A/N: Thanks for all the reviews everyone!
Sit back, relax, grab a slice of cheese pizza, and enjoy!
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"We have to do this together! Reach!" Legolas' note was pleading.
Suddenly, in the matter of a second, the ledge that Legolas was sitting on crumbled. Sickening cracks and crunches heralded the inevitable fall as the rock supporting the elf shook one last time, and gave way.
Amidst the cloud of rocks and rubble, a flailing body rocketed down to the ground.
"Legolas!!" Estel screamed, as the shocked figure of the elf fell, fell, fell, to the hard, cruel earth. Time seemed to slow as the young boy watched the helpless body drop.
There was nothing he could do. Estel closed his eyes tightly as he heard the heart-wrenching sound.
"THUD"
The tiny crackle of rocks littering the ground drifted up, and Estel slowly opened his eyes, waiting for the silence to end.
Unfortunately, there was no sound.
Not even a groan. Not even a scrape of rock.
Nothing.
Estel longed to turn, but knew that if he fell, all hope was lost.
"Legolas?" He called, desperately wanting an answer.
Once again, the same silence met his ears, and a tear trickled down his face as he thought of how high he was. Finally, setting his shoulders and letting out a deep breath, he slowly began the perilous climb down.
Now, if you were to ask Estel how in the name of Eru, he managed to get down that rock, he wouldn't have an answer.
Perhaps it was the adrenaline from the horrendous climb finally kicking in.
Or even, perhaps it was the strength of those he loved who helped him carry on.
Or perhaps the Valar finally took pity on the poor, damaged boy.
One way or another, it was quite astounding.
Estel grinned as his feet connected with the hard, sturdy, and not very likely to collapse, earth. But there was no time for naming all the glorious qualities of solid ground.
With fear knotting in his stomach, Estel quickly dashed to the still form the prone elf. Legolas had landed on his right side, which was either a very good thing, or a very, very bad one.
Clumps and mountains of rock lay all around the elf, some burying his legs and body, others piercing into his skin.
"Legolas?" he called frantically. "Legolas?!"
Estel recklessly picked up stray rocks and threw them away, digging and breaking up the rock surrounding and pinning the elf down.
Coughing threw the cloud of dust, Estel managed to pull the last rocks away.
Quickly, terror mounting in his heart, Estel bit his lip and placed his fingers under the elf's chin.
To his relief, he felt a pulse – flurried, fast and weak, but a pulse. Estel smiled weakly. Hopefully, Legolas would be all right now.
"Legolas?" The boy said softly, as if rousing a sleepy child from a nap. "Legolas?"
The boy tapped the elf's pale face with a finger.
"Come on, wake up."
No response.
Giving a sigh, Estel watched the still figure of his friend guiltily.
It was all his fault.
If he had just trusted Legolas and grabbed his hand…
The boy burrowed his face in his hands, shaking as guilt gnawed at his heart.
"Come on Legolas, we're going to Rivendell together…"
'Together… what does that mean Estel?' The boy asked himself.
"Together…" The boy swallowed. "Together means…Together means not leaving a friend."
Estel frowned. There was more to it than that.
"Together…" He paused. "Means trust."
He was getting there.
How could a word so simple have such a deep meaning?
"Together means to be with another." Estel frowned. He still didn't have it.
Suddenly, a harsh coughing brought him out of his thoughts.
"Legolas?"
The Elf's eyes were clamped tightly shut as dust and tiny little rocks were thrown from his lungs. The jostling and quick movements were obviously hurting him.
"That's it Legolas…Get it all out."
Estel winced at the single tear trickling out of Legolas' eye, as the elf curled into a ball on his right side.
The jerking and hacking attacking the poor elf's body started to ease down a bit, and Estel leaned down to look at him.
Estel swallowed.
"How..er, How do you feel?" he asked worriedly.
The elf slowly cracked open his deep blue eyes, now swimming with pain.
Legolas seemed to ponder this for a moment, and then answered.
"I…"
Coughs began to wrack the thin frame of the elf once more.
"H…how does one... usually feel…. When they fall off a cliff?"
Estel looked at Legolas with a disapproving smile. Legolas' voice was weak and wavering, and his mind seemed slightly groggy.
"No Legolas, really."
"I'm fine."
"Of course you are."
The elf gave a sigh of defeat. Either that, or pain.
"My arm."
"And…?"
"My ri-" The elf gasped as he tried to get up. "My right side…"
"And…?" Estel's eyebrow shot up as he managed to do a stunning impersonation of the infamous elf-lord.
"My head is dizzy."
Estel frowned when he saw the slight dilation in Legolas' eyes.
"Can you sit up?"
Legolas' face seemed to be very tired, and he managed a weak nod. The boy rushed over to support the elf, and together, they managed to haul him into a sitting position, despite his winces and groans. He was propped against a large boulder for support.
"Wait, what about the wargs?" Estel looked about nervously.
"Rock fall…must have scared…them away…" Legolas breathed in deeply, still recovering from sitting up.
Estel's heart filled with pity at seeing the graceful elf reduced to this.
And it's all my fault…
Estel stood up and gazed intently at the surrounding lands.
"Well," he said flatly after looking about, "I know exactly where we'll camp tonight."
"Where?" Legolas asked in a quiet voice.
With a small grin, he plopped down in front of Legolas.
"Here"
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A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read this! I really appreciate it!
-RiverOtter1