Gerithor did not halt until he burst into Aragorn's tent. Then he did stop, and with some surprise at that. For Aragorn was not alone: Captain Halbarad was with him, but also a dark-haired elf with a strange grim air, whom Gerithor had never seen before.

All three looked up at his entrance, their discussion breaking off short. Halbarad smiled when he saw it was Gerithor; they knew one another well, and he was almost like a second father to the young Ranger. The elf, however, put a hand instantly to one of the curved daggers in his belt.

"Cousin, there you are!" said Aragorn. "This is Caledorn; he brings tidings from Rivendell and the lands about."

The elf relaxed slightly.

"Yes. I'm sorry I did not come sooner; reuniting with my family distracted me." Gerithor's feeling of sheepishness was mitigated by a reassuring look from Halbarad, and he stepped over to the older man's side, waiting for someone to break the silence. It turned out to be Caledorn who spoke first.

"My scouts informed me that there are orcs gathering in the ruins of Carn Dum, and men of Rhudaur as well. And trolls have been seen in lands far south of their usual haunts. One scout told me that she had seen a cloaked Man riding on a warg, and I hesitated to believe her – until I heard you speak of the same." He turned to Gerithor. "What do you recall of his appearance?"

"He was tall," Gerithor answered slowly, dredging up the memory. "His eyes ... his eyes were blue, almost an unnatural blue. He wore iron armor, like that of the ancient Numenoreans; and he spoke elvish, but with an evil accent." Gerithor halted, unable to remember anything further.

"He had command over the wargs around him," Aragorn put in. "I have not seen, nor even heard, of a man controlling a Warg."

"It is strange indeed," Caledorn acknowledged. There was a long silence.

"My lord Aragorn," said Halbarad finally, "I would suggest that we prepare to evacuate Esteldin. It is too near the enemy."

"We do not know when they plan to strike, though," replied Aragorn, "nor what their purpose is. Send a party north, Halbarad, to track their movements."

Halbarad bent his head and turned to Gerithor. "Send to your father to gather twenty good men, and have them meet in front of the armory," he ordered. "Tell them to prepare for a scouting mission."

Gerithor nodded in salute, and left the tent at once.

He banged the door to his house open vehemently; the family was at dinner. "Halbarad has need of you, father!" he said breathlessly.

Gerimond looked up, startled, but saw only his son. "Have I taught you no manners, Gerithor?" he inquired with a teasing smirk. "Don't barge in without knocking first."

But Gerithor paid it no heed. "Father, it is urgent. Halbarad needs you at once."

Gerimond stood slowly, lifting his cloak from a hook on the wall. "Say on, son."

"It's a scouting mission," Gerithor explained as they moved out the door. "He said to gather twenty men and meet at the armory."

Gerimond nodded. "Very well, I'll get them at once."

Gerithor turned, to run back to Aragorn's tent. His father grabbed his arm.

"Where do you think you're going, lad? You're one of the twenty men I was going to bring with me!"

Gerithor looked at his father, surprise and excitement swelling in him. He had never accompanied such an endeavor before. Trying to mask his wild exhiliration, he said quietly, "Yes, sir."

He followed his father from tent to tent, house to house, as Gerimond recruited the best among the Rangers to form the small scouting force. One careful choice that Gerimond made, however, was Eldahir. Knowing that Gerithor could easily feel intimidated and out of place, he made certain to include his son's friend in the growing group.

Gerithor and Eldahir left Gerimond behind and walked on alone to the armory, where many of the men chosen were already awaiting further instruction. Some of them exchanged quiet conversation, while others inspected their weapons or said farewell to loved ones. But Gerithor was too caught in the thrill of the moment to think of that latter.

Eldahir nudged Gerithor, a determined smile on his face. "Our first mission! Isn't it exciting?" But he spoke quietly, trying to appear mature and accustomed to such events in front of the older Rangers.

"Yes indeed," Gerithor whispered back. "You've a button missing, by the way."

Eldahir looked down at his leather vest and snorted. "I knew that."

"Of course." Gerithor arched a smug eyebrow. "Did you know about your dagger too?"

Eldahir looked down again, and raised his head to look narrowly at Gerithor. "I know I brought it with me. You must have stolen it."

Gerithor flipped the knife out calmly from behind his back. "Aye, that I did. You should keep your head a bit clearer and your wits about you."

He handed it back to his friend, who pulled a miffed face but did not respond. He replaced the dagger in his belt, mumbling something half-audible about red-haired thieves.

Gerimond arrived shortly, having left to speak to Halbarad, and mounted a platform to address the Rangers. "We have orders to search out the forests to the north," he said, his voice low but projected for all to hear him. "We will travel light, and in silence." Here he looked directly at Gerithor and Eldahir. "We will not fight unless attacked; we will split into pairs, and I shall give each pair further instructions when the time comes. Defend the North!" he cried.

The Rangers raised their bows and answered: "Defend the North!"

Gerithor was pleased to be paired with Eldahir, but he had not expected anything else: Gerimond knew they were good friends, and few of the more experienced Rangers would want to work with them.

When all was ready Gerimond signalled to the men, and they moved northwards.

In the tent, Caledorn and Aragorn were still deep in discourse.

"What news from Mirkwood?" Aragorn asked.

Caledorn's brows tightened in a frown. "Nothing good. The spiders increasingly infest the forest, and we fear orcs have reclaimed the fortress of Dol Guldur. It is only the same elsewhere. The Easterlings have renewed their allegiance to the Dark Lord, and furthermore have sent messages to Erebor, demanding that they join as well. They have not yet, but they will."

"You doubt them so much?"

"Dwarves are greedy," said Caledorn with disgust. "They will not long resist Sauron's temptations."

Aragorn dropped the matter. "What of the message you said Lord Elrond had for me?"

"The Lord Elrond said that Gandalf the Grey wished to speak to you in Rivendell concerning something of dire import. Elrond himself intimated that it was greatly urgent."

He was being vague still. Aragorn pressed further. "Did he not say why Gandalf wished to see me?"

"Yes," answered Caledorn with a faint shrug. "But I think the details should be told to you in person. All I will say is that it involves tracking and capturing a creature whose knowledge we do not want the enemy to have. And... if that is not enough reason for you to travel all the way to Rivendell, I suggest reading the letter in your hand." The elf raised his right eyebrow slightly, the only vestige of amusement his grim face seemed capable of cracking.

Aragorn opened the letter silently and read it.

My Estel,

I have come to Rivendell to stay, as my father fears the growing danger in the east, and I understand you are but a few days' journey from here. I do not wish to press you if you have other matters to attend to, but it would make my heart glad to see you again.

With love,

Arwen Undomiel

"Will you go to Rivendell?"

Aragorn looked up, the tender smile leaving his face as he met Caledorn's intent dark eyes. It was clear the elf expected only one answer.

"I think I will go," he answered at last. "Halbarad shall be in command while I am gone."

He rose and called for Halbarad, who entered shortly. "I am departing for Rivendell, and I do not know for how long. You have charge in my stead; report it to the Dunedain at Annuminas as well."

"Aye, Lord Aragorn. May you have a good journey."

Aragorn gripped his arm, and left the tent to prepare his horse; when he had said farewell to a few, he mounted and rode west. Caledorn watched him from the shadows, his emerald eyes following the ranger until he disappeared into the darkness.

Note: Aragorn's part in this tale is over for now. As some of you may have already figured out, this is when Aragorn began hunting for Gollum. I wanted to mention this so you all weren't incredibly disappointed. But this is Gerithor's story, after all. Aragorn's time comes later.