Nightstar: a Tenth Walker story

Lothlórien

We tumble out of the Great Eastern gate on to a grassy sunlit hillside. Sam, Merry, and Pippin fall to the ground, sobbing.

"Legolas, get them up", Said Aragorn.

"Give them a moment ... for pity's sake!", Boromir almost yelled.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Come Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Tempest, get them up. On your feet, Sam", Aragorn states.

"He's right", I said grabbing Merry's hand to pull him up, but his weight sends pain running up my wounded side, and I hiss slightly. "Opps, I forgot about that", I said looking at the arrow in my side that had been covered by my cloak.

"Tempest, what's wrong", said Merry unable to see the arrow which got Gimli's attention he looked at me before saying.

"What's wrong lad, the lass has an arrow in her side, that's what's wrong!"

"When did it happen", asked Aragorn.

"Just before we went down the stairs, when Boromir almost fell", I said.

"Why didn't you say anything", asked legolas looking.... confused?

"We were kinda running for our lives at the time, and it didn't hit anything major plus the head was sticking out so there shouldn't be to much poison, but we should probably break the ends off, but leave what is in my side where it is as it keeps pressure on the wound, which keeps me from bleeding out, oh and I should probably take an antidote, but before that is anyone else hurt",I asked. They all starred at me in disbelief.

"No lass, save a few cuts and bruises we are all well", Gimli said," but how can we help."

"No need", I said breaking the tip off then the back and using some bandages to tye it in place and stop what was left of the bleeding, before taking out one of my antidote viles and a painkiller, I drank both quickly. "Well those were nasty, but I'm ready to go." All of them just starred at me for a bit.

" what?",I asked.

"It's nothing, but Tempest are you sure you'll be alright", he asked sounding like my father when I broke my arm cliff diving.

"I'll make it", I answered slightly confused at their worry. "But really what's wrong."

"This lass", said Gimli exasperated to which Aragorn and Legolas nodded as Boromir mumbled something about me being terrifying.

"Does it hurt", asked Pippin.

"Not much, but that's because of the painkillers. Come on lets get going",I said.

"Yes, we make for Lothlórien", said Aragorn waking the others from their shock. Seeing that I thought,' should I check them for concussions later.'

"No lass, we are fine", said Gimli like he read my mind," again no lass, I'm no elf. Your eyes just say everything", he stated.

"Great, now it's not just my emotions, but my thoughts", I sighed, but smiled because at least their minds were off of Gandalf even if I didn't fully understand why.

"No, only your friends", said Aragorn before he ran ahead. He scours ahead of us, as we stumble on in the fading light ... To the east the arm of the mountains came to a sudden end, and beyond them far lands that could only be descried as wide and vague. To the south the Misty Mountains receded endlessly as far as our eye could see. Less than a mile away, and a little below us, for we were still high up on the west side of the dale, there lay a mere. It was long and oval, shaped like a great spear-head thrust deep into the northern glen; but its southern end was beyond the shadows under the sunlit sky. Yet its waters were dark: a deep blue like clear evening sky seen from a lamp-lit room. Its face was still and unruffled. About it lay a smooth sward, shelving down on all sides to its bare unbroken rim.