Chapter 9
Thranduil could not measure his panic as they tore through the forest. Caution was thrown to the wind, the efforts of tracking made useless now as they thundered towards the roaring that echoed off the very trees and made their ears ring. They knew not what it was they heard or even how far they had to ride to reach it but Thranduil knew without doubt that Legolas, his dear, cherished son, was at the heart of it, and they surged ahead to the battle. Little did he know just how far they had to go to find his child.
It was fireflies. That's what his mind thought they were at least even if he couldn't be sure. He grinned drunkenly liking the idea of seeing fireflies. He liked their soft yet vibrant light, like a gentle fire. He didn't take notice of the hound flitting about him more hurriedly than the fireflies. He wasn't aware enough to feel the cold cloth at his forehead, the tree at his back or the fever burning his flesh. There was only pain, dull and disconnected and the fireflies.
"Please Little master you must drink" he hadn't realized his eyes were closed until the voice woke him from the fog once more. He blinked trying to find the fireflies again but they were gone. Why had they gone? "Little Master hang in there, just drink some of this" He felt something pressed to his lips and then there was a bitterly cold rush of liquid into his mouthing choking him. When he could breathe again the water came again more slowly and suddenly he couldn't stop gulping it down fast as he could. Just as fast it came it was gone and he whimpered with want. "We must go little master, we must go now you are so close, just a day more little master"
They were moving again. He wasn't sure how he put one foot in front of the other but he managed. The hound chittered constantly beside him promising home and comfort and the thought of being home, with his father, renewed his waning strength keeping him on his feet aided by the constant presence of the hound. His father, how he yearned to see him again, to be in the safety of his presence, comforted by the one he trusted most. Yes, he had to get to his father, his father would make everything right again. His father would make the pain stop. There was no warning as he was thrown sharply to the ground shattering his ability to think as darkness took him.
He roused to the deep dangerous growling and the furry belly of a hound standing above him, every hair of his body bristled. There was a noise further away he couldn't distinguish and the hound leapt forward snapping and snarling more viciously then backed away to stand in front of him again.
"Stay back! I won't let you hurt the little master again!" he heard the gnashing of teeth again.
"Do you think you can stop me little puppy?" Legolas blinked blearily unsure he was seeing right as the conjurer stared down the hound not intimidated.
"I will kill you if I must! You will not hurt the little master!" the snap of jaws seemed to echo to Legolas. He felt like a spectating ghost as the two parried threats.
"Try your best flea bitten ratter!" the conjuror struck first blasting a sphere if fire as the hound leapt away drawing the battle away from the fallen elf. Their figures blurred and streaked as they danced around each other neither landing a strike testing each other's mettle. Legolas felt himself fading again lying unnoticed sprawled on his back until there was a shrieking yelp of pain and he saw the hound fly haplessly into a tree lifelessly. There was a moment of heavy silence before the sorcerer turned his attention.
"You have been a terrible nuisance elf, no, not even an elf and just an elfling now that I truly see you" he felt a hand burry in his hair dragging him up to his knees fire erupting in his side making him cry out. "Pathetic really, I've grown too careless, too relaxed, if something as pitiful as you could get in my way." He gave Legolas a sharp shake adrenaline shooting through his system with pain rousing him awareness.
"E-easy to st-stop a w-warg br- breeder, done it once, c-can do it 'gain" it took the last of his strength and he sagged only the sorcerer's vice grip in his hair keeping him upright.
"Do you think mere warg are all that I tended in the dark places of this forest?" he hissed in Legolas' ear. Legolas gulped back the nausea eyes heavy and struggling to keep alert. They could feel the thump and rattle of something fast approaching either very big or very numerous. "Only suffering and unrest will you know in the stillness of night until the three evils I tend are slain, or death take you" he whispered sweet as honey thick with malice. A growl to the side announced the hound even as it leapt jaws snapping.
The conjurer dodged the attack lazily the hound now between him and Legolas. It didn't matter as the beast exploded onto the scene. Its roar shook the trees, the ground quivering beneath its feet the bear's paw half the size of a man as it attacked violently. The battle was a blur for Legolas as they whirled blood spraying the trees with each blow. Vaguely he saw hounds all around them forming a sort of perimeter biting when the conjuror tried to escape. He curled onto his side trying to muffle his ears the bellowing of the bear rattling its very bones and shattering the smallest of branches. He blinked furiously to clear his vision and saw suddenly, in a brief moment of clarity, the sorcerer was losing. Both were wounded and covered in blood but the bear was on the offensive steadily driving his opponent back round and round hemmed in by the hounds. He barely sensed the hound that had been his constant companion again at his side guarding him against the ensuing slaughter and continuing a string of encouragement urging him to remain conscious. Legolas could feel it was a losing battle for him as well but he was mesmerized by the ferocity of the strange bear as it cornered its enemy slamming him to the ground holding him there with a paw so heavy it broke the ribs as he leaned into them powerful jaws clamping down on the conjurers head and snapping it off effortlessly. It was not until the bear turned and approached him, blood still dripping from its maw that he realized it was finished.
"The house of Beorn thanks you elfling Prince"
Tensions were high at the wall. The watch shifted uneasily their numbers tripled when the reverberating brawl began. Scouts were sent but there was nothing to be found, they could hear it but it was too far to ride to in a day. Now, in the early morning, the sky lightening but not yet above the horizon the silence was deafening. The battle had been long but they almost longed for the auditory input again. Anything would be better than standing around not knowing. Were they going to be attacked? Had some fell creatures crossed each others territories?
"Can you see anything yet?" Dunhith checked the watches oppressed with the urge to keep his voice hushed despite his years of experience. The younger elf was further intimidated and merely shook his head. He gave an encouraging pat at his shoulder and moved on to the next. It was neither his shift nor his duty to deliver encouragement and a bit of food for the watch to nibble but the bit of attention he knew strengthened their nerves. It was an odd time for Mirkwood that its warriors were all so young and very few of the truly veteran were still among them. So many had recently sailed or entered the Halls of Mandos there was no helping it and this was an abnormality that rattled even his old, experienced nerves, though only a little.
"Mormeril breathe slower and deeper, there is nothing to fear now youngling"
"What is out there…what is coming?" he whispered voice quavering.
"It sounds like a bear to me though bigger and fiercer than I've ever seen, still no bear can overcome our defenses" he continued as the hours passed going from watch to watch eager for daylight even as it brought up the mists.
"Dunhith come quick I see something!" he cringed at the panicky shout blowing away any chance of secrecy.
"Hush child, don't alert what is out there we know it's there" He turned his attention to the mists. His greater trained eyes picked it out immediately. The bear was the greatest size he'd ever seen even as it lay quietly in a grassy patch surrounded by numerous hounds. Several yards ahead,mcloser to them, was a figure lying lifeless with another hound of extraordinary breeding guarding it.
"Oh Elbereth Legolas" he gasped running madly for the gate shouted to have it opened knocking people out of his path. Some tried to stop him warning of the unnatural bear but he wouldn't heed them. This was his Princeling lifeless in the dirt. His life was second thought to saving the young heir.
Even as he fell to the damp ground beside Legolas the bear and his hounds began disappearing into the mist, except the hound that sat protecting the Prince, it remained sitting observing tensely.
"Legolas, child, can you hear me? Legolas?" sweat rolled off him like a hard rain his hair coated in mud and blood clinging to his body. He shivered roughly and gasped more than he breathed. At a glance Dunhith could see his shoulder was swollen beyond recognition. At his side was a crusted shell of dried blood that reached nearly his armpit and his entire hip with a black and yellow sludge oozing from the cracks in the crust. He scooped him up swiftly heart clenching at the guttural moan and ran for the city the hound close at his heels right until the gate where it stopped.
"Get Ionnaur! Get him now!" whispers of shock and horror as Dunhith ran him to Ionnaur's personal healing chamber. The healer was already there the air filled with the scent of athelas and water beginning to boil.
There was a flurry of activity as Dunhith obediently removed the tattered clothing and Ionnaur brutally plunged a knife into his side and slit the wound open forcing it to bleed and discharge the infection making him buck and scream so that even Dunhith flinched. A flask was shoved into his hand.
"Make him drink this" Dunhith swift to obey lifted Legolas high enough and dribbled the mirovur in small amounts for him but still he choked and gagged having to refill the flask twice before Ionnaur was satisfied for so much had spilled. There was little time for he saw heavy signs Legolas' body was fast shutting down under the necrotic influence of the venom. A hidden panic had shot through him seeing the wound, so very thin and deep unmistakably done by a hatchling spider.
"Lord Dunhith riders have been sent to find King Thranduil. What should be done with the hound at the gate?"
"Leave it be" the elf scurried eagerly from the room as Ionnaur donned a glove and fished a linen from the boiling water pots. Dunhith struggled to keep Legolas still as he writhed failing fast under Ionnaur's ministrations.
"Ride fast Thranduil, ride fast for home"
A/N: Ta-DA! Chapter 9! There's only one more after this but no worries, sequel is in progress! For those that don't know Beorn is a being that could shapeshift from man to bear at will and lived between the Anduin and the edge of Mirkwood. He kept animals and the horses and hounds were said to understand and speak like men and the hounds could stand upright and carry things like a man. Beorn could also speak the animals language. Did you like this chapter? Do i get more cookies? Can they peanut butter dipped!
