Lora didn't think she'd ever been so miserable. Her hair stuck to her forehead, her legs and feet ached, her face and hands were cut, and still he walked. Every scratch and insect bite increased her hot fury towards the silent figure ahead of her. To take her mind of the walk, she tried to burn a hole in the back of his head with her stare, imagining his black hair starting to smoke and crackle, and his startled yell. Maybe he'd walk into a tree. Despite herself she giggled, and he turned irritably. She resumed her glaring, and looked down just in time to avoid tripping over a root.
At least he knew where he was going, although he seemed to always be choosing the darkest and thickest ways to get there. Lora glanced up at him again, wondering for the upteenth time at how he picked his remarkably silent way across the thorns and twigs, which always seemed to let him pass unscathed and then attempt to tear her to pieces. He hadn't said a word all day except for the occasional brusque command, even when they stopped to drink and eat a little, though for shorter than she would have liked.
What kind of a name is Strider, anyway?… 'Foolish are those who wander here needlessly'… what are these woods? He's obviously been here before, but why? He's not just a traveller, he's been living in the wild. He's no hermit either, though.
She sighed again, looking up at the seemingly solid green roof above them. At first it had been pleasant, but now it was almost oppressive, as if the air under it was slowly running out.
Never seen so many trees…
There was something strange about this forest, which he had called Rohan. She never saw any of the birds she heard, their calls muted by the leaves, and though they crossed animal tracks, she had seen nothing moving. Once or twice Lora could have sworn that there were suddenly tree-roots where there had been only earth before, as if they were rising in response to the tread of feet above them. However, she dismissed this as morbid from her tired brain.
Just concentrate on walking.
It was definitely getting darker.
She didn't notice that he had stopped until she almost fell over him. They were in another small clearing, if you could call it that. It actually was more as if the sower of the forest had missed a tree, and left a vacant spot.
"We will stop here tonight" he said, dropping his pack and stretching.