Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or any of the characters. No profit is made
from these stories, they are merely for the enjoyment of myself and anyone
who cares to read them.
A Walk Out Of Reach
Chapter Five
"I'm going no further!" the voice grumbled. "We have been searching for hours and cannot find that stupid elf! He is either dead or far away from this place."
The second voice held an edge of fear, "Duglek will kill you if he finds you sitting here while the rest of us trudge through these stinking woods. I for one, do not wish to cross him."
"I don't care! I'm tired and I'll not spend the entire night searching for some bumbling idiot!" Aragorn heard the orc settle heavily on the forest floor. "I'm staying right here. You can keep looking if you want, but I'm going to take some rest!"
The second voice spoke again, "It's your hide not mine." With that said the ranger heard heavy footsteps making their way through the trees away from him. Directly below he could make out the sounds of the orc that stayed behind. Angry grumbling along with several curses drifted up towards Aragorn. There was some loud shuffling and then the soft clang of metal. Aragorn tilted his head straining to hear what was going on below him but he heard nothing further.
He glanced over at Legolas. The elf had not stirred. He grasped his friend's hand and spoke softly in his ear. Even though he was unconscious he hoped his words would still reach some part of him. "I will return my friend. Be very still for danger lingers near." The elf gave no response. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze he turned and moved quietly through the branches.
He had to see what was going on. He was not an elf and could not carry his friend to safety through the trees without great difficulty. The only course for him to take was to get Legolas safely on the ground where their horses could carry them swiftly away from danger.
As carefully as he could Aragorn moved around in the trees until he could see the ground below. He scrunched down trying to get a better view. Finally he saw what he was looking for. Leaning against the very tree Legolas lay in was an orc snoring loudly. The ranger cursed under his breath. This complicated things.
He debated with himself what to do. He could easily dispatch the orc with an arrow but that would mean climbing down to hide the body. With all the orcs traipsing through the forest it would not take long before the body would be discovered alerting them to their presence nearby. On the other hand if he didn't kill the foul creature, who knew how long it would sit there in slumber. He had to treat his friend's injury soon before he was beyond aid. Either choice may prove perilous.
He glanced up again to the spot the prince lay in. He could barely make out his faint glow. With brows furrowed together he looked back towards the creature resting on the ground. Grasping a branch next to him Aragorn pulled himself up quietly as he made his decision.
He quickly made his way over to Legolas. The elf had not stirred. He made sure his friend was secure in the branches that held him then touched his palm to Legolas' cheek. The heat radiating from the elf's skin was increasing. He checked his wound making sure it was no longer bleeding. Satisfied, he pulled the elf's tunic down once again.
Aragorn left the prince's side and made his way silently down the trees. He tried to make as little sound as possible but had not the sleuth of an elf. When a branch snapped under his foot he froze, fearful the orc had woken. Holding his breath he listened but heard no sound coming from the ground. He continued on more carefully until he reached a spot that would serve his purpose. He dare not descend any further.
The ranger crouched between two large branches of the tree using them to steady himself. Pulling Legolas' bow from his back he brought it in front of him. He reached around with his right hand and withdrew an arrow from the quiver and fitted it to the string. Carefully, he took aim then let the arrow fly.
Several things happened at that moment. Several orcs broke through the small clearing startling him and throwing off his aim. The arrow did not pierce the heart of the orc as he intended, but instead embedded itself in it's shoulder pinning it to the tree. The orc's eyes snapped open and it let out a surprised squeal.
It's comrades had only seen an arrow fly through the air and pierce the hide of the resting orc. They mastered their surprise quickly and drew their weapons. Soon the air whistled with the sounds of arrows aimed in the direction of the ranger. Although they had not seen him they had guessed his general location from the path of the arrow.
Aragorn jumped up from his hidden position and scrambled up the tree using the thick branches as a shield. He could hear the cries of the orcs as they spotted him clambering through the trees. The orcs gave chase and soon had the ranger racing along the boughs as quickly as he dared. Arrows whistled past his ear a few times and many bounced off the branches on his sides coming dangerously close to him. He could ill-afford to take an arrow now with cursed poison lacing it's tip.
Aragorn breathed heavily as he ran amongst the trees. He was not as quick as an elf but he managed rather well for a human. The darkness of the night was on his side. The orcs soon lost sight of him in the dark canopy and their cries grew faint until he could no longer hear them. He slowed his pace and went on for awhile longer to make sure they were far behind.
His direction had taken him away from Legolas. With dismay he realized how far away the elf now lay oblivious to danger and unable to defend himself should he be discovered. Hopefully, that would not happen for orcs detested the trees. The only time they ever touched them was to inflict hurts upon them or chop their limbs into firewood.
Oh, his choice to kill the creature had proved ill indeed. Those other orcs could not have come into the clearing at a worse time! Would not he and Legolas be given a reprieve from all the turmoil? Aragorn sighed in resignation for he was unable to change the events that had unfolded. He would just have to do the best he could.
He would have to make his way back to Legolas, that was certain. The elf's fever was growing as the poison worked it's way through his system and left untreated it would surely be fatal. He only hoped it wasn't too late already. Pushing that despairing thought out of his head he focused on the task before him.
He would have to be extra careful as he moved through the trees. The orcs knew of his presence and their hunt now included him as well as the prince. He wished desperately for the sharp elven hearing of his friend. It would greatly aid him now. Shaking his head at thoughts of things he could not change the ranger moved cautiously. He steps were sure and he grasped each branch tightly. He occasionally passed a band of orcs still searching for him. Their foul voices grated in his ears, but they did not hear him passing through the trees. His footfalls were soft and he was far up shrouded in darkness.
A Walk Out Of Reach
Chapter Five
"I'm going no further!" the voice grumbled. "We have been searching for hours and cannot find that stupid elf! He is either dead or far away from this place."
The second voice held an edge of fear, "Duglek will kill you if he finds you sitting here while the rest of us trudge through these stinking woods. I for one, do not wish to cross him."
"I don't care! I'm tired and I'll not spend the entire night searching for some bumbling idiot!" Aragorn heard the orc settle heavily on the forest floor. "I'm staying right here. You can keep looking if you want, but I'm going to take some rest!"
The second voice spoke again, "It's your hide not mine." With that said the ranger heard heavy footsteps making their way through the trees away from him. Directly below he could make out the sounds of the orc that stayed behind. Angry grumbling along with several curses drifted up towards Aragorn. There was some loud shuffling and then the soft clang of metal. Aragorn tilted his head straining to hear what was going on below him but he heard nothing further.
He glanced over at Legolas. The elf had not stirred. He grasped his friend's hand and spoke softly in his ear. Even though he was unconscious he hoped his words would still reach some part of him. "I will return my friend. Be very still for danger lingers near." The elf gave no response. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze he turned and moved quietly through the branches.
He had to see what was going on. He was not an elf and could not carry his friend to safety through the trees without great difficulty. The only course for him to take was to get Legolas safely on the ground where their horses could carry them swiftly away from danger.
As carefully as he could Aragorn moved around in the trees until he could see the ground below. He scrunched down trying to get a better view. Finally he saw what he was looking for. Leaning against the very tree Legolas lay in was an orc snoring loudly. The ranger cursed under his breath. This complicated things.
He debated with himself what to do. He could easily dispatch the orc with an arrow but that would mean climbing down to hide the body. With all the orcs traipsing through the forest it would not take long before the body would be discovered alerting them to their presence nearby. On the other hand if he didn't kill the foul creature, who knew how long it would sit there in slumber. He had to treat his friend's injury soon before he was beyond aid. Either choice may prove perilous.
He glanced up again to the spot the prince lay in. He could barely make out his faint glow. With brows furrowed together he looked back towards the creature resting on the ground. Grasping a branch next to him Aragorn pulled himself up quietly as he made his decision.
He quickly made his way over to Legolas. The elf had not stirred. He made sure his friend was secure in the branches that held him then touched his palm to Legolas' cheek. The heat radiating from the elf's skin was increasing. He checked his wound making sure it was no longer bleeding. Satisfied, he pulled the elf's tunic down once again.
Aragorn left the prince's side and made his way silently down the trees. He tried to make as little sound as possible but had not the sleuth of an elf. When a branch snapped under his foot he froze, fearful the orc had woken. Holding his breath he listened but heard no sound coming from the ground. He continued on more carefully until he reached a spot that would serve his purpose. He dare not descend any further.
The ranger crouched between two large branches of the tree using them to steady himself. Pulling Legolas' bow from his back he brought it in front of him. He reached around with his right hand and withdrew an arrow from the quiver and fitted it to the string. Carefully, he took aim then let the arrow fly.
Several things happened at that moment. Several orcs broke through the small clearing startling him and throwing off his aim. The arrow did not pierce the heart of the orc as he intended, but instead embedded itself in it's shoulder pinning it to the tree. The orc's eyes snapped open and it let out a surprised squeal.
It's comrades had only seen an arrow fly through the air and pierce the hide of the resting orc. They mastered their surprise quickly and drew their weapons. Soon the air whistled with the sounds of arrows aimed in the direction of the ranger. Although they had not seen him they had guessed his general location from the path of the arrow.
Aragorn jumped up from his hidden position and scrambled up the tree using the thick branches as a shield. He could hear the cries of the orcs as they spotted him clambering through the trees. The orcs gave chase and soon had the ranger racing along the boughs as quickly as he dared. Arrows whistled past his ear a few times and many bounced off the branches on his sides coming dangerously close to him. He could ill-afford to take an arrow now with cursed poison lacing it's tip.
Aragorn breathed heavily as he ran amongst the trees. He was not as quick as an elf but he managed rather well for a human. The darkness of the night was on his side. The orcs soon lost sight of him in the dark canopy and their cries grew faint until he could no longer hear them. He slowed his pace and went on for awhile longer to make sure they were far behind.
His direction had taken him away from Legolas. With dismay he realized how far away the elf now lay oblivious to danger and unable to defend himself should he be discovered. Hopefully, that would not happen for orcs detested the trees. The only time they ever touched them was to inflict hurts upon them or chop their limbs into firewood.
Oh, his choice to kill the creature had proved ill indeed. Those other orcs could not have come into the clearing at a worse time! Would not he and Legolas be given a reprieve from all the turmoil? Aragorn sighed in resignation for he was unable to change the events that had unfolded. He would just have to do the best he could.
He would have to make his way back to Legolas, that was certain. The elf's fever was growing as the poison worked it's way through his system and left untreated it would surely be fatal. He only hoped it wasn't too late already. Pushing that despairing thought out of his head he focused on the task before him.
He would have to be extra careful as he moved through the trees. The orcs knew of his presence and their hunt now included him as well as the prince. He wished desperately for the sharp elven hearing of his friend. It would greatly aid him now. Shaking his head at thoughts of things he could not change the ranger moved cautiously. He steps were sure and he grasped each branch tightly. He occasionally passed a band of orcs still searching for him. Their foul voices grated in his ears, but they did not hear him passing through the trees. His footfalls were soft and he was far up shrouded in darkness.
