Gimli could still hardly believe that he'd been volunteered to go help the elves. His place was defending the mountain, not stomping under Mirkwood's twisted trees to help the faithless elves.

But as his king had commanded, so it would be. He would just have to cherish standing strong in the mountain while he still could.

Although this latest development was making him even more reluctant to leave. A messenger from Mordor at the gates was nothing to sneeze at.

To shoot at, possibly, diplomatic immunity or no diplomatic immunity, but not to sneeze at. From the look on Thorin's face, the king agreed with him.

" . . . all this my master will give you if you but give word of what has become of the hobbits."

Gimli was very glad that Bilbo, who was standing on the wall, was hidden back in the shadows of the door. Nonetheless, he slowly shuffled in front of him just to be safe. The guards under his command did the same.

"Hobbits?" Thorin said in a tone of perfect confusion, for all the world as if he did not have the vast majority of the world's population of them living in his mountain.

"The Great Eye knows of your past dealings with one among them," the messenger hissed.

"Ah, hobbits," Thorin said as if comprehension had only just dawned. Behind Gimli, Bilbo muffled a snicker.

"Help the Great Eye, and you will be rewarded."

Thorin leaned out over the top of the wall, so he could look the messenger dead in the eye. "I would rather kiss an elf."

Then Thorin turned and walked away, ignoring the threats and warnings shouted after him.

"Well, that was reassuring, Bilbo said as he drew near. "Certainly more reassuring than it would have been coming from Kili, at least."

"My nephews have not been kissing any elves," Thorin growled, though there was more good humor there than there had once been.

"Fili hasn't been, certainly. I rather think his intended might object."

For his part as an old friend of both the princes, who had been called upon to cover for the younger one more than once, Gimli was rather sure that Kili had indeed been kissing one elf in particular for reasons that were beyond Gimli's understanding. Talking to them was bad enough.

Still, far be it from him to betray his prince's secrets, however mystifying they might be.

With threats from Mordor hanging over the mountain, Gimli was even more reluctant to leave, but go he must. Legolas travelled with the dwarvish company to guide them through the forest.

Considering that they were there to do the elves a favor, Gimli thought that Legolas's comment about them otherwise "drawing every spider in the wood with their stomping footfalls" was in poor taste.

Certainly poor enough that it justified his response.

Gimli had travelled this road before, both on his first journey to Erebor and on expeditions since. He was not unaccustomed to the gloom, however much it might make him long for the honest dark of the mountain.

This surpassed that. The dim air had grown close and oppressive, and looking up at the thick webbing arching above them, Gimli was sure he knew why.

While the rest of the company stopped to eat, he pulled Legolas aside. "This is what you spoke of?" he asked, setting the quarrels of their journey so far aside.

Legolas's expression was tight and unhappy. "It has worsened in my absence. I did not expect to see signs so soon."

"That's encouraging." Gimli sighed. "Well, nothing forward but to go onward. The others know to be wary, but a reminder won't hurt." The lads had kept a watchful eye out while eating, even old Rundor who only had one to spare, but dwarves were used to threats that came charging head on or came from beneath. No harm in reminding them that here it would creep overhead.

Legolas inclined his head. "The spiders are stealthy," he warned. "Even my own people sometimes fail to sense them."

"Meaning we haven't got a hope, is that it?" Gimli said sourly. "Yet you wanted dwarvish help, and help you shall get, if we have to burn the whole forest down to cleanse it." He stomped over to the others.

They would not, of course, burn down the whole forest. He would not stoop to such folly for spite.

Still, he'd treasure the look on the elf's face at the suggestion all the same.

Gimli was sure he heard skittering as night fell, but if aught lurked in the shadows, the fire kept it at bay. The herbs the elf had thrown into it had kept away the moths, although if the scent had been any stronger, it would have also driven away the dwarves. Gimli refused to believe Legolas was as unaffected as he appeared.

The shadows only grew deeper as they travelled. The skittering began to be heard even in the day.

Gimli was - and he couldn't actually believe he was thinking this - eager to reach Thranduil's halls.

So naturally, Legolas had to stop and examine something until Gimli's patience ran out.

"What?" he demanded. The other dwarves were just as impatient behind him.

"Something was dragged off the path," Legolas said. "Two somethings." He looked up. "Scouts should have challenged us here."

And yet none had.

It was plain as day what the elf intended, and if he got killed doing it, the blame would fall to the dwarves.

And no one deserved to be eaten by spiders.

Right, then.

"Hundin, you're in charge. Keep heading for Thranduil. Don't leave the path."

Hundin nodded sharply, but he looked confused. "Where will you be?"

"Leaving the path," he said grimly.

Legolas looked startled.

"Well, are we or aren't we, laddie?"

Legolas looked rather offended, but he nodded. "I would not turn down assistance."

That was settled then.

It suddenly occurred to Gimli that one of the scouts might be Tauriel. He was abruptly hit with an additional need for haste.

Whatever his own feelings on the matter, he would not be explaining that to Kili.