Hi!
Now don´t expect this all the time - one chapter a day, phew!
I hope you´ll like this one, too, it´s a bit of a transition chapter, so bear with me. Please, please keep up your great reviews, they are a joy to read. Responses below.
Now, on to the story!
Alinah
Rating: PG 13
Disclaimer: Still not mine
Dark hours
It was still there. Aragorn felt chilled to the bone by the evil presence he was trying so hard to leave behind, yet they had not been able to escape its reach. The grip was loosening, but slowly, far too slowly. Around them, the trees continued to rustle their branches in sadness and anger wherever they passed, showering the still elf on his swaying horse with golden leaves as if they meant to cover him with a protective blanket.
If only it was that easy.
The occasional animal still dashed past them as if fleeing a savaging fire, but strangely it would race straight towards the heart of danger. On another day, the ranger would have pitied the doomed creatures, unawares of their true fate as he was, maybe even considered possibilities to stop them, but he barely recognized their predicament. His whole concentration was fixed upon his weakening friend and the shivering stallion that would pull his precious burden to doom should he fall.
"Dartho, dartho, alpalan hi..." //Hang on, hang on, not far now...// Aragorn could hear his voice uttering the same words over and over again, their tone slightly more urgent than he intended. The plea was directed at the elf and the horse in equal amounts. Faun´s breathing had become a series of painful heaves. Every few steps he would come to a trembling stop before willing his shaking body on. He had even stumbled into Ninim more than once, caught from crushing down by nothing but her sturdy bulk.
Aragorn had seriously considered moving Legolas to the mare with him, but as much as he would have liked to see his friend safe and the stallion relieved of his load, however light it would normally seem to him, he knew in his heart that such an action would kill Legolas. From the glances he had stolen at the Elf´s injuries he was sure that one leg was broken multiple times, the splints it carried pathetically ineffective. Moving it would cause more damage even in the best of cases, and the fact that the ranger would have to pull a knife from his friend´s thigh first to dislodge him from his steed did not help matters.
There was no chance he would survive being taken off the horse unless Aragorn would be able to treat his wounds immediately. He would not help any of them by rushing into action before they were safe from harm. Whenever that might be. The ground that had flown past Ninim´s dashing hooves not long ago now crept along so slowly that the ranger could not help the impression it was even moving backwards beneath them, causing them to stay in the same place in spite of the price they paid for every step they took.
A sharp breeze caused Aragorn to raise his head and look around, reluctantly drawing some attention away from his charges. He felt guilty, fearing that his lack of concentration would somehow cause Faun to make that one fatal step that would send him to the ground. His instincts´ warnings never went unheeded, though, even in a situation as dire as this, and he was dismayed with what he found.
The gentle side of autumn that had graced them with its presence throughout the last week, bathing even the most horrible sights into soft golden light, was retreating, making room for its evil twin that would soon come down on them with brutal force. The quickening gusts chased dark clouds their way, their heavy clustering suggesting more than a gentle rain. This would be a merciless downpour.
Light fled the roughening landscape they moved through when the clouds attacked the sun´s disk and drowned its light in their crushing embrace. The gusts turned more brutal, ripping the weak leaves off their branches and flinging them through the swirling air in a dance of death. Aragorn heard Faun grunt next to him as if the wind that suddenly hit him was causing him physical pain, and the ridiculous thought of this powerful beast being blown over by a harsh breeze froze his heart in dread.
The stallion seemed to sense the additional danger as well, for he quickened his steps for the first time since they had began their slow escape, and Aragorn knew that the animal would surely collapse under the additional strain, yet he did not try to stop him. The lingering feeling of dread behind him had not completely disappeared, but his choices had.
The decision being made, Aragorn looked around for any shelter that would protect them from the worst of the oncoming storm. He was slightly relieved when he realized that they had re-entered the rocky terrain that surrounded Imladris. There was a good chance of finding shelter in a cave here, and the ranger quickly searched his extensive knowledge of the area, hoping to remember a suitable place not far off.
Throughout their ride, Aragorn had never removed his hand from Legolas´ back. He needed the physical contact for various reasons. The foremost surely was to make sure that he friend continued breathing, but he would also be able to discern other changes in the elf´s state - and to him, the light touch also provided a lifeline that worked both ways. It made him aware that despite his fears he really had found his friend, and he desperately hoped that Legolas was able to sense his presence, too, and use it to tie him to this world a bit longer.
In the increasing onslaught of the cold gusts the heated body of the elf had turned from shivering to shaking, and Aragorn quickly shed his coat to drape it over his friend. The first drops, feeling as icy as hail, began to hit them and Ninim neighed in angry protest. "Iston, iston"//I know, I know// the ranger tried to soothe, petting the horse´s neck with his free hand, "dartho..."//Hang on// The darkness that descended on them was so complete that it felt like night had fallen yet again on the two lone riders, shrouding them in despair.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Elrohir sat beside the fire he kept going and hummed to himself. Unlike last night, the tune was more meant to calm himself than his resting brother. He could feel the change in the wind. Its gentle touch had turned into an angry bite, warning of a storm that collected itself somewhere above to swoop down on them soon. The light had lost its golden hue to turn a sickly shade of grey. Little had the sunrise warned them of this danger, and the elf felt his heart grow heavy with the promise he had made.
The promise that he would follow soon, that all would be well, that they would be able to bring the Prince of Mirkwood to safety today.
It had been mere hours ago that Aragorn had left, but during this time the honest conviction he had felt of rescuing Legolas had waned, changed for a darker and more foreboding mood. Elrohir glanced up at the turbulent sky that seemed to mirror his fears, and wondered whether the lone wait had brought upon this solemn humor. He usually trusted the instincts he had for the outcome of things. They had seldom let him astray, the gift of foresight so strong in his family. While he did not possess any clarity of sight when it came to predicting the future, his hunches could usually be trusted.
But then, they did not often change so drastically as they had today, and his fair heart wished for his initial feeling to be the truthful one, his now less then optimistic state of mind brought upon by the long wait and the foul weather. Unfortunately for his peace of mind, Elrohir was not easily deceived, not even by himself, and so he continued to hum lightly in an attempt to ease his fears.
It was a small blessing that Elladan had chosen to fall off his horse close to a high rock that was slightly carved in to create a small, protected niche that was big enough to hold the wounded elf. Now that the weather began to make good of its threats, the first raindrops beginning to fall, Elrohir crouched closer to his brother, calling over his steed to offer some protection from the gusts that began to pick dead leaves off the ground to roughly toy with them in the air. Between the two of them, the younger twin was certain that they would be able to keep Elladan from harm.
And yet - as he drew the blanket more tightly around his brother´s still feverish body, another flash of foreboding hit him, this one directed at him. At them. The wind gave a sudden screech that made the horse jump, and with it came the wall of rain. It crashed down on Elrohir with a ferocity that took him completely by surprise, and he instinctively leaned over Elladan to shield him. It was not only the cold water he strove to hold off. He could hear the fire hiss like an angry snake in its death.
The screeches continued, and he was not so sure about their origin anymore. Turning his head he tried to take in his surroundings, but the downpour had formed a cocoon around him that even his sharp elven eyes could hardly pierce. He thought to make out movement that broke through the weather at an impossible speed, light shapes flying past him in a wave of evil that made him gag. Not daring to rise from his protective crouch over his brother, he groped for the sword that he had rather carelessly dumped with his belongings, his searching fingers unable to locate it.
With an angry neigh, his mare suddenly reared and charged into the swirling chaos, her white coat gleaming eerily in the dark that surrounded her. He could dimly see her strong form rise to her hind legs again, her front hooves smashing down on an unseen foe. There was a faint crack when she found an aim, but Elrohir´s fear rose when he realised she would storm at whatever she saw for a second time, drawing her even further away. "Gloss, baw!" //Gloss [white as snow], no!//, he yelled, "na nin, na nin, hi!" //To me, to me, now!//
The steed whirled around towards him, her dark eyes shining with anger, and for a heartbeat he feared that she would disobey him for the first time since she had befriended him, but then she moved up to him in a few wide leaps, resuming her earlier position but keeping her head up in nervous anticipation.
Elrhoir matched her tense pose, the dread easing up slightly without disappearing, when his attention was drawn away from the storm. He could feel Elladan stir in his arms, a low moan touching his ear, and he looked down on his brother to meet hazy eyes.
The confusion mirrored in them held a tinge of fear and Elrohir winced in sympathy when he tried to imagine what his brother woke up to. Both his recent memories and their current state gave more than just cause for worry and fear. The younger twin forced himself to smile and raised his voice over the din. "Lhasbelin nasta men nif um"//Autumn shows us his angry face//, he called, trying to sound light, "algosto, gwador cin berio le."//Don´t be afraid, your brother protects you.//
Instead of relaxing at the words, Elladan suddenly tried to rise, his eyes fixed on something behind Elrohir´s back. Gloss reacted a heartbeat later, her neigh loud as she dashed off once more to disappear into the dark chaos that continued to engulf the two elves.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The wind picked up and drove the raindrops down with more force, but Aragorn hardly felt them. "Alpalan hi, Faun, dartho, alpalan hi." //Not far now, Faun, hang on, not far now.//
Unlike a short time ago, the words shone with honest hope as they drew closer to a formation of rocks the ranger had recognized with a joyful leap of his heart. He had spent a night there before, and the thought of the deep cave situated in the grey mass made his mood lift despite the circumstances.
Ninim neighed eagerly at the sound of his voice and even Faun seemed to draw strength from it, his rattling breaths steadily shaking his broad frame as he ploughed through the thickening darkness at a speed that Aragorn had not thought possible a few moments ago. He prayed for the beast´s stout heart to match its will in strength, gasping when the rain intensified into a solid wall of water that made the rocks they were so close to disappear as if they had been wiped away by a giant hand.
But the ranger was not strayed by this, his mind set and his eyes firmly locked onto the place he knew might well prove their salvation. His conviction was rewarded when quite suddenly the massive grey wall jumped back into existence before them, the entrance to the cave a gaping black hole in the darkness. The horses made for it without having to be asked. Aragorn could not bite back a tired smile at Faun´s eagerness. He knew that the horse shared its masters weariness of small dark places, but the stallion had enough sense to see beyond the darkness to the safety that beckoned within.
When he horses passed into the cool shelter, Aragorn felt as if he had entered a completely different world, suddenly free of the tugging gusts and the harsh assaults of freezing raindrops. He could hardly see the hand in front of his eyes, the natural glow that emanated from Legolas´ still form so subdued by his fearful state that it was barely above a glimmer. It would have to do, though. There was no more time. Faun´s shaking had increased dramatically with the second he had come to a halt, and the ranger could feel the beasts eyes pleading him in the gloom.
Quickly, Aragorn slipped off Ninim and sent her deeper into the cave despite her protests. He dreaded his next actions, but his practical self took over and pushed fears and regrets away. He pulled a few rags from his pack, threw his small bag with healing supplies down a few paces away and then made sure the trembling stallion stood nowhere close to a wall. Now that his eyes were growing used to the dark, he could see that Faun´s legs were constantly trying to buckle, his bulk quivering with effort each time he forced them to continue carrying him.
His heart beating to his throat, Aragorn walked around the horse to get to he dagger that had united horse and rider during their darkest hour. His left hand tightened around the grip of the knife while his right reached up to hold on to the elf and catch him when he fell. Faun turned his head and stared at Aragorn, daring him to make his move. Begging him. "Huor cin darthathon ind-nin, thala Faun" //Your courage will stay in my heart, steadfast Faun//, the ranger whispered with tears in his eyes. Then he pulled.
TBC
How´s that, sort of a "double cliffie" this time! Don´t kill me, please...
Review responses:
Sangfroid: Boy, your reviews are more entertaining then many stories! You had me laughing out loud - "magical green cows from jupiter", right! I´m glad you enjoy the story so much - and being a "creature of the night" yourself, I´m sure not much can scare you - good!
Red Tigress: Yes, finally they are together again! Now I hope Aragorn will prove what a great healer he is! And me, hating water?? I should not let anybody hear that - I´ve grown up right at the Baltic Sea, now I live close to the North Sea - I love water, the ocean! But I confess I especially like it in spring and fall or during storms LOL
MoonMist: I will NOT kill Legolas or Aragorn (or anybody) - I think. Or, will I? And the horsey? Hmm, we´ll see ;-)
NightShadow131: Sorry, wanted this to be a nice "rescue and healing" chapter but the weather got in the way...And as for Legolas - he´s hurt in a cave now, he´ll love it!
Someone Reading: Do you have your lights on //smirk// Glad I could scare you as long as you enjoy it!
Alariel: Yes, Faun is a warrior, he will never give in easily. He´s rather grown on me...And what in the world would make you think of Daramus?! //wink, wink// Seriously, it´s far too soon to "recycle" him...
Gozilla: Thank you!! Hope you like this one, too.
Deana: Err - yes, the horse is still alive -I think - let me go and check...
Ertia: Bad things coming? In my stories?! Oh, come one - well, yes... But there will be some time to heal and get ready again, too
Amy: Thanks! I rather like the lake myself, it turned out much worse than I had thought...But this evil will be no match for our heroes - or so I hope
Eadramaqueen: Wow, thanks for the praise - hope the story will live up to it. And as for Legolas - poor elf.
Tychen: Yes, evil does rise, though it´s currently transforming a bit :) It will really take a lOT to destroy it!
Thank you all so much (big hug)!!!
Now don´t expect this all the time - one chapter a day, phew!
I hope you´ll like this one, too, it´s a bit of a transition chapter, so bear with me. Please, please keep up your great reviews, they are a joy to read. Responses below.
Now, on to the story!
Alinah
Rating: PG 13
Disclaimer: Still not mine
Dark hours
It was still there. Aragorn felt chilled to the bone by the evil presence he was trying so hard to leave behind, yet they had not been able to escape its reach. The grip was loosening, but slowly, far too slowly. Around them, the trees continued to rustle their branches in sadness and anger wherever they passed, showering the still elf on his swaying horse with golden leaves as if they meant to cover him with a protective blanket.
If only it was that easy.
The occasional animal still dashed past them as if fleeing a savaging fire, but strangely it would race straight towards the heart of danger. On another day, the ranger would have pitied the doomed creatures, unawares of their true fate as he was, maybe even considered possibilities to stop them, but he barely recognized their predicament. His whole concentration was fixed upon his weakening friend and the shivering stallion that would pull his precious burden to doom should he fall.
"Dartho, dartho, alpalan hi..." //Hang on, hang on, not far now...// Aragorn could hear his voice uttering the same words over and over again, their tone slightly more urgent than he intended. The plea was directed at the elf and the horse in equal amounts. Faun´s breathing had become a series of painful heaves. Every few steps he would come to a trembling stop before willing his shaking body on. He had even stumbled into Ninim more than once, caught from crushing down by nothing but her sturdy bulk.
Aragorn had seriously considered moving Legolas to the mare with him, but as much as he would have liked to see his friend safe and the stallion relieved of his load, however light it would normally seem to him, he knew in his heart that such an action would kill Legolas. From the glances he had stolen at the Elf´s injuries he was sure that one leg was broken multiple times, the splints it carried pathetically ineffective. Moving it would cause more damage even in the best of cases, and the fact that the ranger would have to pull a knife from his friend´s thigh first to dislodge him from his steed did not help matters.
There was no chance he would survive being taken off the horse unless Aragorn would be able to treat his wounds immediately. He would not help any of them by rushing into action before they were safe from harm. Whenever that might be. The ground that had flown past Ninim´s dashing hooves not long ago now crept along so slowly that the ranger could not help the impression it was even moving backwards beneath them, causing them to stay in the same place in spite of the price they paid for every step they took.
A sharp breeze caused Aragorn to raise his head and look around, reluctantly drawing some attention away from his charges. He felt guilty, fearing that his lack of concentration would somehow cause Faun to make that one fatal step that would send him to the ground. His instincts´ warnings never went unheeded, though, even in a situation as dire as this, and he was dismayed with what he found.
The gentle side of autumn that had graced them with its presence throughout the last week, bathing even the most horrible sights into soft golden light, was retreating, making room for its evil twin that would soon come down on them with brutal force. The quickening gusts chased dark clouds their way, their heavy clustering suggesting more than a gentle rain. This would be a merciless downpour.
Light fled the roughening landscape they moved through when the clouds attacked the sun´s disk and drowned its light in their crushing embrace. The gusts turned more brutal, ripping the weak leaves off their branches and flinging them through the swirling air in a dance of death. Aragorn heard Faun grunt next to him as if the wind that suddenly hit him was causing him physical pain, and the ridiculous thought of this powerful beast being blown over by a harsh breeze froze his heart in dread.
The stallion seemed to sense the additional danger as well, for he quickened his steps for the first time since they had began their slow escape, and Aragorn knew that the animal would surely collapse under the additional strain, yet he did not try to stop him. The lingering feeling of dread behind him had not completely disappeared, but his choices had.
The decision being made, Aragorn looked around for any shelter that would protect them from the worst of the oncoming storm. He was slightly relieved when he realized that they had re-entered the rocky terrain that surrounded Imladris. There was a good chance of finding shelter in a cave here, and the ranger quickly searched his extensive knowledge of the area, hoping to remember a suitable place not far off.
Throughout their ride, Aragorn had never removed his hand from Legolas´ back. He needed the physical contact for various reasons. The foremost surely was to make sure that he friend continued breathing, but he would also be able to discern other changes in the elf´s state - and to him, the light touch also provided a lifeline that worked both ways. It made him aware that despite his fears he really had found his friend, and he desperately hoped that Legolas was able to sense his presence, too, and use it to tie him to this world a bit longer.
In the increasing onslaught of the cold gusts the heated body of the elf had turned from shivering to shaking, and Aragorn quickly shed his coat to drape it over his friend. The first drops, feeling as icy as hail, began to hit them and Ninim neighed in angry protest. "Iston, iston"//I know, I know// the ranger tried to soothe, petting the horse´s neck with his free hand, "dartho..."//Hang on// The darkness that descended on them was so complete that it felt like night had fallen yet again on the two lone riders, shrouding them in despair.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Elrohir sat beside the fire he kept going and hummed to himself. Unlike last night, the tune was more meant to calm himself than his resting brother. He could feel the change in the wind. Its gentle touch had turned into an angry bite, warning of a storm that collected itself somewhere above to swoop down on them soon. The light had lost its golden hue to turn a sickly shade of grey. Little had the sunrise warned them of this danger, and the elf felt his heart grow heavy with the promise he had made.
The promise that he would follow soon, that all would be well, that they would be able to bring the Prince of Mirkwood to safety today.
It had been mere hours ago that Aragorn had left, but during this time the honest conviction he had felt of rescuing Legolas had waned, changed for a darker and more foreboding mood. Elrohir glanced up at the turbulent sky that seemed to mirror his fears, and wondered whether the lone wait had brought upon this solemn humor. He usually trusted the instincts he had for the outcome of things. They had seldom let him astray, the gift of foresight so strong in his family. While he did not possess any clarity of sight when it came to predicting the future, his hunches could usually be trusted.
But then, they did not often change so drastically as they had today, and his fair heart wished for his initial feeling to be the truthful one, his now less then optimistic state of mind brought upon by the long wait and the foul weather. Unfortunately for his peace of mind, Elrohir was not easily deceived, not even by himself, and so he continued to hum lightly in an attempt to ease his fears.
It was a small blessing that Elladan had chosen to fall off his horse close to a high rock that was slightly carved in to create a small, protected niche that was big enough to hold the wounded elf. Now that the weather began to make good of its threats, the first raindrops beginning to fall, Elrohir crouched closer to his brother, calling over his steed to offer some protection from the gusts that began to pick dead leaves off the ground to roughly toy with them in the air. Between the two of them, the younger twin was certain that they would be able to keep Elladan from harm.
And yet - as he drew the blanket more tightly around his brother´s still feverish body, another flash of foreboding hit him, this one directed at him. At them. The wind gave a sudden screech that made the horse jump, and with it came the wall of rain. It crashed down on Elrohir with a ferocity that took him completely by surprise, and he instinctively leaned over Elladan to shield him. It was not only the cold water he strove to hold off. He could hear the fire hiss like an angry snake in its death.
The screeches continued, and he was not so sure about their origin anymore. Turning his head he tried to take in his surroundings, but the downpour had formed a cocoon around him that even his sharp elven eyes could hardly pierce. He thought to make out movement that broke through the weather at an impossible speed, light shapes flying past him in a wave of evil that made him gag. Not daring to rise from his protective crouch over his brother, he groped for the sword that he had rather carelessly dumped with his belongings, his searching fingers unable to locate it.
With an angry neigh, his mare suddenly reared and charged into the swirling chaos, her white coat gleaming eerily in the dark that surrounded her. He could dimly see her strong form rise to her hind legs again, her front hooves smashing down on an unseen foe. There was a faint crack when she found an aim, but Elrohir´s fear rose when he realised she would storm at whatever she saw for a second time, drawing her even further away. "Gloss, baw!" //Gloss [white as snow], no!//, he yelled, "na nin, na nin, hi!" //To me, to me, now!//
The steed whirled around towards him, her dark eyes shining with anger, and for a heartbeat he feared that she would disobey him for the first time since she had befriended him, but then she moved up to him in a few wide leaps, resuming her earlier position but keeping her head up in nervous anticipation.
Elrhoir matched her tense pose, the dread easing up slightly without disappearing, when his attention was drawn away from the storm. He could feel Elladan stir in his arms, a low moan touching his ear, and he looked down on his brother to meet hazy eyes.
The confusion mirrored in them held a tinge of fear and Elrohir winced in sympathy when he tried to imagine what his brother woke up to. Both his recent memories and their current state gave more than just cause for worry and fear. The younger twin forced himself to smile and raised his voice over the din. "Lhasbelin nasta men nif um"//Autumn shows us his angry face//, he called, trying to sound light, "algosto, gwador cin berio le."//Don´t be afraid, your brother protects you.//
Instead of relaxing at the words, Elladan suddenly tried to rise, his eyes fixed on something behind Elrohir´s back. Gloss reacted a heartbeat later, her neigh loud as she dashed off once more to disappear into the dark chaos that continued to engulf the two elves.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The wind picked up and drove the raindrops down with more force, but Aragorn hardly felt them. "Alpalan hi, Faun, dartho, alpalan hi." //Not far now, Faun, hang on, not far now.//
Unlike a short time ago, the words shone with honest hope as they drew closer to a formation of rocks the ranger had recognized with a joyful leap of his heart. He had spent a night there before, and the thought of the deep cave situated in the grey mass made his mood lift despite the circumstances.
Ninim neighed eagerly at the sound of his voice and even Faun seemed to draw strength from it, his rattling breaths steadily shaking his broad frame as he ploughed through the thickening darkness at a speed that Aragorn had not thought possible a few moments ago. He prayed for the beast´s stout heart to match its will in strength, gasping when the rain intensified into a solid wall of water that made the rocks they were so close to disappear as if they had been wiped away by a giant hand.
But the ranger was not strayed by this, his mind set and his eyes firmly locked onto the place he knew might well prove their salvation. His conviction was rewarded when quite suddenly the massive grey wall jumped back into existence before them, the entrance to the cave a gaping black hole in the darkness. The horses made for it without having to be asked. Aragorn could not bite back a tired smile at Faun´s eagerness. He knew that the horse shared its masters weariness of small dark places, but the stallion had enough sense to see beyond the darkness to the safety that beckoned within.
When he horses passed into the cool shelter, Aragorn felt as if he had entered a completely different world, suddenly free of the tugging gusts and the harsh assaults of freezing raindrops. He could hardly see the hand in front of his eyes, the natural glow that emanated from Legolas´ still form so subdued by his fearful state that it was barely above a glimmer. It would have to do, though. There was no more time. Faun´s shaking had increased dramatically with the second he had come to a halt, and the ranger could feel the beasts eyes pleading him in the gloom.
Quickly, Aragorn slipped off Ninim and sent her deeper into the cave despite her protests. He dreaded his next actions, but his practical self took over and pushed fears and regrets away. He pulled a few rags from his pack, threw his small bag with healing supplies down a few paces away and then made sure the trembling stallion stood nowhere close to a wall. Now that his eyes were growing used to the dark, he could see that Faun´s legs were constantly trying to buckle, his bulk quivering with effort each time he forced them to continue carrying him.
His heart beating to his throat, Aragorn walked around the horse to get to he dagger that had united horse and rider during their darkest hour. His left hand tightened around the grip of the knife while his right reached up to hold on to the elf and catch him when he fell. Faun turned his head and stared at Aragorn, daring him to make his move. Begging him. "Huor cin darthathon ind-nin, thala Faun" //Your courage will stay in my heart, steadfast Faun//, the ranger whispered with tears in his eyes. Then he pulled.
TBC
How´s that, sort of a "double cliffie" this time! Don´t kill me, please...
Review responses:
Sangfroid: Boy, your reviews are more entertaining then many stories! You had me laughing out loud - "magical green cows from jupiter", right! I´m glad you enjoy the story so much - and being a "creature of the night" yourself, I´m sure not much can scare you - good!
Red Tigress: Yes, finally they are together again! Now I hope Aragorn will prove what a great healer he is! And me, hating water?? I should not let anybody hear that - I´ve grown up right at the Baltic Sea, now I live close to the North Sea - I love water, the ocean! But I confess I especially like it in spring and fall or during storms LOL
MoonMist: I will NOT kill Legolas or Aragorn (or anybody) - I think. Or, will I? And the horsey? Hmm, we´ll see ;-)
NightShadow131: Sorry, wanted this to be a nice "rescue and healing" chapter but the weather got in the way...And as for Legolas - he´s hurt in a cave now, he´ll love it!
Someone Reading: Do you have your lights on //smirk// Glad I could scare you as long as you enjoy it!
Alariel: Yes, Faun is a warrior, he will never give in easily. He´s rather grown on me...And what in the world would make you think of Daramus?! //wink, wink// Seriously, it´s far too soon to "recycle" him...
Gozilla: Thank you!! Hope you like this one, too.
Deana: Err - yes, the horse is still alive -I think - let me go and check...
Ertia: Bad things coming? In my stories?! Oh, come one - well, yes... But there will be some time to heal and get ready again, too
Amy: Thanks! I rather like the lake myself, it turned out much worse than I had thought...But this evil will be no match for our heroes - or so I hope
Eadramaqueen: Wow, thanks for the praise - hope the story will live up to it. And as for Legolas - poor elf.
Tychen: Yes, evil does rise, though it´s currently transforming a bit :) It will really take a lOT to destroy it!
Thank you all so much (big hug)!!!