Disclaimer: Does anyone actually read this part? I wonder. Well let's see. I own the Brooklyn Bridge. I own the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I own the Empire States Building, and I own some swampland in Oklahoma, and all of this is for sale, but I'm not allowed to make one red cent off of them either. I don't own a gruff but lovable dwarf. I don't own a totally scrumptious elf. I don't own a sensitive but strong human (unless you count my husband.) I don't own a wise old wizard. I don't own four sweet, adorable hobbits. And I definitely don't own any big bad ugly orcs. (Except for maybe Ugluk) What I do own is Atavus, Veri, and Van. Please don't borrow them unless you ask. I think that about covers it all.

Review Responses:

Slayer3: Looks good on ya too.

Lintered: Yes I am happy, but I promise I am not trying to make anyone mad. And all will eventually be explained.

ashlyns: Yes we will all give Van hugs. He needs them. Oh you beg so well. My orcs would like you.

Larien: Very perceptive you are. Van and Veri make such good heroes don't they?

The Competition

"What's wrong Ata?" Elrohir asked seeing the pained look on her face.

"I don't understand it Ro." She whispered.

"What don't you understand?" He asked seeing in her eyes what he could only call fear.

"I saw things." She said wincing as she remembered the visions. "I could feel it."

Elrohir looked to Elladan wondering if he would understand her words. "What did you see Ata?" The older twin asked.

"They were torturing me, but I wasn't me. I was an old human woman, and then I was a dark skinned man from Harad." She tried to explain.

"You are having visions." Elladan suggested.

"But they are not mine El." She whispered in a strained voice.

"That is normal Ata. You are probably having visions from the others that have been tortured here or are going to be tortured here." Elrohir tried to assure her.

"But I feel it Ro. I feel every strike, every pain, and every lash mark during my visions. I still feel them now. My chest and legs are burning where the man in my vision had received the lash. I don't understand." The words tumbled from her mouth in a rush, and it seemed as if she was having trouble breathing.

"I don't understand this Ata, but please try not to fear. As you told me, we will get out of here." Elladan tried to assure her.

Elrohir hushed them as he noticed that Kellet was watching them. "Hey Lagush I don't know these parts well. Does it ever stop raining around here?" He called out to the orc sitting on the other side of the cave. It had been raining for over a day now and the men had started grumbling. He could see that the orcs were getting bored also.

"This time of year there is no telling." The orc answered throwing more wood on the fire they had made.

Then a disturbance started near the mouth of the cave as one of the orcs started shouting at one of the humans. Both leaders were immediately on their feet and trying to break up the quarreling pair who had just landed first punches. "Stop, no fighting while in this cave." Kellet ordered his man seeing the orc leader give a similar order. After the two were split up the man and orc came together to speak.

"They are getting restless." Kellet stated.

"They will fight much worse if we don't find something to divert their attention soon." The orc agreed.

Kellet looked outside to the pouring rain and lightning strikes and then scanned the cave interior. When his eyes landed on the captives he had an idea. "How about a friendly competition."

"What did you have in mind human?" Lagush asked looking to where Kellet's eyes were focused.

"Well we have a discipline problem with the captives anyway. Why don't we kill two birds with one stone?" Kellet suggested.

"How?"

"Your men against mine. Whoever breaks a prisoner first wins." Kellet said smiling evilly.

"But you have two. You have better odds of breaking one of yours." Lagush said thinking he had the unfair disadvantage.

"But we will not cut or lash ours. Bruises my buyers will accept, but they don't want to see cuts." Kellet explained how it would be fair.

"What does the winner receive?" Lagush asked.

"The other's slave or slaves." Kellet suggested. He had seen the beating that the woman had taken without a sound, and figured it was a good wager. After learning what she was he regretted giving her to the orcs. He might find a market for her after all, and she might possibly even bring more than the elves.

"How is the winner determined?" Lagush asked a final question.

"The prisoner has to beg for mercy. Who ever is to make their slave beg for mercy first wins." Kellet suggested.

"I like it. It will keep them occupied." He said motioning to his orcs.

Even at the distance the captives were from the two they had heard the idea. Elrohir started shaking his head. He knew that orcs and humans could be cruel, but this competition was worse than barbaric. He looked down to Atavus who he could see was locked in her own thoughts. He worried about her sanity. The visions she had mentioned worried him. Would she be able to withstand more pain? Then a thought crossed his mind.

"Atavus did you hear their words?" He whispered only loud enough for them to hear.

She looked around confused not sure whom he was speaking about. Then her face seemed to relax and she nodded. "Yes. More games." She whispered.

"I have an idea. If the orcs were to win the competition we would belong to them. There are fewer of them. We would have a better chance of escaping from them later on after the humans leave." He suggested.

Elladan understood immediately. "Your right. But it couldn't happen immediately. They wouldn't buy that." He started planning.

It took Atavus another moment to realize what they spoke of. Then when understanding dawned on her she started shaking her head. "No. I won't beg for mercy from those monsters. Never." That went against every fiber of her being. She had never begged for mercy for herself before. She wouldn't start then. She couldn't let them have that.

"Ata. We could escape together." Elrohir objected.

"No." She said flatly.

"Damn your foolish pride girl." Elladan hissed quietly as he watched the two groups starting towards them.

"Sometimes pride is all you have El." She said smiling a sad smile.

Veri breathed a sigh of relief when she crested the hill before them. It was all down hill from there and she could see the woods ahead. The distance was great. It would take at least another whole day to reach them, but hope was in sight and it raised her spirits. "Look Van. It's Lorien." She said in his ear.

He turned his face to the east seeing the woods. A broad smile crossed his face. "Let me down now Veri. I am strong again. I can run." He said as his own spirits rose.

"Okay, but be careful. Your legs might still be shaky." She warned setting him down before her.

"I'm fine. Let's go." He grinned taking off before she could object.

They traveled for a little longer down the mountainside. They sometimes lost footing and slipped, but there were not deep crevices to get caught in on this side of the mountain. They were both riddled with scratches and cuts, but that mattered not, just as long as they pushed forward.

Van was in the lead again. He was pulling further away from Veri who had started to tire slightly. Veri heard the growl before Van did. He was concentrating on where he was heading more than his surroundings.

"Van, warg." She screamed watching as the large cat like creature pounced at him. The boy swerved just in time for the creature to miss him. But the animal recovered fast and changed direction aiming for Van again.

Van had picked up the speed as fast as he could. There was nowhere to hide out in the open like this. So he decided that maybe he could confuse the animal by zigzagging down the mountain face. Unfortunately he could not watch his footing and started sliding down ever faster. When he reached a level spot he fell to his knees. The warg barreled past him not being able to control it's own momentum. It took but a few moments for the animal to change direction and head back to where the boy was struggling to stand. The warg pounced on top of him knocking him to the ground.

Van screamed as the beast sunk sharp teeth into his forearm. But then the animal's teeth lost their pressure and it sunk to its stomach lying on top of Van.

Van could see Veri standing above the creature. Her hands were wrapped around a white object that was now buried in the creature's skull. She quickly pushed the animal off of him and checked his bite wound tearing a piece of her tunic to use as a bandage.

"What did you stab it with?" Van asked staring at the beast.

"It looks like a broken leg bone. Probably one of its former meals." She suggested. "Can you walk?"

He just nodded staring at the creature some more. "I don't like wargs Veri." He whispered. Van liked all animals he came in contact with right down to tiny insects, but not wargs.

"Neither do I honey." She whispered helping him up. Then they started off again, but at slower pace so they could watch for other predators. "I'd say less than a day Van. Were going to make it."

"I hope so." The boy whispered looking back one more time to the warg.