Chapter One
Friendly Rivalry
The silence was deafening. Shadows crept in and out of the light, casting eerie flickers on an almost invisible face, camouflaged by the leaves.
Sharp blue eyes peered out from beneath the foliage of the brush and pierced the veil of heavy morning mist.
Soundless feet moved swiftly across the dampened ground, and a pair of elven ears twitched warily, listening to the sounds of the forest.
He was being followed. Which wasn't an unusual thing when one lived in a place such as Mirkwood. Wargs and spiders feasted on the creatures caught unaware in the darkness.
The trees whispered of his pursuer and rustled nervously at its passing.
His eyes narrowed and he leapt onto a branch high above him. He crouched low and waited in the cover of the greenery.
Barely audible footsteps came near him, and he tensed as he drew out one of his long blades strapped across his back. A being dressed in black stepped out from behind a bush and made its way closer to the tree he was perched upon.
It paused, took in its left and right and continued on. The elf above it dropped noiselessly down behind the creature and lunged at it, pulling his knife up and around its neck.
The figure gasped slightly and stood perfectly still. The cold bite of steel against its throat did not relieve its pressure and a stressed silence followed the short attack.
The elf leaned in close and breathed softly into the being's ear, "I win."
"Oh, for goodness sakes, unhand me!" Aragorn pushed his friend away good- naturedly and turned to face his would-be assailant.
Legolas smoothly re-sheathed his blade and smiled a fleeting smile. "May we be off now? The game is over and we are but a day's length away from the palace."
Aragorn nodded in agreement and fell into step with the elven prince. They had been traveling many days toward Mirkwood. Legolas had been on a visit to Rivendell on official matters concerning his father and Aragorn had offered to accompany the elf on his journey home.
Aragorn had suggested a friendly contest as to see who could capture whom first only half an hour before. Loser took first watch that night.
The sky rolled with clouds and the wind picked up, murmuring warnings of an approaching storm to the Wood Elves.
The Ranger pulled his cloak tighter around himself and shrugged deeper into its warmth. The breath hung in misty patches on the air as they made their way across the uneven terrain.
His feet sunk into the mud and squished obnoxiously as he walked.
Legolas fought the smile creeping over his lips and schooled his features into a calm mask.
Something wet splashed onto his cheek and he blinked thoughtfully. Another drop struck his and he turned his eyes to the sky.
"Odd."
Aragorn glanced up and followed his gaze, "What's odd?"
The prince gestured upward, "It should not rain for another hour."
"An hour, a minute, there is no difference. If it is going to rain, it will rain, whether it be an hour from now or a day."
The elf shook his head and sighed. "Impossible human."
"Stubborn elf," the Ranger shot back as he brushed stray locks of hair from his eyes.
"Would it not be better if it were a day away since we would be indoors instead of sleeping on the ground?" Legolas raised a fair eyebrow in question.
"I thought elves weren't deterred by weather," Aragorn commented dryly.
The elf scoffed, "You thought correctly. I would not mind a night in the rain, I only wonder if you would."
"You think because I am human, I would be bothered by it?"
There was a pause as Legolas tilted his head to the side, "It is my belief, yes." His response garnered a frown, but no more was said on the subject.
They walked in silence for a moment, the only sound was of Aragorn's mud- laden boots, sloshing loudly. The rain began to fall with more force and stung their skin.
~~*~~*~~*~~
The fire crackled and snapped as Aragorn fed it what dry branches he could find. The flames licked eagerly at the fuel given to them and leaped toward the two travelers, offering them warmth.
The cave was dark outside the circle of light and colder than the shivers running down Legolas' spine as he spied the shadows in the back suspiciously.
He sat quietly sharpening his knife, the soft scraping sound of the blade sliding across the stone filling the air.
It had stopped raining hours ago and dusk had fallen quickly.
Aragorn rolled out his bedding and glanced over at the elf. Legolas did not look up from his work, but spoke softly.
"Yes, Strider?"
The ranger jumped slightly and chuckled, "I think it is sharp enough."
The prince continued to move his weapon in a sort of rhythm, up and down and up again...
"I am only making sure."
His companion snickered and mumbled, "More like perfecting."
The elf's head snapped up and his eyes twinkled. He set down his knife and whetting stone and scooted closer to Aragorn. He didn't like it in the cave, but at least his friend was near.
"You lack manners terribly," he said as he laid out his bedding also. He set his bow and arrow on his left, in easy reach.
The human shrugged lightly and grinned crookedly as he stroked the fire.
"Go to sleep, Legolas. Feel safe knowing I am on watch."
His friend snorted, "Yes, I feel completely at ease now."
Aragorn rolled his eyes, "Sleep."
The elf smiled and moved no more. A moment later, his eyes stared past the ranger and into dreams.
~~*~~*~~*~~
He woke with a start and went for his sword. His heart beat wildly in his chest and his breath came quick. It was completely silent. He looked over to Legolas, but the elf still slumbered, albeit uneasily.
He must have dosed off on his shift...
But the eyes had been so real. He could have sworn he heard the distinct howl of a warg and had seen the glow of its yellow irises.
He shook his head and blew on the dying embers. He sat there the rest of the night and did not wake Legolas for his watch.
His pulse slowed as he listened to his friend's breathing, trying to imagine what dreams an elf would have and he relaxed a little. He was grateful for that, if only a little.
He stared out the mouth of the cave...and waited for sun.
Friendly Rivalry
The silence was deafening. Shadows crept in and out of the light, casting eerie flickers on an almost invisible face, camouflaged by the leaves.
Sharp blue eyes peered out from beneath the foliage of the brush and pierced the veil of heavy morning mist.
Soundless feet moved swiftly across the dampened ground, and a pair of elven ears twitched warily, listening to the sounds of the forest.
He was being followed. Which wasn't an unusual thing when one lived in a place such as Mirkwood. Wargs and spiders feasted on the creatures caught unaware in the darkness.
The trees whispered of his pursuer and rustled nervously at its passing.
His eyes narrowed and he leapt onto a branch high above him. He crouched low and waited in the cover of the greenery.
Barely audible footsteps came near him, and he tensed as he drew out one of his long blades strapped across his back. A being dressed in black stepped out from behind a bush and made its way closer to the tree he was perched upon.
It paused, took in its left and right and continued on. The elf above it dropped noiselessly down behind the creature and lunged at it, pulling his knife up and around its neck.
The figure gasped slightly and stood perfectly still. The cold bite of steel against its throat did not relieve its pressure and a stressed silence followed the short attack.
The elf leaned in close and breathed softly into the being's ear, "I win."
"Oh, for goodness sakes, unhand me!" Aragorn pushed his friend away good- naturedly and turned to face his would-be assailant.
Legolas smoothly re-sheathed his blade and smiled a fleeting smile. "May we be off now? The game is over and we are but a day's length away from the palace."
Aragorn nodded in agreement and fell into step with the elven prince. They had been traveling many days toward Mirkwood. Legolas had been on a visit to Rivendell on official matters concerning his father and Aragorn had offered to accompany the elf on his journey home.
Aragorn had suggested a friendly contest as to see who could capture whom first only half an hour before. Loser took first watch that night.
The sky rolled with clouds and the wind picked up, murmuring warnings of an approaching storm to the Wood Elves.
The Ranger pulled his cloak tighter around himself and shrugged deeper into its warmth. The breath hung in misty patches on the air as they made their way across the uneven terrain.
His feet sunk into the mud and squished obnoxiously as he walked.
Legolas fought the smile creeping over his lips and schooled his features into a calm mask.
Something wet splashed onto his cheek and he blinked thoughtfully. Another drop struck his and he turned his eyes to the sky.
"Odd."
Aragorn glanced up and followed his gaze, "What's odd?"
The prince gestured upward, "It should not rain for another hour."
"An hour, a minute, there is no difference. If it is going to rain, it will rain, whether it be an hour from now or a day."
The elf shook his head and sighed. "Impossible human."
"Stubborn elf," the Ranger shot back as he brushed stray locks of hair from his eyes.
"Would it not be better if it were a day away since we would be indoors instead of sleeping on the ground?" Legolas raised a fair eyebrow in question.
"I thought elves weren't deterred by weather," Aragorn commented dryly.
The elf scoffed, "You thought correctly. I would not mind a night in the rain, I only wonder if you would."
"You think because I am human, I would be bothered by it?"
There was a pause as Legolas tilted his head to the side, "It is my belief, yes." His response garnered a frown, but no more was said on the subject.
They walked in silence for a moment, the only sound was of Aragorn's mud- laden boots, sloshing loudly. The rain began to fall with more force and stung their skin.
~~*~~*~~*~~
The fire crackled and snapped as Aragorn fed it what dry branches he could find. The flames licked eagerly at the fuel given to them and leaped toward the two travelers, offering them warmth.
The cave was dark outside the circle of light and colder than the shivers running down Legolas' spine as he spied the shadows in the back suspiciously.
He sat quietly sharpening his knife, the soft scraping sound of the blade sliding across the stone filling the air.
It had stopped raining hours ago and dusk had fallen quickly.
Aragorn rolled out his bedding and glanced over at the elf. Legolas did not look up from his work, but spoke softly.
"Yes, Strider?"
The ranger jumped slightly and chuckled, "I think it is sharp enough."
The prince continued to move his weapon in a sort of rhythm, up and down and up again...
"I am only making sure."
His companion snickered and mumbled, "More like perfecting."
The elf's head snapped up and his eyes twinkled. He set down his knife and whetting stone and scooted closer to Aragorn. He didn't like it in the cave, but at least his friend was near.
"You lack manners terribly," he said as he laid out his bedding also. He set his bow and arrow on his left, in easy reach.
The human shrugged lightly and grinned crookedly as he stroked the fire.
"Go to sleep, Legolas. Feel safe knowing I am on watch."
His friend snorted, "Yes, I feel completely at ease now."
Aragorn rolled his eyes, "Sleep."
The elf smiled and moved no more. A moment later, his eyes stared past the ranger and into dreams.
~~*~~*~~*~~
He woke with a start and went for his sword. His heart beat wildly in his chest and his breath came quick. It was completely silent. He looked over to Legolas, but the elf still slumbered, albeit uneasily.
He must have dosed off on his shift...
But the eyes had been so real. He could have sworn he heard the distinct howl of a warg and had seen the glow of its yellow irises.
He shook his head and blew on the dying embers. He sat there the rest of the night and did not wake Legolas for his watch.
His pulse slowed as he listened to his friend's breathing, trying to imagine what dreams an elf would have and he relaxed a little. He was grateful for that, if only a little.
He stared out the mouth of the cave...and waited for sun.
