Shadow: I think I have too much fun with wreaking havoc on my OCs, whether in FanFiction or in my own original stories. I wonder what that says about me psychologically? Anyway, I only own Elva, Isil, and Aerin. All other characters and plot belongs to Tolkien, New Line Cinemas, and Peter Jackson. Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Finding Faith
Paws trekked softly across the hard packed earth. The wolf woman's eyes glinted in malice as she scented the ground for the Dwarves. Yet as she walked it seemed that the influence of Mirkwood began to lessen and wane. As though an outside power was lifting the poison. Her mind was still held under a heavy fog, but she was able to begin thinking a little more. Sauron played at her insecurities and fears perfectly. The wolf snarled and froze in place for a moment. Thorin had distrusted her from the get go. That was true. He nearly drew his sword to attack all the way back at Bag End. He looked over her help, help that she never wanted to give in the first place.
The Goblin Tunnels.
The wolf bared her teeth at the soft, deep voice that penetrated her thoughts. She recognised it, she thought. But the fog was too great for her to give it much more thought. The wolf started forward again for a few more steps; only to be stopped by the gentle presence in her mind.
Remember the Goblin Tunnels.
A growl sounded from the wolf. But the memory pricked in the far reaches of her humanity. And she began to remember. Thorin had stepped in front of her. He had protected her from the Goblin King.
Yes, dear one. Remember carefully what you know; not what you have been told.
The wolf hesitated for a moment and pinned her ears uncertainly. She shook her head to rid the fog that clouded her mind. She needed to return to herself again. Something was wrong inside of her. The wolf knew that, but it couldn't quite place it. As though she wasn't herself, that there was something more to her.
Remember!
The voice whispered urgently. The wolf snorted as she paced back and forth in irritation. Thorin had stepped in front of her and protected her from the wrath of the Goblin King after she had saved him on the mountain path. The night Ori showed he was not afraid of her. He stood between her and Thorin as they threatened to settle their differences violently. The young, frightened, awkward Dwarf showed her warmth and friendship, and how to be brave for others. The whole company had begun to respect her; even so far as to be concerned for her when she was injured on his behalf and when she distracted the Bearman. Thorin had called her useful. He was worried for her when she ran off after snapping at Bofur. The wolf growled again.
No, dear one. What was told to you was a lie. Think of Bofur truly.
The wolf whined, pawing at her muzzle. The name that brought feelings of warmth and happiness to her very soul. He was the first to greet her when Olórin had revealed her to the company. He tried to make her laugh with his jokes and self-berating. He opened up about his life and the pain he suffered because he could identify with what she was feeling. The Dwarf with the floppy hat, the one who refused to give up on her, managed to throw down her walls and show her what it was like to be loved. And to begin to love again, herself. He was her light in the deepest darkness. He was her humanity. A bright light surrounded the wolf. It pierced through the darkness of the forest. And the fog that covered her mind shattered with the force and brilliance of one thousand suns. Elva knelt on the ground, her hands pressed to the earth, and tears falling down her face. Her worst fears had almost come to pass. Sauron was still able to take hold of her mind and twist her thoughts and heart as he had done so before. But then that voice had come. Aulë had not given up on her.
Quickly dear one, the Dwarves need you once again.
Elva look up in worry. She had no idea where the Dwarves had gone. And there were many dark things in the forest which could bring harm to them. She quickly gave a 'thank you' to Aulë for his help and rushed after the Dwarves. Elva threw out her mind in all directions to find them as she ran; hoping she was not too late. Her feet flew over the ground faster than she had ever needed to go before. Mirkwood was vast and her sense of time and direction was completely skewed. What Elva did not know was that she was running away from the company. It seemed to her that no matter how far she stretched her mind, she could not find them. But that could not be. Not unless there was something blocking them from her. The forest had a small part to play, but even with it she knew she would have been able to sense them somewhere. There were fouler things at play.
The wolf woman stopped. If anything was going to happen, she needed to get her bearings first. Then she could form a plan to save the Dwarves. Suddenly Elva heard the rippling of a fast, strong river. She headed in that direction and came to a black river. It was the Enchanted River, black water that flowed from Emin Duir where Goblins and Spiders had made their homes. Anyone who drank of it or so much as touched it fell into a deep slumber. And when they finally awoke, they would have terrible amnesia. But the Enchanted River was a great help to her. It flowed south from the Black Mountains, and was located on the west side of Thranduil's halls. Elva was on the side closest to the halls. Though she could not remember having crossed it. But her mind had been in a fog since she had stepped foot in Mirkwood. If the company had crossed the river they would not have crossed back. The wolf woman narrowed her search to that side of the river. Hopefully it would be easier to pinpoint their minds.
Just then Elva found Bilbo's mind. It seemed distorted to her. As though she was looking through a dirty window. But it was better than nothing. She knew where she needed to go. She only prayed it would not be too late. The wolf woman quick shifted. Her paws barely touched the ground as she ran. She focused on Bilbo's mind. He could not be far from the Dwarves. Suddenly the others' minds began to open. Relief flooded Elva's mind when she found Bofur's.
"I am coming." She told him.
The wolf woman forced herself to go even faster. She noticed the closer she got to the Dwarves, the more webs she began to run into. The spiders had taken them. After several minutes she heard the sound of fighting. Elva burst through a group of webbing, teeth bared and claws outstretched. She bowled down a massive spider and buried her teeth deep in its underbelly. Black, sticky blood dripped from her muzzle as she turned to leap on the back of another. Her jaws tore through the joints where its legs connected to its body. It writhed in pain and anger as its mode of locomotion was removed and there was no way for it to make a meal of the Dwarves. The wolf woman paused to glance around her surroundings. Most of the spiders had been dispatched, but there were others on the way.
"Quickly, we must go." Thorin ordered.
The company readily agreed. Elva scanned over everyone to make certain they were all accounted for. The only two heads missing were Kili, and the Hobbit's, but she scented Bilbo and Kili nearby. The wolf woman turned to bolt after their scent and bring them safely back into the group when another massive spider landed in front of the company. Then all of a sudden Elves descended from the trees. They killed several spiders on their way down and surrounded the Dwarves. Elva bared her teeth in defence. Even before the battle against Sauron these Elves had been unpredictable.
"Do not think I won't kill you, Dwarf." A tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, regal looking Elf frowned. "It would be my pleasure."
He seemed familiar to the wolf woman. But she could not quite place where she had known him before. Elva's head turned when a cry sounded a few yards from the group. It was Kili's voice. Fili whirled around as well and called out for his brother. The wolf woman bolted from the group, skirting around several arrows to charge the spider attacking Kili. Elva noticed another Elf leaping down from the trees, killing spiders as she went. The She-Elf's arrow was already trained on the spider making its way towards Kili. The wolf woman noticed one more spider lowering itself behind the new Elf. The She-Elf shot the third spider before turning to stab the fourth behind her. She had a bad angle and it only served to slightly wound, and greatly anger, the spider. Kili called for a weapon as a fifth spider began creeping towards them. But the She-Elf paid him no heed. Elva took that moment to launch herself at the spider the She-Elf was fighting and tore into its head with her teeth. That left the Elf free to turn and throw her knife between the eyes of the last spider. The She-Elf gave a distrustful glance towards Elva, which she returned with her teeth bared. The first Elf, likely the captain of the group, ordered the Dwarves to be searched.
"Do not think me above running you through as well, wolf." The She-Elf frowned, not truly expecting her to understand.
"I could tear you apart, Elf." Elva growled in return. She gave a satisfied look at the She-Elf's shock. "Not accustomed to the animals talking back I suppose. If you liked that trick…"
The light surrounded Elva as she returned to her human form once again. The She-Elf's look of incomprehension and greater shock made the wolf woman grin wider in satisfaction. Elva inclined her towards the Elf before checking on Kili. Then she made her way back to the company and stood by Bofur. She gave him a quick once over before deciding she was content with his condition, from what she could see.
"You are alright?" Elva questioned in concern, keeping their conversation private.
"Yes." Bofur replied, glancing to her. "Are you?"
"I am unharmed." The wolf woman nodded.
"But are you alright?" He pressed. "You disappeared, for what I assume was a few hours; it is hard to decipher time in this place, only to come barreling out of the woods when we were being attacked."
"I am alright now." Elva admitted. "The forest began to affect me and… Mairon found me. He entered my mind and tainted my thoughts again. I was so close to seeking you all out to… to kill you."
She paused and lowered her head shamefully.
"But you didn't." Bofur stated.
"But I could have…" Elva frowned. "Then another voice stopped me. It was Aulë. He helped me to remember myself, to remember you. And the thoughts of you broke Mairon's hold over my mind."
"Me?" Bofur smiled.
"Yes, you." Elva glanced at him with a glint in her eye. "Do not think much on it, it was likely coincidence that I thought of you when the spell broke."
A movement caught her eye. The leader of the band held up Orcrist in awe. Then turned his distrustful eye on Thorin.
"Where did you get this?" He demanded.
"It was given to me." Thorin replied.
"Not just a thief." The Elf pointed the sword at Thorin's throat. "But a liar as well!"
"Enough of this foolishness, Legolas." Elva snapped, finally remembering where she had see the Elf before. He was Thraduil's son, but he had been only a few decades old when she had seen him last.
"I do not believe I am acquainted with you." The Elf frowned. "Yet you seem to know me, how is this?"
"I am wounded you do not remember me." The wolf woman feigned heartache. "In either of my skins."
"You were the wolf earlier." Legolas blinked slowly. "You came here long ago with the owl."
"At last, a glimmer of recognition." Elva deadpanned. "Now, you know who I am and you know what I am. The Dwarves are with me and we need to pass through Mirkwood to get to our destination. You will grant us passage through."
She furrowed her brow as Legolas chuckled.
"Yes, I know who you are." He nodded. "But I also know what happened to you. Your brother told my father to deny you passage should you ever return to our wood."
"That was then." Elva narrowed her eyes. "The Valar have granted me a second chance, that is why we are going through Mirkwood."
"Unfortunately, we have been given no other orders." Legolas stated. "You are to be placed under guard. You and your Dwarven friends are intruders here."
The Elf prince ordered the Elves to take them away. As they were forcefully led away Bofur turned to Thorin. In the sudden appearance of the Elves, Kili attacked by the spider, and remembering Legolas, Elva had forgotten one other member. Bilbo was still missing. The wolf woman threw out her mind to find him. His mind was dark and fogged, but it was there. Though Elva did not like what was keeping his mind hidden from her. It felt like Mairon's darkness.
"Stay hidden, dear Hobbit." She whispered in his mind. "But keep close. We must all reach Esgaroth together."
"Do not worry." Bilbo said bravely. "I will find a way to rescue all of you, if the Elven King does not allow us passage."
The Valar have not given up on Elva. But now they have to convince Thranduil to let them go. The next chapter I have will reveal a little bit of his past and why he is the way he is. I hope you enjoyed!