Fighting the Odds: The Lionheart Returns (A Lord of the Rings Fanfiction)

Book 2: The White Wizard

^^^^Meme is not mine 😂

"Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent."

Aragorn lay on the ground, ear pressed against its rock surface. His keen hearing was able to detect the pace of the enemy. He was leading the group, his Ranger abilities kicked in fully. He would find Pippin and Merry if he had to run day and night for a hundred days. And the way this was going, they might.

Aragorn got to his feet and looked back at Legolas, Ara and Gimli.

"Hurry!" He called, before taking off again. Legolas was not far behind him, running effortlessly. He turned to look back at Gimli.

"Come on, Gimli." While Ara was running beside the dwarf, he did not direct it toward her. He knew the bender had hung back with him to support him. That and it was easier to take it slow, with all the energy she had used at the river. The bender was emotionally and physically exhausted, although she neither showed it nor said anything. She would do anything for the Hobbits.

Beside her Gimli breathed heavily; which she paid no mind. This was a lot for all of them, especially at the dwarf's height. He had to work twice as hard to keep up.

"Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell."

Ara released a breath, her cheeks flushed from exertion.

"It will be worth it, to find them." She said. It was one of the few things she had said since Boromir passed. Ara was struggling very much with it. She had not gotten to say goodbye, to thank him for being such a noble friend. He had made mistakes, but he had a great heart. One of a true warrior. Ibilissans respected that.

To make matters worse... this was around the area where she had been captured and taken to Isengard. While she tried to focus on the manner at hand, she had to constantly fight rising panic.

I'm okay, she thought. Legolas and Aragorn are with me. The two had always made her feel safe, even when she was younger.

Ara looked around at the familiar countryside. She had passed over these ridges many a time. The view never failed to impress, despite this. It was beautiful. However, she paused slightly when she caught sight of a collapsed path in the distance. It looked as if half the cliffside had broken off of it... and she knew how.

The screams of the wounded or dying was all she could hear. They had never seen them coming. The Uruk-hai had overtaken them in minutes.

Ara had to order a retreat. She had to save them, this was her fault. The rock began to collapse. The last thing she saw were Justus' brown eyes. They were wide with terror. She knew he was screaming to her but the thundering of falling rock drowned him out-

"Ara? Ara, lass, are you okay?" Gimli was shaking her at this point. He had no idea what had gotten into her. She had just stopped suddenly and stared blankly at one spot.

Ara snapped out of it. Her eyes were wild, and she was quite jumpy. Once she realized what had happened she shook herself out of it.

"Fine, I'm fine.... sorry."

Without another word she took off running, faster in order to catch back up. She wanted to be alone for a bit. Gimli stared at the young woman for a moment. Something was wrong. And he had his suspicions about what. While he had not told Ara this, Cassidy had spoken to him about what happened to her. Due to her lineage as the granddaughter of Fili Arkin, she had close relations with those of Erebor.

Shaking his head, Gimli took off after the bender. Though Ara was strong, he was worried about her.

After a while more of traveling, Ara saw Aragorn kneel down. She quickened her pace to see what he had found. The bender saw a familiar green glimmering object in Aragorn's hand. It was the leaf brooch that one of the Hobbits has worn.