Thank you for still reading. I'm so happy you like my cliffies! He! He!
Keldarion and the troop refused to halt even for a brief rest even though they started to grow weary after riding the whole day. It was already dusk, and the heavy rain just now had stopped. Night would come soon. They needed to find Legolas before darkness fell.
Hawkeye was getting more excited above them, squawking loudly like a cheering squad. They must be coming closer to Legolas.
"Hawkeye has landed!" Keldarion cried out.
"And look! There's Legolas!" They rode forward a little faster than before, still mindful of their mounts' steps. There were lots of watery holes and puddles that they didn't want to fall into.
Keldarion jumped down from his horse and rushed towards Legolas's unconscious form. He pulled his younger brother into his arms, calling urgently, "Legolas! Can you hear me? Legolas!!!"
Legolas groaned with his eyes tightly shut. "Stop…yelling, Kel. Head…hurts…"
The others had also dismounted. They all gathered around the two brothers, staring in dismay at Legolas's bleeding nose and ears, and the wound at his side.
"Thank Valar you're still alive!" Keldarion exclaimed, but he was very worried by his brother's high temperature.
Legolas chuckled weakly. "Not…for long." Then he started to laugh crazily.
"Legolas?" Aragorn looked on in puzzle. "What is wrong with him?"
"What's wrong with me?" Legolas stopped laughing and glared at him. "I had fallen from the sky…and bitten by a snake…and you asked what's wrong with me? Can't you guess?"
"Snake?" Keldarion blanched. He looked down at the raised legging and saw the bite marks. "Valar! No wonder he is so delirious!" He pushed his hand through the collar of Legolas's tunic, muttering, "Why didn't you heal…Wait. Where's the stone?"
Legolas's face crumpled as he broke into sobs. "I've lost it! I've searched everywhere but I couldn't find it! What am I going to do? Oh, Kel. Help me…" He buried his face into Keldarion's chest, crying helplessly. The others were shocked; their mouths dropped open and their eyes widened as they heard this latest news. Stroking his brother's head, Keldarion murmured consolingly. "We will find it, Legolas. I promise…"
"But I've searched everywhere! On the ground, in the bog where I fell in…but still I could see no trace of it…" Legolas's voice was muffled by Keldarion's shirt. He stopped crying then and determinedly pulled himself together. Looking up to his brother, Legolas sniffed and said sheepishly, "Sorry for that…lost of control. Nerve, I guess."
Kissing his brother's burning forehead, Keldarion stared at the others beseechingly. "What do you suggest we do now?"
Elladan was thoughtful for a moment before he said, "I do not think that the stone is around here, or we would have seen its bright shine by now. It must've fallen somewhere else during Legolas's flight. I suggest that we immediately take him home. Our father might have the antitoxin for the venom."
They all agreed. Keldarion gently wiped the blood off his brother's nose and ears. The bleeding had stopped, but death still lingered and would stake its claim if Legolas were not treated soon. Aragorn had grabbed a dry cloak from his mount and wrapped it around Legolas's trembling form. "I'm totally grateful for what you did for me, Legolas. I could never repay you for protecting my life that way without any thought for your own safety."
Legolas smiled weakly. "I was just keeping an oath, Estel…and honoring a friendship."
Aragorn gripped one of Legolas's hands. "You are going to be fine, my friend. We are taking you home."
"Your home…or mine?"
"Is there a difference? Rivendell is your home too, Legolas…at least in summer, that is."
Legolas winced when he thought of something. "O-oh…father will definitely kill us!"
Keldarion grimaced when he heard that. "Do you have to remind me about that now of all times?! Come on, let's get you onto the horse."
They had led Legolas's mount along, but Keldarion knew that his brother was in no condition to ride by himself. Keldarion hoisted Legolas onto his own mount before jumping up behind him. Legolas was laughing again, but softly this time.
"What's so funny?" Keldarion asked, worried that his brother was pulled too far deeply by delirium.
"This. You rescuing me. Again. And me, dying. Again. Am I cursed, Kel?"
Wrapping one arm around his brother's waist, Keldarion pulled Legolas closer to him to share his warmth. "Not curse, little one. You have been blessed greatly. But like I've told you once before, you are one big trouble magnet." Legolas did not respond.
"Legolas?" Keldarion looked down and saw that his brother had gone limp in his arms, unconscious.
Elladan saw this. "He doesn't have much time. We better hurry before it's too late."
As Hawkeye flew above them to show the way, the troop started to backtrack out of the swamp.
****************
It was already dark a few hours later, but the troop was still only halfway through. Their progress was a little slower due to Legolas's terrible condition. He was heard moaning several times; writhing in agony within his brother's strong arms…but never responded when Keldarion called his name.
Aragorn couldn't stop trembling in fear as he saw a snake slithered away in front of them. "That's the tenth snake I saw today."
Elladan glanced at him. "You were counting?"
"I can't help it." Aragorn shrugged. "What kind of snake is that?"
"Water moccasin; the common snake of the swamp. Their venom could fell a man within hours, and a whole day for an elf," Elrohir answered, and then cursed himself when he saw the blood drained off Keldarion's face. "Sorry, Kel. That was very thoughtless of me. I'm sure Legolas is strong enough to fight the venom far longer than a day."
Before Keldarion could reply though, he tensed as he heard Hawkeye's sudden cry. He looked behind them and his face went much paler than he thought was possible. "The creature! It returns…in numbers!!!!"
His companions also turned on their seats. They were struck dumb for a moment to see five of the Ringwraith's beast came flying towards them at high speed!
TBC…