Chapter 6: The white wolf.
Gimli was flapping his arms and stomping his feet trying to get the warmth back in his body as he complained once again how chilled he was. Dawn was slowly breaking, and neither one of the Fellowship had rested their eyes that night. It was growing light and already had Aragorn decided to walk into the forest to search for the missing hobbits and elf.
"And do not forget the old man" said Boromir as they gathered the little things they carried and headed in through the tangled trees.
"There are many questions to be answered, but let us look first and solve riddles later" Aragorn said as he led the way.
Then they stared to crawl in through the trees, Aragorn and Legolas went first scanning the ground with their keen eyes for any trace of them. But the ground was hard and it was difficult to spot tracks. However, as Boromir said to Gimli, only the slightest bent leaf would be enough for them.
Suddenly he stopped walking called to the others. "News!" he called brightly and the others rushed over to him as he held up a broken Mellon leaf of Lórien.
" There are small crumbs in the grass, here at least somebody has enjoyed a feast of Lembas" The news was warming for them all as the search suddenly did not feel in vain and hope sparkled in their eyes, not more so brightly then in the elf's as he looked around.
It was not long before Aragorn found more fresh signs. He led them down to a small stream and there they could clearly see footprints in the mud, there were two small feet and one larger one. Legolas looked he could kiss the first orc he saw, and he eagerly scanned the forest and the trees again.
"These prints cannot have been made long ago, none more then one day, perhaps two. We know at least that they are together" Aragorn said and let his fingers trail the outline of the hobbit foot.
"It is good that they managed to escape from the orcs" Boromir sighed.
"Then shall we continue on?" asked the dwarf as he leaned against his axe. "We can not pursue them through the whole forest of Fangor, we carry little supplies. If we don not find them soon the only thing we can do is starve together".
"If that is all we can do, we will do it" Legolas answered quickly and Aragorn nodded.
They contained to walk in the quiet forest and all around them the tree stood proud and still as they had done for centuries; there was no sound in the darkness, no birds and no whisper. The wind seemed to have grown to frost, but under the cover of the trees it was little it could do to the travelers.
Legolas began to shiver and he stopped walking for just a moment and looked around in the forest. He got a feeling that somehow he had been here before. There was also this other strange feeling lingering in him, the feeling that he was loosing her to him, a feeling he did not like. He was about to tell the others to wait up, when a movement caught his eye.
"Look!" he yelled suddenly making the others stop.
"Look at what?" said Gimli.
"There in the trees"
"Where? I can't see anything"
"Hush…look down by the stream, where we just passed, it is that old and clocked man again," He pointed a thin and slender finger down where they had just been.
"I see him, didn't I tell you so Aragorn" said Gimli. Boromir and Aragorn stared down and saw the bent and gray figure moving slowly. He did not look at them, and nobody said anything. There was a feeling in the air that…that something was happening.
Suddenly the movement of something white caught their eyes and Legolas quickly spent his bow ready to shot. But, something inside him told him not to, and he hesitated until the white creature was gone.
"What is wrong, shot!" said Gimli. Boromir stood silent with a watchful and intent eye at the man and the white beast that had disappeared. "He is right, we might shoot an innocent man and beast," he answered. "Let us just watch and wait"
Then suddenly something happened so fast that not even Legolas had time to raise his bow. The white creature suddenly leaped out of nothing and jumped right in Aragorn's arms. The creature was too large and heavy for the ranger to hold. He stumbled backwards fell on his back and felt something wet licking his face.
Gimli and Boromir who was about to help their friend, stopped with their weapon raised as the white creature, they could now identify as a very large wolf-like- looking dog wagged its tail in sigh of happiness and playfulness.
Then out from between the trees stepped the old white man and he stared at them for a long time. Aragorn pushed the beast away, rose slowly, and met the old man's gaze, before he suddenly extended his arms and cried in delight.
"Gandalf!"
As soon as he spoke the words, he removed all doubt that still lingered in the others. Here before them stood the man they had watched disappeared in Moria. Gandalf smiled his small and mischievous smile and removed the gray cloak he had wrapped him self in.
"You are all in white!" said Boromir in awe and Gandalf nodded slowly.
"Yes I am all in white now" said Gandalf. " But let us not talk about color. The tide of water has changed and I knew things I did not know, and I have forgotten things I thought I would always remember. I see things more clearly and though all seems dark" with those words he turned to Legolas, who looked another way.
"There is always a reason for things to happen. Let us sit by a fire and talk, tell me what has is the latest news"
"What do you want to know, if you want to learn what happened after Moria we would be sitting here for many nights. Tell us, have you spotted Merry, Pippin and Feavair?" Aragorn said and Gandalf shook his head slowly.
"Nay, I did not find them, but I know they are safe and those words should calm you much, they meet an unexpected friend, as the eagle told me" Gandalf answered.
"So the bird was indeed a spy" Boromir nodded thoughtfully.
"Yes, that was Gwaihir the Windlord, I have sent him here to watch the River and bring we news about anything. Some things he has seen and something I have seen my self. I know that the Ring bearer is out of my help. Frodo has chosen to walk to Mordor alone, a road he will walk with much peril."
"Not alone" said Gimli. "We think Sam is with him"
"Is he" said Gandalf slowly and a small smile played on his lips.
"Tell us then what you have seen," said Boromir and Gandalf nodded and slowly started to tell.
"The enemy knows that the Ring is abroad and that a hobbit carries it. He knows the number that set from Rivendell, but he does not know the purpose of your wandering. He suppose we are all going to Minas Tirith for it is there he would have gone had he been in our shoes. He fears that the Ring bearer will come, cast him down from the tower, and take his place. He does not think we would destroy the Ring, that is something that has not even entered his darkest nightmare.
With that, we carry some small light of hope. He believes that he needs to start the battle, and strike one hard blow. Maybe then, he would not strike more. The army he has been preparing is now setting in motion sooner then we intended. Wise fool. He uses all his power to guard Mordor so that none can enter and bent all his guile in hunting of the Ring. Instead of using his well-forced army to fight his enemy one by one he will split it and try to break us all at once, that is where he will fail. He looks towards Minas Tirith and maybe under his gaze can the Ringer bearer sneak in, but the Enemy's wrath will soon be over us like a storm"
He paused a little and then chuckled ironically.
"All that was planed in the darkness has failed, the Enemy has not succeeded in taking the Ring so far, and all this is thanks to Saruman. For in his greed to take the ring for him self he has made moves to fast without thinking. Isengard cannot fight Mordor unless he has the Ring. That is what I know, now let me hear your tale and maybe things will get clearer"
Then Aragorn started to tell of their adventures since Moria. Gandalf said nothing and sat with his eyes closed, his palms open resting on his knees. When Aragorn reached the point of where Boromir was injured, he suddenly halted and Gandalf opened his eyes.
"What happened next I still can not understand, Boromir was dead and still Feavair did something to him, she saved his life, or more like she brought him back from the dead"
"Then Elrond was right, she is indeed…and all the time the answer lay in a simple name" Gandalf muttered to him self.
"Is indeed what?" Legolas asked, demandingly. Had the wizard and even the lord of Rivendell discovered something about Feavair he did not know, something that could explain her actions the last days, the reason for her departure.
"Haldir said so as well…..Feavair"
"Feavair…..her name, it is really simple, as most things are when you have discovered the answer. Tell me Legolas what does her name mean on the elven tongue?" Gandalf asked and Legolas though swiftly before he answered with a shrug.
"Weaver of Spirit"
"Elrond suspected she was a Spirit Weaver, he will be pleased to know he was right," Gandalf said and this time Boromir could not keep his questions at bay.
"A Sprit Weaver? What is that?"
Gandalf told them slowly the same tale Elrond had told him that night not so long ago, about the Valar sending the spirits down to earth. The gift to the Seven Elves that gave them the skill to heal wounds, to bind spirit, to become part of a beast or man and to save the dead even when they are beyond the grasp of life.
"She has a part to play in the destiny of the Ring, for better or for worse. It was her mother, Ithill Quessir, the only weaver who escaped the clutches of the Dark Lord, who bound his evil spirit and power to the One Ring"
"But what does it have to do with Feavair?" Legolas demanded.
"Through her mother she is also connected to the Ring. She has waited all her life for this time to come. When the Ring is thrown into the flames of Mordor, she must be dear and kill Sauron's spirit so that he may never rise again" said Gandalf.
"That was why Haldir said she had to go to Mordor…." Said Aragorn thoughtfully.
"If she does not destroy his spirit he will return" mused Boromir.
"But what I do not understand is….if she is with Merry and Pippin now, how will she get to Mordor. Can she find the way all by her self?" asked Gimli
"That I can't answered, it may be the call of dark things….or other. She knows what must be done and we can only pray that the Dark Lord done not figure out her plan. As I know, they have meet Treebeard the Ent…." Gandalf began when suddenly Legolas turned around and walked away.
"Legolas" Aragorn called and was about to follow him when Gandalf said.
"Let him go…he needs to figure things out"
"Figure out what?" asked Aragorn.
Gandalf did not answer, and again silence ruled over them. After a while, Boromir asked.
"Who is Treebeard"
"Treebeard is Fangorn, the guardian of the forest, the oldest thing that still walks under the sun here on Middle Earth. I hope that we will indeed meet him; they have been fortuned to find such a soul in this forest. For he meet them two days and bore them away to his dwelling. The news of the outside world has indeed troubled him and the darkness that rises in Mordor.
Something is soon going to happen that has not happened since the Elder days. The Ents will wake up and discover they are strong, and together rise against that what threatens the forest and the world," said Gandalf.
"Then what will the Ents do to Isengard?"
"I do not think even they know" answered Gandalf.
Just then, the white wolf that had been lying next to Gandalf, raised his head and howled long and hard.
"Tell me Gandalf what white beast is it you bring" said Gimli and stared suspiciously at the wolf. It was very much larger then a normal wolf, almost the size of a pony. His fur was white like snow with streaks of silver in them, the ears where sharp and pointy clouded with dark spots and the tip. The eyes were deep brown and held an innocent expression.
"This my friend is the bravest dog that has ever walked upon Middle earth," said Gandalf and they all stared at the dog, disbelief written all over their face.
"T`quel…but how is it possible?" Boromir asked, but Gandalf did not answer and for a long time they sat in silence.
"Then what shall we do, shall we go to find this Treebeard?" Gimli asked and Gandalf shook his head once again. "That is not the journey we must take. I have spoken with words of hope but they are only words and hope is to victory. War is coming a war that may destroy all we held dear; a war that can only be won with the use of the Ring and such thoughts fills me with great sorrow. I am Gandalf the white, but still Black is mightier"
"Then what shall we do?"
"We must go to Edoras and seek out the King in his hall. There is a war in Rohan and they need our help" Gandalf said and the others nodded.
"Then we must move now, Boromir go and find Legolas" Boromir rose but Gandalf held up his hands and said.
"His mind is troubled, let him have peace a little while yet and he will make the right decision of that I am sure" Aragorn furrowed his eyebrows.
"Why is heart troubled?"
Gandalf did not answer.
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