Chapter 5: The Caged Dragon Roars

Looking up above her to see her small cramped home, Yúla didn't feel any particular urge to return to her cave. Even through the betrayal she felt at having her hosts thinking so poorly of her, the dragoness wasn't particularly surprised.

After all, their fear of her was one of the many things here in this timeless place that has remained consistent. The only real surprise here was that Elrond was the one that led the host… Though after a few moments, she realized that was most likely to prevent any hostilities between herself and the army rather than incite them.

As the great host of elves began to make their way away from her small mountain, Yúla saw the familiar form of a gold haired elf beginning to make his way over to her from underneath a nearby tree. A casual examination of the elf showed that he was unarmed and relaxed, a stark contrast to all the others mere moments ago.

Feeling any sour mood within her evaporate at her friend's appearance, she smiled brightly even as her tail began to twitch in anticipation behind her. To her excitement, her friend returned the gesture with a smile of his own.

Ever since that day so long ago, Glorfindel became a large part of her day to day life. He was one of the few bright and happy parts of living in and around Rivendell that she could remember. Throughout the years, he was one of the few that was never afraid of her, as he even went out of his way to play with her or distract her from the constant cold shoulder the rest of his people gave her.

He was one of the few pillars of light in a dim and borderline hostile environment, and for that she will always see him as a friend.

Glorfindel spoke first, a mirthful tone filling his voice as he arched his neck back to stare up at her.

"An ill time for a journey it seems. For what it's worth, I never thought you would do such a terrible thing."

Yúla snorted, seeing the attempt to lighten the mood for what it was. Shuffling down, the great dragoness lies down onto the ground, folding her legs beneath her so she could speak to her friend a bit more closely.

"Thanks, my friend. Admittedly, this isn't much of a surprise… Your kin haven't exactly been the most level headed bunch during my stay here, after all."

Glorfindel's face lost a bit of its mirth at that, a frown replacing the previous smile as he spun around to look at the slowly retreating force.

"No… I suppose we haven't."

A somber silence came and went for a moment before it was broken.

"Sadly, this was a situation that could not be avoided."

The two of us turned our heads to see Lord Elrond, still fully garbed in armor, striding toward us.

"There are still many within Rivendell that do not trust you, their memories of battles long past still fresh on their minds. It seems the news of yet another atrocity committed by your kin has brought out some of the worst of those memories."

Glorfindel seemed willing to defend Yúla, unable to hold his tongue as he shook his head sadly.

"The actions of others aren't hers to answer for just as the shameful actions of our own kin aren't ours to answer for. Should we need to answer for the kinslaying of our own kind just as long ago? No, I think not."

Glorfindel turned to her, placing a hand on her large snout and smiling kindly into her massive sapphire eye. A gesture she wished she could return without terrifying the nearby skittish elves by accident.

"I say she needs not worry about the feelings of those that do not wish to know her own."

Blinking, she turned her attention to the retreating host of elves once more. She listened quietly as several of the remaining elves began to whisper amongst themselves. The tone and message of the conversations were the same as always.

"-scales as black as the great spider's shadow…"

"-once saw it descend upon a horse with its claws outstretched, like a harbinger of death from the skies…"

"-the beast has eaten half the population of animals in the forest by now!"

Even all these years later, I am still not welcome here.

The very air and feeling around her shifted at that thought, the unease and scared nature of those around her was so poignant that she could swear she could smell it clearly.

She was tired of it all. Years and years of treatment like this was wearing on her now. She needed to find somewhere she belonged, because it certainly wasn't here. The few friends and happy memories she had made were not enough to make up for the unease and solitude.

Unwilling to let those whispered words stand without defending herself, the dragoness pulled herself back to her feet in the blink of an eye. Towering over the elves, she felt her fire stir within her chest as pride of who and what she was filled her, bathing the entire clearing in an orange glow.

Turning her head, she looked toward the elves and let out a deep growl. Feeling the words leave her muzzle of their own accord, she snarled out a few short words that captured her thoughts.

"I am not a beast! I … I… I just…"

The anger in her voice died halfway through her outburst when she remembered that all it would do is confirm their own hatred of her. Her thought showed itself clearly as correct as they all went for their weapons. Sighing, she cooled her inner fire before lying back down with a huff.

"... I just want a home."

She was a mighty dragon, free and fierce and awe inspiring! She knew she could be just as terrifying as her ancestors if given the chance, but slaughtering her way across the land, pillaging and burning all in her path wasn't quite what she wanted to do…

What do I want to do?

Not for the first time since leaving the small hut in the woods did she begin to ponder exactly what her purpose was. She always felt like it was her purpose to protect, and yet…

Taking one last glance at the more hastily retreating elves, she didn't feel any particular need to protect this place.

By all means, she and her kin were originally created to sow discord and chaos among the free peoples of middle earth, and yet it was in the historical references of the first time the great winged firedrakes were seen that she found her reassurance.

The first winged dragons were seen defending the mighty fortress of Angband from the valinor army in the first age. While the means of their defense and the one they defended were certainly questionable, the purpose was still there. It was an urge she herself felt, and she wondered if that was yet another reason that her kin guarded their stolen plunder so zealously.

She wanted someplace to guard. Somewhere she could call her own. Someplace that the others around her wouldn't make her feel like a caged bird, never able to fully spread its wings. Somewhere she could defend and feel safe while she found her true purpose in life.

"You say you were searching for a home in the blue mountains?"

Elrond's voice drew her out of her thoughts as she flicked her gaze to the elf.

"Yes, though the mountains were far too wet and damp for my liking. I do not wish to remain in a dark seaside cave forever, despite what others may think of me."

Glancing up, she spotted her cave near the peak of the nearby cliff face. She honestly wasn't looking forward to squeezing and shuffling herself back into it so she could lay comfortably.

"My dwelling is getting too small again, and I tire of needing to expand it every time I bump my head. I need a home… a true home."

Glorfindel spoke up, amusement in his tone.

"Mayhaps we can help in your search? I would have begun a search for adequate places long ago had I known the need was present."

Elrond also perked up, looking like he was happy to use his vast knowledge to aid her.

"Indeed. There are many unclaimed places that you can call your own."

She took comfort in their words, feeling the honest and kind nature of the offer. She honestly felt a bit better with the reassurance of her friends here, along with the knowledge that Gandalf also wished to help her.

"I would be glad to have your assistance. Better that than personally inspecting the sides of every mountain from here to the far east after all!"

Melodic chuckles filled the area as the two elves reacted to her words. Smiling to them, she felt a bit of excitement when she remembered she still had a journey to tell them about.

"While I was gone, I met another elf, you know."

That certainly got their attention. Shuffling a bit to get a bit more comfortable, she began to tell the tale of her journey.

"Though he wasn't the only person I met. After I left, I spotted a few strange men on a small circular…"

-OtWoF-

Yúla couldn't help but think as to how exactly she found herself in this odd situation.

The initial wait was excruciating, but the time eventually came when a call from Ídhaiamrûn caught her attention from below. Apparently, a strange council was being called to discuss her situation in which she was being summoned to.

They couldn't hold their discussions in Rivendell, for obvious reasons, so the elves set up a small table in a clearing large enough to fit her. After a quick glide down from her cave followed by a lengthy walk, she arrived.

Sadly, her 'arrival' wasn't as uneventful as she hoped.

Pushing through trees as carefully as she could, the wood and branches scraped and cracked as she shoved her way through them. The dragoness could easily see her artistic friend following a crafted path carelessly. Looking from her spot towering over the trees, she saw that the trail cut delicately through the woods, blending into the woods seamlessly as if it was a part of nature itself.

There was only one problem. The path was never meant for her.

Growing frustrated as a particularly large tree stood in her way, Yúla placed a single paw on the trunk and applied pressure. Creaks and cracks came from the tree, but it only took a moment for the roots grasping the soft fertile earth to fail.

Watching her handiwork, she felt a bit proud of her ability to conquer the forest with ease until she looked down to see her elven friend shaking his head in disappointment. Feeling terrible about her actions now, she carefully stepped over the fallen remains of the once proud tree and continued on her trek. She couldn't help as her wings clipped a few branches, nor how her claws carved deep gashes into the wilderness as she walked, and this only added to her feeling of sadness.

Wanting to arrive as fast as possible, she lifted her long serpent-like head over the trees, scanning for the paths of least resistance through the elven forest.

Thankfully, it wasn't long before she arrived.

Upon seeing her curious head towering over the nearby trees to scan for the least damaging way through the woods, the entire table seemed to spring into action. Everyone stood up with two of them facing her direction and emanating strange powers as if ready for a fight.

After a quick examination of the occupants, Yúla realized it wouldn't be the best idea to antagonize them. If Gandalf, Glorfindel, and Elrond saw these people as equals enough to share a spot at the table with these people, then they must be important to her friends.

"Stop!"

Gandalf's voice rang through the clearing even as Yúla arrived, causing the two unknowns to turn to him.

"We are to exchange pleasantries with beasts now Gandalf? Has madness overtaken you?"

Even as she arrived, anger filled her at the words. She was growing tired of judgemental people and dismissive attitudes. These people knew nothing about her, but the name of 'beast' came nonetheless.

Looking down to the small group that were sitting quietly in the clearing she finally fully arrived at, she saw several strange people standing stiffly, as if they were waiting for some unseen signal to come.

There were some familiar faces amongst them that brought her comfort. Gandalf, Glorfindel, and Elrond all shifted out in their seats, seemingly uncomfortable from the stern gazes from the other two people present that she didn't recognize.

And much to her frustration, nor did they introduce themselves to her.

Attempting to find a spot to relax, she found that the clearing around the table was only barely big enough to fit her… Which meant her 'spot' was the majority of the remaining open clearing.

Curling herself up around the table, she sat her head down on her crossed paws and more closely examined the ones present. Idly, she noted that her artistic friend began to return the way they came. Paying that no mind, she returned her attention to the grouping.

Her friends seemed to be relaxing now that it didn't appear as if a fight would break out, returning to their chairs without any further incidents. It took a few moments, but the two strangers standing across from them returned to their seats as well.

Though Yúla definitely noticed the suspicious gazes that she was all too familiar with.

Sitting across the table from her friends, as if there was a strange barrier between them, was a golden haired she-elf that almost seemed to be glowing with an ethereal light, and a stern looking white robed wizard who wouldn't stop eyeing her with a strange look in his small stormy eyes.

The meeting was only recently called, and despite the rocky start that her arrival caused, the strange grouping was now finally willing to begin to talk.

"What I would very much like to know…" The strange white robed wizard began, a strange accusing tone in his voice. "Is how, exactly, did this situation come to be?"

Awkward silence filled the area, filled only by the sound of Yúla's great lungs taking in a breath of air before releasing it loudly. Thankfully, Gandalf spoke up, breaking the silence.

"I'm sorry, my old friend, but whatever do you mean?"

The white wizard gestured idly to the figurative and literal dragon looming over them. Yúla could easily tell that he was agitated, though she couldn't figure out exactly why.

"What do I mean? We are sitting in the midst of the coils of a serpent of Morgoth having a casual conversation over tea," He emphasized his point, his white polished staff being waved in Yúla's general direction… though with her massive form curled almost entirely around the small table set up in the field, the gesture was a bit redundant. "And the three of you are acting as if this is an everyday occurrence!"

Glorfindel decided to take the obvious conversational bait.

"To be fair to us, situations similar enough to this are a common enough occurrence for some of us to react as such at this point."

Yúla hummed in satisfaction, remembering all the times that her golden haired friend visited her over the years, even if only to keep her company as he read a book. Sadly, the deep rumbling noise reverberated around the council below, distracting them for a moment as they quieted their discussions.

After only a moment, they resumed where they left off with white wizard not appearing overly satisfied with that answer. Opening his mouth to say what Yúla knew would be an undoubtedly astute observation about how threatening she was, the dragoness watched from the side as the white wizard was stopped by Lord Elrond who elaborated further on Glorfindel's point.

"Morrovalùr has been residing here with us for more than a few decades, and she has been nothing but courteous during her stay here."

The white wizard didn't appear the least bit convinced, but nonetheless he calmed himself down before he continued.

"Decades hm?"

Yúla caught a strange glint in the wizard's eye that made something in her gut squirm. The look didn't unnerve her per se, but the meaning behind it was definitely a puzzle that she needed to solve before she trusted him any further.

"Indeed. In fact, I was the one who brought her here some time ago. Due to her unique circumstances, it was rather imperative that we get her somewhere safe as she grew large enough to defend herself."

"Large enough?"

The disbelief in the unknown wizard's tone was unmistakeable as he nearly gaped at his grey robed companion.

"Did it not dawn on you that this creature might be using you? That it might betray you? That your little gamble would only end in tragedy?"

That I might betray…?

Anger filled Yúla's chest at even the thought of such a thing. Before she could even think to stop it, a deep rumbling growl filled the clearing, echoing off into the area around them.

Whipping her head to stare directly at the offending wizard, her temper got the best of her as she stared him down with her fangs bared. Unable to let the insult slide, she let her thoughts be known loudly and without restraint.

"How dare you! You know nothing about me!"

This outburst, however, might not have been the best idea.

The moment her feelings shifted and she became angry, a strange sort of power began to fill the area around her. Flashes of strange light and odd feelings filled her senses.

A bright light, blindingly powerful yet comforting. A gentle wind, rejuvenating and guiding. A gentle fire, warm and reassuring. A black stone, unshakable yet cunning. A flower, golden and blooming.

None of it came from any one person, as different sorts of strange feelings and auras clashed with one another.

"Enough!"

Gandalf's voice rang through the clearing like a roar of thunder. Echoes from the shout could be heard reverberating similarly enough to how her own had not even moments prior.

The dragoness, partially from the unexpected fury of the grey wizard and partially from the strange visions, was unable to properly keep hold of her anger. She sat back down roughly as the fire in her chest cooled itself and she looked back towards her grey garbed friend.

"We are here to discuss where she should reside, not her allegiance! She is her own person, and should she give her allegiance to anyone, it will be because she chooses to, not because of what she is!"

An awkward quietness filled the area before Lord Elrond broke it.

"I believe introductions would be a proper place to restart these talks…"

The tone was awkward at best, but at the very least Yúla would get the names of the strangers now.

"Morrovalùr, this is Saruman the White, and the lady Galadriel."

He gestured to the two present, to which she examined them for only a moment before snorting to show her comprehension. After all, what was she supposed to do? Shake their hand?

"My lord, my lady, this is the dragoness Morrovalùr."

Once again, an awkward silence came and went as the only one who showed any sort of reaction was Galadriel who gave a polite nod.

"I think it would be wise to avoid the topic of her allegiance in the future as well. Sadly, that doesn't make the next issue we wish to bring up any easier. This is a challenging topic to be sure, one that will have far reaching consequences, but I am sure there is an answer."

Gandalf tapped his hand on the table, drawing everyone's attention to the map laid upon it.

"Perhaps we can use the process of elimination. The places she will be able to even fit in are few and far between after all."

Varying signs of approval at the idea filled the area as her grey robed friend began listing off the choices.

"The first and, I suppose, most obvious location would be the Withered Heath. The location is well known to house more of her kind, but the obvious issue there is that she isn't exactly your typical firedrake, now is she?"

Glorfindel spoke up, still looking intently at the map.

"What about the grey mountains to the east of the Heath? I have heard tell of a large cavern within."

Lord Elrond shook his head sadly.

"Those caverns have been overtaken by a legion of goblins. I fear it would be folly to attempt to fully clear them out. There are many places to hide within those caves, and once you believe yourself to be safe is when they will emerge once again."

The thought was disheartening. Thankfully, there appeared to be more places to consider as Elrond continued.

"A better option in my personal opinion is the caverns below Isengard."

Saruman didn't appear pleased with this turn of events, as he calmly but sternly spoke up.

"You wish to risk the wrath of an entire country of men to fall upon me in order to house this creature? What will happen if she begins to graze upon the horses of the nearby lands, or sets fire to the countryside?"

Squinting her eyes at the wizard, she grit her teeth in anger. His objections seemed to be based entirely around the inconvenience that she herself would place upon him rather than her own situation.

I care not for politics, nor the ramblings of men below. I will find my own place, not one underneath a tower to be watched over.

Gandalf studied the map for a moment before he tapped three spots on it. Yúla's sharp eyes caught the points he touched, and committed them to memory.

"If those are objectionable, then the last three locations are the glittering caves of Rohan, the Lonely Mountain, and the mines of Moria."

Yúla perked up at the sound of 'glittering caves'. The place sounded absolutely delightful to her, and she began to pay more attention to the conversation accordingly.

Glittering caves? Those sound interesting! I wonder if there is gold to be-

"Rohan would sooner give up their capital of Edoras to orcs then grant the Hornburg to a dragon. She would need to invade the fortress and slaughter thousands of innocent people that would no doubt be sent to defend it from invasion just to settle there."

-Found there…

Her hopes thoroughly dashed, she sighed deeply in frustration. It seemed as if every location that could even come close to housing her had something wrong with it!

"The flaws with reclaiming the mountain any time soon are obvious, but even more of an issue is the predictable behavior of the dwarves. I can guarantee they will march upon the mountain eventually, and I don't believe they would care which dragon resides within it when they do."

A few of those present shifted in their seats. News about what was rapidly being called 'The Desolation of Smaug' along with the sack of the strongest dwarven kingdom in middle earth was still fresh on everyone's mind.

"While the strategic gain of reclaiming the mountain is clear, I would dare not force Yúla into a fight between either one of her own kind, or an army of dwarves if she did not wish for it. We are here to find her a home after all, not use her as a weapon to solve our strategic problems."

The grey wizard sent her a soft smile that she returned wholeheartedly.

"The mines would definitely be able to house her, and she would be able to use the normally untouched wildlife in the misty mountain range to feed herself without intruding upon others. It is far from any settlement, and it would also open up another pass through the mountains that would cut time to trade in half should she open the caves for passage…"

"…Should she venture into the mines, she would be met with an overwhelming darkness."

Everyone's attention was turned to the she-elf who was seemingly in a trance as she stared off towards some unseen sight before she continued speaking.

"There is an ancient evil in those mines. One I am unsure of, as a black cloud covers my sight."

Surprisingly enough, the gold haired elf turned to Yúla and addressed her directly for the first time since the meeting started.

"I can tell that you will make a choice here despite what we might think. Do not take this lightly, as none of these places would take such a being intruding on their lands idly. The decision you make here will have far reaching consequences to be certain, none of which will end without bloodshed."

Yúla gave a small tilt of her head that could be considered a nod. She understood the gravity of the situation, but she was ready to make her own way in this world once and for all.

Snaking her head forward, she hovered her large head over the table and tilted it so she could more clearly examine the map. To her, there were only three choices.

The glittering caves, the Lonely Mountain, and Moria.

The glittering caves seemed to awaken something in her instincts. The name itself of the caverns was enough for her to wish to at least see the place, but the idea that she would need to dispatch an entire army of innocent people to live there didn't sit well with her conscience at all, and it wasn't like that issue wasn't eventually present at the Lonely Mountain either…

…so in the end there is only one choice.

Before she could speak her choice, Saruman spoke up.

"It is rather clear that she will need to reside in the caverns of Isengard."

Everyone's attention turned to Saruman as he spoke, including Yúla's. The dragoness seemed surprised at the swift turn around of his attitude, and she remained silent as she tried to puzzle out why.

"It is the least terrible out of all of the options given. I will begin to make arrangements and send word to the neighboring-"

"No."

Everyone turned to the dragoness, whose head was now reared back and staring down on those present from above. Switching her eyes to look at the wizard with pure determination, she puffed her chest out with pride.

"I am not like the others of my kind. I only wish to find a place for myself. Somewhere I belong. I refuse to continue to be cooped up as a guest of others, hidden away and caged by the thoughts of what others think of me for my entire life."

"You do not belong."

The moment the words reached her, they sliced through her pride like an elven blade through goblins. Turning her head to the white wizard, her entire form seemed to droop as each word he spoke cut her deeply.

"You will never belong. You are a creature, born from the fires of hatred and malice. You were created for only one purpose, to bring destruction and ruin upon the free people of this world. The least damaging option is for you to be 'caged' as you so aptly put it."

Her depressed state from the previous words was quickly replaced with determination. She knew that he believed his words, but after only a moment of thinking about it, she knew that she herself didn't. Giving him a fang filled smile, she began to stand up.

He doesn't even care about my feelings on the matter... all I am to him is an inconvenience!

She was done. Done with judgemental elves and condescending wizards. She didn't care about their opinions anymore, and she would show them exactly who she was.

"I can tell that is what you truly believe. You see me as no more than a beast to be caged? Very well. I will show you just how hard it is to cage a dragon!"

Coiling the muscles in her legs, she leapt into the sky, leaving the council behind. The last she heard of the council was the sound of Gandalf yelling after her before the wind overtook his words, but she did not care. After all…

I know where my new home is.

-OtWoF-

"I'm going with you this time."

Clinging to the side of her cave on the small mountain, she saw her elven friend garbed in light armor with a sword strapped to his hip. Standing there with a look of determination in his eyes as he leaned against one of the smooth cave walls. She couldn't help but be confused as to why he was here.

Not bothering to try and puzzle out how Ídhaiamrûn somehow made it back to her cave before she did, she decided to ask the first question that bubbled up.

"You don't even know where I am going."

He pushed himself off the wall and made his way to the mouth of the cave. Following his path, she realized that he was moving so she could more carefully enter the cave without hurting him.

"I didn't even know you were leaving until you just confirmed it."

Ignoring the sassy elf, she clambered her way into the cave and began to take stock of her treasure once again. Feeling her wings scraping the roof of the cave, she pressed herself as close to the ground as possible and growled as she realized that it was more than time for her to move.

"Yes, well, where I am going apparently has some kind of great and ancient darkness within it."

"It's a good thing your fire gives off light then."

The response was so quick, that she realized that he was ready for this conversation before they even began.

This let her mind supply the thought of 'why not?' Sure, she could leave him behind and fly to the mountain without him, but did she really want to? She knew full well that she wouldn't let anything threatening get anywhere near him if she had anything to say about it.

And I can be very loud when I want to be.

Despite the aggravation that the elves of Rivendell have been to her, Ídhaiamrûn has always been a happy constant. It was for that reason alone that she was both happy and hesitant to have him along.

"You are an artist-"

"I can paint with my sword if need be."

Blinking, she slid and shimmied her way around her cave to see her friend standing at the mouth, a stiff but determined posture showing through.

"I can't guard you from danger, as you are too small-"

"I will be there to guard you, not the other way around."

Growling, she pulled her muzzle up as close as she dared to him, showing her white razor sharp teeth.

"I need no guarding."

"If you believe that the only threat to your safety is an arrow, you are mistaken."

Baring her teeth, she let out a growl that she could see blew his lengthy brown hair back, and yet he remained stoic.

"Are you calling me weak?"

"No, I called you mistaken."

Snaking her head forward, her massive sapphire blue eye leveled itself out to gaze as closely as she could at the elf in a childish attempt to make him uncomfortable enough to look away.

And thus began what would be known as the great staring contest of the third age.

Neither party wished to back down. The brave elf remained firm in the face of what most would consider to be an embodiment of fire and death. Although, the bravery could also be attributed to the fact that he knew very well at this point that his draconic friend would never harm him.

The fact that she was attempting to convince him to stay said that much by itself.

After a short while, the elf looked away and toward the horizon.

Ha! Victory once more!

"So where are we going anyway?"

Following his gaze over the vast landscape, she felt her tail nudge the pile of gold behind her. With a sad realization, she knew that just like last time she wouldn't be able to take it with her.

At least on this first journey. I can't fight whatever is in those mines carrying a pile of gold and precious items... or even fly there with them!

Blinking, she looked over to her friend.

"You want to come with me so I will take you flying for the first time, don't you?"

In the entire time she has lived here in this timeless valley, she noticed a few things about elves. One of these strange observations was that it was nearly impossible to get any of them to break the facade they show others as a replacement for their emotions. Jokes and strange comments usually elicit next to no reaction unless they wanted you to see it, and it was sometimes strange to talk to them because of it.

However, this time?

The embarrassed elf's face became bright red as he shuffled from foot to foot. Looking away, he began to stammer out a response to her accusation, but came up short and just decided to remain quiet.

The reaction was so unexpected, that Yúla began to laugh loudly. The deep sound of her bellowing mirth echoed through the valley, scaring away several birds out of their perches.

After only a moment, Ídhaiamrûn joined in. The two companions laughing for a few minutes before Yúla finally broke the silence.

"You might want to get some warmer clothes. I will be flying over the mountains, not going around... and the air gets colder the higher we go."

The look of shocked surprise that came across his face was almost as unexpected as the embarrassment just a few moments prior. Once the words sunk in however, it was replaced with a genuine smile.

"You will take me with you? Where exactly will we be going?"

Smiling, she craned her head to look at her friend again, scraping her horns on the roof of her cave as she did so. Shaking off the frustration she has for her current living quarters, she nodded.

"Prepare yourself for the journey and meet me at the field at the exit of the hidden pass. We leave for the gates of Moria as soon as you arrive."

The elf became serious as he nodded. Only a moment later, he was nearly skipping down a sheer cliff face, experienced steps and perfect balance being the only things preventing him from falling to his demise.

Running her tail through her humble gold pile one last time, she began to think about the future.

If all goes well, I shall have a home to call my own soon. But what comes after? What is my purpose? Will I act like the rest of my kin and waste centuries brooding on my wealth? If I don't do that, what should I do?

She didn't know, but even as she looked down to her friend who somehow reached the ground and mounted a previously unseen horse, she smiled.

At least I won't be alone.

—Author's Note—

Hi everyone!

Sorry that my writing has taken a turn for the worse when it comes to posting. Honestly? It's because of my job.

I haven't been working any more hours then the normal ammount I have recently (a lot), nor has the job become any less stressful (extremely) but just sheer depression at my direction.

Eh whatever. I'm not here to whine about my situation, especially since I quit my job a few days ago! Yeah! Take that you stupid depressing wage slave job! I'm sure the fact that I'm posting this chapter 2 days after I quit has nothing to do with my improved mental state since then… right?

...Right?

Onto the story!

Next chapter should be the one everyone is excited about. If you know anything about pre Lord of the Rings Moria, along with who exactly is in there right now and who will show up there in the future, you should know this story is about to take a turn for a bit of AU next chapter.

It should also be the chapter that Yúla becomes a bit less "inconveniently large polite lizard with wings" and a bit more of the "gigantic murderous fiery death machine of doom and destruction" that we all know and love.

I wanted this chapter to go up to the gates of Khazad-Dûm, but I felt like it was a good spot to end it here. Sorry for the short chapter, but when I write, I make a goal for each chapter, and this one's goal was to get through the council.

The next…?

As always, read and review. If you enjoy the story, consider giving me a follow and a favorite!