A/N: Please read end A/N cause it's got important stuff in it, especially if you really, really want me to write more soon!

~G~A~M~B~L~I~N~G~~W~I~T~H~~D~E~A~T~H~

Chapter 10 (30)

"Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you've never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground."
― Judith Thurman

~G~A~M~B~L~I~N~G~~W~I~T~H~~D~E~A~T~H~

Eomer knelt by the river and gratefully scrubbed his face removing the black orc blood that had splattered over his cheeks and eyes. Killing orcs was a dirty and weary business and the cold of the water was refreshing and invigorating. Tanwen too was washing in the river, her saddle and bridle removed so that she could fully soak. The black, thick orc blood looked slimy and malevolent against her white hair and Eomer waded into the river to help wash her withers down.

Tanwen shivered in delight at the sensation of the Man's hand caressing her muscles, wiping the tension away and the dirt and the vile stench that had clung to her. No matter how many times she bathed sometimes she feared that the stench would stick. That one day Tanwen would wake and find herself drenched and blood and reeking of death and decay and violence. Bringing death was not a good thing for a Mihashira even if it was upon some of the foulest beasts to walk upon the soil and everyday Tanwen fought back the darkness that plucked at her soul, teased at her mind and worried her spirit.

Moments with Eomer always eased the darkness. His touch was strong but gentle. Kind and comforting. Whenever they shared brief moments of calm together Tanwen could rest. Thousands of years with only her sister and some of Middle Earth's stranger creatures, who shied from contact, for company and Tanwen had not found anything to soothe the loneliness and the pain of killing. Even when all of her kind had disappeared and Sauron believed to be defeated Tanwen had made it her mission to destroy anything evil, orcs or other foul beasts. In her many centuries Tanwen had fought alone against the spawn of Ungoliant, the orcs from the Gundabad Mountains stronger and more vicious than their relations that rose from Mordor and against Trolls that came down from the mountains. She had walked amongst the barrows and brushed against the edge of death. Battled against serpents and wyrms and defeated their fiery breath. Sometimes she had allied herself with Men and Elves or Dwarfs. Time spent with the First-Born eased her pain but nothing not even her sister's presence could suppress the evil that slunk at the edges of her soul.

Eventually Tanwen had feared harming her sister. The lure of darkness strong and ever present: in both waking and sleeping moments. Her power had begun to fluctuate wildly. Her fox form giving her power to wield fire, the complete opposite of her sister, became unstable. When she transformed she would have ragged fur and a sinister grin oft adorned her face. Her fox fire went from warm red to crimson tinged with black and sickly orange. Hiding within animal form was her only salvation and Tanwen had journeyed through the lands seeking her salvation. The plains of Rohan had delivered it to her. Whilst running wild with a herd of horses she had met Theodred, Eomer, Eowyn and Theoden.

The King had taken his son, nephew and niece out to see the wild herd. To see that which the people of Rohan loved and protected. The wild horses would roam the plains and hills of Rohan and on Theodred's twelfth birthday Theoden had taken his children to choose Theodred's horse. A wild horse with spirit and strength was suitable for a prince and Brego had served Theodred well. The bay stallion had taken much effort to tame and Tanwen could still recall the look of wonder and joy that had adorned the heir's face when Brego had danced out of his reach repeatedly and demonstrated his strength and bearing.

Theodred had not been the only one to gain a mount that day. Eomer had already passed his twelfth birthday a couple of years before but had not been to choose his mount as his father had been killed mere days before Eomer's birthday. But Eomer had not been given a choice in his mount like his cousin had. The moment Eomer had come into Tanwen's sight she knew he was her fated one. The one for whom her soul was destined. Tanwen had broken away from the herd in that moment and pranced before the young lord. Looking back on their first meeting she had behaved like a coquettish mare trying to attract a stallion and it often made her blush. Despite her eagerness to be with Eomer she had not made taming her easy.

Eomer had, had to learn to respect Tanwen: she would not be broken or tamed like any wild horse and if the boy had dared to treat her like an animal then he was swiftly reminded of his place most often by being dumped in a muddy patch or in an icy cold river. Once she had even chased him through some boggy ground and then through a chicken coop. The resulting image had caused hilarity for Theodred when his cousin finally returned smelling like old eggs and fish and looking like a large chicken. Tanwen's prancing along beside Eomer had only enhanced the scene and Tanwen snorted fondly at the memory.

Eomer was everything to her now, her loyalty lay with him and to her sister and they were the only beings in Middle Earth who held her trust and devotion. Her twin the other half of her mind and her soul mate: her small light against the dark, a single star on an inky sky that gave her hope.

Despite their long years together however Tanwen had never revealed her true form to Eomer. She feared his reaction and his anger at her deception. The time drew near however and soon she would be free to be herself once more. The Ame-no-Mihashira Amaterasu would be their salvation and she and her sister would walk the soil once more in all their forms.

In all her musings Tanwen had not noticed Eomer's concerned mutterings and questing hands as he searched her for injuries. The Man's hands hit her ticklish spot and she whickered and shifted away from him whinnying in surprise. Her movement sent a great wave of water cresting towards Eomer and the man found himself drenched and sodden his hair hanging lankly around his face and droplets falling from his beard. He parted the curtain of his hair and frowned out at Tanwen.

She arched her neck challengingly before neighing her amusement and lunging at Eomer trying to send him onto his backside in the water. He dodged and crouching down scooped water and flung it at Tanwen. The pair danced and frolicked in the water much to the amusement of the soldiers under Eomer's command. It was not often that their stern, strong but fair commander forgot his burdens and desire to protect his people but when he did it was mostly around Tanwen.

Finally Tanwen slipped in the stream and went rolling over on her back only to lie on her side and look up at Eomer bewildered. The Man tipped his head back and let out a full bellied and startled laugh. Rarely did Man best horse and the times he did she always looked so surprised.

Tanwen smiled to herself when Eomer let go of his worries and played with her. His burdens eased and her heart felt lighter for it. Even if she had to embarrass herself or play the fool if it let Eomer laugh and become just a simple Man once more it was worth every cringe-inducing second.

Whickering at him she rose to her feet and tossed her head shaking her mane and sending beads of water cascading through the air to land on the river's surface in a myriad of patterns. She felt clean once more and her sorrows lifted.

"We will make camp here for the rest of the day and tonight. Rest well men and tend to your horses. You have fought well and hard and I will ask you to do so many times until we drive out the filth that wanders our lands. Tonight however we will eat, rest and recover our strength. Erkenbrand!" Eomer called to his second in command. Erkenbrand was Lord of the Westfold and so far it had mainly been his people suffering at the hands of orcs and Wildlings. Despite the rage the man felt at the destruction of his land Erkenbrand was a level-headed soldier and had a head for strategy.

"My Lord?" Erkenbrand said.

"I am not a lord anymore Erkenbrand." Eomer said bemusedly. "You do not have to call me by any title save my name."

"You are my Lord. Just as Theoden is King and Eowyn my Lady. Nothing Wormtongue or Saruman or even Sauron does can change that. What is it you ask of me my Lord?"

"Send some of the men out to hunt. We can have a fire and roasted meat tonight. It will encourage the men and give us the strength to carry on."

Erkenbrand nodded and strode away calling out orders and sending men to catch rabbits, deer or whatever animal they could find. Others gathered wood for fires to cook the meat.

Tanwen trotted up to Eomer and nudged his back. He looked at her questioningly until she turned until her side faced him and looked back over her shoulder at him. Eomer smiled and grabbing a lock of her mane in his left hand he swung himself up and onto her bare back. He had first learnt to ride Tanwen bare back for she would not allow him to saddle her. At first the young Eomer had been angered and infuriated with his stubborn and testing mare but it had put him in good stead later in life.

Eomer could ride bare back and without reins and in any situation he and Tanwen could move as one. Occasionally he had been forced to ride without a saddle and his skill and proficiency in battle had not faltered, in fact sometimes it made him stronger and more cunning.

Now however Tanwen and Eomer would ride and run for sheer freedom. Man and mare connected and liberated.

Tanwen danced on her hooves waiting for Eomer to tap her flanks and when he did she raced away over the grass. Her mane and tail flew in the rush of air that drew tears from Eomer's eyes and burnt his cheeks. Her thundering hooves tore furrows in the soil and plumes of dirt crested and fell in their wake. Eomer spread his arms and let out a whoop of joy at the sensations assailing him, nothing made him feel more alive than riding. Man and horse moved as one: Tanwen knew when Eomer wished her to turn in a certain direction, when to speed up, when to slow and when to jump. In turn Eomer did not force her to obey him and allowed her to lead on occasions. Their shared partnership took them further and further away from the encampment until they were no longer in sight of the men.

Tanwen whinnied in pleasure and leapt over a small ditch. Pleasure coursed through her veins and she revelled in the sensation. Suddenly in the midst of her euphoria fear, hatred and anger pierced her mind and she missed her step.

The white mare went crashing to the ground on her side with a piercing scream flung from her lips. Eomer was thrown from her back and landed hard a short distance away. So violently was his landing that he rolled several times before stopping on his side with his arms tucked in tight to his chest in order to protect his torso.

The Rohan warrior lay winded and shocked for several seconds his mind blank with shock and his body numb from the harsh contact with the unforgiving ground. A second piercing scream rang from Tanwen who still lay on her side.

"Tanwen!" Eomer roared and surged to his feet his sore body forgotten. He stumbled and tripped over to the mare his bruised and battered limbs not obeying him. Tanwen rolled and tried to rise up but was flung back down once more by an invisible source. When Eomer finally reached her side he dropped to his knees and leaned on her neck, keeping her down and trying to soothe her with his presence.

"Tanwen! Tanwen! Easy, easy. Whoa girl. Shhh." He murmured and ran his hands along her neck and her forehead. With two fingers he massaged her forehead soothing the tense muscles there and relaxing her further. She twitched and jolted despite his ministrations and the whites of her eyes were visible. Just when Eomer was going to try and call for aid something happened.

Tanwen's body was suddenly consumed with red and gold flames that rose up from her hooves and coated her entire frame from tail to nose in the flickering, dancing flames. The heat from the flames seared Eomer's skin and he leapt back with a yelp. The brightness and strength of the fire caused him to shield his face and eyes with his arms and he sweated as he waited to see what would happen next.

Tanwen lay limply as the flames overtook her body. She couldn't do anything to stop the transformation. The things she had felt and the images she had seen had overtaken her mind and thoughts and she trembled with fear. In a way it was a relief to shed her horse form and take her Fox woman form. The flames scorched the grass around her and the burning acrid smell drew her from her mind.

She slowly sat up, all her muscles sore and achy like she had suffered the flu and with amazement she held a hand up and observed the shakes and tremors that caused her fingers to tremble and spasm lightly. Tanwen pushed her braid over her shoulder and as the mass of hair slipped back from the corner of her eye she saw Eomer kneeling with a shocked and confused expression.

Silence reigned for several tense moments. Tanwen rose onto her knees and her fox tail with its white fur and red-tipped end swung round to curl around her form. So worried was she about Eomer's reaction that her fox ears were flattened back tight against her scalp and the tip of her tail and ears were occasionally giving off little bursts of fire.

Finally Tanwen licked her bone dry lips and swallowed, plucking up the courage to speak.

"Hello, Eomer." She said nervously.

Eomer gaped and rubbed his eyes before even attempting to answer.

"What are you?"

Tanwen's fur bristled at the horror laden and accusatory tone his words held.

"I am a Mihashira, an Ame-no-Mihashira to be precise. You have already met one of my kind. You smelt of her when Grima threw you from Edoras."

"Amaterasu…" Eomer mumbled and then cast his eyes over Tanwen speculatively. "That makes sense, but how come you have not revealed your true form until now? You have been with me for many years, since I was a boy. All these years and you have hidden yourself from me when I shared everything with you!"

Eomer was more angered by his perceived betrayal in trust than the fact that Tanwen was one of an ancient race. He felt as if Tanwen had refused to trust him, maybe she had not wished to place her secret in the hands of a boy but what was worse was that Eomer had spilled all his secrets, fears, worries and even cried before Tanwen. She had truly seen him at his lowest points.

"I am sorry for not revealing myself. Middle Earth has not been safe for me or my sister these past thousand years. Not since one of our kind destroyed our people. I hid myself in animal form for hundreds of thousands of years so that I would not be killed before completing that which I was born to do. Serving and aiding you is my fate, Eomer son of Eomund. It seems fate has decided it was time for all truths to be cast in the open and for the Ame-no-Mihashira to return."

Tanwen rose to her feet and stretched, brushing dirt from her fur and flaring her flames in her palms.

"You will have to tell me your story one day." Eomer said softly as he too stood. The horror and confusion had disappeared from his face and voice and now he was looking at her with something akin to awe, wonder and honour. "First however what ails you? Never before in all our years together have you ever miss-stepped. And you look deathly pale…"

Eomer trailed off and blushed slightly. He had been staring intently at Tanwen and her mismatched eyes had widened in surprise at his observation. It seemed Eomer may forgive her one day and she looked forward to earning back his trust.

"Amaterasu is in trouble." Tanwen said briefly and closed her eyes. She could still feel her sister's horror and dismay that had echoed down their twin bond. What had been more terrifying however had been the sensations from her bond with Amaterasu. Demonic and possessed were the only words that could come close to describing the sensations that had flooded down from the younger Mihashira.

"Her soul has darkened. It is something that only happens to a Mihashira when they have killed in anger or hatred. Imagine a cup of water, clear and calm. When we kill in anger or hatred the water becomes tainted like poison that spreads and at first the water appears innocent but it is only when you taste it you realise it is wrong. That is what happens to a Mihashira's soul when they kill. The poison of killing slowly takes over our souls and we turn to demons. I was once at the brink of losing my soul…"

Tanwen drifted off and looked at Eomer.

"But meeting you saved me."

Tanwen blushed and flicked her tail nervously. Eomer made a small movement before smiling softly. Many secrets and things to be explained and it seemed his questions would be unending.

"For Amaterasu it is different however. It feels different, not a true demon but a pale imitation of what she could become. I fear for her and Middle Earth if she should fall into darkness. There has not been a Mihashira of her strength in thousands of years and she could surpass the Witch King of Angmar or Agandaur with her power if she was to become a demon."

"I may have had a hand in this." Eomer said worriedly. "When I was imprisoned with Amaterasu she and I did something. Something that would prevent an outside force taking her soul and using her power. She feared betraying the Fellowship and her friends. Izanami-"

Tanwen gasped at the name.

"Izanami you say?!"

"Indeed. She cast a spell that would seal away Amaterasu's mind. I have the words that will unlock Amaterasu's mind…"

Tanwen paced back and forth furiously. Her mind was racing and her eyes were wide in horror. Using that spell was one of the stories that parents told their children when they wanted them to behave. A cautionary tale of what could happen if you misbehaved and didn't try and save your fated person and the consequences of your actions.

"Tanwen. What do you want us to do?" Eomer had watched the Mihashira woman with interest as she muttered and murmured to herself but it was clear she was torn between options.

"You need to stay with your men do you not? But at the same time we need to get you to Amaterasu so that you can restore her sanity…" Tanwen bit her lip and tugged at her braid.

"Erkenbrand can lead my soldiers. It will not be the first time they have fought under his leadership. You and I will travel and restore Amaterasu's sanity. And maybe we can prevent her soul from being corrupted. You have experience and I can imagine you waited a long time for me to ease that corruption…"

Tanwen could have yipped and jumped for joy at Eomer's words. Instead she spun and pressed a kiss to his cheek before transforming back into a horse. Eomer pressed a hand to his cheek and looked at her in awe. Shaking his head he clambered tentatively onto her back and settled gingerly down on her back.

Feeling that Eomer was not settling as he usually did Tanwen huffed and dropped her head. Time was of the essence and if Eomer did not go back to his usual self by the time Tanwen finished this thought then Eomer would find himself clinging for dear life. The man was still tentative and stiff and Tanwen tensed her muscles before bucking and wheeling around wildly, forcing the Rohannion to hold on for dear life.
One hand wove into her mane the other flung out to balance himself against her wild and unpredictable movements. His legs clamped around her belly and Eomer rode out Tanwen's temper tantrum.

"What was that for?!" Eomer panted when Tanwen finally stopped trying to fling him from her back.

"You were being awkward. Do you know how uncomfortable it felt with you sat on my back like a bag of stones all stiff and unmoving? If it makes you uncomfortable to think you are riding a woman then maybe you need to take more control…" Tanwen teased him and snickered at his spluttered protestations.

"Return to camp. I will gather my armour and belongings and leave instructions for Erkenbrand. Then you and I shall begin the journey back to Edoras." Eomer said in a vaguely authoritative manner.

It was going to take some time to come to terms with his horse being an ancient being and a woman at that but for now Eomer's main concern was reaching Edoras before Amaterasu became a demon that could potentially destroy all lands.

~G~A~M~B~L~I~N~G~~W~I~T~H~~D~E~A~T~H~

Elsewhere in Middle Earth others too felt the demonic presence that rivalled the Ringwraith in terms of casting fear and dread.
Poor young Pippin who had been dozing quite contentedly whilst enduring Treebeard's Ent poetry (the same poem for a good few hours now) suddenly yelped and clutched his head. Clutching his head unfortunately resulted in him letting go of Treebeard and the small Hobbit began a descent towards the ground.

Luckily for Pippin Treebeard noticed the Hobbit's fall and scooped him up from the air with one large hand and deposited him back on his head once he was sure the Hobbit had control of himself once more.

"Merry, did you feel that?" Pippin said and peered down at his best friend.

"Aye Pip. I did." Merry rubbed his head and winced as if merely touching his head was like touching an old wound that still ached.

"What do you suppose it was?" Pippin asked before staring at the many trees in thought. Treebeard had remained silent so far and rather than simply being tree-like he was in fact listening intently. Hobbit conversations were rather amusing and his two small companions had given him much inspiration for poetry with their tales. This time however they were far more subdued and tense.

"I don't know." Merry replied. "We both felt it at the same time though…"

"I've felt something similar before. Back when the Uruk-hai were taking us to Isengard. But that time it wasn't scary or frightening but sad. Like the echo of grief. Like when a person loses someone you were close to but not being able to feel it because the other person was actually closer to the person who had died… Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Pippin seemed rather confused and Merry licked his dry lips as he tried to puzzle out Pippin's words and meaning.

"The shadow of grief." Treebeard creaked out and both Hobbits turned to look at the Ent. "It touches you but you cannot fully feel it. The sadness you felt was a shadow cast by someone else's grief. If I am correct in what young Master Gandalf related to me of your tale thus far, you have spent considerable time in the company of a Mihashira. Is this true?"

Merry gulped and looked up at Pippin who shook his head frantically. Although Gandalf trusted Treebeard Ammy's secret wasn't exactly information anyone could have.

"I can see you are reluctant to answer so I shall not press you. Your silence speaks volumes however, my little friends, it is quite Ent-like. I shall instead tell you that when you become dear and close friends with one of the Ame-no-Mihashira a bond is formed. A bond which is tangible to the Mihashira as it is every Mihashira's duty to find their fated person and aid them. In your case however I believe that the Mihashira you have met or may have met is far more special than most of the Mihashira I have had the pleasure of meeting. It is a great and terrible thing to be linked with a Mihashira as sometimes when they are overwhelmed you feel everything that they feel. I would surmise that, that is what you have felt recently and a short while ago. A Mihashira's emotions."

Merry and Pippin both looked distraught at the idea that their dear friend was suffering so. So far the two Hobbits had managed to hold belief that their fellow companions who had set out from Rivendell were well and safe, even Boromir who had fought so valiantly to defend them. Now however knowing that they were getting fleeting glimpses of what Ammy was feeling and going through they had never felt so far from home and so out of their league.
The events that were taking place were beyond a couple of Hobbits from the Shire.

Pippin had a sudden thought on how they could try and aid their friends in some small way. If Treebeard took them near Isengard then maybe the Ent would see some of the cruelty of the White Wizard and realise that they were a part of this world too and the Ents had a duty to help in the battle against evil.

"Wait! Stop! Go south!"

Treebeard lumbered to a halt and glanced up at the small Hobbit with some alarm.

"South would take you near Isengard…"

"Exactly!" Pippin said triumphantly. "The closer we are to danger the further we are from harm. Saruman will never expect it and we'll be able to slip right past his front door and onwards home."

As Treebeard contemplated Peregrine's words Merry reached up and yanked on his friend's hairy foot.

"What are you thinking Pippin?!" He hissed.

"Even if we go home we won't be helping anyone but ourselves. Maybe if we go near Isengard however we will be able to see Saruman doing something wicked and it might help persuade Treebeard to help us."

"Oh." Merry said quietly. The older Hobbit glanced at Treebeard and saw the Ent was still deep in thought and was swaying from side to side with the breeze and creaking like only an old tree can. "That's actually quite clever Pip. For you."

Pippin smiled smugly before noticing the insult and just as he was about to break the wise and intelligent air he had going on and yell at Merry in a rather childish manner Treebeard groaned and creaked back into movement.

"I do not see the logic in your words Peregrine however you are rather small and the Wizard will probably not notice you. South we shall go. I've always liked going south. It always feels like going downhill."

Merry could have kissed Treebeard when the Ent decided to take them south (but he didn't because it would be quite literally like kissing the bark on a tree and Merry's lips were very sensitive and tree bark was sure not to agree with him).

"How shall we pass the time now little Hobbits? Some more poetry perhaps?"

Pippin squeaked as he held back a moan of despair. There was only so much Ent poetry he could handle.

"Or perhaps you would care to hear some tales of my dealings with the Ame-no-Mihashira? I have known quite a few in my life, some since I was a sapling."

Both Merry and Pippin nodded enthusiastically and requested stories of the Mihashira with bright and inquisitive tones (stories had to be better than Ent poetry) and settled into the crooks of Treebeard's branches ready to listen.

"Very well then. I shall begin with my most recent meeting. I have met this particular Mihashira several times so I shall tell you of how she and I first became acquainted. It was a warm and sunny day; a gentle breeze was rustling the tips of my leaves when I became aware of a newcomer in my forest. Normally I do not notice when small things enter my woods, indeed if I had not sense the foul orcs chasing you in the night I would have slept through your flight completely. This time however the newcomer was not alone. She was accompanied by several wolves. These wolves were as big as trees and some were almost as tall as me…"

Treebeard's story continued and Pippin and Merry realised that they did indeed know this Mihashira too but neither decided to voice this fact to the Ent who was by now in full flow with his tale and instead listened to try and learn some history or facts that they could tell Ammy when they were reunited once more…

~G~A~M~B~L~I~N~G~~W~I~T~H~~D~E~A~T~H~

The city of Dale was exactly how Kiyiya remembered it being all those months ago when she had felt compelled to leave the safety of Erebor and the lands she knew so well and return to places she had not traversed in many years.

Since they had reclaimed the mountain those 60 years ago Dale and the surrounding lands had slowly but surely flourished and now trade between Dwarf and Men was going smoothly. The earth itself had suffered under Smaug's fire but Kiyiya had Bilbo had made short work of changing that.
Kiyiya's mystical powers to feel the emotions and pain in the soil had helped her draw the suffering out (much to the displeasure and grievance of her mate who had spent three days at her side after her magic trick holding her close and wiping sweat and tears from her face whilst she recovered from absorbing the land's pain) and Bilbo had sent to his gardener and fellow Hobbits for guidance on how to reclaim the earth and bring life and food back to the land.

Some Hobbits (Tooks of course) had actually ventured from the Shire and come to Erebor to aid in tilling soil and planting vegetables, crops and fruits. It hadn't happened overnight but now the Eastern lands of Middle Earth were thriving once again and spring had crept over the land since Kiyiya had left and new life was budding everywhere she looked.

Rannoch had not been best pleased when Kiyiya had insisted they stop in Dale overnight. It had taken their expanded group a day to leave Mirkwood and travel across the lake in order to reach Dale. The bargemen had not been best pleased when Kiyiya had shown up with her siblings but a stern glare from Tauriel, who had fingered one of her blades in a thoughtful manner, a malicious grin from Rannoch who balanced his hammer over his shoulder's like it was a twig instead of the incredibly heavy metal contraption Kiyiya knew it to be and a cold but polite speech from Kiyiya about how she would hate for the Dwarfs of Erebor to be forced to complain to the Queen of Dale about her bargemen's unwillingness to aid a Princess of Erebor (Dale's closet allies) had quickly changed their minds.

Kajika and Menewa were used to riding in the large barges, which had been designed specifically to fit the two siblings, and remained motionless for the entire journey. Rannoch had been sick over the side of one of the barges and even though he protested staying at Dale for the night when they could have been in Erebor Kiyiya had not noticed him complaining about drinking Queen Sigrid's best wine and mead.

The group had slept at Queen Sigrid's home with Kajika and Menewa sleeping in the large garden courtyard at the centre of the Queen's palace. Kiyiya was happy to see her old friend once more and Sigrid and Kiyiya spent the majority of the evening curled up in the Queen's private rooms giggling like young girls.

For indeed Sigrid was the oldest of King Bard's children and when Bain had refused to become King after his father, saying that he wanted to become a diplomat and ambassador, Bard had turned to his daughter and proposed her becoming Queen. Kiyiya could recall discovering Sigrid was to be Bard's heir as if it had happened only yesterday.

Young Sigrid barely in her twenties had come rushing into Erebor as if being chased by a Balrog and proceeded to tear through the mountain until she found Kiyiya. The poor girl had then burst into tears and it had taken many of Bombur's sweet cakes and a cup of hot chocolate made from a recipe that was a trade secret in the Shire before Sigrid had calmed down enough to actually confide in Kiyiya as to what her dilemma was.

Kiyiya had found the entire situation endearing and a sweet pang had hit her heart at Sigrid's young and scared face, terrified of failing her father or her people, of generally not being good enough.

Sessions with Balin, who had taught Thorin and Fili (and when he could actually trap him in a room, Kili) everything he knew about ruling a kingdom, soon set Sigrid at ease and she accepted her father's wish a few months later.

Decades had passed and Sigrid had ruled Dale as a wise and benevolent leader but she still retained that steel core that had come from growing up in poverty and was never one for beating around the bush. As the years passed and Sigrid aged quicker than Kiyiya it had upon occasion become heart-breaking for the half-breed Mihashira to see her dear friend aging whilst she remained nearly the same.

Now Sigrid was an elderly lady, nearing the end of her life, with a large brood of children and grandchildren and a sharp and cunning tongue that had not lost its edge or wit despite her growing years. In fact Kiyiya was certain that it had only become more potent as Sigrid berated Rannoch the morning they were set to depart to Erebor when the male Mihashira staggered out of his room with dark circles under his eyes and reeking of alcohol.

Both of the females were laughing as Rannoch nodded sheepishly at Sigrid's telling off. Tauriel was smirking with great satisfaction at the pained expression the dark-skinned male wore. Many a morning had the Captain of the Mirkwood guard had to drench the stag Mihashira with buckets of water to remove the stench of alcohol and rouse him from his stupor before Thranduil discovered that Rannoch had been at his wine.

"Now you behave young man!" Queen Sigrid snapped and then pointed out towards Erebor which was just beginning to become visible as the mist burnt off. "I do not want to hear from my brother that you have caused a ruckus the moment you arrive in Erebor. You know what will happen and I really do not want to have another argument with the King about whose fault it is that you and the Prince got into another fight. Do you understand Rannoch?"

The giant of a man cowered in front of the old lady and frantically nodded his head.

Kiyiya laughed and finally took pity on Rannoch. He may not quite be her friend but he seemed suitably reprimanded.

"Sigrid. Although I am thoroughly enjoying the show we must depart. I am eager to return to my home once more."

Sigrid turned and hobbled over, leaning heavily on her cane which clicked authoritatively as she covered the short distance.

"You just want to get back to that handsome male of yours." Sigrid teased her grey eyes glinting with amusement.

Kiyiya blushed and nodded.

"You know me too well old friend. It has been months since I was last with my mate, in all meanings of the word!"

Sigrid cackled loudly and then embraced Kiyiya. Thin and frail she may be her embrace was warm and tight and Kiyiya sank into it, feeling the love and strength the mortal woman had. It rejuvenated Kiyiya's weary soul and when they parted the Wolf Princess looked energised and happy once more.

"Off with you then, but make sure you come me visit next time before you go gallivanting off on adventures."

Kiyiya bowed and began to lead her motley group from Dale. Menewa and Kajika had already left earlier that morning to hunt and the pair of wolves had decided to split up after eating their fill. Kajika would return to Erebor ahead of the group so that Kiyiya's arrival would be slightly announced.

The King had made such a big deal of it the last time Kiyiya waltzed in the front doors. Apparently returning royalty was supposed to be some ceremonious event and Kiyiya had no desire to sit through another lecture from the King. Very few people could reason with the Dwarf King when he settled his mind on something.

"So little wolf…" Rannoch said teasingly as they walked swiftly along the road from Dale. The area that had once been a blackened and grey desolation was now green and vibrant and the road that wound from Dale to Erebor's front door was well cared for and used. It would not take them long, even walking to arrive at the Lonely Mountain and Kiyiya knew that if she wished they could be there within an hour. The wrath of the King however deterred her and she sighed resignedly and braced herself for Rannoch's teasing and questioning.

"Yes Rannoch?" She replied and glanced at Tauriel who smiled smugly and backed away leaving Kiyiya totally alone. Even Menewa had trotted ahead at Rannoch's slow and mocking words. Knowing her brother however, Kiyiya knew that the giant wolf was resisting the urge to bite Rannoch's head off so maybe it was for the better that the wolf was loping head in front of them.

"How long have you been away from your mate?"

"Roughly four or five months give or take a few weeks. It is difficult to keep track when the days blur into one."

"Hmm." Rannoch said thoughtfully and eyed her over carefully before stepping away.

"What is it?" Kiyiya sighed and cradled her glaive comfortingly. She would not hesitate to use it if Rannoch overstepped his boundaries. The other Mihashira was far older and stronger than she, and had many more forms to her single transformation but Rannoch would not withstand her and Tauriel and Menewa in a fight. Hopefully the dark-skinned man wouldn't say anything that would require her beating him into a pulp.

"Well by my nose you'll be coming into heat soon. You and your mate are ripe for having a litter. Might want to get on that before you get too old."

Kiyiya stared slack jawed at Rannoch. The male did not seem to notice the astonishment his words had drawn from both Kiyiya and Tauriel. Tauriel in fact was blushing quite profusely and was glad she did not have the nose of a full-blooded Mihashira.

"You…I …We…That is….You cannot just say things like that Rannoch?!" Kiyiya finally spluttered out and sped up her walking hoping to put some distance between them.

Rannoch seemed bewildered at her reaction and turned to Tauriel for guidance. The warrior elf maiden coolly tried to explain why his words were so offensive but before she could truly explain Kiyiya let out a piercing howl and collapsed onto her knees in the middle of the road.

Elf and Mihashira leapt to the Wolf Princess's side and Menewa returned from where he had been running ahead to nose worriedly at his sister. Kiyiya's howl echoed off the trees and rocks and could be heard back in Dale by a concerned Queen Sigrid and Kiyiya too who had reached the gates of Erebor glanced back towards the city of men and howled worriedly to her siblings.

Kiyiya panted and clutched the sides of her forehead. Her emerald green eyes were wide with terror and fright but her pupils were tiny pinpricks. Sweat beaded on her forehead and dripped down her neck into her shirt.

"Kiyiya. Talk to us." Tauriel said soothingly and placed her cool hands on the Wolf Princess's shoulders.

It took Kiyiya a while to respond but finally she was able to calm her breaths and sink down onto the ground, drawing strength from the warmth and life in the soil.

"Things are far direr than I had thought." She mumbled and shook her head gently; trying to shake the demonic vision she had seen from her mind's eye.

"Is it our new leader?" Rannoch asked curiously with his head tilted on one side. Kiyiya glanced up at him and had to immediately swing back in order not to lose an eye to the sharp tines of his antlers that protruded from his scalp.

"Sorry." He mumbled and rose to his feet once more.

"No need to worry." Kiyiya smiled weakly. "And yes, Amaterasu is in trouble, but for now there is nothing neither you nor I can do for her. I have a feeling that she will suffer more before things become better for her. Until then all we can do is wait. I am in no state to return to Gondor or Rohan. My soul is weary and I need at least a couple of week's rest before I can travel again. So much evil in the lands to the West and the sorrow I have seen, felt and experienced has drained me."

"Easy little wolf." Rannoch grumbled and shifted uncomfortably. The stag Mihashira was not very good with females or feelings.

"Do not worry Kiyiya. From what you have told me and indeed the idiot over there of Amaterasu, she will not be so easily defeated. You and your siblings must recover your strength." Tauriel's voice was smooth and comforting and Kiyiya drew strength from the she-elf's resolve.

"It's not even your fight Tauriel. I do not understand why you are coming anyway." Rannoch mumbled and then winced as Tauriel turned her piercing eyes on him.

"It may not be my fight directly Rannoch," She spat. "But this world is my home. Kiyiya, you and Legolas are all sacrificing something in order to save this world and I will not return to my forest and hide away amongst the trees when I can try and help my friends save it."

Tauriel helped Kiyiya rise to her feet and clamber up onto Menewa. The large male wolf growled slightly when Rannoch scooped up Kiyiya's glaive but when it became clear the antlered man only intended to carry it the russet coloured wolf backed off.
Menewa howled back to his sister that they would be arriving sooner and that she should find their sister's mate and was pleased when a split second later Kajika replied that she had already found him and would meet them halfway.

Rannoch swallowed and spoke slowly.

"I did not mean to cause offense Tauriel. I just do not understand you or anyone sometimes. You and the actions of others confuse me and I forget that I am free…"

Tauriel looked at the large man who was trying to look aloof and unaffected but fifty odd years living with the male Mihashira had given her time to understand when the male was truly trying to apologise for mistakes he did not intend.

"It is forgiven and forgotten." She said and laid a soft hand on his forearm. Rannoch stared down at the paleness of her thin fingers against the muscled and dark skin on his arm before grunting and transforming.

The stag turned and offered his back to the warrior elf and Tauriel grinned. The war hammer and glaive slid into a specially designed harness that wrapped around the stag when he transformed so that he never lost his weapons during a battle and Tauriel made sure the weapons were secure before clambering on.

Menewa shifted restlessly on his large paws, his tongue lolling out and his eyes bright. He too was eager to return home.

Kiyiya smiled down at the stag and elf who saluted the Wolf Princess before leading them on towards Erebor.

~G~A~M~B~L~I~N~G~~W~I~T~H~~D~E~A~T~H~

Aneira gasped at the scenery around her. White puffy clouds and a giant tree. It all seemed so strange and yet so familiar. Like many of the images her confused and broken mind dredged up for her she couldn't tell if it was real or false. Sometimes she couldn't even tell the difference between waking and sleeping.

A form appeared out of the mist and Aneira began to call out a name to the man.

"Campfer?" She called and then frowned. "Who is Campfer?"

The voice replied and it was one Aneira thought she might know, but maybe from one of her other names. From her other selves. Or maybe she was just imagining the recognition, it was hard to tell the difference the truth and the madness. The madness sounded like her sometimes and other times it sounded like people she knew and sometimes it did not sound like anything and was just moments and pieces like shards of glass.

Amaterasu licked her suddenly dry lips and wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep warm as all the warmth that had enveloped her seemed to disappear only to be replaced with an icy wind and chill that settled into her bones and made her teeth chatter.

"I'm afraid not my dear." The voice drawled as the figure made his way through the clouds towards her. He never came into the clearing that she was in and circled in the white blanket that surrounded the tree like a panther or a shark waiting to dive in for the kill.

"Where am I? Who am I? I'm so confused!" Amaterasu said and bit her lip so hard that blood welled up and fell into her mouth. She spat it out and rubbed at her lips, smearing the liquid further across her lips and cheek and staining her hand. She did not notice however and spun in a circle as she thought she saw other figures out of the corner of her eye.

The dark figure remained however and prowled at the edges of her senses, always remaining out of sight.

"I could help you; give you back what you used to be…" The voice was smooth and enticing and Aneira/Ammy gulped and looked around for any aid. A clue, a teacup, a book, a tie, a puzzle piece, a sword, a fire, hope. Anything would have been better than nothing.

"P-P-Please." Amaterasu-Aneira stammered through her chattering teeth.

"Please what my dear?" The voice said teasingly, mockingly. Ammy grabbed her hair and pulled at it.

"I want to be who I was! I'm scared of the darkness, of being alone, of being lost and it's killing me!"

"I accept your request Amaterasu. You shall be what you once were." The voice laughed and Aneira screamed as everything went pitch black and she was left alone floating in the darkness. There was nothing and everything all at once. Reality and Imagination. Light and Dark. As she floated she felt as if she were crumbling away to join the nothing. Until she was nothing and nothing remained.

.

.
"I've lost my home." She mumbled and closed her eyes…

~G~A~M~B~L~I~N~G~~W~I~T~H~~D~E~A~T~H~

A/N: Well I truly did not expect the last section… I really genuinely did not have any idea what I was going to write for that tiny segment. I knew what needed to happen but the actual conversation and words were completely spontaneous. Now I know what my brain thinks like at 3am… I wonder if you guys have worked out whom Kiyiya's mate/husband is and who the Dwarf King is? I'd love to know if you think you've worked it out. I've tried to not to mention names or imply who it is too badly… Depends on if I'm planning to stick to canon in Dirty Paws doesn't it!

Aren't I kind, a second chapter in less than a week! Don't get too relaxed folks, tis probably a spur of the moment thing and I will probably not write another chapter for at least a month (I hope not but I can't really promise that won't happen).
In other news there is a final poll up on my profile that will help me decide the final relationship: Lemmy (Legolas/Amaterasu), Arammy (Aragorn/Amaterasu) or Nobody (Independent Ammy) I need you guys to vote ASAP so that I can begin plotting the next few chapters for minor interactions and major interactions. Ultimately it will be my decision but I will take into account the majority when making my final decision. I have always known what I want the pairing to be as it was one of the reasons I started this fic four years ago but I do truly wish to know your opinions. So vote and tell me what you want or be pleasantly surprised when the pairing is revealed or majorly disappointed. You won't know if you don't vote though!

Thanks to:
Counting Sinful Stars, unicornsinpink300, Emzy2k11, alexma, Willowstar157, Valkyrie chapter 30 . Oct 5 –Glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Hope this one was as good even if it didn't have Arammy moments in it. If you can (I don't know whether guests can) vote on the poll to get your choice of pairing across to me!