Ezra beat Kanan and Hera to the children, seeing another child seemed to calm the little girl, the only one conscious, down. "Hey…uh, are you okay?" Stupid question Ezra! He mentally chided.

She shook her head, then looked at the approaching forms of Kanan and Hera and whimpered.

"Its okay, their my friends, Kanan and Hera." As the two finally made it, "Poor things" Hera said, picking the girl up off the horse, as Kanan grabbed the boy who had fallen off.

"Ezra, grab the horse." Said Kanan, and Ezra nodded grabbing the poor animals reins. Then as a group they went over to a waiting Gandalf and Theoden.

Half an hour later a council of the Fellowship, and those close to Theoden had been called. Sabine, Ezra, and Hera were assisting Eowyn with tending the children, and had been told of the horror's that had taken place in the Westfold.

"They had no warning, they were unarmed. Now the wildmen are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go, rick, cot, and tree." Said Eowyn, "Monster's" said Zeb who thought of how the Empire had decimated Lasan, this situation was all too familiar.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash" said Gandalf "All the more potent now for he is driven by fear of Sauron, ride out and meet him head on, draw him away from your women and children. You must fight"

Theoden still looks wary so Aragorn adds "You have two-thousand good men riding north as we speak, Eomer is loyal to you, his men will return and fight for their king."

Theoden rose and said "They will be three hundred leagues from here by now, Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people…I will not risk open war"

To which Aragorn tersely replies "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not."

Theoden then said with some haughtiness "When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn was king of Rohan" Gandalf cuts the tension by saying "Then what is the kings decision?"

A few minutes later… "Helm's Deep!" Gandalf exclaims in agitation, the Ghost crew walking with him, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli toward the stables. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight, who will defend them if not their king?" Zeb nods in agreement

"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people, Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." Gandalf replying "There is no way out of that ravine, Theoden is walking into a trap, he thinks he is leading them to safety, what he will get is a massacre."

The Ghost crew looks at each other uneasily as Gandalf continues "Theoden has a strong will but I fear for him, I fear for the survival of Rohan… He will need you before the end Aragorn, the people of Rohan will need you, the defenses have to hold."

"They will hold" Aragorn says with a tone betraying confidence, but not overconfidence. "To you" Gandalf says to the Ghost crew "Saruman knows nothing of your arrival, so we are somewhat fortunate, your skills and abilities shall be sorely needed in the coming days."

"We will do our part Gandalf!" Says Ezra speaking what they were all thinking. "Good, good" says Gandalf "The Grey Pilgrim, that is what they used to call me, three hundred lives of men I have walked this earth and now I have no time. With luck my search will not be in vain, look to my coming at first light on the fifth day, at dawn, look to the east." And takes off out of the stables leading the fellowship to prepare for the long march to Helm's Deep…

Next: Warg's and Helms Deep!