Disclaimer: Full disclaimer of first page.
Chapter Six
Thranduil could have wept. His son and Elrond's sons, as well as his son's best friend, were lost out in Mirkwood. Repeated patrols were unsuccessful, and Thranduil was loosing hope of finding the elflings soon.
The lake had been scoured and searched, finding the fishing equipment that was still there, and the spider blood. The trail was followed until the trail disappeared, but when near the area the stink of death was evident, and it was followed until they found the battleground where the crowd of spiders had attacked. After that, no sign could be found of what had happened.
Elrond and Thranduil sat together, both silent and deep in thought, when the doors to the private chamber burst open and Galion burst through them, shouting for the two of them.
~*~*~*
Legolas and Elrohir were lost. That was the basic fact. They were in unfamiliar territory, and were hopelessly lost, with only a small fishing dagger and a knife for weapons. The only positive thought they could think of was that the dye that colored Elrohir was wearing off, and the berry stain on Legolas was not as pronounced, giving them an easier time of hiding.
They bypassed old webs that hung from the branches of the trees, and could only hope there were no spiders. With wary glances, the two continued on their way, and nervously tried to find something familiar.
A call above their head startled them, and they dropped into crouches, brandishing their knives.
A raven watched them with curiosity, and let loose another raucous cry. Easing from their alert positions, Elrohir and Legolas watched as the bird hopped around on its perch, before flying down to a lower branch.
Legolas walked up to it, slowly, and spoke as carefully as he could. Ravens were said to be birds with some intelligence, so maybe this one would understand.
"We need to get to the Palace of Mirkwood. Can you guide us there, or to a path that would get us there?" the elven prince said, while Elrohir looked skeptical about the fact that a bird would lead them anywhere.
With another caw, the bird released its grip on the perch and flew off, flapping its black iridescent wings, always making sure they could see it.
Legolas followed, and Elrohir ran to catch up. He still did not believe a bird would lead them anywhere, but did not want to be left in the forest alone just because of that.
~*~*~*
"So, who are you two and why are ye so far from ye're home?" Marin asked bluntly, while his brothers Farin and Varin bound the wounds upon the two of them.
"I am Elladan of Rivendell, this is Tylendal of Mirkwood. We were lost." Elladan stated. He kind of liked the dwarves; they amused him. Tylendal scowled at them, obviously not sharing the feeling.
"Well, we'll take ye to Lake Town, and they know the way into the woods to the elf palace." Varin said, as he deftly tied off the last bandage around a bite on Elladan's arm.
Tylendal eyed the dwarves. He was tense and nervous. Mirkwood elves disliked dwarves more than Rivendell elves, which would explain why Elladan was so friendly with them. The dwarves obviously saw that as well, and talked to Elladan mostly.
Farin started a fire, and Elladan volunteered himself and Tylendal to get dinner. The dwarves stiffened for a moment, before nodding consent. The elves were lost, why would they try to run away?
Elladan stood and Tylendal followed. Out of sight of the camp, Tylendal blocked Elladan by standing in front of him. The son of Elrond cocked an eyebrow at the Mirkwood elf.
"Our battle the dwarves helped with, for which I thank them. But all of our story must you tell?" He asked, with an accusatory edge in his voice.
"Wait a moment! I only told them enough to quell any suspicions they may have had. I did not mention our rank or who our friends were. They can gain nothing from what I told them." Elladan said angrily.
"Understand, I do." The Mirkwood elf said, resentment coloring his voice. He looked slightly apologetic, so Elladan smiled and clapped him on the back. He still looked troubled about something, and locked eyes with the Rivendell elf.
"What are dwarves doing near Mirkwood, I wonder? What business had they in the King's realm?" Tylendal asked, suspicion and unease warring behind those dark hazel eyes.
"I do not know, but we shall find out if we are polite and friendly to the dwarves. Just hold your temper in check, my friend, and we may find out." Elladan replied.
"Come! Let us go and find some dinner for us and our gracious hosts!" He said, grinning broadly. Tylendal snorted and smiled slightly back. He drew his dagger and leapt into the trees. Elladan shook his head and continued walking upon the ground. Imaldris elves were not as comfortable in trees as wood elves of Lothlorien or Mirkwood were.
Elladan walked into the camp, appearing beside Varin without the dwarf noticing. The three dwarves jerked back in shock, sputtering and dropping their hands to their weapons before they realized who it was.
"Blast you elf! What are ye trying to do, kill me out of surprise? Can't you cursed kind walk with some sound?" Marin said, glaring at the apologetic elf.
Elladan apologized profoundly, and tossed his catch of two hares to Farin, who took them without complaint.
"So where's ye're pretty friend? Talkin' to trees?" Marin said, still angry about not noticing his approach. His words ended in a strangled cry as Tylendal dropped from a tree just above him, landing in a cat-like crouch between Marin and the camp fire.
The dwarf reeled back, and Tylendal stood slowly, his eyes reflecting the anger that did not appear on the stoic face. Elladan tensed, ready to intervene.
"Aye, Master Dwarf. Noisome and annoying, the trees call you. Agree, I do, in part." The Mirkwood elf said evenly, not saying the scathing remarks he wished to say.
With a gruff rumble, the dwarf sat back down, and Elladan relaxed once more. Tylendal sat next to his friend, and the night was spent in peace.
~*~*~*
Thranduil turned to Galion, trying to puzzle out what the matter was. Elrond strode behind him as they followed the butler.
Standing in the Throne Room was an elf with the uniform of a patrol. Thranduil recognized him as Lorinthel, an elf put out to command the southern patrol. Eagerly awaiting his news was Glorfindel and a group of elves.
"My King, my Lord." Lorinthel said, nodding his head to each of them. "I bring good and bad tidings." Thranduil motioned for him to continue.
"We found a group of wargs who were wounded, and we found their dead a ways away. Killed by knives." Lorinthel replied, and Thranduil felt a glimmer of hope.
"Is that the good or the bad news?" Elrond asked. The Mirkwood elf shifted for a moment.
"Part of the good. The rest of it is that neither elfling was wounded, they escaped unscathed. The bad news is that there were only two of them. The other two are somewhere else." Lorinthel said, and the two worried elves paled. Who was it that fought the wargs? Where were the other two?
With a wearied sigh, Elrond slumped against the wall he was standing near. Will they ever find the elflings?
~*~*~*
Legolas sighed as he bore though Elrohir's tirade. The raven had led them through the forests into a patch of thorny bushes, and both elves were getting their tunics caught and torn.
The raven fluttered in the branches overhead, cawing and cackling. Legolas looked up at it, and it flew low over the elf's head and back up to the branch.
Legolas frowned at its antics, and shoved his way through another stubborn bush. He groaned as he heard another rip, and looked back to see another tear in his tunic. His father was going to kill him for destroying this tunic!
Elrohir muttered as he untangled his hair from one thorny branch, hissing as a couple were ripped out.
"Can the dratted bird lead us through a more comfortable path?" He asked sarcastically, shooting a venomous glare at the bird in question.
With a caw that sounded remarkably like a laugh, the raven swooped to land on another tree farther away, showing them where to go next.
~*~*~*
Marin eyed the two elves as he walked. They were not saying the whole story when they said they were lost while wandering with their friends. That part was true, but not all was said. The dwarf listened to everything said between the two, trying to figure out what he was not being told.
"What is that?" Varin said as he squinted towards a thin blot upon the rolling ground, interrupting Marin's thoughts. A wispy column of smoke rose above it. Elladan and Tylendal focused in on the spot, using their keener eyesight.
"A camp. There is no movement. Something is wrong." He started to run over there, Tylendal following. The dwarves cursed as the elves were quickly past them and tried to catch up, muttering under their breath at the fact that neither elf seemed capable of answering a question straightly.
Elladan and Tylendal reached the camp quickly and stopped to examine the scene before them. Several men lay slain upon the ground, their campfire reduced to smoldering coals which sent up the smoke that was seen, and their equipment was ransacked. Two orcs were present as well, a sure sign to what had happened to the men.
Packs were shredded, the food taken or spoiled, and there was nothing to salvage there. The dwarves arrived, and stopped to look at the camp as well.
"This happened only hours ago, and the orcs will not be far. You elves better stock up on weapons, I think." Varin said, motioning to the scattered camp. The orcs may be near, and he did not want to watch the two elves in a battle because they only had small daggers as weapons.
Farin knelt and grabbed a long piece of wood. It was a bow. Examining it for a moment, he turned and tossed it to Elladan, while Tylendal dug out another from beneath its owner. They collected the quivers as well, and filled them with arrows...orc and human alike.
The dwarves sought anything they might need, while Elladan recovered a sword and Tylendal drew a sword he had found.
"I think this goes with that one." Varin said, handing a second, matching sword to Tylendal. The weapons were in good condition, and Tylendal salvaged the sheaths from the man and buckled them on.
The dwarves and elves buried the dead, not wanting to risk a fire, and picked up what supplies were usable. Seeing a campfire in the distance, they knew the orcs were near, and set watches that night.
~*~*~*
Legolas went to the raven as it hopped on a branch. Daylight could be seen through the trees now, showing that they had reached the edge of a clearing.
Elrohir walked forwards carefully, noting how the light was dimming, indicating sunset. Nothing was seen, so he motioned to Legolas and they moved into the open.
To Elrohir's annoyance, and to Legolas's amusement, the raven flew along above them.
They settled down near a large oak, Legolas scrambling into the lowest branches while Elladan followed more slowly. The raven perched near the elven prince's head, and fluffed up its feathers against the chilly wind that blew through.
Legolas did not sleep immediately, but spent time watching the stars he had not been able to see for two days because of the dense tree canopy he had been under. Had it really been two days since the spider attack? It didn't seem like it. With a barely audible sigh, Legolas leaned back, tucking his hands behind his head.
~*~*~*
Lorinthel walked out of the palace with his patrol again, and once more he was going south. They reached the area where the first spider had been killed, and moved on to the other clearing where the rest of the spiders were found.
There they split, for that seemed the last area where the elflings were together. One half went along the marked trail that led to the battle scene with the wargs, while the other half scouted the area to see where the other two were.
"Captain, (AN: does it seem right to call him that?) we found something!" One elf said, motioning for Lorinthel to follow. The elf hurriedly went over, and knelt down to examine their findings.
They were on the bank of a river, and one section had crumbled. But what caught the patrol captain's attention were the scrabbling marks scraped in the moist dirt right next to the collapsed area.
"So one went into the river," the elf observed. The other patrol members came to see what was found as they completed their search, reporting nothing.
"No, two did. Look here, and here. The marks are separate." Lorinthel corrected. "So one went into the river; and the other tried to pull him back out. Now we need to know who."
This was a puzzle. And the puzzle only deepened when the second half of the patrol returned, saying that after the warg battle they found nothing that would lead them on.
Lorinthel cast about and picked up a large stick lying nearby. He stood and placed it into the water, testing the depth. The river was deep. The elflings could be down there and they would not know it.
He sent two elves to see how far it went. Unknown rivers sprang up all the time throughout Mirkwood, and they often reentered the ground before reaching some final destination.
They came back to report the river entered a small cave in a little hill some six feet from where the elflings had entered, and no signs showed that they had gotten out before going into the cave.
With a sigh, Lorinthel stood. He did not look forwards to telling the lord Elrond and King Thranduil the news he had. It would only serve to heighten their worry and concern. Gesturing to his patrol, they headed back to the Palace.
~*~*~*
Lake Town was in sight, but so were the orcs that were steadily approaching the small group.
They must have seen the dwarves and elves, and had moved quickly to intercept. As they approached in range, Tylendal and Elladan raised their bows to fire.
Peering along the shaft, Tylendal released his arrow and smiled grimly as it whistled through the air, striking perfectly into an orc's throat.
Elladan shot his arrow off as well, but Rivendell did not boast the quality of archers as Mirkwood did. And Tylendal, who's mother came from Lothlorien, had all the training from both Elven Realms could offer.
Tylendal feathered another one.
Firesong: lol, I don't think I would pass up the chance of other "nasties" getting at them.
Queen Elizabeth: lol. thanks a lot for your review! I'm glad you like the snake! *G*
Alida Fruit: You reviewed every chapter? That's three who did that so far...Thanks a bunch! I'm glad you like my pranks and all that, it was fun to do!
Coolio02: Thanks for your review, and I'll get the next chapter up soon!
Chapter Six
Thranduil could have wept. His son and Elrond's sons, as well as his son's best friend, were lost out in Mirkwood. Repeated patrols were unsuccessful, and Thranduil was loosing hope of finding the elflings soon.
The lake had been scoured and searched, finding the fishing equipment that was still there, and the spider blood. The trail was followed until the trail disappeared, but when near the area the stink of death was evident, and it was followed until they found the battleground where the crowd of spiders had attacked. After that, no sign could be found of what had happened.
Elrond and Thranduil sat together, both silent and deep in thought, when the doors to the private chamber burst open and Galion burst through them, shouting for the two of them.
~*~*~*
Legolas and Elrohir were lost. That was the basic fact. They were in unfamiliar territory, and were hopelessly lost, with only a small fishing dagger and a knife for weapons. The only positive thought they could think of was that the dye that colored Elrohir was wearing off, and the berry stain on Legolas was not as pronounced, giving them an easier time of hiding.
They bypassed old webs that hung from the branches of the trees, and could only hope there were no spiders. With wary glances, the two continued on their way, and nervously tried to find something familiar.
A call above their head startled them, and they dropped into crouches, brandishing their knives.
A raven watched them with curiosity, and let loose another raucous cry. Easing from their alert positions, Elrohir and Legolas watched as the bird hopped around on its perch, before flying down to a lower branch.
Legolas walked up to it, slowly, and spoke as carefully as he could. Ravens were said to be birds with some intelligence, so maybe this one would understand.
"We need to get to the Palace of Mirkwood. Can you guide us there, or to a path that would get us there?" the elven prince said, while Elrohir looked skeptical about the fact that a bird would lead them anywhere.
With another caw, the bird released its grip on the perch and flew off, flapping its black iridescent wings, always making sure they could see it.
Legolas followed, and Elrohir ran to catch up. He still did not believe a bird would lead them anywhere, but did not want to be left in the forest alone just because of that.
~*~*~*
"So, who are you two and why are ye so far from ye're home?" Marin asked bluntly, while his brothers Farin and Varin bound the wounds upon the two of them.
"I am Elladan of Rivendell, this is Tylendal of Mirkwood. We were lost." Elladan stated. He kind of liked the dwarves; they amused him. Tylendal scowled at them, obviously not sharing the feeling.
"Well, we'll take ye to Lake Town, and they know the way into the woods to the elf palace." Varin said, as he deftly tied off the last bandage around a bite on Elladan's arm.
Tylendal eyed the dwarves. He was tense and nervous. Mirkwood elves disliked dwarves more than Rivendell elves, which would explain why Elladan was so friendly with them. The dwarves obviously saw that as well, and talked to Elladan mostly.
Farin started a fire, and Elladan volunteered himself and Tylendal to get dinner. The dwarves stiffened for a moment, before nodding consent. The elves were lost, why would they try to run away?
Elladan stood and Tylendal followed. Out of sight of the camp, Tylendal blocked Elladan by standing in front of him. The son of Elrond cocked an eyebrow at the Mirkwood elf.
"Our battle the dwarves helped with, for which I thank them. But all of our story must you tell?" He asked, with an accusatory edge in his voice.
"Wait a moment! I only told them enough to quell any suspicions they may have had. I did not mention our rank or who our friends were. They can gain nothing from what I told them." Elladan said angrily.
"Understand, I do." The Mirkwood elf said, resentment coloring his voice. He looked slightly apologetic, so Elladan smiled and clapped him on the back. He still looked troubled about something, and locked eyes with the Rivendell elf.
"What are dwarves doing near Mirkwood, I wonder? What business had they in the King's realm?" Tylendal asked, suspicion and unease warring behind those dark hazel eyes.
"I do not know, but we shall find out if we are polite and friendly to the dwarves. Just hold your temper in check, my friend, and we may find out." Elladan replied.
"Come! Let us go and find some dinner for us and our gracious hosts!" He said, grinning broadly. Tylendal snorted and smiled slightly back. He drew his dagger and leapt into the trees. Elladan shook his head and continued walking upon the ground. Imaldris elves were not as comfortable in trees as wood elves of Lothlorien or Mirkwood were.
Elladan walked into the camp, appearing beside Varin without the dwarf noticing. The three dwarves jerked back in shock, sputtering and dropping their hands to their weapons before they realized who it was.
"Blast you elf! What are ye trying to do, kill me out of surprise? Can't you cursed kind walk with some sound?" Marin said, glaring at the apologetic elf.
Elladan apologized profoundly, and tossed his catch of two hares to Farin, who took them without complaint.
"So where's ye're pretty friend? Talkin' to trees?" Marin said, still angry about not noticing his approach. His words ended in a strangled cry as Tylendal dropped from a tree just above him, landing in a cat-like crouch between Marin and the camp fire.
The dwarf reeled back, and Tylendal stood slowly, his eyes reflecting the anger that did not appear on the stoic face. Elladan tensed, ready to intervene.
"Aye, Master Dwarf. Noisome and annoying, the trees call you. Agree, I do, in part." The Mirkwood elf said evenly, not saying the scathing remarks he wished to say.
With a gruff rumble, the dwarf sat back down, and Elladan relaxed once more. Tylendal sat next to his friend, and the night was spent in peace.
~*~*~*
Thranduil turned to Galion, trying to puzzle out what the matter was. Elrond strode behind him as they followed the butler.
Standing in the Throne Room was an elf with the uniform of a patrol. Thranduil recognized him as Lorinthel, an elf put out to command the southern patrol. Eagerly awaiting his news was Glorfindel and a group of elves.
"My King, my Lord." Lorinthel said, nodding his head to each of them. "I bring good and bad tidings." Thranduil motioned for him to continue.
"We found a group of wargs who were wounded, and we found their dead a ways away. Killed by knives." Lorinthel replied, and Thranduil felt a glimmer of hope.
"Is that the good or the bad news?" Elrond asked. The Mirkwood elf shifted for a moment.
"Part of the good. The rest of it is that neither elfling was wounded, they escaped unscathed. The bad news is that there were only two of them. The other two are somewhere else." Lorinthel said, and the two worried elves paled. Who was it that fought the wargs? Where were the other two?
With a wearied sigh, Elrond slumped against the wall he was standing near. Will they ever find the elflings?
~*~*~*
Legolas sighed as he bore though Elrohir's tirade. The raven had led them through the forests into a patch of thorny bushes, and both elves were getting their tunics caught and torn.
The raven fluttered in the branches overhead, cawing and cackling. Legolas looked up at it, and it flew low over the elf's head and back up to the branch.
Legolas frowned at its antics, and shoved his way through another stubborn bush. He groaned as he heard another rip, and looked back to see another tear in his tunic. His father was going to kill him for destroying this tunic!
Elrohir muttered as he untangled his hair from one thorny branch, hissing as a couple were ripped out.
"Can the dratted bird lead us through a more comfortable path?" He asked sarcastically, shooting a venomous glare at the bird in question.
With a caw that sounded remarkably like a laugh, the raven swooped to land on another tree farther away, showing them where to go next.
~*~*~*
Marin eyed the two elves as he walked. They were not saying the whole story when they said they were lost while wandering with their friends. That part was true, but not all was said. The dwarf listened to everything said between the two, trying to figure out what he was not being told.
"What is that?" Varin said as he squinted towards a thin blot upon the rolling ground, interrupting Marin's thoughts. A wispy column of smoke rose above it. Elladan and Tylendal focused in on the spot, using their keener eyesight.
"A camp. There is no movement. Something is wrong." He started to run over there, Tylendal following. The dwarves cursed as the elves were quickly past them and tried to catch up, muttering under their breath at the fact that neither elf seemed capable of answering a question straightly.
Elladan and Tylendal reached the camp quickly and stopped to examine the scene before them. Several men lay slain upon the ground, their campfire reduced to smoldering coals which sent up the smoke that was seen, and their equipment was ransacked. Two orcs were present as well, a sure sign to what had happened to the men.
Packs were shredded, the food taken or spoiled, and there was nothing to salvage there. The dwarves arrived, and stopped to look at the camp as well.
"This happened only hours ago, and the orcs will not be far. You elves better stock up on weapons, I think." Varin said, motioning to the scattered camp. The orcs may be near, and he did not want to watch the two elves in a battle because they only had small daggers as weapons.
Farin knelt and grabbed a long piece of wood. It was a bow. Examining it for a moment, he turned and tossed it to Elladan, while Tylendal dug out another from beneath its owner. They collected the quivers as well, and filled them with arrows...orc and human alike.
The dwarves sought anything they might need, while Elladan recovered a sword and Tylendal drew a sword he had found.
"I think this goes with that one." Varin said, handing a second, matching sword to Tylendal. The weapons were in good condition, and Tylendal salvaged the sheaths from the man and buckled them on.
The dwarves and elves buried the dead, not wanting to risk a fire, and picked up what supplies were usable. Seeing a campfire in the distance, they knew the orcs were near, and set watches that night.
~*~*~*
Legolas went to the raven as it hopped on a branch. Daylight could be seen through the trees now, showing that they had reached the edge of a clearing.
Elrohir walked forwards carefully, noting how the light was dimming, indicating sunset. Nothing was seen, so he motioned to Legolas and they moved into the open.
To Elrohir's annoyance, and to Legolas's amusement, the raven flew along above them.
They settled down near a large oak, Legolas scrambling into the lowest branches while Elladan followed more slowly. The raven perched near the elven prince's head, and fluffed up its feathers against the chilly wind that blew through.
Legolas did not sleep immediately, but spent time watching the stars he had not been able to see for two days because of the dense tree canopy he had been under. Had it really been two days since the spider attack? It didn't seem like it. With a barely audible sigh, Legolas leaned back, tucking his hands behind his head.
~*~*~*
Lorinthel walked out of the palace with his patrol again, and once more he was going south. They reached the area where the first spider had been killed, and moved on to the other clearing where the rest of the spiders were found.
There they split, for that seemed the last area where the elflings were together. One half went along the marked trail that led to the battle scene with the wargs, while the other half scouted the area to see where the other two were.
"Captain, (AN: does it seem right to call him that?) we found something!" One elf said, motioning for Lorinthel to follow. The elf hurriedly went over, and knelt down to examine their findings.
They were on the bank of a river, and one section had crumbled. But what caught the patrol captain's attention were the scrabbling marks scraped in the moist dirt right next to the collapsed area.
"So one went into the river," the elf observed. The other patrol members came to see what was found as they completed their search, reporting nothing.
"No, two did. Look here, and here. The marks are separate." Lorinthel corrected. "So one went into the river; and the other tried to pull him back out. Now we need to know who."
This was a puzzle. And the puzzle only deepened when the second half of the patrol returned, saying that after the warg battle they found nothing that would lead them on.
Lorinthel cast about and picked up a large stick lying nearby. He stood and placed it into the water, testing the depth. The river was deep. The elflings could be down there and they would not know it.
He sent two elves to see how far it went. Unknown rivers sprang up all the time throughout Mirkwood, and they often reentered the ground before reaching some final destination.
They came back to report the river entered a small cave in a little hill some six feet from where the elflings had entered, and no signs showed that they had gotten out before going into the cave.
With a sigh, Lorinthel stood. He did not look forwards to telling the lord Elrond and King Thranduil the news he had. It would only serve to heighten their worry and concern. Gesturing to his patrol, they headed back to the Palace.
~*~*~*
Lake Town was in sight, but so were the orcs that were steadily approaching the small group.
They must have seen the dwarves and elves, and had moved quickly to intercept. As they approached in range, Tylendal and Elladan raised their bows to fire.
Peering along the shaft, Tylendal released his arrow and smiled grimly as it whistled through the air, striking perfectly into an orc's throat.
Elladan shot his arrow off as well, but Rivendell did not boast the quality of archers as Mirkwood did. And Tylendal, who's mother came from Lothlorien, had all the training from both Elven Realms could offer.
Tylendal feathered another one.
Firesong: lol, I don't think I would pass up the chance of other "nasties" getting at them.
Queen Elizabeth: lol. thanks a lot for your review! I'm glad you like the snake! *G*
Alida Fruit: You reviewed every chapter? That's three who did that so far...Thanks a bunch! I'm glad you like my pranks and all that, it was fun to do!
Coolio02: Thanks for your review, and I'll get the next chapter up soon!