Taradan stared in consternation at the scene of carnage before them. What could have caused this destruction? He turned to his companion with a questioning look; Andros was kneeling on the ground, looking for clues in the trampled marks that surrounded the piles of orc bones, weapons and armour.
“I cannot tell,” Andros said, “but it must have been a mighty foe indeed to destroy so many orcs – wolves too, I deem.” He rose and strode further to search for clearer marks. His brow furrowed as he studied the ground and vegetation. “There are tracks here, the likes of which I have not seen before,” he called.
Taradan joined him and looked, but was equally puzzled. “What concerns me more,” he said, “is that it has not been long since this has happened. Where is this foe now? Are we ourselves endangered by it?”
Andros nodded slowly. “I thought the same. I cannot see if the tracks move in one direction, for the ground is hard and cold. Even if we knew, we would have no choice; our path leads us up to Redhorn Gate. There is no other way.”
° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° °
Faster they travelled now, seeking to hasten towards their goal though they knew not if they were only approaching danger more quickly. They no longer dared to light a fire at night, since it would have revealed their presence over a great distance. No warm food or drink combated the chill that pervaded the air and grew increasingly numbing as their path took them higher and higher. They sought sheltered places between large rocks or under some jutting promontory of the foot of Caradhras to make camp, and though they took turns keeping watch, neither slept well.
° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° °
Taradan was awake during the first half of the night. He shifted position, trying to wrap his clothing and blanket more closely about his cold body. He wished that he could have walked about to warm his legs, but the moon had not yet risen and the ground was treacherous in the dark. Suddenly he felt more than heard a great rumble. He was on his feet in an instant, all senses alert. The noise grew louder, and the reassuring sound of Andros’ quiet snoring stopped.
“What is it?” Taradan heard him call.
“I know not – confound this darkness!” he exclaimed.
Nearer and nearer came the stomping and roaring of a creature they could not see. Suddenly a flickering light became visible, bobbing up and down at a height well above their heads.
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'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth.. .'
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