Note: Anything else other then the poem in italics (other then the poem) is something she's thinking.

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Thanks Hermonine and Hope and Love for the alerts.
And lastly for Kitza, Southern Gaelic and Hermonine again for your encouraging/ constructive reviews:) you guys rock my socks off.

Chapter Three

Dasha slowed to a walk and looked back over her shoulder. There was no wolf in sight.

It was dusk. The sun was setting on the far side of the forest casting long cold shadows in her direction. She wheeled away and trotted into the sun, scolding herself for spooking at a shadow, blaming her nerves on her new horsy instincts.

But the forest was doing strange things. It was as though it was murmuring from tree to tree. At first Dasha thought it must have been the leaves rustling, but there was little wind, not enough to disturb the massive golden branches.

For half an hour Dasha stirred restlessly unable to graze because constricting her neck would tighten the skin on her back which already ached terribly from the wounds the wolf had inflicted; and unable to doze because of the forest eerily murmuring a foreign language she couldn't distinguish.

It was as the sun had nearly disappeared on the horizon and a blue glow had descended making Dasha began to feel terribly lonely - and terribly frightened for that matter. Her mind began playing tricks – she always had watched too many horror movies, but instead of the usual killer creeping around it was the wolf that made her wish to flee for her life.

The forest wasn't doing anything to help the situation either. It continued to whisper and murmur and in her petrified state Dasha became horribly alert to every sound. It was dark now, but she could just make out the trees and it was then she really began to hear every detail as well as the trees whisperings.

Further, further, further in!

Enchanted one come follow

We will take you to meet the Lady

Who tells of love and sorrow.

Oh yesss, little one there will be pain

You three bring life and death

Three different paths you will take

And one your last breath.

Light returns and we're yet to sleep

Farewell now. Go hither

The Lady of the Wood is who you seek

We're leading you now. Further! Further!

When Dasha finally came to her senses she was well inside the forest with the outside world just in her sight.

It hit her suddenly. Three of them? There were three? It might be Tom and Rachel. No one else had been in the house when she had come to this place….

Lady of the Wood!

WHAT?

Lord of the Rings?

The Lady of the Wood was from Lord of the Rings.

Suddenly Dasha wished the first time she had watched the movies and had paid more attention, then she could be sure.

There were two ways she could go. Forward, into the forest to meet this Lady of the Wood as the trees had told her. If the wood had even spoken that is.

Or she could go back and wait in the prairie for something to happen. She turned back to the prairie.

Damn you and your effed up nerves Dasha. Why can't you go and do something exciting for once? Aren't you sick of the square you live in?

While Dasha's conscience admonished her, she was so pleased with herself that she attempted a trot and was replied with stiff muscles and an agonizing tug at her wounded rump. Taken back she miserably waddled back to the prairie, stunned to see it was already early morning.

What a messed up world.

She wanted to cry in confusion and anger, but tears don't come easy for a horse, and she instead settled with squealing and taking her anger out on a small shrub.

A small hobbit was very pleased with himself. After three days of this wood it seemed his group was entranced. With what exactly he didn't know - it was driving him mad but he had something that might wake them up and get them back to their usual selves.

He tottered back as fast as his stubby little legs would take him to where a fellowship of unusual characters sat about dreamily.

"I overheard some sentries talking today," no one paid him any attention but, unfazed, he continued animatedly, pausing for effect here and there.

"They've seen a massive wolf, twice the size as usual wondering around the edges of the forest. They wanted to kill it because it has been stalking a lone mare who the sentries recon it is one of the Mearas. The lady Galadriel has denied them the permission to kill the wolf." All eyes were on him now and he wanted to continue but there was nothing else to say.

There was a long pause.

"Did they say exactly where they saw these creatures?" That was the elf, watching him intently and, for once, he seemed a little impatient.

Hope you enjoyed it people. I will lengthen my chapters from now on. Review!