Ora soon found herself alone, wanting and needing time to herself for a bit. She wanted to get herself acquainted with the armor and chain-mail she'd found herself having to wear. It was peculiar to her, wearing such things into battle. The wolves had never before done such a thing. She'd been in countless wars and battles over the thousands of years she'd been alive and never had she dressed herself like a mortal. But for Legolas, she would do this. Even if it seemed heavy and burdensome.

She passed a few hours by, moving around this way and that to try and get used to what movements she could perform when she was weighed down so much. Shifting would be near impossible in the armor and chain-mail, unless she wanted to crush her rib cage. It would also be hard for her to move with the speed and agility she was used to. At least she knew how to use the bow, years of life had given her ample time to learn the arts of mortal and elven weaponry, even if she never found use for any of it.

"Ora?" The sound of a familiar voice broke her from her practicing of movements. Slowly, she turned and faced the young boy who had called her name. "I'm afraid, Wolf-Mother," Rowan's voice caused her skin to prickle. And the name he used for her was just as Aragorn used to call her. But no, he could not be real, could he?

He was dressed in armor too big for his body and holding a sword he didn't know how to wield. She could not lose her mind in this battle, it was far too important! Fearing that this was just another trick of her broken mind, the she-wolf clasps her hands to either side of her head and clenches her eyes shut. "Go away, I can not do this now. Please," she begged of the illusion.

She felt a small hand tugging on her arm, begging for her attention. "Please don't let me die, please!" Rowan's voice sounded so small, so scared. He was just a child still and this was a grown man's war. Though real or not, he would not be the only child forced to fight. He would not be the only child sent to his death this night. "Mother, please!"

But the apparition faded, broken by the sound of a familiar horn. Opening her eyes to find herself alone and her hands shaking, Ora clenched her fists. She needed to be strong this night. She could not allow herself to falter to illusions. Biting her lip and sucking in a breath, she moves towards the gates and the sound of marching feet moving towards Helm's Deep.

She made it to the gate just as it was being opened for the elves to march inside. She couldn't help the smile that graced her lips as she saw them and as she caught the scent of a dear friend. Already, she could smell the fear of them men dissipating as they watched the elves march in, obviously having come to Rohan's aide. The elves brought with them something far greater than weaponry or numbers, they brought hope.

Haldir led the elven army straight up to Theoden. He bowed in respect just as the Rohirrian king asked, "how is this possible?" For he too, had been without hope.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. And alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago, we fought and died together," Haldir answered, much to the king's surprise. His words were halted as he turned towards the sound of hurried footsteps and Ora moved from her place far from the elves to Legolas' side as he approached. "We come to honor that allegiance," Haldir speaks again, eyes on Aragorn and the rest.

"Mae govannen, Haldir," Aragorn speaks as he makes his way straight up to Haldir and surprised him with a hug of gratitude and friendship. "You are most welcome."

Ora is next to embrace Haldir, for she still considered him a great friend. "Your presence is gladly welcomed, melon," she tells him, using the elvish word for 'friend'.

He looks at her as if there is something he needs to say, causing Ora to tilt her head in curiosity. But instead he gives her a small smile and turns to Theoden. "We are proud to fight alongside men once more." As he speaks, Theoden casts a suspicious glance between the elf and the she-wolf. No doubt wondering if he could trust any ally of hers. Catching on, she quickly sulks back to Legolas' side and allows him to take her hand. She could swallow her pride for the moment, if it meant the survival of so many. She wouldn't risk Theoden turning the aide of the elves away.

She stood side by side with Legolas, shoulders almost brushing as the entire army stood ready for the oncoming battle. With her enhanced senses, she could see the Orcs and Uruk-Hai that marched towards them. She could hear their heavy footsteps far easier than any other. And her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt a mixture of fear, not knowing whether or not the hallucinations would bother her this night again, and anticipation. There would be blood spilt this night, and a lot of it. Had Theoden not felt such strong hatred for her, she would have allowed herself to revel in the battle and the killing of enemies. Instead, she clenched her fists tightly around the wood of the bow in her hands. She looked to Legolas with a reassuring smile as he laid a gentle hand on her wrist, no doubt noticing her body language.

"I'm fine," Ora murmured, loosening her grip on the bow.

"Remember your promise," he replied before turning his gaze back over the wall and to the approaching army.

The closer the enemy got, the more fear she could smell from her allies and the louder their heartbeats became. So many of them were still terrified. And rightly they should be. The aide of elves did not change the fact that most of the men were still nothing more than farmhands or merchants. The battle would not be calculated and strategic, rather bloody and long with many names on the death toll. They were not soldiers or warriors and tonight this would be reaffirmed.

"You could have picked a better spot!" Gimli suddenly complained, breaking the silence around them. He stood on Legolas' other side and was not even tall enough to see over the wall. His outburst drew smiles from both Ora and Legolas and she was glad for the brief amusement.

Her ears perked up as Aragorn joined them and she sent a silent prayer to Eru that they would all make it through the night.

"Well lad, whatever luck you live by," Gimli began, looking up at her pup. "Let's hope it lasts the night." He finished before turning his gaze back to the wall.

A burst of thunder echoed through the air. "By Eru, not rain," Ora pleaded softly. Aragorn's gaze drew towards her as she looked up at the ominous clouds in the sky. She normally loved a good downpour, but not during battle. It would wash away the scents closest to her and the sound of the thunder would make it harder to listen. Her senses would already be working overtime during the fight. Their would be so many scents and sounds to sift through, she didn't need rain to complicate things.

Looking out towards the enclosing Orc army, Legolas speaks again. "Your friends are with you, Aragorn."

"Lets hope they last the night," Gimli adds and Ora can't help but nod in agreement.

Another clap of thunder and rain begins to pour down on them. The water washes the scents around her away and dulls those further from her. Another clap echoes through the keep and just as the lightening illuminates the night sky, Ora catches sight of Rowan, standing close to her and shivering with fear. But the image is gone just as quickly as the lightening.

"A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas," Aragorn's voice rings out loudly to the archers under his command.

The orcs stop in front of the keep, no longer marching as they were now upon them. Ora swallowed the fear that Rowan had brought with him. She could not mess up this night and she could not risk shifting in this armor, nor when she was so close to many who would get knocked off the wall in her sudden shift.

"What's happening out there?" Gimli jumped up and down, trying in vain to see what was beyond the wall in front of him.

"Shall I describe it to you?" Legolas begins, gaining Gimli's attention. "Or would you like me to find you a box?" His teasing and Gimli's sarcastic laughter give Ora a moment to smile. It broke the tension for a slow moment and she was grateful for it.

The orcs below were stomping their feet and smashing their spears and lances on the ground in their anticipation. They had no fear, only blood lust and hatred. Aragorn unsheathed his sword, readying to command the first strike of arrows. All goes deadly silent for the space of one heartbeat as someone, somewhere on the wall with the human archers, accidentally looses an arrow prematurely. Ora watches with bated breath as the weapon flies free, embedding itself deep into the neck of an Uruk-Hai below.

"Dartho!" Aragorn shouts, not wanting others to take the lone archer's lead. As the Uruk-Hai dropped dead, the rest screamed in fury and broke out into a run, coming closer to the walls of the keep. "Tangado a chadad!" Ora notched an arrow and took aim, at this proximity and with the orc army's magnitude, she barely had to aim. All the archers had to currently do was let their arrows fly and it would do plenty damage. Uruk-Hai battle cries echoed loudly through the valley. All hold steady, arrows notched and ready for Aragorn's command.

"Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc," Legolas instructs those elves within hearing range. Ora could see their weak points with her own eyes. But it was hard to settle on just one for very long when there were so many approaching so fast.

"Hado i philinn!" Aragorn shouts just as Legolas finishes speaking. The archers obey his command and immediately let their arrows fly. Many Uruk-Hai fall dead as the arrows land their targets.

"Did they hit anything!?" Ora attempted to ignore her dwarven friend's question.

Human archers loose their arrows next, at Theoden's command. "Hado ribed!" Comes Aragorn's next command. No longer having time to think on the humans, Ora notches another arrow as swiftly as she can and lets it loose. They were diminishing as many of the oncoming army as possible. Ora loosed arrow after arrow, barely even taking time to aim and just praying to Eru that each arrow hit a mark.

"Send them to me! Come on!" Gimli shouted, though he was ignored for the most part as they all kept loosing arrows.

As they closed the distance, Uruk-Hai let loosed bolts of their own from crudely made crossbows. And the first of their side began dying as the bolts hit home. One whizzed past Ora, close enough for her to hear it hiss through the air as it struck an elf not far off behind her. Elves and men fell to their deaths over the wall as the enemy began making arrangements for ladders to be placed on the wall. They were coming up.

"Pendraith!" Aragorn called in warning of the ladders and Gimli echoed with, "Good!"

The ladders were erected quickly, pushing Uruk-Hai over the walls just as Aragorn started shouting for those in his battalion to unsheathe their swords. The enemy was too close for arrows, and just as well, as Ora had already loosed the last of the few she'd been given. She had opted out of taking very many, allowing Legolas to have what spare they wanted to give her. She was not an archer in his skill and they would be better used by him anyway. Unsheathing the broadsword she'd been handed hours earlier, she allows a growl to finally escape her lips. Its obvious the man-made weapon in her hands will not last long. It is old and has obviously been made by novice hands. But it matters not to her, she is still a wolf. She still has fang and claw and strength that the mortals do not have.

She unsheathes her sword not a moment to soon as an orc jumps in front of her. Sidestepping, she brings the sword down in an arc and straight into the orc's own blade. The loud clang is drowned out by the sounds of similar fights already happening all around her. Wrenching the blade backwards, she quickly cuts through her opponent's head before he's given a chance to retaliate. She spares a quick glance around but already she's lost sight of Legolas and Gimli.

The broadsword doesn't last much longer before it breaks, the blade shattering into pieces all around her, forcing her to begin using her claws. But the weight of the armor and chain-mail she wears as well as the armor the enemy has to protect them, makes it hard to battle with claws alone. She finds she has to move quicker and use every ounce of the strength and speed that is within her, in order to keep from being killed.

From somewhere in the dim of battle, she hears Legolas and Gimli calling out their kill numbers to each other. But she doesn't focus on it long before she's engaged in another claw to sword fight. She ducks the swing of a sword and in the same move, steps close enough to dig her claws through the orc's jugular. But she gets no second of reprieve as she in that same instant, another sword comes arcing down at her.

Acting on instinct and knowing she doesn't have enough time to free her fingers and claws from inside the orc's neck and move away, Ora throws the other hand in the air, catching the blade. It sinks deep into her palm and she bites her tongue to keep from screaming. Her blood makes the blade slick and it slides upwards and further into her hand. Pulling the blade wielder towards her, she pulls her other hand free of the dead orc and claws out the eyes of the one currently attacking her. It screams in pain and pulls away from Ora. Cradling her bleeding hand against her and bloodying her armor, she strikes again, clawing open the orc's neck.

It's hard to battle with one hand sliced open so deeply and her body weighed down by armor not made for her. She doesn't know whether or not she'll be able to keep her promise to Legolas. "Don't give up," the voice startles her as a small hand presses a dagger into her unharmed palm.

Knowing without a doubt that he isn't real, she still says, "thank you, Rowan." To the little boy before he vanishes. She doesn't know where the blade really came from, as she's finally come to the conclusion that Rowan and Alyss are nothing more than memories from a time long ago. But she'll use the weapon anyway, and she'll think on the figments of haunting her later.

Ora finds herself soon fighting back to back with Haldir. And she is comforted by his presence so close to her in this bloody fight. Keeping her wounded hand clenched tightly, she gets into a rhythm with Haldir. The two of them move back and forth, cutting enemies down as they approach. The hammering of adrenaline in her blood almost makes it seem fun. It had been a long time since she'd been in a battle of this size. And once, a long time ago, before Sauron, the wolves had been great warriors who reveled in battle. But that was a very long time ago.

The excitement of battle is broken suddenly and terrifyingly as a large explosion breaks part of the wall of the keep. The noise hurts her sensitive ears and she cries out at the sound as rock and debris fly violently through the air, killing many on both sides.

Once the dust had settled, Haldir nodded at Ora. "We should meet them head on, no doubt the others already are making their way."

Following, Ora allows Haldir to lead her to the break in the wall. He gestures to a set of steps and runs down them, towards the army. But Ora stands still for a moment, watching them navigate the debris towards the inner keep. She knows she donned the armor for Legolas' sake, but he is nowhere near her and she can not do much damage with only a small dagger in her hands.

Looking back, Haldir sees in her eyes what she plans and nods his encouragement at her before rushing off without her.

Quickly, she shakes pulls the armor and chain-mail free, throwing them away from her. She eyes the large gap between the top of the wall where she stands and the ground far below and she leaps. She knows it isn't safe for her to be shifting when her mind still stands on the brink of insanity, but she knows this is her best option for helping.

Large paws his the earth, her shift having completed during her fall to the ground. The black wolf howls for battle before rushing an oncoming swath of Uruk-Hai head on. Her jaws snap down hard in lethal bites, killing one after the other as they attempt to bring her down.

She hears her pup calling all to make way back to the keep and she obliges, leaping over elves and men alike as she runs back. She hears Haldir on the distance and moves towards him as he engages in a fight. But she is not quick enough to his aide as a blade comes swinging down, straight into his back. She hears Aragorn screaming as she shifts back once more into her humanoid form and slides to her knees, catching Haldir as he goes down.

Her tunic is torn from the shift and Haldir's blood coats what's left of it. "No! My friend, you must not leave for the shore yet, do not go." She begs, soothing his blond hair back and smearing blood in the process. Aragorn collapses to his knees beside her just in time to see the light fade from Haldir's eyes. He presses his own bloodied hand to the elf's chest in remorse.

In her anger and sadness at losing someone she'd come to care for, Ora can't stop the growls that escape past her lips. Gently, she lays Haldir's body down and stands. Aragorn runs past her, cutting his blade into several orcs as he jumps onto one of their ladders and falls with it back to the ground. He too, is angry.

But Ora is angrier. Her body shakes with the need to shift. The howl that breaks through her sounds so beast-like, it startles most of those who hear it. Sauron had taken every last member of her kin from her and now, one by one, he was taking her friends. There is a shattering somewhere in her mind, a splintering like broken glass as more pieces of her sanity fall away.

Suddenly, she is no longer in the battle of Helm's Deep, but somewhere in her memories. Back in a war long ago and long forgotten by time and history. She sees not the current battle but one that she'd taken place in before.

Gone were the mortal men and immortal elves in her eyes. They were replaced by Wolf Walkers and something else, something older and fouler. Long before the elves had journeyed to Middle-Earth, the wolves had been enemies with demonic creatures. The beings had no name but they wrought destruction and death wherever they went and the wolves had risen up to fight them. The war had been bloody and long but it was won by a surprising twist on the part of the wolves.

Ora's pack had come together by their alpha's command and wove their magic together around him. Combined with his pack's strength and magics, he was able to shift like never before. Although he was in wolf form, certain things had changed for Ora's alpha. The dark magic the wolves had somehow conjured had allowed him to remain on two legs. He was taller, stronger, faster. His eyes were pitch black and pupil-less and he was able to kill their enemies with an ease he didn't have before.

Although this was the battle Ora saw in her mind, it wasn't her alpha she saw shifting, but herself. And true to some dark magic she was somehow able to conjure in her anger and breaking sanity, her form shifted too. A wolf on two legs, taller than any man or elf in the battle is what she became. Her claws were longer and sharper and she killed with such an amazing and horrifying ease.

But it took so much energy out of her to remain like this and all too soon, she felt a darkness enshrouding her. Ora made one more swipe of her large paw, killing several Uruk-Hai before she collapsed, shifting back into her humanoid form before she hit the ground.

Naked from the shifts ripping her clothes and now unconscious, Ora retreated back into her mind as the battle waged on around her.