Journey’s End

Chapter 16

The Hunt

The sun rose on my third day of pursuit. I estimated that the Uruk-Hai were less than half a days travel ahead of me, maybe only a few hours if I was lucky. They ran quickly, without tiring, and in broad daylight. These creatures were like the perfect Orc… From the enemy’s point of view anyway. I pushed my aching legs to go faster as I climbed a grassy hill. Three days and nights of running. No sleep. No food, and the only water I could get was from the odd stream or river. I was understandably exhausted. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of Merry and Pippin. And Boromir. I couldn’t let any of them down. I wouldn’t let anyone else die.

I looked out as I stood at the top of the hill, breathing deeply. I knew where I was now, Rohan. Looking out over the plains I saw the Uruks in plain sight up ahead. They were only a few miles in front of me, I could catch them!

I began running again, not wanting to think of what I would have to do when I caught up with them; I was only one person after all, I doubted I could fight them all single-handedly. Even if their numbers had depleted after the battle. Maybe I could find a way to sneak Merry and Pippin away…

I ran on for several hours, the terrain remained almost the same. Grasslands as far as the eye could see, occasionally interrupted by hills and rocks. Ahead of me, I could see a small rocky gorge. By the looks of the tracks, the Uruk-Hai were moving through it. I decided to try running along the top of it, but I had to make sure that I was a safe distance away. I dropped to my knees and pressed my ear to the ground.

Not far from me, I could hear the heavy steps of the Uruks, but there was another similar sound, but it seemed slightly further away. Curiously, I listened further. The two sounds were getting closer together, until they merged, then suddenly, stopped. I rose from the ground and dashed to the edge of the gorge, ducking and crawling the last few metres, but not daring to look over the edge.

“You're late. Our master grows impatient. He wants the Shire-rats now.”

I winced at the sound of an Orc voice as it spoke of Merry and Pippin, but didn’t specify whether they were alive or not.

“I don't take orders from Orc-maggots. Saruman will have his prize. We will deliver them.”

‘Saruman? Why are the Uruks following him? And what does he want with Hobbits?’ The last I had heard, Saruman was our ally… But now it seemed that he had turned from us.

“My friend is sick. He needs water. Please!”

I gasped as I heard a voice that could only be Pippin’s. They were alive! But something was wrong with Merry…

“Sick, is he? Give him some medicine, boys!” An Uruk laughed.

I head a choking sound and then Pippin cried out.

“Stop it!”

“Can't take his draught!” The Uruk laughed again.

“Leave him alone!” Pippin yelled.

“Why? You want some? Huh? Then keep your mouth shut.” The Uruk grunted.

I clenched my fists as I listened to the Hobbit’s distress. They were in danger, and so close… Yet I could do nothing for them. Why had I run off alone? Why hadn’t I waited for Aragorn?

I felt a numb pain in my chest as I thought of Aragorn. We had been parted for only a few days and I was already missing him…

“What is it? What do you smell?”

My heart stopped as I heard an Uruk sniff the air.

“Man flesh.”

‘Oh no oh no oh no!’ I screamed to myself, preparing to dash in the opposite direction.

“How close?” I heard one grunt.

“Very close… But, it’s further away too…”

‘Further away?’ It could only be one person, Aragorn!

I grinned to myself as the Uruks panicked.

“They've picked up our trail! Let’s move!”

I lay low as I heard them run off, and waited until their footsteps faded away. I then jumped down into the gorge. The grass had been clearly flattened here, so it was obvious that the Uruks had come this way, but I wanted to leave some sort of sign… Something that would tell Aragorn that I was alright… I paced up and down, wracking my brain for ideas, when I accidentally nudged something with my foot. I bent down curiously, and saw one of the elven brooches that the Fellowship had been given lying on the ground. Those brooches were secure, and would not have come off unless it was deliberate. One of the Hobbits must have left it so we could follow their trial! I grinned and reached behind me. I grasped an arrow from my quiver and pulled several feathers out of its end. I laid them on a rock not far from the brooch. Aragorn would recognise them as mine. I then turned away and started running again as the Uruk-Hai and party of Orcs turned Northeast.

*** Aragorn’s Point of View (Several Hours Later) ***

For three days and nights we had been running. Not long ago, the Uruks had sped up. I feared that they had caught our scent. Legolas, Gimli and I were now running towards a small rocky gorge. The Uruks had clearly come this way, but we had not yet had any sign that Merry and Pippin were alive… I tried not to think of Rana, persuading myself that she would be fine. I hoped she wouldn’t do anything stupid if she caught up with the Uruks, I just had to trust her for now.

As we jogged down the ravine, I scanned the ground for further signs, and my eyes settled on something that shone in the grass. I bent down and picked up the brooch.

“Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall.” I murmured.

“They may yet be alive.” I heard Legolas say behind me. I examined the grass quickly, judging the length of time it had been since the Uruks stood here.

“Less than a day ahead of us, come!” I cried, preparing to run on, but something else caught my eye. A feather blew across my path and I stooped to pick it up. It was clearly a feather from one of Rana’s arrows.

“She is safe.” I sighed. “Trust Rana to leave a sign that could blow away!” I chuckled, before running on.

“Come Gimli! We’re gaining on them!” Legolas cried.

“I'm wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances.” Gimli grumbled, jogging after us. Legolas sprinted ahead of me, up a hill. I followed him and looked out over Rohan.

“Rohan, home of the horse-lords. There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets it's will against us.” I muttered. “Legolas! What do your Elf eyes see?” I called ahead.

“The Orcs turn Northeast. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!” He yelled.

***Rana’s Point of View***

The sky was darkening. All day I had kept a safe distance behind the Uruks. Now they approached Fangorn Forest. I ducked behind a rock as I watched them move along the boarder of the woods.

“We're not goin' no further till we've 'ad a breather.” I heard one gasp.

“Get a fire going!” Their leader yelled.

As the creatures became preoccupied with slicing and chopping the surrounding trees, I moved stealthily towards the forest. I slipped behind the first line of trees and crouched down amongst the roots, some distance away from the Uruks. All I could see of them was the glowing fires, and I could hear nothing, as I had travelled out of hearing distance.

In my mind, I made a plan. I would move towards them, locate where Merry and Pippin were, somehow sneak them into the forest, and then escape back in the direction we had come. Hopefully we would then meet up with Aragorn.

I prepared to dash forward, when suddenly, I heard a cry behind me. I turned, just as an arrow whistled past my face, leaving a shallow graze in my cheek and embedding itself in the tree where my head had been just moments before.