The night had come quickly to the mountain hollow where the Dunedain held council. The inky blackness was broken by the moon, bright and full, and by the stars shining clearly in the cloudless sky. Through the thick fabric of the captains' tent, Aragorn could just see the faint light of EƤrendil far above. It must be unusually bright to pierce the tough woven cloth.

A lean and weathered Ranger ducked into the tent and took his place with a grim nod to Merenglas. The captains of the Dunedain sat on low, short benches in a half-circle about the broad tent floor. Merenglas had commanded Aragorn to stay at his right hand. If the Dunedain were confused by the unusual honor given to this strange, fidgeting youth, they did not reveal it.

The entry of the last Ranger completed the small council. Eleven Dunedain sat now in the tent - Merenglas, Thalion, the youth Halbarad and several Rangers that Aragorn did not know. Yet he recognized the subtle emblems of rank and identity they wore, and gleaned from these that they were the four captains, of North, East, South and West, each with his second on his right. Merenglas, with Aragorn and old Thalion on either side, held the place of honor.

"The shadow has spread," Merenglas said starkly. If the silence of the Dunedain could become still deeper and graver, it did so now.

"We have wandered long in the Wild," he continued, "and ever we have seen evil grow stronger and reach further. Yet it has never declared itself so boldly as it has in the last six years. I have learned from the White Council that this is no anomaly. The shadow spreads in the Third Age because the evil which cast it in the Second has returned. Sauron has declared himself in Mordor."

A murmur of surprise and fear ran quickly about the tent. Merenglas raised his hand for silence. "We will speak of this anon," he said, "for that is the business of this council. Yet not all of you are known to each other. The captains of the Dunedain shall identify themselves and give a brief history of their travels since we last met."

Thalion spoke first, as though it was accepted custom that he would. "I am Thalion, second of the chieftain Merenglas and head instructor of novices. For the past seven years our company has wandered the Misty Mountains. Our intent was to train several young Dunedain while seeking news of orc and goblin activity in the Mountains, for we had heard that they had multiplied. We found more in the Mountains than news.

"For seven years we have traveled in constant danger of attack. Our company moved only during the day, for the creatures of Sauron do not yet dare to venture into the sunlight, but by nightfall we were forced to find either a well-concealed shelter or a place to make a stand in battle. After the first year of our travels we went to the house of Elrond, for we had many wounded. We received healing there and better weapons, as well as a new member of our company." Here Thalion paused and glanced at Merenglas, but the chieftain's face told him not to elaborate.

"Our departure from Rivendell was followed by six years of travel in the Mountains. We discovered many caverns of foul creatures - orcs, goblins, Wargs, and some we had not seen before. We killed all that did not flee, but their number never seemed to diminish, and each year grew harsher than the last. We were relieved when the time came for the Assembly of the Dunedain, for we felt that we could no longer endure a journey exposed in the Mountains. Many of our company now lies in the healer's tent. They will recover, but I know not how we all survived. Sauron has grown strong indeed, and his reach extends far into the West."

Aragorn glanced about the tent. The leaders of the Dunedain seemed grim but not surprised. He suspected that their own companies had experienced similar hardships since the last Assembly seven years before.

The Ranger beside Thalion, whose age was difficult to tell, was the next to speak. "I am Ladren, captain of the North. My second is Gaeras. Our task was to explore Forodwaith, Angmar, the Ered Mithrin and the lower part of the Northern Waste."

The captain's tale confirmed the awakening of fell creatures throughout the North. Ladren told that while orcs and goblins were not so plentiful there as in the Misty Mountains, older and more dangerous beasts hunted in the North, as well as some that were not beasts. The company had lost four men in the ancient Witch-realm of Angmar, which had long been feared, but never become dangerous since its last defeat.

The mood of the council became graver still when Nelran, captain of the West, told of his company's travels. While Eriador was perhaps the most peaceful region of Midde Earth except Lothlorien, strange happenings there showed that evil stirred even in the western lands. The folk of the West remained secure under the careful watch of the Rangers, but Nelran did not know if his company could protect them if the creatures of the Misty Mountains migrated into Eriador.

Here Halbarad shifted as though he would speak, but when he noticed Aragorn's eyes upon him he sat still, glaring at the novice with open hostility. Startled by his marked ill will, Aragorn held his gaze for a moment, but quickly shifted his attention to the southern captain Mirlos when he began his tale.

The South company had explored the shoreline of the Bay of Belfalas, from Gondor along the west side of Haradwaith and Umbar. They had not been attacked, but they had noticed convoys large and small travelling between Umbar and Harad, and more ominously, to the north. Mirlos feared that Sauron was building an alliance with the people of the south, but he had found no proof.

Halbarad was the last to speak. "In the last seven years, the Rangers of the East have traveled though Ered Lithui and the Iron Hills, into Mirkwood and to the shores of the Sea of Rhun. The discovery of the White Council is no tidings to us, for it became ever clearer throughout our journey that Sauron had returned to Mordor. I shall not tell all of what we saw, for it is a long tale, and I am not certain that the entire council should know of it." He paused, and for an instant Aragorn thought that Halbarad glanced at him.

"The loyalty of no part of this council is in doubt, Halbarad," Merenglas said firmly. "Yet I still would not have you give the whole account, for there is something more urgent in your mind."

"My lord, you see rightly," Halbarad answered, somewhat contritely - yet Aragorn heard in his voice a hint of defiance. "We were plagued as all companies were, by orcs, goblins and strange creatures that we never saw clearly, attacking and vanishing in the night without warning. Yet in the third year of our travels their onslaught lessened, though we were then at the very borders of Mordor. We saw many creatures of Sauron, but they did not pursue us - they seemed to vanish between the Ered Lithui and the south of Mirkwood.

"Nay," Halbarad answered the unspoken question, "they did not go to Dol Guldur. The southern border of Mirkwood was watched continually, and we saw no sign of them. Neither have the Woodland Elves discovered any intrusion into their realm from outside, although the evil within it grows perpetually stronger.

"Our company tracked them from the northwest of Mordor across the Emyn Muil and into the Brown Lands. Yet we found them not, for as we approached the Great River we came under attack from a band of goblins - not by the host we were following, for our quarry were orcs of Mordor, and these were mountain goblins. They drove us ever toward the East, assaulting our company both in open combat and cunning ambushes. We killed many, but the slain seemed to be replaced almost at once. Only a year ago were we able to escape their pursuit, traveling through Mirkwood toward the Misty Mountains. Of the host we had been tracking from Mordor there was no sign."

"The goblins were sent to force you away from the trail of the orcs," Thalion said grimly. "The two races work for one purpose - they serve one master."

The Dunedain were silent for a long moment. Aragorn noticed Halbarad restlessly fingering the haft of his machete, while Mirlos had unconsciously clenched his hand into a fist. Merenglas stared directly ahead, his face stern.

"How many?" the chieftain asked finally.

Halbarad glanced up from his blade. "My lord?"

"The orcs you tracked from Mordor," Merenglas said. "How large was the host?"

The captain hesitated. When he spoke his voice was low, as though he was ashamed. "Two thousand, my lord."

"Two thousand orcs do not disappear into the grass," Merenglas said quietly. "Yet we have not discovered them, and we watch all roads. If the Dunedain have seen and heard naught of them, the orcs have traveled neither West, East, North or South."

"Nor have they been killed," Mirlos said. "We would have heard if Gondor or Rohan had fought the orcs of Mordor, and there is no natural disaster that can extinguish such a force and leave no sign."

"The Caverns of Nuruhuine," Aragorn said suddenly. "They may hide in the Caverns of Nuruhuine."

The Dunedain all turned to the youth in surprise, for most had forgotten him. Aragorn himself was mildly astonished that he had spoken. Yet he did not doubt his judgement.

"Nuruhuine?" Merenglas questioned closely. "I have not heard of it."

"It is unknown to Men," Aragorn said, "for Elves alone have journeyed there, and then only a few."

"If these Caverns are unknown to Men, and Strider is a man, how does he know of them?" asked Halbarad, making little effort to hide his derision. A few of the Dunedain seemed by their faces to share his suspicion.

"The sons of Elrond Peredhil discovered Nuruhuine eight years ago," Aragorn answered. "They have told me of underground tunnels and caves, tortuous and unbounded, where orcs hide from their foes until they have abandoned the hunt. Elladan and Elrohir discovered only three small accesses to the caverns, along the east bank of the Anduin, but these entrances are far apart. If this host has hidden in Nuruhuine, it could come forth to attack any land from North Mirkwood to Gondor, without warning, at its most vulnerable moment."

As Aragorn fell silent, Merenglas stared gravely about the circle. The Dunedain seemed troubled and guarded, doubtful of the youth but aware of the implications of his tale. If orcs were lodged in Nuruhuine, the strongest realms of Middle Earth could be invaded at any time; and the fall of even one of these kingdoms could bring about the defeat of all.

Merenglas spoke at last. "In this I see the hand of the Enemy," he said. His gaze, difficult to meet even when he was light of heart, found the eyes of all as it swept about the tent. "Yet I cannot hope that the rulers of Men or Elves will think likewise. We must not depend on their aid. The battle for Nuruhuine falls to us."

"The company of the East will go," Halbarad said with a grim smile. "We have business with these orcs that I am eager to resolve."

"I also ask leave to go," Mirlos said, "and I know I may speak for my men when I offer for this task the swords of my best warriors."

The captains of the North and the West would have offered their aid likewise, but Merenglas raised his hand for silence. "No single company shall travel to Nuruhuine," he said. "Each is sorely needed elsewhere, and it is unwise to leave any realm unguarded in these evil days.

"I shall lead the force to Nuruhuine," Merenglas continued, "and each captain shall send his most skilled and experienced warriors to follow me. Halbarad and Mirlos shall come, but Nelran and Ladren shall continue to command their own companies. We do not know when or where our enemy will strike, but we can be sure that they will. Therefore we have need of haste. We must leave as soon as our men can be armed and provisioned."

"My lord," Halbarad cut in, "we do not know the way to Nuruhuine, nor the location of these secret entrances."

"My second will guide us," said Merenglas. Aragorn saw his own puzzlement mirrored in the faces of the council.

"Your second, my lord?" Mirlos questioned carefully.

"Aragorn," Merenglas answered calmly. Said Ranger felt his heart leap to his throat, then drop dismally into his stomach.

The small warrior glanced his way and smiled. "Son of Arathorn, Heir of Isildur."

*

A/N: And so, it begins. The next chapter will see the Dunedain off to hunt some orc - a little less conversation, a little more action, yes? - and drop in again on Elladan, Elrohir and the royal family in Mirkwood. However! I'm heading out for the Taekwon-Do National Championships very early tomorrow morning, and I will not be back until Tuesday. Ergo - that is the earliest possible day that I can post the third chapter. Sic probo. QED.