Primitive Instincts

                                            By Half Awake Warning

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, and I never have done. I could not have created this amazing phenomenon, and I don't think I could have survived if I did. Everything belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien, besides the plot and any characters that you do not recognize.

A/N: In the next chapter we'll move on a little bit, and the story really begins. I just wanted to set some background before I started, and it's all done now! I won't be able to update for a few days though, as I have my maths exams this week :(. Thank you to all of my reviewers for your kind and encouraging words, you don't know of the happiness you bring me (cheesy I know! But who cares – I mean it!). Oh and please read my amazing beta Isilwen's stuff, because it just blows me away and she rules :)! 

                                                     Chapter 3

                            Too Many Questions, Not Enough Answers

"Numbers – we need numbers. How many have your scouts counted?"

"My Lord, it is hardly fair-"

"How many?" Firm like ice, the voice spoke no louder than before. But his eyes did.

"There were too many even for our eyes to count, my Lord."

The tension in the room grew further – if it were at all possible. Even between the five of them, they had struggled and fought throughout the night, neither of them knew how many hours had passed since the sun had fallen.

"They attack in groups my Lord, stronger than a hundred at a time." The truth echoed through the walls, its eeriness lying in its shadow. "They bring fire," the voice continued as the figure leant forward, his face appearing from the shadows, "they bring death and destruction."

"Captain Halinan, have your scouts ascertained the whereabouts of the wild men's headquarters as of yet?"

"My Lord, my men have searched the lands endlessly and with precision. Not a hair has not been overturned thorough have they been. We are no closer to finding them now than we were before."

"Then we need to search elsewhere. We cannot leave them to attack our villagers and slay anymore than they have, we must stop this."

"Perhaps we are not looking in the right place," another voice interjected.

"But we have searched the lands, my Lord. My men do not leave a job unfinished-" the first spoke again, no longer trying to hide the anger from his voice.


"Then we shall see who is right."

"But-"

"Enough Halinan, enough. Send out your scouts, and search again. Leave no rock untouched – I want these barbarians destroyed, and soon!" The King sighed, 'twas no easy job.

She couldn't sleep, again. Days flooded into nights, weeks passed without a trace. Or had it been only minutes? She'd lost all trace, but it did not matter; she did not care. What was the point in counting time if you had no one to share it with, no one beside you. She felt alone, and empty. What was she to do?

A small shelter had been built up in the trees; her small fingers had managed to craft a structure that kept a little of the warmth in, but none of the cold out. Still, it was better than nothing. It was more important that it hid the eyes of those that had lost their lives, they still haunted her, and they weren't fading like the memories were.

A small squeak broke through her barrier of thoughts; she opened her eyes and picked up her only friend left in the world. He wasn't doing so well, even she was forced to admit it. He looked up at her bleakly, hope painted in his eyes. His wounds hadn't healed as well as she'd hoped, although they were slowly getting better. Neither of them had eaten since that fateful night, both aware that they were in need of food soon, or they would both perish like the others had done.

She hugged him tight to her body, trying to give a little of her warmth to him. It was dark outside; she didn't want to face the horror. But she would do it, for him.

"I'll get you food, don't worry. I'll do something," she promised, stroking his bony body. She couldn't help but let a tear fall, what if she found no food? What if she was the first to go and he was left all alone in the world? What if he wandered around in the night, searching for food that he couldn't find – what if he got caught by a big animal that was also hungry? What if-

Many questions ran through her mind – so many questions, she had those – but what about the answers? They always eluded her.

She placed the creature gently in her pocket, and carefully climbed down the tree, her eyes growing accustomed to the absence of light. There was little she could do besides stumble and crawl, trying to find her way back home, to grab whatever she could before they came back.

The wind howled whipping and striking at her unprotected face, stinging her eyes. It threw her hair in her face, and she stumbled as it knocked against her weak knees, she shivered as the cold hit her. The light from the moon up above was the only friendly face in this different world of hidden monsters and twisted creatures from the shadows. But above the noise, she could hear her only friend's cry for food, and it drove her on into the danger. She didn't want to be responsible for his death as well.

A little later she could feel the difference in the world around her, as if something had infected it, ruined it, destroyed it. She knew she was back home, the air stank of death, and she could hear the screams in the wind that swam around her ears, screams that had ceased to end in their own nightmare.

She tried to distinguish between the remains of the homes, looking for her own, but it was impossible. They were all the same, they were all dead. She could see the corpses lying on the floor, some huddled together in their last moments, others clutching to precious things. Some had been piled on top of each other, small wisps of smoke snaked their way up towards the sky and out of reach. The smell overwhelmed her lungs, she tried not to stare at their faces, but in the horror of it all, she couldn't help but be compelled to see if she could recognize their faces. Her stomach churned, but she wouldn't give in. She wouldn't break the contact between their staring eyes.

Her feet crunched on the ash ridden ground, breaking the silence that had descended over her, smothering like a blanket. She couldn't stay much longer; it was as if the cause of their death was infecting her, and that soon she would too suffer their fate. She searched through what she could, looking for anything, everything that could help. She rummaged through the rubbish, lifting everything she could. The eyes never left her back, she felt dirty and guilty, this was their graveyard, their remembrance, and she was taking from it anything she could for herself so that she could live on.

She fell down of frustration, tears lining her face – was anyone looking out for her? Did no one care if she lived? Was she truly all alone now – her punishment to live out the rest of her life in the shadows? Sobs wracked her body, she wished for comfort, for arms to make it all better again, like they used to. She shook in the cold; didn't they always promise that nothing bad would ever happen to her?

All that she wanted was to join them, to fly over the clouds when the sun always shone down on the world, never letting evil succumb to hurt. A place where no one was alone, where everyone was happy and life was perfect.

There was just one problem – it wasn't possible. There was no point in wishing for what would never happen – dreams don't come true, promises are never kept.

The world is spinning around again; I'm loosing all control again.

Is no one there to save me, will no one stop this hurt?

How can I be strong after all I've seen?

Life is a journey, but I wish too see no more,

I long only for the peace in my dreams,

To go through this hell and lock all the doors.

Why don't you stop it, why won't you send it away?

Can no one help me see through this day?

And so she cried, huddled in a small ball in the centre of where her life had ended. She didn't even know who she was anymore, why she was even alive. But she didn't hope to see the next day, or the one after. She was afraid and weak, no one to hold her hand and protect her from all the danger.

She didn't hear the footsteps in the distance, the pounding of feet that beat like a heartbeat through the forest as they got closer. She was lying next to a sword, one that she couldn't remember finding. She was going to take her own life to end the suffering, but a hand that she hadn't felt or seen wouldn't let her. Her only source of peace, but she wasn't allowed to take that road.

Footsteps drew closer; the night was far from over. New light shone in the darkness, ending all of her fear and doubts. She opened her eyes, and for the first time felt like something was right with the world.