Oh, gosh, Anwyn! This is an exciting start to the challenge, I can't wait for more. I wonder if Victoria is dead or if she's in a coma or...well, I'll stop speculating, I don't want the surprise to be spoiled :-)

I never know what to think in cases like these, with an elderly person who lives alone with hundreds of animals; I think it's terrible, but I can't help wondering if they've just lost the plot, if they're mentally ill or something. A sad situation for all concerned.

Your description of the state of the animals was heartbreaking.

Am now on tenterhooks for the next installment!

Author's Response: Thank you so much Narya! I do my best to kick things off to an exciting start when I can and this is not going to be a terribly long story, I think, at the moment so I want to keep things rolling along. It breaks my heart when I hear about an old house filled with cats but the thing is that yes the person is usually mentally ill, It is really a form of hoarding but with live animals which is terrible and in the last few years I have seen way too many stories of houses full of cats and dogs and most have to be destroyed as they are just too sick or mentally damaged, It is horrible, abseloutely horrible what people do to animals and I feel punishment should be stricter....Victoria just happens to share my views on this ;) As that will play a major part in the upcoming story. I will have the next installment up soon with any luck, I have a few stories going on but since I feel like I have some momentum going on with this one I want to continue as I feel I have a good idea of where I am going to take it but just working out the 'How' part of things. Thanks so much for the Review! :)

Actually, though this IS funny, there's a very poignant note to it too. I think it's that last line, "Not that it matters." Maybe it's just me reading too much into things, but that feels like quite a sad, bleak closing line. That's not a criticism; it's a good thing, as getting more than one emotion into so few words is not easy at all! Well done :-)

Author's Response: I see what you mean, the ending can be sad, but I intended for it to be sort of like a shrug after a thought. Aragorn thinks about running, and how he needs to bathe and then is like, "Meh, I'm a ranger, and I'm down-wind." Thanks for the review!

"That fool of a Took"...mwahaha! Poor Pip. Lovely job again :-D

Author's Response: Thank you!

LMAO, last line just killed me...awesome work!

Just to let you know, I'm now back at home so computer time is limited, but I will be in touch as often as possible.

Author's Response:

Yeah, I laughed over that line while writing it. I love Gimli, he's such a great character. My favorite character overall is still Boromir, though!

I completely understand the limited computer issue. Good luck getting computer time, and I'll look forward to your emails when they come!

OoOoOh, that was an unexpected twist!! Poor Laura :-( had she really sensed Brandon or was is her imagination? Will they get to talk to him again? Guess I'll just have to keep reading.

Great work, as always :-)

Author's Response:

No, she really sensed him. I don't know if I'm alone on this, but I believe that some bonds span across death, mother-and-child bonds especially. I feel sorrier for his father, who has lost his son and has to deal with the mental and emotional instability of his wife on top of everything.

I'll email some spoilers your way, if you want, regarding possible plot developments.

Thanks for the review! 

Oh, wow, what a fantastic chapter! The language and imagery is gorgeous - "the magic of approaching dusk riddled with his senses" - and Brandon's hearbreak that it isn't Boromir who returned is agonising to read. I love the slightly subdued note you end the chapter on, too. It's hopeful, but sad as well.

Author's Response:

Thank you! I'm glad you liked the chapter, even though this particular chapter felt strangely elusive. I wasn't able to fit my thousand-word quota again. :-(

My imagery has nothing on yours, so this is one of the best compliments I could've gotten! Thanks for the review! Hopefully there'll be time to post another chapter soon...school started today, ugh.

Well, that was a short hiatus :p what was it, 24 hours?

Chicka yeaah.

LMAO. Nice. Really smooth, checking out a pregnant married woman!

Cool cliffie at the end; I await the healing of Theoden and the promised romance with baited breath!

Author's Response:

As soon as I sent you the email, ideas hit me full force. Life is strange! Still have to figure out how Brandon meets her/what her name is/what she looks like.

  Really smooth, checking out a pregnant married woman!

He really didn't notice until after she ran inside. Still, it's awkward, haha. She's most likely going to come back in the story, but not as love interest.

Healing of Theoden is on its way. Maybe after another "hiatus" lol. 

Nice touch with Thorostan there, and the observation that Hyld is a dead man's horse. Terrific last line, as well - your chapters always seem to end on the perfect note!

The silence was even more agonizing than the noise. It sat heavily upon his shoulders, thick with the promise of slaughter. Brandon felt his hope dissolve in the tension. A keening howl cut through the stillness, followed by the hollow roar of battle.

Absolutely stunning. Powerful, claustrophobic imagery loaded with tension, perfectly phrased and rhythmically satisfying.

Another terrific chapter. Glad to see this updated.

Argh! An update! How did I miss this?

Short, but powerful. Poor Brandon - I hope he soon settles in to his new home. Your writing is wonderfully atmospheric, as ever. I wonder how the story is going to change now that he's away from Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli?