Between Man and Beast

The gates of Edoras creaked shut behind us as we departed, the early morning light casting a pale glow across the plains. Rolling hills and tall grass bending in the soft breeze. Rohan felt vast, and its landscape was both beautiful and Reminded me of Whiterun. I rode silently, my black horse steady beneath me, its hooves beating a measured rhythm against the earth. The others rode ahead, Aragorn leading the way. 

I listened to the quiet murmur of conversation between the group. Aragorn spoke in low tones with Legolas, though I couldn't hear what they were talking about. Behind them, Gimli's voice broke through the quiet.

"People outside our race can't tell the difference between dwarven men and women," he was saying, his voice a mixture of annoyance and bafflement. "The nerve of them! How could they not see?"

I could tell Gimli was deeply offended, but the absurdity of the situation lightened the mood, and I found myself listening more closely. As we continued down the dirt path, Gimli's voice rose again, louder this time.

"Dwarven women, I'll have you know, are just as tough as the men. Aye, they're beautiful, smart, and great crafters! But the others?" He gestured vaguely around him as though all non-dwarves were included in his accusation. "They can't tell a difference! They think we all look the same."

I watched as Aragorn glanced over at Gimli, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. He didn't need to say a word for me to know what was coming.

"It's the beards," Aragorn mouthed to me, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

That did it. Despite the heaviness of the day, despite the fact that we were marching toward war, I couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up from my chest. The sound came out louder than I intended, breaking through the stillness of the morning.

Gimli, oblivious to Aragorn's teasing, turned in his saddle and shot me a questioning look. "What's so amusing, Ellehish?"

I raised a hand in a half-hearted attempt to stifle my grin. "Nothing, Gimli. Just didn't realize it was such a common problem."

The dwarf grunted, clearly unconvinced but too proud to press the matter. He muttered something under his breath and straightened in his saddle, his axe strapped tightly to his back. "Mark my words," he said, half to himself, "one of these days, they'll learn the difference."

"Speaking of this topic, Ellehish do you have dwarfs where you come from?" he continued as he kept his eye one me.

"No not really, we use to have them a long time ago but they disappeared." I wasn't all the informed about the dwarfs from my world, other then what they did to my people, I'd make them pain, even if I had to search for them through all of oblivion.

Aragorn glanced at me from the corner of his eye, his lips curved in a knowing smile, but his focus quickly returned to the road ahead. 

We rode in silence for a while, the only sound the creak of saddles and the soft thudding of hooves. The wind picked up slightly, carrying with it the faint smell of distant rain. It would come, sooner or later. 

I glanced around, my gaze sweeping the plains. The land was wide open, and I could see for miles in every direction. We would see any attackers long before they reached us, but it also meant they could see us.

Boromir rode ahead, still recovering but stubbornly wanted to rejoin the fight. I had to respect him for that, his refusal to sit back and do nothing. 

I tightened my grip on the reins as we continued forward, my mind drifting to the battles that lay ahead. Helm's Deep was a fortress, yes, but it wasn't invincible. I had seen the movie and Id have to set traps or something, no matter how strong, was ever truly safe. The thought sat heavy in my chest.

"Ellehish," Gimli's voice pulled me back to the present, and I turned slightly to see him riding closer to me now. "I don't much care for all this open land," he muttered, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Too exposed. Give me a good mountain, some stone walls, and I'll sleep soundly."

I nodded, sharing his unease. "At least we'll see them coming."

"Aye," Gimli grumbled. "But that doesn't make the waiting any easier."

The dwarf fell back into silence, and I allowed my mind to wander again, though this time I kept one hand close to the hilt of my sword. My spear was resting on my back in case I needed it.

The day had grown darker, the sky above us heavy with gathering clouds blocking the sun. The wind had picked up, no longer carrying the fresh scent of grass, but something else. The horses began to shift uneasily beneath us, their ears flicking back and forth.

My hand instinctively tightened on the reins, and I glanced ahead to where Aragorn and Legolas rode. They had noticed it too. Even Gimli had grown quiet, his gaze shifting warily across the landscape.

Then, from the distance, came the first howl.

I recognized the source of it. Wargs. it sounded just like the one from the movies. The next howl was closer, and now the ground began to tremble beneath the hooves of our horses. Panic rippled through the column as the townspeople and soldiers alike began to realize the danger approaching. Women clutched their children, and men reached for whatever weapons they had at hand. 

I scanned the horizon and, there, just on the edge of sight, I saw them, dark shapes moving fast over the crest of the hill. Dozens of them, They were moving swiftly, and they would be on us in moments.

"Prepare yourselves!" Aragorn's voice rang out, cutting through the rising panic. He drew his sword gleaming in the dim light. "We make our stand here!"

The soldiers of Rohan quickly formed ranks, thankfully they were not shaking like I expected them to at the sight of the oncoming horde. I gripped my sword and pulled it out.

I had faced many enemies before, but never had I tried what I was about to attempt now. I wasn't sure if it would work, but I knew that, given what was coming, we needed every advantage we could get.

The first Warg riders crested the hill, their howls splitting the air. The beasts were massive, larger than any normal wolf, with thick, matted fur. They moved with terrifying speed I don't think anyone could outrun them on horseback.

I dismounted my horse, my feet hitting the ground hard as I moved a mother and her kids to sit on Dustmare. The Wargs were closing in fast, and my heart raced as I stepped forward, positioning myself between the charging beasts and the people behind me. I could hear the clamor of swords being drawn, and the soldiers bracing themselves, but my focus was entirely on the creatures racing toward us.

Three Wargs broke away from the main group, their yellow eyes locking onto me as they charged. My pulse quickened, but I stood my ground, digging deep into the part of myself I had never fully unleashed. As I shifted letting my eyes glow red, my muscles tightened and my senses sharpened.

This was the first time I would try this. To make them submit. To dominate. But would it work on Wargs? It did on the wolves so it should work on them.

The first of the three beasts lunged at me, its jaws wide, aiming for my throat. With a snarl, I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws. I could feel the heat of its breath as it passed me, but I stayed focused. I didn't want to fight them. I wanted control.

My eyes locked onto the Warg, and I pushed. I reached out toward the creature, trying to impose my will on it. I felt its mind pushing back against mine, resisting, fighting me.

The second Warg was on me before I could fully concentrate, its massive body slamming into mine and knocking me to the ground. Pain flared in my side, but I rolled quickly to my feet, baring my fangs as I growled low in my throat. The third Warg circled me now, its rider leering from above as they prepared to strike.

I focused on the first Warg again, the one closest to me. My body tensed, and I let out a deep, guttural snarl, one that carried more than just a sound. It was a command. An order. Submit.

For a moment, the beast hesitated. Its wild eyes flickered, and I could feel its resolve weakening, just for a second. I pressed harder, pushing my will against it, feeling the strain in every fiber of my being. It was like trying to bend copper with my bare hands, painful and slow but doable.

The second Warg, however, wasn't giving me the time I needed. It lunged again, and this time, I was too slow to fully evade. Its teeth grazed my arm, tearing through the leather of my sleeve and drawing blood. Pain shot through me, but I gritted my teeth and refused to break focus.

I was in control. I had to be.

With a growl of fury, I turned to the second Warg, meeting its gaze. The pain fueled me and gave me focus. I could feel the power surging through me now. My eyes glowed brighter, my mind lashing out at the beasts before me.

The first Warg stopped its advance, its body shuddering as it lowered its head. I could feel it yielding, slowly, reluctantly, but it was happening. My heart pounded as I smiled, I was winning.

The third Warg was still circling, its rider growling commands in a guttural tongue. I didn't have time to dominate it fully—not with two others already buckling under the weight of my will. But I could feel it beginning to falter.

The orcs atop the Wargs shouted in confusion as they realized what was happening. I seized the moment and growled again, louder this time, my voice carrying over the din of battle. The second Warg stilled, its massive body trembling as it too lowered its head, submitting to my control.

I was drenched in sweat now, But I couldn't stop. Not yet.

The third Warg let out a low whine, its rider pulling hard on the reins in frustration. It wasn't fully under my control yet, but I could see the cracks forming. My power surged again, and for a brief moment, I felt a connection a thread of dominance that stretched between me and the final beast.

But before I could claim it, the rider yanked viciously on the reins, breaking the Warg's focus. It snarled and reared back, its wild eyes locking onto me with renewed fury. My breath came in ragged gasps, but I stood my ground, ready for the next strike.

The battlefield around me was chaos, soldiers clashing with orcs, the howls of Wargs filling the air. But in that moment, with two Wargs under my control and a third still resisting.

The third Warg's rider snarled something in that guttural tongue, but I had no interest in what it had to say. The beast beneath it was still trying to resist, but it was faltering. I could see it in the way its massive body twitched, the way its eyes flicked nervously between me and its rider. My heart pounded in my chest, and my breaths came in shallow gasps. But I wasn't backing down. I wouldn't.

With a low growl, I surged forward, faster than the rider could react. As I thrusted my sword into its side. It let out a strangled cry, dropping its reins as it tried to swing its crude weapon at me, but I was quicker. I ripped him from his saddle, flinging his body to the ground with a thud as I threw the sword into its head with all my strength. The Warg beneath me bucked, but I leaned in closer, my red eyes locking with its, and pushed again.

*Submit to me!*

The Warg faltered, its massive body shuddering under the weight of my command. I could feel it fighting, the wild instinct to attack battling against the unnatural force of my will. But the longer I held it, the more control I gained. Its muscles slackened, its ears flattening in submission as it lowered its massive head to the ground. I had it.

I didn't have time to revel in the victory, though. I glanced at the two Wargs I had already dominated, both were still standing, their powerful forms still under my command. But we weren't done. Not yet.

I extended my hand, and with a quick flick of my wrist, thick vines erupted from the earth, wrapping around the legs of the three Wargs and necks before its ruts withered away. Their bodies tensed at the sudden restraint, but they didn't resist. I shouted over the roar of the battle, my voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't kill these! THEIR MINE!"

The Rohan soldiers around me nodded quickly, their eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of the massive creatures submitting to me. But they followed my command and turned their attention back to the orcs.

I climbed onto the back of the largest Warg, the first one I had controlled. Its fur was dark, almost black, with patches of scarred skin from old battles. 

I gave a sharp whistle, and the other two Wargs responded immediately, their heads snapping up as they waited for my command. With a sharp kick to the sides of my mount, we charged forward, the other two following close behind. The rush of wind hit my face as the Warg beneath me leaped into action, its powerful muscles coiling and releasing with every bound.

We tore through the battlefield, moving faster than any of the horses could. I gripped the beast's coarse fur tightly, leaning into the momentum as we crashed into a group of orcs that had been caught off guard. The Warg's massive jaws clamped down on one of them, crushing armor and bone with ease. The other two followed suit, ripping through the enemy with brutal efficiency.

Blood sprayed through the air as the Wargs tore into the orcs, their massive teeth and claws rending flesh from bone. I didn't give them time to recover. The Warg beneath me surged forward again, knocking another rider from his mount before I slashed at the orc with my claws. The creature's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Around me, the battlefield was chaos, but I had carved out my own path through it. With the Wargs under my control, we tore through the orc ranks, leaving destruction in our wake. Every swing of my sword and every strike of my claws was met with the snapping jaws of the Wargs, the creatures now fully committed to my command.

I could see Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli fighting their way through another group of attackers. Boromir, despite his earlier condition, was holding his own. The people of Rohan fought fiercely, their determination only growing as they saw the tide of the battle shift in our favor.

With a final lunge, my Warg clamped its jaws around the neck of an orc captain, shaking it violently until the orc's body went limp. The beast released it, and the corpse fell to the ground in a heap. The battlefield around us had grown quieter, the remaining orcs either fleeing or falling under the blades of the Rohan soldiers.

I breathed heavily, my heart still racing, but I couldn't deny the rush of power that surged through me. The Warg beneath me panted, its massive chest rising and falling in rhythm with my own.

The other two Wargs circled me, their eyes still glowing faintly as they waited for my next command. I grinned, my hand resting on the coarse fur of the beast beneath me. As i petted it side. "Good boy"

 I could see the wary glances from the others especially Legolas and Gimli. They didn't trust the beasts, and I couldn't blame them. But there was no time to explain. I had to focus on the battle.

Aragorn was locked in combat with one of the larger Warg riders, his sword flashing as he deflected the orc's strikes. My Warg surged forward, crushing an orc beneath its paws, but something in the distance caught my eye.

I saw it happen just before Aragorn did, the Warg beneath him lunged, its rider swinging wildly, and in the chaos, Aragorn's arm became entangled in the beast's harness. The massive creature snarled and bucked, dragging Aragorn with it as it careened toward the cliff's edge.

"Aragorn!" I shouted, my voice lost in the din of battle.

He tried to free himself, but the Warg was too strong, its movements too wild. The cliff loomed closer, and in that instant, I knew what was coming. Without hesitation, I urged my Warg forward, pushing it to its limits as I raced to catch him. My legs tightened around the beast as we bounded forward, the wind whipping past me.

But I was too late.

Aragorn's body was pulled violently over the edge, his hand still tangled in the Warg's harness. His form disappeared from sight, swallowed by the abyss below.

"No!" The word tore from my throat, but it was already done.

I skidded to a halt at the cliff's edge, my heart pounding as I peered down into the swirling mists below. There was no sign of him. Nothing but the distant roar of water.

For a moment, everything fell silent. The battle seemed far away, and all I could hear was the sound of my own breathing, ragged and uneven. Shit I was to slow.

The others gathered behind me, and I felt their eyes on my back. Legolas was the first to approach, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock. Gimli followed, his expression one of disbelief.

"He's gone," Gimli muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

I straightened, my body still thrumming with the energy of the battle, and I knew I needed to calm down. I shifted back to normal, They didn't know, not fully. And now wasn't the time to explain my power to them.

My eyes dim and my muscles relax. I shifted back to normal, my form reverting just in time as Legolas approached me.

 I could see the way their eyes flicked to the Wargs standing obediently behind me. There was distrust there, uncertainty. But they didn't question it, not yet.

Legolas stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the cliff's edge where Aragorn had disappeared. His jaw was clenched, his hands tightening around his bow. "We must keep moving. There's nothing we can do here."

I nodded, though my mind was still racing. The Wargs circled back toward me, their hulking forms casting long shadows across the ground. Gimli took a step back, his hand instinctively gripping the handle of his axe, but he said nothing.

"They won't harm you," I said quietly, hoping to ease the tension. "Magic make them serve me now" I kinda lied, I wasnt sure what to call this.

Gimli grunted, clearly not convinced, but he gave a wary nod, his eyes never leaving the beasts.

Legolas turned to me, his voice low. "We need to move."

I nodded, I knew we couldn't linger. With the Wargs still under my control, I mounted the largest one, its powerful body shifting beneath me as I settled into position. The others watched with a mixture of awe and hesitation, but no one stopped me.

The others gathered their horses, though their movements were slow, their minds weighed down by the losses. Gimli muttered something under his breath, his eyes still filled with disbelief as he mounted his Pony.

The Wargs followed me obediently as we began to move away from the cliff.