~*~Chapter 4~*~
"Strider, I mean it now answer."
"Uma naneth." // Yes mother. //
The other three snickered softly at this.
Suddenly Aragorn said in mock dismay, "Oh no… Halbarad… because you so cruelly questioned my motives, I had no chance to play them out," he looked at the now wary elf, "now it's too late."
The other's snickering got louder.
Legolas narrowed his eyes, "Why do I not like the sound of this?"
"You know… I couldn't tell you."
"That is not funny firen," he growled. // human, //
"Oh no! Strider, better watch your back, you've made him angry," Raenan pointed out, still snickering.
"Way to state the obvious Raenan."
"Sorry, eledh." // elf. //
Legolas stared at him with a blank face.
Aragorn sighed, "Truly, I'm sorry Legolas we were just having a little fun."
Legolas smiled, "That's fine Strider… how did I end up in bed though?"
Aragorn laughed, "I moved you, you were out cold."
Legolas blinked, "Was I that tired?"
Everyone laughed and nodded.
Suddenly, Adaron came into the room, eyes wide, "Legolas!"
Legolas blinked at him, "What is the matter Adaron?"
"Fire!" He gasped out, "near the edge… of the forest…"
Legolas was immediately up and ran out the door, four men and two elves on his heels.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Aragorn couldn't help but stare, he turned to Adaron, "This all started without warning?"
"Yes… I know, it makes no sense, it seems to have come out of no where."
"Aye, and no one seems to have started it," Halbarad said as he walked up to the two of them, "We have found no tracks what-so-ever."
"Well, it could have been an elf," Adaron said.
"Yes, but…"
"If you doubt our skills, Adaron, just say it," Aragorn cut in, he'd finally had enough, forever since they had gotten here, the elf seemed completely against them in every way!
Adaron froze and turned his gaze on the man, who returned it unblinkingly, face blank, "I'm sorry Strider, that was not how it was meant to sound."
Aragorn's face remained impassive, "What is the matter then?"
"I've been very uncomfortable around the edge of this side of the forest lately, I guess I just hoped that I would be proved wrong and there wasn't anything wrong here."
Aragorn's face softened, "I understand. I will help you find this out."
The man looked around the clearing but found nothing. He sighed and looked out to the mountains and paused. A dark figure went and landed on the mountainside, steam raising visibly, that of melting snow.
"A dragon…"
Legolas spun around, "What?!"
Aragorn shook his head and simply pointed to where the steam was beginning to slow.
Legolas blinked, "We have to go out there and finish this."
Aragorn jumped slightly at Legolas' fierce tone and nodded, "Aye, unfortunately we can not bring a lot of people, if we do, the dragon will spot us and we'll be caught before we even reach the den."
Legolas nodded slowly, "I felt no evil here though… I believe there is another reason for its coming here."
Aragorn simply nodded.
Legolas grabbed his friend by the hand and moved silently into the trees with the Ranger. Halbarad noticed them leave and nodded to the other two, telling them to stay behind and followed the other two into the trees.
Once the two were out of earshot they began talking to each other in whispers. Keeping their voices low in case anyone had decided to follow them.
Halbarad had a hard time catching up to the other two, for they moved fast and left next to no trail.
Aragorn and Legolas moved swiftly towards the mountains. Taking care not to leave an easy to follow trail. After a while, they began to make their way through the trees, where it would be almost impossible to follow them.
By nightfall, Aragorn was exhausted. They had been moving all day without rest, wanting to get out of the forest at least before the next attack. They had been lucky for they had not encountered anything in the dark forest yet, it seemed as if the recent presence of the dragon scared all the other creatures into hiding. Aragorn sighed and lay down on the ground, covering himself with his cloak. He fell asleep only a while before the elf.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Legolas rose just as the sun did and stretched, he glanced at the sleeping man and suddenly realized that they had not brought anything with them. He groaned and picked up his bow. He would have to find something to hunt.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Not all was bad on his hunt; he did manage to catch a rabbit. He had already skinned it and found the only way to cook it was to put a stick through it and hang it over the fire. While that was cooking he carefully stretched out the skins on the ground and allowed them to dry out.
In two hours the rabbit was done and the skins were dried out. He put out the fire and left the rabbit hanging to cool. Then he pulled out one of his twin knives and used it to cut a few strips from the edge of the skin. He shaped the rest of it and put small holes along the edges.
In half an hour, he had managed to make a crude, but fair sized water skin, that done, he quickly went and filled it in a near-by stream. On the way back he froze. He could swear he felt another's presence. He glanced around him and finding nothing, looked up… and grinned.
"Hello Halbarad, I should have known you would follow us."
"Yes, and you are lucky too," he answered from up in the tree, "since you happened to forget all your stuff." He grinned and jumped down, then handed the elf an extra water skin and a couple bedrolls.
Legolas shook his head and continued on his way back to the camp. When the two of them got there, Legolas stopped, glancing around.
He sighed, - Where did he go? – He wondered in annoyance, expecting something to fall on his head, he glanced up into the trees and narrowed his eyes slightly. He glanced down at the ground before moving carefully into the camp. Halbarad said nothing, knowing exactly what the elf was doing. He couldn't help but grin.
His grin froze however when he stepped into a deep hole. He glanced down and winced as he found the hole filled with a thick colored goop.
"Legolas," he said flatly, "the traps are on the ground."
Legolas turned and looked at the hole the man's boot was in, than snickered, "Ai, I will have to teach the twins what to and not to teach that human."
The elf and man's heads shot up when they heard a snicker in one of the many trees surrounding the small clearing.
"Ah, but that is where you are wrong, because, it wasn't the twins that taught me that one."
"Oh? Then who did?" Legolas asked flatly.
Aragorn grinned and jumped out of the tree, "Glorfindel."
Two jaws dropped.
A/N
leggylover03- New fic oooooooooooooooo aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^ I will update mine! Be happy, there is angst and pain to come! Not much tho… meh, that's up to u to decide! ^_^
mascara freak- Take time out of school! *Gasp* that's not good! *Shakes head* But, whatever, you *do* have to think of world domination plans… Sorry I took so long!
SilverKnight7- Okay!!!!!!!!! I'm guessin' ya' like it? LOL ^_^ I up-dated!!!!!!! Don't kill me!!!!!!!!! ^_^
Sorry 'bout the wait! I'm trying but I'm getting kinda caught up in schoolwork… you all get that… unfortunately… *sigh* Well, enjoy!!!!!!!! AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????