I'm in Alaska right now, and as I post this, the sun is framing the mountains of Denali National Park so beautifully. Fitting, as this chapter takes place up in the mountains!

We're back to focusing on their journey. What will they find, and what will they do about it? Enjoy!

Chapter 95

The skies were cloudy, but thankfully the rain kept away as we continued our ascent. The air was thinner, and I noticed it was cold enough to see my breath. I eyed the others, and was glad to note everyone seemed warm enough in their cloaks. The sun was trying to make its appearance, but the light was weak, and it lowered my mood somewhat.

Pushing aside such frivolous thoughts, I focused on what I wanted us to accomplish today. There was a deep ravine to our right, and the path was narrow. Once we got to the other side of it, we would then be close to what I surmised was the best position for our ambush. I huffed in frustration as I tried and failed to make out the road, far below us. It was still screened somewhat by the mountains ahead of us, and it was foggy further down. Candaith squeezed my waist with his arms. "Trying to find the barricade?"

I nodded and frowned, "I believe it is a little further East, at a crossroads I spotted on the map. However, I cannot see it yet."

He chuckled and murmured, "Patience, meleth nin," and kissed me gently on my neck; it made me shiver and he chuckled again. "We will be there soon enough."

I hadn't heard any sounds of battle, so either the enemy was sitting on guard quietly, or they were no longer there. I found it unlikely they would have moved out, and I worried perhaps they had moved on into Tur Morva proper. Candaith could sense my anxiety, and gave me a squeeze; it was reassuring.

After a few hours, we finally reached the other side, and I slid off my horse to get a better look. Ahead of me was a narrow track, which wound steeply upwards. I took Elrohir and we quickly made our way to the top, as our Elvish eyesight would be useful. It was chilly up here, and I shivered in my cloak. Elrohir wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and I appreciated the extra warmth as he gave me a small smile. We both trained our eyes forward again, and noticed a gathering of some force down below us, as we suspected. I squinted to try and get a sense of what types of creatures it was comprised of.

"I see a few Olog-hai, heavily armored," Elrohir murmured, his brow furrowed in thought. "Along with the expected Uruks and orcs." He squinted a little more. "I do not see any Dunlendings, but we are some distance away yet." I hoped he was right; it would be easier to kill creatures of darkness rather than men and women who were swayed by Saruman. I shivered as I recalled the countless Angmarim I had killed. Their aim was to end my life, and they would have given me no mercy…but killing them and seeing the light leave their eyes was difficult to stomach.

Realizing we would need to do something about this enemy force, I narrowed my eyes in thought. "Let's keep going, and see if we can find a good perch to start our assault," I replied, shaking off the memories. "We also need to plan a route down, once our arrows are spent and we need to engage them in close combat." Under our feet was a large, flat area, and up ahead I could see it was bordered by large shards of rock. The openings between them were large enough for two or three people to stand and shoot, with the ability to duck behind the stone in response to return fire. As I approached the edge and got a better look at the enemy force, my eyebrows rose.

"It seems larger than Halbarad would be comfortable with…" Elrohir said uncertainly, echoing my own thoughts. Saruman certainly wasn't leaving this barricade to chance. There was a large presence of orcs and Uruks, along with the Olog-hai Elrohir had mentioned, who seemed to be ordering the smaller foes around. I remembered they had a measure of intelligence, unlike your average troll, and could speak Westron, as well as Black Speech. Their armor sure packs a punch. I recalled one unlucky encounter with a few of them in Angmar where I got backhanded by the gauntleted hand of one of them; the only positives of that experience were that I hadn't broken anything, and managed to kill them. Barely.

My spirits fell as I noticed a nervous-looking, armed group of Dunlendings situated in the middle of the mass of enemies. It wasn't a large contingent, but enough to perhaps make Nona pause. Were they allies, or prisoners? "Elrohir, do you think the Dunlendings would join us, were we to engage the other creatures in battle?"

"Hmm, an interesting question," he replied. "Perhaps if they saw Nona, they would be willing to switch sides, but it would be a gamble." Elrohir moved closer and put a hand on my shoulder. "However, I do not think we have enough members in our party to match such a large force."

"But we are all skilled fighters," I countered, not wanting to give up.

"That may be, but it doesn't matter how many fighters you have if they are all dead because the enemy outnumbered you four to one," he said bluntly. I sighed and hung my head, and he turned me to face him. "I know it isn't what you want to hear, but I would spare our deaths if I could."

"The Falcon Clan is starving," I whispered. "I know what it is like to feel such hunger and hopelessness, and it breaks my heart."

Elrohir's brow furrowed as he was rapidly thinking. "Let us regroup and discuss, perhaps the others have differing opinions or ideas?"

I nodded, and we returned to guide the others up to the rocky plain. Candaith, noticing my distress, slipped an arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. I gave him a tired smile, but it fell quickly as my thoughts settled on the current problem.

"I suggest we put a watch on them overnight and assess their movements," Golodir suggested. "There might be an opening or opportunity we can use where the guard is the weakest, perhaps during a change of shift."

Lothrandir chuckled mirthlessly, "I wouldn't count on them being organized enough to have designated watches."

Golodir shrugged, "It is worth a try, don't you think?"

I considered this; if we tarried here too long, it would take us even longer to meet up with Halbarad and the others in order to assault the enemy. However, if Golodir was right, we might be able to take them down with perfect timing and fighting strategy. Being up above the enemy, as well as having good coverage behind the rocks, would allow our arrow volleys to do great damage before any of their melee forces could reach us. I eyed the orcs more closely and noted their haggard, weak complexions. They hated being out in the sun, and it impacted their physical abilities. Attacking during the day would be best.

I started as I realized everyone was looking at me, silently asking for a decision. "It is a difficult choice to make," I mused, tapping my chin in thought. Making up my mind, I faced Golodir. "Your words are sound, mellon nin. We will stay and keep a close watch of their movements the rest of the day and overnight, and see if we can gain any sort of information to help us." Golodir's normally serious visage lightened as his lips curled up into a smile, and it brightened my spirits.

We did not light a fire as we settled on the rocky slab, and Lothrandir kept a close eye on the path which led us up here, in case of any enemies. I didn't expect any, but it was always prudent to be cautious. The twins stood as silent sentinels on the very edge of the area, melting into the shadows of the almost pillar-like stones. Candaith insisted I try and rest for a time, but I was too anxious to do anything but observe the enemies ahead of us. What could we do to ensure victory? Was the only solution to retreat and regroup, leaving the Falcon Clan to starve even longer? How many days would it take Halbarad and the others to get to where this location would be on the road, if we were to return to them? It possibly could be traversed in a similar amount of time, at a full gallop, but how sustainable was that? We couldn't afford to exhaust the horses. I wish I knew where Halbarad was at the moment.

I pulled out Ergothorn's map and studied it for the hundredth time. Pren Gwydh was the region Galtrev was in. Perhaps Halbarad had found a safe place to settle just north of the city? There were a couple of lakes, but the land looked very open, with little tree coverage. Hiding would be difficult, if that was his intention. I knew the Gravenwood had a Dunedain presence, but it was too far from Galtrev; I was sure we would head there eventually, but not yet.

I fisted my hands in my hair in frustration, but soon after I felt calloused fingers help me relax my grip, and I sighed. "You will pull your hair out if you do this, meleth nin." I turned to see the smiling face of Candaith, and I settled myself into his embrace. "Will you not share your troubled thoughts?"

"You could read them yourself, you know," I replied dispiritedly.

"Although I know I could determine what you are thinking, I would rather you have the privacy of your mind and your thoughts, should you so choose," he said soothingly, undoing my somewhat messy braid with one hand and running his fingers through my hair. "I think we all deserve to have our own space to think without the opinions of others, even the ones we love."

The thought-sharing characteristic of marriage was something we were both working on and exploring. Ideally we would keep our thoughts to ourselves, but one could 'nudge' the other's soul if they wanted to encourage them to share what was on their mind. Both of us could sense each other's moods easily, and I had found it to be very comforting.

The night passed quietly, and I was only able to doze for a short time before the sun began to rise. "What have you determined?" I asked the twins tiredly.

"Their movements are disorganized, but there was a 'changing of the guard', if you looked closely enough. Now that the sky is lighter, I noticed less orcs are stationed in plain view. However, they are likely hiding nearby, perhaps in a cave of some sort, for there is little tree coverage," Elladan summarized.

"Would it make sense to attack during the day, seeing as the orcs have a hatred of sunlight?" Lothrandir asked. "Even if they joined the fray, they would not be at their best, and possibly easier to kill."

I nodded in agreement, "There is still the question of whether or not we have enough power to take on such a large group."

"Gwin, I know you wish to help them-" Candaith began.

"You must help them!" Nona shouted, and I glared at her due to the volume of her words. The Dunlending lowered her voice, but her eyes blazed. "They are starving, and we cannot let them do so for any longer."

"I understand Nona, that is why we are here in the first place," I replied, trying to bite back my frustration. "I would like to avoid us being massacred, as that would leave no one to aid the Falcon Clan."

Nona looked chastened. "Then what will we do?"

Before anyone else could speak, Golodir jumped to his feet and scrabbled over to the edge. His gaze was fixed on something, and he was listening closely. I was about to race forward, but he held up a hand, stalling me as he focused. None of us moved. Because I was paying close attention, I heard a faint whistle, like a bird, but it was not one I was familiar with. I felt a flicker of surprise come from Candaith, before I gaped at Golodir as he imitated the bird call. The ranger waved us forward, and we quietly crouched beside him, and followed his arm as he pointed towards what he saw.

There was a flicker of light coming from behind a few trees, further down the road going West. My eyes widened as Golodir took a beryl out of his bag and flashed it in the sun. It was clearly another signal, but to who?

"To the Dunedain", Candaith muttered in my mind.

I raised my eyebrows. "Dunedain? What Dunedain?"

Candaith's breath hitched in surprise, and I just barely caught the flicker of a familiar cloak before it was out of sight again.

"Radanir," I breathed, shocked. "What is he doing here?"

"Scouting," Golodir said lowly. "Halbarad must have sent him."

I felt a wave of excitement and surprise move through me. Could they really be coming this way? "That wasn't the plan…" I murmured.

"Be that as it may, it is lucky for us," Elrohir replied with a satisfied smile. "Even a few more allies will help in the battle to come."

"Golodir, in your signaling, what did you learn?" I asked curiously.

The ranger turned his wise, grey eyes to mine as he answered, and I could see a familiar spirit within them. "Just a few things. Radanir came on his own, but the others are not far behind."

"How many are there?" Did everyone in the group come?

Golodir shrugged, "I am unsure on the number, but the second bird call requested we hold until we get further instruction."

I frowned, "For how long?"

"I am not sure," he replied, lips pursed in thought. "We will have to watch and listen closely."

I huffed a sigh, but held my tongue. I was supposed to be the leader here, yet Halbarad again swooped in to take charge, even from afar.

This mission was important to me, not only because I couldn't stand by when faced with another's suffering, but because it resonated with my own experiences in Greenwood. Enemies had held us at bay, keeping us from eating, or getting clean water. We were forced to live on edge, and pray we would be alive the next day. Giant spiders and wargs were different than the orcs and Uruks the Falcon Clan were facing, but it caused the same thing. Starvation. Pain. Death. Despair. The force of these memories hit me like a wave breaking over the rocks, and I shuddered. Candaith took my hand and squeezed it tightly, clearly concerned. I had never spoken of my past in Greenwood to him, and I was certain he was confused.

Yet, he always stood by me anyway, no matter how little he knew. I couldn't possibly express how grateful I was to him for it, with words or in other ways. It spoke to his faith in me, and I valued it beyond measure.

"Meleth? Are you well?" Candaith brushed my soul with a pleasant warmth.

"It is a difficult question to answer, but I will be, eventually." I could tell he was curious of my meaning. "I promise I will explain, when we have more than a moment to do so."

Candaith hugged me, and I took a deep, cleansing breath. His familiar scent of pipeweed made me smile slightly, and gave me some peace.

We decided to stay where we were, and kept Golodir, Lothrandir, and Candaith watching and listening for further clues and instructions. Being of the Dunedain, they had learned such things since they were very young, and I trusted their judgement and abilities. Elladan and Elrohir stood still as statues as they observed the movements of the enemy below us, in case of any unexpected events. I doubted Halbarad would just attack without letting us know, but anything was possible. What if their presence was discovered before he could connect with us? Therefore, everyone had their weapons at the ready, especially our bows, in case the battle started abruptly.

It was getting closer to evening when I noted the three rangers freeze to listen to the bird call I could discern. Lothrandir trilled something back, and Candaith silently pointed at a flickering light. There were two short flashes, followed by a slightly longer one. I eyed the enemy nervously, but they didn't seem to notice. Another exchange of bird call between Lothrandir and someone else occurred, and Candaith whispered that it was Radanir replying. I dimly noted Radanir had a lovely voice, but then turned my focus back to the matter at hand.

After a short time, the three rangers straightened up and waved everyone over. "Radanir says that Halbarad brought everyone with him, due to a strange dream he had."

I furrowed my brow in confusion, "A dream?"

Golodir nodded, "It wasn't possible to tell me much about it with the bird calls, but clearly it was powerful enough to merit a change in his plans. He will have to tell us of it when we are safely reunited."

"Well, we must count ourselves fortunate. Perhaps Irmo is looking out for us," I mused. Elrohir rolled his eyes, and I frowned. "Do you have something to add, muindor?"

"You are always going on about how the Valar are looking out for us. Who's to say they care what we are up to?" Elrohir said pessimistically. "Considering all of the misfortune you have endured, I would deign to say they are rather ignoring your plight completely."

I bit my tongue, as I almost brought up my encounter with Námo. I did not wish to get into such a personal matter at this time, when we had more to worry about than this petty disagreement. It was true that I sometimes wondered if they cared about my well-being, but I had survived so much. How could it just be luck or chance?

Instead, I changed the subject. "Did Halbarad have anything else to say?" Elrohir huffed in frustration but I ignored him, focusing on Golodir.

"The group is a few hours behind, but we will not be able to rendezvous with them before the battle, as they are on the ground and we are way up here." Golodir thought for a moment. "We will need to let him know our plan to volley from above, and work out the timing, in as simple of terms as possible. Then Halbarad can decide how he plans to engage, and when."

"Is there a way down from here, besides the one we used to get here?" Lothrandir asked.

Nona, who had been listening quietly to the discussion with some amazement, stood and walked over to a somewhat hidden opening in the path, and said, "During the day, I was looking around for just such a path, and came across this one. I did not go all the way down, but it is clear that it will bring us to the base of the mountain."

"Being narrow, enemies would have difficulty using it to attack us, if they were to try and pursue us up here," Elladan mused. "We have the advantage in this way."

"Once our arrows are exhausted, we can make our way down and join the others," Lothrandir continued, with a pleased nod. "A sound plan."

"Did Halbarad give any notion as to the timing?" I asked.

Golodir replied, "From my understanding, he suggested doing it right at dawn, while the sun comes up over the mountains and the orcs are haphazardly moving out of the light. This will hopefully create enough confusion that we can thin their numbers before they realize what is happening."

I looked at the sky, and noted the beginnings of twilight. "Then we will try and rest for a time. Golodir, if you could confirm the plan with Radanir, we will begin preparations." He nodded in the affirmative, and I heard the quick exchange of bird calls before they fell silent.

The plan was set, and now all we could do was ready ourselves…and wait.

As Gwin thinks, all they can do is wait for tomorrow. She is stressed about making sure everything will go according to plan, and is fighting the urge to just leap into battle, despite the consequences of doing so without enough people. Luckily, Halbarad and the other Dunedain have come unexpectedly. We will learn more about Halbarad's mysterious dream in a couple of chapters. Hope you liked the chapter, and leave a review!