Got everyone buzzing with that last chapter, didn't I? I love it when I do that!!

Chapter 49--Close Calls

Legolas slowly regained his senses to find himself hanging over someone's shoulder like a sack then things came back to him in a rush. He'd heard Humans, Mei Ling telling him she was sorry then blackness. She turned me over to them and I trusted her, he thought with a pang. She had lied to him.

Suddenly the Human stopped and set him on his feet so abruptly that Legolas almost fell. The Human had a tight grip on his wrist to keep him from fleeing. "So you are awake. I was hoping you would stay out until we got back to the king," he said.

"Release me!" Legolas shouted, trying futilely to pull away.

The guard clamped his hand over Legolas' mouth. "Get some rope and a cloth for a gag," he ordered.

The order was quickly obeyed. Legolas' arms were bound tightly behind his back and a gag was secured over his mouth. The Human heaved him over his shoulder again and the group moved on. They were almost to their destination when a weird chitterling sound caught their attention and they stopped short.

"What is that?" the second armored guard said nervously.

"Ignore it, this forest is full of strange sounds. Keep going," the first said.

Legolas squirmed in the Human's grip, trying to force words through the gag. He knew all to well what the sounds were.

The soldiers found out when a spider leaped on one of the less armored soldier's back and sank it's poisonous fangs into his neck. He screamed and went down. The soldier carrying Legolas hurried over to the fallen man and kicked the spider off.

It killed it, but it did little good as they were swarmed by fifteen more. Three attacked each armored guard, trying to drag them down. The guard lost his grip on Legolas and he tumbled to the ground.

It wasn't easy with his hands bound, but Legolas managed to get to his feet and run. He had to get far away from the creatures as he could. He would be easy prey with his hands bound. He didn't want to die like those men surely would, sucked dry. He was so busy trying to listen for the spiders that he didn't pay enough attention to what was in front of him. The ground suddenly was gone from under his feet and he tumbled down the side of a steep gorge to land in some prickly bushes. His head struck a rock with a crack then everything went dark.

**Meanwhile**

"I had no choice, Qui. I thought that patrol would be far from here by now. I led Legolas this way because I thought it would be safe. Do you think I would break my oath? That would mean my death, at my hands or one of my superiors. I swear to you on my blades I did not mean for Legolas to be taken," Mei said.

"So why did you turn him over to him?" Qui demanded.

"One guard was going to cut his throat there and then, but he knew I was working for their lord so I was able to prevent him from doing so. I said I would return to explain later. I was going to get him out then. I figured it was better that he would be a prisoner rather then dead," Mei said.

Qui slowly lowered his weapon and took a deep breath, remembering his sister's oath. She spoke truly; to break the oath she'd made was unacceptable and meant death. *You understand that oath is the only thing that stops me from killing you where you stand? If Legolas is not freed I will kill you myself. I am bound to protect him," he said.

"If he dies I will kneel at your feet and bow my head so my head may be struck from my shoulders," Mei swore.

"Very well, let us find them and free him before they can get to the Human camp," Qui said. They headed off, following the trail as silent as shadows.

**Back At the Gorge**

Legolas opened his eyes and winced as the sun seared into then and made his head ache worse. He figured he'd been unconscious at least a couple hours. Luckily the spiders or the surviving guards, if any, hadn't found him. He was scraped and bruised all over. The prickles on the brush jabbed painfully into his skin. His mouth was as dry as dust under the gag and the rope was starting to numb his hands. First things first, he began working on freeing his wrists….

Out of one mess and into another, eh? I am so evil!!! You know what to do now---R/R of course!! Please and thank you!!!!