Chapter 3

Strange Appearances

"Are you ready?"

Aragorn looked up from his horse's saddle. Elladan walked up next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Aragorn sighed and tightened thegirth around Arien's belly.

"Physically, yes."

Elladan studied his younger brother for a moment. Aragorn looked worn and tired, yet determined. Only in his eyes could he really see the pain that he was feeling. There was no real fire of light in them, and it pained Elladan deeply to see it gone. Elladan squeezed Aragorn's shoulder and turned to get his horse a few feet away. He was going to go with Aragorn to help him find what they were looking for.

Elrond walked out toward them a few minutes later. Elladan checked his mare, Hísië, over, tightening the bridle slightly and walked over to him. Aragorn secured the last bag behind Arien's saddle and joined them.

"Estel," Elrond began, placing his hands on either side of his son's face and looking at him in the eyes. "I just want you to be careful. Hurry there and find out what you can, and get back quickly. I'm giving Legolas about one week under his conditions. You have to hurry!"

"I will. I'm not going to let him die." Aragorn moved forward and gave his father a tight hug.

Elrohir walked out and walked toward them. Aragorn let go of his father and walked to his brother. Grasping his brother's shoulders he looked at him almost fiercely.

"Don't leave him. Don't let him let go."

Elrohir smiled and pulled his younger brother into a strong embrace.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to let him."

Aragorn pulled away and smiled at him. "I know you won't."

Elrond came over to them. "Try to get back quickly. I know Legolas would want to see you whether or not . . . you're successful."

Aragorn nodded. He turned and leapt lightly onto Arien's back. Elladan followed suit, and directed Hísië over to where Aragorn was.

Aragorn turned to his father and brother. "Namàrië. We will come back. I'm not going to fail him."

Both Elrond and Elrohir smiled. "You do your best. Hurry back!" Elrond called out.

At a word from both riders, both horses sprang away, leaving Elrond and Elrohir alone next to the stables. When they had disappeared, Elrohir turned to his father.

"I'm going back to Legolas."

Elrond nodded. "Stay with him. I'll be in to check you later."

Elrohir walked away and headed down the hallway to Legolas' room. He entered the room and stopped next to the bed, pulling a chair behind him. He settled down and watched Legolas carefully. The prince was still violently shuddering, but calmer than he was before. Elrohir sighed and relaxed. Hurry Aragorn, he thought. I don't want you to lose him.

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He hadn't felt so sore in quite a while. Aragorn bent over Arien's back, trying to ease the stiffness in his muscles. Riding at a gallop all day did help put us ahead, he thought. But it can seriously render someone stiffer then wood. I can't feel my back anymore.

"Elladan! There's a clearing up ahead." shouted Aragorn from Arien's back to his brother behind him. "Let's stop there tonight and give the horses a break. We pushed them hard today."

"All right!" Elladan called out back. "You lead and I'll follow."

About five minutes later Aragorn pulled Arien to a stop and looked around. The trees were dense and clustered together here, making this a wonderful spot to camp without being seen. Just outside the clearing was a small stream, and Aragorn directed Arien in its direction, dismounted, and let the stallion drink his fill. Elladan also dismounted and let his horse walk over to the stream, and began to unload provisions from his back.

Aragorn began to brush both horses dry, then allowed them to walk wherever they wanted. For a few minutes he watched them play and begin to crop the grass. When he finally turned back to Elladan, his brother had his back to him, staring into a larger and thicker cluster of trees not too distant. Wondering what was so interesting, Aragorn walked up next to Elladan, looked at him, then the trees, then back at him. Elladan didn't move.

"Elladan? What do you see?" Aragorn asked quietly, breaking Elladan out of the semi-daze he was in.

"Look at the over there." Elladan pointed to a small white shape that was against a tree trunk. As Aragorn began to watch it more closely, he saw it move.

"What is that?"

"It's a white bird…no, a white owl. He watches us closely."

"A white owl?" owls were not commonly seen anywhere near Rivendell or Mirkwood. But they were around, they just preferred to remain hidden -- A curiosity to men, and sometimes elves too. But so curious was this. Why, when owls normally only come out at night, was this one out in the fading daylight, watching them?

As if to tell the two riders that he knew they saw him, the owl began to hoot and screech loudly. The quiet mountain range around them began to ring with his loud calls. And the bad thing was – he didn't stop.

"What is he doing? Trying to get us killed?" Elladan asked in annoyance. To any listener, loud repeated calls of an owl, or any animal for that matter, meant something's up, and would come investigate. Around here, it would most likely attract something they'd rather not have around, like orcs, or wolves.

"We've got to make him stop!" Aragorn bent over and picked up a large rock off the ground, aimed, and chucked it at the owl. It would have been a direct hit . . . if the owl had not moved.

Aragorn snatched up another rock and threw it at the owl again. But as before, the owl sidestepped it and as if in response, began to hoot louder. Patience gone, Elladan reached for his bow. Not wanting to kill the owl, but rid themselves of him, Elladan took careful aim and shot just to the right of the owl. The owl saw it coming, and stood stone still as the arrow shot by him, ruffling his feathers as it went.

"I don't believe it." Said Elladan as hepulled outanother arrow. "He didn't even flinch. That's no normal animal."

Just before he let loosethe arrow – this one aimed to kill, not scare – he froze. Aragorn saw this and looked at him questioningly.

"What's wrong?"

Elladan shut his eyes. "The earth is trembling beneath us. Something approaches . . ." he listened again, and inhaled deeply. ". . . and it doesn't sound or smell friendly."

"We must hurry!"

Elladan again aimed and let loose his arrow, but the owl was way ahead of him. He spread his huge white wings and was in the air before the arrow was half way to him. With one last screech, he disappeared into the trees. The arrow was rejected and followed the first, disappearing far into the brush.

"Well, that beats it. It's almost like his could read my mind." Elladan turned around, shaking his head. He started walking back toward the horses calling to Aragorn as he went. "Come. We need to get out of here, quickly."

They re-packed their horses and escaped through the trees. A few minutes later, as they were about to go around a ridge in the mountain, they looked back. Right in their clearing, a small group of orcs had gathered, searching the ground. Both of them looked forward and quietly spurred their horses forward.

"What was wrong with that owl?" Aragorn threw more fuel into the fire and sat down across from Elladan. They had ridden for at least another hour until they were sure they were out of danger. The darkened world hid them very well, but neither one of them were very calm. The owl was confusing them greatly, and it made Elladan especially uneasy.

"No idea. It confuses me as much as you. I want to know why he wasn't afraid of my arrows."

"Very strange." Aragorn looked over to the horses a few feet away and watched them shift in their sleep. "Do you think we'll ever find out?"

Elladan looked at him carefully. "I have a feeling, Estel . . ." he said. "that these strange happenings are only beginning."

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Finally, after another day of frantic tracking and riding, Aragorn recognized the area around them. After a few moments of experienced examination of the grounds, he nodded to Elladan and urged Arien farther into the forest. After nearly another hour of slow riding, Aragorn spotted the small clearing he and Legolas had camped at the night of their attack. The stench of orcs reached the riders, both of whom stiffened with disgust. Aragorn swung lightly from Arien's back, pulled the reins over the great horse's head, hobbled him, and left him in the trees. Elladan followed suit, and followed his younger brother into the small clearing. The fallen orcs were still there, the stench of battle and orc blood was still heavy in the air. Both Aragorn and Elladan began to search and examine the ground carefully for clues.

Scanning the forest floor, Aragorn found and read the story again, reliving the horrible night. Because it had been nearly a week and a half since the battle, wind and other animals had confused many of the tracks, but it didn't hinder Aragorn much. He carefully studied the prints on the ground, and located where the wolf had entered. Following the tracks carefully, he again watched the attack imbedded in the ground, almost as an outsider would. He came to the place where he had slept that night. He looked over to where he vaguely remembered seeing the wolf fall, and gasped.

Elladan, who had been working a few feet away, heard the sharp intake of breath, and quickly moved to Aragorn's side.

Aragorn turned and stared at his brother wide-eyed, and again looked back. The wolf, of which he remembered falling right underneath a large bush, was gone. He swiftly walked to the bush and carefully read the signs in the dirt. There were some that looked faintly newer than the rest, and they were screaming the obvious the wolf had gotten back up and left the clearing. Small puddles of dried blood marked the path, here and there snatches of the wolf's fur were caught on branches of the large bush. Elladan had followed him, and then began to track the great animal father. A few feet outside the clearing, Elladan picked up what looked like half a stick off the forest floor. He turned around.

"Estel! Come here, look at this . . ."

Aragorn walked over and took the stick from his brother. On closer examination he discovered it to be a broken half of an arrow. He ran his fingers over the broken shaft, fingering the feathers on one side, and the sharp splinters of the other. Recognition hit him.

"Elladan, this is Legolas' arrow. I'd know it anywhere . . ."

"Come look at this." Elladan pointed to a nearby tree. At about hip level there was a sharp, white indent in the rough wood, the kind that appears when wood meets wood fast and hard.

"Amazing . . . he broke it off himself like that?" Elladan was stunned.

"But - how did he survive? That hit was fatal right into his eye . . . he should be dead . . ." Aragorn was baffled.

"I don't see the head of the arrow anywhere," Elladan said, looking around them. "It must still be in him."

Aragorn shook his head in frustration. There was more to this wolf than he thought, just like the owl they had seen yesterday . . .

What else was going to happen?

He nudged Elladan. "Come on. Let's keep looking."

Going back to where he knew he had bedded down that night, Aragorn found Legolas' spot and began searching again. Using the marks and scuffs on the ground as a guide, he read his friend's movements, picturing each before moving to the next. Elladan picked through the dead orcs, trying to find anything that looked like a clue to what they were looking for.

Only when the sky turned a deep crimson red did they stop. They had discovered nothing of the mysterious poison that had infected Legolas. Frustration at their failure tore deeper into Aragorn's steps, making each one harder to endure.

They walked back to the horses and prepared for the night. Aragorn turned to Elladan.

"I'm going to go look for firewood."

Elladan nodded. "Hurry back. It's getting dark fast tonight."

Aragorn headed out into the trees, picking up sticks as he went. He had a fair supply by the time it got very dark. His arms full, he headed back for camp. Even though the sun had all but disappeared he could still see Elladan and the horses up ahead. He speed up, wanting to get back. Now that night was assuming its normal course, chilly air was setting in, and none too slowly.

Soon he was close enough to hear Elladan call out to him, telling him to hurry up. Aragorn quickened his pace, but as he rounded a tree, his foot caught on an annoyingly large tree root. Losing his balance he fell forward, landing with his face in the pile of wood he had gathered.

Elladan had been watching, so when Aragorn had suddenly disappeared he took off running. Reaching the young human he helped him out of the fallen wood and off the ground. While steadying, Aragorn suddenly winced and moved his hand to touch his cheek. Elladan watched the pain flicker in Aragorn's eyes and right away removed his brother's hand from his cheek. Caught in the soft flesh was one good-sized piece of wood. Another smaller one was stuck above his eyebrow. Elladan shook his head. Both injuries were starting to bleed slightly.

"Lovely new attraction, Estel." He said, turning Aragorn's head to better reveal how serious the damage the splinters were causing. Aragorn to hiss gently as Elladan touched one lightly.

Aragorn snorted and rolled his eyes. "Lovely? Right."

Elladan gave him a big smile, and then began to pick up the wood that littered the forest floor about them. Aragorn moved in to help. When they had gotten back to camp with it all and had a fire going, Elladan began to gently remove the small chunks of wood from Aragorn's face with a small knife. Once they had been cleaned and dressed, Elladan let Aragorn go.

"Thanks, El." Aragorn sent his older brother a grateful smile.

"No problem." He replied, re-packing his bag. Aragorn watched him for a moment, and then moved toward the saddlebags to get dinner going.

It wasn't long after dark when they got ready to sleep. Aragorn agreed to take the first watch. He watched his brother's eyes slowly unfocus, and then pulled his blanket closer as he looked up at the stars.

He watched the stars glint and twinkle at him for a long time. He now understood fully why Legolas loved the stars so much. They were sparks of hope, and they filled his heart with an old feeling of light. He relaxed against the tree behind him and sent his friend an unspoken message.

Stay strong and hold on, my friend. I will not fail you.