Well, I've finally finished the fifth chapter! I'm really sorry about how long it took, but I was having computer troubles, but as you can see, it's all better now!

So…here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

Vengeful Miko

Chapter 5

Kagome drew an arrow, pointing at the nearest figure. All five figures were now visible, and they stood at the edge of the hill staring at the party in the center, as if waiting for something. Kagome heard a low whimper from somewhere behind her, and identified the source of the noise to be Frodo. She risked a quick look, and was disturbed when she saw his pale complexion and the droplets of sweat on his forehead. His hand, the one not holding the sword, was on his chest pocket, the one holding the ring. She knew what he was thinking about. She just barely resisted the impulse to swear loudly. There was nothing she could do now. There was a battle on her hands, and she had to focus all of her energy on that.

Turning her head back around to look at the Ring Wraiths, she drew her bow tighter, focusing her energy on the arrow head. The wraiths started moving, taking slow steps toward the group. One. She heard strider shift restlessly. Two. It was all she could do not to yell at them to go faster. Three. They started charging.

Kagome released the arrow, and it found its target in the wraith's chest. Kagome was already firing another arrow at it when it hit the mark. The wraith screeched, an unearthly sound, and clutched at its chest. It retreated down the hill, but Kagome new it was far from dead. It was injured and scared off by her miko powers, but it would back sooner or later. She moved on to her next opponent, shooting arrows into it, until it too retreated.

At this point she paused to survey the battle. Strider was holding his own against one of the Ring Wraiths. Sometime during the fight he had picked up one of the flaming sticks from the fire, and was using it to ward off his opponent. Merry and Pippin were nearby, taking care of one wraith between the two of them. Where were Frodo and Sam? What about the last one? She felt a growing sense of dread as she looked desperately around the hill. There! Out of range of the fire light, she could barely make out several shapes. Fearing the worst, she started running towards them. As she neared, the vague shapes became clearer.

A Ring Wraith was walking towards something, its sword drawn, and Sam was making a futile effort to steer it away from whatever its goal was. She felt her blood run cold. She couldn't see Frodo, but she could guess what happened. He had put on the ring. Didn't he realize that the ring would draw the wraiths to him! The wraith stopped walking, and raised its word as if to stab at something. Kagome drew and arrow, still running. She aimed, and putting as much energy as she could into it, she fired. Her arrow hit, but it was too late. She heard a wail as the wraith impaled Frodo. "No,' she whispered. She was about to draw another arrow to impale the Ring Wraith, but it was already retreating, and it would be pointless to waist her arrows.

She walked slowly to where Frodo was. The others were already there, and Sam had somehow removed the rig from his friend's finger so that he was visible. Strider had taken care of the other wraiths so that they were no longer in danger. Sam had Frodo propped up against his shoulder, and the others were huddled around the two. Frodo was breathing shallowly, but looked to be unconscious. Strider was speaking, and none took any notice as she approached.

"He isn't dead yet, but he is in grave danger of being so. We must act with haste. We can reach Rivendell in a day and a half if we hurry. Once we are there, Frodo can get healing, if he still lives."

The hobbits nodded their heads, but Kagome saw they were confused, and not grasping the situation.

She spoke up. "I don't know that I can help, but let me try." Strider looked up into her eyes, and after a moment nodded once and stepped back. She took his place at Frodo's feet and called on her healing powers. She was vaguely aware of everyone staring at her, but continued working. She looked up when she finished. "Did you fix it?" Strider asked. She shook her head wearily. "No. Though the wound itself is relatively shallow, it contains and evil energy that I am unfamiliar with, and will eventually kill him. I could not stop it completely, so I just delayed as much as I can. It should last him until we get to Rivendell." Strider only stared at her. "Who are you?" Kagome only stared back. Strider sighed and looked away.

Strider stood up, and gently pulled Frodo out of Sam's grasp and into his own. "Come, we must hurry," he said, and started walking down the hill. "What about the Ring Wraiths?" Pippin asked fearfully, catching up to him. "They are recuperating now, and won't start coming after us until mid-morning at least,' answered Strider, still walking down the hill. The other hobbits ran to catch up, and Kagome followed behind.

Sometime near mid-afternoon the party was forced to stop. The hobs were complaining of exhaustion, and Frodo had awakened moaning in pain. Kagome didn't blame him. A wound like that would have to hurt, and the fact that it was being jostled and bumped while being carried on Striders back on that unsteady trail wouldn't make it any better. She was glad, for his sake that they were almost to their destination.

After awhile she became aware of an evil aura approaching. The aura of the Ring Wraiths. She jumped up from where she sat and warned Strider. "We need to go. Now! The Ring Wraiths are coming." His eyebrows rose, but he did not question how she knew this. Standing up, he ordered the others to quickly pack up and get ready to move. They had barely started moving again when the wraiths burst through the trees on black horses. "Run!" Strider shouted. They ran.

Kagome ran with the others, but she knew it was futile. How could they, on foot, outrun the wraiths, riding horses? Suddenly, directly in her line of vision, another rider and horse became visible, but this horse was white, and the rider wore green. She became worried and slowed down. Was this another enemy? Strider apparently didn't share her thoughts, and started to run faster, directly toward the figure.

The horse stopped completely as the group came to it, and Strider exclaimed "Glorfindel!" This man on the horse, who was apparently called Glorfindel, was lithe and muscular, with ears that identified him as one of the elves that Kagome had been told of. He nodded once and then commanded hurriedly, "Quickly, put the ring bearer on the horse in front of me and I will carry him ahead to safety." She didn't know why she did it. She had only ridden a horse once, and that had been when she was five years old at her friend's birthday party. She looked at the person on the horse, and said, "I will take him to Rivendell." He looked at her curiously, and then jumped down gracefully, handing her the reins.

She jumped onto the horse, and Frodo was placed in front of her in the saddle. She then took hold of the reins, and they were off. She knew where they were going, as Strider had told all the group members before they left, incase they became separated from him. Kagome surprised herself by riding perfectly, despite not having any previous knowledge of how to do it. Then again, it may just have been the horse, which was obviously different from other horses. She forced herself to remember that this was not some pleasure ride, but that she was fleeing for her own, and someone else's, life. The Ring Wraiths were right behind her, and had passed the others harmlessly, focusing only on their one goal: The ring.

Before, when they were on foot, it would have taken about an hour to reach their destination, but now, on horseback, it would take her only about a quarter of that. She soon reached a shallow river, the wraiths still directly on her tail. She rode through the shallow water. When she was across, she felt the impulse to turn and look back. The nearest wraith was almost across, about to set foot on the shore. Her mouth went dry, and she couldn't breath. She was gone for sure. Suddenly, she heard a rushing and a roar coming from somewhere down the river, and huge waves took form, speeding towards the wraiths still in the river. The waves seemed to take vague forms, but before Kagome could decipher them, they swallowed up, and carried away the Ring Wraiths.

She stared at the places where the wraiths had been just moments before, before slipping into darkness.

Kagome woke up and found herself in a very comfortable bed in a comfortable, but elegantly furnished room. "Ah, I see you are awake," commented a musical voice. Looking around for the source of the voice, she saw a women sitting in a chair in a corner of the room. She looked so inconspicuous there; Kagome wondered how she missed it before. "Where am I? Who are you?" she asked the women, confused. The last thing she remembered was Ring Wraiths and huge waves, and then blackness.

"You are in Rivendell, and I am Arwen, the Lord Elrond's daughter," replied the young woman. "This really is Rivendell? Where are my companions? Are they safe?" Kagome asked, fearing the answer. She barely registered the name of this kind woman in front of her. As soon as she heard the name Rivendell, she remembered her companions and forgot everything else. "You're friends are all here and safe. You should be seeing them shortly," Arwen told her gently. "You may want to get cleaned up. There is a tub with warm water for you in the other room, and when you are done you will find a set of clothing set out for you." Kagome could only nod. There were so many questions she still wanted to ask, but she guessed they would be answered later. Right now she was just happy for a bath and a change of clothing. Arwen smiled at her, and then left through an ornately carved door in the wall.

Kagome sighed. She didn't know what was going on here, but she may as well go along with it. She slithered out from between her covers, and set her feet down on the floor. She stretched and yawned, looking down at herself. She was no longer wearing the mud spattered and tattered clothing she had borrowed from the hobbits, but instead a long pure white nightgown that reached to her ankles. She stood up lightly on her feet and looked around for the room that Arwen had said she would be able to take a bath.

Looking around she saw a door slightly ajar, directly across from the one that Arwen had walked out of. She walked over to it and pushed it open, and was pleasantly surprised when she the tub of slightly steaming water sitting in the middle of the small, circular room. She was delighted, and without a second thought, stripped of her gown, and slid into the warm water. She sighed, and sank in, soaking her hair and letting her muscles relax and her worries float away for the moment. When she emerged, she noticed the soaps and shampoos that lay around the rim of the tub. She sighed in pleasure and reached for the nearest shampoo.

An hour later a fresh a dry Kagome stood in front of a large mirror, staring at her reflection. She couldn't believe that she was allowed to wear the beautiful dress. It was the most wonderful thing she had ever worn in her life. It was so simple, but elegant, and a vibrant color of blue that only accentuated the brilliant blue of her eyes. Only now, while admiring the dress, did she realize something was missing. The Shikon Shards!

She looked, panic stricken, over the room. She couldn't see it any where. There was a polite knock on the door just then, and Kagome rushed to open it. Arwen stood there, the same gentle smile on her face as before. "Oh, you are already finished. I wanted to give this back to you," she sad, producing something from the folds of her gown and holding it out for Kagome to take. "It was around your neck when we brought you to Rivendell, and I took it for safekeeping. It's a very beautiful piece of jewelry." Kagome stared at it a moment, before snatching it out of the other woman's hands rather rudely. How dare she lay her hands on the Shikon Shards! Then she remembered that the other didn't know; how could she? Kagome breathed in and forced herself to calm down and she smiled at Arwen the first smile since…she came to Middle Earth. "Thank you for keeping it for me. It means so much to me." She told her.

Arwen nodded and then looked down at Kagome's gown. "That's the perfect one it really suits you." she commented. "It is very pretty. I thank you," Kagome said to her. "Of course. Well, follow me. My father and Gandalf would like to speak with you before you see your companions." She said, before turning and walking away from Kagome's room and down the hall, with Kagome fallowing curiously behind.

Eh, there's chapter 5. I'm a little disappointed with the turnout, and I keep changing it, but it doesn't come out how I would like, so I'm settling on this for now. I tried to make this chapter a little longer than the others, so I hope everyone is grateful.

I know Kagome wasn't emotionless for very long, but it's just not in her nature to shun everyone away all the time like that. She is meant to be happy and optimistic most of the time, so she won't really be hiding her emotions from now on.

The vote for pairings is still on for another chapter or so, so tell me who you want. Legolas is still winning!

Thank you all for reading and reviewing, and thank especially those people who added me to their favorites or author alert lists. The next chapter will come a lot faster, I promise!