The mountains were veiled in deepening dusk, and the wind was cold. Thennil spared each with another mouthful of the miruvor that she had made while in Rivendell. When they had eaten some food Gandalf called a council.
"We cannot, of course go on again tonight,' he said, 'Tha attack on the Redhorn Gate has tired us out, and we must rest here for a while."
The other's nodded, huddling down together in the snow once again. Gandalf continued, sitting down next to Frodo.
"As for the longer road; we cannot afford the time. We might spend a year in such a journey, and we should pass through many langs that are empty and harborless. Yet they would not be safe. The watchful eyes of both Saruman and the Enemy are on them. when you came north, Boromir, you were in the Enemy's eyes only one stray wanderer from the South and a matter of small concern to him: dos mind was busy in the pursuit of the Ring. But you return now as a member of the Ring's Company, and you are in peril as long as you remain with us. The danger will increase with every league that we go south under the naked sky.
'Since our open attempt on the mountain-pass our plight has become more desperate, I fear. i see now little hope, if we do not soon vanish from sight for a while, which is why Moria is the most logical choice in this situation. And so we will vanish, taking a road that the Enemy will least expect."
"We do not know what he expects,' said Boromir, 'He may watch all roads, likely and unlikely. In that case to enter Moria would be to walk into a trap, hardly better than knocking at the gates of the Dark Tower itself. the name of Moria is black."
"Do you not believe that my cousin, Balin son of Fundin might live beneath the mountains in Moria even now? We shall feast in his halls; and you, Elf, will know the hospitality of the dwarves!" proclaimed Gimli, 'I will tread this path with you Gandalf! I will go and look on the halls of Durin, whatever may wait there-if you can find the doors that are shut.'
"Good Gimli!' said Gandalf. 'You encourage me, We will seek the hidden doors together. and we will come through. in the ruins of the Dwarves, a dwarf's head will be less easy to bewilder than Elves or Men or Hobbits. Yet it will not be the first time that I have been to Moria. I sought there long ago for Thrain son of Thror after he was lost. With the help of Thennil I passed through, and came out again alive!"
Thennil sniffed, rolling her eyes, "Aye, after I saved your sorry hide, Wizard. You were in quite a fix if I remember right."
Gandalf shook his white beard at her, 'I can't conceive what you remember my friend."
"I didn't think you would,' she muttered cheekily as she drew Pippin to her along with Merry. The hobbits giggled, snuggling closer to her like children to a mother's breast, basking in the warmth that she was able to offer.
As they all fell silent, the wind was hissing among the rocks and trees, and there was a howling and a wailing around them in the empty spaces of the night. Thennil stiffened, her ears catching the range at which the howls rose and fell, her heart quickening.
Suddenly, Aragorn leapt to his feet. "How the wind howls!' he cried. 'It is howling with wolf-voices. The Wargs have come west of the Mountains!"
"Need we wait until morning then?' asked Gandalf. 'It is as I said. The hunt is up! Even if we live to see the dawn, who now will wish to journey south by night with the wild wolves on his trail?"
"How far is Moria?' asked Boromir.
"There was a door south-west of Caradhras, some fifteen feels as a crow flies, Gandalf,' Thennil stated, disturbing the hobbits she stood, 'And maybe twenty as the wolf runs."
The Wizard grimaced.
"Then let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow, if we can,' said Boromir. 'The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears."
"True!' said Aragorn, loosening his sword in its sheath. 'But where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls."
"I wish we had taken Elrond's advice,' muttered Pippin to Merry around Thennil's body, 'I am no good after all. There is not enough of the breed of Banobras the Bullroarer in me: these howls freeze my blood. I don't ever remember ever feeling so wretched."
"Nay, Pippin,' she whispered, kneeling down to his and Merry's level. 'There is always a reason for the way this turn about, and you being here is not a mistake. It was meant to be, so take heart and banish your fears. I will keep you safe."
For their defense in the night the Company climbed to the top of a small hill under which they had been sheltering. It was crowned with a knot of old twisted trees, about which lay a broken circle of boulder-stones. In the midst of this they lit a fire, using dead branches from the trees and twigs that were found littered at their bases. Round the fire they all sat, and those that were not on guard dozed uneasily. Poor Bill the pony trembled and sweated where he stood. The howling of the wolves was now all around them. In the dead of night many singing eyes were seen peering over the brow of the hill. Some advanced almost to the ring of stones. At a gap in the circle a great dark wolf-shape could be seen halted, gazing at them. Pippin and Merry squished themselves closer to her, making it very hard for her to move if they were attacked as they watched the wolf-shape in the darkness. A shuddering howl broke from him, as if he were a captain summoning his pack to the assault.
Gandalf stood up and strode forward, holding his staff aloft. "Listen, Hound of Sauron!' he cried. 'Gandalf is here. Fly, if you so value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring."
The wolf snarled, shaking it's great head and sprang towards them with a great leap. at the moment there was a sharp twang, Legolas had loosed his bow. There was a hideous yell, and the leaping shape thudded to the ground; the Elvish arrow had pierced its throat. The watching eyes were suddenly extinguished. Aragorn and Thennil strode forward, the wizard seating himself on a stone near to the hobbits, but the hill was deserted; the hunting packs had fled. All about them the darkness grew eerily silent, and no cry came on the sighing wind. It was not a pleasant feeling in the least.
The night was waining, and westward the moon was setting, gleaming fitfully through the break in the clouds. Suddenly Frodo started from sleep. Without warning a storm of howls broke out fierce and wild all about the camp. A great host of Wargs had gathered silently and was now attacking the from every side all at once.
"Fling fuel on the fire!' cried Gandalf to the hobbits as he drew his sword, 'Draw your blades, and stand back to back!"
In the leaping light, as the fresh wood was blazing up, Thennil was able to make out many more grey shapes spring over the ring of stones. More and more followed, their coats of different colors causing the hobbits heads to swim. Through the throat of one huge leader Aragorn passed his sword with a thrust, with a great sweep Boromir hewed off the head of another. Beside them Gimli stood with his stout legs apart, wielding his dwarf-axe. The bow of Legolas was singing.
Having draw her sword, Thennil joined in the skirmish, swinging with years of precision. Her thrusts and strokes created a rhythm, a song that she danced to as she twisted and turned around the lunging wolves as they bared their great teeth at her. In the light of the fire Gandalf seemed to grow, rising up, a great menacing shape like the monument of some ancient king of stone set upon a hill. Stooping like a cloud, he lifted his burning branch and strode to meet the wolves. they gave back before him, eyes flashing in fear as they turned tail and ran. High in the air he tossed the blazing brand. It flared with a sudden white radiance like lightning; and his voice rolled like thunder.
"Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth!' he cried.
There was a roar and a crackle, and the tree above him burst into a leaf and bloom of blinding flame. The fire leapt from tree-top to tree-top. The whole hill was crowned with a dazzling burning light. The swords and knives of the defenders shone and flickered as they fought. The last arrow of Legolas kindled in the air as it flew, an blunged burning into the heart of a great wolf-chieftain. All the other's had fled.
Slowly the fire died till nothing was left but the falling ash, and the rush of adrenaline followed. Breathing heavily, they looked at one another. Their enemies were routed and did not return.
Turning to Pippin, she smiled to see him looking up at the group of them in a bit of awe. "See, peneth, not even wolves can get through."
They were weary and footsore, but they trudged doggedly along the rough and winding track for many miles. The sun had turned from noon and began to go west. After a brief halt and a hasty meal they went on again. Before them the mountains frowned down upon them, but their path lay in a deep rough of land and they could see only the higher shoulders and the far eastward peaks.
After a time they came to a sharp bend. There the road, which had been veering southwards between the brink of the channel and a steep fall of the land to the left, turned and went due east again. Rounding the corner they saw before them a low cliff, some five fathoms high, with a broken and jagged top. Over it a trickling of water dripped, through a wide cleft that seemed to have been cared out by a fall that had once been strong and full.
"Indeed, things have changed!' said Gandalf. 'But there is no mistaking this place. There is all that remains of the Stair Falls. If I remember right, there was a flight of steps cut into the rock at their side, but the main road wound away left and climbed with several loops up to the level ground at the top. There used to be a shallow valley beyond the falls right up with the road beside it. Let us go and see what things are like now!"
It was not hard to find the remainder of the steps, and Gimli sprang swiftly up them, followed closely by Thennil. When they reached the top they saw that they could go no further that way, and the reason for the drying up of the Gate-stream revealed. Behind the sinking of the Sun filled the cool western sky with a glimmering gold. Neither sky nor sunset was reflected on its sullen surface. The Sirannon had been dammed and had filled the valley, such as Thennil had never seen before. Beyond the ominous waters was a vast cliff, it's stern face pale in the fading light: final and impassable. No sign of gate or entrance, not a fissure of crack could they see.
"There are the Walls of Moria,' said Gandalf, pointing across the water. 'And there the Gate stood once upon a time, the Elven Door at the end of the road from Hollin by which we have come. But this way is blocked. None of the Company, I guess, will wish to swim in this gloomy water at the end of the day. It has an unwholesome look to it."
"We might find a way round the northern edge,' Legolas stated, his superior sight aiding them in this time, though the light was dim. 'If we might climb up by the main path and see where it will lead us. Even if there were no lake, we could not get our baggage-pony up this stair."
"In any case we cannot take the poor beast with us into the mines,' stated the Wizard, 'The road under the mountains is a dark road, and there are places narrow and steep which he cannot tread, even if we can."
Traveling round the lake, they climbed to the northernmost corner and found a narrow creek that barred their way. It was green and stagnant, thrust out like a slimy snake towards the enclosing hills. Gimli strode forward and found that it was not very deep, just up to mid-calf on him. Behind him walked the rest in a long file, threading their way with care, under the dark water were weeds and algea aplenty, making the stones slick and their footing treacherous. The hobbits shuddered in disgust at the feeling of the goop between their hairy toes as they made their way across. Once they had gotten to the other side, they wiped off the slimy sludge, grimacing in the process, and stated that they hoped they would' have to pass through any more streams of the like.
As they walked along the cliff, Gimli tapped it with his axe, listening as it rang on the stone. Not far ahead Gandalf did the same, his wooden staff clicking on the solid rock.
"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed,' the dwarf stated, hitting the stone wall again.
"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten,' grumbled the wizard as he hurried on.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?' asked Legolas, stopping in front of the dwarf on purpose and looking down at him.
Gimli growled, glaring out over the lake, but relaxed when he felt Thennil place her hand on his shoulder.
"He is merely trying to rile you up, my friend,' she whispered, rubbing soothing circles over his shoulder.
"Yes, but he better keep his mouth shut around my kin, lest they skin him alive for his insults,' muttered the dwarf, a chuckle in his voice.
They approached the smooth rock wall once again between two twisted and gnarled trees bare of any leaves. Gandalf ran his hands over the flat surface, muttering to himself as he dusted away the dirt. Faintly there could be seen thin swirls and slender veins of luminous silver running through the stone as Gandalf removed the years of dirt from the rock.
"Isildin...it mirrors only starlight and moonlight,' whispered the wizard as he backed away to look at the cloud covered sky. Slowly, the cloud cover moved back, revealing the moon and stars. The lines on the wall began to steadily glow brighter and brighter under its light, forming an arch interlaced with ancient letters and symbols to the eyes of the company. Thennil stepped forward with fascination, and traced the lines with her fingers reverently. It was a masterpiece of art.
"It reads, 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend and enter.'" The wizard told them as he touched each word with his twisted staff.
"What do you suppose that means?" asked Merry innocently.
"It's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open,' the wizard stated confidently, yet sarcastically in reply to the hobbits question.
Raising his arm and placing his staff on the stone, the wizard began to chant and speak to the rock, "Annon Edhellen, euro hi ammen!" (Gate of the Elves, open now for me!)
The cliffs towered over them in the night, and the wind blew cold against them. And yet, the doors stood fast. Undaunted, the wizard raised his arms again.
"Fennas Nogothrim, last beth lammen." (Doorway of the Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my tongue.)
"Nothing's happening,' Pippin said, watching as the wizard pushed and shoved at the solid stone, grunting.
"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves, Men, and Orcs.' muttered the wizard in frustration.
"What are you going to do, then?"
"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!' growled the wizard, 'And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."
He stepped up to the rock again, and lightly touched with his staff the silver star in the middle beneath the sign of the anvil again. Many times he repeated these words in a different order, trying new ones when he was sure that they were wrong. Then he tried other spells, one after another, speaking faster, then slower, or changing the tone from soft to loud. Then he spoke many single words of Elvish speech. Nothing happened.
Again he approached the walls, lifting up his arms he spoke in tones of command and rising wrath. Edro, edro! he cried, and struck the rock with his staff. Open, open! he shouted, and followed it with the same command in every language that they knew, and some that they did not. Then he threw his staff to the ground, and sat down in silence.
SPLASH!
Merry and Pippin elbow each other as they continue to throw stones into the pool, seeing who could toss theirs the farthest. Black ripples grow around each spot the the stones fall. Reeling back, Pippin clutches a stone in his hands, ready to let it fly out over the water.
"Do not disturb the water,' Aragorn whispers, snatching Pippin's arm up in his hand to keep him from throwing the rock.
The ripples keep growing, larger and larger, reaching far out into the lake. They also came closer and closer to the shore, hitting the ones making their way out into the lake and demolishing them. It was very unnerving, and the group scooted away from the water towards the cliff face. Thennil looked down at the hobbits with a motherly glare, one eyebrow raised in question. They squirmed beneath her gaze before she pulled them into a short hug. They continued to watch the water as the ripples became more defined, and there was small splashing noises.
"I do not like it,' she whispered to Aragorn as they watch the disturbed water come nearer and nearer, her hand going to the hilt of her sword.
Frodo wandered over to the wall, looking over the writing and touching the silver lines with his finger, a pinched look upon his face. Then he smiled, and clasped his hands together as a large smile breaks out upon his face.
"It's a riddle,' he gasped, looking over the words again and again. The years of study under Bilbo's tutelage coming into use as he read the words.
"Speak, friend, and enter.' he turned to the wizard, 'What's the elvish word for friend?"
"Oh...mellonin."
The star in the stone shone out briefly more bright than the rest, then faded. Then, all at once, a great doorway was outlined and the stone creaked and cracked as it decided itself down the middle and swung open. The darkness of the cavern was deeper than any night Thennil could ever remember, and it set her more on edge. Gimli and Gandalf are the first to enter, walking into the darkness eagerly. The other's followed slowly after, Boromir and Aragorn giving the water one last look over their shoulders before turning forward.
It was dark in the entrance, and the only light was what little shone into the opening of the doorway from the moon and stars.
"Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves,' proclaimed Gimli as they walked in, 'Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone! This, my friend is the home of my cousin Balin...And they call this a mine,' he snorted, 'A mine!"
Thennil tried not to shudder as she inhaled the dank smell of the cavern, it was musky and smelled of rot. There were a few cobwebs that she could make out hanging from the ceiling and walls, catching on her clothes and sticking to her hood. She was thankful that she had kept it up this whole time, it would have been a pain to try and get the stick spiderwebs out of her long hair.
Gandalf cupped his staff, breathing on a small crystal that was lodged there, and suddenly a light springs up within it. It lit up the chambers, showing the ground littered with bodies.
"This is no mine,' exclaimed Boromir, looking around quickly, 'it's a tomb!"
Inhaling sharply, Thennil gasped as she began to count the many skeletons the lay all over the floor. Their clothes hung on them, eaten by moth and other insects, their armor was rusted and where their eyes would have looked out from underneath the rim of their helmets were empty sockets. The hobbits shrieked, clinging to those closest to them and covering their mouths and noses. Many of the skeletons reached for the sky, or in this case the ceiling of the cave, their bones yellow and aged. Peppered among the armor and shields are arrows and axes, sticking out from different parts of their bodies.
"Oh...no...no...no...NO!' cried Gimli in horror.
Legolas snapped an arrow out of a corpse, flinging it to the ground, "Goblins."
She shuddered, taking a step back to be next to the hobbits, shielding their eyes from any more of the carnage. They all back away towards the entrance, drawing their blades.
"We should have braved Caradhras,' she whispered to Aragorn, looking up at his.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here,' stated the man of Gondor, 'Now get out of here! Get out!"
At that moment several things happened all at once. Frodo felt a slimy something seize him by the ankle, and he fell as it yanked him back. Bill the pony turned tail and gave a wild neigh of fear, running off into the night around the lake. Sam leapt after the pony, and then hearing Frodo's cry he ran back again, weeping and cursing. the others swung round and saw the waters of the lake seething like a hurricane. A host of snakes were swimming up from the southern end.
Out from the water long sinuous tentacles had crawled; it was pale-green, luminous and wet. It's fingered end had a hold of Frodo's foot, and was dragging him to the water violently. Sam was on his knees slashing at the thing with his knife. The arm let go of Frodo, but twenty more leapt up in it's place, snagging his other ankle and dragging him away from his friend. The dark water boiled and a hideous stench rolled off it like steam.
Thennil rushed forward with the other's and began to hack at the appendages, taking one off here and another off there, but they still seemed to multiply. Ducking under a flailing limb , she slashed at a finger-like end that attempted to grab her arm, severing it from the tentacle. She heard Frodo scream as he was flung into the air as the other's stabbed and slashed at the creature.
"Into the mine!" cried Gandalf, pushing the other hobbits in front of him as the group fled from the path of the monster. Thennil hurried away, parrying the grabs that the creature made at her person. She was so focused on getting away that she didn't see a thick flailing limb swing towards her, it's tip bloodied. It knocked her off her feet, her body crashing to the ground as she lost her balance. Aragorn grabbed her under the arms and dragged her towards the entrance, her body too stunned to move. The thing had whipped at her ribs, and in her pain filled haze she realized that they would probably be pretty bruised.
"Legolas!" cried Boromir as the elf waited, arrow ready to distract the creature at the right time. A second later it was loosed into the eye of the creature, causing it to roar in pain, and giving Boromir and Aragorn time to grab their charges and race out of the water and towards the cavern. The creature followed them, its tentacles hitting the doors and walls as its long teeth grated on the stones. Some of the tentacles grabbed hold of the stone doors, crushing and pushing them closed. The stonework shuddered and cracked, and the Fellowship rushed deeper into the cavern as the stones rained down from the ceiling, sealing them into the mines.
As the dust settled, Aragorn held Thennil's body close to his own, sword raised as he listened to the muffled words of those around them.
"Well, well,' said the wizard, blowing on the crystal to light up the area around him, drawing those of the company to him, 'The passage is blocked behind us now, there is only one way out-on the other side of the mountain."
He turned, and made to walk up the stairs, but was stopped by a sharp cry.
"Thennil is hurt!"
Twisting swiftly around, the wizard hurried over to the place where his dearest friend rested in the arms of Aragorn. He dropped to his knees, reaching out to touch her head.
"How did this happen?" he demanded, glaring around them.
"She was guarding our back as we ran from the monster,' came Boromir's voice from the back of the group. He had not liked her at their first meeting, and found her to be rather annoying because she showed him up throughout the journey with her superior knowledge, but he had not wished for her to come to any harm. He was also able to see the apparent worry for the woman upon the Rangers face, and realized for the first time that this Aragorn loved her.
The wizard nodded, and motioned them all to turn their backs so that he might see where she was hurt. Unbuckling the doublet, he pushed up her tunic enough to look at her ribs, and shuddered at the bruises already forming there. He looked into her eyes, and saw that she was awake, though the pain dulled her senses to the point were she was not bothered about her modesty. Aragorn gaped at the scar that ran across her body, cruel and jagged. It was faded, aged by time and the unique ability that the elves had when it came to their bodies healing. The wizard opened his mouth to utter a few spells, but snapped it shut when a small tendril of golden light curled up from her fingers and encircled her waist. It did not entirely heal the bruises, but they faded away until they were almost non-existent. The rangers eyes widened, but he said nothing, assuming that Gandalf had spoken mentally to the elf and thus healed her. Pulling her tunic down they buckled her doublet back up and waited for her to snap out of her haze.
She gasped, and jerked in his arms, blinking quickly. "What happened?"
"You took a little hit, but you should be fine,' said the wizard, standing.
"Do you think you can walk?" asked Aragorn.
She nodded, gripping his hand as she stood to her feet.
Turning from them, the wizard made for the stairs once again, "We have no choice now, we must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard...there are older and fouler things than the Orcs in the deep places of the world."
They followed after him, avoiding the corpses as best as they could. Thennil leaned on Aragorn a bit as they began, testing out her strength and the mobility of her limbs in regards to her ribs.
"Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."
And that's a wrap!
At least of this chapter. Hope you all enjoy it, and please review!
Robin