Ok, its been so long I almost forgot about it...thats bad! Sorry, I had so much stuff to do...but I've been done with school for almost a month now...I'm now a sophmore in college, and I made the dean's list. My bf is London...he's been there for 22 days already...he's coming home nine more...can't wait...the two of us are, to quote the Scorpion King..."tighter than a crab's buttocks"...I love that line. He's my best friend and the man I hope to marry, so understand that i've been having some difficulty doing much of anything, especially writing...mostly beacuse of him being gone and because i got a full time job a Hershey Chocolate Factory during the night and I sleep during the day. So, without further ado...I don't own Lord of the Rings...here's chapter two!

Rangers; it's a Way of Life

"Careful, we don't want to tear that cut back open." Thalion and Beinion laid the man down on the ground slowly and stepped away to let Hérion see. "This needs cleaning, the one on his head too. Some water Beinion, and you may rest, your watch is over. Thalion, if you don't mind, I could use another pair of hands and with your skill in healing…"

"Sir, my services are always available to those who need them."

"Pleased to hear so, help me remove his shirt." Taking off the man's shirt revealed the cut fully; swollen and an angry red, shadowed by his ribs that jutted out in his frail half-starved frame. "Orcs indeed, he needs some food in him."

"Nothing is broken, however there is a cut on his leg that needs immediate attention, otherwise he may lose it or worse." Thalion cut away the leg of the pants, revealing a deep cut almost a half a foot long that was heavily infected.

"Gods, how did he walk?" Thalion shook his head.

"If the ones who caused this were running behind me, I would have kept going too, until my heart burst from my chest. Being taken would be worse, so much worse."

Thalion shuddered at the thought of his captain's words. No need to be dwelling on that! He heard footsteps approaching and saw Beinion returning with the water. Hérion rose and bid him goodnight and saw, as he stood, Veryan and Sadron returning to camp. Placing the water on the ground, he excused himself to greet them.

"Back so soon? How are our orc friends doing?"

"Wishing they had stayed in Mordor." Veryan cracked a smile. Hérion threw back his head and laughed, having needed a break from the seriousness of the situation.

"Is the arm ok?" Trust Hérion to spot that right away.

"Fine sir." Veryan stiffened at the mention of it.

"Are you quite certain?" He gazed at it worriedly.

"Oh you know Veryan," Sadron clapped him on the back, "his horse could fall on him and he would say it was just a bruise…oh now wait a minute…that did happen." The three of the shared a half hearted laugh.

"Have that looked at, it may be poisoned. Your watch starts in ten minutes. Gentlemen." And he was gone again. Poor captain, he never got rest.

"How is he?" Hérion knelt back down beside the strange man.

"He burns. His leg needs to be seen to; he won't survive the night if it isn't." Hérion looked at Thalion; he knew what had to be done.

"I'll stoke the fire. Pass me your blade."

Moments later, he came back, the fire only feet away, with the blade freshly cleaned in the flames, the fire now burning brightly and warmly.

"Are you ready to do this?" he asked Thalion as he raised the blade. Before he could answer, they heard a noise. Glancing down, they saw two scared eyes looking up at them.

"No more…..please. Just kill me…..like the others…" they could barely discern anything he said.

"Lad, Strider, calm down. Easy. We are going to help you." Hérion nodded to Thalion who lowered his blade, pressing it into the man's swollen leg, opening the wound to clean it.

"No….Eru, no…!"

"Quickly now, while he is fainted." They had barely begun; it would be a long night.

"Hold him down, he may yet move while he is out, this doesn't feel too pretty." Thalion fetched an iron from the coals.

The man's shoulder's strained against him at first, but he then went limp and sank into the ground. Hérion felt his pulse, still there, that was a good sign. "He's still got a long way to go."

Hérion dropped the cloth back into the bowl of water, having finished washing the sweat and dried blood off the man's face. Sighing, he stood and went to talk to Veryan and Sadron, whose watch was just ending.

"Quiet night now huh?"

"Not so much as an owl hoot. The stink of dead orcs must have gotten round."

"I thought I told you to have your arm seen to." Hérion saw Veryan wince as he tried to carry his arm naturally.

"I had my watch sir; I thought that more important, with all the activity there had been." He spoke clearly but there was a slight wavering in his voice and the man had started to go pale.

"And rightly so, however I told you to have it looked at. We don't need you out, you're already fighting down a fever, don't look at me that way, I know that you've been trying to hide this recent sickness from me. Next time," he added lightly, "do as I say." And he turned to check back on Thalion.

"Sir…" Veryan cried out weakly. Hérion turned and was quick to put out his arms, catching Veryan as he fell forward. "Think I'll listen next time." He whispered as he slumped forward in Hérion's arms, taking a moment to catch his breath.

Hérion shook his head as he helped Veryan to his bedroll. Probably the only tainted blade the orcs had with them, and he had to find it. Veryan collapsed on his blanket and shivered in the cool night air. Hérion brushed the sweaty hair out of his face and looked in his eyes, sighing as he did.

"Sir," he looked up to Sadron standing next to him. "I'll look after him; he'll be fine by morning. Nothing kills our beast, right?" He joked in light of the situation.

"Right you are, I'm sure he will be just fine…..some night we're having…."

"Sir!" Thalion came running and shouting. "Sir!"

"What is it?"

"The wanderer, Strider, he's violently sick sir!" Hérion took off running muttering something about never getting sleep before he dies.

Hérion knelt down beside the man, panting slightly from his brisk run and held the man up, Thalion keeping his long, unruly hair out of the way as the man retched. Strider's chest heaved as they tried to lie him back down, but to no avail as the man started to get sick again. They helped him back on his side but the man collapsed from the effort and would have pitched headlong into the bowl containing his filth had Hérion not caught him.

It was about the sixth time he had vomited when Strider's stomach decided there was absolutely nothing left to force back up. They laid him back down and found, much to their surprise, two tired eyes staring wearily back up at them.

"Thank you…than…you saved my…my life." he forced out through parched lips.

"Thalion, some water." Hérion turned his attention back to the young man. "A man's life is worth saving, don't you think?"

"Only if it…can be…saved…….sir." the man closed his eyes and rested his head in its side.

Thalion came back at this moment and Hérion looked up, not expecting him so soon.

"Veryan offered me his water skin." He said in reply to the questioning look in his commander's eyes.

He shook his head and took the skin, helping the man to sit up and take a drink. The man coughed as he choked on it and Hérion saw a dark liquid spurt out of his mouth and dribble down his chin. "Veryan offered you his water skin you say?" he looked at the dark red substance now residing on Strider's face. "Tell me, since when is wine considered to be water? Only Veryan." He handed the skin back. "Go get me water this time." He then proceeded to clean up the mess that had been made with the said wine.

Thalion returned a few minutes later, this time with water. Again Hérion aided the man, holding the skin to his lips and gently tilting it back. He allowed a small sip then pulled the skin away but he found that the man had grabbed his wrist, his eyes pleading with him.

"Please, more."

This time Hérion allowed him to drink his fill; almost the whole skin, before pulling away. Strider blinked his eyes wearily and tried to speak again.

"Thank you…"

"Don't thank me, rest. You could use it." He watched as the man's eyes drifted shut against his will and sat by his side as the man slept. After an hour he decided the man was stable enough and he called a fellow ranger over to stand guard while he got some sleep.