Disclaimer: see chapter one.
Chapter X: The Spirit of Tquel Part one."How long has she been missing?"
" I do not know my Lord…. the bed looked like it had been sleep inn"
"We need to find her…." Elrond muttered and suppressed the urge to do his march of worry. Glorfindel stared at the Lord of Rivendell as he tightened his fists and muttered something under his breath.
"Why is it so important to find her….she could have left on her own" Glorfindel said, he had a feeling Lord Elrond was hiding something from him. Lord Elrond stared at Glorfindel and then started to roam through his brain for an answer, he could not tell him what she was.
"She….is…she….comes from Lothlòrien and it is of utmost importance that she returns as quickly as possible"
"So shall I send out a search party then…in which direction?" Glorfindel said, knowing that if Lord Elrond was hiding something from him, it was because he thought he was better of not knowing.
"In every direction, she is on foot and can not have gotten far" Lord Elrond ordered and watched as Glorfindel nodded and then he hurried off. Lord Elrond walked over to the window and stared out on the blue sky, he could not explain it but he had a feeling that her disappearance had something to do with the barking in the corridor last night.
"Exactly where are we going?" Pippin asked as he hurried off to Gandalf who was walking first and leading the way. "We are walking towards the Gap of Rohan…from there one we will travel east into Mordor" Pippin nodded thoughtfully. "And exactly how long is it to Rohan?" Gandalf hid a small smile as he muttered.
"Oh…about 40 days or so…if we are lucky and keep good haste"
Pippin gaped and stared at Gandalf for a long time as the old wizard hurried on, closely followed by Frodo, Sam (and Bill), Aragorn, Merry, Gimli, Boromir and then finally Legolas, who hadn't said a word since their journey started.
40 days…he could not imagine walking for 40 days, they had been walking for almost 48hr already and he was tired. After reaching Rohan, it was even longer to Mordor. He thought about the nameless elfmaid and figured she was lucky being back in Rivendell …how he envied her.
When the sun reached its peak, they stopped for a small rest in a clearing. Gandalf said that from tomorrow on they would mostly travel across plains with nothing beside mountains and grass to keep them company. It was a most welcomed rest for the hobbits who quickly had their backpack off and sat slumbering under the trees. Legolas dumped his bag on the ground, nodded to Aragorn and then he quickly disappeared.
"Where is he going?" Pippin asked curiously.
"Scouting I suppose" Merry answered drowsily.
Aragorn waited a few minutes and then followed Legolas. He knew something was bothering the elfprince…he was not his cheerful self. Usually he would keep their spirits high with songs or stories, but he had not said a word since they left, not even to answers Gimlis banter.
The elf prince was almost invisible against the dense green foliage. He was staring aimlessly into the middle of the forest, and for a moment Aragorn wondered if he had seen something. Carefully he walked up to him. He had never managed to startle an elf before…. and never ever Legolas. Therefore, when Legolas jumped, he to.
"You startled me Aragorn" he said and looked quickly around, wondering if anybody else had seen that the ranger managed to sneak up on him.
"I did not think it was possible" Aragorn replied with a small smile on his lips.
"Well…." he muttered not offering Aragorn more explanation.
"Now my friend….tell me what troubles you" he said cheerfully and Legolas looked another way finding Aragorn's cheerful spirits annoying.
"Nothing is wrong," he muttered quickly.
"Then why do you look like you've just kissed an orc?"
He shook his head and chuckled quietly.
"I was just thinking about the nameless one…she seems familiar somehow" it was more information then he should have shared, he realized, when he saw the look on Aragorn's face.
"She does?" he asked, shock written all over his face and Legolas looked quickly another way feeling the ring around his neck burn.
"Yeah….but I can not place her in my memory…..and it bothers me" Legolas lied and tightened his fists so not to reach up and touch the ring.
"Well my friend….I will leave you to ponder on it in silence…but do not let clouds of thought cover your judgment….it is a dangerous task we have at hand and we need your eyes and ears."
Tquel licked her face and woke her from her slumber. She slowly rose and felt her body aching from chill, hunger and yesterdays darkness. Looking around and she saw that she in the forest and large trees rose around her, stretching their naked winter arms towards the sky.
She leaned her back against a tree and closed her eyes feeling relaxation slowly return to her body, yesterdays flight was still fresh in her mind .She should never have run away, but it was what she did, she ran as quickly as the darkness came, it was the only was she could escape it.
Her skin prickled from cold and she rubbed her bare arms in an attempt to restore the heat in them. Tquel was whimpering softly, his ears perched and his nose twitching slightly. She bent down to try and pick him up, but he leaped out of her grasp and ran into the woods. She started helplessly after him.
"Tquel " she called, but he did not return. She sank down on the ground again, and then pulled her knees up under her chin. Her only friend had left her, now she was alone in these woods and she had nowhere to go.
As soon as that thought entered her mind her heart started to beat faster until it drummed in her ears. There was a place she was supposed to go to. There was something calling her name. She rose to her feet and quickly started to walk.
"I thought I heard something!" Gimli said suddenly and raised his axe ready to strike down anything that dared to move, even breath. The others stopped moving and Boromir quickly reached for his sword. They could hear it clearly now, the sound of branches and twigs breaking.
The hobbits drew together and Frodo looked at his sword, to see if it was orcs that approached. They could hear the sound of something…. or some animal move swiftly in their direction. Then a deer staggered out from some bushes. It was a rather funny sight and neither Frodo nor Gandalf managed to contain their laugher as the deer stopped running and stared at them.
It moved on unsteady legs as if it was drunk, and when it saw that there were people around it, it looked like the deer wanted to jump and greet them and run away at the same time making the animal stumble to the ground. They laughed heartily and the deer quickly staggered on its feet crashed into Aragorn before it finally stumbled into some shrubberies.
The Fellowship watched the deer disappear, each scratching their heads in wonder. Gandalf opened his mouth to tell them that they were going to walk again, when another animal jumped out from the bushes.
"Tquel" Pippin cried in delight and suddenly the dog was covered with hands that eagerly greeted him.
"The dog…. what is he doing here?" Aragorn asked puzzled, speaking aloud the thought that was on everybody's mind.
"What is so special but this mutt?" Gimli asked suspiciously as dog started to happily wag its tail and sniff around looking for food. "That my good dwarf is a story saved for later" Gandalf said and told them it was time to continue on their quest.
"If the dog is here…. could its master also be close?"
"No….I think Tquel followed Sam" Aragorn said. "Let us continue…this is a wise dog….it will find its way back to Rivendell" he to started to walk and so did Gimli. Only Pippin and Tquel remained as those two had unfinished business. Pippin was about to hand Tquel some food, when he suddenly started to growl.
Boromir stopped walking and stared at the dog as it flickered its teeth angrily towards him. Pippin scratched its ears hoping to calm the dog. He continued to growl at the human in front of him. Boromir remembered all to well the dog from that night and quickly snorted.
"Be quiet dog" before he hurried away. Tquel did not let his sight off the human and Pippin watched the dog's action with interest. Was it true that dogs could sense things others could not.
"Night will soon be upon us….let us rest here, in the forest tonight" Gandalf declared as they halted at the edge of the forest. Through the trees, they could see the open plain that greeted them and yellow grass swayed slightly in the wind.
Aragorn quickly started to gather some wood while Merry and Pippin opened there backpacks searching for anything eatable. Frodo sat down with a heavy sight and rested his head in his hands. Tquel walked over to him and put his head on the hobbits knee and stared at him with large brown eyes. Frodo smiled and nuzzled the dog's fur.
"Oh…how I wish we had decent food" Sam sighed and he saw that all they had to eat was bread, some fruit and dried meat. Pippin held up his apple and sighed deeply. "Oh yes….I would do anything for a cheesecake now" he said.
"Or some sweet bread" Merry cut inn taking out his bread and stared at it sadly.
"Or some of Old Miss Raspberry pie"
"Eggs!"
"Chocolate"
"Stop it you are making us all hungry," laughed Boromir as the hobbits stared dreamily at their food.
"What would you want then?" Sam asked as took a bite of his apple, imagining that is was a freshly baked cake.
"Hm…..I wouldnt say no to some fresh meat" he answered thoughtfully.
"Yeah…. roasted rabbit" Sam said.
Tquel lifted his head off Frodo's knee and before anybody could say anything the dog dashed into the woods. Pippin rose and was about to walk after him, when Gimli put a hand on his shoulder. " Let him be lad….we can not have you wondering around in these woods, who knows what might be lurking in the shadows" he said and the hobbits shuddered.
They sat quietly around the fire and Gandalf let smoke rings, of all colors float, around their heads. Pippin stared nervously towards the trees, Tquel had been gone for a long time now.
He rose slowly and was about to call the dog's name, when he suddenly came running out of the forest carrying something brown in its teeth.
"Looks like you will get your wish Sam" Aragorn laughed as Tquel dropped a rabbit at Sam's feet and titled its head.
The rabbit was a welcomed surprised for everybody and soon the smell of roasted rabbit filled their nostrils. Sam insisted on handing Tquel a leg, it was only fair since it was he who had caught the animal…. that left the others with just mouthful of meat that made their mouths run with water for more food.
"Now…. let us rest because tomorrow will be a longer day then this" Gandalf said and then he placed his hat over his eyes and rested against a large stone. Boromir yawned and lay down next to the fire covering his body with his cloak. Sam, Merry and Pippin also huddled together, while Gimli sat down, with this back to a rock and closed his eyes. Aragorn stared a long time into the fire, before he too lay down in a blanket, knowing that Legolas would keep watch.
The elfprince was not the only one awake; Frodo could not sleep because his head was filled with thoughts and worries. He stared into the flames and the image of the flaming eye started to flicker through his mind.
"You should try to rest Mr. Frodo" Legolas said.
"I would very much welcomed …but I can't seem to" Frodo muttered.
Legolas opened his mouth to say something, when the unmistakable sound of a wolf's cry pierced the night.
Tquel lifted his head and then started to whimper. Legolas rose and scanned the forest, trying to determine where the cries came from. There was another howl followed by two more cries in the night. Now, the others, who had barley fallen a sleep, woke and they quickly grabbed their weapons.
"Blasted wolfs" Gimli cried annoyed as he grabbed his axe. There were even more wolf cries and they could hear that they were getting closer. Aragorn quickly grabbed a stick, made a torch, and let his eyes wander the edges of the forest.
"Stay close to the fire" Gandalf said and hurryingly the hobbits drew near the heat. Another cry pierced the night. The sound started low and grew to the point where they had to cover their ears. Tquel started to howl, one long howl, and as if in an echo the wolf's replied with their screams.
Suddenly the dog ran towards the forest, and before anybody, ever thought about holding Pippin back, the hobbit hurried after the dog and disappeared in the darkness.
"Aragorn, follow me" Legolas said quickly as the hobbit and the dog disappeared among the trees. Tquel ran quickly and determined and all through the forest the echo of the wolves cries surrounded them.
"Tquel, please stop" Pippin gasped as he followed the dog that ran with unwavering steps through the darkness. He could feel the trees grasp at him as he stared away from logs and jumped over small stones. The dog did not listen to him and he soon found him self deeper and deeper in the black forest and all around him he could hear the hungry wolves cry.
"What are you doing, Tquel, let us go back to the others" Pippin said as the dog finally slowed down. Pippin looked around and realized what a huge mistake he had made, how was he going to find his way back now. Suddenly, he saw a pair of yellow eyes gleam at him and then he heard growling and snarling.
Out of some bushes crept two large and gray wolves, their jaws open and fangs gleaming in the darkness. Tquel barked at them, but the wolves just growled and snapped their jaws in his direction. The dog whimpered. Soon Pippin saw more eye slits gleaming in the darkness. His whole body started to tremble and he covered his face with his hands.
Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around expecting to see Strider or one of the others. In stead the calm and eyes of the nameless elfmaid stared at him and she lifted a finger to her lips ordering him to be silent. Pippin thought that it was a great idea and nodded eagerly telling her that he understood.
Then there were more howls, growls, as three other wolves appeared, bigger then the two first and they looked even hungrier. Tquel growled bravely at them, but Pippin knew that the dog had no chance to protect them from five wolves. The elf stepped out in front of Pippin shedding the wolf's view of him. They started to slowly approach and Pippin backed backwards until his back hit the trunk of a tree.
The wolves howled again and soon he could hear the sound of scratching and growling all around him. But she did not seem scared or anything, she was unnatural calm, just as she had been on Amon Sûl when she showed them the hiding place and saved them from the Black Riders.
The wolves made a half circle and approached once again, their heads lowered flickering their teeth in the darkness, clawing at the ground with their paws, talons gleamed. The elf turned her head and stared at Pippin, making sure he was okay and then she spoke the same words she had told them at the watchtower before she left.
"Dina, Uuma dela""Yeah…you to," Pippin said nervously and hid behind her back. The wolves took another steep in their direction, but now she suddenly took a steep towards them and said something on a tongue Pippin didnt recognize, but it sounded different then elven.
To his surprise the wolves stopped growling, so did Tquel. She took another step in their direction and captured the animals' gaze. She continued to speak, her voice low and hoarse. The ears of the wolves flickered back and forth, and then suddenly they closed their mouths, raised their heads, and looked at them. Their eyes were not filled with hunger and Pippin could see that their muscles were relaxed.
She turned around to Pippin and smiled faintly, then turned back to the wolves and took another steep in their direction. The wolves tilted their heads and looked at her with the look Tquel used. She sat down on the ground and continued to stare at them, talking with her low and calm voice.
Then what happened next was even more extraordinary. One by one, the wolves walked over to her and started to sniff at her. She smiled again, and then she turned to Pippin and waved her hand, telling him to come closer. Hesitating, Pippin took a step towards the wolves; they lifted their heads when they saw him approached, but did nothing.
The wolves greeted him, like Tquel and they started to lick his face and tickle him with their wet noose. Pippin laughed as he pet the wolves, thinking nothing more of them then simple dogs. Their fur was ragged and hard and he could feel the well build muscles move under his small hands.
Just then, he heard somebody call his name. The wolves and the elf tensed but Pippin quickly recognized the voice and rose. "Its Strider!" He said happily and then suddenly yelled. "Hellu Strider" They could hear the sound of footsteps quickly approaching and the wolves stiffened.
The elf grabbed his arm and covered his mouth. "Hey…" he muffled as he saw that the wolves were starting to growl lowly. She talked to the wolves again in that unfamiliar low hoarse voice.
"Pippin!" a voice called again, this time another one. Tquel lowered his head and whimpered softly as the wolves tensed again, the magic she had used on them was starting to break as Strider called Pippins name again, louder this time.
Pippin could feel the arm wrapped around him start to quiver and his eyes widened in fear of what he saw. Her one green eye had gone all together green, from edge to edge. It lasted for only a few seconds before they returned to normal.
Suddenly Strider and Legolas dashed out from some trees, and who of those two was most surprised is hard to tell. They did not know what to say as they saw Pippin, Tquel and its master sitting among seven large wolves. She started to talk rapidly in the strange tongue again, never taking her eyes of the wolves that were starting to circle around them. They were growling lowly in their throat their eyes darting from she to the two newcomers.
Strider quickly raised his sword and flickered the torch towards the wolf and Legolas had his bow out and armed.
"No, stop….you will frighten them" Pippin said, getting loose from her grip. He did not think that he was the one who was suppose to be afraid in the middle of a flock of hungry wolves. The elfmaid rose and continued her muttering, but the wolves were too occupied with the strangers to listen her voice.
"N'ndengina ta, Uuma dela" (Don't kill it, don't worry)
Legolas felt his arms tremble with fear as he tried to hold his bow steady. He knew she held some kind of power over all the beasts in the forest, but he had never seen her do anything like this before. He cast a quick glance at Aragorn and saw that even he was hypnotized in a state between admiration and fear.
The wolves eyes grew narrow, and then they turned their heads in her direction again. They walked over to the elf and Pippin again, one of them licked Pippins face one last time before it hurried off in to the forest. Then quickly the others followed.
Pippin rose slowly wondering if he was still dreaming. She quickly grabbed his arms and ran over to the others. She muttered something on her own tongue, this one Pippin recognized as being the elven she had spoken earlier. She pushed Pippin in Aragorns direction and was about to walk away, when Legolas grabbed her arm.
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