Chapter Six

Dasha wanted Rachel.

She would have put this woman in her place quick-smart.

Who was she to tell her she was to join the fellowship? No way.

Dasha had seen the types of things they had faced. Sure, they had looked pretty frightening when you're at home on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in your arms, but here? The reality of being in Middle-earth had hit her like a ten ton horned bull with an anger management problem. The thought of seeing Uri-kai, Orcs or other beasts had Dasha wanting to follow her instincts and take flight. Run as far away as possible. And who knew? If she ran herself into oblivion she might wake up and find herself where she had been a week ago – back in Rachel's lounge room with Tom's body against her human form.

That was the dream result, but she had a feeling she couldn't just run back to sweet sweet planet earth.

As much as Dasha wanted to put this woman in her place she had neither the guts, the cheek or the voice to do so.

"Shall I take her back, Lady?"

Dasha spooked at the voice and flung her body around to face the male.

A human! An earth human! A good-looking earth human!

The only reason she thought this was because his dark hair was cropped close to his head. Didn't all males from Middle-earth have longish hair?

After a moment longer Dasha felt her stomach sink. No, she was wrong. After all, who on the face of planet earth under the age 40 said 'shall'?

He was attractive though, tall and well built with heavy brows and small dark eyes. He turned his head slightly and Dasha noticed the ears – perfectly normal, not abnormally pointed.

It never occurred to her that a human at home in an elven city was unusual.

Galadriel must have nodded because Dash sensed her move away and a moment later.

"Come now," he gestured.

Dasha moved slowly after the male and he led her from the clearing and moved between the trees. She could sense his discomfort and hesitation.

The trees around them stretched unbelievably high, like they were reaching for the sky and as they moved further in, the sturdier and greater the trees grew. They seemed to demand respect for just how magnificent and ancient they seemed to be.

The perfect shape they held was so admirable and it seemed they had all been sculpted by Perfection herself. The light was different as well, Dasha knew from experience that at dusk blue descended – but now, in the heat of day everything seemed to be touched in gold.

Dasha laid eyes on the city for the second that day. But they had approached it from a different angle this time and Dasha could see its splendor.

She eyed the stairs that wound themselves up the trunks of the golden trees apprehensively. Dasha had never had to move such a heavy bulk of a body and four legs up a winding staircase before.

But thankfully no-name veered away from the staircases and headed towards a fairly spacious looking high roofed house with only three walls and a royal blue curtain completely covering the fourth side. The human pulled one side of the curtain aside and hooked it onto a latch.

Had the room once been a stable there would have been enough for to stall four horses. But there were no signs that this room accommodated a horse. She was thankful for the fact that the room wasn't decked out with hay bedding, a water trough and a wooden gate with a latch to enclose her in – had there been she would have found it hard not to be offended. Instead there was an intricately woven carpet on the floor with a pile of cushions in one corner of the room.

"There is a stream not twenty meters from here, too which I am sure you will be able to find your way quite easily. Alongside its bank is plenty of grass and there is hay around the back of the house should you need it."

Dasha watched him as he spoke. He seemed embarrassed – after all talking to an animal and acting as its guide was an odd task and one that seemed to be damaging his pride. She bobbed her head twice in acknowledgement.

"Your wolf is being held on the outskirts of the city – you are free to visit him. Thank-you lady Dasha."

He turned and left, leaving Dasha wondering how she could be left here with no way of communicating in a supernatural world she knew nothing about.

No-name had been right about one thing. Tom was being held on the outskirts of the city. She found him a full hour and a half after she began looking. Dasha found him with his head on his paws as he lay at the door of a little house much like her own. She knew immediately that he wasn't happy.

Dasha had owned a big German Shepard called Marshall from puppy-hood. During this time Dasha had come to recognize when Marshall was or was not happy. His eyes and reaction to her presence were a dead give away. If he hadn't been fed or his arthritis was hurting him he wouldn't pounce on her when she entered the room - instead he would remain completely still and look up at her with very sad eyes, which only looked more heart-wretching when his little eyebrows twitched and accentuated an already very worried unhappy but adorable face.

Tom reminded her of Marshall at that very moment and she struggled to keep down a laugh which would have no doubt made Tom grumpier.

He glanced up at her as she approached, then – after looking decided uninterested – rested his head back on his paws but tilted away so she couldn't see his face.

Tom?

He didn't answer. She moved a little further forward and nudged his furry cheek with her nose. She threw up her head and snorted as she heard a deep growl in reply. That wasn't like him at all.

Tom, I want to tell you about Galadriel.

Tom's head whipped around to face her, revealing a mouthful of bared teeth. He snarled and his eyes glittered with a slightly demonic gleam.

Dasha stood glued to the spot in shock at his reaction. He had let his animal instinct control his emotion reaction she realized. The wolf that had reminded her of her gentle Marshall just moments ago now reminded her of a very dangerous very unpredictable wild animal.

Damn you Galadriel.

Dasha turned and moved quietly away.

Thank you to those that reviewed, alerted and favourited (that's not a word, is it?). Just remember – the more you review the quicker I write and update, because I am an incredibly lazy writer and needa little motivation.

I realise this was a bit of a nothing chapter – things will be a little quicker paced from here. Now review!