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Legolas rode swiftly with the main party of the search in a desperate attempt to catch on the fleeing band. The elves looked quickly from side to side in hope of detecting a hint of the course of the group as the wind blew harshly against them. The clouds covering the moonlight left only a few merger stars to light the path of the seekers.
"Does anyone see anything?" Came the shout from Lord Celeborn.
"As of yet nothing to suggest the party changed their course, my Lord. But both parties took the same route and have left only the faintest outlines of passing horses. A horse carrying two riders, let alone a company of horses should have left more tracks, how they did not baffles me. It is impossible to tell if both parties went this way or only one." Haldir said as he rode up to him.
"This was the way they headed. I pray they have not already managed to fly so far." Lord Celeborn said worriedly as he directed for the company to move faster.
They riders and the horses pushed on, bracing themselves against the onslaught of the strong wind while the sound of thunder wrack above the canopy of trees. A grim determination was all that held the company to the quest they must complete.
A group of four elfs stood around a small fire, four horses nearby by were tied to tears, while a body wrapped in an oversized, dark cloak. A male elf was currently glaring daggers at a sitting elf that was polishing a small blade; a female elf was leaning against a tree watching the scene unfold with a disdainful frown. The fourth elf, the same elf Em had talked to by the sundial, with his arms crossed tightly over his chest was standing near the fire but not in the small circle of logs to sit on.
"What do you mean that you think you where spotted?" Snarled a tall black haired elf.
"Not just me, we. We were spotted I am sure of it." Spoke the seated elf.
"What would you know novice." Barked the elf in his harsh voice.
"I know more then you, but then again so does an orc." The sitting elf said with a sneer.
"Would you both shut up! We shouldn't be resting, we should be on our horses half way home by now not standing here." Growled the female elf as she stepped closer to the ring of fire.
"The horses need a rest. They wouldn't be much use if they collapsed from exhaustion." Retorted the sitting elf.
"I can see the logic in this..." Said the fourth elf in a superior tone as he watch the flames dance in the fire's core.
The other three elves turned from their bickering to look at the elf.
"What are you on about?" Snapped the girl elf. "What can 'you see the logic in'?"
"Why, raising our voices around a camp fire in the middle of the night while a large company of elfs is looking for us to help them indicate our presence, of course." The elf said as he snapped his eyes from the fire to shine his icy glare at the squabbling elves, a bitter sarcastic tone was evident as he spoke. "Silence all of you. Check the horses and when they have rested enough we shall continue, do I make myself clear? No more arguing, sit by the fire and eat something but be wary of approaching danger."
Grudgingly the elves all sat by the fire and shared a humbly meal in silence.
A horse approached hastily bearing two riders in dark cloaks. A male elf jumped gracefully from his stead and gently took the sleeping rider from the horse and placed her beneath the tree where Em was lying.
"The horse is ready." The elf informed the fourth elf.
"When the horse are ready depart and end straight to the meeting point understand?" Ordered the elf as he threw his cloak around himself and mounted the horse. "I shall see you all soon."
He rode off with the speed of light leaving the four remaining elves and the two sleeping people by the dwindling campfire.
The elf sat on the free log and grabbed a piece of bread and some cheese for himself.
"We have spotted their camp. Six of the seven are there, two are unconscious." Announced Haldir to those gathered in the wood.
Without any need of further instructions the large group of warriors split into two groups. The first group follow Haldir to the area of the campsite.
The elves were still sitting around the campfire, except for the female elf that was pacing near the fire much to the annoyance of one of her companions.
"Would you stop pacing." Barked the elf
The
younger elf looked up from peeling an apple to observe his disgruntled
comrade.
"What's got you all jumpy?" He questioned, slightly amused.
"Something is not right…" Muttered the new elf
"What are you on about?" The younger elf sneered.
"He was right when he called you a novice, even he can sense something's wrong." Muttered the female as she indicated to the other elf.
"We have to get going now, danger speedily approaches." She said as she started untying the horses.
The others quickly follow closely the brutish elf and the new elf both made they're way over to the two bodies. They kneeled down and one began to replace the weak bounds on one set of wrists with a stronger rope.
"They're going wake up soon." Observed the older elf as he lifted the first body onto the horse.
"Well we'll deal with that when we are far from here." Snapped the women.
"If we get far from here." Muttered the stooped elf, fiddling with the cable between his long, dexterous fingers.
"That isn't likely." Said the stern voice of Haldir as a tip of an arrow came in contact with the neck of elf.
(A/N: No blood or death, there will be a small bit of a swordfight but no injures.)
He rose slowly from his position on the ground and turned to face his opponent. The female stepped forward as the elf pulled back from the collection of warriors all armed with bow and arrows calmly facing the small band of elves.
"Where. Is. She?" Legolas said, emphasising each word.
"We are nothing more then tools of our master." Said the female elf as if that would erase them of any wrongdoing.
"Then you shall answer for your master, before my Lord and Lady." Legolas said as he kept his deadly arrow ever ready fixed on the little group before them.
"That shall not happen this day." She replied with the same nonchalant attitude.
In the blink of an eye the small group had unsheathe their swords and began using them fiercely against their kinfolk. The harsh sound of metal blade against metal blade rang eerily around the forest. The small group abandoned their ground gradually closing in to their horses and retreated. One by one they all mounted their horses and fled the clearing, unknown to them that the second group of warriors was waiting for them.
Legolas rushed over to the body by the tree. He pulled back the hood of the cloak but instead of Em he saw an unconscious Amothien. He jumped back, his eyes searching for another body.
" I told you she wasn't part of this." Celeborn said, as he saw Amothien.
Lord Celeborn walked over and checked her pulse. "She is fine." He said and then woke her up. "Amothien were is Em? Do you know where they are headed?"
Amothien shuck her head as her glazed eyes rested on Lord Celeborn. "No, no. What has happened?" She asked becoming aware of her surroundings and the large group of armed elves around her. "What is going on?"
"You will be informed fully after you get checked by the healer." Lord Celeborn said as one of the guards moved towards Amothien to take her back to Lothlorien.
"She was
on one of the horses that retreated." Haldir said from beside Lord Celeborn and
Legolas. "The second group will have retrieved
her."
Legolas and a few guards went in the direction of the second group. When they had finally caught up with the
group they were headed back to Lothlorien - without Em or the elves that had
kidnapped her and Amothien.
"Where is Lady Em?" Legolas asked as he approached the group leader.
"She was rushed back to Lothlorien to be checked by the healers, but appeared perfectly normal except for being unconscious." The leader said.
Legolas thanked him and headed back with the group to the city, knowing that the healers would take a while making sure Em was all right.
I do have a plot, this is part of the plot, do not question the existence of a plot. Sorry for not updating in ages, I'II update as soon as possible.
Water Buffalo…
ImpC