AN: This is the sequel to "What Happened." If you haven't read that, then go back and read it. Otherwise, I only own the characters you don't recognize. Enjoy!

"A path is laid before you. You can choose to follow it or deviate from it," she had once been told.

Well, she had chosen a path. And she was going to follow it. Though, right now, all she wanted to do was get off the path and sleep for a week. Kendra had never felt so tired in all her life. They had been running for about two days, nonstop. The only reason was because the Uruk-hai, as they were called, had been running nonstop.

Kendra watched as Aragorn kneeled down and put his ear down to the ground. He stayed that way for a long time, not moving. Kendra had found out early on that he did this to hear the creatures that were ahead of them. He was able to tell if they were running or walking. In her mind, though, it looked kind of funny seeing a grown man lying on the ground with his ear pressed flat to the ground. She would laugh, if she could breathe.

Legolas and Gimli were also with her, although they were further back than Aragorn. Gimli, like Kendra, was having a hard time breathing. Legolas, on the other hand, seemed to be just as fresh and rested as the day they left Lothlorien. She could kill him. Or throw him into the next mud puddle they passed, whichever struck her fancy.

"HURRY!" Aragorn shouted.

They were off again. Kendra knew the reason they were running. Two Hobbits, Merry and Pippin, had been taken by these same creatures that had killed another companion, Boromir. If they didn't run, Merry and Pippin may be dead the next time they were seen. Kendra grew very quiet at the thought of those two bright and happy Hobbits dead. She didn't know how old they were but they seemed too young to die now.

They ran for several more days. Aragorn and Legolas seemed to switch places in front all the time. Kendra ran steadily in the middle of the group while Gimli faithfully brought up the rear. This hadn't changed since they had first started out. But, the happiest thing she knew was that they were catching up.

Kendra leaned against a rock, trying to catch her breath. They had stopped just as they had topped a hill. Aragorn was looking out over the plains. There was nothing out there but gently sloping hills and open grasslands. Legolas moved past Kendra and made his way further out onto the plains.

"Legolas, what do your elf eyes see?" Aragorn called out.

"The Uruks turned northeast," he said, stopping for a second. The next sentence was said more frantically, "They are taking the Hobbits to Isengard!"

"Saruman," Aragorn said, more to himself.

Kendra didn't know who this Saruman was but she remembered Gandalf saying his name when they were trapped in the blizzard on that mountain. Obviously, Saruman was trying to keep them from rescuing their friends.

'Great, he's probably trying to take over the world, too. Don't these guys ever get the hint,' she thought as they took off again. 'It doesn't even work in the movies.'

It was about noon when they stopped on another hill. Aragorn had leaned down to look at some tracks while everyone else looked at their surroundings. It was quiet here. Kendra was looking around, marveling at the simplistic beauty of this place when a sound caught her ear. Aragorn had also heard it because he stood and looked back. Next thing she knew, all four were hiding in some rocks that had been to their left.

Horses raced past their hiding spot. Kendra had never seen real horses in all her life. And to see them moving at such a speed kind of scared her a little. Once the horses were past, Aragorn moved out of his hiding spot and back out onto the hill. He watched the horses go for a little more before calling out.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"

Kendra, Legolas, and Gimli had all moved next to him and they watched as the entire group of horses turned at their leader's command. Now the riders were coming right at them. Before anyone could make another move, the horses were grouped in a tight circle around the four. And just as quickly, all spears were dropped, effectively trapping them in this circle. Two spears parted and allowed a rider in. Kendra noted immediately that his helm was different than the others. He had a white plume going down the back while the helm itself was a little more intricate.

"What is a man, an elf, and a dwarf doing in the Riddermark?" he said before noting that there was someone he missed. "And a woman?"

He paused, for a few seconds, "Speak quickly!"

It wasn't Aragorn who answered. "Give me your name, horse master, and I will give you mine," Gimli replied.

The leader got down off his horse and came forward a little. He stopped a few feet away from Gimli, who was smiling a smug smile.

"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it was a little higher from the ground," he threatened.

Before anyone could react, Legolas had grabbed an arrow, strung it, and had it pointing at the man. "You would die before your stroke fell."

Spears closed in tighter, mostly on the elf. Kendra had tried to back up a little, as her head was right near Legolas' arrow hand. All she got was some spears in her back. Aragorn, meanwhile, had reached over and placed a hand over Legolas'. Legolas slowly put down his bow and Kendra moved forward again, trying to get the spears out of her back.

"I am Aragorn, this is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas of the Woodland Realms. And the young woman is Kendra Connor. We are friends of Rohan."

"And where does she hail from?"

Aragorn went silent because he didn't have the answer. All looked at Kendra.

"Where is your home, woman?"

"First off, my name is Kendra. Second, my home is not from anywhere near here. My home city is the City of Domes, in what is left of war-torn America."

The man didn't ask anymore questions, and Kendra didn't want to answer anymore from him. With the way he was treating her, she had quickly put on her, as her co-workers called it, 'mage face.'

"We are tracking a party of Uruk-Hai. They have taken several of our friends," Aragorn started, diverting attention back to the first question asked.

"We destroyed the party of Uruks last night. We piled and burned the carcasses," he said, pointing to a visible plume of smoke that was from the direction that they had come.

"Did you see two Hobbits with them?" Gimli asked quickly, panic evident in his voice.

The confused look was noted and Aragorn quickly elaborated, "They would be small, only children to your eyes."

"We left none alive."

"Dead?" Gimli got out.

"Yes," the man nodded, "I am sorry."

All four seemed to be in shock. Legolas had placed his hand on Gimli's shoulder seconds after Gimli had spoken. Kendra had dropped her gaze to the ground as her mind went numb again with the thought of those two Hobbits dead.

'It can't be. They can't be dead. It's a lie.'

A whistle broke through their thoughts. The man had turned and whistled, waiting for something. Two horses came to him, both without riders. He caught the reins and turned and handed the reins to Aragorn. Aragorn immediately handed one set of reins to Legolas who started to pet the horse.

"Friends you may be of Rohan but the king will not recognize you. He doesn't even recognize his own kin now. I am Eomer of Rohan. Search for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It is forsaken in these lands," Eomer said, mounting his horse. He turned to his company, "We ride north."

With that, the riders rode off. The four stood there, watching them leave. Aragorn then got onto his horse quickly followed by Legolas. That left Gimli and Kendra on the ground.

"So, what are we going to do? Run," Kendra said looking at the two.