Time
It was the cry of a distant animal that shook Legolas from his deep slumber. With a panicked indrawn breath he was awake and on his feet, before his eyes could make sense of his surroundings. His mind was screaming at him to move, run, fly! But then he became calmer as he realized that they were safe, still hidden in the little hollow in which they had run to ground the night before. The wind was coming in cold bursts, whipping the tall grass that rose high above his head into motion. It was cold. He hunched down and turned, looking for Aragorn in the chill. His friend, clad only in dark breeches, was curled on his side still asleep. He was wrapped in Legolas' soft green cloak, facing the ashes of the cold fire that had long gone out.
"How long have I been asleep?" Legolas said aloud, but so softly that none but the air heard.
The wind once again came and wrapped around his slim figure, moulding the inadequate tunic flat against his body. He hunched his shoulders and turned away from that wind reaching out a hand that was none too steady.
"Aragorn, Aragorn, wake mellon nin, day has come and we must be away from here at once."
With the abruptness that spoke of years of living in the wild Aragorn was immediately awake, but instead of his steady gaze, Legolas was greeted by a distinctly unfocused stare. Giving him no time to speak he pulled him to his feet.
"Hungry…" Aragorn mumbled softly.
"I know my friend, but there is nothing." Legolas swallowed hard, brushing the Aragorn's hair off his face. "Maybe later I will find some game and you will have meat to eat."
But Aragorn had let his head fall forward onto Legolas' shoulder and was content to sleep where he stood. Legolas shook him slightly,
"No, you cannot sleep come we must go."
With soft sounds of protest from the ranger, Legolas managed to get them both above ground. Walking however was a different matter. Aragorn possessed little strength and his bare feet were already bruised. Legolas was forced to more or less drag him forward. With one arm wrapped about Aragorn's narrow waist and the other holding the ranger's arm around his neck Legolas struggled through the green vale of lower Gondor.
By mid morning Legolas' steps were beginning to falter. Yet he pushed himself on stumbling along until his breath came in great gasps and his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Finally with a wretched sob he staggered to a halt under a young tree and they both toppled to the ground.
Pain. His entire body thrummed with it. They had been going for seven days without food or water, seven days of running and hiding. Seven days since he had freed Aragorn.
They needed food, Aragorn needed food. Propping the unresisting ranger against the trunk of the tree he pushed himself up and looked around. The area was sparse of trees but plentiful of brush and shrub. Their hue varied from light moss green to deepest emerald. His keen eyes soon picked up the faint trails of animals that lived in the undergrowth. He withdrew his slim hunting blade from his boot and moved off.
Legolas fed Aragorn pieces of the hot flesh bit by bit. He had found a small well concealed stream while hunting and decided that it was safe enough for them to stop for a while. He had drunk his fill, revelling in the feel of the cool water running down his throat. Taking a broad leaf he had folded it into a conical shape and dipped it into the clear stream so that Aragorn could have some of the life giving liquid. Now he patiently fed him, encouraging him to chew whenever he stopped.
"Not yet Aragorn," he whispered massaging his stubbly jaw, "eat mellon nin eat."
When he deemed that the ranger had had enough he let him drift into sleep knowing that when he woke he would be a bit stronger. While Aragorn slept he bathed his feet with what water he had been able to carry from the stream. If his boots could have fit he would have gladly let Aragorn wear them. As it was he cut away the flesh that was torn and hanging. He then stripped off his tunic and ripped out the remainder of the inner lining. This he wrapped around Aragorn's feet, tying it off with vine that abounded in the area. These 'shoes' would not last more than a day or two but it was better than nothing. This being done he ate a little then himself and folded away the rest. He loathed staying in one place for so long, but he knew that they both needed it desperately. He felt so tired. He just needed to rest, just for a moment…
ooo
Days earlier
"Move!" Aragorn bellowed as he charged past Legolas who was firing arrow after arrow at the fell beast that charged straight towards them. The creature did not slow or falter even as arrow after arrow pierced his side. Legolas pulled back his lips in a snarl and reached for another arrow, but before he could put it to his bow Aragorn was pulling him by the arm. Legolas stumbled as Aragorn with a grip of steel on his shoulder yanked him back and down. The movement caused them both to fall and that is what saved their lives, for the beast had leapt and his slavering jaws snapped at the space where their heads had been moments before. Legolas was first up and running and on his heels was Aragorn.
"The trees make for the trees…" Aragorn screamed.
ooo
With a gasp Legolas' eyes flew open and he realized he had fallen asleep again. He shook his head to clear away the wisps of memory that still clouded his mind and looked up. The sun had travelled many marches across the sky, it was time to go. He helped Aragorn to his feet and began to move not waiting for his friend to awake fully.
They travelled many miles that day, over lush grassland and past rocky hillocks, under trees and over open plain. Many times they faltered. Many times Aragorn simply sagged in Legolas' arms his feet unable to make one more step his head hanging low. But each time this happened Legolas would carry him like an infant not daring to stop, for at the very edge of his hearing like a distant fluttering he could hear the sound of their pursuers. The Druedain were coming.
It was late into the night when Legolas was finally forced to stop. Aragorn's face was covered with tears of exhaustion, his limbs were trembling and his breath wheezed past his lips as Legolas half dropped, half eased him to the ground. Legolas fell to his knees next to Aragorn. He leaned over him and whispered, "I am sorry my friend."
Aragorn reached a shaking hand up to Legolas' bent head and took hold of his long hair. He tugged it forcing the tired elf's head down onto his chest.
"Sleep Legolas," he whispered so softly that Legolas barely heard him, "you can do no more."
And so they slept.
ooo
Weeks earlier
The boy drifted into the ranger's camp weak from hunger and thirst. Yet his thin body was covered with warm clothes and his feet with solid woven shoes. It was Legolas who had spotted him weaving in and out of the tall grasses of the vale. He had alerted Halbarad and Aragorn and the two had brought the child into the camp. With water and food the boy had recovered enough to speak.
He came he said from the small village of Balar, named after the long vanished elven city that once existed in Beleriand. His name was Erin, his father's Fadin, and his older brother's Muin. At this the boy stopped and his small body shook. Tears threatened to spill.
But the gathered rangers were patient, their faces grim but kind, so the child continued to speak.
"It started with the animals." He whispered.
Stock bulls had gone missing, only to be found at the borders of the village with their heads eaten away.
Wolves, the men said and they had on one night armed themselves with bows and sharpened spears. They had lain in wait and in the still breath of night that comes just before the morn they had seen furred shapes moving toward the pens. Arrows flew true and spears were thrown. There was a horrible cry and the shapes vanished. When the men checked there was blood on the ground, blood, but no sign of the wolves, no print and no spoor.
Not wolves then.
After that night things escalated. Women were found dead on the path to the river, youths disappeared from the fields, children left to play were found with their heads torn off partially eaten. The villagers retreated to their houses quaking with fear not daring to go out in the night or day. Yet the killings continued.
"Muin…he…he…" the boy's voice broke at last as tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheek, "he's been taken, my brother is gone."
ooo
The night had slipped on overhead like a satin sheet before the two companions stirred. Legolas had curled against Aragorn's side like a weary child. He slept on while Aragorn's eyes opened, clear and bright in the night. He did not move for he felt Legolas' warmth pressed up against him. Lowering his chin he saw a spill of gold hair and one arm across his chest. He smiled lifting a tangle of hair off the elf's face. There were smudges of dirt on his nose and cheek. Legolas he knew was worn out, for normally the slightest touch awakened him. He looked so peaceful that Aragorn had no wish to disturb his rest just yet.
He breathed deeply of the night air. The essence of the wood came to him, deep and green, filled with the musk of its inhabitants and the smell of growing life.
Another inhaled breath brought the crispness of the wind, it told of the snow that would come. He breathed deeply again. This time Legolas' scent came to him. Dried grass and flowers, pine needles and crushed petals. Aragorn closed his eyes for a brief moment listening to the soft breathing of his companion.
Then he stared up into the sky searching for Earendil's brightness, but his view was blocked by the branches of the tree under which they lay. He sighed. It was time to move. He said softly,
"No time for wool gathering elf."
Blue eyes popped open as Legolas sat up and for a fleeting moment were uncertain then,
"Aragorn?" he said wonderingly.
Aragorn smiled, "they are near my friend, we can tarry no longer. I can feel them."
Legolas eyes unconsciously sought the angry jagged wound that blazed across the ranger's bare right shoulder. Aragorn held his gaze as those blue eyes locked with his. Wordlessly Legolas got to his feet offering an arm to him.
"Can you run?" was all he asked.
"Until I fall." was Aragorn's response.
Legolas nodded, turned and swiftly set a pace that they would keep to for miles. Aragorn followed, his eyes locked onto Legolas' slim build that darted between tree and grass like a nimble deer.
In the faint star light the tips of wooden spears could just be seen as the Druedain followed behind.
ooo
The Village
It had taken just over a week for Aragorn and Legolas to make the trip to the boy's village. Once he found the familiar well trod path the boy took over leading them with great vigour. He fairly leapt from the forest that morning running onto the hard packed soil of the small settlement with a sound of joy bursting from his lips. Aragorn was one step behind him, Legolas a little further alert for danger.
"Father, father, I am home I bring with me rangers!" cried the child running full tilt to a small well constructed house to their left. Aragorn however stopped; he looked around already sensing that something was not right.
"There is no one here." Legolas whispered suddenly at his side. Aragorn turned to the elf a grim look on his face.
Erin was still shouting his thin voice raised high in sudden apprehension.
"Father, father come out it is safe these are rangers…"
Legolas and Aragorn entered the house together. The boy trembling, with tears on his face turned to them a questioning in his eyes.
"Erin," was the only thing Aragorn said before the child was sobbing his face buried in the ranger's travel stained cloak. Aragorn held the child, as Legolas moved around touching things, examining them. He finally turned to Aragorn.
"He was here not long ago, half a day at most."
Aragorn nodded. He gently but firmly detached Erin from him and knelt to look into the child's eyes.
"We will search for your father Erin he may yet be alive, but you must be quiet. We dare not leave you here and if we are to follow we must be silent as swift as shadows."
Erin nodded stopping his tears at once.
The trail was easily followed for the attackers had not tried to hide their movements. The path, which traced a torturous route into and through the Druadan forest, was fairly coated in blood, bits of clothing and hair. In the lead Aragorn turned to look at his elven companion. Legolas nodded, he knew just as Aragorn did that these signs had been left by humans; no animal would be so careless and wasteful in their hunt. They continued in silence and growing disquiet. When Aragorn suddenly held up his hand the boy and elf froze.
"We are here."