A/N Thanks to my beta Mrs King Aragorn for all the help and advice

And to all you guys who started this, you know how I feel about you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the characters or places featured in this story. Written for entertainment purposes and not for profit.

Chapter 1-

Rain was cascading down in torrents on the weather- beaten company. "Why did I agree to this", came the miserable retort from the bedraggled looking elf at the back of the company. The leader of the group, a dark, tall man with steely grey eyes let out a defeated sigh. "Legolas, by the Valar if you do not stop your whining", his hand moved subconsciously to the hilt of his sword. If only he could 'accidently' strike his friend, that way he might be able to cease the complaining for at least a few hours.

His musings were interrupted however when he felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly. "Chieftain, I think Thranduil would be most grieved to find his youngest son had been injured by your hand". At this, Strider removed his hand from the hilt of his sword and turned around to look into the eyes of the ranger who had just brought him back to his senses. "Halbarad, I do wish you would just call me Strider; however I know your words to be true. I could not possibly injure Thranduil's Tithen las". These last words were said with so much malice Sauron himself could not have said it with less conviction. Legolas flinched, oh how he hated his Ada for that nickname.

That was the only reason he was there in the first place. As heir to the throne of Mirkwood, Thranduil insisted that Legolas confine himself to the palace walls and study the politics of the realm. Legolas, however, was determined that if that be his fate, they might as well just lock him in the dungeons now. He was a warrior. He was at his happiest when he was locked in battle, back to back with his friends. He didn't have time to listen to the minor squabbles of others over land and livestock. And so, in one of his less thought out plans, he escaped to join the rangers.

Strider looked around at his other companions. Each wore the garb of a ranger. A travel worn cloak of dark green heavy cloth was draped over each of their shoulders with their hoods drawn to shield their faces from the relentless downpour of rain. Despite their best efforts to conceal it, Strider knew that they were beginning to suffer from the long exposure to the rain; their shoulders were slumped over and many were struggling to hide a shiver.

After making a mental note to scold his companions for concealing their distress and berating himself for not noticing earlier he resolved that it would be in all their best interests to seek shelter before one of them became ill. He turned again to Halbarad "I think it wise to seek shelter from this weather my friend". This was met with an approving nod. However, a certain elf at the back of the company tried and failed to stifle a laugh "Feeling the cold, HUMAN". Strider shrugged off the elf's response and regained his position at the front of the company. So quietly that his comment could not be discerned even by keen elven hearing he silently swore revenge "You laugh now mellon nin…"

The company travelled in silence for the next hour, not one ranger willing to disturb their leader in his agitated state. Each would rather face the hoard of spiders dwelling in Mirkwood than face the wrath of their leader. Even a very stubborn Legolas refrained from making any more comments- much to the surprise of a smirking Strider ,who was looking forward to watching Elrohir and Elladan's faces when he told them that he managed to silence the infamous Mirkwood prince.

This smirk however did not go unnoticed by Astald, who sent Strider a knowing glance. He had seen that smile before. The night before he had been attacked and blindfolded only to wake up gagged and tied to a tree in the wild. Three days it took him to walk back to the camp. He would have got back quicker had he not encountered a rather vicious lonely warg, with only a stick to defend himself. He smiled fondly as he remembered his companions shocked faces as he staggered into camp smeared with blood and puncture wounds. When he arrived he only managed a strangled gasp before the large amount of blood that was seeping from the gashes on his sides overwhelmed him and he gave in to the encroaching darkness. When he finally woke his sleep-glazed eyes had focused on a dark form kneeling at his side. He grasped his chest and let out a loud hiss as a shooting pain racked his entire body as he tried to haul himself to his feet.

The figure, that he could make out to be Strider placed a firm hand on his shoulder and forced him back to a lying position. "Stay down" he said with a calm yet authorative voice. His voice soon took a more playful tone however when he added "We were starting to think you'd gotten lost".

Astald narrowed his eyes in confusion. Why would they think he was lost? He had been attacked and...

His thoughts were interrupted when a voice from behind him chuckled and replied "Now come on Strider, it took you nearly a week to get back". Strider sighed heavily, "You know very well Halbarad, that YOU and the other rangers tied me to a tree next to an orc outpost without a weapon. Once they cut me down they dragged me half way through Pelargir before I managed to gnaw through my bonds"

Astald remembered how his eyes had widened in horror when he realized what had happened the night of his 'attack' on his second day of travelling with the rangers. He had taken part in the rangers initiation trial.

Astald strayed from his thoughts as the company halted in a small sheltered clearing. Strider looked over to observe Legolas scanning the area for threats. The elf nodded his head and Strider visibly relaxed at his friend's assurance.

The rangers quickly busied themselves with collecting what dry wood they could find and Legolas announced that he would catch the evening's supper. Once the elf had left, insisting that a human would only slow him down, Strider called his rangers to a hollow where their conversation could not be observed. "It will take all five off us to catch him off guard" came the hushed voice of Halbarad who was eyeing his surroundings cautiously looking for any sign of their target. After five more minutes of carefully concealed whispers Strider was met by four nodding faces as the plan was set.

If the elf wanted to become a ranger, he would first have to prove himself.