Disclaimer: I don't own it. I never have. I never will. Okay? Are we clear? That's good.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed this! I swear I will try to update a lot more than I have been lately.

On with the story.

Chapter 7: Over Caradhras

"What's up with you Mari? You've been acting strange lately," said Frodo in a worried tone. The other hobbits were nodding in agreement.

"I don't really know. I'm just tired I guess.Listen; we should all get some rest. You heard what Gandalf said. That Pass of Caradhras looks to be treacherous. I wouldn't want to be unfocused. Good Night all of you," whispered Mari to the hobbits. They all nodded and went to their sleeping mats. They trusted Mari, she had always been truthful.

Mari put her head down and watched the stars. Soon, her eyes drifted together and she slept. Perhaps for the first time in her life, she slept with her eyes closed.

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A raven-haired she-elf was silently sitting in a field surrounded by wild flowers. Her eyes were closed and the wind was blowing, causing her hair to fan out and give her an ethereal beauty. Birds were singing not far off and the animals were happy and carefree.

Another Elf crept up behind the she-elf, making absolutely no noise. The female opened her eyes and smiled.

"I know you're there Aariel. I'm not stupid. Shouldn't you be in the Healing Houses tending patients?" Asked the she-elf.

A male elf with long amber hair and rich golden-amber eyes dropped down beside the she-elf.

"How did you know it was me Elurienn!" whined Aariel in mock despair.

"Its only you that smells like Athelas leaves, plus, your shadow was blocking the sun," laughed Elurienn.

The pair spoke to each other and laughed with each other, their blossoming love still unknown to them.

But, unbeknownst to the two Elves, a white robed figure was watching. This one had hair the color of snow and a sinister looking staff with a white globe perched on the top.

The scene changes.

Now it was a Mari instead of Elurienn. They looked so similar, but Mari's hair was slightly straighter. The male was no longer Aariel, but someone with a shadowed face that she could not see. Long golden hair was all she could make out.

The white wizard started to laugh and he pointed his staff at Mari. A long white beam erupted from his staff and it shot out towards her. She screamed as she felt a searing pain shoot across her face.

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Mari sat up abruptly and spun around, causing her to topple over, for she was tangled in her blanket. Her head hit a rock and her arm slashed across a sharp protrusion. A nasty bruise was already beginning to form and her arm started to bleed. A sudden reflex made her touch her other cheek and when she brought her hand away, there was a large amount of blood.

The sun was already beginning to rise and Gandalf was the first to wake, followed by Legolas, then Aragorn, then Boromir, then Gimli, and finally the hobbits. Mari wrapped herself in her blanket and hopped towards Gandalf, giving her a very comical look.

Gandalf turned around to see a wrapped up brown figure hopping towards him blindly. 'Mari,' he whispered to himself with a smile evident in his eyes. It vanished however when he heard her voice.

"Gandalf, can you help me? My arm is bleeding, so is my face, and I have a bruise. I don't want anyone else to see! Please help," whispered Mari in an urgent distressed voice. Gandalf led the still wrapped up being away from the eyes of the Fellowship. Only then did she remove her blankets.

Gandalf brought out his staff and let a healing white light pour from the tip. It surrounded itself around Mari.

"I could teach you to do that. You have the ability, only you wouldn't need a staff. Mari, what happened?"

"This morning I was all twisted in my blankets and I fell on some rocks," replied Mari. It wasn't EXACTLY a lie. It was kind of true; she just hadn't given the whole tale. That's all really.

"Alright then." Gandalf said with a calculating gaze at Mari. She shrugged innocently and ran off to join everyone else.

'Its starting. The ring is going to take over Frodo. Saruman is going to try and take over Silmarien all because of what happened with Elurienn. Oh Mari. I wish I could help, but only one person can help. I hope you realize It by yourself," thought Gandalf to himself. Mari had had several parental figures, and Gandalf saw himself as one of them.

Mari was having one of the best times of her life at the moment. She could actually walk ON the snow. Frodo and the other hobbits were watching her angrily as she danced and jumped on the snow, and it didn't give way. They were having a much harder time making their way THROUGH the snow. Aragorn was laughing at her as she teased the hobbits as they tried throwing snow at her and she dodged. Then she would throw snow at them, and they wouldn't be so lucky.

"You'll have to do better than that to get me!" Yelled Mari in a laughing voice. The hobbits grumbled at her and she sprinted from them.

"Will you be careful!?? You're going to go off the side of the cliff at this rate!" yelled Sam angrily. Mari wasn't listening though. She and Legolas had gone very silent as their ears were turned towards the sky as though listening. She heard a sinister voice in the air. One that was chillingly familiar.

"There is a fell voice on the air!" cried Legolas as snow whipped past his eyes and through his hair.

"ITS SARUMAN!" yelled Gandalf and he ran towards the edge of the cliff and began to yell verses in a language not known to Mari. Lightning was hitting the rocks above them and Mari was staring to get apprehensive. Suddenly, a shock of lightning hit above them and released a load of snow. An avalanche.

Mari ran forward and grabbed Gandalf from behind to pull him in towards the rocks. Snow piled in on them and silence overtook. Not a soul was visible.

Mari was fighting against the snow trying to make her way upwards as she choked against the snow. Her hand broke through and another, then she felt someone's hand wrap around hers then pull her up and out of the snow.

Mari coughed a load and stared at Legolas, who had pulled her out of the snow. The mouthed a thank you rather than say one, because she was still coughing snow out of her system. Aragorn started to yell about someone trying to bring down the mountain and the others began to debate about which route to take. Boromir wanted to go through his city, Gandalf wanted to continue, Gimli wanted to take the route through Moria; which for some reason caused Legolas to shudder.

Mari watched on as Boromir, Aragorn, and Gandalf argued until finally they came up with a decision. They would let the ring bearer decide. All heads turned towards Frodo.

"We will go through the mines," he said with a tone of finality.

"So be it," whispered Gandalf, his eyes had taken a strange glint, almost as if he was afraid.

Mari gazed in silence at all the participants of the Fellowship. She was curious as to why all but the hobbits and Gimli seemed to shudder at the thought of the Mine of Moria.



Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story. It was really kind to do so! If you could possibly do so again. Anyways..

I hope everyone had a good holiday vacation and umm...have a good day...and ummm.uhhh.I don't know..

CherryBlossom