Chapter 35
Loki remained hard fought throughout the entire time that they battled the Urukai. It was a sudden realization, only after the battle, that they realized that Frodo and Sam were missing from their number, and that Boromir and Gandalf were also gone, along with Merry and Pippin. Legolas, Haldir, and Loki all wandered, only to find that Frodo and Sam had likely left on their own, deciding to take a different route to Mordor, rather than stay with the group. Loki found himself unable to fault the two with their plan. It was sound, as they were obviously attracting far too much attention as it were. Gandalf had just left they did not know where he was, and Loki was unable to find traces of him anywhere.
It was with Boromir, that they found Aragorn once again, and it was to a death. It would seem that the former had failed to heed Loki's warnings, as per usual, and now they were stuck with a funeral. Loki found himself more concerned with Merry and Pippin. He had some confidence in Frodo and Sam, but Merry and Pippin were far different from the two more serious Hobbits. Sam and Frodo worked well together, and Loki had very little belief that they would not manage to handle themselves fairly well despite the worry that he felt from it. Perhaps he should be a bit more broken up about Boromir, but he could not find it within himself to be that concerned.
What did concern him, or rather, what jarred him, was the similarities between the burial that Aragorn had chosen for Boromir, and Asgardian Burials. He had not managed to handle himself too well, instead deciding to fall back once again into the shadows, his emotions running wild with the implications. He did not like it. It brought back too much, and far too quickly, which he had not been all that prepared to handle. For as much as Boromir was an idiot, he supposed that he did not deserve to die, although he may not have cared too much for his death, it was clear that Aragorn was affected by it. Quite deeply, from what he had witnessed, though he did not understand why that was either, as the two had more than a small amount of head to heads in a negative manner. They were more against each other than they were with each other.
After the, in Loki's opinion, unnecessary sentimental funeral, they realized that Merry and Pippin had been carried off, which meant that they were going to have to find them, follow the Urukai that took them, and hope that they managed to catch up to them. Gandalf was nowhere to be found, and Loki did not want to expend more energy trying to find him. Explaining to Aragorn that Gandalf was likely far more capable of handling himself, wherever it was that he had disappeared off to, than Merry and pippin were stuck in the company of flesh loving creatures that enjoyed roasted human. It may have been a bit...harsh, even to his own standards, when it came to verbal sparring and pushing his own point and agenda, but at the same time, he did not really care about Gandalf, while Merry and Pippin, well he could not say he particularly cared much for them either, but he certainly cared for them more than he cared for Gandalf, so a win win situation for him going after the two helpless Hobbits rather than the wizard that Loki would prefer to stay away from them.
It seemed to work and no sooner than he had finished explaining that they were tracking them down. Or attempting to. The reality was that they had quite the head-start on them, and it would take quite a bit of energy, effort, and strain to catch up to them. It was definitely not going to be easy, and it did not take long before Loki was beginning to wish that the Dwarf had been captured along with the Hobbits. He was horribly annoying. While Legolas and Haldir seemed to allow the comments and complaints to roll off of their shoulders, Loki was not as capable of such things. In the end, the Dwarf had annoyed him to the point where he had finally lost himself in his frustration, rearing onto the Dwarf.
"Shut. Up. you hopeless annoying creature!" Loki hissed, his eyes flaring emerald for a few seconds, leaving the Dwarf silent in shock, and a bit of offense as well. "I tire of hearing your incessant complaints. You are not the only one suffering, and if you care at all for the lives of your small companions, you will stay silent, and follow the rest of us without complain before I force your silence upon you."
Legolas moved slowly up towards Loki, watching his heaving breaths, and his gleaming eyes and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, leaving the other to spin around and glare at him, momentarily, before realizing who it was an calming down in one rush of air.
"I apologize, I did not mean to worry you," Loki whispered to Legolas.
"But you meant to threaten me!" Gimli dared, leaving Loki to cut his eyes to him, wild and untamed, daring him to speak one more word. The Dwarf wisely shut himself up, letting Loki think properly for once since their attempts at tracking the Hobbits began, and they finally were able to get a move on, only this time without the grumbling and complaints of the Dwarf's mishaps.
Haldir and Legolas remained amused over the fact that Loki had lost his cool and proceeded to threaten the Dwarf. While it was somewhat concerning, he would admit that it was definitely something that they found humor in. Particularly since it was so effective. While they knew enough about Loki's character to know that he did not make idle threats, and that he would have no qualms doing exactly what he had threatened to do, it was interesting to see that enough of his sincerity had bled through that Gimli had remained silent until they had happened upon the Knights of Rorrin.
Which was when hell was released.