"Is this it? Andúin asked Hwesta, holding up a bit of a plant.
"It sure is," he said with a smile. They were on Alata about to head back to Jnían when the sun was blocked above them. They looked up to see the Fell Beast's immense body as it landed before them.
"Hwesta, go back to Jnían! Take the Athelas before its too late for Faroth," Andúin ordered.
"What about yourself, Mi'Lady?" Hwesta asked, unmoving.
"I'm making this up as I go!" Andúin said, drawing Andúril swiftly and shoving Hwesta back. "I'll distract the beast." Hwesta ran back towards the campsite, limping slightly, away from Andúin and the creature.
"This is for you, Father!" Andúin screamed, "I will prove myself!" She let out a battle cry, running towards the beat.
Hwesta burst into the small clearing Jnían was tending to Faroth in. "Here are the herbs, Mi'Lady," he panted, his arms pull of the plant.
"Where is Andúin?" Jnían asked him, her brow creased in worry.
"We were surprised by the creature," Hwesta started softly. "She sent be back to help you, while herself she stayed with the beast. I know not her fate."
Jnían hung her head, whispering a silent lament for the other girl, before gathering up the herb. Faroth was on the edge of consciousness as she carefully wet the leaves in her mouth and administered them to his wounds, causing his body to jolt slightly.
"There is no more we can do for him," Hwesta stated.
"There is always more you can do," Jnían replied, running her hand lightly over the side of Faroth's face, saying more and more things in Quenya. Hwesta was forced to only watch, as he did not know much of the language. Faroth's body stirred more, and his eyes slowly opened.
"Jnían?" his voice suddenly said softly.
"Faroth, do you feel any stronger?" Jnían asked him worriedly.
"Yes, thanks to you," he replied. "I'll live."
"Good," Jnían said, and before he could reply, she silenced him with a light kiss. When she pulled away, her gentle smile went stern, and she quickly commanded Hwesta to stay with Faroth while she went to help Andúin. As she raced from the clearing, Hwesta shook his head at her antics. Never would he understand the strange behavior of these females.
Jnían pushed quickly through the underbrush of the forest, following the loud sounds emitting from the Fell Beast. She discovered them in a ring of fallen trees, Andúin yelling something in Westron, lunching at the creature, barely avoiding its jaws.
Andúin didn't even know what was driving her at this point. She didn't even feel like she was in control of her own body, reacting only on pure instinct., She felt herself lunching and dodging, fighting like she never had before, screaming like a savage., Suddenly she felt iron jaws clamp down on her left arm, and as she felt pain shoot through her body, she screamed, then plunged Andúril deep into the creature's neck as her own knees buckled, and she released her grip, hitting the ground, blood showering about her.
The fell beat plummeted down toward the ground. Andúin couldn't move soon enough to dodge the large animal. Fear gripped Jnían as she saw Andúin forced to the ground by the beast. By the time Jnían had made it to Andúin, the Last Fell Beast was no more. Jnían couldn't spot her friend until Andúin cried out to her. Completely saturated in its purple blood, Andúin was barely visible.
"My arm," she managed.
"I know. What's trapped?" Jnían quickly questioned.
"My leg, I don't think it's broken though," she said, "but I can't move."
Jnían wiped blood from her friend's face with her sleeve. "Hold on, friend, I will return shortly," Jnían said, rising to her feet. With blood seeping from her arm, Andúin struggled to stay awake.
Jnían was soon back to Faroth and Hwesta. She retrieved a rope and beckoned them to follow her. Faroth was sitting up down, deeper into his own recovery. Her graceful strides were essential, for she had to hurry.
Again at Andúin's side, Jnían acted fast. She removed the gauntlet and tied the rope around her arm. Soon the bleeding ceased. Soon Faroth and Hwesta were at Jnían's side as well.
"Hwesta, stitch her arm and treat it with herbs. Then wrap it in clean cloth. Make haste!" Jnían was commanding. Andúin had lost consciousness. After Hwesta had down what he was told, Jnían decided to try and release Andúin's leg. She unsheathed Ranafëa and with a great effort plunged it past the beast's scales and into its stomach. She sliced across, spilling its intestines over Andúin. Jnían pulled more of its insides out onto the ground, not caring anymore about the stench or the sight. A foul smell emitted strongly, though. After she finished, she had removed enough weight to drag Andúin from underneath the beast.
Hours later they were again sitting by a fire, resting after the day's events. Hwesta was playing a jolly tune on his small wind instrument. As they sat with light conversation, Faroth managed a glance toward Jnían, recounting what had happened earlier. Was he imagining things, or had Jnían…he supposed not, and yet…
Andúin noticed the distant looks on her friends' faces. She shrugged, taking another bite of the dry goblins' bread. She only grimaced slightly at the taste, more worried about calming her hungry stomach at the moment. She knew she was lucky to be alive at all.
They had not seen the delegates since the fell beast had attacked Lhach. They had all scattered, and they didn't even know if Lhach still drew breath or not. Andúin figured that the almost race they had been on definitely would be slowed by this. Faroth and Andúin both needed to recover before traveling again. Andúin leached into her left vambrace, pulling out their newest piece of the staff. It had bruised her leg badly when the best fell, and Andúin was impressed that it hadn't broken. Perhaps it helped save her leg in some way—
Andúin figured she was letting her thoughts wander, and pulled them back to the present. Hwesta was curled up near the fire, his instrument beside him. Faroth had his back against a nearby tree and appeared to be sleeping. Even Jnían lay on the ground, her hands crossed over her chest, her eyes closed. Andúin couldn't help but smile; they had all miraculously survived another day.
Upon morning, Faroth tested his weak leg, only to discover he could walk without pain again. His eyes wandered to Jnían's sleeping body. She had saved his life. No one else had ever done that for him, nor did he doubt anyone would have, except Malachai. She shook his head to rid himself of the painful memories, his hair falling into his eyes. As he brushed it back, he saw Jnían stir, then rise.
Jnían automatically adjusted the loose sleeve on her dress, but as she did, the final threads snapped. Her dress only hung by one shoulder, and as she inspected the edges she knew this would not be a simple mend she could do in the wilderness they were in. She sighed, exasperated. She didn't know how she would last riding.
Faroth watched her curiously, and then slipped off his cloak, laying it gently over her shoulders. "I know it's not much," he said softly to her.
"Thank you," Jnían said, pulling the cloak tightly around her, staring at him. Just as he appeared to be ready to speak, they heard Andúin yawn.'
"The two of you are up early," Andúin stated suspiciously, her eyes traveling between the two, finally resting on Faroth's cloak and Jnían's ripped dress.
"We'd best look back in the cave for the other clue," Jnían said, shattering the silence. "Andúin, you need rest. Faroth and I will go and look." Hwesta appeared to be about to offer to come as well, but Jnían and Faroth left too quickly.
"Let them go," Andúin said to Hwesta as he stood to follow. Again, she couldn't help but smile.
"I'm not surprised," Hwesta commented comically.
"Why is that?" I'm pretty sure I have an idea, but you never can really tell," Andúin asked him curiously.
"You're right about that," Hwesta agreed. "Yesterday she showed a particular kind of affection."
"How so?" Andúin questioned with a smirk.
"She touched his lips with hers; I can't remember what you call it."
"A kiss? You saw them kiss? What—"she started, but Hwesta cut in.
"Well, they didn't really 'kiss.' He was barely conscious."
"I suspected as much," Andúin replied. "I'm being attacked while they're 'preoccupied.'"
Faroth and Jnían entered the dim cave side by side. Soon, they entered the main chamber, and this time, being not as rushed, lit the wall torches.
"We should start looking at opposite ends to cover more ground," Jnían stated.
"Yes," Faroth agreed, then faltered a bit, wording his next response in his head carefully before saying, "Jnían, yesterday…did you…" he paused, feeling awkward.
"Did I what?" Jnían questioned sincerely.
"When you were treating my leg…" he again paused.
"What are you speaking of, Faroth?" Jnían repeated.
Then she heard a whisper in her left ear. "I'll show you," Faroth barely breathed. He turned her around, and soon his lips were covering hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he cradled her head with his large hand.
The precious moment was not meant to last, however, for Lhach emerged from the shadows. One of his arms gripped across his chest, the other hung at his side. Jnían and Faroth immediately jumped apart. "My apologies," Lhach stated, his voice a wheeze, "I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
"Where are the rest of your men?" Faroth scorned.
Lhach looked at him seriously. "You may have won the battle, but you haven't won the war. Fools!" He turned and mounted the horse behind him with some difficulty, also hidden by the shadows, and rode past them, coughing heavily.
"Come on, let us keep looking," Jnían stated in the ensuing silence. "He will meet his soldiers again, and they'll be quick on our footsteps."
Faroth and Jnían searched high and low, and finally had some luck. "This wall is hollow," Faroth stated curiously.
"Read the inscription above," Jnían explained. Faroth said the strange words aloud, and the wall opened. "There," she pointed.
"Can you read this?" Faroth questioned with concern as he pulled the bit of dried parchment from the revealed hole.
"Not yet, but I know someone who can. Let us get back to camp." Jnían quickly mounted and Faroth did the same. Hastily they made their way to Jnían and Hwesta.