Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR, wish I did though. The only character I can call mine is Lerin. As Elerrina pointed out I do own the plot too. The rest go to J.R.R. Tolkien, Elerrina, and Emiliana Keladry.

A/N: You'll never guess what I was going to do. I have chapter four written as well and didn't know that I hadn't put this chapter up until I was reviewing the story and I was going to post chapter four first. Wow. Sorry for the long wait, again, I know it's a short chapter for such a long wait, at least another one will come quickly, will that make up for it? Many thanks to all my reviewers', replies will be at the end of the chapter. Anyway, here's what you've all been waiting for:

Chapter Three: Watchers

Shirahime, myself, and everyone else work early the next morning. Everyone ate in silence, thinking about the journey we must make from our beloved homeland only to leave it forever. As Celeblas stood to speak everyone turned toward him to listen.

"I know that this is a sad time fur us all but we must be brave. Maybe one day we will return for no one knows what the future holds. Let us now prepare to leave." All of us went through our chambers, packing last minute things before we left.

"What should we do with Hoppy?" Shirahime asked me once we were ready to go.

I made sure that I wore my necklace this time and answered, "I am not sure, set him free? Celeblas will not care for it much if we take him with us. Besides, he has family here and it would not be fair to take him away from that."

"You are right, but I will still miss him."

"I will also."

We went outside and set him down. We locked the door to our rooms, hoping that Hoppy would leave. He didn't. In fact, he followed us around, entering the stables where we had to rescue him from being stepped on and killed by a passing horse or rider.

"Now, Hoppy, you may not come. Let us take you back to where we found you, maybe he will leave then," Shirahime said, switching her attention back to me.

"Alright, it will give us more time to finish looking around." We took him back to the pond where the found him but still he refused to leave. He started hopping after us as soon as we turned to leave so Shirahime picked him up.

"It does not look like he will go."

"No, I suppose not."

"I will carry him so he will not get stepped on."

We went back to the stables and finished saddling our horses. We assembled out in front of the large building. Celeblas took the lead with his stallion, Beregdur, and we headed into the forest.

Here, everyone was more silent, if that was possible. Even the forest was silent, not a sound was made except for the soft clop of hooves on the soft dirt path. It was unusual and I told Shirahime so.

"Is this silence not odd?"

"Yes," was her simple answer but it conveyed everything. It seemed that she was unnerved by the fact too.

"Maybe the forest is mourning us leaving as well," I said, trying to comfort her, but myself more than anything.

"I do not believe so. Every time it has been this quiet something has gone wrong. The time with the guards: it was quiet then and there was an attack. Everyone except our parents and a few select others were killed. And the time with Earendur it was silent then also, and Itarilde entered when it was quite and never returned and…."

I cut her off before she could continue, "I get the point, I only hope that everyone else remembers too."

"I am positive that they will. They know the stories as well as we do, if not better."

"The do not act like it." The mood of the party had begun to lift a little. There were scattered conversations everywhere.

"Maybe they are only acting normal to confuse whoever—"

"Or whatever," I put in.

"Or whatever," she agreed, "might be watching."

"Maybe, but just in case, we must stay alert. I have a feeling that something horrible is going to happen."

That was not good. Whenever Shirahime said something about that, it usually came true. She just had a sense for these things. "Maybe you should tell Celeblas."

"And alert whatever is out there?" she questioned.

"You were complaining that we were too relaxed a second ago."

"I suppose. I shall tell him. At least then if something happens we will be ready for it." She rode ahead to speak with our cousin and I was left alone. Felling quite bored I looked for someone to talk to. I soon found Analise, one of our friends.

"Hello," I greeted when I caught up with her, "what is going on here?"

"Nothing unusual. I only wish that we did not have to leave our forest."

"I understand, but it is for the best. If we did not leave we would perish. There are not enough elves to guard Mirkwood now."

"I know, but even so, I wish that we would be able to stay. It is our home."

"So do the rest of us, but think of it this way, now we are off for a brand new adventure."

"Is that all that you think about?"

"No, I think of other things also."

"Name one."

"My horse?"

"One that does not involve adventuring."

"Bruiro does not involve adventuring."

"Yes, he does. He is what you ride when you go on adventures."

"True, but he is more than a mount. He is a friend." Bruiro agreed with me, letting out a short neigh. "See, Bruiro agrees."

"You are hopeless."

"And that is why you love me."

"You wish it so."

Shirahime, back from her chat with Celeblas, joined us. "Still teasing innocents, Lerin?"

"More so, she has been mocking me," I answered. "What did Celeblas say?"

"Not much. We do not really have a choice; night will fall before we will be able to reach the forest's end. We are going to have to camp here for the night."

"That is not what I wished to hear."

"There is not anything that we can do about it. The end of the forest is a way off yet."

"I suppose."

"Celeblas is going to set sentries out. Hopefully that will be enough."

"I doubt it; if they were going to be scared off, the you would have left already."

"At least they will have us a bit of a warning," she replied.

Suddenly the line halted. "I guess it is time to start making camp."

We dismounted and were starting to pitch camp when black shadows suddenly started appearing behind the camp. "I suppose they decided that now is as good a time as any. We had better get ready," I told her as we both reached for our weapons.

"You alert the rest of the camp. I will work on keeping them back for now," was my hushed reply.

"Alright but be careful." She told me and hurried off.

A/N:Tee hee a cliffie. I'm cruel. The suspense will be over soon though. On to the replies.

Elerrina: Yea I guess I kinda do own that too. I like Hoppy too. My parents would freak though if I had a frog as a pet though.

Faerlain: I think I'm getting used to it now. Yea I miss him too, but for this story he kinda had to leave. Have fun in Italy!

Emiliana Keladry: Yea I thought so too. I like having them play pranks on each other, it reminds me of their parents. Thanks, I'm having fun writing it. I hope you like this chapter as well.

Heather Martin: Yea! I got another reviewer! I'm glad you like it. The only bad part about it is the fact that I'm so horrible with updates. I will keep writing it until its done though. I hope you like it.