Stalking the Fellowship
Chapter Thirty Six: Promises
"Er, why are you in a bush?" Questioned Mo half annoyed at being spied on and half amused at the state of Fran's hair, entangled with twigs, leaves and other tree debris.
"Er," Fran mumbled, "Why are YOU with a man?"
"An elf! He's an elf!" Maddy sprang up from the same bush Fran stood in.
"He's male so he's a man," defended Fran.
"Or he's male so he's an elf, and not an elleth."
"Whatever Madeleine, that is not the issue here. What is Mo doing so close to a male," Fran turned to Maddy, a smug smile wrapped across her face, "without attacking him?"
"Mo hasn't got any friends left, so Mo is forced to make new ones." Mo interrupted as she dislodged herself from under Elladan's arm to sit up straight.
"But we are your friends," Maddy whimpered.
"Really! Well you haven't been acting much like it lately." Mo screeched.
"We didn't intend on hurting your feelings."
"You are always singling me out and making me the slave driver!"
"THAT'S NOT TRUE! Well…" thought Fran, "maybe sometimes, but you like being bossy, don't you?"
"What I would like is for the whole of Middle Earth to not be threatened by the mere mention of my name, and for my friends to stop trying to pair me up with men I'm not remotely interested in, in the slightest."
"There's no need to exaggerate Mo, the whole of Middle Earth isn't afraid of you, just the whole Fellowship and the walking dead, who seem to be avoiding you as well."
"Shut up Madeleine!" Although they could be pretty childish at times, Mo knew she had true friends in Maddy and Fran, even if she wouldn't dare give them the satisfaction of knowing this.
"May I point out that I myself have neither avoided or deserted Mo, showing both my loyalty and friendship." Elladan smoothly criticised the way Mo had been made a joke of that day.
"If you so desire I could show you where to stick your point, but fortunately for you, you're leaving us now." Fran gripped Elladan by the arm and led the offended elf from the area the girls occupied. Elladan decided not to resist in any form, he knew when and where he wasn't wanted.
"Who said I was done talking with him?" Mo directed her question straight at Fran, who had realised it was pretty difficult holding n elf by the upper arm when they were so tall.
"I said," Fran said smartly, "I also say that we've been concentrating on everything but the inevitable conclusion for a while now. Real soon we'll be in the middle of a battle field and no matter what the guys here have been promising," Fran continued remembering Elladan's promise to Mo, "I think we should find the nearest pile of rocks and hide behind them screaming like a bunch of nancy boys."
"I agree completely." Maddy had a positive judgement to pass from her lips for a change.
"No one is gonna play the hero, if that's what you're worried about Fran. I have no intention of dying young." Mo stood, grabbed Maddy and Fran by the hands and pulled them nearer to her. "Let's make our own promise. We promise to get through this in one piece, ok?"
Maddy grimaced at the thought of her friends getting hurt, or Legolas, God forbid!
"We can't predict the future. But we can try our damned hardest to stay safe and together. Agreed?" Mo looked from Fran to Maddy and then back again.
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
Mo linked arms with both of the girls, one on either side, and all three returned to camp, happy for their reunion but equally fearful of the battle they faced.
A/n A short and yet serious chapter. It should be longer but there was no way to break the chapter evenly as the next one is on the funny side!
Thanks to Fk306animelover (you're always first to review!), shadow08 (I feel I should run in fear…with Legolas at my side of course!), Lady Keshanna of the Night, LadyGlory (Why is everyone talking about penguins?), Bunny of Despair (you may have Elrohir, for now anyway) and Fae Black.
Sorry about not having proper review responses but I don't really have the time tonight. I was too busy watching the cricket. ENGLAND WON! Well, nice to see I got that out of my system.
PiXiE