Twisted Thoughts
Part 7
Chapter 22
"Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Mordor we go!" Shadow sang as Kat paddled them down the river. Kat, unlike Shadow, had practically been born in the water and was very comfortable with that way of travel. Shadow on the other hand, hated boats and sang really annoying rhymes to take her mind off of it.
"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream! If Shadow doesn't shut her mouth I think I'm gonna scream!" Kat responded. Shadow didn't stop and continued her little song much to Kat's annoyance. As a last attempt Kat leaned far to her right almost making the boat capsize before letting it tip back. Shadow screamed and grabbed both sides of the boat in a death grip.
"Kat, I swear if you do that again," Shadow started to threaten.
"If you keep singing your going to be swimming to Mordor dear cousin of mine," Kat cut her off. Shadow didn't respond, just crossed her arms and pouted. A few minutes later the boat shifted again. As good of balance as Kat had she could hardly stop to boat from tipping.
"Hey, I stopped singing!" Shadow shouted.
"I didn't do that," Kat growled, her eyes on the water. The boat tipped again, this time Kat couldn't stop it and the two girls went tumbling into the water. Somehow the boat managed to right its self and thankfully none of their stuff got wet. The two girls resurfaced at the same time, neither looking happy.
"What happened?" Aragorn called, looking back at the two girls.
"Gollum." Was Kat's one worded answer. A startled Kat and she turned in time to see Shadow pulled under by some unknown force. Kat was down after her within seconds. Shadow was being held to the bottom by what looked like an Alligator on steroids. Shadow was fighting the thing with a dagger that Legolas had given her, but wasn't winning. The 'gator' was heavily armored with thick scales, the only place that looked vulnerable was its eyes. With that in mind Kat pulled out on of her many hidden daggers and stabbed the thing in both eyes.
The 'gator' screamed and let go of Shadow, who swam straight for the surface. Kat followed behind, making sure the gator on steroids didn't follow. It didn't and Kat surfaced. Shadow had already crawled into the boat and Kat was right behind. "I think it's time to get moving!" Kat yelled.
"I hate the frigging water!" Shadow yelled as a she wrapped one of her torn shirts around her leg to stem the bleeding of the mark where the thing's teeth had torn through her leggings. "What in nine hells was that thing?"
"Why are you looking at me? In my opinion it was a gator on steroids," Kat commented when Shadow turned to her for an answer.
"What ever it is it's probably chasing us, so let's get moving," Boromir shouted.
Chapter 23"I'm so glad to be off the water," Shadow breathed falling laying down on the cloak next to Kat. Aragorn had stitched and bandaged the wound on her leg so it wouldn't get infected.
"I'm sure you are. My liking for reptiles just went down about 10 points," Kat said, dropping the dagger she had been sharpening in her boot.
"Do you miss Alexander and Fat Tony?" Shadow asked.
"A little, but as I said, my liking for reptiles just dropped about ten points," Kat answered. "Do you miss Snake food or the Mutt?"
"Yeah. Nothing better than having the Mutt around when it was cold or the like." Shadow seemed to be floating away in her thoughts.
"Who were Alexander, Fat Tony, Snake food, and the Mutt?" Legolas asked, sitting down next to Shadow. The hobbits and Elrohir followed close behind.
"Alexander and Fat Tony were my Pythons. Tamed snakes. I got Alexander for my 7th birthday and Fat Tony for my 14th. Snake food is Shadow's hamster. Think of a cute little tailless mouse. The Mutt is her dog, friendly little black mutt that she is," Kat laughed, startling Shadow out of her thoughts.
"What about your families?" asked Frodo.
"A little bit. It's kind of weird not having them around," Shadow sighed.
"What about you Kat?" asked Elrohir.
"A little, but there isn't much to miss. Almost everyone on my mom's side is dieing of something. The only sane living people on my dad's side is Shadow and her family, and most of the time the sane part is questionable," Kat said, shooting Shadow a grin. "My brother Mike is married, and in the military with a kid. Don isn't even worth talking about, I can't stand my little brother John. My mom isn't really around, to busy revolving around John and Don and my dad is trying to support all of us."
"You don't have any sisters?" Pippin asked.
"Not that I know of," answered Kat.
"I've said it once, I'll say it again, it sucks to be you Kat, but you'll always have me around," Shadow said.
"Yep. You and I both know that if you died I would have to summon you from the Glen, kick your ass, and bring you back here," Kat yawned.
Shadow looked at Kat with a raised eyebrow. "You, dear cousin of mine, hang out with Mad Hatter too much," she said.
"I know."
Chapter 24"I'm starting to think it isn't the best idea to follow what the books say anymore, things are starting to happen out of order, aren't happening at all, or things that shouldn't are," Shadow whispered. It was the end of the third day on the river and Kat had slowed down so the two of them could talk.
"I know, and I agree. We also need to keep a sharp eye on Frodo, he's going to need our help," Kat sighed.
Shadow's answer was cut off by an arrow whizzing through the air. "Shit!" Shadow yelled, ducking another arrow.
"Get to the shore and take cover!" Aragorn yelled, as Legolas and Elrohir started firing arrows to the other shore. The Elves' arrows hit with loud 'clings' and the arrow fire stopped.
Kat quickly pulled her and Shadow's boat onto the shore while Shadow went to go help the hobbits. Within a few minutes the whole crew was standing in the center of a small clearing, the boats still down near the water. "What were those? Orcs?" Shadow asked.
"One could only guess," Gimli said gruffly.
"We best chill here for the night then. It's not like we'd get much further by boat anyway," Kat said, sitting down against a tree.
"Yes, we're probably much safer here than on the water," said Boromir. Aragorn seemed to agree and ordered for them to make camp.
Several hours later the two cousins were relaxing next to and open fire. "I really, really don't like traveling by water," Shadow said for the 8th time that night.
"Woman, you're not even paddling. Shut up and make the best of it. It's not too late to send you back to Lothlorien!" Kat growled, getting annoyed. Shadow shut up.
Chapter 25"Kat, wake up," Shadow whispered. Kat's eyes shot open and she shot up.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked drowsily.
"Frodo is gone. He left. Boromir followed him," Shadow whispered.
"Go follow them. I'll wake the others," Kat answered. Shadow nodded and disappeared into the shadows. Quietly and quickly Kat laced up her boots and checked for her weapons. Everyone else was still asleep. "Aragorn, Aragorn wake up," Kat whispered, prodding Aragorn in the shoulder.
His eye snapped open and Kat suddenly found herself looking up at him from the ground with his dagger held to her neck. "Kat?" he asked, squinting in the darkness.
"Who did you think it was you dim wit?" Kat hissed, pushing the man off of her. "Frodo took off. Boromir followed him and Shadow took off after them to make sure Boromir doesn't do anything stupid. Other than that, you may want to check Legolas or Elrohir's swords to see if there are any Orcs near by," Kat suggested.
"Already on it," a voice to Kat' right whispered. Both Legolas and Elrohir were awake, holding Elrohir's faintly glowing blade.
"Wake the others up, and keep quiet," Kat whispered going into full stalking mode. Aragorn gave her an annoyed look but didn't comment. In only a few minutes the rest of the hobbits and the dwarf was up and ready for battle. "Merry, Pippin, Sam, stay with Aragorn and Gimli. Elrohir, Legolas come with me," Kat ordered, pulling her sword from her belt. Unlike the ones she normally carried this was a classic Elven sword, though Kat had made a few adjustments. It split in half just like her 'foldable' blade, and not only sensed Orcs, but any kind of danger.
The groups split up just as the first lights of dawn started to shine.
Chapter 26Shadow once again jumped from tree to tree. Like her cousin she was worried for Frodo's safety, and the fate of the ring. Shadow was momentarily distracted by yelling from up ahead, followed by a startled yell. Shadow dropped to the ground, only to have something run into her. "Frodo?" she asked seeing the dark curly hair.
"Let me go!" he yelled, pushing past her, and right into the open arms of an Orc.
"No!" Shadow yelled, jumping on the Orc, knocking it to the ground. With a flick of her wrist Shadow slit the Orc's with one of the many hidden daggers she carried. Once she was sure the thing was dead she turned to Frodo who was staring at her in shock. "Frodo, this is your decision. Do you want to take the ring to Mordor right now, or continue on with the rest of the company to Minas Tirith?" Shadow asked, placing a comforting hand on Frodo's shoulder.
"I want to go to Mordor, now, but I wish not do it alone," Frodo said, a pleading look in his eyes.
"Then you won't go alone. Come. There are other Orcs and we can't stay," Shadow said, lifting Frodo up on her back.
"What about the others?" Frodo asked.
"I have full confidence Kat will keep them safe. If you hadn't noticed she and I are just a little different," Shadow commented.
Chapter 27"Where the HELL did all these Orcs come from?" Kat growled, slicing another one of the Orc in half.
"These aren't Orcs! They're Uruk-hai, a close cousin," yelled Legolas.
"I don't give a damn so long as they're dead!" Elrohir yelled, taking the head of another Uruk-hai. In the distance Kat heard the sound of a lone horn.
"Shit, guys! Boromir's in trouble, lets roll," Kat yelled, cutting her way towards the sound of the horn. She arrived in time to see a very large Uruk-hai shooting a very unfriendly arrow towards Boromir and the two hobbits he was guarding. "NO!" Kat yelled, her hand held out to the arrow. Her eyes changed to frost blue, and the arrow stopped. "Return from whist you came," Kat ordered. The arrow spun in mid air and embedded its self in the throat of the Uruk-hai that fired it.
By that point in time the others had reached the clearing and were staring at Kat in shock and amazement. It was cut short by a cry from Boromir. One of the Uruk-hai had struck him in the back of the head with the butt of his blade, and snagged the two hobbits. Boromir fell to the ground, unconscious. The Uruk-hai that had grabbed Merry and Pippin took of running, closely followed by about 50 others, leaving about the same number the remains of the fellowship to fight.
Kat hadn't processed any of this, she only saw red. In less than 10 minutes Kat had ruthlessly slaughtered over half of the remaining Uruk-hai, and was still going. If Elrohir hadn't stopped her, Kat would have gone off killing all of the Uruk-hai a second time.
Chapter 28'Why did I agree to go with Frodo again? Boating is Kat's thing!' Shadow thought furiously. Sometime in the hour that Shadow had found Frodo they had been joined by Sam, and had set off for Mordor. They were about halfway across the river, and Shadow wasn't over joyed.
"Are you okay Lady Shadow?" Sam asked.
"I'm fine, just not to fond of the water," Shadow responded.
"Well, truth be told, neither am I, but we do what we must," said Sam.
"Wise words from a wise hobbit," Shadow responded with a grin.
"You are to kind Lady," Sam said blushing.
"Kind? What have you been sniffing Samwise Gamgee," Shadow demanded with a stern look.
Sam stuttered looking for an answer, until he saw the sparkle in Shadow's eye. "You're playing with my mind Lady Shadow," Sam accused.
"I told you I wasn't kind," Shadow said, grinning playfully.
Chapter 29
"What kind of sorcery was that?" Gimli demanded once Elrohir had finally gotten Kat to sit down.
"It wasn't sorcery, it was Will magic," Kat responded, her head resting on her knees.
"What the hell is Will magic?" Aragorn yelled as he paced back and forth across the clearing.
"It's a different form of what Gandalf does, except it requires nothing but the will for an event to happen. Shadow, much like her name, has complete control over the shadows, or anything that has to do with darkness," Kat responded.
"So she could control Sauron?" asked Boromir.
"No. Sauron is evil, not dark. There is a fine line between the two," Kat answered.
"Hold on, are you telling us that all of this time you had these powers, and you haven't used them," Aragorn demanded, his face red with fury.
"No, we have been using them. What do you think would have happened just now if I hadn't interfered with that arrow?" Kat asked.
"I'd be dead," Boromir answered.
"Precisely. You'd best be damn grateful, I just rewrote a piece of history so you could live," Kat retorted.
"What about Shadow and the other two hobbits?" Elrohir asked.
"Shadow is going to accompany them as far as she can, than she will meet us in Minas Tirith," Kat answered.
"You mean to say that they're going to Mordor on their own?" Legolas asked.
"No, I mean to say that they're already gone. Right now we have to worry about the other two hobbits. However, that is not my call, it's Aragorn's," Kat said, looking over at Aragorn.
"She's right. There is little more we can do to help Frodo and Sam, but we can help Merry and Pippin. We are to travel light, bring only what you need, we leave at dusk," Aragorn announced. The remaining members of the Fellowship nodded and went off to gather what they would need.
(A/N: Hey guys, long time no see. Well, here is the gist of things. Shadow has run off to be in the IB program. I would have joined her, but I like my sleep too much, therefore, it's more or less only me writing the story. I meant to get this update up months ago, but times have been busy. So, I promise the next one will be up soon, what with Christmas vacation coming up. Oh, it would also be much appreciated if you didn't come to my house in homicidal rampages because I've kept this chapter under wraps so long. Thanks! Much love, bye! Oh, to Light Memory and Wench Annie Whore, I'm going to be the better person here and say FUCK YOU!)