"What kind of creature was it, may I ask?" Elrond looked down at the hobbit.

Bilbo rubbed his neck and said "They were almost like...Wargs? I think those dog things the orcs ride on...but its a mix of Orc, Warg and human...I can't remember what Lady Serena called them...but they were deadly..."

The hobbit's description of the creatures sent a chill down the elf lord's spine. It sounded exactly like something an old enemy would have created, but Sauron had been destroyed long ago, so it could not have been him. "I see." he answered simply. "Very well, Master Baggins. I will take a look at your injury for you. I know Serena mended it somewhat but in order to heal it properly you will need the care of an elven healer, I am certain."

Bilbo blinked then said "I am sure Lady Serena did a great job...but another look will be greatly taken, thank you" Bane walked by Serena, still watching her with worry. She looked like she had fought in the great wars. They made it to the great hall and Bilbo looked around in awe. "Amazing..."

Smiling slightly, Elrond left Bilbo for a moment to approach Serena. "You should rest. You have travelled far, and you look very poorly rested." he tried to persuade the Mage gently.

Serena smiled and said "I'm alright, my lord. The others need more aid then I. We have much to talk about and then Band and I must move on to the next place to try and find more who will listen to our warning"

"You will be no good to anyone if you are so exhausted that you cannot speak." the elf pointed out stoically, raising a brow at her. "You need rest."

Serena said "You should tend to your other guests before us, my lord..." She smiled and moved away, Bane shaking his head. "She's been like this for weeks...I can't understand why she is pushing so hard..." Bilbo said "Maybe she needs to hear it from someone just as driven as her? A common soul" Gandalf nodded and said "I wonder who here has been pushing for so long for one goal...and would understand the trials it puts on the body and mind" He looked at Thorin pointedly.

"Don't look at me." growled the dwarf prince irritably. "I'm not having anything to do with these two. They bring nothing but trouble!"

Elrond had Bilbo settle down once they were inside, and examined the wound on his shoulder carefully.

Bilbo sat down and said "Thorin, they didn't bring us trouble, they got us out of danger. They didn't bring those creatures to us..." Gandalf sighed and rubbed his nose. "You are being stubborn Thorin...just like all dwarfs are..."

Serena stood by the river, sighing. "Just a little longer...just a little longer...I can finish my promise..."

"You have no proof of that, Master Baggins." the dwarf prince growled. "Do you not think it is a strange coincidence, that they come bringing warning of those strange beasts and suddenly they are attacking us as well as a warg pack? I'm not buying their story!"

Bane growled, his eyes changing yellow as he grabbed Thorin's chest and said "How dare you!? Lady Serena has been trying to warn many to save lives! She saved mine from that pack when normal warriors would have killed me on the spot! We were tracking that pack to head them off before they hurt anyone else! You are lucky my lady even saw your group in the packs path with her gift! I should rip you apart right now to think we have anything to do with those murdering monsters!" Bane was shaking badly, his eyes glowing yellow.

Serena suddenly came out of no where and move between Thorin and Bane. She broke Bane's grip and shielded Thorin, her eyes shining in the light of the setting sun. "Bane stop it! You can't lose control! Bane stop!" Bane moved back, holding his head as he fell to his knees. Serena fell by him, a patch of blood stained cloth appearing on her side as she held onto her partner. Bilbo said "Lord Elrond, she's bleeding" Serena held onto Bane. "Calm down Bane...its alright...please calm down...don't let the beast within you come out..."

"Lady Serena, you are wounded." Elrond moved to kneel beside them and looked at the mage sternly. It was a statement, not a question, with a hidden implication that she should allow him to look at the wound.

She shook her head, sweat running down her face. "Please...wait a moment...Bane needs me right now..." She flinched and looked at Bane who was breathing hard. "Its alright Bane...its alright..." Bane opened his eyes and they were back to normal. "I'm sorry my lady...I lost my temper..." She smiled weakly and said "its alright Bane...no one was hurt..." She turned to Thorin and stood, her body shaking now.

"Are you alright, Lord Thorin? Please understand, Bane is a victim of those creatures as well...whatever was said to make things so tense...can we...just..." She fell to her knees, shaking badly. Bane sat up and siad "Lady Serena! Your wound, its opened up again" Serena waved him off, flinching as she did so. "Its alright...its fine...please don't...don't..." She fell to the side, the world spinning around her.

"You need to stay still." Elrond instructed Serena firmly as he called out for Lindir to fetch some healing supplies and bring them out to where they were, so he could heal her wound.

The dwarves all hung back nervously and watched the wounded mage uneasily. Some of them felt guilty, she had helped them, after all...

Bilbo moved forward and Gandalf caught Serena, resting a hand on her forehead. "Lord Elrond, she's feverish...Master Bane, how long have you two been like this" Bane sighed and said "She hasn't been sleeping since we caught the trail of the pack after they attacked a village two week ago...and she was wounded five days ago by one of them when we almost cut them off from another village...the two of us can't wipe them all out...we haven't paused for rest or food for weeks, trying to head them off...trying to get ahead..." Bane coughed suddenly and Bilbo moved over and rested a hand on Bane's forehead as well. "Master Bane, your warm too. You both must be ill from all of this" Bane sighed and said "We couldn't stop...not with so many lives at stake..."

"You have no choice now." Elrond answered somewhat sharply as Lindir returned and he began to work on Serena's wound. "Get them both water." he instructed Lindir.

Bane sighed and nodded. Bilbo looked at Thorin and said "Still think they are behind the attacks?" Gandalf shook his head and said "Only a cold hearted fool would think that of these two..." He looked down at Serena, her head resting in his lap while the Lord Elf worked on her wound. "Lord Elrond, how bad does it look?" Bilbo asked, looking concerned.

"It is quite severe." the elf admitted gravely as he tied the wound up with fresh bandaging. "But it will heal, with proper rest, and food." he looked sternly at Bane as he said this, somewhat angered that the two of them had been foolish enough to let it get this far before they sought help. "You are very lucky that you were led here, or she would have died."

Bane liked stunned. "What...but she said it was a minor wound...she said it was just a slash...I don't understand" Gandalf raised an eyebrow and asked "how was she wounded exactly..." Bane looked away and said "I...I don't know...she had...I was out cold when it happened" Gandalf looked at Aerena and muttered "he was in danger...she must have protected him when he was at risk..."