A/N: Yeah, yeah. I know this chapter has taken a long time. But it's here now, right? And if you're all still wondering why it took me so long, I'll post a list of reasons on the reviews (if you actually care, lol!).

Nessie: Thanks for the heads up on the lord of Rivendell thing. I did know, but Elrond is one of my favorite characters so I decided to put him in the story just because!

Thanks to everyone else for the rest of my reviews and for waiting patiently.

Chapter 12

For four days straight, Erundil, son of Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, had kept his fear from rising in his throat as he sat, bound and gagged, upon the steed of the Man called Tiruc. To keep his mind from thinking the worst of his situation, the young Elf concentrated on the many times he unsteadily bounced in the uncomfortable saddle. Fortunately forhim and his wandering mind, he was almost thrown from the horse with each step, allowing his dark thoughts and fears to be pushed frome the forefront of his head.

This horse is most definitely not descended from the Mearas, Erundil thought, wryly as his head snapped back from the burst of speed as the horse shot forward. Nor does she have the speed and grace of Atara's steed! Vanesse would surely be a better ride than this lump of flesh! At the thought of his mother's horse, the Elfling giggled softly, catching the attention of Tiruc.

The Man glanced curiously at the Elf child. "What amuses thee so, little one?" he asked. Despite the rough ride, the child had remained silent since beginning their journey from the great Anduin River. It was actually the first Tiruc had heard a single sound from the Elfling since that time.

Truthfully, Tiruc had not been dwelling on the child or his lack of sounds. It was thoughts of the child's mother that had filled his head, pushing their way towards the very forefront of his mind. With each second that passed, the memory of her long, dark hair (a curious wonder for he had always thought Elves to be golden-haired!) shifting in the breeze, her face radiant in the sun as her eyes of green flashed at him. She was a beautiful creature, an enchantress among her kind, for he knew he was well under the influence of her grace. It was no wonder he had not seen an Elf in his youth, for surely the stirring in his loins would no doubt be stronger than that which he now felt.

Erundil did not turn to meet the eyes of his captor, but instead focused ahead on the horizon. They had long ago abandoned the cover of the forest and now traveled openly under the sky. It had been mainly with this focal point that the young prince had kept his fears at bay. He had been too occupied with trying to identify the tiny specks that dotted the horizon to be swallowed by his fears. But, even that was beginning to become a chore, for Tiruc was too close and his thoughts loud. Even as young as he was, Erundil could pick up on the Man's thoughts and disliked what he could decipher. A frown marred his fair face as thought after thought of this Man's lust for his mother came rushing towards him. It disgusted Erundil to know that this mortal would dare think of his mother in such an inappropriate way! She was a princess of a great Elven kingdom; even he, a child, knew that such thoughts were not shared among Elves for their immortality made them immune to such acts of lust!

Tiruc frowned when the child did not answer him. In all truth, he was not an evil man nor was he susceptible to the violent behavior displayed upon the child's capture. In hindsight, it had frightened even him; the way he had attacked the child's mother had not been logical, but primal. He wholly believed in his brethren's grand scheme and did not take the she-Elf's obstruction too kindly. His assault on the Elves had been, on his part, indignation that an Elf –a female, no less- would stand in the way of his people's salvation.

He knew that the child was frightened, Elf or not. What child would not be? He wondered, continuing his steed's fast pace, To be taken from his mother in such a way as we have taken him, there is no doubt the child would indeed be terrified! He was also confident that it was he whom the young one feared, for it had been Tiruc who had lunged for the child even as his mother had shielded him.

Hesitantly, Tiruc leaned down towards his captive and whispered, kindly, "You need not fear me, little one. I will not harm you." He felt the tiny body stiffen at his words and frowned once more. He could not blame the Elf for not believing him, for his actions did speak louder than words. And his measures most definitely screamed of mistrust!

For his part, Erundil was indeed frightened as Tiruc suspected. He was far from home and in territory he had never before laid eyes upon. He had often listened to his father's stories of his travels with the Fellowship and had prayed to the Valar on more than one occasion to be granted the opportunity to see the land as his father had. Unfortunately, he had no desire to see it now, in the current circumstances.

From what he could understand, the Men were taking him to a land far, far away from his home. He had never heard of this land called Yelren, nor of these brutes that held him captive. His tutors may have possibly mentioned these Men during one of his many lessons, but Erundil could not be sure. In truth, he found many of the history tutorials boring and uninteresting for his tastes. He knew his mother would frown upon such a discovery for she devoured the books within the studies of both of his grandfathers, but these things just did not appeal to him. His interests ran along the same lines as his father's, for Erundil was a Mirkwood Elf: a love of nature and archery ran deep within his veins, making his heart no longer capable of holding anything else so close.

He had spent the last few days studying the scenery around him, looking for landmarks to indicate the way home, should he gain an opportunity to run. As Elf eyes measured, Erundil had vision that could rival his father's. Unfortunately, because of his inexperience, he could not process his surroundings quick enough to make sense of anything he saw.

Why hasn't Father come for me yet? he thought to himself, despair once again washing over his heart despite his efforts of prevention, Surely Atara has told him what has happened! Where is he? With each and every passing day that he remained captive, Erundil could feel his heart falling deeper into despair. His father was the best warrior in all of Mirkwood (everyone agreed to it), but the farther these Men were allowed to venture, the colder their trail would grow; even he knew that!

A sudden bolt from the horse caused the Elfling to bounce hard in his seat, jarring him from his thoughts. Ears pricked his eyes from the pain, but mixed with those from fear. Ada, where are you?

Ziendriel pulled tightly on Vanesse's mane, crying out as pain exploded from behind her eyes. Sensing her mistress' despair, the horse reared up and neighed, alerting the rest of their company to halt. The mare stood perfectly still as Ziendriel clutched her head, groaning softly from the assault upon her mind.

Ada, where are you? The voice of her son ripped through Ziendriel's head, loud and reverberating against her skull. She could clearly hear the fear and misery within the little one's voice and winced from the pain she felt from it.

Legolas suddenly appeared at her side and hesitantly touched her shoulder. He anticipated the rejection of such an action from his wife, for it had become commonplace for her to pull away from him whenever he ventured to touch her. He was somewhat relieved when she allowed his hand to remain on her shoulder, but knew that it was because she now concentrated on the pain she was now experiencing. "Ziendriel, what is wrong?" he asked, alarmed. He heard her groan once more, then quietly whimper.

She looked at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Erundil," she answered in barely a whisper. "I-I heard him. He calls for you, Legolas. He…He is frightened."

Her husband appeared perplexed. "But, how is this so?" he asked. When Ziendriel did not answer, he added, "Was his call accompanied by a vision? Were you able to see him?" He turned expectant eyes to her.

She shook her head. "No," she answered, slightly saddened when the hope vanished from his eyes. "His shout came from within my mind. There was nothing else." She hastily wiped away the tears that had streaked her cheeks.

The rest of their company was now surrounding them, the same look of concern on every face. At first glance their company was of an odd assortment: four male Elves accompanied by two females, for it was well-known that the men did the hunting and the women rarely ventured out of the homelands. The reason for such a party was because of the stubbornness of the princess to accompany the prince and the others, as well as Adrianna's insistence that she fill in as Ziendriel's handmaiden since Tiri was still incapacitated. After Adrianna had revealed it was the Men of Yelren that were responsible for the attack, as well as the young prince's abduction, plans had been quickly made to travel to the land and retrieve Erundil.

"Milady, are you alright?" Adrianna now asked from atop her steed. Her blue eyes flashed with concern as she maneuvered her horse closer.

Ziendriel slowly nodded. "A bit shaken, but I am fine," she answered. She gently extracted her shoulder from Legolas' grasp and straightened up. She peeked at her husband who now stared silently at her, frowning. "Truly," she assured him, though not convincingly for her voice slightly trembled. When he still did not speak, she opened her mouth to protest, but stopped when her ears caught a small noise.

With the exception of Adrianna –whose ears were obviously untrained- everyone turned their eyes to the direction of the forest edge and focused intently on the shadows that played among the leaves and bushes. A slight breeze swept through the woods, causing the trees and its shadows to dance.

"Get behind me," Legolas quietly told Ziendriel, though his eyes remained fastened to the forest. One look at his face and grim expressions and Ziendriel did as she was told. She gently urged Vanesse behind her husband's horse, leading Adrianna to do the same.

The men waited patiently, their eyes and ears trained on everything before and around them. They formed a wall of Elves and horses, protecting the women in their care. Another sound echoed within the trees, louder this time, causing Legolas to draw his bow from his back. In one fluid motion, he notched an arrow to the bowstring and slightly pulled it back.

A shout sounded just to the right of them, followed by a loud thud. Startled by the intrusion upon the quiet of the forest, birds fled their nests, screeching their protests. "Show yourself!" Legolas commanded, training his bow upon the area in which the sound originated.

A stout and short figure moved among the shadows of the bushes, crackling and crushing the undergrowth as it did so. A grunt, then a steady stream of mutterings could be heard as the figure made its way towards the group. When its form finally emerged into the sunlight, Legolas lowered his bow and grinned. "Luck is with you, my friend," he told the newcomer, chuckling, "My arrow would surely have found its way into your skin!" In one movement, he jumped down from his horse and all but ran to the figure.

Gimli, son of Gloin and beloved Dwarf friend of the Prince of Mirkwood, snorted with laughter. "It would not be the first time, Master Elf!" he exclaimed before being swept up into a joyous embrace by his friend.

Despite the joy of such a reunion between the friends, Gimli could feel the underlying tension among the small company of Elves. He could see it, too. When it became obvious that some time was needed for Gimli to catch his breath, the rest of the party had quickly gone about in setting up a makeshift camp. It was a simple action, but there was no unity to conform to: the men were almost absent-mindedly preparing the campsite, while the women sought to distance themselves from them by walking off to the farthest side of the camp. Many years may have passed and gone unnoticed by the beauty of his Elven friends, but Gimli could clearly see the troulble that clouded Legolas' face.

It was with this observation that Gimli now thought it fortunate he had decided a visit to Mirkwood had been in order. In truth, he had greatly missed the Elf and the banter they both enjoyed, so much so that his Dwarf-brethren had all but pushed him from the caves, urging him to "take your forlorn sighs elsewhere!" He had just entered the boundaries of Mirkwood when the March Warden had informed him of the absences of both the prince and princess. It had taken less than a moment for Gimli to decide to follow the Elven company, despite the fact that he was nearly two days behind.

"Care to tell me of your troubles, my friend?" the Dwarf asked, though not gruffly as his appearance might suggest. His beard, once the color of dark amber, was now streaked with grey, but braided as one with such a high position as he. His face now held more wrinkles, evidence of his long travels and hard work, as well as his maturity and wisdom. His tunics and armor told the telltale signs of travel, as well as the dirt on his boots. His trusty axe lay across his back, cradled within a special sling.

Legolas turned surprised eyes to his friend. "Is it really that obvious, Master Dwarf?" he returned, slightly smiling. He had greatly missed Gimli and could not believe that they now sat side by side.

Gimli guffawed. "Our time together was not all for naught," he answered. "It allowed me time to learn the moods of an Elf." He watched as Legolas sighed, then turn his brilliant blue eyes to his wife, who was now strolling towards the trees. "If it is possible, she looks sickly. Beautiful, but sickly," the Dwarf observed, noticing the way his friend's jaw suddenly clenched. "I always knew you were not husband material!"

Legolas angrily whirled around, his eyes blazing and his mouth already opening to refute his claim. He abruptly stopped when he saw the dancing light of laughter in his wise friend's eyes. "Forgive me, my friend," he said, somberly. "For there is much that has burdened me for several days passed."

Gimli smiled kindly at him. "Tell me only what you wish," he suggested. "For it is obvious that your shoulders are in sore need of relieving."

As Legolas sat with his friend, recounting the hell his family had been put through (Which, he thought wryly, strangely enough, began and ended with Adrianna Roseleaf!) Ziendriel sat in the perches of a tree on the other side of their makeshift camp. More than once her eyes wandered over to where her husband and Dwarf-friend sat. She watched as the friends talked, noticing the immediate change in Legolas.

He appears more relaxed, she observed, somewhat guiltily, More…light. It is well that Gimli has found us. In mere seconds has the Dwarf unburdened him of cares several days accumulated…cares of which I am responsible.

Over the course of the travels, Ziendriel knew that she had been pushing away all those that she loved. She could not remember the last civil conversation she had held with Legolas, one that did not end with one of them storming off. Since all of this had begun, it had become her habit to keep to herself and ignore all invitations extended by her family and friends to forgive them. The hurt from their secrecy still smarted within her heart and although she was a forgiving person by nature, forgiveness concerning them stealthily eluded her heart.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Adrianna, for the sight of her head struggling to keep above the perch abruptly tore any solitude from her. Ziendriel nearly burst into laughter as she watched the maiden struggle to climb the large tree trunk. "Adrianna, may I ask what you are doing?" she asked, smiling.

The lady sheepishly grinned in return. "Would you believe I am joining you on your lovely perch?" she answered, panting as she did so. She made to grab the nearest branch while her foot braced against the tree, but gasped in surprise when her foot slipped.

With eyes wide open, Ziendriel lunged forward and caught her by the wrist. The combined weight of Adrianna and gravity made her grunt as she tried to keep her friend from falling several feet down.

"May I be of some assistance?" an amused voice inquired.

Both ladies looked to the source and immediately blushed when they saw Jhad looking very amused as he surveyed their predicament from a few feet away. He stepped forward and held out his arms. "Release her, Princess," he called up to Ziendriel. "And I will catch Lady Roseleaf."

Adrianna turned frightened eyes to the princess, but Ziendriel immediately understood her fear: would Jhad, whom both ladies were unsure of his forgiveness (or lack thereof), truly catch her or allow her to drop? Adrianna knew her presence among them was unwanted and mistrusted; she could tell by their actions towards her since returning to Mirkwood. It was also a doubtful moment for Ziendriel, bt it was fleeting. Though she was still miffed about this trusted confidante and friend's involvement in the secrecy against her, she knew in her heart that Jhad would be true to his word. He had always been and she was sure that he always would be.

"He will catch you," she told the suspended maiden. "He will hold true to his word." She smiled reassuringly.

Adrianna looked unconvinced for a moment, but slowly nodded when she saw the clarity in her mistress' eyes. She trusted Ziendriel and if she, in turn, trusted the captain, then there was no reason she should not also. She closed her eyes and gasped at the sudden release of her wrist, feeling the gravity immediately envelope her body. It was a strange sensation to feel her body fall…

Without so much as a grunt, Jhad caught the frightened maiden in his arms. He chuckled at the way her body immediately curled up, her face instinctively turning towards his chest. Her eyes were still tightly closed and her body refused to relax.

Light, silvery laughter drifted down from the tree. "You may open your eyes now, Adrianna!" Ziendriel called, smiling broadly.

Adrianna slowly opened one eye and surveyed her surroundings. When she saw that she was indeed safe and in the arms of a very handsome Elven-lord, the other eye popped open and widened in harmony with its mate. "Um, thank you," she mumbled, wiggling uncomfortably in his arms. She blushed when she saw his amused eyes.

Very gently, Jhad set her on her feet. "Think nothing of it, milady," he told her, bowing. He smiled again when she clumsily curtsied, then excused himself.

Ziendriel hopped down from the tree, witnessing the whole exchange. She made her way over to the maiden, unnoticed, for Adrianna's eyes followed as Jhad returned to the heart of the campsite. Oh, she was trying hard not to stare, but the pull was too strong. "Handsome, is he not?" Ziendriel asked, once she stood beside her companion.

Adrianna nearly jumped out of her skin. "I did not hear you, your Highness!" she exclaimed, flushing scarlet.

Ziendriel giggled. "Obviously," she answered.

When the tale was done, Legolas turned to his friend, anxious at his silence for that was how Gimli had remained during the tale telling. He now sat there, thoughtfully rubbing his chin, his eyes focused on some unseen object as he processed his thoughts. Finally, he slightly nodded before turning to his friend. "If you allow me, I offer you my axe as well as my companionship," he announced, "Friends we may be, Legolas, but I fear there are many life debts between us that are in need of repayment." His eyes twinkled once more as he added, "And it is high time that your son met the Dwarf that has –many times, mind you- saved his father from his fair shared of danger!"

Legolas laughed. "He has already been told the true version of our adventures together, Gimli," he warned, smiling. "And I do not think he will be easily swayed by your words for Erundil is completely devoted to me."

To this, Gimli merely snorted. "We shall see," was all he said, grinning as he did so.

They soon broke camp after that and continued southeast, towards Gondor. Once there, they would continue south, towards Yelren. According to the map from his father's archives, Yelren was a small kingdom south of Minas Tirith. Legolas was not familiar with this land nor its people, which he surmised was probably the logic behind the demands of bringing Ziendriel (whose identity to the Men were still unknown) into their kingdom. He did not know what to expect from these Men and that did not sit well with him; not when the lives of both his son and wife were in jeopardy.

Alhough he had still not warmed to the idea of horseback, it was Ziendriel whom Gimli requested to ride with, claiming to desire the company of beauty and grace on a road so long. With a wry and unbelieving arched brow, Ziendriel had agreed and hoisted the Dwarf upon her mare's back.

They were well on their way before Gimli finally spoke. "If I may say so, milady," he said, his voice altered with each bounce and jostle from the ride."You do not seem like yourself. May I ask what troubles your mind?" Another sudden bounce caused him to tightly grip the material of her dress.

Ziendriel smiled, unnoticed by the Dwarf, for he sat behind her. "Now I am sure Legolas has learned his wily ways from you, Master Dwarf!" she teased. "For your attempted cunning in trying to extract information does not work, as does not the same actions from my husband!" She laughed, even as he muttered some lame excuse. "I know he has told you of our problems, but do not fear. I am truly grateful that he has someone in which to air his frustrations." She urged Vanesse into a faster gallop before adding, "Now, let us talk of more pleasant things, Gimli; how is your wife?"

Gimli snorted at her sudden change of subject then launched into a long description of how his lovely wife Naria now made it her life's goal to hinder his every move.

Only when the sun began to set did their paces slow. Legolas led them to the coer of woods, where they would be safely covered as they camped. It was within a cluster of trees that they dismounted their horses and began the preparations for their camp.

Ziendriel and Adrianna quickly went off to find some firewood, as Lorith began unloading his pack full of provisions. Gragoc was now busying himself with forming a fire pit, while Jhad began clearing the area where the women and Gimli might rest their bodies. Legolas, in the meantime, stood rooted to in his spot, his sharp eyes following the movements of his wife as she gathered branches. Gimli sat on a nearby rock, chuckling softly in amusement as he watched his friend.

"Has time changed so much that you Dwarves now have servants to do your work for you?" Lorith called to Gimli, a mischievous smile upon his face.

The Dwarf turned to him, a bushy eyebrow raised. "Eh?" he called back.

"I only ask because you sit here now, as if there is nothing to do!" Lorith answered. "But it matters not, eh? Old age has always been an acceptable excuse from chores!" He chuckled then, the light in his eyes sparkling.

Gimli stared at him for a moment, then burst into jovial laughter. Unlike his friendship with Legolas, this friendship with Lorith had almost begun the instant the two had met, which had been a great relief to the prince. The two were alike in many ways, which probably accounted for the camaraderie they felt.

"Your wit has greatly improved, Elf!" Gimli now said, chuckling. He stepped closer to him and clapped him soundly on the back.

Lorith grinned. "So I have been told," he returned, offering Gimli small bundle wrapped in large leaves. "Forgive me, my friend," he added when the Dwarf chuckled at the sight of the familiar lembas. "We did not know we would be in the company of a Dwarf when we set out on this journey."

Gimli merely shook his head and grinned. "Pay this old Dwarf no mind," he said, lifting up the Elvish waybread in a small salute to his friend before taking a bug and hearty bite. Lorith laughed.

Meanwhile, the hunt for firewood was nearly complete when Adrianna suddenly said, "The prince has yet to forgive me." It was more of a statement than a question, but its affect was poignant nonetheless.

"Why do you say such a thing?" Ziendriel asked, clearly taken off guard. She straightened up as she had been in the middle of picking up a branch when the statement had been made.

Adrianna discreetly nodded her head in Legolas' direction. "His eyes has not left you since I accompanied you out here, nor has that scowl disappeared from his face everytime I have glanced at him," she answered. She sighed heavily and dropped her eyes to the ground. "I don't suppose I should have expected anything else," she added, softly.

Ziendriel felt her heart droop as she saw the maiden's misery clearly. She dropped her bundle of wood to the ground and rushed to her friend's side. "He has not forgiven you, that much is clear," she told her, clasping their hands together. "But he has promised me that he will try; please do not despair. Despite all that has conspired, I know Legolas will hold true to his word, no matter how long it takes!"

Adrianna sadly smiled at the thought, then sighed. "Then one can only hope," she said, woefully. It was said with such defeat that Ziendriel smiled kindly.

"There is always hope, mellon," she told her, giving her hand a squeeze.

Gimli stared into the still waters of the pond, quietly dipping his hands within the cool liquid. He cupped his hands together, intent on capturing some water to drink, but froze mid-air when his peripheral vision caught a movement off to his left. Spilling the water as he turned, Gimli suddenly grunted in confusion as he saw the water there begin to bubble. He quickly rose to his feet, but found his fascination with this too great, forbidding him to move away as his instincts told him to.

The water continued to bubble, until the entire pond churned madly. It was as if a great fire had been lit under it, causing white froth to burst forward and low rumblings to emit as the ground slightly trembled. It brought Gimli down to his knees with a hearty yell.

He felt himself being suddenly pushed back as the water suddenly exploded, causing a large wall of water to come crashing down upon him. Sputtering as he tried to clear his vision, he gave a great yell as he suddenly found himself face-to-face with a great pair of flaming red eyes…

Ziendriel screamed as she suddenly awoke from her vision, startling the others around the campfire. She wildly glanced around, her breathing fast and furious as she clutched the light blanket that had been placed over her.

Adrianna was immediately at her side. "Are you alright, milady?" she asked, alarmed at the sight of the princess. She placed a light, tentative hand on her shoulder and frowned when she felt her trembling.

A few moments passed before the princess could reply. "I…I am fine, Adrianna," Ziendriel shakily answered, but was clearly otherwise. She took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to smile reassuringly at the others who had by now joined them.

"Was it another vision?" Adrianna now asked.

Ziendriel reluctantly nodded. "I saw-" she abruptly stopped as her eyes fell upon those who now surrounded her. "Where is Gimli?" she demanded, craning her neck to see behind them. The seats around the fire were empty.

"I believe master Gimli needed, uh, a private moment, your Highness," Jhad answered, clearly embarrassed at disclosing such information to the princess.

Ziendriel, however, did not notice. Instead, she felt her blood run cold from the news. "We must find him! NOW!" she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. "Which way did he venture?"

Lorith looked confused. "I believe he went that way," he told his sister-in-law, pointing the way. When she began to move away, he grabbed her arm. "Ziendriel, what is the matter?" he asked.

"My vision!" she exclaimed, shrilly. "I had a vision of Gimli! He was cornered by a great, black beast with flaming red eyes!"

Legolas felt his heart drop. Since knowledge of Ziendriel's visions had been brought to light, it had been proved that all had come to pass: the courier being thrown from his horse, Tiri being struck down, Elyse attacking Adrianna; all had happened as she had seen. And now, his dear friend was next.

"Fan out!" Legolas ordered, his fear rising. The others quickly sprung into action, each going off in a different direction. He felt a sudden tug at his elbow and turned to see Ziendriel standing beside him.

"Take me with you?" she requested quietly, her eyes averted.

Although the circumstances were odd, Legolas felt his heart swell. This was the first touch Ziendriel had willingly allowed between them since their journey and he would not lie and say he had not missed it. He had sorely missed the feel of her skin beneath his fingers, the scent of wildflowers that permeated from her hair whenever he held her near. All in all, he missed his wife.

"Always," he answered, just as quietly. He slightly smiled when her head snapped up, surprised at the endearing tone held in such an answer. He gently took hold of her hand and led her away.

Adrianna, in the meantime, had wandered off on her own, tromping through the dark forest. "Master Gimli!" she called, but not as loudly as the others for fear of her unknown surroundings. "Master Gimli, where are you?" She continued to weave her way through the trees, the fear rising slowly from the pit of her stomach.. She was afraid of getting lost, but more so of what may have happened to the Dwarf. The princess had been frantic, which did not bear good news.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a high, shrill whistle that ripped through the night's silence. She was no hunter, but she knew an urgent call when she heard one. She lifted the hem of her dress and took off running towards the direction of the call.

The others were already there when she finally arrived, but all were frozen in place. Curiously, she followed their line of vision and found the area had opened up into a small clearing of trees which surrounded a fairly-sized pool of water. Her eyes widened when she saw Gimli a few feet in front of her, his back pressed desperately into the trunk of a tree as a monstrous beast breathed its fire breath menacingly over him.