I know it's a bit of a darker chapter, but I had to do it... Sorry that it's a bit short. The humor is coming back soon though, I promise! Please please please review, I'm begging you!

MiaraElerina: of course you may use it! Haha. Yes... Anyway, here's your update... I can never withstand the puppy dog eyes... Especially not with you and Saphira. Oh well. I'm still searching for your update...

Chapter 11

It has been two days since they left. Mithrandir had told me that it would take at least four to make it, taking the eagles and all, but I was still concerned. I pushed it from my mind and opened my book.

The pages were empty, and no new words have appeared. I shut it and stood, pacing the room with short, agitated strides. My fists clenched and I turned to the window. Disquiet echoed through the room, making everything curl on itself.

The shadow realm darkened. I stood still, then dimmed my fire, searching. Dark mist reached out to my window, hissing and recoiling at the feeling of the light that still radiated off of me.

I turned and opened the door, walking out in my hunting tunics. I was no longer a normal elleth. My green and brown cloak fastened with the green leaf clip of Lothlòrien seemed to grow dark along with my mood, and the hood, thrown over my face, made my amber eyes bright and eerie.

"Tauriel." My voice was clipped and tight.

She quickly came from her post and bowed. "Princess."

"Bring your best ten out and come. Meet me at the gates."

She didn't question me. Just as I started walking, my brother Legolas came out from the hall next to me and seemed to understand my mood. He walked along with me in silence. The halls seemed to darken as I passed through. The shadow knew. The wood knew. I was out. I was searching for my prey, the shadow that dared enter this realm and disturb the peace. The fire was raging. And the darkness was afraid.

...

The horses galloped through the woods, and the only sound was the muffled hoof eats against the moss and the sound of the horses' breathing.

My eyes scanned the woods. Darkness always trails from a certain spot, and darkness always moves in tendrils, slowly, searching, grappling, pulling itself along, slinking and hiding.

I led the group in silence over to the place where there was a shadow. Darkness railed, and the horses shifted, uneasy. I held up my hand. "Be still." My voice was quiet, the sound of a tiny breath of wind that passes through the trees. The horses stood still.

The figure in the shadows moved. "What business do you have here?" My voice had changed. It was dark, fraught with danger, and whispery, like the sounds of a voice that does not belong to the land of the living.

"I do not fear you, light of fire. You know what will come." This voice was also dark, but with malice and cunning, craftiness and ill intent. The voice cackled darkly, the echoes reverberating along the trees.

"What of it? If you are not afraid, come into the light, cursed one. Show yourself, that we may fear." My voice was edgy, each word drawing blood. Dark liquid pooled into the lighter areas, and there was a hiss of angered pain. It came forwards and stood in front of me.

An ancient demon of Morgoth. Not a Balrog, but a demon that I could not fear. Fire can counter fire, but ice cannot counter flame. An ice demon.

It's eyes were blue, icy blue, full of malice and hatred. The horses stood, and the elves drew their arrows. Legolas remained impassive. "Hold." I commanded. Arrows lowered.

"What brings you here."

"The time for my kind to rise is near at hand. What will you do, pitiful half-grown?" He sneered. I held my peace.

"Fire can counter fire, but ice cannot stand the flame." I hissed. It recoiled. "You have shown yourself too early. Go back to the shadows." I commanded. It whipped out an arm, and a wall of ice met my fire. It melted within seconds. An icy mace brandished.

"I have not come all the way here to bandy strikes with a witless demon that does not even have the intelligence to counter word for word!" I shouted. Fire crackled and Black Star reared. There was nothing but a roar that shook the trees and a blanket of thick ice left to show the remains of the beast. Fire licked at the ice and I turned away from the scene.

"The shadow grows too dark for my comfort." I murmured, voice back to normal. As we returned and sped back through the gates, I could only hope that Bilbo and Gandalf were near to their destination.

But for the time being, I was content. The extra shadow had retreated, and its icy fingers no longer grappled to find a place to reside within the walls of Mirkwood.