The Other Ranger [ Lord Of The Rings x Silmarillion ]

The Return

When Miril woke, dawn was just beginning. The sun rose silently above the horizon casting sparkling waves of light pink and blue across the sky. Aragorn arose as well as Legolas roused them from sleep. The fire was low. Gimli went to gather some more dry dead wood and fed the flames as Legolas got out lembas for each. As it grew increasingly light out, they finished their small meal.

"I wish he had left footprints," Gimli grumbled about their visitor in the night.

Legolas looked at him in surprise. "Why?"

"Because an old man who leave prints might be no more than that: an old man," said Gimli.

Aragorn and Miril stood together surveying the search area. It was large and would take long. But they had to start somewhere.

"Miril, start searching near the weapons pile for any sign of the hobbits," Aragorn told her.

Miril nodded. "I'll start right away."

She walked over to the weapons pile near the burning rubble heap of corpses. It smelled less putrid than the day before, but she was not looking forward to this. As she approached, she examined the ground closely. There was not much to read that they didn't already know about. Many hoof prints litered the ground around the pile and flattened grass from where bodies had been dragged obscured specific prints.

She overheard Legolas respond to a question from Aragorn. Apparently he'd asked about the horses.

"The sounded simply gleeful," Legolas nodded. "Not filled with terror."

"I cannot read this riddle," Aragorn muttered.

The elder ranger got to work surveying the ground nearing towards the trees. He looked closely at the ground and checked for signs. There wasn't much to be read until he came upon a golden leaf that had turned slightly brown.

"Here we find news! Come, Miril," Aragorn beckoned to the other tracker.

She rushed over and read the signs before her as Gimli and Legolas came as well. She nodded.

"If I read these signs rightly," Miril mused. "We have a Mallorn leaf here, broken. Crumbs surround it but not so much to be more than extra that fell while someone ate it. And a piece of cut cord sits here, too."

Aragorn nodded. "And here is the knife."

He reached down and lifted up a jagged orc blade that was nearby. He looked at it closely as Legolas spoke.

"Here is the strangest riddle yet! A prisoner, with either hands or feet bound, stopped to take a bite of lembas and cut his bonds. If his arms were bound, how did he cut the rope? But if his legs were bound, how did he get here in the first place. Or if neither were bound, why'd he cut them in the first place, and how did he get free at all?" Legolas looked very confused. "Once he had rested, I assume he sprouted wings and flew away!"

Miril smiled but shook her head. "I think Aragorn will agree that there are other signs to consider."

He nodded with a slight smile. "Yes. There are. Miril?"

"There is orc blood," she pointed out. "A lot of orc blood. And heavy foot prints. There is also signs that a heavy body was dragged away, presumably an orc." Miril looked around for more.

Aragorn nodded. "I think the hobbit had his hands free, because it becomes easier then to read the riddle. Also, the signs clearly show that the hobbit was carried to this point by an orc. Why, I am unsure. Presumably not to help him escape."

"Perhaps..." Miril mused, trailing off.

"I think the orc was carrying the hobbit off before the battle." Aragorn nodded.

Miril agreed. "That would make sense. It would explain why once they had two hobbits, they were content with leaving the rest of us alive."

"But surely they would've been seen, being out in the open as they were," Gimli said.

Aragorn shook his head. "They were not 'out in the open' as you say. It was dark, and they still had their cloaks of Lorien. That is how they got through the barrier. Of course I say 'they', hoping both our friends were there, alive. But the signs only clearly prove one."

Miril walked along, following the very faint track of hobbit feet near the bank of the Entwash.

"One hobbit at least was here," she told them. "He went into the forest."

"Then into the forest we go," Aragorn sighed. "Do not harm any of the trees. Put away your axe, Gimli my friend."

Miril was the first to set foot into the trees. Legolas and Aragorn followed, with Gimli straggling behind at the rear. She was eager to find the hobbits, whether one or both was alive. Following the footprints until she lost them in the dry earth, she turned to Aragorn.

He took over the hunt, suggesting they stick to the river. He guessed that the hobbit, or hobbits, would make that way for an easy path back out.

"Here we find good tidings!" Aragorn smiled as he approached some softer ground along the bank of the river. "Two pair of footprints are here, both obviously hobbit."

They came then to a large hill with almost natural steps carved into it, though made perhaps for larger feet than theirs. Legolas insisted they climb and take a look. Scrambling up the rocky steps, they stood and marveled at the vastness of Fangorn.

Suddenly Legolas gave a shout. "Look! There in the trees back the way we came!'

His three other companions whipped around and stared into the wood. Miril caught a glimpse of a cloak.

"An old man, cloaked in grey," she hissed.

All three were ready to draw their weapons. Aragorn stood silent and Miril followed his example. Gimli cried for Legolas to shoot him. For the were sure it was Saruman. But Legolas hesitated.

"Legolas is right," Aragorn nodded. "We cannot shoot an old man unaware and unchallenged."

"Well met my friends," the old man said, as if noticing them for the first time. "I wish to speak to you. Will you come down, or will I come up?"

He began climbing the hill without waiting for an answer. Gimli told Legolas to shoot him, but the man looked up and spoke again.

"I said I wished to speak with you. Put away your bow, elf."

Legolas dropped the bow of Lorien to the ground and allowed his arms to hang limp at his sides. Gimli too, took his hand off his axe as the man spoke to him in turn.

"Now. What are an elf, a man, a dwarf, and a half elf doing in Fangorn. I have not seen much a thing here. What might you be up to?" The man looked at them keenly, though his face was hidden.

"You speak as one who knows Fangorn well," Aragorn said softly. "Who might you be, and what do you want with us?"

The old man laughed and Miril felt a shiver of power at the voice. She looked at him intently. Who was this man? Was it indeed Saruman?

"I have told you what I want, I would like to hear your tale!" He smiled. "As for my name, well, I'm sure you've guessed it. You've certainly heard it before!"

They would not answer.

The man sighed. "I know some of it. You set out with a company of nine. And this half elf was not part of it. Two of your company were taken by orcs and brought here. You must be searching for them."

Suddenly the man bounded up the rocks. He threw off his grey cloak and the light that shone from his white clothes beneath blinded all four hunters. Gimli raised his axe but it was struck down. Aragorn and Miril drew their swords, but both turned into flaming brands and were too hot to hold. Legolas cocked his bow and shot an arrow in the air.

"Mithrandir!" He cried. "Mithrandir!"

Miril laughed and cried at the same time. Mithrandir had returned. There was hope again. Hope that things might be made aright.