It had been wonderfully warm and sunny for weeks now. Today, however, had been the start of a terrible storm. The rain suddenly came down on the earth in big, ferocious drops, soaking everything and everyone. The wind blew angrily at the Fellowship, the trees creaking dangerously. The clouds were darker than Gandalf's cloak while the lightning lit up the sky like the sun itself.
Wet, cold, tired, and irritated, the group desperately searched for a dry place in the forest.
"Legolas!" Gandalf yelled to the blonde elf scouting ahead, "Did you find a place for us to rest till the storm passes?"
The young elf shook his head as he jogged back to his companions. Frowning, he said, "I am afraid not. There is no cave or anything we can use for shelter up ahead."
"There is also no village anywhere near here, at least not to my knowledge," the wizard replied, glaring at the brim of his dripping hat.
"Well, isn't that great?!" Sam exclaimed as he threw his arms in the air. Beside him, Merry attempted to kick a rock. Instead, he slipped on the muddy ground and went tumbling down the hill.
"Merry!" Frodo called out and the hobbits ran, or rather slid, down the way their friend fell.
"Frodo, wait," Aragorn warned, but the little man was already out of sight. Soon the rest of the men followed them down the muddy trail. The hobbits were crowding around Merry, asking him if he was hurt.
"He is fine. Just a little fall wouldn't hurt the tough guy, right?" Boromir gruffly asked which earned him a glare from the other human in the group.
With all the commotion, no one noticed the dwarf that had walked a little bit away from everybody else. Something seemed to have captured his attention.
"No, no. I'm really fine, " Merry declared, "I'm as strong as an ox, see?" He tried to stand up but once he put pressure on his right leg, pain shot up causing him to cry out. Immediately, Aragorn and Legolas were at his side assessing his injury.
"-seems to be twisted," the elf had been saying before he was interrupted by a loud voice.
"I found a cave!" Gimli yelled.
Quickly, the Fellowship got up, Merry being carried by the blonde prince, and made their way over to the alleged cave. At this point, any kind of shelter would be welcome.
At first, they could not see the cave's entrance, not even Legolas. It looked nothing out of the ordinary; it matched its scenery with the lush vines and bushes covering the entire mouth of the cave. But there was something else, something unnatural that prevented people from seeing the cave.
"Gandalf…" Legolas muttered quietly. He sensed it and knew the wizard could as well.
The wizard nodded, "Yes, I know. Magic. It is not evil, but instead quite the opposite. It is, in fact,-"
"Pure," the prince finished, "I have never felt anything like this on this plane." It was too pure to exist in Middle-Earth. It confused, worried, and excited him to no end.
"Well then? Come on in! It's dry and safe and the answer to our prayers," Gimli who was already inside had said, popping his head out of the greenery.
"Master Dwarf," Aragorn started, "did you already check the cave for anything vile? You know that caves are-"
"Yes, yes, yes, Aragorn we know," Pippin interrupted, "Gimli said it was safe, so he must have thoroughly checked it already. Now let us get inside and out of this wretched weather!"
Pippin walked inside as he spoke, and the rest of the hobbits followed suit, save for Merry who was still being carried by Legolas.
The dwarf blushed faintly as he cleared his voice, "Why, of course, I thoroughly checked it as it is what we all are supposed to do when we find a cave." With that statement alone, everyone knew that he barely glanced at the cave just to make sure it was empty.
Boromir walked in next, "At least you found us shelter. If we need to fight then we will, but the little ones need to at least rest, even if it is for a little bit."
Aragorn sighed. He did not like this, but they were all tired, and this was the only place available. "Not just the little ones," he walked in with Legolas and Gandalf right behind him, "but us as well."
As soon as everybody was inside, they all settled down. Gandalf sat with his back against a wall, watching everyone with an unreadable expression. Pippin and Frodo were already getting out bedding, and Sam and Gimli prepared the little food they had. The humans were helping out the injured hobbit while Legolas double checked the cave. It wasn't a large cave, so the examination went by quickly.
The prince was about to relax until he heard Gimli shout that the fire had finally been made. Legolas furrowed his brows. It should have been impossible to make a fire without dry wood, and in this weather, there should not have been any. Aragorn must have been thinking the same thing because he stood up quickly and alert and questioned the dwarf.
"I found it in the cave. We are just that lucky." Gimli shrugged.
"No, that is not possible for wood, in this quantity and size, to miraculously be in here for us to use. Tell me, Master Dwarf, where exactly in this cave did you find the wood?" Aragorn asked.
The shorter male led the man to the very back of the small cave and motioned to the ground. Boromir and Legolas followed suit, both analyzing the ground. There was nothing there.
"They were right there next to this rock," Gimli explained.
"What if it was not a rock, but something that was disguised as a rock?" The elf pondered.
"My thoughts exactly, my friend," the king said, "This is elven magic, is it not?"
"It is, but it is very faint. I could hardly recognize it because it is being drowned out by something else. Something powerful and pure. I am afraid I do not recognise it," said the prince.
Listening in on the conversation, Frodo grew very worried and turned to the wizard, "Gandalf," said the hobbit, "is it safe to rest in here?"
The wizard blew out a smoke ring before answering, "Why yes, Mr. Baggins. The safest cave I know." Turning his attention to the elf, he says, "The power you feel, Legolas, is from two or three rectangular papers with strange symbols on them. I know they are somewhere in this cave, though I cannot pinpoint where exactly, and it provides the cave with protection. The person who made them is currently staying in this cave. Do not fret, however, for it is a friend of mine."
"What? Someone else was here before us?" Sam asked, appalled that they were intruding.
Boromir walked over to Gandalf and asked, "Who is this friend, Gandalf?"
A pink, glowing arrow zipped past the bodies of the company and embedded itself on the far back wall that the prince and king were inspecting. Weapons immediately came out, and the company prepared for another attack.
"I am the one staying here," a hard voice stated.
It was a figure dressed in black standing at the mouth of the cave. A hood hid most of the attacker's face, leaving only a visible sneer. The figure had another arrow notched and ready for release. There was a young male deer lying next to the figure, dead and bloody with a single arrow hole in its heart. "Step away from the rock and lay down your weapons," she growled.
"You are outnumbered, woman," Boromir stated, "It is you who should lay down your weapon. You can not wi-"
The wizard cut him off, "Actually, I am pretty sure this little spitfire can take all of you at once."
"Gandalf?" Legolas asked.
"Put away your weapons," He paused for a bit and added as an afterthought, "And step away from her stuff. She really means no harm."
"Oi," the figure, who already put away the arrow back into her quiver and shouldered her bow, pushed the hood covering her face down.
She had fair skin that greatly contrasted her striking blue eyes and blue-black locks and plump, pink lips that made her an extremely beautiful and unique maiden. "Don't go making promises for me, old man."
Gandalf let out a full-hearted laugh as he rose to his feet and opened his arms, "Nice to see you too, Kagome."