A/N: Thnx for all the reviews! I agree with everyone, it was WAY too short, but then I wrote this at three in the morning, so my brain wasn't really properly working. Thnx again for the reviews.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the war of the ring (*tear*) But I do own Lia, Lending, two very large cats named Cally and Hobbes, and all my other characters. YAY!!!!!!!!

~Chapter Two~

"Parry Lia, you don't want me to cut your head off!" I sighed. I hate sword practice. Whats the whole point if they wont even let you fight in the wars? I parried Lending, and winced as the impact of his sword hit mine. The sword dropped from my hands, and on to my foot.
"Ow!" I cried, " Lending, can we stop now. there's gotta be more to war than swordplay." My master looked at me exasperatedly, and I gave him the best pouting face I could manage.
" Fine, but we pick up here tomorrow. And NO - stopping early." He finished, watching me run into the house.
" Finished early, Lia?" my mother asked. I nodded. " Good, then your father can help you with your archery."
Oh, joy. Archery.
" Can we leave archery to the elves, mother?" I said, instantly regretting it. Oooh, bad, bad move me. I could see a furious lecture on how we can't always rely on the elves coming on by the steely glint in my mother's eye.
And here came the storm. " You know as well as I do that we cant always depend on the elves OR the dwarves to fight man's wars all the time. As I speak the elves are heading for Valinor." She paused for breath. " Something's going to happen soon."
What? There hadn't been a serious war since the fall of Sauron. The village folk all had their rumors of the ring of power being found, and heading towards Mordor as we spoke, but those were just rumors, right? And now with Sauroman poisoning King Theoden, Rohan would be an easy target.
" But I though all those rumors, were, well, rumors! I know the bit about Sauroman is true, but the ring of power was just a legend." I spoke quickly, and as I spoke I felt a unknown feeling creep towards me. Was it fear? Me, afraid? I banished it and listened to my mother answer my question.
" I'm not sure, Lia. I'm not sure." For once my mother looked old to me, and lines and wrinkles from worry were visible in her face. ~*~*~*~*~

It was past midnight, and I couldn't sleep. My mother's words still lingered in my mind, along with a growing doubt that everything wouldn't be alright. It was then, when I was in the darkness, that I noticed a light through my window. Was it. no, it can't be fire. What could it be, then? I stepped out through my rooms door, into the hallway, and out the door. I could see tiny lights in the distance, moving rapidly as though they were seeds caught in the wind. It was an army of some sort, but was it friend or foe? I raced up the nearest hill to catch a glimpse, and heard a thud.
Surprisingly there was an arrow sticking out of my arm. Wonder how it got there? Delirious with pain, I pulled out the arrow and fell, down, down into sleep. ~*~*~*~*~