Author's Note: Here's the fourth chapter. I'm working on my POV's. So there is going to be a certain spider's point of view in here. As always, thank you to my reviewers!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. The only character in this story that is mine is Anora.

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Chapter four: A Monster's Lair is Both the Darkest and Brightest Place

Shelob sat in the soothing darkness, hissing in anger as her injured eye throbbed in pain. This would never have happened in the early ages of middle-earth! In those times all other creatures had the proper respect and fear for the nightmarish spider. Shelob did not mind admitting that she was old. In her opinion, the old were wise, had more experience, and therefore made more kills. The young were weak, and could not keep enough emotion out of their hunting. She admitted that her biggest mistake while fighting the intruders was that she let her anger get a hold of her. But, still, it was not entirely her fault. Those things did not show the fear. It was not right. She hissed again. They had ancient weapons, made by elves. Nasty things. She could still see that horrible starlight that had blinded her momentarily. Then she froze. She was seeing the starlight! So, they thought that they could come back into her own lair and finish her off! Well, that would be their fatal mistake. Not even injury could minimize her awesome and fearful skills. She would teach them to fear her! Oh, yes. Their deaths would be most painful. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and much more.

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Anora crept cautiously through the tunnels, her light held high. She was grateful for it. She had passed a huge hole in the floor that she would have fallen into otherwise. Anora could smell death and decay all around her. Spider webs were strewn everywhere. Suddenly, the awful smell seemed to increase. She felt her stomach clench as she heard a faint rustling come from behind her. She turned and saw a huge form standing just a few feet down the tunnel. It was huge. Long legs lifted it's huge, bloated body into the air. It left a trail of sickly yellow slime behind it on the ground which came from a gash in its underbelly. Her brain screamed at her to run, but her legs were frozen in fear. She couldn't move, couldn't breath. The smell was crushing her; the walls were closing in around her. The monstrous spider took a step towards her. Its many eyes glittered in the light. She would have screamed if she could but she still felt unable to breathe.

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Ahhhhhh. Shelob took in a deep breath, tasting the fear that was tainting the air and exulting in it. This is what was deserved and expected. Of course it was not the small intruders that had been there before. This was a human female. But it was all the same to Shelob. This one held the starlight. It was blinding to her night eyes, but not as bright as before. This one did not know the words that would unleash its power. This one was helpless, just like any other human that had crossed her path before. It was frozen with the fear. Such delicate creatures, humans were. Their vulnerability to fear was what made them the ultimate prey. Any other creature backed into a corner would put up a huge fight. With humans it differed. Some were fighters and others were not. This one obviously was not. She would be able to put this one away easily.

Shelob advanced intent on putting her stinger into the human's neck and then throwing the starlight into the deepest pit in her tunnels. That way she would never have to look at it again. She was towered over the pitiful thing. It was not much. There was barely any skin on its bones. Most things that came in from that side of the tunnels were in that kind of condition. But still, it would be her first meal in a week. She could not afford to scoff at it.

Her eyes narrowed as she approached the light. The human drew its sting of metal that humans called swords. So, it was not as fearful as it should be. Another emotion was building on the air. It was one that worried Shelob. It was desperation. The human's muscles tensed. It was going to run. Shelob would not be able to chase it down, injured as she was.

Shelob made a split second decision. She thrust one of her huge, hairy forelegs into the human's stomach, sending it crashing into the wall. She then stepped on one of its legs. It screamed in pain as the bone splintered. Shelob savored the taste that was returning to the air. She stepped forward; it was time to finish this. Shelob was hungry, she might not even let it hang for the appropriate time. Then the human stopped screaming. Uh, oh, not good.

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Anora scrambled to her feet, breathing hard, but she felt no more pain. Adrenaline was coursing through her. She raised her sword and the light. She heard words in her mind as if they were whispered in her ear. She cried them out loud.

"Aiya elenion ancalima!"

The spider's eyes widened in panic. A burning light shone from the phial, lighting up the tunnels like daylight. Anora was holding the light of a sun in the palm of her hand.

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Shelob shrank away. No, no, not again! Something had gone wrong, this wasn't right. There was still fear on the air, but it was her own. She couldn't see. She didn't know which direction to turn. Her instincts told her that the human was backing farther down the tunnel. She was losing it.

Shelob's insatiable hunger for food and violence pushed her forward, towards the light. She would make it stop. Shelob raised her foreleg to bring it crashing down on the human's head but felt it sliced out from under her. The human had brought its sword into play. But even injured, Shelob was deadly and the human knew it. It turned and ran down the tunnel. Shelob scuttled after it. It wouldn't get far. The adrenaline that was keeping it on its feet would run out soon and then it would collapse. It was just a matter of time. Shelob just needed to stop it from getting out. She crawled on for miles and watched the light get closer as the human slowly began to run out of energy. Suddenly her quarry gave a burst of speed. Looking ahead Shelob saw that the entrance was near. She quickened her pace. She would catch it. It was slowing down. It stopped at the opening and let out a small cry of pain. She saw its legs were shaking. It turned at the sound of her claws clicking on the stone floor.

She was two feet from it when it lifted its sword and plunged it into her ancient head. The light flickered. Ahhh, finally. The light has gone out.

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Anora watched as the giant eyes misted over. The giant body twitched and jerked in death throes. Suddenly the body rolled into her, sending Anora tumbling head over heals down the winding stair. Even in death, Shelob had made one last effort to kill her enemy.

TBC

Yes, I know. That was kind of short. I will try to make the next chapter longer. As always, please review.

glowingnarya