The Other Ranger [ Lord Of The Rings x Silmarillion ]

Very Helpful Indeed

She heard scuttling again when she awoke the next morning. Only this time it sounded much closer. Miril untied herself from the tree and packed the rope away. She swung down and landed on her feet. Now she had to decide where to go.

Dol Guldor, though dangerous, was certainly the most likely place to find Gollum, or information about Gollum. It was very likely he at least had stopped there before. But there was no denying the danger. She didn't know what kind of evil was lurking in such a place. Most likely something old and deadly.

Really there was only one choice. She had to go and find out. She had to find traces of Gollum to start somewhere, and that was her best bet. So she continued on her march up the steadily climbing terrain, careful to hide in the shadows as much as she could.

Several hours later she came across a pool of water bordered by large rocks cut from the slab of ground by the weather. It was quite large, in actual fact, but seemed to be fed only by rainwater as no stream washed into it. Miril knew she had hit a potential jackpot.

Gollum's favorite food was fish. She had been hoping to stumble upon a body of water because there was a likely chance that Gollum would've stopped there. She came closer to the water and noted that the muddy dirt of the sides was worn. There were no leaves there, despite the leaves elsewhere around it.

In addition to this find, she spotted something even more significant. Bones. Fish bones in a pile were found near the rock wall. Many, many fishbones. Miril walked around to where the bones were and picked one up. It snapped in her hand as she placed only a small bit of pressure on it.

"Old bones," she murmured. "But this was at the top of the pile, suggesting it is the most recent. Odd."

If Gollum hadn't been here in sometime, probably about two weeks if she had to guess based on the age of the bones, where had he gone? It would explain the lack of footprints but uncovered area however. Footprints would've been washed away by rain, but the leaves take longer to fall into place.

Miril knew she had to keep moving while there was daylight. She guessed she wasn't far from Dol Guldor now, based on the height of the terrain and the distance she guessed she's traveled.

Suddenly she heard noises up ahead. She heard footsteps, different from the scuttling she'd heard earlier. These were heavy steps, belonging to something around the size of a dwarf she guessed.

She drew her knife quietly and slunk forward. Miril hoped that the Galadhrim cloth would do its job and keep her hidden. As she snunk forward, she stayed low to the ground.

There. She spotted the glint of metal through the trees. She smelled the stench of death. It was unmistakable. It was orcs.

Miril climbed up a tree half way when she realized they were coming towards her. She slid her knife under her cloak to keep it from being noticed. The two orcs came right under her.

What were orcs doing in Mirkwood? She had suspected spiders, large bats, but orcs? Things were worse than she had thought if orcs were amassing near Dol Guldor.

She quieted her mind and listened to the orcs from her perch above them.

"I'm telling you, Mazkuk," one began, "we aren't going to find that little worm. He's fled this blasted forest weeks ago!"

"Boss says ta keep tryin'," the other said, "so we keep tryin'!"

"What does he know! Damn Nazgul have come back horseless so many times, it's a wonder they're still in service!"

Nazgul? In Mirkwood? This was bad. Very bad. What had she gotten herself into? Miril wondered which of the Nazgul had taken up residence is Dol Guldor.

"Don't speak ill of the boss!" The second one growled. "You'll get yer tongue cut out, Lagrim!"

"This is a waste of time. I already know where that Gollum creature wanted to go! Any creature like him would go to the same place," Lagrim muttered. "They all end up there."

Miril started at the mention of Gollum. She slowly drew out her dagger and silently lept down go the ground. Sneaking up behind the one called Mazkuk, she sliced his throat. Lagrim spun around and growled at her, but she was too fast and caught him off guard. She placed her knife along his throat and held his arms behind his back.

"Keep your voice down or I will kill you right now."

"Blasted she-elf," he hissed, squirming to get free.

"You will answer my questions very carefully, do you understand?" She whispered in his ear.

His stench was almost unbearable to Miril but she held on. She had to ask him these questions. When he didn't answer she decided to continue.

"You spoke of Gollum," she began. "You said you knew where he'd gone. Where is that?"

Lagrim bared his teeth, "Where do all the unwanteds go? Moria of course. I heard him muttering about it when we stumbled upon him a few weeks ago."

Moria. Her stomach dropped. Of course Gollum would've gone to Moria.

"Who do you work for?" She asked her next question. "You mentioned a Nazgul."

"Three. Three of those blasted wraiths," Lagrim spat. "Led by Khamûl."

Miril's stomach dropped even further. Three Nazgul. She thought maybe she could hold her own against one, but three? Probably not too well.

"How many orcs are amassed at Dol Guldor?" She asked her final question.

Lagrim grinned maniacally. "Too many for you, she-elf. Enough to assault the witch in her realm across the river!"

"You've been very helpful," Miril smiled.

She quickly slit his throat. Couldn't have him revealing her presence. Miril ended up dragging both corpses behind some boulders nearby to hide them from any other patrols that might come their way.

At last she let herself realize what she'd heard. She had to find Gollum quickly so she could take him back and warn Lothlorien of the orcs. She would have to go to Moria. But first she would have to get out of Mirkwood. Alive.