Author's notes: This chapter is going to contain more action, I apologise for any Grammar or spelling mistakes. I do try my best but I am truly awful at it! I haven't been able to really grasp Elrohir's and Elladan's characters yet. I'm still working on polishing them up, and they may not play that big of a role in this chapter.

Disclaimer: On first chapter if needed.

First Meetings. Chapter Two.

            Glorfindel sighed, fear was beginning to get the better of him. The children had been missing for three hours now and no tricks had been played. Usually they had either been caught or given up and muttered a "Sorry" and gotten back to being good for a while. He looked up from where he was as Elerossë and Haldir walked in.

"No luck?"

They both shook their heads, and sat down heavily beside the blonde. The three stared at their hands, desperately searching for a way to lure them out if something hadn't already happened to them. Their heads snapped up as their parents walked in. They stared questioningly at the trio.

"What happened to you Haldir?"

Haldir forced his hands not to reach out to his hair which had turned a murky grey.

"You're children Lady Celebrian."

"Oh."

Celeborn and Galadriel walked in, worry on their faces.

"I cannot feel the children's presence in Lorien."

            Legolas blinked, trying to get the sleep from his eyes. He had fallen asleep to the quiet chatter of his family and friends. Glancing over he realised they had also fallen asleep. He blinked again when he felt the boat bang into something. Elerossë and Glorfindel must have found them! Peering over the edge of the boat Legolas gasped. They were going down stream, they had left Lorien behind ages ago.

"Beren!"

"What – what is it?"

Beren asked, rubbing his dark blue eyes sleepily.

"We've left Lorien."

"What!"

Beren's cry woke up the other three, which caused complete chaos as the children cried out in dismay.

"Everybody be quiet!" Beren yelled, "We're not going to get any where like this. Has anybody got any ideas of how to get out. One at a time."

"Well" Lúthien whispered, rubbing her nose in concentration, "We could get out the boat and walk back up along the river. It would lead us back to Lorien."

"Yes" Elladan cried out, "And I'm sure that Elerossë, Glorfindel and Haldir will be looking for us. So if we go back up they'll find us  quicker."

"One problem."

"What Elrohir?"

"How do we stop?"

Four blank faces stared at the brunette. Then the five all bent their heads, going into thinking mode. Legolas glanced over to the side and noticed the rope trailing in the water.

"I've got it!" He declared, as he leant over and pulled the rope in. He looped it like a lasso and started to swing it round in circles, his eyes fixed on a tree on the river bank. Letting it go, it landed half way across the river, growling he pulled it back in and tried again. This time it latched onto the branch, effectively pulling them to a stop. The boat banged against the side of the river, and smiling the children scrambled out. And turning they set off, walking back up the river.

            Máraran bit her lip, trying hard not to cry. Her children were lost somewhere outside and they had no means to protect themselves with. She didn't blame Elerossë, she couldn't, they had tried their best. But she knew how hard it was to keep an eye an all three of then at the same time, and now there was five! She shook her head, trying not to dwell on it. She looked up as Thranduil and Elrond walked in, they both shook their heads. Celebrian, who had been sitting next to Máraran, burst into tears. Reaching over the Queen pulled her best friend into a hug as her own tears made their way down her face. Celeborn walked over, "Nobody saw them leave. I don't know how they got away."

Their three advisors walked in, their faces dark. Máraran could practically feel the guilt radiating off them. She offered them a small smile, the best she could manage at this point in time.

"Where did you see them last?" Celebrian whispered as Galadriel joined them.

"They went round the river bend, where they keep the boats."

Everyone froze, then turned and ran from the room to the river.

            Legolas hummed to himself as he walked along the river bank. He looked over at his new friends, they were smiling brightly. Obviously enjoying being out without their parents. Legolas had to admit, it was nice knowing that they were taking care of themselves without  having someone watch them like a hawk. Hawk eyes . . . . that's what they called Elerossë, for he watched their every move. Either making sure they were alright or stopping them from playing tricks on people. He giggled to himself, Elerossë would be furious if he knew they called him that. He looked up at the sky, the sun was getting close to setting. Which meant they had to get back to Lorien in the few hours they had left. Which, Legolas mused as he looked up at the river's long path, might be impossible. Their pace quickened and Legolas reasoned that the others had worked it out as well. Determination was written across their faces. They were going to prove that they could take care of themselves!

            Máraran tried to stop her hands from shaking, as she watched Celeborn examine the snapped rope that they had found attached to a peg on the riverside.

"It wasn't made probably, if quite a big weight was pulling on it, then it would snap."

Celebrian buried her face in her hands, rocking slightly on the balls of her feet. Elrond wrapped his arms round her, trying to comfort her.

"Wouldn't they have noticed the boat moving?" Thranduil whispered, for once the elven king seemed at a loss of what to think or do.

"Maybe, but seeing as they spent all morning running around their senses may have been slow."

The children's abilities weren't the best in Middle-earth, for they were still young and it would take time to improve them. So if they had been tired then they would have noticed nothing. Thranduil nodded slightly, turning and staring off into the distance.

"You are all giving up!"

The eight turned to look at Máraran. In a matter of seconds her features had changed from a fragile worried mother, to an angry she-elf with the ability to kill anyone who crossed her path.

"We know they have gone down stream, so why not go get them back?"

Thranduil kept his mouth shut, knowing there was no way he was going to stop her from marching after her children. Sadly Haldir did not know this.

"My Lady, they have been gone for hours you can not - "

Haldir was cut off when Máraran walked up to him and had grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him into the air.

"My children are out in the world, and nothing shall stop me from getting to them. I do not care if they have had many an hour head start on me, I do not care if I am supposed to stay here and be lady like and comfort my people, I do not care if all the Valar are against me. I am going to get to my children."

And with that she dropped him on the floor and spun round and marched off. Celebrian ripped herself from Elrond's arms and followed her, just as determined as her best friend. Elrond mused where his wife got her stubborn and impulsive side from, Galadriel or Celeborn. As he turned and went after her. Knowing that any creature that hurt the little ones would find themselves wishing they had never been born.

            The little ones at this point in time had stopped for a break. Only to have a drink as one can get rather thirsty when they are travailing as fast as they can. Legolas smiled as he watched Elladan pat his rumbling stomach. Elves didn't need to eat much but they had had nothing today and very little over the past few days and it was beginning to get to them. Though Legolas didn't mind, as the elfling had a small apatite even for an elf and wasn't feeling that hungry at all. Lúthien glared at her little brother as he started to sing, she wasn't in a very happy mood. The walking part of adventures weren't that fun.

"Do be quite Legolas!"

"Why?"

"Because we are having a bad day and your happiness is annoying me."

"When you feel bad you should try and smile." The four turned to look at the blonde, their eyebrows raised.

"We'll never get anywhere if we don't try and look at the good side of things. I'm sure all those special and brave elves didn't get into bad moods when they were saving Middle-Earth."

"For someone so young you are smart."

Surprisingly to Beren who had meant to provoke Legolas, the child laughed.

"You sounded like Elerossë then."

This caused a roar of laughter, and the five set on with lighter hearts.

            Celebrian looked over at her long time friend. The elven Queen was dressed in riding gear and no longer looked the proud wife of a King. Her looks reminded her of their childhood and their many adventures. Máraran obviously had the same thoughts as she looked up at her friend, who was also dressed in riding gear.

"Here we go again."

"Yes, but this time we are not getting into trouble, we are saving someone else from trouble."

Máraran smiled grimly, before mounted her horse and kicking her into a canter. The grey and brown horses carried their riders at the speed near impossible to see apart from the rising cloud of dust left behind them. As they set out to retrieve their lost children.

"This is the point in time where we wish our wives weren't so impulsive." Thranduil murmured to Elrond as he ran to his own horse. Galadriel and Celeborn following them to the stables.

            Beren glared at the dancing shadows as night descended upon them. He had an odd feeling something was out there, whatever it was it wasn't going to get his little sister and brother. If he had to, he would protect them with his life. They had gathered a few dry branches and had managed to make a small fire. Legolas had curled up in a ball with his head resting on Lúthien's lap. He smiled, many people thought Legolas was a lot wiser and acted more grown-up than he was. But Beren knew the truth, it was his innocence. Sure every small child had innocence but his little brother's was special. His innocence was more pure and showed the child everything in a new light. He could look at a bad situation, be able to find a good side to it and be able to work out how to solve the problem. It was his childish innocence that did that. And the child used it to his full advantage. Elladan and Elrohir where sitting opposite them looking a bit scared, their back were facing a group of trees not far off. Which didn't look very nice. Lúthien gestured them over and the pair happily came and sat down beside Beren. They started talking with the brunette quietly, while Lúthien tried to sort out Legolas's hair. The small one wasn't that organised and he hadn't brushed his hair that morning just quickly braided it. The girl gently undid his hair and began t run her fingers through it, trying to take out the tangles. A pair of huge silvery blue eyes turned and stared at her. She smiled as he and reached out with his arms and hugged her round the middle. She pulled her little brother onto her lap and hugged him tightly, sure she teased him like any other sibling but she loved him.

"I'm thirsty Lúthien." Legolas whispered in her ear, and pulling himself out of her arms he scrambled over to the river. The she-elf joined her brother in kneeling beside the river and taking a drink. The other three soon came as well and they all started drinking from the clear water. There was a snap of a twig just behind them, which only Elrohir heard. The child froze, the water running from his hands back into the river.

"What is it Ro?" Elladan asked turning his head to look at his twin. The pair were connected, if one was hurt the other could feel the pain slightly, they were aware of the others feelings the second they changed. Elrohir didn't reply he just stared into the water where a pair of yellow eyes stared back. Elladan opened his mouth to cry out but Elrohir clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Pretend you haven't noticed." Elrohir hissed, and when I say run, you run."

The other four nodded, and they watched as the warg bent down to pounce.

"Get ready." The child whispered as the creature moved to capture it's prey.

"Now!" He cried out as the warg sprung forward. They rolled out the way as it jumped to where they had been standing seconds before. It skidded and fell into the water, howling. Dark shapes filtered into view from the trees, as the rest of the warg's pack had been called to help. The children stopped running towards the trees, as the pack made it's way towards them.

"Back to the river!" Elladan yelled turning on his heels and running. The others followed only to see the warg climb out of the river. It jumped at them and they split. Beren, Lúthien, Legolas and Elladan one way, Elrohir the other. The warg rounded on the lone elf, making him back away towards the river. It raised it's paw to strike Elrohir down when something jumped on it's back. A pair of hands grasped it's throat, squeezing tightly.

"Leave Ro alone!"

The warg shook his body back and forth throwing Elladan off him. The elfling was sprawled on the floor. The warg jumped towards him, claws stretched out. When a pair of arms wrapped round his waist and pulled him away. Elladan smiled up at his twin, "Thanks for the help."

"Anytime."

Elrohir said as he pulled his brother to his feet and stared at the group of wargs that were set on killing them. Looking round the pair realised there was no way that they could get past all of them and not manage to get hurt or killed.

"Jump into the river."

"Elrohir are you mad?" Beren hissed, "We'll get swept down stream. We could drown."

"We'll get away from the wargs and I'm sure we can make it to the other side."

"Very well."

Beren said and taking a deep breath he jumped in, his siblings and friends followed suit.

            Water engulfed Legolas as he was pulled down to the bottom of the water. He kicked desperately with his legs as he tried to reach the surface. He burst through surface of the water, gasping for breath. He remembered he was supposed to be swimming and struck out for the shore. Though it was rather difficult as he was being pulled down stream at the same time as he was trying to get across the river. He could see Beren and Lúthien were a lot further down stream and were quite close to reaching the shore. They always had been good swimmers, he thought when a splash got his attention. Looking over his shoulder he could see the wargs had jumped in the water and were paddling after them. Legolas cried out and started swimming faster, coming closer to catching up with Elrohir and Elladan. His siblings had reached the shore and had climbed out and were encouraging the other three on.  Now the twins had just reached the shore and were climbing out. Legolas was close, ever so close. But the swirling waters were intent on bringing the elf to join them at the bottom of the river. He found he could swim no longer and he was sinking. He could only see black as he started going down. A pair of hands grabbed hold of his arm and started to pull him to the surface. Beren pulled his little brother close to his chest as he tried to make his way to the shore.

"Beren, I'm going to throw you the sleeve of my tunic hold on!"

"Alright."

When Beren had jumped back in when his brother's head disappeared below the surface, the twins knew he was going to need help. So Elrohir had ordered his twin to take his top off as he pulled he own off, he had tied two of the sleeves together to create a makeshift rope. They now tossed their tunics to Beren who grabbed hold of it with one hands, while the other three pulled the two back to the shore. The pair were finally pulled onto the bank, where Legolas started coughing. Lúthien stroked his back gently as water made it's way out of his mouth.

"We have to move." Elladan hissed, the wargs were nearly on the river bank. Nodding Legolas got to his feet and the five ran  as fast as they could while being tired and wet.

            The children dove through undergrowth, fighting with the branches as they tried to get away. The attempts were futile, they found themselves surrounded completely. A warg stepped towards Legolas, and the blonde turned and laughed at it.

"Legolas what are you doing?" Lúthien asked in a exasperated tone.

"I'm laughing in the face of evil."

"Why are you doing a thing like that?"

"We laugh at Elerossë and he sometimes goes away. So why not this evil?"

"Good point." Elrohir said and turning the elflings laughed at the wargs before them. The wargs, confused at the fact that their prey was not attacking them or running away in fear began to feel rather afraid themselves and turned and ran from the smiling children. They shrieked in joy, jumping around happily. Middle-earth watch out the elflings were coming.

To be continued . . . .

Characters guide.

Mirkwood.

King Thranduil: Legolas's father.

Queen Máraran: Legolas's mother.

Crown prince Beren: Legolas's brother.

Princess Lúthien: Legolas's sister.

Elerossë: Captain of Mirkwood, good friend of Thranduil.

Rivendell.

Lord Elrond: Lord of Rivendell, husband of Celebrian.

Lady Celebrian: Best friend of Máraran. Mother of Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen.

Elladan: First of the twins of Elrond and Celebrian.

Elrohir: Second of the twins of Elrond and Celebrian.

Arwen: Only daughter of Elrond and Celebrian.

Glorfindel: Elven lord, advisor and good friend of Elrond.

Lorien.

Galadriel: Lady of Lorien and Mother of Celebrian.

Celeborn: Lord of Lorien and father of Celebrian.

Haldir: Master archer of Lorien. Good friend to Glorfindel and Elerossë.

Ereinion: An elf of Lorien.