Journey Through Moria 2 of 4+/-

Grover awoke from a very odd dream he had been having.

"Stupid small guy carts" he said rubbing the back of his head where he had been as the cart that had transported them as far had abruptly stopped while going 50+ m.p.h. He looked around the room he was sharing with Legolas, Glomli and Bilbo. As his gaze passed over Bilbo he noticed that the old Hobbit was rolling around his bunk moaning what sounded like.

"Precious, precious, where is the precious? Tell us, tell us please!"

Grover went over to the sleeping hobbit and shook him saying "Bill, hey Bill wake up man."

To the satyr's astonishment when Bilbo awoke and lunged at him screaming.

"GIVE IT TO ME. GIVE ME MY PRECIOUS, YOU WRECHOD GOAT!"

"Whoa man, take it easy." Grover said backing into his bed. By now the whole room was awake. "You looked like you were having some type of night mare and I wanted to get you back down to earth." By now the irate hobbit had calmed down and panting he said "Of course my lad, forgive me, like you said I was having a bad dream and hadn't quite awoken." The room was silent for a full minute and then Thalia walked in and asked

"Who's making that ra-ra-raaaaaacket" she said letting out a yawn.

"Sorry" Legolas apologized as he nimbly jumped from his bunk over Bilbo's bed.

Thalia left as Glomli barked orders for a Hobbit's breakfast to be prepared. One for after they were all dressed and ready to go, and one for the road.

As they sat and ate their breakfast Annabeth told them of a discovery she had made.

"Our rings act as empathy links between the six of us." She explained as she buttered her toast. "So while we were waiting for breakfast I had a nice conversation with Percy. He says they are all miserably cold." This last bit was said with a grin of pleasure on her face. She had teased her fiancé with the knowledge that she had taken the warm rout where you were served breakfast on a gold plate.

"Tho, 'ow goo we halk goo hem?" Grover asked through a mouthful of eggs and bacon.

"Think hard about the one that you want to see and then some type of telepathic communication can take place."

Swallowing his eggs Grover said "I have got to try that." Grover sat there and looked like he was trying to remember something long forgotten.

"Percy! How's the mountain? Keeping warm?" A few seconds silence and then "What do you mean?" more silence "A WHAT!" Grover screamed. "No you are not putting me on telepathic hold, Percy, PERCY. Dang it!" Grover looked up. After several long seconds Grover said "Percy says they are being attacked, by an ice storm."

"The Ice Wraith! But he's been dormant for thousands of years. It would take a powerful force of magic to awaken him." said Legolas. Turning to Glomli he said "I am afraid that we will have to go now."

Glomli stood up "I quite agree, you and your friends will be wanting the chute, it goes right to the top of the mountain."

"Then there's no time to loose" Bilbo said Jumping up out of his seat, and they all ran for the carts.

Caradhras

Percy knew that something was wrong when Mrs. O'Leary was randomly buried in a pile of ice his fears were confirmed when Gandalf cried "Get behind me NOW." His staff in front of him Gandalf called into the swirling ice. "Reveal yourself fiend."

From the ice stepped a man dressed in a many colored cloak he carried a staff made of ice and in Percy's opinion no one ever looked more like Christopher Lee than this man did.

"Greetings Gandalf." He said in an icy tone.

"Saruman" Gandalf said with a sharp intake of breath. "How is this possible?" he asked

"Come now Gandalf, you think that you alone can travel back and steel the life of another? No I too traveled through fire and storm to the world were there is no time. There they imprisoned me there. However, I was to cunning I escaped and took on the likeness of the Ice Wraith told of in tales of old, and now, I will kill you and you friends.

"Over my dead body." said Nico stepping forward, and producing two (celestial bronze) combat knives from no were.

"Yeah" said Tyson. He pulled a flash drive from a pocket, and popped the cap off. It turned into a gigantic war hammer.

It was at this point that Percy heard Grover's voice in his head. "Percy! How's the mountain? Keeping warm?"

"Grover now is not the best time." Percy replied, fumbling in his pockets he produced an old battered looking pen.

"What do you mean?" Grover asked as Percy scraped the ice crystals that had formed around the cap off.

"We're being attacked by an ice storm that looks like Christopher Lee!" he replied with a yell. A loud barking behind him told him that Mrs. O'Leary had dug her way out of the pile of ice.

"A WHAT!" Grover screamed

"Sorry Grover got to go" Percy said finally getting the cap off of Riptide.

"Pitiful" said the Ice Wraith. Percy looked around; aside from his staff Gandalf had no weapon although Percy assumed that it did something other than stabilize the old man in his stride. Frodo however had no weapon.

"Here, take this" said Nico tossing what looked like an orbital silver dagger to Frodo. In the hobbits hands however it was the size of a normal sword.

"And so once again Gandalf you have chosen, death" Saruman said as a blast of freezing air hit them all.

Authors note: CLIFFHANGER! Sorry I'm a day late but hey you will like the next chapter, please review- Luke Attmey.