Властелин колец: Две башни
The Riders of Rohan
TheOrcsmusthavebeenawarefromthispointthattheywerepursued;theymayhavemadesomeattempttogettheircaptivesawaybeforetheywereovertaken.’
Astheyrodeforwardthedaywasovercast.LowgreycloudscameovertheWold.Amistshroudedthesun.Evernearerthetree-cladslopesofFangornloomed,slowlydarklingasthesunwentwest.Theysawnosignofanytrailtorightorleft,buthereandtheretheypassedsingleOrcs,fallenintheirtracksastheyran,withgrey-featheredarrowsstickinginbackorthroat.
Atlastastheafternoonwaswaningtheycametotheeavesoftheforest,andinanopengladeamongthefirsttreestheyfoundtheplaceofthegreatburning:theasheswerestillhotandsmoking.Besideitwasagreatpileofhelmsandmail,clovenshields,andbrokenswords,bowsanddartsandothergearofwar.Uponastakeinthemiddlewassetagreatgoblinhead;uponitsshatteredhelmthewhitebadgecouldstillbeseen.Furtheraway,notfarfromtheriver,whereitcamestreamingoutfromtheedgeofthewood,therewasamound.Itwasnewlyraised:therawearthwascoveredwithfresh-cutturves:aboutitwereplantedfifteenspears.
Aragornandhiscompanionssearchedfarandwideaboutthefieldofbattle,butthelightfaded,andeveningsoondrewdown,dimandmisty.BynightfalltheyhaddiscoverednotraceofMerryandPippin.
’Wecandonomore,’saidGimlisadly.’WehavebeensetmanyriddlessincewecametoTolBrandir,butthisisthehardesttounravel.
