From Wyoming, to Middle-earth

Chap. 34 - Arrows and the Rescue

We came closer and closer to the orcs. Spears were held up, and swords were drawn, and I raised my sword. We crashed into the lines of the orcs. I slashed the heads off of the orcs as Arroch reared up, and trampled some in his path.

An arrow whistled past my helmet, and I looked ahead. An orc stood, loading up another arrow. I whipped my bow in front of me, and shot the orc before he shot again. A cold wind blew, and my red cloak waved in the wind. The soldiers from Gondor were being killed by numbers. I saw Faramir fighting off more approaching orcs. Up ahead, I saw huge combat towers being pushed across the bridges by trolls. Arroch and I kept pushing through the swarm of orcs. Fewer and fewer soldiers were behind me. Adrenaline pumped through me.

Arroch stomped on the orcs, but one came at me from behind. It's disgusting fingers wrapped around my throat and started to choke me. I elbowed it's face and heard a crunch. I tried to reach for my sword, and gasped for breath. I grabbed my sword, and tried as best as I could to stab it. I heard a screech, and the orc let go of my throat and fell to the ground. I gasped for air, and massaged my neck. I didn't notice an orc aiming it's arrow at me. I kept riding and killing the orcs. I looked around. Faramir? Where was he? I saw a horse running back to Minas Tirith at a full gallop.

"Faramir!" I yelled. No response. An arrow pierced my arm, and then my side. I screamed in pain. I felt the warmth of my blood soak through my tunic. I sheathed my sword, and felt my arms go limp. I fell forwards in my saddle. All I could do was watch. Arroch ran through the orc troops, and galloped in the direction of Rohan. Rohan!? No!

"Arroch, no. Go back to Minas Tirith," I croaked. My arm burned, and the arrow was still in it. My side pained with every movement, and the arrows seemed to be lodged in deep. I felt my vision go fuzzy, and I blacked out.

... A COUPLE DAYS LATER...

~ARAGORN'S POINT OF VIEW~

Brego pushed himself up, and around sharp turns in the trail. We had just passed through Rohan's military camp, and were going up to the top of the mountain. I had not spoken much since Alex had left.

I dismounted Brego, and helped set up tents. I looked down a long, pathway through the mountain. Horses that were walking past the pathway were rearing, and seemed frightened.

"The horses are restless and the men are quiet," Legolas said.

"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain," Èomer says.

"That road there, where does that lead?" Gimli asked.

"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain," Legolas said, and looked at the road.

"None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil," Èomer said, and looked away. I walked a little closer, and saw a face emerge. My eyes widened, and I jumped when Gimli poked my shoulder.

"Aragorn! Let's find some food," Gimli said, and looked at me.

I nodded, and followed Gimli to a small campfire. Down in the valley, where the camps were I saw a fast moving horse. I couldn't see if it was carrying anything. Something red was flapping in the wind behind it. From the camps, I heard men yelling. I looked down at the path, and the horse was quickly running up the winding, steep path. Soldiers that were guarding the path's entrance yelled, "It's a soldier from Gondor!"

What? What was a soldier from Gondor doing here? The horse came up to the troops, and stopped. I recognized the brown horse. Arroch. I shoved my way through the crowd of soldiers.

"Look at those arrows!" I heard a man say.

"He might have already bled to death. Poor man," another said. King Théoden also was shoving his way through the crowd. I stopped in front of Arroch, and patted his neck.