Once more thanks for the many nice and encouraging reviews!!!!!
I hope all the dwarf fans out there are not going to strangle me… they
are hard to write for I do not know much about them…
So I hope everything makes sense… and you enjoy it…

Oh and a warning: story is not beta read and English is not my first
language so be warned of mistakes in grammar and spelling…
And a very special thank you for all of you that take the time to tell me
you liked it – even more to those of you who do this for each single
chapter – its good to know I do not loose my readers :-)
So a long chapter for once – I needed to get the story going :-)))))

___

'I fear our friend has greatly underestimated our foe.' Gandalf's voice
was grave. 'It is true that it prefers to hunt at night and to attack the
sleeping. But if it has strength enough, it might dare also to turn on
the awake. And elves are not as immune to it as Legolas believes.'

The wizard sighed and stopped his pacing. His eyes came to rest on
the three men that listened to him with growing dread. 'While awake
they might be safe, for their strength of mind is great. But walking in
their dreams they are much more vulnerable than Legolas might
think.'

'So it is true,' Eomer whispered. 'It truly is this creature that Legolas
spoke of.'

'I have seen and heard much on my travels here,' Gandalf spoke. 'And
I would say the elf has guessed correctly.'

'So we must make haste in following him,' Aragorn urged. 'For I fear
that the dwarves will not listen closely to a warning spoken by an elf. I
wish I had not allowed him to go there alone.'

The wizard laughed - a sound that seemed strange in the gloomy
atmosphere of their council.
'No matter how much he values you, Aragorn, I doubt that the elf
would allow you to allow him anything,' he gently chided. 'But you are
right when you say we need to leave quickly. It is as you fear, the
dwarves are a stubborn folk and the words of an elf have not much
weight in their opinion. I only hope Gimli might speak for him, or else
they might pay dearly for their mistrust.'

@@@

Love seemed to have lent Gimli wings, for as hard as Legolas rode he
was not able to overtake the dwarf before he reached Eryn Lasgalen,
the Wood of Greenleaves, as Mirkwood was called now. He only
stopped briefly when he was met by a group of his own people
guarding the borders to send two of them to carry a message to his
father, as well as to Celeborn who dwelled now in East Lorien.
Although he was convinced that the creature would not dare attack his
people, he still wanted them to be warned.

The elves were not happy to learn that the son of their king would go
alone to enter the realm of the dwarves, but he refused to let them
accompany him. Guarding the borders was more important now and
he knew that his friendship with Gimli would keep him safe. He had
never traveled there before but was able to follow Gimli's tracks. They
were fresh, telling him his friend would not arrive much sooner than
him.

Getting closer, he could feel the first sensations of being watched and
decided to dismount. Slowly he walked on, Arod following him. He had
not taken more than a few steps when he found his way blocked by
three grim looking dwarves.

'What is an elf doing here?' one of them snarled at him, his face grim
and his hands clenched around his axe.

Legolas bowed in greeting. 'Well met, master dwarf,' he said. 'I am a
messenger and wish to meet Gimli, son of Gloin.'

Another dwarf stepped forward, looking at him intently.

'Well met, master elf,' he said slowly, but in a friendlier voice. 'I have
seen you before, if I remember correctly. You are Legolas, one of the
nine walkers. You accompanied Gimli to Moria.'

'He is still an elf and not welcome here.' The dark look on the other
faces had not changed.

'He is a friend to Gimli, so he will decide. It is not our place to decide if
he wishes to see him or not.'

He turned to the elf again. 'You are lucky for he arrived himself only a
short time ago. I ask you to wait here while I go and get him for you.'

He left and Legolas found himself alone with two dwarves that never
let their eyes stray away from him, as if they were afraid he would
attack them any moment. An icy silence of mistrust and hostility
settled over them while they waited. As minutes passed Legolas could
feel himself getting slightly annoyed, but his darkening mood quickly
lifted when he could hear familiar footsteps coming closer.

'Legolas!' A genuine smile lit Gimli's face, but did not hide his surprise
at seeing his friend. 'What brings you here?'

'No good tidings, I fear, my friend,' Legolas answered, his eyes
wandering briefly to the two dwarves that still pinned him with their
stares. Realizing the animosity, Gimli quickly motioned the elf to follow
him.

'Come with me, for it is time for you to finally get to know the
hospitality of the dwarves.'

The elf undid the straps that kept his belongings on Arod's back and
spoke a few words to the horse. With a snort, it trotted away to enjoy
its freedom until Legolas would call for it again. Then he turned to his
friend, ready to follow him.

He tried hard not to hear the muttered words of the two dwarves that
seemed less then happy to see him enter their realm. Gimli also
ignored them as he led his friend into his home.

@@@

Legolas disliked caves and this was no exception. Although weary from
the long ride, he found himself unable to relax and the feeling only
intensified due to the less than friendly stares he received. He had not
hesitated for long ere he unburdened his heart to his friend, telling him
all he knew of the danger that might befall the realm of the dwarves.
Gimli listened in silence, his face growing darker the more he heard.
When Legolas fell silent, he stood.

'This is bad news you bring, my friend. I thank you for your warning.
This must be told immediately.'

Gimli led him to a large room filled with tables and a roaring fire. The
smell of fresh bread and roasted meat hung in the air, as well as the
loud sound of many voices. The room fell silent when Gimli entered
with his companion, and once more Legolas was pierced with cold and
hostile stares. Only a few faces were friendly and some curious.

'This is my dear friend Legolas, one of the nine walkers,' Gimli
announced. Some faces seemed to soften upon hearing this, but some
grew darker.

'So he is Thranduil's son?' one called out.

Gimli straightened ready to defend his friend. 'Aye, he is. But dwarf
friend I call him.'

'He helped us bury our dead in Moria,' another voice announced. 'He is
a friend.' It was Gudin who spoke, Legolas realized.

Other voices were raised; some of them friendly, some accusing.
Legolas kept silent, for Gimli's hand had come to rest on his arm and
he trusted his friend so he held his tongue.

Then suddenly silence fell as one dwarf moved to stand. His bearing
was that of a Lord and Legolas realized it had to be Thorin III
Stonehelm, who had come to be King under the Mountain after Dain
Ironfoot had been slain. He bowed his head in respect, a gesture that
was seen with surprise by many. They had not excepted an elf to show
respect to a dwarf.

'Welcome, Legolas, son of Thranduil,' Thorin spoke, his voice more
friendly than Legolas would have expected. 'There may have been long
times of hostility between the elves of Mirkwood and the dwarves of
the Lonely Mountain, but you have proven to be a friend to Gimli
Gloin's son.' His sharp eyes wandered over the faces that had turned
to look at him. 'You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you
wish.'

'But he is Thranduil's son!' an angry voice called out.

The king's eyes narrowed but his voice remained calm as he asked,
'Who do you value more, Thranduil or Gimli Gloin's son?'

Silence fell and the king retook his seat, motioning to Gimli and
Legolas to join them.

The looks had not all become friendly, but no more words were spoken
against the elf. He followed Gimli to the table and took a seat next to
him. Food was offered as well as ale and wine, and he gratefully
accepted.

He was halfway through his meal when Gimli finally addressed the
king, speaking to him about the news Legolas had told. Silence fell
around them as more and more dwarves started to listen to his words.
When he ceased to speak, Thorin's eyes turned on the elf.

'Strange news it is that you bring, master elf, for I have never heard of
a creature like this. There is no proof to its existence?'

'Nay,' Legolas answered. 'None other than what Gimli spoke of. The
creature is known to my people, although much has been forgotten.'

'We thank you for the warning then. But I doubt it will dare to come
here, even if it does exist. Another explanation may be found for what
has transpired in the lands of men.' With that, the matter seemed to
be settled for the dwarven king, and he turned his attention to other
matters.

Legolas was about to argue his easy dismissal of a matter that seemed
of much importance to the elf, but a hand on his arm once more
stopped his tongue.

'Let it rest, my friend. He will heed your words even if it does not seem
so to you now,' Gimli whispered. Seeing his friend relax slightly, he
smiled. 'Although I myself doubt it was this warning of an unknown
danger that brought you here into the realm of the dwarves.'

'You underestimate the danger, my friend!' Legolas said. 'I would not
have come here had I not thought the matter urgent.'

'I know,' Gimli quickly answered. 'I was only jesting. But right now
there is naught more you can do. We are warned, and we will be
careful. So you can confess that it was curiosity that brought you here
as well.' His eyes glittered with amusement at the bland look on the
elf's face. So it had truly been concern alone that had driven Legolas
to visit him here.

Finally Legolas realized what he was talking about and a smile lit his
face. 'If I can catch a look at the rare ruby that has captured your
heart, then it would lighten my visit here,' he spoke.

Gimli's eyes wandered to a small figure at the end of the table. Legolas
had not taken notice of the dwarven women that served food and
drinks to the king's table. Now his eyes followed Gimli's look and came
to rest on one of them. It is said that there are few female dwarves,
and their beauty is not great. But this one was young and of slighter
built than many. Her hair was of a dark red and full, and her smile was
radiant as she jested with the young dwarf whose glass she refilled.
She looked up and saw Gimli looking at her, and her smile was
genuine and warm.

'Indeed,' the elf murmured. 'This ruby might warm your heart.'

But then her eyes fell on him and her glance grew cold. Gimli held up
his glass and she stepped closer to refill it.

'Nirith.' He smiled, and once more Legolas could see an expression on
his face he had not seen there before. 'I wish for you to meet my dear
friend, Legolas.'

Her eyes held contempt and even something like hate as she looked at
the elf. 'I have no desire to meet an elf and least of all the son of
Thranduil,' she spoke and her voice that usually might have been soft
and pleasant was cold and cutting. 'Your people have caused us great
pain and it will not be forgiven so easily by all of us.'

With that she turned from them and walked away. Gimli seemed both
shocked and hurt at once, and Legolas was quick to reassure him.

'I am sorry, my friend, if my presence causes you trouble. I am weary
and will retire now. I am sure she will enjoy your company as long as I
am not around.'

He rose and Gimli's quick words could not persuade him to stay.
Quietly he left the room, and with sadness Gimli noticed the sudden
change of atmosphere as soon as the elf was gone. The mood seemed
to lift and it was as if the warning words spoken earlier had been
quickly forgotten.

But Nirith joined him soon, and he found himself enjoying the night if
only for the attention she gave him. It was late when she excused
herself to retire, and it was a happy dwarf that made his way to his
own chambers.

@@@

It had followed a trail through the woods and found more than it had
hoped for. A mountain filled with caves and signs of life. With the great
variety of prey, for the first time it would be able to fully enjoy its
hunt.

It made its way through the darkness of the caves to find a suitable
place were it could hide from the dwarves until the time had come to
toy with them.

@@@

Cries of dismay woke Gimli in the morning, and he found Legolas
standing at the door and looking outside, distress on his face.

'What is it?' the dwarf asked.

'I fear my warnings have not been heeded enough,' the elf answered
bitterly.

Gimli rushed outside, Legolas following him through the unfamiliar
caves that were lit brightly with torches. They found the source of the
cries quickly.

A young dwarf that Legolas did not recognize lay unmoving. A dwarven
woman that very likely was his mother wailed in grief as she cradled
him in her arms, tears running down her face. The face of the dead,
frozen in a grimace of terror and fear, left no doubt of what had
befallen him.

'It is here,' Legolas whispered.

Another cry of dismay could be heard and Gimli moved quickly
towards its origin, Legolas following him once more.

'A healer!' a voice cried. 'He still draws breath!'

Another dwarf lay unmoving, but the slight raise and fall of his chest
indicated he still lived, although his face showed signs of a terrible fear
as if he was caught in a nightmare he could not wake from.

With a quick move Legolas dropped to his knees, his hand coming to
rest on the dwarf's brow. He could feel the force of life being drained
from him as he fought to wake, urged on by the desperate tries of the
dwarf that was calling his name and shaking his shoulder. Finally his
eyes fluttered open, but Legolas could feel the great weakness that
threatened to claim his life. The elf's fingers searched for and found
the flask in his pocket. Quickly unstopping the cork, he held the flask
to the dwarf's lips. The liquid poured into his mouth was swallowed
without resistance, even as protesting voices were loud in the room
upon seeing the elf tending to the wounded.

The elvish draught worked its magic, and strength returned to the
dwarf, enough to keep him alive. With a small sigh of relief, Legolas
got to his feet again and stepped away. A healer took his place,
casting him a mistrusting glance. Gimli had watched, keeping others
from interfering as he trusted Legolas to know what to do. He knew
the power of miuvar as he himself had tasted it before.

'Gimli.' It was only a whisper but it filled his heart with dread as he
turned to face Cerin. The sight of the still body in his arms made the
dwarf cry out in dismay.

'I found her outside,' Cerin's voice broke. 'But she still lives.'

'Legolas!'

The elf was there in a moment, his slender fingers touching the pale,
frightened face of the dwarven maid. He could feel even as he touched
her that she was fading. The terror she felt briefly touched his own
mind, and for a moment he recoiled in shock. When he touched her
again he knew she was gone.

He shook his head, his heart still trembling from the intensity of the
fear she had felt in the moment of death.

Cerin had felt it as she went still and cold in his arms, and his howl of
anguish echoed through the room as he sobbed over his sister's death.
Gimli's eyes had narrowed on Legolas, and a strange glimmer shone in
them. Grief and pain he felt in an intensity as never before, blinding
him to everything else. He had seen Legolas' hand recoiling from
touching Nirith, and it looked to him as if it had been done in disgust
upon touching her.

'Why?' he hissed. 'Why would you not help her? She was not good
enough? Because she uttered some truths about you elves and your
pride could not take it?'

Legolas was shocked to hear these accusing words coming from his
friend.

'There was naught I could have done, I swear.' A pleading tone had
entered the elf's voice as he stared at his friend's face. A mixture of
disbelief and hurt welled up in him. 'I am sorry for your loss.'

'Sorry? What would you know of my loss? You have all eternity to find
and treasure love, but I have not. We dwarves are not like you elves,
for we take love seriously.' Gimli's eyes burned with anguish as much
as with sudden anger at the elf, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

'But what would you know of love?' he hissed, his voice laced with
bitterness and cutting through Legolas' heart.

With a snort of contempt and disgust, Gimli turned away to once more
reach out to the lifeless body of the dwarven maid he had given his
heart to, but Legolas' hand shot out to stop him. He could not let his
friend walk away from him like this. As the slender fingers curled
around the dwarf's shoulder to keep him from moving further away,
something seemed to give way inside of Gimli.

With a cry of rage, he turned much faster than Legolas would have
expected. With one movement that contained all of his grief and rage,
the dwarf's fist found a target. The strength of a dwarf is considerable,
and it was only heightened by Gimli's anger, and Legolas found himself
at the receiving end of it quite suddenly. Unprepared as he was, the
sudden blow caused him to stumble backwards, colliding with the
sharp rocks of the cavern wall with brutal force. The sharp pain flaring
through him as his side hit the wall robbed him of his ability to speak
and think, and for a moment his world existed only of pain. Then it
faded and he found himself still leaning against the wall, his breathing
sharp and labored. Gimli was gone.