1.
'This is an unusual feeling', he thought calmly. Always calm, but tonight unusually suspicious for an Elf of his experience. He was stood overlooking the cliff face, this was the spot he preferred. He had a clear view of Valinor and every evening before sunset he would stand out and breathe in the air. He could sense a great deal about his surroundings just by being content for those collected seconds. Every bird in the distance, every sound made in the bracken underneath his cabin, the forest of Orome stirring below him, he felt everything. Tonight something was different. It was as if a strange force of wind had tried to confuse his senses, had knocked him sideways, only briefly, so that he could step back and consider that something was about to change. It was coming from below. He couldn't work out how he knew, but he did.
It was an intuition that he had taken for granted, as one would being blessed with a wonderful gift from birth. Of course he knew no different however he was aware of the frustrations and jealousy from others regarding his talents. They never saw it as a burden. His eyes narrowed as he tried to pinpoint exactly where this feeling was coming from. He looked further to the North and almost strained for his vision to be clearer than it already was. He had magnificent eyesight, but they seemed to be failing him now. The forest was vast, never ending and spread out before him. Frustrated he took a deep breath, trying to see deeper, but the connection was broken. The feeling passed and Valinor was as it had been the night before and the night before that.
He turned and walked back to the cabin, bending his head as he went through the very short doorway.
'You know we'll have to fix that door' he said to the seemingly empty room. 'One day it'll decapitate me! And what then? What will become of you?'
He smirked as he lifted the dirty rags slumped in the corner of the room. Underneath was Gimli, his old friend huddled under the covers and apparently unaware of Legolas standing over him. He grunted. He was fond of Legolas but the creature did know how to disturb a dwarf from a most luxurious sleep. Gimli checked himself, luxurious? Ha! He'd had better naps sleeping in the dark caves of Moria with the threat of Trolls and Orks and…
'Gimli! Come now I have news.' Gimli stirred and reluctantly opened his eyes. He looked up at the Elf smiling above him. Legolas was tall and graceful his long hair tied behind his back, his bow loyally by his side. He was powerful, full of insight and strength as well as impenetrable charm. Gimli considered this sat up interested shaking the dust off his beard.
'News you say? From where? We haven't had news in this part of the land for…'
'5 or 6 years, at a guess' finished Legolas. Although it wasn't a guess. Legolas knew the exact time it had been since they had set off from Middle Earth. Six years and forty three days. Soon to be forty four.
'Humph' Gimli grumbled standing up to half the size of Legolas, 'well let's have it then lad. What's so important as to wake a Dwarf from his slumber hmm? And it better be good!'
Legolas stared at his friend, considering how best to speak of his revelation. He thought it better to be direct for what he was about to say may change the course of their friendship. Would break their routine life together and force them to venture out into the unknown yet again. He was excited, ready for a new challenge and happy to fulfil the duty which had been entrusted to him and his small friend; to protect the forests of Orome which lay abandoned and watched under his powerful glare.
He kneeled down to the Dwarf and smiled, 'I don't think we're alone.'