Chapter Eighteen

Serafina watched as the company quickly realised that the cloud was in fact no cloud, and she stood quite still until someone yelled "Hide!"

Suddenly she sprang into motion, stumbling over rocks she didn't see with her one functional eye. Finally she found a large shrub that she slid under. Its foliage was sparse and spiky and it left white scratches on her dry skin. Through the leaves she could see the remainder of her companions running for cover, Aragorn was the last. Stamping out the fire and grabbing a few stray belongings, he darted towards the overhanging rocks by her and took cover. Serafina's heart began to hammer in her chest – she could now hear the screeches of the birds and the clapping of their wings as they approached.

Nothing could prevent her though from gasping as the birds appeared in view. They acted as one; one mind, one eye. Serafina flattened her body closer into the rock beneath her, and she caught the ranger in her glance. He was looking skyward, frowning at the birds. He turned his head and their eyes met. Serafina knew that in that moment he could read her emotions like he could read a trail left in dried mud. She had no way of hiding her fear. In his eyes she saw only a warning – 'do not move'.

Eventually the moment passed and it was safe to emerge. The hobbits looked as scared as Serafina felt, though the thief's fear had moved beyond the simple fear from the moment passed and onto fear of what she was slowly become entwined in – whatever these strangers were bound together on, whatever the mission, it was dangerous. Serafina had been a fool to scoff and the ranger's talk of protection the night before. The girl was beginning to see that maybe it was true – he certainly could not vow to protect anyone if the quest they were on was as dangerous as she suspected.

Serafina stood quite still next to the shrub she had hid under, the company began to argue about which way was safest again. The spies were Saruman's – the Gap of Rohan was no longer an option. Gandalf wanted to take them over the Misty Mountains, Gimli and Aragorn were of the mind that the Moria was the safest option. Serafina was transfixed. How she became involved in such a dangerous group of people on an obviously dangerous quest was beyond her. She sent up her first prayer in a long time, she prayed for protection and for deliverance from this company.

After the decision had been finalised to attempt to conquer the mountain Gandalf approached the thief and put a hand on her shoulder.

"We must hurry Serafina, time is against us."

Serafina did not answer, she looked away from him.

"Come girl, this is no time for a tantrum or for a battle of wills because rest assured I will win."

Serafina raised her head to look the wizard in the eyes, "How could I fight you anyway? What have you done to ignite the wrath of another wizard? What evil does this company toy with?"

"That is none of your concern, little one."

Serafina's tether snapped, she hissed at him, "None of my concern? Your business is well my concern! If you had have let me go on my way then this would be none of my business, but you did not. You forced me to travel with you and by doing so you have put me in danger that I cannot even begin to fathom! Aragorn talks of not being able to protect me even if he wanted to. What evil do you serve?"

"We serve no evil girl, we fight it. That is enough for you for the moment." His sternness faded as he regarded her then he continued with a sympathetic smile, "Come, we have a long way to travel before nightfall."

Serafina walked beside Merry and Pippin for the remainder of the afternoon and evening. They were out of spirits and not in the mood for conversation, which suited the thief just fine. After she became too scared of thinking through the different possibilities of the fellowships business, she began thinking of easier days, not too long ago, when life was simple; steal or starve. True there wasn't much glamorous about her life, stealing was never as rewarding as it should have been. Anything worth real money always had to be divided up between parties because the mission was too complex to be completed alone. Still things were not as confusing or difficult as now. Food was easier to come by and it wasn't shared between her and nine males – four of whom being hobbits. Her days before had been less taxing and her spirits had not been so low in quite a while.

Perhaps she would be able to confront Aragorn about their business tonight, when he was redressing her wrist. Her stomach flipped at the thought of his gentle hands. This memory was quickly followed by the unsummoned image of Aragorn dressed in royal silks and velvets, with Elrond's daughter Arwen on his arm. The thief scowled so hard until she guessed her face really did resemble a she dwarf; she then proceeded to avoid the thought of him for the rest of the afternoon.

Setting up camp that evening was a cheerless affair. They had walked until a few hours after dusk before Gandalf had finally called a halt. As usual firewood had to be gathered, though fortunately this would not be a difficult task tonight. They were spending the night in a large clearing on top of a small rise. The surrounding forest was sparse and dry, and it was not long before a happy fire crackled, waiting to cook their dinner.

It was as the hobbits were finishing the last scraps of food that they heard it. Ten heads snapped up from whatever they were concentrating on and ten bodies froze. Then it came again. Serafina was the first to recover, she sprang up and within a second both of her hands held daggers. Somewhere in her head she noted the pain of gripping anything with her right hand, but more so than earlier that day this was a necessity. Suddenly the camp was in a frenzy of action. The wolves cry came again, yet just like Serafina had heard last time this cry was answered by the rest of the pack. Aragorn had taken charge of the situation. He'd ordered more wood piled onto the fire and was instructing the hobbits to stay close to Gandalf and not to leave the fire.

Serafina set her jaw and moved closer to the fire. Aragorn joined her momentarily.

"Whatever you do," he began, "do not leave the fire."

The girl nodded briskly in answer.

"Wait here" he said to her and was gone.

The thief looked around her, the hobbits looked so small and frightened that Serafina forgot about her own fear for a moment and she stationed herself in front of them on the opposite side to Gandalf, who was speaking encouraging words to the four of them. Boromir looked positively excited, his sword dancing in his hands already in anticipation. Gimli was grumbling words unintelligible to the girl's ears; however Legolas seemed to understand and replied to him in an aloof tone, the two of them seemed as calm as if they were getting ready for a stroll through Elrond's garden.

Suddenly Aragorn was back by her side. He nodded to her daggers, "Put those away, they will not help you."

Serafina looked at him questioningly, "You would have me fight them off with my hands?"

Aragorn didn't even bother answering but held up to her the same short sword Boromir had flung at her feet earlier that day, and a flaming torch. Serafina hurried to sheathe her knives, and grabbed the sword. "Use the sword with your left hand if you must. Try to stay out of harm's way if you can. This is for your right hand," he said wrapping her fingers tightly about the torch, "this should discourage them. They fear fire."

With a solemn glance he was gone from her side. Serafina reached deep inside herself to pluck up some courage. She stood as tall and confidently as she could. This time there were people by her side, and there were those who needed protection more than she. Somehow she would survive this.

A/N: Disclaimer – Don't own it.

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