[Nerindel]

Dúlrain and Toby

Holding the fine elven rope taut in his hands, Dúlrain kept a watchful eye on the frightened hobbit woman. As she rode deeper and deeper into the dark water, His breath caught in the back of his throat as the pony passed under the safety line and began drifting down stream, dragging the poor hobbit woman face down with it. Seeing that Gilly was in trouble he moved quickly to where the rope was anchored, glancing back across to Kaldir, he saw that his brother had guessed his intent and gripped the rope with both hands ready to take the strain.

"What are you doing?" Toby screamed his dark eyes wide with terror as he saw the ranger’s hand moving to untie the knots that secured woman's lifeline. Ignoring Toby's panic Dúlrain continued to work at the knots, determined that the woman should not drown.

"She'll drown if you loose it!" Toby frantically yelled now upon him, pulling at his arms trying to prevent him from his urgent task.

"She'll drown if I don't!" he snapped pushing the hobbit forcefully aside.

"I must feed the rope so Kaldir can pull her ashore,” he added with a sigh, seeing that Toby was genuinely concerned. Finally understanding, the hobbit nodded and hurried to help the ranger undo Kaldir's well-tied knots.

With the rope securely in both hands he slowly began feeding it into the water, feeling the pull of the strong current he dug in his heels and worked against it to keep the rope taut as Kaldir worked to pull Gilly ashore. Dulrain sighed with relief, as a small dark head broke through the waters surface, coughing and spluttering, but alive! even Toby found himself relieved that the Shire woman lived, but she was not yet safe, still fighting against the current and the burning feeling in his hands as he let the rope slowly slip through them, he continued to feed Kaldir his end of the rope. His wounded side now ached from the strain but gritting his teeth, he bore the pain until Mrs Banks was safely in Kaldir's care.

Seeing Kaldir passing the hobbit woman into the gentle care of her friend, he relaxed somewhat knowing, the hobbit woman was again in safe hands. As Kaldir secured the rope his end, Dulrain began hauling the rope so it would once more be taut for one last crossing. However, as he turned to re-anchor his end to the rock, he saw Toby's pale face frozen in abject terror, staring at the moon's silvery reflection in the deep dark water.

"Toby, help me tie of the rope!” he called, trying to distract the hobbits attention. As if in a daze Toby slowly did as he asked, but as they rechecked the knots he suddenly bounced up, "No I can't I just can't!" he wailed backing away.

"You can and you will Mrs Banks could!” Dulrain replied sternly grabbing the hobbits shaking shoulders.

"No I couldn’t possibly hold my breath that long!” he cried shaking his head, Dulrain sighed heavily and spoke frankly to the hobbit. "What other choice do you have Toby? Sit here and wait for Naiore to find you? Do you think she will be any less merciful than the river? "On hearing his options Toby shook his head vigorously and looked across the black expanse to the far side, "No, that one I never want to meet again, you are right it would be better to die at the hands of the river than to suffer at the hands of that elf. I'll do it Mr Dulrain I'll do it, just tell me what to do."

"Hold on to me and do exactly as I told Mrs Banks, do you understand?" As Toby nodded his understanding, he cut the last of Kaldir's rope in two, tied one end securely about Toby's less than hobbit like waist and with a wince helped the hobbit onto the back of his horse. He then tied the remaining length about his own waist and leads Dir to the bank were he mounted, securing both safety lines to the elven rope.

With a quick nod to the others on the far bank, he urged his horse into the icy water. A few feet in the full force of the river hit him and he felt Toby's terrified iron grip about his waist, bring a sharp pain to his wounded side, but gritting his teeth he urged his horse on, holding tight to the reigns, so as not to be swept away by the current. Suddenly the river bottom dropped off sharply and they began drifted down stream, as Dir struggled to swim to the far bank, Kaldirs rope burned at his side as the current tugged relentlessly. At first he felt that all the fires of mount doom had been set loose upon him, but it quickly melted into nothingness as the icy waters numbed his injured side, he felt nothing not even Toby's iron grip.

Suddenly remembering the hobbit tethered behind him he glanced back, his own head now barely above the water. However, Toby was nowhere to be seen. Quickly struggling against the current he wrap one hand about Dir's reigns and twisted back reaching for the rope that held the slight hobbit to the safety line, His head sunk under the rushing water as he grabbed at the hobbits rope and struggled to pull him to the surface. After a few minutes struggle the pair came up coughing and spluttering as Dir’s hooves finally found the river bottom on the other side, and as the horse surged forwards Kaldir took hold of the stallion’s reigns, guiding the horse to the bank.

"I swear that if we ever make it to this Imladris alive! I will never steal another thing!" Toby gasped between coughs.

"I shall keep you too that! Master Longholes!" Dúlrain breathlessly grinned as he passed the hobbit down to Kaldir.

"I wasn't serious about a watery grave you know!" his brother frowned, but despite himself Dulrain laughed, "But I was serious when I said not today! The icy depth of the Bruinien is not our fate, but next time you can take the hobbit!" With a laugh Kaldir lead the horse out of the water and onto the bank.

"Check that he is alright, he got quite a scare back there" Dulrain said to Kaldir, indicating the shaking hobbit his brother had just deposited on the bank.

"And so did we!" came the gentle concerned tones of the southern woman and her hobbit friend.

"My apologies ladies, but I could not let him drown. He may be a scoundrel and a nuisance, but he is not evil. I believe he merely took a wrong turn at a cross roads in his life, if you understand my meaning.” as he spoke he looked to Kaldir out of all of them he would surely understand the cost of Toby’s wrong choices. However, to his surprise Mrs Banks went to comfort the bedraggled hobbit.

But as he watched Gilly crouched next to the shivering form of the hobbit, the numb reprieve of the icy waters suddenly subsided causing him to lurch forwards, his hands clutch at his side as he slowly slid from his saddle, the volcanic fires threatening to tear his side apart as he held on to Dir's neck for stability.

"Dulrain are you all right?" Benia asked concerned as she saw the colour drain from his face.

“I’ll be fine in a minute, the water took it out of me a bit,” he lied trying to smile assuredly but as Benia rounded the horse her gently eyes went wide with horror. “Kaldir!” she exclaimed alerting the other ranger to her alarm. However, as she hurried towards him her face drawn in fear he followed her gaze down. The rope, still tied to his waist, and the hand that held his side were soaked in blood, his blood!