Jemima brushed her tangled from her face, which had plastered itself across her view during riding away from the orcs. She turned round on the horse's back to face Jemima and signalled for them to slow down from the fast paced trot they were at. She directed her horse, nudging it with her legs and leaning her weight to come alongside to Jemima. Instinctively the horses stopped, so Jemima and Jem could speak. Jem breathed heavily, tired from what seemed hours of continuous galloping through thick wood. Her whole body ached and her heart banged inside her chest, drumming hard from fear of the orc.
"Jem?" Where are we?" Jemima asked, unsure and slightly delirious. "Are the others here? Are the orcs gone?"
"The orcs are gone, but so are the others, we are alone." Jemima said, wavering.
"Oh god, what is happening," Jem muttered, hope fading.
"Shall we call for Legolas?" Jem said.
"No! No, all sorts of creatures live in these woods, they will all hear us, I bet there watching us right now." Jemima said warily, looking around her into the bushes, scouring her surroundings for glowing eyes, or bared teeth.
"Oh, we are utterly in for it, this is so stupid, we are in the middle of these woods, alone." Jemima said.
"Come on, we should set up a camp, for the night. We can't keep wandering, there are no orcs here, i'd say this is ok." Said Jemima pointing vaguely around where they stood.
She dismounted and Jem followed her, planting her feet firmly on the ground. The horses sensed they were stopping here and started to graze.
They were situated in a woodland clearing, trees of oak and sycamore sending leaves to carpet the ground. The sun was starting to fade above the canopy and it was already shadowy beneath the trees. Shapes and figures seemed to dance around them, maybe it was Jem's eyes playing tricks on her, but she seemed wary and scared of something out there. In all the books of LOTR and The Hobbit it described so vividly the way the orcs slashed down countless numbers of innocent humans. It also referred to other creatures, darker and mysterious. Her hands shook subtly by her sides as she watched Jemima busying herself, with twigs and sticks. Jemima bent and gathered some leaves, making a pile at the base of a large tree, with a small hollow, giving them safety for the night.
"Oh God its dark." Exclaimed Jem looking up, she went to help Jemima.
"I know," Jemima said, thinking of how weird this place was compared to back home where she had her own warm bed and electricity, and much luxury, phones, television but she wasn't complaining. Middle Earth was the coolest place ever, in her opinion, and she was so utterly excited. Jemima quite forgot about the terrible peril they were both in, and where Anna and Harriet were. She seemed to remember Harriet following Legolas, swerving off the path in the opposite direction to them. She knew Harriet would be fine, but as for Anna, she hadn't seen where she had gone, but something told her the orcs had not found her.
Jem stood, and went to where the horses grazed, whinnying gently. She could tell they were not at ease, something disturbed them. Seeing their discomfort it put her on edge, her senses sharpened and instincts told her to stay away from the shadow surrounding them. One thought which had been on her mind a lot was of Fili, her favourite character from middle earth. She found him 'handsome' and ever so slightly 'sexy'. Upon thinking of him again she decided that actually, he was very sexy. She hoped they might meet. She thought of mentioning the prospect of meeting him to Jemima but thought not, the mood was too solemn and tense to laugh about it. Night came about them like a heavy, empowering blanket of darkness.
Jemima crawled into the hollow, pulling her cloak around her, and Jem followed her inside leaving the horses outside. It smelt strongly of damp wood and leaves, but it was comfortable and sheltered. They were lucky to of found such a convenient little place, it offered protection from whatever lurked outside. Jemima curled up, Jem next to her, and they fell into the deep rhythm of sleep, lying on a mattress of moss and leaves.
Jem woke with a start; it was still night and the pale moon shone dimly outside. Her face was damp with sweat, and she found her limbs limp and frozen, shaking from the cold and subconscious fear. Some strange, strangled cry echoed from the darkness, sending her cowering deeper into the leaves. She pulled the elvish cloak tighter round her and shivered. I t was silent, except for the quiet rustle of branches in the gentle wind. She sank back and from shutting her eyes, rapidly fell back into sleep.
Weak sun rays danced onto the shut eyelids of Jem and Jemima waking them up to the foggy hazed morning. Jem nudged Jemima, and she stirred, exhaling. Looking out of the hollow she could see the thick carpet of hanging fog moving slowly across the ground in rippling waves. Jemima stepped outside cautiously, peering into the mist. As she expected the horses had left, but still her heart sank. She had enjoyed their company but she knew they were wild, and not bound to anyone but Legolas, and he was not here. She had no idea where anyone was.