Strange Allies

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Annowe’s pace had slackened considerably and Haldir could tell she was growing weary. It would be safe enough for them to stop for a short while now since the sun was up and she could rest for a bit. They would need to travel by night until their trackers either attacked them or grew weary of the game.

“Stop,” he said quietly and she obeyed, turning to look at him questioningly.

“You need to rest and I need to watch,” he murmured, drawing up next to her.

She nodded silently. Yes, she was tired. Finding a warm place in the sun, she sat down and opened her water skin. Haldir remained standing, searching the hills and smelling the air as Annowe thoughtfully chewed her lembas and watched him.

His supple body cut an enticing profile with his silken hair blowing over his broad shoulders and his long legs tensed for action. Slowly, he crept away from her, scanning the horizon and listening intently. After a few moments he returned to her and sat down.

“They are waiting,” he murmured to himself.

“For what?” She asked softly, peering over his shoulder to see if anything was there.

“Nightfall,” he answered. “They are waiting for nightfall. Get some rest. This will be a long night.”

Her eyes met his and he raised one eyebrow. She sighed. “Wake me when you are ready to begin again,” she requested.

He nodded and watched her find a soft place in the sun to lie down. He would search the area while she slept, keeping her in sight. He doubted if their followers would attack in broad daylight, they seemed to sense the two of them were a formidable pair and would wait until they had the advantage of darkness.

Annowe removed her scimitar and placed it at her side so she could grab it quickly should she need it. With one eye on Haldir, she curled up to sleep.

~~~~

It seemed to Annowe that she had no longer fallen asleep than Haldir was gently rousing her to move again. Groggily, she sat up and looked around. Dusk was falling. It was time to move.

Slowly she got to her feet and stretched. “Did you see anything?” She asked softly.

The March Warden shook his head. “No, they wait. Let us move. Remember, keep walking until I tell you to stop.”

With a nod, Annowe turned and began walking south. She kept a steady pace only periodically looking over her shoulder to make sure Haldir was still following her. They did not speak as the sun sank ever lower in the sky.

Then the sun set completely behind the mountains, casting the land in darkness. Annowe shivered as she felt the temperature drop. Her breath hung in the crisp air. She turned to see if Haldir was still behind her but he was not. She strained her eyes in the darkness and could barely make out the gleam of his hair. He had paused, waiting and watching. She did not want to get too far ahead of him and turned to walk back toward him. The closer she moved to him, the darker the night seemed to become.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up, sensing danger and she put her hand on the grip of her sword, ready to draw it at a moment’s notice. A shadow seemed to swallow him up and she quickened her pace to him so they would not be separated.

“Haldir!” She shouted as the ominous howl of wolves cut through the stillness.

“Run!” He yelled and she could hear the zing as he drew his sword followed immediately by yelps and snarls as he struck at his attackers.

Instinctively, she drew her scimitar and ran toward the sound of his voice, all of her fighting instincts honed and ready for action.

Gleaming red eyes materialized around her and she slashed at them, keeping the wolves at bay while she tried to locate Haldir. A dull thud and a shouted curse caught her attention and she made toward the sound. She heard the snarls of the wolves and saw their eyes glowing but she did not see Haldir. Panicked, she yelled for him and leapt at the nearest set of red eyes, slashing wildly with her scimitar.

He yelled something that she could not make out, making her realize she was nearly standing on top of him. Somehow, he had ended up on the ground but it did not take him long to leap to his feet and reclaim his sword. It must have happened in the blink of an eye but it seemed to last forever in Annowe’s mind. She had been terrified when she had lost sight of him. The creatures would have easily outnumbered her.

The two of them made short work of the wolves that remained once the March Warden regained his feet.

“I told you to run!” He growled angrily at her as he quickly dispatched the last creature.

“I did run!” She protested, bending down to wipe her blade on the coat of the nearest wolf.

“Not to me! Away!” He snarled. “You could have been killed!”

Annowe bristled and sheathed her sword. “So could you!”

A stony silence answered her. Brusquely, Haldir pushed passed her and began walking southeast away from the hills. “We will need to find shelter quickly. They will soon return,” he grumbled.

“You’re welcome,” she shouted at his broad back. “Ungrateful son of a Southron,” she mumbled to herself as she turned to follow him.

Haldir stalked off angrily into the darkness, his shoulder aching where the wolf had struck him. He could feel his blood soaking through his tunic and cursed himself. He had smelled the creature and had just barely moved quickly enough to avoid having the animal land squarely on his back. He shuddered at the thought. The others wasted no time joining in the attack once he was down.

They had been closing in on him when it had launched itself at his back, knocking him to the ground. He could smell their foul stench and feel their hatred as they had closed in on him, their sharp teeth gleaming and dripping with hunger. Cursing in terror, he had thrown his attacker off, suddenly fearing his own end as his hand fumbled for his lost sword.

Then, stumbling out of the darkness, Annowe had attacked the nearest wolf, giving him the precious seconds he needed to locate his weapon. He could not believe that she had come to his aid! Not that she would have left him to the wolves but that she had managed not to kill him in the process!

She had nearly fallen on top of him in her haste to rescue him, crazily waving that scimitar about, frightening him almost more than the wolves! He grunted angrily and clinched his fist. He had lost a step and nearly his life. Had she actually obeyed him and fled to safety – Haldir shivered.

“Will you slow down?” Annowe’s exasperated plea interrupted his morbid thoughts.

He reluctantly obeyed. “We will need to find a safe place.”

Annowe caught up to him and grabbed his arm, causing him to hiss in pain.

“Haldir!” She cried. “You’re hurt!”

Quickly, she tossed his cloak aside and ran her hand up his arm to his shoulder. He yelped and jerked away when her fingers touched the wound.

“Hold still!” She commanded, continuing to lightly touch him. Her fingers felt the warm wetness on his shoulder and she pulled her hand back to examine it.

“You’re bleeding,” she said in shock.

“I am well aware of that, Annowe,” he replied tartly.

“Well, I need to stop it. We need to find someplace quickly so I can dress this wound,” she scolded mildly. True, she thoroughly despised him but did not wish any permanent damage to befall him. At least, not any permanent damage that she had not inflicted upon him herself!

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