PASSING SHADOWS|| BOOK II

VI

• "I'm taking it all for us, doing it all for love." •

They were still running.

Gimli panted heavily. "Keep breathing,that's the key! Breathe! Hooh!"

Legolas was puzzled. He had never seen anyone run that fast, in perfect condition and form, for that long. Even elves

"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them." He observed

The elf then turned his mind to find her. He couldn't believe it had been five days, five, and he still did not know whether she was alive or dead. He hoped that it was not the latter

🌋

The Uruks still ran onwards, their boots thundering on the ground, a constant reminder of my predicament. I hated the way it felt like the world was closing in on me, the way my carriage bumped and was thrown to the side as they ran, the fear of the unknown that crept in me as I was pulled along country - by Uruks that had the chains attached to my torture chamber on their backs. I didn't know how they could run that well, even with me.

But by nightfall, the company is argumentative and tired, and there are a few loud grumbles. A few Mordor orcs had joined our posse, but they were nowhere near as fast as the Uruks. Still, their complaints were the loudest, so we stopped.

Merry. Pippin and I are dumped onto the ground, with Merry and I right next to each, and Pippin a little way off. I sit back and hold Merry's hand slightly worried. He was still asleep. I hoped he was okay.

An orc shouts loudly.

"We ain't goin' no further 'till we've had a breather!"

Uglúk, the second in command Uruk shouts loudly. "Get a fire going!"

Some of the troop head onto the edge of Fangorn Forest, chopping down woods and tearing down trees.
Pippin crawls over to us.

"Merry! Merry!" He whispers

Merry opens both his eyes and grins tiredly. "I think we might have made a mistake, leaving the Shire, Pippin."

I scoff. "You think?" I grin.

Merry turns round.
"Thank you." I whisper "For sticking up for me. "
He grins back and shrugs
"All in a days work." He replies, laying on his back again.

As the group works at the trees, a loud groan comes from the forest. Pippin looks at the forest, afraid - though I'm not, just saddened slightly. All those poor trees.

"What's making that noise?" He asks us. Merry looks at the forest in awe on his belly.
"It's the trees."
"What?"
Merry leaned closer.
"You remember the Old Forest? On the borders of Buckland? Folks used to say that there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall and come alive."
"Alive?"
"Trees that could whisper, talk to each other. Even move."
"Narnia." I whisper to myself with a smile.

Bringing me out of my glee, an Uruk complains loudly. I remembered this part of the Two Towers coming, as good as any. It was greedy and disgusting.

Watching Uruks and orcs eat one of their kin. But this would be made worse by the fact that they would now want to eat me first, and maybe they would succeed. But I didn't know for sure. In Middle Earth, it seemed like anything could happen.

"I'm starving. We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!"
Snaga, an orc agrees nasally. "Yeah! Why can't we have some meat?"

His eyes drifted toward us, and I gulp nervously before looking toward my two friends, who were equally as terrified. Snaga grins deviosuly.
"What about them? They're fresh!"
Uglúk replies sternly. "They are not for eating!"

Grishnák begins to pipe up now and I feel my fear rise.
"What about their legs? They don't need those. Ooh! They look tasty!"

I look down to my mud ridden trousers and boots. Tasty, right?
"Well, unless you're planning on carrying us to Saruman himself." I begin, but Uglúk interrupts me as he hears closer.
"Get back, scum! The prisoners go to Saruman. Alive and unspoiled."
"Alive? Why alive?" He trusted to get a closer look at us."Do they give good sport?"

I feel Goosebumps flicker my skin as I eye Snaga, drawing his sword and beginning to sneak up to us.
"They think we have the Ring." Pippin whispers
"Shhh!" Merry commands."As soon as they find out we don't, we're dead."

Snaga licks his lip. "Just a mouthful..." Uglúk whips round."A bit off the flank."

I grimace as I know what's coming next. Uglúk swift moves hi weapon and cuts off Snaga's head. I feel nauseous as the head lands by our feet.
Uglúk grins
"Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!"

The Uruks and orc pile on the dead body, and Merry, Pippin, and I barely survive the onslaught as we get pushed out of the way. For a moment, I was too stunned to move, watching them all fight over another's body. I felt nauseous, but Merry's calls snapped me out of it
"Pippin, Raina, let's go!"

We crawl forward on our stomachs like worms, me desperate and struggling. We are making waves when Pippin is stopped by an orc foot. I gasp as Pippin turns round and yelps in shock. Grishnák.

'Where were the Rohirrim? '

"Go on, call for help." He boasts his fist, grabbing Pippin's chin, and he points his knife at him."Squeal! No one's gonna save you now!"

But, someone does.

A spear flies through Grishnák's chest, and he screams and drops to the side. Riders make their way out of the darkness armed with more spears and arrows. The Uruks and orcs finally snap out of their ecstasy and begin to fight back.
"Pippin!" Merry cries from where are, ahead

"I'll go back for him!" I yell over the spears and the swords and the screaming. I turn around, ignoring Merry's calls for me to stay. Pippin wasn't that far ahead, and he was disorientated. He needed someone to guide him through.

"Pippin!" I yelled over the noise "Pippin come on."

It was hard, trying to claw my way through the grass, trying to reach him. But I could do it. He was only a few steps away. Only a few steps-

I screamed a tight arm was wrapped around my waste, and I was yanked upwards.

"No! No! Let me go!"

This wasn't supposed to be happening. I was supposed to be going with them. With Merry and Pippin

"Raina!" Merry cried, and that seemed to snap Pippin out of it. He jumped in shock.

"Raina!"
I tried to scream, but a piece of cloth was used to gag me, as I fought against my attacker, who seemed a thousand times smarter than me.

The Riders continue to ride through the army, slaughtering everyone in their path. Pippin tries to move, but he can't, everything blocking him from getting to me. Merry is struggling to stand up, his wrists still bound. My eyes widened when I spot what's heading for Pippin, and before I elbowed them, hard, and a moment of freedom is given. I tug the cloth out of my mouth and yell

"Pippin, watch out!"

Darkness.