Hello I hope you enjoy it! Also alot of you have said I could improve it by making it more difficult for the two. Tell me How? Now this is just a general question, Because I agree with you things are going way too smoothly, but how could I make it more difficult? Let me know!
Eowyn
Ps. Merry Christmas, and Happy new year to all!
Chapter 4 The Pass of Charadras
As they walked the air got colder and thinner, they soon reached a spot where white powdery snow laid on the ground. This thin layer got thicker and thicker until the snow lay in a thick carpet on the ground. A bitter breeze blew into their eyes, making them water and sting. The poor hobbits' noses and cheeks were red.
Megan pulled her cloak tighter around her when she heard a soft 'thud' in the snow. She turned to see Frodo tumbling down the hill toward Aragorn, who caught him. Frodo frantically sprang up and reached into his shirt for the ring. It wasn't there. He scanned the area desperately, but his breath caught in his throat when he saw Boromir pick it up out of the snow.
Megan glared down at him and called his name, but he remained entranced with the trinket. The man mumbled something incoherently and was about to put it in his pocket when Aragorn commanded, "Boromir! Give the ring to Frodo"
Boromir scoffed. "As you wish, I care not," he said glibly. With that he gave the ring to Frodo who quickly snatched it back. Glancing up at Aragorn, he ruffled the hobbit's hair and started the trek back up the hill again.
That night at camp, snow began to fall. After Sam had cooked supper, Megan had managed to pull Legolas off to the side so they could just sit, talk and eat their meal together. They wet far enough so they could see the camp but not be seen.
They sat and ate in silence; the only sound was the soft patter of the snow as it hit the ground. Finished, Megan set her plate aside, and with a devious grin she laughed and fell back into the snow. She lay there for a while, eyes closed, just letting the flakes land softly on her face. "I used to love doing this when I was a kid," She explained, without opening her eyes.
"Really? What was so fascinating about it?" He asked.
"The peacefulness I suppose. Being out there alone, just me and the snow, watching it fall, and land." She opened her eyes, and found Legolas staring at her.
"What?" She asked and sat up.
He shook his head. "Nothing," He said quietly, and turned.
"You…" Legolas hesitated. "You're the first woman I've seen in a long time, besides Arwen, whose main interests don't include gossip and giggling."
Megan laughed, which was a loud cheerful laugh. "There are more of us out there than you think," she said smiling.
"Yes, but somehow you're different. The way you laugh, you don't hide it like it was a cough or sneeze. You show it, and express it," he explained.
Megan was stunned. "Well thank you. I don't think anyone has ever given me a nicer compliment. Most don't like it because it is so loud."
Legolas shook his head, and all went quiet for a while. It was Megan who finally broke the silence, "You've been very kind to me you know. I was a stranger here, and you befriended me. I want to thank you for that. You didn't have to, but I thank you all the same."
Legolas turned to her and smiled. "You're welcome," he replied earnestly, and unconsciously wrapped his arm around her as he had done the night before. Megan was surprised, but then smiled and set her head on his shoulder. The two sat in companionable silence and watched the snow as it fell. They only returned when they saw the campfire begin to die.
The Fellowship trudged through the waist deep snow on top of Charadras. The wind howled by their ears and stung their chapped faces. The large snowflakes batted them in the eyes making it difficult to see where they were going.
Even though they could walk on top of the snow and weren't affected as much by the weather, the three elves of the group were frozen. Squinting through the blinding snowstorm, Legolas staggered to the front of the line.
"There is a fell voice on the air!" he shouted above the winds.
"Oh yeah, I hear it now." Katie added and the chanting soon became loud enough for the old wizard to hear.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf warned. Just then, a tremor shifted the mountain, sending huge boulders down toward them. The Fellowship pressed themselves against the rock wall, barely escaping the horrible fate of being crushed.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn shouted over the storm. "Gandalf! We must turn back!"
"No!" the wizard insisted and trudged foreword to the precipice, chanting a few spells of his own. "Losto Charadras! Sedho! Hodo! Nuitho I ruith!"
Then, there suddenly sprang a lightning bolt from nowhere, sending a waterfall of snow and rocks down over them. Legolas pulled the wizard from the edge and they all were immediately buried under the deep snow.
One by one the Fellowship popped out of the piles of snow, like daisies. The four hobbits, who were carried by the taller members of the group, shivered from head to furry toe.
"We must get off the mountain!" Boromir shouted, "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the West Road to my city!"
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isenguard!" Aragorn argued.
"If we cannot pas over the mountain, let us go under it!" Gimli suggested. "Let us go through the mines of Moria." At this the Fellowship turned to Gandalf, who had a thoughtful look on his face. Finally he looked up at Frodo and said wisely, "Let the Ringbearer decide."
A flurry of emotion passed the hobbit's face. One could tell he was thinking about how warm it would be down there and how badly he wished to get off the mountain and out of the snow. "Frodo?" Gandalf encouraged and with another moment's hesitation the hobbit replied, "We will go through the mines."
"So be it," said Gandalf solemnly.
It was then that the Fellowship realized it might be just as hard to get back down off the mountain, as it was to get up it. Legolas sighed and walked over to the wizard. He then asked the question everyone had been thinking. "If only Gandalf could use his powers to melt a way for us." At that comment Gandalf grumbled
"If only Elves could fly over mountains and fetch the sun for us." He replied Angrily.
At this the prince smirked and darted off.
"Then I am off to fetch her rays! Farewell!" Swift upon his feet, Legolas leapt atop the snowdrifts and with a wave of his hand, disappeared around a rocky corner.
The Fellowship sat huddled together under an overhang. Gandalf had decided to risk lighting a fire with his staff to provide some warmth. They waited for what seemed like forever before they saw the elf reappear over the hill.
"I could not get the sun to come down for she is in the far blue fields of the south, but I did find something else." Legolas said with a smile, as he ducked beneath the overhang. If we continue on there is a small snow bank and then it all becomes thin barely enough to chill hobbit feet." This was enough for the Men in the group. With the help of the girls, they used their strength and began to dig a trail through the thick layers of snow. They followed the elf as he stepped nimbly upon the white powder.
Though it took a while, they were able to clear a sufficient path that allowed their travels to be a little easier. Just as Legolas had said, the snow had indeed become thinner. Using the last of their strength they carried the exhausted hobbits back down the mountain until they found a place that was sufficient to stay in for the night.
The fellowship sat huddled together, at the mercy of Charadras's fury. Nothing was said among them until Aragorn leapt to his feet. All looked up to him with curious eyes.
"How the wind howls." Aragorn remarked then said, "Those are wolf howls not the wind!" The Wargs have come!" Everyone leaped to their feet at the ranger's warning and prepared their weapons.
"Hobbits!" Gandalf shouted, "Draw your swords and stand back to back!" he commanded. The Halflings showed no hesitation and did as they were told. Wolf shapes circled the camp the travelers had created. Bright eyes shone in the darkness and hideous howls filled their ears. Before they knew it warg after warg flew into their site, snarling and biting as they went.
Aragorn flung his great sword into the throat of one warg while Boromir hewed the head off another. Legolas and Megan were firing their bows in rapid procession and Katie swung at the beasts with her sword. Gimli stood with his stout legs apart, wielding his axes masterfully.
Gandalf lit a branch on fire and strode forward to the wargs, swinging the flaming branch high above his head and they backed away from him. "Naur an edraith amen! Naur dan I ngaurhoth!" the wizard bellowed.
At this, the fire leapt into the tree above him, then spread around the area into every other tree. The blades of the warriors flickered in the flames. The last arrow of Legolas' kindled in the air as it flew, and dug itself into the heart of the wolf- chieftain. Seeing this, the other Wargs scattered away into the darkness.
All heaved a sigh of relief at the retreating forms of the beasts. For the rest of the night the Fellowship slept uneasily. Though two were on watch at a time the remainder of the group seemed to keep one eye open for any sign of the warg's return.
The next morning there was no sign of the wargs. There were neither blood nor bodies, only a few spent arrows lying around, that the archers picked up and returned to their quivers for later use.
The rest of the fellowship searched for the bodies but it was in vain. There was even no sign of the removal of the corpses.
"These were no ordinary wolves hunting for food," Gandalf advised. "It is as I feared. Let us eat quickly and go."
Later, as they walked Megan caught the distant mournful cry of a wolf. A chill ran up her spine. She turned to Legolas who seemed to be the only other who heard it. "That has always seemed like such and eerie sound" she whispered "And ever will it be more so after last night's going's on. Imagine, disappearing wolves!" He nodded and replied, "Most likely some trickery of Saruman"