The wood elves of Mirkwood were indeed different from the elves of Imladris or Lothlorien. They were fighters, each and every one of them knew how to defend himself. That's why elven maidens were also allowed to join the guards.

In fact the captain of the guards of Mirkwood was a maiden. Tauriel smirked to herself in that thought. She knew her own strength and was proud to call herself one of the most strong soldier in the realm.

After all, Mirkwood was her home and she would definitely protect it to her last breath.

At least she understood it after the battle of the five armies. After the loss of kili she didn't knew what to do. She was banished from the only home she ever had. After the attack on her village that left her without parents, the king himself opened his home for her. And after 500 years of hard work she reached the position of a captain. How could she as a captain- former captain to leave the soliders she commanded for almost 100 years?

The battle left her with nothing. nothing at all.

Even Legolas, her best friend for over 600 years, was now on his way north.

So she did the only thing she could think of. Ask the king for forgiveness, for him to remove her expulsion. He looked surprised at her request but did as she asked him.

So here she is again, 60 years later, patrolling the forest as a captain once more.

It was beginning to get dark, she noticed. Perhaps it is time for the to start a camp. They all knew it was dangerous to walk in the forest after sunset. especially at these dark days.

Turning to face the soldiers she said, "we'll camp here tonight and keep on our way tommorow at dawn." The other elves nodded and immediately spread for the work.

In a short while the camp was complete and all the elves set next to the fire in a circle.

It wasn't until a hour later that Tauriel heard something. Immediately she signaled the others warriors to be silent and they all prepped their weapons and aimed it toward the sound source.

"I told you! We are lost!"

"It's not my fault!"

"Yes! It is!"

"no it isn't"

Suddenly the two voices came into view. Two young looking elves were standing in front of the 30 Mirkwood elves. Tauriel stared at them and so were the rest of the patrol, all wondering if they saw double.

The two elves were both armed, and both looked exactly the same. Dark haired and eyes, high cheekbons, and fair skin as all the elves possess.

Although the dangerous situation, both faces smiled wide to the wood-elves. One of them stepped forward and signed them the elven motion for peace. "we're coming in peace," he said. "My name is Elladan and this is my brother Elrohir, we are the sons of Lord Elrond of Imladris. We came to deliver an important message for the King Thranduil."

Tauriel nodded at them and lowerd her weapons. All the other warriors followed her.

"I am Tauriel, I am the captain of the woodland guards. It is late to travel in the woods this hour. Stay with us tonight and we shall accompany you to the king tomorrow."

The two brothers nodded and all the elves return to the warmth of the fire. "How is Imladris this days?" Thaudel, one of the oldest in the patrol asked the twins. He lived many of his childhood years in Rivendell. "This is the end of the age of the elves, most of our kin is on the way to the west, our kingdoom will soon be deserted," ansered Elrohir in sadness.

An uncomfortable silence passed through the camp. All knew of the sudden wish of the elves to go west.

"Will the Silven stay at middle earth or will you sail west with the rest of our kin?" asked Elladan. All the silven elves stared at each other, not knowing the answer.

"We don't know," Anariel, one of the youngest, answerd at last. "We Silven never sailed west with the rest of the elven kin. We always felt connected to Middle earth." The mirkwood elves nodded in agreement. Tauriel had to agree. The undying lands were open to all the Immortal living in Middle earth and the Silven would be welcome there but the Silven never sailed because they always believed that Middle earth can be saved. They always saw it as cowardice that the elves ran away west at the first moment of despair.

"Yet it must be beautiful there," Lerivon, another Silvan elf sighed. Everyone agreed, All the elven realms were beautiful obviously also the valinor.

"Well that's enough talking , get some sleep everyone. Does everybody know in which watch they are?" Tauriel asked the group. When she recived only nods she layed on the ground and let sleep take over her body.