With the frozen town behind them, the trio pressed on with the temperature dropping even more sharply the closer they came to the Blue Mountains. The air was not merely icy but each breath spoken produced small clouds of vapor and very soon they were shifting through their packs to put on the heavier clothing that Cirdan had insisted they take with them when he realised they could not be deterred from their course. Throughout their journey, they saw further evidence of the calamity that had befallen the nameless town earlier. Other smaller settlements had been overtaken in similar fashion and the woods they traveled through to reach the mountains bore the same malaise. It was almost impossible to make a fire when they camped for the night owing to the wood being too damp or too frozen for the attempt.
The Blue Mountains was named such because it appeared, from a distance, a range of mountains bathed in a hue that was not unlike the shimmer of the ocean. Against the backdrop of perpetually grey skies, it was a reminder that beauty still existed in the world, even in this remote place. For some days now, it had loomed on the horizon, appearing so out of reach as they rode towards it and the Forest of Brethil. Slowly but surely, it began to grow in their consciousness as the distance between them and the mountains began to diminish. The mood among the triumvirate was becoming tense as the Forest entered the realm of reach and the feeling of peril saturated their skins as surely as the cold.
At night fall, Eowyn stared at the moon above her head and saw that it was still a crescent shape in the skies but its appearance alone was sign enough that their time was drawing short. The Shield Maiden of Rohan estimated they had only days left to them to reach the Enemy but fortunately, they should make the Forest of Brethil by mid afternoon. So far what had destroyed the town and turned the lands beyond it into a frozen wasteland had yet to show itself though Eowyn did not know whether or not this was a good thing. She kept watch as Arwen and Melia slept, thinking that the Ranger was fortunate indeed to have given her heart to no one. At least she would not know this ache that Arwen felt constantly and Eowyn had almost succeeded in ignoring except for moments like this.
She missed Faramir more than she could stand.
Although she had spoken nothing of her need for him because a warrior had to remain focussed when embarking upon the quest they had, she did miss him terribly. Her thoughts kept drifting to his wry smile and the manner in which he would shrug away all their troubles even when they seemed intolerable because in his reckoning, surviving the War of the Ring had been blessing enough.
Everything after that, he often said with that damned smile of his that could melt her so easily, was easy.
Until now, Eowyn had not realised how terrible it would be to die without seeing her husband again and yet as they were at the eve of reaching their destination, Eowyn knew that it was very likely that she, or Melia might not survive the quest. She drew in her breath to dispel such thoughts away because she would only come undone if she continued this way. She had to believe she would survive or else there was no reason to go on. A warrior who believed she would die would often enough find a way for such a thing to happen.
She was still thinking of Faramir when suddenly she heard something moving. At first, she considered it might be one of the sleepers tossing and turning. Melia, she and Arwen had come to learn during their travels, did not sleep well. The Ranger was often plagued with nightmares that often forced her awake, wide eyed and short of breath. She did not explain what she had seen in her slumber that frightened her so and they did not ask. As they drew closer to the mountains, Arwen too seemed to have endured a few demons plaguing the night but Eowyn had a good inkling what was the source of them, so as with Melia, she did not inquire.
The sound was fast yet hard to discern. Long and continuous, it did not cease, merely grew in intensity as if it were approaching. Eowyn stood up, slowly unsheathing her weapon as she searched the dark woods around them. Firewood had been scarce so they had not left the campfire burning, a thing Eowyn regretted for they were in need of light. The sound was odd, it seemed strangely familiar but she could not place it exactly and it was growing closer.
"Arwen, Melia!" Eowyn hissed waking them up with that one sharp call.
Melia awoke first, her Ranger instincts bringing her swiftly out of her slumber. She reached immediately for the crossbow that lay within easy reach of her sleeping place and was on her feet, ready to face whatever danger Eowyn had discovered to raise the alarm. Not far from her was Arwen who had also wrapped her hand around the hilt of her sword, her eyes watchful of the danger now that she was aware of it. In the meantime, the sound that had inspired Eowyn into waking them was all around them and it was closing in on them. Arwen understood now what had made her sleep so restless. Even in the dreamscape, she had been able to sense the impending danger.
"What is that?" Melia asked. She readied her crossbow to fire, but was disconcerted by the lack of a target.
"I don’t know," Eowyn frowned, aware of the sound but unable to identify it exactly.
Arwen listened closely. She could feel the peril closing in on them. Its breath was close. She could not say for certain what it was only that it bore sinister intent towards them. "They are near."
"They?" Melia stared at her.
"They’re all around us," Eowyn stated because she could hear them coming. "Arwen, light the fire." She ordered the queen because near the flame, Arwen might be more protected than she and Melia would as they attempted to spearhead the fight and slightly protect Arwen from the danger, whatever it was.
Arwen nodded, hurrying quickly to the center of their campsite. She began igniting the cold embers of the fire. There was still enough wood left to burn because they had been sparring of the meager supply they had found. She worked quickly and felt the first hint of warmth from the newborn fire when suddenly; something tore out of the darkness with a loud screech. The radiating glow of amber spread throughout the campsite as the danger presented itself fully.
Its size was almost as large as the spiders that had overtaken the village of Cadhras Nar. It moved with just as much agility. All three women knew exactly what they were dealing with the moment they laid eyes upon the first creature that emerged. Its body was covered in scales that glimmered under the radiance of the fire. It did not move so much as its slithered and attached to its long body was a decidedly serpentine head. Slit irises glared at them from red eyes and as it opened its mouth, they saw that it bore a mouthful of fangs. The first of it to appear to the party of three, it stood nearest to Eowyn and bore its fangs as it prepared to strike.
"It’s a worm!" Melia shouted as she took aim and fired.
The bolt from her cross bow struck the creature in the neck and it turned away from Eowyn and hissed furiously at Melia in its pain. The angry screech that tore through the air snapped Eowyn out of her shock and the Lady of Ithilien acted swiftly. She ran forward as it was distracted by its pain and swung her sword wide and hard. The blade sliced through the air before striking flesh. It took every ounce of her strength to penetrate the skin but worms were the young of dragons. Fully grown, there was no way she would have been able to penetrate its thick hide. However, in this state it was vulnerable but no less danger. Eowyn saw its blood spraying in all directions as she cleaved its head from its body. Its scream of agony cut short.
However, it was not alone.
