I really do Apoligize for it not being quite as light hearted as before, but it really does have its moments of hilarity. The rest is philisophical and cyinical, there isn't much more like that bit with Boromir, I just got a bit pissed at him. ::giggle:: Stay with me! It'll get better once we get to Lorien!

Chapter Six: In which our heros get annoyed, and discover why elves are blonde.

~^~

They followed the silverlode for a few hours, until Sam and Frodo were lagging behind. Kat and Sirrah were with them, making sure that no harm befell them, though they were quite sure that it did not. Legolas noticed after a while, and spoke to Aragorn. He came back and apoligized to the hobbits, telling them that there was a place near where they could rest. He opened his mouth to call Boromir to come and help him carry them, but seeing Kat's tight lipped silence, stopped himself. He trusted the girl's instincts, and they were wary of him. He picked up Frodo, and Kat picked up Sam. Sirrah followed behind, snuffling. Kat gave her strange looks, but soon shurgged and continued on. Sam was not a great burden, and babysitting had made Kat used to holding children (or men the size of children) for long periods of time. Soon they came on a stream that the silverlode ran into, and then plunged over a small waterfall. They stopped and all sat, save for Gimli, Merry and pippin, who started a fire and drew water for boiling. Kat went a little ways from the fellowship, sitting at the waters edge again, but this time kept an eye to Boromir. The man sat where he was, aware of Kat's eye, and made no move near Frodo or Sirrah. When they had made dinner, Kat came over and sat down. She was smiling, which led them to believe that it was safe, somewhat. Boromir said no words the entire time, which suited many just fine. All were still amazed at Kat's mean streak, they had always thought she was very easygoing, but it appeared to not be so. Little did they know that Sirrah's was just as potent, it simply showed itself differently. As they talked, Sirrah remebered something. Not wanting to cause the fellowship further pain, she silently asked her question.

'Right before Gandalf fell, what did you throw at him?'

Kat suddenly smiled.

'I figured that since we couldn't stop him falling, we might as well make it easier. It was supposed to be a spell to let him fall slower, so it didn't hurt when he hit, but I didn't have any verses for it, so I put the intent in, and hoped for the best.'

'Well, I hope it worked, it was quite something to see.'

'Yeah, to bad nobody else did, I liked that color of green.'

'No kidding, it was really pretty.'

Suddenly Kat paused.

'You are aware that we are having a conversation on how pretty the color of a ball of magic was?'

'Yeah, weren't you?'

'Just checking.'

Sirrah shook her head. After eating they got up and began to hide their traces. Kat buried the remains of the fire, the hobbits spread leaves over the burial place. Then they began to walk again, Aragorn leading. Sirrah sniffed again, and Kat looked at her strangely again.

"What in the world are you snuffling at Sirrah?"

Sirrah looked at her, surprised.

"I dunno, but I think it's bleach!"

Pippin looked at her sidelong.

"What is bleach?"

Kat sniggered, as did Sirrah.

"Bleach is the stuff that Sarauman uses to keep his robes so dazzelingly white."

"Well, unless we've gotten to them."

"Very true, then he is Sarauman the hippie!"

They collapsed into laughter, and the Fellowship decided unanimously not to ask, not wanting to know what 'hippie' was.

"OOO and those nails, I wish I could get mine so long!"

Sirrah looked at hers.

"Yeah, so do I, but alas it is nearly impossible."

Kat tutted.

"Tsk Sirrah, haven't you learned by now that few things are impossible in this fair world?"

'You mean like you slapping a fully grown man when you used to not even beable to slap a fly?'

Kat grinned, and Sirrah could tell that she was rather proud of that.

"Precisely, much like us both being able to work magic like an every day thing."

Aragorn raised an eyebrow, he was sure that Sirrah had not given a reply. As for the rest, he would have to ask them about that later, he had met them knowing how to do magic, it seemed tied to them both. Them not being able to work magic was quite inconceivable. Finally, the valley opened and they heard the rustleing of leaves. In the slight light, there stood hundreds of thousands of trees, swaying and rustling in the breeze.

"Lothlorien! We have come to the eaves of the Golden wood!" cried Legolas "Alas that it is winter!"

Kat smirked.

"I dunno, it's better than winter in Nebraska, but of course, then these trees wouldn't even be here."

Sirrah nodded.

"Yeah, they'd be under six inches of snow."

Kat sighed.

"Especially if they kept their leaves, remember the october surprised of 97?"

Sirrah sniggered.

"Yeah, the one where no one had power for a week?"

Kat nodded.

"Yep. We got Anaconda stuck in the VCR."

"Really?"

Kat smiled.

"Uh huh, the worst part was that it was a rental."

Sirrah laughed outloud. The Fellowship again decided not to ask, they were talking about things that they had never heard of. Pippin was the one that asked what they all were thinking.

"What are you talking about?"

They looked down at the hobbit, at each other, and back down at him. Sirrah shrugged.

"Ya may as well tell him, it's not like their going to understand any of it…"

Kat shrugged.

"True, but I shall wait for that tale until we get to our resting place."

"We are near it," said Aragorn, "though we are little more than five leagues from the gates of Lothlorien, we can go no further tonight. Let us hope that the virtue of the elves will protect us tonight."

"If elves still dwell here in this darkening world." Said Gimli.

"It is long since any of my kindred have journeyed to the Golden wood, but we hear that lorien is not yet deserted. Never the less, they perhaps now dwell deep in the wood."

"Indeed deep in the wood they dwell," said Aragorn sighing, "We must fend for ourselves tonight, we shall go forward a short way, until the trees are all about us and then turn aside and look for a place to rest."

They stepped forward, but Boromir stopped and stood, not moving. Kat did not even bother to glare at him, she knew why he feared this place. The ring was tainting his heart already, thus he feared a place of true goodness.

"Is there no other way?" he asked.

Kat didn't even bother to listen to his reply. She simply looked around, then giggled at the look on Sirrah's face.

'Drooly fangirl meltdown?'

'No, just fumes.'

'Huh?'

'Fumes! I keep smelling bleach!'

Kat just laughed.

~^~

When they reached the Nimrodel, Sirrah's mysterious fumes got worse, but their hearts lifted.

"Here is Nimrodel!" said Legolas, "Of this stream the silvan Elves made many songs long ago, and still we sing them in the north, rmebering the rainbow on its falls, and the golden flowers that floated in it's foam."

He went and climbed down the bank of the stream, calling for them to follow, for the water was said to be healing. Kat did so gladly, As did Sirrah. She followed Kat just because she could, and how many times in your life did you get a chance to wade across the Nimrodel? They all waded across, then sat down on the far edge. Legolas then regaled them with tales of Lorien, with Kat listening raptly. Then there was silence. Kat listened to the spalshing, soothed as always. She then noticed something rather unusual.

'Sirrah, to your right, do you see anything, or rather feel anything?'

Sirrah's eyes closed as she sighed.

'Yes, there's elves in the trees over there, though it's a good thing I don't smell for them, all I smell is Bleach.'

'Its all in your head sirrah.'

'Then it's very convincing.'

Kat shook her head, amused, then listened as Legolas began to sing the song of Nimrodel. The points of light on the side of her vision darted around, and she decided that these elves were a lot like fireflies. She counted their numbers sleepily, and pinned it down at about four. She wasn't even aware that she had fallen asleep until Aragorn's voice woke her up.

"Your words bring good counsil Gimli, come we have already lingered by the road to long."

Kat got up and watched Sirrah rub her nose and sneeze. She shook her head again. They walked, not for very long, and soon came on a stand of trees that were large in girth and of unguessable height.

"I will climb up, I am at home amoung the trees, though these are strange to me."

"Um, Legolas…" said Sirrah. She was grinning, as was Kat.

He looked at them questioningly. "Yes?"

Kat smirked and went to where Legolas was standing. She peered up and squinted.

"Ah. There they are. Elves of Lorien! I see you, will you please stop stalking us?"

"And get rid of the bleach!"

"Sirrah…"

Sirrah sneezed again in reply. The elves in the trees made no reply, though their lights had stopped moving. Legolas looked at them stragely and began to climb. Kat fumed.

"Honestly, how rude…"

"Daro!"

Legolas dropped down next to them and pulled the girls against the trees. Sirrah protested.

"Do not move or speak." Said Legolas.

Sirrah and Kat wrenched their way from his grip as soft laughter fell over them. Sirrah glared at the elf, then at the tree.

"You know," she said, "we breath loud enough for them to shoot us in the dark."

Kat nodded.

"They've been with us since the Nimrodel too, so I don't know what you're freaking out about."

There was a clear voice speaking in elvish. Legolas looked up and replied.

"Who are they? And what do they say?" asked merry.

"They're elves!" said Sam, 'Cant you hear their voices?'

"Yes, they are elves," said Legolas, "and they say that the Ladies are correct, they could shoot us in the dark, we breath so loud. They also say that the ladies are correct again, they have followed us since the Nimrodel."

Both Girls were regarded with a strange look that both had gotten used to over the past month or so. The elves spoke again, and Legolas translated.

"They also ask that Frodo come up, they seem to have tidings of him and our journey. The others they ask to wait a little…" There was a flurry of elvish, and then another strange look cast at the girls. "They also ask that the witches of Angmar come."

Sirrah sighed, she liked the title, but it's reputation seemed to proceed them, and it didn't seem to be good. She could understand why though, after all, they were 'related' to the most fearsome of the Nazgul. Suddenly, a ladder dropped down, and kat yelled.

"Ow! I'm ok!"

She rubbed her head and glared upwards, murmuring some choice words in German that Sirrah only understood because she had know Kat to do that for a year. She then clamored up, followed by Sirrah, then Frodo, Sam, and finally, Legolas.

~^~

When they all were up, Kat and Sirrah could see fine, but a little lamp was uncovered and shone in their faces. Neither squinted, though Kat rubbed her eyes when it was taken away. It was then covered again and the elves spoke in their native tongue. Frodo replied, though it was not as melodious. Kat and Sirrah caught the meaning, but only because of the context. To their relief, he then began to speak common. He apoligized for his people not speaking the language, (though Kat privatley thought that it was them who should be apoligizing) and introduced himself. He was Haldir, with his brothers Rumil and Orophin, who spoke very little of the language.

"We have heard of your quest, for the messengers of Elrond have passed by here on their way to Imladris.

'Imladris?'

'Rivendell.'

'Ohhhhhh…'

"…How many are you?"

"Ten, Myself, four hobbits, and four of the race of men, two that stand before you, and two below, one is Aragorn, son of Arathorn."

"The name of Aragorn is known in Lorien, but you have only named nine."

"The tenth is a Dwarf."

"A dwarf!" said Haldir, "That is not well, we have not dealings with the dwarves since the dark days. They are not permitted on our land, we cannot allow him to pass."

Kat and Sirrah heaved heavy sighs. Haldir looked at them sharply.

"Do you question our judgement?"

Kat glared at him.
"I do. You do not soften the relationship of peoples by refusing him, and he has the favor of Legolas, Elrond, and Aragorn, otherwise he would not be traveling with us. So why are you so uppity about it?"

The elf looked at her for a moment, and Legolas lay a hand on her elbow.

"You said it yourself," he whispered, "do not meddle in affairs you do not understand."

She sighed.

"Whatever. Your right, I do not completely understand, though my heart is heavy to see that some things never change, no matter what the dimension."

Sirrah nodded.

"I agree."

Kat bowed.

"Please pardon me, Haldir of Lorien, it has been a difficult day, and all of us are not in our best minds."

They received strange looks from the elves, who conversed a moment in their own language, and then turned to her again.

"We accept your apology, Women of Angmar, though we are curious as to your meaning. But this matter may be disscused later. We shall do this, though it is against our liking. If Aragorn and Legolas will guard him, he shall pass, but he must go blindfold through Lothlorien, as must you."

Kat started, as did Sirrah.

'What is he talking about? Why do we have to get blindfolded?'

'It's our so called heritage, the witch king, remember? He must be worse than we know.'

'No kidding if we have to go blindfolded through Lothlorien.'

'Well, the people around here are…oh dear.'

Kat had just noticed their stares. Frodo, Sam and Legolas were used to it, but the three elves before them were not. For a moment, Kat wondered if they could hear them.

"Pardon, but why?"

The elf looked taken aback, as if this was the silliest question she could have possibly asked.

"Do you not know of your own history with the elves?"

Kat and Sirrah looked at eachother, quite surprised.

"Um…not really no, we do know that the greatest of the Nazgul was once king of our so called realm, but beyond that, not really."

They looked at them again, amazed. Then Haldir shook himself, and returned to his normal self, whatever that was.

"Now is not the time to debate, your folk must not remain on the ground. The hobbits shall climb up and stay with us. There is another talan in the next tree. There the others must take refuge. You, Legolas must answer to us for them. Call us if anything is amiss! And have and eye to that dwarf!"

Kat allowed herself a last glare before she slid down the ladder, not bothering to climb. Sirrah smirked at her friend and started to follow.

"Wait. You shall stay in this tree, there is not enough room on the next Talan for all of you."

Sirrah gulped and nodded, then grinned, realizing that she would be with the hobbits, specifically Frodo. To bad he isn't taller, she thought. The word taller brought her to Kat's roomies. Oh dear, she thought, someone ought to check for blood in the morning, hopefully she wont kill him.

'Sirrah? Where are you? Surely you didn't get stuck on the ladder?'

'No, worse, the blondes up here decided that I'm staying here tonight.'

'Great. Oh well, gives me a chance to kill boromir quietly.'

'Don't you dare.'

'Nah, in fact I was just considering how to apoligize to him.'

'Not today, he'll still be pissed off that you insulted him.

'True.'

Someone tapping her on the shoulder brought Sirrah out of the semi-trance. She turned around to find Haldir looking at her oddly again.

"Yes?"

"You looked lost in your mind, I wondered where you had gone."

Pippin had come up while they were talking.

"Oh, she does that all the time, as does Lady Kat. Nonw of us know what it is." He looked hopefully at Sirrah.

Sirrah shook her head, there was no harm in telling them, after all, Gandalf had known. Then again, he had always kept silent about it, perhaps there was a reason.

'Kat, should I tell them about the mind speaking?'

'Uh uh, no way, Gandalf never said any thing about it, theres gotta be a reason for that.'

'Yeah, that's what I figured.'

She withdrew from Kat and looked at them.

"I was simply gathering my thoughts."

The hobbits looked at Sirrah as if this answer was very vauge. Frodo knew that she was hiding something, but said nothing of it, he trusted both of them completely. Haldir raised an eyebrow.

"You gather your thoughts in a strange manner Lady of Angmar."

"Mostly because they always run away from me." Murmured Sirrah. The elves heard, but did not give a reply, deeming the comment to strange for it. The hobbits ate a second supper, as did Sirrah, and then wrapped themselves in cloaks and furs. Sirrah was content with just her own cloak, but did not fall asleep. She sat, watching the elves, trying to master Kat's way of seeing. She could do it sometimes, but Kat could see in Moria simply by Legolas and Aragorn. Now she set about making it the same way for herself.

~^~

Kat, meanwhile, was watching her tree slowly fall asleep. The sickle moon rose in the sky, and she coolly noticed that it was the same moon from her world. This was food for thought. Was Middle earth her and Sirrah's earth, in a former time or something? She shrugged. It was possible, simply not at all likely. Remebering what she had often called a sickle moon in her world, the cheshire cat moon, she found herself thinking of the story of Alice in wonderland. She and Sirrah were certainly Alice, but who was the rabbit? The queen of hearts? She snickered, the queen of hearts was most likely Sauron, or perhaps Sarauman. She quieted herself when Legolas twitched, after all, they were all tired, and sleep was the best escape from greif. But as she remebered, elves didn't really sleep, nor did they dream. That could be good or bad, in her opinion, the reason she did not sleep was she knew she would dream, or lie in a wakeful dream. She sat back against a tree branch, sighing.

"You should sleep."

She jumped, Legolas had awoken, despite her attempts to be quiet.

"I should, but so should you."

"Why do you not sleep?"

"Because sleep is no escape for me, and it is easier to be awake."

"No escape?"

She shook her head, not wishing to discuss philosophy.

"Never mind. Did I wake you? I did not mean to."

He shook his head.

"I awoke because there are fell creatures near us."

Kat sat up.

"Shit. I forgot about them."

And with that, she tried to get hold of Sirrah.

'SIRRAH!'

'What? What!'

'Sorry, thought you were asleep.'

'No… I'm trying to get the hang of seeing elvish light.'

'Oh! Any luck?'

'Yeah, I can see the elves over here, and Legolas over there, but I don't see Aragorn.'

'Well, it's a good start, by the way, could you take time out of your busy elf-sighting to feel around, Legolas woke up because he felt orcs, and I just remebered that orcs pass under.'

'So that's why they left.'

'Ah. Aha. I guess it's under control then.'

'Yes, I'd say so.'

'Ok, go back to your elf-sighting then.'

Kat could feel Sirrah's death glare over the connection and smirked. She focused her eyes to find Legolas staring.

"It's fine, Haldir and his brothers went to kick some ass."

Legolas pulled a strange look and Kat restated the comment.

"Haldir and his brothers are taking care of it. Oh, wait a sec."

She went over the the side of the tree and rolled up the ladder carefully, admiring the rope, which shined much the same as the elves. She set it carefully down and sat in her origanal place.

"Ok, now everything's good, Haldir will figure we got the message."

He nodded and resettled himself, now cross-legged.

"You and Sirrah often speak of another world, if you are of Angmar, why do you do this?"

Kat smirked.

"I was under the impression that the realm of Angmar was wiped out. But we are not from Angmar, in a sense. I guess you would say… blast. I dunno, the whole thing is rather strange."

Legolas nodded, keeping the thought that they were strange, to himself. Kat sighed.

"You see, as Sirrah explained at the counsil, we are from a different world, and it gives us and entirly different view on things, such as the ring, and, oh wait, I probly shouldn't say the name."

Legolas nodded, knowing whom she spoke of.

"Tell me about it, for since neither of us can sleep, we may as well spend the time wisely."

Kat snickered, thinking of all of the ways she could take that, then lectured herself on good manners.

"Excuse me. Well, where shall I start? Our world is almost the same as this one, or rather, it used to be. Your people speak of the time of the Elves, and the time of the men. There are no elves in our world, as there are no Dwarves, orcs, Istari, or evil people with a rather large obsession with rings. Well, let me rephrase that, there probably are evil people with a rather large obsession for rings, but the rings aren't magical or anything, so it doesn't really matter."

Legolas tried to put that together and managed it, except for one small thing.

"So, there is no evil in your world?"

Kat snorted.

"Hardly, Good cannot exist without evil, and it is said that there is good in everything, so therefore there is evil in everything. The thing about our world, is that the lines between good and evil are blurred, horribly."

"I do not understand."

She tilted her head back, trying to think of an analogie. Suddenly Sirrah broke into her thoughts.

'Kat! Stop talking to you precious pretty boy! They're coming.'

Kat sighed.

"Later, the orcs are approaching."

Legolas looked at her as if this were no matter to simply say that they were coming. He reached for his bow, but Kat hissed at him.

"No! There are hundreds, just keep quiet."

He drew his knees to his head and rested it on them. Kat meanwhile was muttering quickly, trying to come up with a spell to make sure that none here woke. Finnally, she thought of one.

"Wake not from your sleep tonight,

Stir not till the morning light

Until I wake you up at dawn

Sleep as would a spotted fawn."

She flicked her fingers and light in the form of dust settled over all but her and Legolas, who stared at them. All snoring ceased, as did Gimli's writhing. Kat was sure that he was dreaming of the battle in the chamber or Marzubal. All was quiet in the woods, if she had not cast the spell herself, she would have wondered whether all were alive. Slowly, the sound of clanking swelled beneath them, they both winced as they heard laughter. Then, just as slowly, it died away. Kat sighed and cast a glance at Sirrah's tree. She then cast another glance at it.

'Sirrah…'

'Yeah, I know, Gollum.'

Kat nodded and left Sirrah to take care of it. She did so by leaving it alone. This was good because when Haldir came back to the tree, Gollum fled, not even knowing that they were there.

~^~

There was a low whistle at the bottom of the tree and they both leaned over to see. Kat saw the point of light, and hit herself.

"Duh…" and she rehooked the ladder and cast it down. Haldir's head popped up into the talan and looked around.

"A host of orcs has passed," he whispered hurridly, "We dared not shoot, for starting a battle here would be folly, but have led them away and Orophin is now warning our people."

They nodded again and Haldir looked at the sleeping company.

"How deep they sleep! Did they not wake at the passing of the orcs?"

Kat shook her head.

"I did not want to wake them, nor did I want them to stir, so I spelled them not to wake, there will be no more trouble for us tonight."

Haldir looked at her strangely, as if to doubt her, but then turned away and climbed down again. Kat then covered a yawn, and Legolas smiled.

"You may not wish to sleep, but you must if we are to leave when your spell said, at dawn."

She did not hear him, already lost in dreams. Legolas shook his head, how strange she was! Quietly, he resettled himself again, leaning now on another tree-branch near Kat, and contemplated what she had said earlier.

~^~

Sirrah was wakened by Haldir, she wasn't particularly happy with this. Kat was woken by Legolas, she was perfectly content. She rubbed her eyes, and looked around.

"Why aren't the others up?"

Legolas just looked at her.

"Oh. Right, sorry."

She got up and began to go around, waking them from their sleep. She came first to Boromir and hesitated briefly, then shook herself, she had to be the one to wake them up, the spell said so. Gently, she shook his shoulder and called his name, hoping he did not thrash out. He turned over to face her and opened his eyes. Kat could see the surprise as he brought his head back. She smiled.

"Do not worry Boromir, I shan't bite off your head today, so long as you keep a civil tongue."

She smiled and got up from her kneeling position, now heading to Gimli.

"Gimli, yoo hooooo, wake up sleepy head!"

Gimli grunted and turned over, much the same as Boromir had, only this time away from her. She shook her head and leaped lightly to the other side. She shook him again.

"Gimli! Come on, the sun has long risen, and you are still asleep!"

This time he grunted and opened his eyes. The smiling face of Kat in front of him made him jump, but it was simply out of surprise that she was waking him. Boromir was already trying to wake Aragorn, with no success.

"I cannot wake him! What new devilry is this?"

Thankfully for him, Kat was in a rather good mood, and simply laughed.

"It is nothing Boromir! I shall tell you as soon as you are all roused."

"But Aragorn will not wake up!"

She shook her h0ead, there was simply no soothing him, and went to Aragorn. She needed only to touch his shoulder to wake him. He opened his eyes and looked directly at her.

"How did you do that?"

She covered a grin, she should have known that at least one of them would feel the spell.

"Eat, and I'll explain."

Legolas then came up with breakfast, which they ate while Kat told them of the spell. All looked at her with faces that clearly said, you can do that?

'Kat! Are you ready?'

'Yeah, I think they're scared of me.'

'Why?'

'I cast a sleep spell so that they wouldn't roll around last night, but I had to wake them up, so they all wanted to know what was going on…'

'and of course you told them, so now they're freaked out.'

'Exactly.'

'Well, tell your pretty boys to come down, we're getting ready to leave.'

'Hey! They aren't my pretty boys!'

Silence.

'Ok, so one of them is, but the other one I don't like, and the other isn't a pretty boy, and the other is a DWARF!'

'Ok, ok, you don't have to yell, just come down.'

Kat shook her head, amused at her friend's bantering.

"What does she say?" Asked Aragorn.

Kat looked at him sharply.

"How did you know?"

"I did not, I guessed."

She sighed, the others were looking at the two of them in curiosity, though Legolas was looking like something finally made sense to him.

"Well kudos, we can go down now, they're about to start."

'Sirrah, we've been discovered.'

'Oh no! What will my mother say!'

'AUGH! No, I meant Aragorn just figured out about the mind thing, and Legolas looks as if he's going to get it any second here.'

'Ah. Well, tell them good job.'

'Done. See ya at the bottom.'

~^~