Thanks for the kind reviews everybody. I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it.

Sorry, this part is quite short but I'm working on the rest of the story details at the moment. I think it is going to be longer than six parts. What the heck - I'll just keep writing until you get bored with it.

Part 4.

The Mirkwood party, now reduced to five including the human tracker, had walked for over half a day now. Brinwier had not exchanged one word with Legolas for the entire journey. Upon leaving the confines of the forest, Scarp Hedin had led them through desolate terrain, littered with the twisted forms of long cooled magma flows, the blackened, razor-sharp rock frozen in mid-flow and barren as a desert. These were the remains of the long dead volcano 'Wyrm Tongue' and heralded the beginning of the Iron Hills range. The Elves could the beginnings of new growth, grasses and short bushes as they neared the base of Redmare's Mound and it was with some relief that they made camp upon Brinwier's decision.

As twilight descended the four Elves sat silently around a small fire, each lost in their own thoughts. Hedin had, as usual, taken off ahead to scout the base of the mound, looking for any Dwarf tracks that might confirm their search. Emedial and Dellane were roasting bulbous magenta roots over the flames, they seemed to be the only two of the party who could work in unison. Brinwier slowly sharpened the tips of his arrows on a flat stone, then picked up Fremora's quiver and did the same to her arrows. He had slung Fremora's bow over his other shoulder after the battle and carried it alongside his own. Fremora's weapon and a few daggers were all that they had been able to gather from their fallen comrades, everything else had been smashed beyond use. Scarp had taken one of the smaller battleaxes from a Dwarf's dead hand and Legolas watched it swing like a tail from its hook on the human's belt as their guide disappeared behind an outcrop.

Legolas himself had never felt so alone. Ambrore, Primdale and Fremora were dead because of his own impetuousness. The Mirkwood Elves had suffered a terrible loss at the hands of the Darkroot Dwarves, a loss that could have been avoided had Legolas heeded Brinwier's advice and stayed at home. The guilt ate at him from the inside out and the shame he felt prevented him from being able to look any of his brother Elves in the face. He had never known such abject misery and had almost decided to just up and leave when he was taken aback by Brinwier's voice. "Legolas," there was no warmth in the voice and he sounded tired, "how much could you see of the cloaked Dwarf from your tree?" Legolas looked over to his mentor and saw that Brinwier was not addressing him to his face but continuing to rub the silver tip of an arrow against the rock. Legolas started to rise, but thought better of it and stayed on his side of the fire. Emedial and Dellane were now staring at him.

"Not much," started Legolas, "I never caught sight of his face but I did see his hands, they were blackened as if burnt."

"We all saw his hands Legolas, what else did you notice?"

Legolas squirmed, embarrassed to be under Brinwier's interrogation. "He made no sound when moving, he is well practiced in elemental and defensive arts…. in fact he could have been an Elven wizard."

"That creature is no more Elven than that root Dellane is trying to hide behind!" Brinwier snapped.

Dellane took the crispy vegetable from his lips and returned it to the spit over the fire. "Legolas made a fair point though Brin." the Elf began, "How could the Dwarf know of such magic?" This was the most positive thing Legolas had heard all day and he seized upon the moment. "He could have been trained, by one of the Banished…"

"Stick to what you know!" snarled Brinwier. Then the older Elf sat upright and ran both hands through his pewter hair. He inhaled and blew the air out slowly through his pursed lips, visibly relaxing before the Elves' eyes and placing his hands upon his knees. "We need to sleep, Emedial, take first watch."

The Elves huddled closer to the fire and Legolas believed he would actually be able to sleep now that the silence had been broken. All the same, he kept the dancing flames between himself and Brinwier. Emedial took up his bow and peered into the gloom. "I'll let you know when Hedin returns." he said to the others, "If he returns." he said softly to himself.