A/N: Alright. Last time we were together Arnen and Legolas got into a colossal argument but everything fell back into order in the end. On we go…
Wargs!
January 13, 3019 T.A.
In the early hours of the day they heard howling on the air. Wargs were tracking them; an attack started only half an hour later. They were everywhere, hideous creatures with ragged grey hair and bulking bodies. Their mouths were foaming; their fangs were like daggers.
Arnen was sleeping when they came. When she finally remembered who she was and figured out why Boromir was dragging her to her feet, the woman jumped into action. Drawing sword from scabbard she ran to join the fight. The wolves were bigger close up…much bigger. Arnen was forced to duck and fall back as the warg's giant paws swiped at her. Its gaping mouth tried to snap close around her neck more times than the ranger-woman felt comfortable. She could smell its breath, stinking of putrid flesh and piss.
It was hard for her to get her sword into the creature at all, let alone breathe. But finally the animal left an opening. She plunged the blade into its shoulder and through its heart causing black blood to splatter her face. Pulling the steel out quickly, Arnen hurried to the next warg and decapitated it with one fell swoop. When she looked up from the carcass Arnen did not have enough time to react when another warg leaped atop her.
She could feel herself bruise from the force of coming in contact with the ground. Taking a dagger from her hip she plunged the weapon into the beast's eye. Yelping, it fell to its side. Arnen tried to leap up only to collapse in lightheadedness. Yet another warg caught sight of her and ran to take advantage of weakened prey. Seeing the creature Arnen threw all caution to the wind and finally used her greatest weapon.
The hobbits stood back to back about a fire that blazed to reveal the enemy. Frodo noticed that Sting glowed light blue which confused him for he did not see any orcs, but they had to be there for the crafts of the Elves were never wrong. Seeing this he trembled, hoping that his faith in Gandalf's abilities would not be disappointed. The wizard grabbed a burning branch and cry, "Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngauhoth!"
At the same time he heard another voice yell, "Nao naur!"
Frodo turned in time to see a warg burst into flames before Arnen and become a pile of ashes within seconds. The hobbit's eyes bulged and he dropped his sword. Just then, the trees about the top of the hill burst into flame, yielding to Gandalf's command. The wargs fled the hilltop.
"That was an eye-opener, and no mistake! Nearly singed the hair off of my head!" Sam said in half-awe and half-relief.
"Mr. Frodo?" he asked, picking up his master's sword. "Are ya' feeling fine? Ya' lookin' a tad pale."
Frodo Baggins shook himself off and smiled wearily at Sam. He was not sure if what he saw was a part of Gandalf's spell, or if Arnen did it. In his questions a memory came to him that only did when he saw Strider's sister in moonlight.
November 17, 3017 T.A.
Stars winked in the night sky. A night owl hooted from the branches overhead. Frodo walked deep in concentration, his only light being the harvest moon's silver rays. Few wondered down the path he now traveled, and no one ever did so at night. But he was already considered odd; it would not do his reputation much harm if he decided to take a walk.
He could not sleep. His dreams were riddled with vague shapes and murky places. Frodo knew there was something to them, but the answer was just beyond his reach. It was teasing him and taunting him, pulling him from his bed. This was the fourth night in a row that he wandered with his walking stick and grey cape. The hood kept the cold night air from his ears.
Unexpectedly, Frodo heard a soft voice coming to him through the trees. The hobbit was drawn to the sound. One step after another led him off of the path and to a clearing where he saw a figure draped in shadow. From its hands shone a pure white light; it looked as if it held a star. Frodo's eyes widened in wonder, then, he stepped on a twig.
The figure's head jerked up from it hands and he could see that its eyes were glowing. A high pitched ringing pierced the air. Frodo covered his ears to block out the terrible sound. The black shape suddenly dropped the light from its hands and threw itself upon Frodo. He struggled to wriggle away until he heard a small explosion. The person stood after a few moments and tucked Frodo underneath his arm.
He would have kicked, he would have screamed, but there was something about the stranger that made him stay quiet. He seemed to know where he was going, whoever he was, and Frodo found that he was soon set down on the path. Looking up at the hooded being he just stared at him. His eyes were glowing. Literally, his eyes were radiating a soft light. Frodo could not utter a word of thanks before the figure turned to leave.
Now that Frodo thought back he wondered, was it Arnen's voice that he heard that night? Was Arnen the stranger with the light in her palms? Was it Arnen tonight that caused that warg to burst into flame? And if it was, who else saw, who else knew?
"Frodo," Strider said, "We have to start out."
His mind would just have to be at rest. The answers to his questions would come at another time. He would simply ask Gandalf the next time they stopped to rest.
"We forgot the sausages!"
"Shut it, Pip! Less talking, more running," yelled Merry.
"Maybe it will fill one of 'em up a bit so that it won't go gnawing on you, laddie," laughed a huffing Gimli. He was so ecstatic on the fact that he would soon be in the halls of Moria that the chase was trivial to him. The rest wished they could feel the same.
Arnen winced with every step. She was more relieved than the hobbits once Gandalf said they had almost reached Moria. When they stopped for a quick meal she gingerly sat down. Upon trying to lying against her bag while eating she cried out in pain. Legolas, who was in a conversation with Gimli, quickly jumped up and went to her side. Arnen pushed the elf away when he knelt down to help her up. Unfortunately, this triggered more searing pain in her back and she flopped onto her bag. Of course, she only received a heightened amount of hurting. Arnen moaned.
"You are pathetic and stubborn," Legolas laughed. "Now, allow me to help you."
"I do not need any, ohhhhh," she moaned again.
"You were saying?"
The woman cut her eyes at him. "Just get me up, elf."
Legolas avoided touching her back and shoulders as he helped her stand up. Even though she tried to refuse it, he had her take his arm and he led the way to Aragorn. The ranger's face was still streaked with blood and his ebony hair stuck to his face from the journey-produced sweat. When he saw his sister wincing as she walked, he immediately set aside his food and took her from Legolas so she could sit beside him.
"Where?" he asked simply.
"My back."
Aragorn saw blood on her shirt when she took her cloak off. Thankfully, it was on her lower back, which would save him time and embarrassment.
"Lie on your stomach."
When he lifted her shirt just enough to get to the wound, he grimaced. It was not bad, but it was more than what he ever wanted to see his little sister have.
"I know you do not like that I have it, but I am here so it cannot be helped. Just cleanse it and wrap me up so we can be on our way."
Aragorn smiled. They knew one another too well. Taking the last of his food, he stuck it underneath her nose and gave her his fork. Wrapping her up, his grey orbs twinkled with mirth as he watched the woman eat it hungrily.
"You have to stop sneaking the hobbits your food when they are not looking, nethig, if you want to live long enough to get to Lothlórien. I swear to you this: Pippin will live if you do not give him any of your food. He does not need that much to eat."
"I just feel bad for them. They are not used to all this. You do not have to say it," she stopped him as he opened his mouth to say something. "I know that they are a hardy bunch and can adapt well. You have told me that enough times that it will never leave me."
"Promise me, Arnen, that you will stop doing this."
"Very well, but you will be the one to deal with my comments of how miserable they look for not eating more."
"I agree. Alright, you can sit up now. How did this happen?"
"A warg jumped on top of me."
"Next time," Aragorn said as the Fellowship began to walk, "do not answer a question you know I do not want to hear the answer to."
Arnen laughed at her brother's uneasiness.