And... Chapter 4 is up! This one was particularly annoying for me, but now we get a fight scene! For those wondering we'll find out what happened with Estel's arm (Chapter 3) later. Legolas should show up by the next chapter.
Last chapter I jumped ahead a few weeks in time. I want what happened To Estel then to remain a mystery. I edited chapter 3. I kinda forgot to mention that. (Whoops!) so you might want to reread that. Just a suggestion.
DISCLAIMER: In Chapter 1
The forest was dark. The sun was barely able to peak through the dense leaves of the large oaks. Thick spider webs hung from tree limbs, draping over the path like curtains. Roots of trees and various plants covered the path and would occasionally cause a horse to stumble. Yet the elves pressed on.
Young Estel watched the trees. How he wished he had been blessed with the senses of a firstborn. He would be able to see or hear any coming attack. The boy sighed and pushed his horse forward to his brothers.
Elladan was staring into the distance blankly. Estel rode his horse beside him and kept his pace.
"Does something trouble you gwador nin? You seem . . . unfocused."
"I am not unfocused. I simply feel as if something is watching us."
Elrohir rode to the other side of Elladan. "Of course something is watching us! We are in Mirkwood. You never know what lurks in these forests."
"I am not afraid!" Estel cried, pulling his sword and raising it to the sky. "I will slay anything that stands in our way! I do not fear the forest of Mirkwood."
"Aye, Gwador nin, but you should. There is much evil and shadow here. You would do well to take heed of such beasts. An arrogant soldier will do us little good."
Estel smiled. "I know, Elladan."
The group traveled in silence for another hour when there was a muffled growl from the treetops.
The company came to a halt, drawing their weapons and aiming at the beast glaring down at them. Another growl came from their backs and they turned to see six pairs of red eyes glaring out at them.
The group had been surrounded.
The growls got louder and louder until a large spider leapt out at them. Arrows flew through the air, impaling themselves into the beast's hairy stomach and chest. The thing shrieked and whipped around to face the group angry red eyes trained on them. More arrows flew and soon the monster was collapsed onto the ground, dead.
The other six squeezed and lunged. Arrows flew again and the spiders lunged again. One swiped at Estel who squeaked and slashed at the monster, cutting across its chest. It growled in pain and jumped again. Estel cut off two legs and stabbed the spider through the head. It fell to the ground along with three other of his hairy companions.
Estel leaped off his horse and ran behind a spider that was fighting intensely with four other elves. He crawled on his stomach under the beast and in one slice cut off two legs. He cut again and two more legs were gone. He heard a loud shriek that told him the monster had been gravely injured. He rolled from under the spider and stabbed its abdomen, smiling when it laid on the ground to die.
He looked around, the other spiders were all dead. The company sustained a minimal amount of injuries and would be fine. He mounted his horse again, silently hoping that wouldn't happen again until they reached Mirkwood.
I know Estel was acting a little older during the fight, that was on purpose! I wanted to show how he matured and grew a bit more focused and serious during the fight scene.
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 5 should be up Wednesday-Thursday