrong prints?"

To the Reviewers:

TC – *Points to chapter*  See, we told you, glad you liked last chapter, and hope you don't mind our slight lack of cliffies in this chapter, it won't happen to much more often, we promise…

Cathy –  We aren't cruel.  *Points to everybody else's fics* we just follow suit.  And to quote someone (Trin I think) We just do what our muses tell us to do.  She remembers them all right now.  Selinde is going towards Mirkwood, by the way.  Elrond can't talk sense into anyone if they're stubborn, of course, and I think I answered 'em and posted…

Sparx – Yay for Sparx! She found the fic!  And I think you know now what was behind Selinde, hope you enjoyed…

Karine – GAH!…??? That was it??? LOL…hope this was a little less evil for you…just wait, it gets worse!…

Eleni – *Looks at Eleni's three reviews, looks at this chapter*  Oh shoot, forget it.  Thank you for everything…yeah, you know…so hope you keep reading and reviewing…and don't forget your part of the third…