Disclaimer: Oh if only to own one elf but for a little while, but no it cannot be. They are not mine. (Evilly morbid writer starts weeping.)

Review Responses:

Larien: No, Lagush is no Ugluk. And you are going to hate him so much more than you ever hated Ugluk. And yes Elrohir was the smart one in that chapter. She should have listened to him.

Slayer3: I got mine what about you? No I'm lying. I don't wear hats. But I'd hold on if I were you.

ashlyns: They don't call me evilly morbid writer for nothing. Mrhaha. Don't worry most people do like it. And yes keep on begging.

manveri mirkiel: It's okay sis. I love to open my email and see four alerts sitting there together. I always know it's you. I keep trying to slow down my posting, but it's too tempting when I got people begging, and bribing. As a matter of fact I've actually got chapter seven done and half of eight wrote.

Chapter 2: Your gonna love Van so much by the time this is over. Both he and Veri show what they are truly made of.

Chapter 3: Yes lots of skeletons, but I always believed that you can't truly get to know someone with lots of secrets between you. So all must come out eventually. Don't worry adversity helps a lot towards healing rifts. Yes I am a forgiving soul. (If not Ugluk would never have had a chance to redeem himself, and probably would have been tortured beyond all belief before I killed him horribly. But no I still love my orc.) I'm glad you like it. This story has really taken a hold of me.

Chapter 4: Safely, now that is a word with a broad definition. Safely could mean totally unharmed and well, or it could mean barely alive. So what do you think? And yes I understand your biasness towards Veri. If you weren't I'd be worried about you. And yes Van is adorable. I have to admit I bite when I'm fighting also. My brother always complained because I fight dirty, but I've never lost a fight, except to him, but he's built like an ox. And concerning Van and Ata's gifts we are learning that maybe they might hold more surprises, than first thought.

Chapter 5: Yes it seems everyone likes Ugluk better than Lagush. Me too. Believe me you won't come to like him either. He's no Ugluk that's for sure. I hate to tell you but Lagush would probably like the little treat you want to feed him. I will miss you while you're at camp but I hope you have a great time. And don't worry I will enjoy my writing while your gone, and as always you inspire me.

Lintered: Well we are learning that there is much more to Van than anyone might expect. But you'll see more in future chapters. I'm not giving anything away yet. Oh I know I'm being cruel, but I can't say anymore. By the way enjoy those parties. I wish I were that age again.

Confusion

The pain was cascading through her body, and she knew it was just beginning. Normally she would just block the pain out and wait for her body to heal, but something felt very different this time. She felt an overwhelming feeling of utter despair. She wondered if maybe she was having a premonition of things to come. Normally a throwback only possessed one defining trait, such as the healing ability she possessed or the visions that Veri had, but just maybe she could tell a bit of the future herself. Maybe this time she wouldn't survive. You could only tempt fate so many times before it caught up to you and took its due measure.

Elrohir was sitting beside her whispering comforting words only loud enough for her to hear. But she only barely heard the words. She felt disconnected from reality. Her mind began to wonder. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her forehead against the cold stone wall. For some reason the cold feeling comforted her.

She let her mind wonder where it would, but immediately regretted it as a vision appeared in her head. In the vision she was still in the cave but she felt different. She felt old, very old. She looked down to her hands. They were old and wrinkled, and had many age spots. She reached up to feel her face and yet again felt wrinkles and bushy eyebrows. She touched her hair. It was strait and wiry. She pulled it forward and saw the grey color. She reached up again feeling her ears. They were rounded. She was human. But it was only a vision. But why in a vision would she be human? She saw the orcs lounging around the cave. They were Uruk-hai, the larger version of orcs that were more common in present time. She saw one particular orc she recognized. It was Lagush. He stood and began to walk towards her. She began to stand but realized that both ankles were broken in the body she inhabited. The pain was tremendous. But why was she even feeling the pain in a vision?

Then her vision blurred for a moment, and a new one took its place. She was still in the cave but she was manacled to a wall. She looked down and saw that her skin and hair were a dark color. It was the color of the inhabitants of Harad. She saw the bloody welts covering the body's legs and bare stomach and chest. It was the body of a man. She recognized the agonizing pain of lash marks. But again why? The orcs were still torturing this body, and she felt the fall of the lash as if it were on her own body. How long the torture went on she was not sure, but she did realize one thing. The orcs were different. They were regular orcs instead of the larger Uruk-hai.

Her eyes flew open as the echo of the whip sounded in her ears. She was facing the wall, and the pain in her back had decreased. That could only mean that she was in the vision for several hours giving her body the time to start healing. She rolled to her back and saw the twins sitting in front of her protectively.

They turned towards her hearing her light movement. "Ata, are you all right? You have been unconscious for several hours. We tried to wake you, but could not." Elladan asked.

She looked to them with a confused look on her face. "I'm not sure." She whispered.

"We must press on soon." Van said looking off towards the south. He hoped the storm clouds they were seeing would either stay in the south or go anywhere but the direction they were heading.

"Yes I know. Just a few moments more Van." By the position of the sun in the sky she could tell they had been traveling for an entire day. They had stopped to take a short break shortly after sunrise.

"How long do you think it will take us to get to Lorien?" Van asked staring off to the east, as he had been doing more and more often.

"Well at the speed we are going now I would say maybe two more days." Veri said guessing. She knew the twins had said that they were about six days from the woods, but that was walking with two horses in tow carrying loaded packs.

They had no supplies with them, but they had managed to find a small brook springing from a crevice early that morning. She hoped that they would be able to survive if there was no more water between them and Lorien.

"I'm going. I can't stand here any longer Veri." Van said taking off towards the east jumping from boulder to boulder. They had given up on finding a path through the mountains and were just pushing on over what ever they came to making their own path. She shook her head looking at Van. Gone was the carefree boy of but a few days ago. This was the Van she had known in Minas Morgul. Quiet, reserved, but braver than any child had a right to be. She stood and followed him trusting him to find their way. She could see that he knew exactly where they were going, even when she became confused. He seemed to have an inherent tracking ability, which she was most thankful for.

She had to pick up her speed if she was to catch up with the boy. She pushed herself beyond what she thought was her top speed. But in her haste she missed the boulder she was bounding to and her foot slipped into a crevice. She felt herself falling and reached out desperately trying to find a handhold as she slid down the side of the boulder. But it was no use the boulder was smooth and she ended in a tight space with her arm twisted at an angle that was completely unnatural. "Van." She screamed as the pain in her arm coursed through her.

She heard scuffling noises above and saw Van's small head peek over the top of the boulder "Veri, what are you doing?" He asked with a look of confusion crossing his face.

"Taking a rest." She said testily. "I fell Van."

"Are you hurt?" He asked reaching down and touching her arm that was twisted.

"Yes my arm." She said closing her eyes on the pain.

"You have to climb up Veri. Your legs are not hurt are they?" He asked.

"No they are not hurt, but I cannot use my arm. I don't think I can climb out. You have to go on alone." She said looking into his large eyes and seeing the fear her words caused.

"No Veri. You can get out. I will help. I will pull on your good arm, and you will climb up with your legs."

"You are not strong enough Van." She said knowing the boy was too small to pull her out.

He looked around trying to think of anything else that would help her. He looked back and she could see a determined look on his face. She thought he had decided to go on alone, but was surprised when he stretched his arms down taking both of her hands in his own. She expected him to start pulling and braced herself for the pain to come, but he did not pull, instead he closed his eyes and concentrated.

She felt a tingling start in her hands and then slowly move up her arms. When the tingling reached the spot where she was sure her arm was broken the feeling increased ten fold and she felt as if she was being pricked by hundreds of small pins. It did not hurt much, but when it was done her arm felt warm, but there was no pain. She looked up and saw Van's eyes open. "Climb Veri, climb." He whispered pulling her as hard as he could. She did as he said climbing up the boulder using him as an anchor to hold onto. When she was up she lie down beside him breathing hard. He rolled to his back panting. She could see the beads of sweat standing on his forehead, and his hair was plastered to his head.

She held her arm up and moved it all around realizing that the break was completely mended. "Van when did you realize you could do that?" She asked in awe.

"A few weeks ago. I found a bird with a broken wing. I healed it. Then there was the squirrel with the broken paw. And the cat with the broken leg." He explained.

"Why have you not told anyone?" It was an amazing gift, just as amazing as Atavus' ability to heal poisoned wounds.

"I didn't think you would want me to do it. It makes me tired. Afterwards I have to rest for a long time." He began to whimper realizing what that meant for their trip to Lorien. "Veri I can't stand up. I can't run. My body is too tired. We have to keep going." He started to sob, feeling as if he let Atavus down.

"No it's okay, Van. Don't cry." She said standing. She picked him up and started off to the east again carrying him, going as fast as she could. "We won't let them down. I promise you."

Author's note: I know this one was shorter, sorry but it tells what needs to be told. So have I confused everyone with Atavus' visions? I know I've confused her.