The new year came and went, and the days grew longer and warmer. One morning in May, Katie and Lalorn sat before Gollum's cell, talking.

"It is far too pretty a day for you to be shut up here with me!" Lalorn protested. "I saw the sun come up this morning—gold and green light everywhere… You should be out there enjoying it! A young thing like you!"

"So speaks a Wood-elf!" Katie countered. "I know you want to be out in it as much as I do, and probably more."

Lalorn nodded. "That I do," he agreed. He fell silent, then stood and looked in the barred window of Gollum's cell. When he took his seat again, he looked thoughtful. "If we keep this creature forever in these dungeons, he will fall back into his old black thoughts," Lalorn said.

"Fall back?" Katie repeated. "Has he ever risen out of them?"

"Oh, yes. A change was wrought in him, talking with Mithrandir," Lalorn said. "I forget, you have not yet spoken with the prisoner, nor seen him since he was brought here."

Katie shook her head. "No, and I'm quite happy with that state of affairs. He gives me the creeps."

Lalorn grinned. "He gives most of us the creeps," he agreed. "But perhaps he would not be so frightening—nor so frightened—if he were allowed in the fresh air and the sunlight." He paused. "I will speak to my commanding officer. Perhaps something could be arranged."

000

So, on a day of fair weather, four elven guards led Gollum through the woods to where a high tree stood alone far from the others. This they allowed him to climb, to mount up to the highest branches until he felt the free wind. The guard remained about the foot of the tree. None but a bird could have jumped from the branches of that tree to the ones about it, and Gollum could not come down without landing in the midst of the four guards. He was secure enough.

The guards took turns doing this, so Katie was not always deprived of Lalorn's company in the mornings. One day, he even escorted her and Feriniel on a ride outside the palace. When he discovered that she had not been back into the forest since she had been met by the hunting party there, he was shocked.

"Not been back in amongst the trees?" he asked her, incredulous. Katie shook her head. "Well, we must remedy that," he said with finality.

The next time it was Lalorn's turn to take Gollum out to the woods, Feriniel rapped on Katie's door.

"Quick, get ready and go out to the front gate!" she told the young human. "Lalorn has petitioned his commanding officer, and you are to go with them out into the woods! Hurry!"

Katie threw on a pair of walking boots that the Wood-elves had given her, and ran out to meet her friend.

As she reached Lalorn at the gates, two of the guards were bringing Gollum up. Katie repressed a shudder. Despite Lalorn's assertion, he looked as disgusting as ever. Ignoring him, she gave Lalorn a hug. "Thank you!" she said.

"Not at all, young one," Lalorn answered cheerfully, hugging her back.

They crossed the river and set out into the woods, two guards flanking Gollum, one striding out front, and Lalorn and Katie following behind. The guards were in a merry mood, singing snatches of songs and laughing together. Gollum looked sullen and didn't speak except to hiss or mumble words Katie couldn't catch.

"What day is it?" Katie asked out of the blue.

"Why, June nineteenth," Lalorn answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Wow, June. I just lost track, that's all," Katie said. "I didn't realize I'd been here quite so long!"

"The fact that your arm healed did not remind you?" Lalorn asked with a laugh.

Katie smiled. Doronien had removed the splint a few weeks ago, and Katie now had full use of her arm again, which was a relief. It had been hard to do the simplest of tasks, from dressing herself to eating, with only her left hand. She was glad to have her dominant arm back.

"I just somehow never thought about how long I had been here," Katie answered.

Soon they came to the tree which stood alone in the woods, and the guards removed Gollum's lead, allowing him to clamber up into its branches. He was swiftly lost amongst the leaves, and the guards sat down and settled in to wait. Waiting was something elves did very well.

000

Lalorn looked up at the sky. They had sat quite comfortably beneath the tree all day long, and now the shadows of evening were beginning to stretch around them.

"It is probably time we were heading back," he said, and stood. "Gollum!" he called. "It is time to come down!"

There was no answer from the treetop except a faint hiss.

"Come on; come down!"

No reply.

"Well, I have no mind to climb after him," said one of the other guards. "He clings to boughs with his feet as well as with his hands, and it is a huge nuisance trying to peel him off of them. Leave him up there. He will come down when he becomes hungry."

Lalorn nodded and took a seat again.

"You mean we're just going to sit here all night?" Katie asked in surprise.

"Certainly," the other guard answered. "It is good to hear the nighttime sounds of the forest, here where our power is still strong and woods are not so dark."

"But what about spiders?" Katie asked. She had been told stories about people being ambushed by them at night, and didn't at all care for the prospect of sitting out in the middle of the forest like a lame duck.

"They never roam this close to the Elven-king's halls," Lalorn reassured her. "And if they do, you will be quite safe with four elven warriors to protect you!" The other three guards laughed gently.

"I'd better be," Katie grumbled good-naturedly.

000

The night was very dark, moonless and starless. One of the guards had a lantern, which he promised Katie he would light for their journey home. But for now they sat in the darkness, singing quietly. Katie almost went to sleep a few times with the soothing sound of their voices in her ears. They sat by the tree far into the night.

Katie's head was just beginning to nod again when she heard Lalorn suddenly jump to his feet. He was listening. The other three guards fell silent, as well. Katie knew better than to ask what was going on while they were trying to hear. Anyway, she found out soon enough—and almost wished she hadn't.

"Yrch," Lalorn spat out.

"They are coming this way!" one of the guards added.

"Quick!" Lalorn pulled Katie to her feet and led her swiftly over to a tree on the edge of the clearing. "Climb up! And do not come down until you know it is safe!"

He gave her a boost and set her on the lowest branch. With her heart in her throat, Katie slowly felt her way up the tree in the darkness. For all her speed, she took great care where her hands and feet were—she didn't want to fall out of a tree again anytime soon!

Katie was no more than halfway up the tree when she heard the orcs enter the clearing, squeaking and shouting horribly. She froze. She looked below her, trying to see what was going on, but it was so dark and the leaves of the tree were so thick, that she couldn't see a thing. Orcs and elves could see to fight each other in the dark, but Katie could see nothing.

There were shouts and cries as the elves charged into the fray, and Katie heard the ringing of steel on steel. There were other sounds that she didn't care to identify.

Finally, the sounds of struggle ceased. Katie thought she heard a rustling and a hissing noise, and then the sound of feet disappearing into the forest. Then it was silent.

Katie stayed in the treetop for what seemed an interminable amount of time, but it was perhaps only an hour. By this time the first pre-dawn light was beginning to blossom out, and Katie could once again see her hands in front of her face.

Looking down through the leaves, she tried her best to scan the area for any threats. She really couldn't see anything, but then, she didn't hear anything either. It seemed it was safe. But the fact that Lalorn had not come earlier and told her to come down worried her.

She made her way gingerly back down the tree, careful not to fall. Finally, she reached the bottom branch and dropped to the ground. Turning around, she looked for the guards.

A familiar shape nearby made her throat close suddenly. It was the body of one of the guards, quite obviously dead. Katie bit her lip. Where was Lalorn?

She made her way cautiously across the clearing, straining her eyes to make out shapes in the shadows. But though there were orc bodies all about her, she could find no signs of the other elven guards. Where were they? And where was her friend?

A slumped shape against the trunk of the tree appeared at first to be nothing but a trick of the light. But then a glimmer of golden hair caught Katie's eye, and she dashed forward, picking her way desperately through the hewn orc corpses.

It was Lalorn.

TBC

AN: Evil cliffie!

I'm moving in to college tomorrow, so I don't know how long the next update may take me. Just be warned.

Ravens Destiny: Yesss, preciousss. Foreshadowing issss fun!

Erasuithiel: Oh dear, under your bed? I'll have to have a word with the delivery people. It freaks me out when people hide under my bed! (Like my friend Dana…) The comment was just an ironic coincidence. I agree; Wood-elves are much more fun! (Perhaps because they're blonds? lol)

Darkened Dreams: There's nothing at all sinister behind Taurion's reticence; he's just a quiet guy. But you're giving me ideas…

ElvenRyder: Those darned plotbunnies! I try to keep them locked in the hutch in the backyard, but they keep getting out…

Tara: lol "She shall be… disposed of." That's great! Or should I say, Eeeeeexcellent…

Laer4572: Yep, the pungent aroma of foreshadowing hangs in the air…

theycallmemary: I don't know exactly when Aragorn's birthday is, so he's about 87. It's a tad bit hard to calculate. I doubt Katie's gonna be killing spiders anytime soon. Yummy, cookies!

Thanks also to Princess Siara, Fk306, IwishChan and werewolflemming! 10.7 review rate! Keep it up! lol

Please review! Next time I write to you, it'll probably be from my dorm room!