I am a very bad person for having left you all hanging, please read the message on my profile. Here's a long overdue update guys, sorry again.

Chapter V

It was a wolf, but a fucking big one. Like as big as a horse. As it stepped out from the shadows and into the light of the moon, its silvery coat gleamed and its razor-like teeth gnashed threateningly. It's dark, almost black eyes stared me down, unblinking. Oh fuck. I was completely frozen to the spot, my muscles and mind paralyzed by shock and fear. It growled again, a rumbling noise that grew louder. It went back on its haunches and for one beautiful second, I truly thought it was going to leave me alone. Sweet, merciful God. But then I realized it was just getting ready to pounce.

It leapt, its huge limbs propelling it forward with such speed and strength I was certain I was done for. I bent my legs, ready to roll away, but a flash of steel stayed me.

"Run, Ella!" Aragorn called as he fiercely slashed at the monster.

I wanted to obey him, I really did, but he and the wolf were locked in a deadly combat, each opponent staring the other down. Aragorn slashed at the wolf's legs and head, but each time he did so the wolf would dodge and lash out with teeth or claw. I winced as Aragorn's arm was nearly torn off, but he managed to move just in time, though one claw managed to rake at his arm.

I tried to think of what to do. I could run and get Legolas, but it would take me too much time to do that. Aragorn could already have been overcome. I could help him fight, that's what I could do. But I didn't have any weapons. I looked around desperately, wishing I had my bow with me. Though with my track record for accuracy I probably would have hindered more than helped.

The wolf turned to face me as it realized I was an easier kill than the armed and deadly ranger before him. It looked like it would like nothing more than to pluck me up in its teeth and run with me as his dinner. Aragorn splashed through the water to remain in his line of sight, drawing the wolf away from me. "Hey! Over here! Ella, run!" Aragorn pleaded of me.

I nodded and started backing up, unable to tear my gaze from the monster and the man.

Aragorn had returned to his battle. He slashed his sword at the wolf's throat, missed, and side stepped to try a jab at its flank. The wolf, strangely intelligent, dodged agilely out of the way of Aragorn's shining silver sword with each blow. Once Aragorn's furious flurry of attack waned for a moment, the wolf managed to dart forward and snap at his face. Aragorn jumped backwards but stumbled and fell in the treacherously rocky and slippery stream. He was on the ground, dazed and vulnerable. My mind went into panic mode. Fuck fuck fuck. Aragorn was going to die and it would be my fault. The wolf looked ready to pounce, hackles raise, leaning back on his haunches once more like a spring ready to be released. In desperation, I threw the pot of water at the beast, adrenaline giving my arms the strength to do so.

The pot itself fell short, hitting the ground with a sharp clang but the water kept traveling through the air. It drenched the wolf from head to foot, it's fur sticking slickly to its body and droplets dripping from its muzzle. As I stared with fear and desperation, willing something to happen so that Aragorn wouldn't die, the water turned to ice. It was a split second, but that's all it took. The water solidified in the wolf's fur, crystallizing instantaneously. It froze the wolf and turned it to an ice sculpture, effectively stopping the monster from attacking Aragorn. Unnatural silence descended upon us. My body was alive with adrenaline and fear; a pulsating electric feeling that simultaneously scared and empowered me. My breathing was erratic. My hands were shaking. My eyes refused to blink. What the absolute fuck.

Aragorn stood up and sheathed his sword before giving me a hard stare. "That's not possible…" He said.

I looked back at him, my mind whirling once again. I guess I had to add that to my list of party tricks. He walked over to the frozen wolf and tapped at the ice that covered it. It stayed, hard as rock. With one last strange, suspicious look at the creature, he turned and walked over to me.

"Explain." Aragorn demanded, his face with a hard look upon it. I gulped.

"But you're hurt-" I could see the blood seeping into his tunic.

"It can wait, explain."

So I did. It didn't take long, I told him about Lady Galadriel's visit, about how she'd told me I was Nature's Emissary on the quest and how just tonight I'd discovered the fire trick and now, with the ice. His face betrayed no hint of emotion or thought and I found it unsettling as he let me speak. "I didn't even know I could do any of this. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner why I'm in the Fellowship."

Aragorn sighed and ran a hand over his face, looking a hundred years old in his weariness. "It's alright. Your talents are just emerging, it must be frightening for you. I think it would be best if you told everyone so that you don't have to keep such a secret, but it is up to you."

I thought about it, I really did. But I came to the same conclusion as I had the last time someone asked me the same question. "I don't think I'm ready. I don't want to be thought of as any more different than I already am."

It earned me wry look from Aragorn, but he nodded and motioned for us to begin the walk back to camp. "Your talents are not completely new to this land, though they haven't been heard of in hundreds of years. I remember being told of a woman a long time ago, who could control entire oceans, ravage lands with wildfire, control the weather and have the creatures of the earth do her bidding. Her story did not end well, though it does indicate that your gifts are only beginning to emerge."

This was completely new information to me and apprehensively I asked, "What happened to her?"

Aragorn hesitated. "She… her powers became too much. Eventually she turned to enslaving people and using nature for her own selfish purposes. But nature cannot be completely tamed, and one day it consumed her."

I shiver went over me. "Consumed her?" That didn't sound particularly pleasant.

"Yes," was all Aragorn said, officially ending the topic. "Your talents, while certainly helpful, are more of a curse than a gift. I would advise you to seldom use them, unless in great peril, for power can decay the mind. I will keep your secret for you, but do not forget what I have said."

"Thanks." Aragorn's words had brought a dark cloud over me. The thrilling and promising power that I had found now felt like a sickness that was eating away at me. The adrenaline and energy I'd had earlier was gone and I now felt the full taxing effects of what I'd done. It was a struggle to keep my eyes open. My hands were that had ben shaking out of fear, were now shaking out of sheer exhaustion.

As we reached camp, we stopped talking and I helped Aragorn in silence while he tended to his wounds. Legolas hopped down from his perch and wandered over to us, eyes troubled.

"Aragorn, what ill has befallen you?" He asked, eyeing the slash to his arm.

"An unusually large wolf, most likely wandered down from the mountains. It attacked Ella but luckily I managed to intervene in time." Aragorn cleaned the wound and bandaged it up tightly.

"Where were you? I didn't hear any of this," He looked confused and upset.

Aragorn gave me a glance. "Ella was down by the stream."

Legolas' stormy grey eyes turned to me. "What were you doing at the stream at this hour without weapon or escort?" His tone was accusing.

"Frodo wanted some water and I didn't want him going down there so I went instead." I couldn't help sounding defensive in response to his tone. "At least I brought the pot back?" I added with chagrin as I held up the badly dented thing. I hadn't gotten the water though.

Legolas' face held anger and his lips were pressed into a hard line. "That was reckless of you to wander. You should have at least told me where you were going, I would have accompanied you."

"What, and left everyone else sleeping and unguarded?" I fought hard to keep my voice from rising. I dropped the pot by the fire, turned away from Aragorn and Legolas and marched over to my rock, not in the mood to have a stupid argument.

"What do you think would have happened had Aragorn not found you in time?" Legolas had followed me and stood glaring, obviously not satisfied with my responses.

"Well he did find me, so I don't know why you're so angry with me. I'm not a baby. You can't treat me like I can't take care of myself."

"You can't, you need to be protected. You've barely had any training and you don't even have the sense to take a weapon with you when leaving camp!" Legolas when he was angry was scary as fuck. His eyes looked like they were swirling, a stormy grey sea of emotion. "It's our job to keep you, all of you, safe. How am I supposed to do that when you wander off and recklessly endanger yourself? Not only that, but recklessly endanger others?"

I knew I'd been stupid to do so. I knew it was my fault that Aragorn now had a deep cut on his arm. And I knew Legolas was completely right. But I hated being treated like I was a helpless, useless waste of space that they had an obligation to look after.

Legolas wasn't finished. His voice returned to the calm, composed tone he always used. "This quest is bigger than just you. It's about the very fate of Middle Earth. If you cannot be mindful enough to stay safe, you're more of a burden on the Fellowship than anything else. We cannot have you traipsing off at night putting the quest in jeopardy."

Angry, guilty, hopeless tears blurred my eyes. They built up quickly and spilled down my cheeks, betraying me. I turned away quickly and wiped at them. A quiet sob escaped my mouth. I felt something brush my back, a hand? But it was gone.

Legolas sighed.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, wanting the fighting to end so that I could have some peace.

"I didn't mean to-" Legolas started.

"Please, just go." I interrupted.

I heard Legolas' soft footfalls as he retreated from me. I sat down by the rock and curled up in my cloak. I eventually fell asleep in that position, my mind too numb with exhaustion over the day's events.

If you feel like it, please take the time to leave a review, it would be much appreciated! Thank you :) They help to keep me motivated. I'll try and upload another chapter within the week.