46 Years ago...

I crouched down to the forest floor below me silently. I placed my hand on the damp mud and felt the vibrations under my fingertips. In my head I felt like I was running, so fast I reached the thing I was searching for in seconds.

"How many?" Glorfindel's voice spoke beside me.

I ran my hand to the left slightly, picking up more vibrations. In my head I pictured myself weaving in and out of Orcs, frozen in place. I counted them, their weapons and supplies. They were not far off and getting closer. Just as I predicted.

"Twenty," I murmured darkly, removing my hand from the ground and standing.

"Most of them have swords but I counted five who had bows." I finished.

"Alright, well done Shyra," Glorfindel said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Does everyone understand the plan?" Elrohir asked amongst the other six Elves that were with us.

"I have a question," Elladan asked suddenly, I heard the other Elves sigh in annoyance.

"Yes?" Glorfindel asked.

"Is the hole necessary?" he asked, I could feel them all looking at the large hole I had dug myself as a trap. I tilted my head toward Elladan.

"That hole took me four hours to dig and two hours to put the spears in. Yes, it's necessary if you stick to the plan." I remarked, I could hear Elrohir chuckle a little.

"Come on Badger, we need to take cover before the Orcs come," Elrohir said, we swiftly went to the trees at our left and the Elves climbed them as fast and as silent as cats. I climbed the same tree as Glorfindel and we waited in the branches for our targets to approach.

I listened to the sound of the Orc's marching coming closer. I placed my hands on the hilts of my swords at my side. I was given two elven swords, as light as feathers and sharp as a dragon's fang. They had a slight curve to their blades and special elvish writing on the flat side. My right sword represented the moon and along the blade was as followed:

The Moon shines brightest in the dark.

Ithilwen, was its name. The other sword at my left represented the sun with this transcript:

The Sun guides the lost home.

Anarial, they were my eyes. My guides.

There was a sudden snap and then screams of pain and shock. Arrows flew and swords clashed. I was in the midst of the battle between the group of Orcs that didn't fall into the trap. I used all the remaining senses I had left to fight the advancing Orcs. I sensed an Orc raised his sword up high in the air behind me and I whipped around with Anarial, slicing the Orc almost in half. I felt the blood spray from his detached body onto myself. I shifted my feet against the blood-stained ground and sensed another Orc charging me. I brought up both my swords, making an X shape with them before the Orc brought down their sword. I blocked its attack with a firm hold. The Orc was stronger than me but I was quicker. I kicked the Orc hard in the gut and heard it howl in pain. I shoved the Orc back with my swords and broke the X, I was making with them. I then twirled Ithilwen's hilt in my hand and drilled it in the Orc's chest. I ripped my sword out as soon as I drove the blade into the Orc. I turned to my left at the sound of an Elf struggling with an Orc. I charged and in seconds the Orc didn't have a head.

The Earth will be your guide. Trust in the soil, the dirt, the rocks, the trees and you will see the world around you… Galadriel's voice spoke softly in my head.

The battle was over as soon as it began. When the sound of the last Orc gasping breaths died away I lowered my swords slowly. I listened for any sounds of struggle, death, or anything of that sort.

"You can relax now Badger, we won," Elladan told me, I tilted my head over my shoulder toward the sound of his voice and nodded. I sheathed my swords at my sides, still listening intently.

"I was wrong about that hole of yours. It caught fifteen of them and killed thirteen of them. That was a good idea." Elladan said, I smiled as I stepped over the bodies of the Orcs we had just killed.

"My father taught me that one. He got it from the goblins in the Misty Mountains, they set traps out like these for us and my father witnessed someone fall into one which gave him the idea." I replied, as I knelt down beside a corpse and began to drag the body to the hole I dug.

We buried the bodies and then rode back to Rivendell. I finally relaxed when I was on Weasel's back and thinking about the food that was waiting for us at home. I heard Glorfindel's horse approach with its bells jingling as he rode up beside me.

"Your tracking abilities are improving," he said, I smiled as a reply.

I had been training under him for a year now and it felt like it had only been a month. The Elf brothers gave me the nickname Badger, due to my fierce stubbornness and my short stature. While I declared them my new brothers. They, with their immature nature, made me feel like I was still thirteen, living in the mountains, wrestling with Freyr and father. Glorfindel kinda took me under his wing and was like a father figure to me. He was gentle but stern with a big heart and a soothing voice. He would pat my head when I brought back wild game for supper and would always give good advice. No, he wasn't my father but I knew he was trying to fill the void that my father left behind. As much as he could annoy me at times, I accepted him and grew to like him.

When we got back to Rivendell I was greeted with delicious food and wine. The wine was amazing, the best I have ever tasted and many Elves were getting drunk off of it. The dining hall was filled with laughter and singing while I was at the balcony drinking to my heart's content. I always felt like an outcast to them. Mostly because of the whispers I overhear when I walk by some Elves. They say that I'm reckless and crood. I mean their right, can't deny that.

I placed my wine glass down beside me on the railing when it was empty. I felt the cool night air brush against my face and into my hair. I sighed before reaching up and grabbing the blindfold on my face. I pulled the loose knot at the back of my head free and held the blindfold in my hand.

"Is that your trademark?" A familiar voice spoke behind me, I tilted my head slightly toward the sound footsteps coming up to my side.

"I suppose…" I replied, feeling the looming presence beside me. Glorfindel was very tall compared to me.

"Are you tired of the wine?" Glorfindel asked, I shook my head and sighed.

"No, I just...don't feel comfortable here, you know," I replied softly, I felt Glorfindel shift on the railing and press his back to it.

"How so?" he asked gently.

"It's just...I don't belong here." I said, Glorfindel was silent for a long moment. In his silence, I listened to the trees gently sway in the night breeze.

"What makes you think you do not belong here?" Glorfindel asked quietly.

"Not many of the Elves like me and I'm a hassle to deal with and I don't want to hear your protests that say otherwise," I said stubbornly, Glorfindel took a sip of his wine before replying.

"Where will you go if you leave?" he asked, I shrugged.

"I don't know, I might go off somewhere into the mountains, maybe I'll become a merchant or something. Farmer maybe?" Glorfindel suddenly chuckled.

"You, farming? When you farm that will be the end of Sauron's treachery," he said, I smiled a little bit.

"I don't know, maybe a scout?" I finished, I was good at tracking.

"Very well." he said, I tilted my head toward him in confusion, "We could always need a good scout for us. You would be perfect for the job I think," he said proudly.

"Really?" I asked, surprised at his comment.

"Yes, why would I lie?"