"My thoughts exactly," Caran said, having spied the gravel path earlier. Without further word or confirmation she crossed to it. Argo winced slightly, having been used to the soft grass under his hooves. Caran leaned forward on his neck and gave him a treat as compensation. "Do you think it is likely that someone else is controlling them? Do you think the Mage would act alone or need support?" Caran asked as she straightened on her saddle.

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"With how he shimmered, I do not think he would need help. But still, I would say we be wary just in case we are wrong." she urged Andreus onto the gravel path. He snorted, but obeyed.

"Perhaps he was a puppet? It was so strange to find him out in the open, practically defenceless. Even with power, he was taken down so easily. I cannot begin to imagine he is the brains behind this operation. Yes we caught him by surprise, but I assumed anyone planning world domination would have some form of securtiy following him should he decided to take a wander. Unless it was a ploy to draw us nearer to Mordor..." her voice trailed off as she attempted to control her nerves.

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"He was expecting only me, and believed me completely unable to do anything to him. I think that is why we got him so easily." she considered Caran's words though.

"The most simple powers of divination would have told him otherwise. Alas no definite answer is going to come to us this night. Only our eyes can reveal some truth to this unnerving situation." Caran rode on silently for a time until it came to the point where they could no longer travel on horseback. Caran dismounted and took what she needed from Argo. Caran petted behind his ears while she waited for Lona. Her stomach lurched as she thought of the journey ahead. Never had she dreamed that her destination would be Mordor. The mere thought of Mordpor sent chills down her spine.

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Lona nodded in grim, silent agreement and also dismounted, grabbing her supplies. "We can camp here, it is well sheltered. We cannot do much at nighttime."

Caran peered around nervously. She did not doubt Lona, only desired to resolve her nerves, but to no avail. Caran sighed faintly as she set down her belongings. She toyed with building a small fire, but decided it would draw unwanted attention to them. She pulled out some bread and meat from her pack and offered some to Lone. She merely picked at her own food, her stomach curled in knots as she fretted over the current situation she found herself in. Her mind fell to pondering the orcs movements once again. There had to be someone else behind it. For one thing, it was neither wise nor safe for the mage to be out on his own, unless he was not leading the movement at all.

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Lona shook her head as she declined the food, her own mind busy. She picked up a stick and began to whittle away at it. She was planning, strategizing as to how they would make this work. "Cara," she began gently. "Get some sleep, I will keep watch and alert you should anything happen."

Caran nodded. "I will try. Although I doubt I will get much sleep." Her mouth was pressed into a tight line. She lay on her side and curled into herself. Her eyes closed. Surprisingly she fell into a deep sleep. Clearly her body was more tired than her mind. Her mind was buzzing with action. Nightmares swam before her eyes. A line of black advancing on her. She moved to unsheath her sword, but it was gone. It was too late.

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Lona watched Caran as she slept. The poor girl must be exhausted. She took her mother's ring out from under her tunic to look at it. She turned it over and over in her fingers as she thought, almost as though to gain strength and wisdom from it.

Caran tossed and turned. Besides the fact that the hard ground offered no comfort, her sleep was plagued with nightmares. They had started as soon as they had got close to Mordor. There was something about the place that just screamed misery, which was all she felt as she watched the nightmares before her eyes. It was strange for her to have a nightmare. Caran had lost everything and everyone that was dear to her. Yet here she was, her lip quivering as though calling out the names of her loved ones.

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Lona frowned as Caran started tossing and turning, and retrieved a cool cloth to lay over her companion's forehead. "Caran, at ease, I am here." she whispered to her slumbering friend. The way Caran was calling out names worried Lona. The woman looked lost, terrified, and in pain. Lona rolled up the extra blanket and placed it under Caran's head, hoping to bring her some comfort.

Her forehead suddenly felt cool. This seemed to ease her, her body relaxed. However she still continued to murmur. The images were gone from her mind, but she felt lost and lonely. She murmured the names of her loved ones longingly. Tears trickled from her eyes. In the distance she could hear a voice. "Tariel?" she murmured, her voice hopeful. Her hands clutched at her ring and her hope disappeared. It could not have been her twin sister, she was long gone.

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Lona's eyes grew sad. "Easy does it, Caran." she sat beside her, cooling down the cloth whenever it got too warm. Caran was beginning to feel feverish, which was bad. Lona thought, then decided to take her back to camp until they were both ready for the mission again.

Caran snapped awake. She sat up in a startled manner. On inspection of the area around her, her memories came flooding back. Her eyes fell on Lona. "Did I disturb you?" Caran asked and was shocked to hear the raw emotion in her voice. Her hand floated to her cheeks, where they were wet and flush with tears. Her cheeks burned bright red with embarrassment. "I am so sorry..." she murmured as she rubbed at her cheeks furiously.

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Lona shook her head. "No worries, Caran." she gave Caran some water. "We are going back to camp, until we are both ready to tackle this." she watched Caran carefully.