Celeste's POV:

For the next week, the 11 of us traveled over fields during the night, and slept during the day. I was one of the ones who was on look out most often, as I can hear things coming from ages away (though none of the others have asked why I can do that- too much explaining to do, if you ask me). The only other person who has been on look out more than me is Legolas, and the time I asked him about it, he just looked at me and said simply, 'Elves do not need sleep like others.' I decided to drop the subject.

On day eight, before midday and anyone had felt the slightest part of fatigue (as we had not walked far during the night and nobody had fallen asleep yet) we all sat down and tried to decide where we would head next. Well, Gandalf, Ron and Gimli, did so, while Legolas kept watch, Boromir taught Merry and Pippin how to fight with a sword, while Sam cooked food, and the rest of us watched.

I sat on the level plain, near the edge of a steep drop, where I watched the Hobbits parry Boromir's sword. And honestly, despite only learning for about an hour, they were quite good. I might have some real competition here! As I sat there in my bored state of mind, I got out my knife from my boot, and started throwing it in the air, and catching it by the hilt, and this went on for a while.

"Two, one, five." Boromir instructed, as he sparred with Pippin, with Ranger-boy shouting out tips every so often. After ten minutes of this, I stopped throwing my knife and just watched them. "Two, one, five." Boromir repeated, and Pippin blocked each attack, while Merry stood nearby, waiting for his turn, while observing his friend.

"You look good Pippin!" Merry exclaimed, clearly impressed by the skills his buddy had. Pip turned to Merry and said 'Thanks!' as Boromir then turned to Merry and did the same sword movements that he did to Pippin, only Merry didn't block them as flawlessly.

As he was doing that, I got this weird feeling that we were being watched by something, and I couldn't help but look around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except when I looked at the blue sky, and the fluffy white clouds. It all seemed tranquil, apart from a large, dark thing that I can only assume is a cloud. It appeared odd, but I just couldn't put my finger on why.

I thought about saying something, but the idea was quickly dismissed when I accidentally overheard Gimli complaining to Gandalf.

"Everyone must ask for my opinion, which I note they're not!" I heard him say. "I'd say we were taking the long way round!" He exclaimed to Gandalf, who he continued speaking to in a much calmer tone. "Gandalf, we could pass through the mine of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome!"

I turned around, so that I could see them talking, and I was hoping that Gandalf would look intrigued about the idea (I could clearly see Ron was eager to go.) but the old man wore an expression of worry on his face, and when he replied to Gimli, his voice was low and solemn.

"No, Gimli." He stated simple, and the Dwarf huffed in disappointment. "I would not go through Moria, unless I had no other choice."

Ron looked scandallised. "What?" He asked, moving closer to the two, seeming somewhat shocked. "Why?" He inquired, desperate to know why.

But Gandalf simply looked away from him, and his gaze wondered to where I was looking before, only - was it where I was looking before? The grey cloud looked closer than before, and as I glances at Gandalf, then the cloud, and finally back to him, I noticed he was wearing an expression that indicated the unknown, and possibly trouble.

He seemed to be thinking about what it could be, but he was distracted by a shout of pain from behind me, which gained everyone's attention. boromir (who had switched sparring partners, yet again) accidentally caught Pippin's thumb with his sword, which caused the hobbit to cry out, dropping his sword to the ground before cradling his hand.

Instantly, Boromir cringed and drew his weapon away. He shout apologies as he rushed over to Pip to see if he was okay, but a sneaky look on Merry's face told me that Pippin wasn't really injured and that Boromir had just set himself up for a prank.

And, as if on cue, Pippin kicked Boromir in the shin as hard as he could, and the guy shouted slightly, out of pain and shock. both of his hands shot to his shin, and like Pip had, he dropped his sword straight to the ground. As that happened, the two mischief makers glanced at one another, and as Pip nodded once, a grin spread across Merry's face. Merry then proceeded to clasp his hands together, and swing his arms out, hitting Boromir in the side. This caught him off guard, and he fell to the ground, landing harshly on his back.

He attempted to sit up, but Pippin just pushed him back down again, and shouted to Merry "Get him Merry!" and the two Hobbits jumped forward. They both grabbed one of Boromir's shoulders (and he had just managed to sit upright) and pushed him down again, and then sat on his chest, tickling him, while keeping him pinned to the ground.

I heard Ron begin guffawing with laughter, while Gandalf tutted in disapproval, before doing something else while Legolas turned away, back on watch as if nothing had happened. Sam and Frodo were still sitting in the same places, smirking like crazy, and Aragorn was laughing, as was Boromir. I had covered my mouth with hands to stop my uncontrollable laughter. It's amazing just how stupid people can be sometimes, but the consequences are hilarious to watch.

Soon enough, my laughter faded slightly but, Merry and Pippin showed no signs of stopping, and we needed to get the next direction of the journey to Mordor decided. The way I see it, there's two ways we could go (now that Gandalf said we won't be going through Moria). We could climb over the mountain path and possibly freeze to death, or we could head south and take a route that leads past Rohan and Isenguard. I hope that Gandalf was thinking about picking the latter. I don't fancy hiking up a mountain, and walking waist-deep (at least) in snow.

I think Aragorn realised this too, as he stopped laughing, put down his smoking pipe (something that's been out of fashion since the invention of the cigarette) and rose to his feet.

"Gentlemen, that's enough!" He stated, as he walked over to the two Hobbits, and stood behind them. He placed one hand on each of their shoulders, and tried to pull them away. But once again, Merry and Pippin looked at each other, before creating havoc. They stopped tickling Boromir and turned to Ranger-boy. They grabbed one of his shins each and in a split second, Merry and Pippin pulled violently. Aragorn's center of balance shifted dramatically and was thrown practically to the floor.

I couldn't help myself; I just had to laugh at this. I clasped both my hands over my mouth and nose ans I roared with laughter for a while.

But the laughs were short lived.

"What is it?" Sam questioned and we all turned to see what he looking at. You'll never guess what it was (!) That stupid cloud thing...

oh... It's not a cloud.

Gimli waves his hand in a way that said the answer was simple. "It's nothing, just a wisp of clouds." He said matter-o-factly.

I stood up and turned around as everyone did similar, so that we were all facing it. "No it's not." I say and I can feel pretty much everyone's eyes turn to me. "It can't be."

"Why?" Boromir asks before I have a chance to continue. I turn around and look at him, as he rose to his feet.

Now I had a mili-second thinking time. I had no real reason that the cloud actually wasn't a cloud, except one. And sure enough a weak breeze picked up the moment I began speaking, helping prove my point. "Because the wind is blowing in the opposite direction."

The atmosphere tensed dramatically and for a few moments it was a stunned silence as they all took in what I'd just said, before Legolas shouted. "Crebain from Dunland!" He warned and I could see clearly now, that the not-cloud was a few hundred birds, all flying towards us at record speed.

"Hide!" Aragorn shouted and everyone kept to their feet, racing over to the rocks and bushes. They're heading up, how adorable!

I spied out of the corner of my eye, a cave about halfway down the cliff face below me. Knowing that would be my best chance for cover, as soon as everyone had begun sprinting for cover, I jumped over the edge, landing harshly on a small ledge that indicated the mouth of the cave.

I bent my knees on impact, sparring my spine from an injury and quickly stood up, pulling my hoof of my cloak over my head (at the same time) before finally running into the small cave with a second to spare, before the birds flew overhead.

The birds swooped overhead for a while, and several times I thought that someone had been spotted. But they left, maybe with no idea that we were here at all. I hope, anyway.

As soon as they were gone, I lowered my hood and made my way back out onto the small ledge. A quick glance up showed me that it was too far to climb up, without causing suspisions, and I really want the fact that I can turn into a Phoenix to remain a secret for the time being.

But I had to use that power now, to fly at least part of the way up.

So, without any more hesitation, I quickly transformed into the swan-sized mythical bird and swiftly (and silently) up, until I was around a meter and a half below where I need to be. There, I changed back and quickly grabbed onto two small rocky outcroppings, that stopped me from falling back down.

I tried to get a foothold straight away, but on the rocky terrain, one of my feet slipped, making some chunks of rock broke off and fell to the ground. It took a couple of seconds before I managed to get a stable rest and I was able to begin I slowly made my way skyward, I could hear somebody begin to speak. It hadn't occurred to me until then, about how long it would take everyone else to climb out of their hiding places. I wasn't that far to the top, when I heard my name being called. I placed both hands flat on the New level of ground, and in one huge test of upper body and leg strength, I push my body upwards, enough so that my head and shoulders were visible to everyone else.

"What?" I called, and I saw them all snap around to face me. Their faces showed everything from relief and panic, to horror and slight anger.

"What are you doing down there?" Ron asks, the first one to come out of his shock. He walks over and helps me to my feet.

"Hiding." I reply simply, and Ron casts a look over the edge.

"But that's a 30 meter drop!" He exclaims in a whisper, as we walk back over to where the rest are.

"27 and a half, but you know - who's counting?" I say, as if it was a simple thing.

"Celeste." Ron hisses at me. "It's not funny!" He stops walking and goes to say more. But I ignore him and continue walking over to the other nine.

"So, what do we do now?" Merry asks, to nobody in particular. There is silence for a while as everyone thinks, before Gandalf answers.

"The passage south is being watched." He states. Damn. That leaves us with only one possible route, if he ruled out Moria... "We must take the Pass of Caradhras."

We all turn and look at the snowy mountain range nearby.

Great(!) I think. More snow, and it all looks really deep.