Last Act of Love (Sequel to The Last One)

Chapter 13

Ruive pressed her ear to the surface of a rock, listening closely to the soft thudding of the Uruk's footsteps.

"Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent." She said to Aragorn who was standing beside her.

She jumped to her feet and continued to run ahead as Aragorn called back to Legolas and Gimli

"Hurry!"

"Come on, Gimli." Legolas called running up the hill.

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

The four hunters ran across the plains, following the track of the Uruks. Aragorn stopped as they ran through a canyon, kneeling down to pick something up off the ground.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Aragorn whispered, holding one of the Hobbit's brooch's.

Ruive turned and jogged back to Aragorn, Legolas running up to both of them.  

"They may yet be alive." Legolas said, hopeful.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come on." Ruive announced, running ahead again.

"Come! Gimli, we are gaining on them!" Legolas shouted to the dwarf who had tumble down into the canyon.

"I am wasted on cross-county. We Dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." Gimli grunted.

They ran through a boulder covered plain, running up a rise that overlooked a vast green and rocky terrain. Rohan.

"Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords." Aragorn breathed.

"There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us." Ruive observed.

"Legolas! What do your Elf-eyes see?"

The Elf peered off into the distance, standing on a boulder further ahead of Aragorn and Ruive. He watched the large cloud of dust move across the land. 

"The Uruks turn Northeast. They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!" (This is stuck in your head now isn't it?)

"Saruman." Aragorn gasped.

The four hunters ran across the lands of Rohan; Ruive in front, followed by Legolas and Aragorn, and Gimli who lagged behind.

"Keep breathing. That's the key. Breathe. Ohh." Gimli panted.

He was not cut out for this amount of running.

"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them." Legolas noted.

There was definitely some evil that aided these creatures. They ran through the night and onto the morning. Legolas paused and looked back at the rising sun behind him.

"The red sun rises, blood has been spilled this night."

Ruive and Aragorn bend down and look at the ground. Suddenly they could hear horse hooves, Aragorn gestured for them all to hide behind a boulder. A few moments later, hundreds of horsemen ride over the hill, seeing they are of Rohan, Aragorn stepped out and called their attention.

"Riders of Rohan, What news from the mark?!" He shouted.

The horsemen turned and circled the four, surrounding them and aiming their spears on them.

"What business does an elf, a man, a dwarf, and a woman have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" The leader snapped.

"Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine." Gimli answered.