Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are following the uruk-hai that have taken Merry and Pippin captive across the land of Rohan. They have been traveling day and night, non-stop, for two days. It is now the third morning.

Legolas was running ahead of his two companions. Being an elf, he did not tire as easily as his human or dwarf friend did. The sky was pale and cloudy that morning, showing signs of a heavy rain coming. Legolas stopped to wait for Aragorn and Gimli, seeing that they were falling behind.

Aragorn caught up a moment later, and waiting for Gimli to do the same gave the ranger a few moments to catch his breath.

“Do you see them?” asked Aragorn, trying not to show he was practically about to keel over from exhaustion.

Legolas turned and looked ahead. His keen elven eyes looked on several miles ahead of where he stood and spotted the band of uruks. “Yes,” he replied, “we are gaining on them!” Legolas turned back to face Aragorn and knew by the look on his face that the human was relieved. Legolas also noticed that the man was trying to control his breathing.

“Aragorn, breathe! You are no elf, do not be ashamed that you are merely out of breath!” Legolas smiled and laughed at the man after saying this.

“But if Gimli and I were elves we would have reached the uruk-hai well over a day ago!” exclaimed Aragorn, who was obviously rather frustrated at the fact that he was tired. Legolas smiled.

“Worry not, my friend. We will catch them.” Legolas then began to think about what the three hunters would do once they caught up with the uruks.

“Aragorn, what will we do when we reach the creatures?” asked Legolas. “What if they realize that we want the hobbits and threaten to harm them if we attempt to take them?”

Aragorn frowned at the remark. He had not thought about the uruk-hai being smart enough to do such a thing. After all, they were smarter than orcs, and torture was a favorite on a uruk’s list.

“I hate to admit that the thought of such circumstances has not entered my mind,” replied Aragorn. “We just need to be quick. How many did you say there were again?”

“From what I can tell, there are at least fifty,” answered the elf. “Aragorn, that’s fifty against two and a half!”

Aragorn looked at Legolas with surprise. “Legolas, I know that you and Gimli play a game of words with each other, but saying that his fighting skills are not as good as ours is a little harsh.”

“Nay Aragorn, I was not saying his fighting skills are not as good,” replied Legolas, “I was talking about his height. There is no doubt that Gimli is an excellent warrior.”

“He is indeed,” said Aragorn as he looked behind him at the mighty dwarf strutting up the large, rocky hill. “When he sets his mind to something, nothing can stop him.” The elf and man smiled at the memories of the stubborn dwarf.

“Back to serious matters, my friend,” Legolas said, all traces of humor gone from his face. “What of the uruks? It is three against at least fifty.”

Aragorn did not answer for a few moments as he pondered over what they should do. There seemed to be no way to ambush the uruks without eventually being seen.

“Is there any hope of saving them?” asked the elf, seeing the look on his friend’s face. “Will Merry and Pippin be taken from us into the hands of the uruk-hai?”

Aragorn looked Legolas in the eye, his usually mighty and commanding voice now sounding softer and more comforting. “What does your heart tell you?”

Legolas looked away from Aragorn to look at the uruk-hai and the hobbits. The elf could see his companions on the backs of two of the uruks, being helpless to do anything but be carried away towards Isengard. His heart reached out to Merry and Pippin, and his ears ached for the longing of their care-free voices to be heard. A sudden determination that he had not felt since they had set out on their chase swept over him, causing him to nearly take off in their pursuit without waiting for the dwarf.

Legolas brought his blue eyes back to meet Aragorn’s grey ones. “Estel,” Legolas murmured, “Hope.” Legolas paused for a moment, and then added, “There is hope for Merry and Pippin. We will not lose them to the uruks.”

Aragorn nodded and put a hand on the elf’s shoulder. “Yes Legolas, there is always hope.”

Legolas put a hand on Aragorn’s shoulder as well. “If there is hope for the halflings,” Legolas said, “then there is also hope for this quest; hope that we will live through the war; hope that when this battle is over, you will become the King of Gondor.” Legolas paused, taking in the sight of his friend smiling sheepishly at the mention of him becoming king.

“Hope that Mirkwood will be restored,” added Aragorn, “and that it will once again be Greenwood the Great.” Legolas smiled brightly at this. Aragorn continued, “And there is hope for Frodo and Sam, that they will make it to Mount Doom and destroy the One Ring… the cause of all evil in Middle-earth.

“I will always be there for you Legolas, wherever you go,” Aragorn said as he placed a hand over his heart. “Whenever you feel as if there is no hope, just think of me, of my name. Think of your brother.”

Just then, Gimli appeared at the top of the hill, huffing and puffing. “Blasted uruk-hai,” he grumbled. “How can they be able to out-run a natural sprinter like myself?” Gimli sighed and sat on a rock to get his second wind.

“Come Gimli,” said Legolas, turning to the dwarf, “we are gaining on them. They are less than a day ahead of us!”

“You pointy-eared scoundrel,” bellowed Gimli, “I just got up here!” Aragorn and Legolas chuckled.

“Come my brother,” said Legolas, “let us go and rescue our companions!” And with that, the elf and man took off in pursuit of Merry, Pippin, and their captors, leaving the dwarf a rather long distance to catch up.

The End