~ The company explores the grasslands and finds something unexpected. ~

5. The Brown Lands

The elves grumbled over sore legs and backsides the following morning; they were not used to riding a whole day and had exercised muscles they normally didn't use.

Galion explained that because their city was built underground they couldn't keep horses there, with a few exceptions, such as Legolas' late stallion Arod who had passed away the other year. Despite the lack of horses, however, wood-elves were generally as good riders as other peoples, for back when their forest had been safer they lived above ground and traveled a lot on horseback. Most elves alive today had been born in those more peaceful times, and riding was a skill one didn't forget once learned even if many centuries had passed.

They breakfasted on lembas and it still tasted wonderful, but Wynne suspected she might grow tired of it in time if this was to be her only food the entire journey.

"Do elves ever eat anything else than this?" she asked Legolas, who sat on a flat rock next to her.

"Of course we do. Did you think we were some kind of birds that survive on bread crumbs?" He burst out laughing, nearly choking on his lembas.

Wynne didn't see what was so funny about her question. How was she to know?

"What do you eat then?" she muttered sullenly.

"Same as you humans, I would expect." Nodir gave Legolas a shove to silence him. "Greens, meats, fish. It depends on whether we are at home or traveling."

"If we see game during the journey we shoot it and prepare in the evening," Bronedir cut in.

"But are there any animals in the Brown Lands? I heard they were barren." Wynne worried a little over the horses who needed a constant supply of fresh grass.

"Since Sauron's defeat the Brown Lands and the Dead Marshes have slowly come to life," said Galion. "Grass has begun to grow back and even some flowers. It is not a flourishing garden yet, but it is getting there."

After breakfast the elves took down the tents and packed everything just as efficiently as yesterday. When they were done Wynne couldn't even see where the fireplace had been.

The horses had wandered off during the night as they usually did but came back at a gallop in response to Wynne's penetrating whistle.

"I love how well trained they are." Legolas grinned at Stelpa who had come straight to him, buffing his hands in search of a treat. "I have only lembas, my girl, sorry!" He threw a sideway glance at Wynne.

She smiled despite herself. Perhaps he had not really meant to tease her before.

oOo

That day they left the Anduin and headed east. As long as they were still close to the river, the nature was similar to that of Rohan; the short grass was lush, partly covered with last year's withering strands, and spring flowers sprouted in bright yellow groups. Wynne felt quite at home.

She still took the lead on Vatna, keeping a slow pace that would allow the horses to graze every now and then. Who knew what food they could find later on? She wanted to save the grain she had brought for when it was really necessary.

"At this rate, we will get to the orc dens around the next decade or so," Legolas dryly remarked during one of the stops.

Wynne shot him a sour look and didn't bother to reply. That elf could be so annoying.

When they entered the vast Brown Lands the grass became coarser and taller, reaching almost to the horses' stomachs. But at least it was grass, and she knew they could eat that too if need be.

She saw no flowers anymore, and not many other living things either. On a plain like this she would have expected the ground to be littered with marmot and chipmunk holes and the air to be humming with insects, but here there was just grass, extending endlessly in all directions. It felt eerie.

"Did you know there used to be lovely gardens here? The entwives tended them, but they are long lost now." Legolas had made a habit of riding next to her for some reason.

"What are entwives?"

"Tree-herders. The males are called ents and the females entwives. Only a few males remain nowadays, in Fangorn Forest."

"That's only a day's ride from my home. Maybe I could go and see them."

"You should. Fangorn is a magnificent forest." He sighed and demurely added: "I miss talking to trees. I have not seen a single one the entire day."

"Maybe you can talk to the grass," she suggested.

"I did, but one was sleeping and the other did not have much to say."

"Try a third one then?"

"There are merely two; one blue grama and one feather grass."

"Really?" Wynne's interest was captured. "So all of this is just two individuals?" She indicated the widespread prairie around them.

"Indeed. Dull, is it not? Those two were the only survivors of Sauron's poison. All their children were killed, down to the last seedling. They expanded with runners instead, covering ground while they waited for happier times. But now they are too old to flower."

"That is sad."

"It is. But younger grasses are spreading from Rohan. In time they will cover all of this area, I am sure."

"I hope you are right."

They continued in somber silence for a while. Wynne mused over the evil that had overshadowed so many parts of Middle-earth. It was hard to grasp that a single person had managed to bring forth so much damage.

oOo

In the afternoon the elves pointed out the first sign of animal life since they had entered the Brown Lands, a herd of giant deer grazing in the distance. Wynne couldn't see anything at all, for apparently elvish senses were a lot more sensitive than hers, but after another league or so she spotted them too.

The deer were huge, with majestic antlers wide as barn doors.

"I used to ride an elk like these," said Thranduil proudly. "Took some dedication to train him but the result was quite impressive, if I may say so myself."

Then his smirk turned into a shocked grimace. A nauseating smell had reached their nostrils, and at the other side of a small hillock they saw the cause: fifteen or so deer carcasses scattered in the grass. Their antlers, hides and the best parts of the meat had been chopped off, leaving the rest to rot in the spring sun. Clouds of flies aired when they came closer.

Wynne felt tears trickle down her cheeks. It was such pointless killing, such a terrible waste. "Who did this?" she sniffed.

Thranduil picked up something. A black arrow, radiating evil. "Orcs," he spat, squeezing it so hard it splintered in his fist.

He had no time to say more. A terrible howl rose from behind the farthest carcass. A warcry.

A gang of the most hideous creatures Wynne had ever seen jumped out from their hiding place and ran toward the startled elves. In no time the orcs were upon them.

A/N:

About elvish cuisine as was mentioned early in the chapter... They eat meat according to the books, so Peter Jackson's version in the movies that they are vegetarians isn't quite true. (Though in my opinion it makes sense that elves would hesitate to kill animals so I don't mind his change.)

Also, in the first version of this chapter it was oliphaunts they found, not elks. Dunno what I got oliphaunts from lol, they feel more like southern animals. :D