Yay! I feel so special. Good reviews make me happy! Hee-hee. Once again, I
don't own Tolkien's stuff. (Don't hurt the poor veggies anymore, please!)
And I beg forgiveness from oremis and Legolas for kidnapping their
daughter, but I am just that evil. Mwa-Ha-Ha! Now onward!
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Clulyan had no idea as to how long they'd been walking. His legs swore that it had been at least a week, but really it could've only been two days at the most. He often found himself stumbling along mechanically behind Melime. After a while, not even the lembas was enough to help him.
"Have to stop..." he gasped, holding onto a tree to keep himself steady. "Too tired..." Melime turned briefly, then kept walking. "Oh, c'mon, Clulyan. I thought you were a big, tough Dwarf."
The only response to Melime's comment was a dull thump. She stopped. "Clulyan?" She turned back to face him and burst out laughing. From out of the top of a thick cluster of bushes two boots stuck up in the air.
Still grinning to herself, she dragged the sleeping Dwarf out of the brush by his feet. Guess we do have to take a break, she thought. A couple hours ought to be good enough...
**************
She hadn't bothered to make any sort of camp. If he could fall over into the bushes and sleep in a matter of seconds, she figured she didn't need to.
Instead, Melime decided to rest herself. She found a large tree relatively close to where she left Clulyan and climbed it. The trees were the only thing that stayed the same for her. Everything else might change, but she could always count on the trees.
She found a thick branch that wasn't very far up from the ground and settled down there, just in case Clulyan needed her. Her long legs hung down from either side of the limb, and her back rested against the trunk. She let herself slowly sink into the world of Elven dreams.
**************
Melime's half-lidded eyes snapped open wide as the sharp crack of a stick boomed in her sensitive ears. She sat up quickly.
The first thought that jumped into her head was 'Oh no... Clulyan.' Not giving her mind any more time to think, she swung down from the branch and landed lightly on her feet.
She did not know exactly how long she had been dreaming, but it could be estimated as about six or seven hours. When she'd shut the world out, it was around four or so, judging by the sun's position in the sky. Now everything was engulfed in blackness. Not even the moon's silvery beams could pierce the dense canopy of Mirkwood's forests.
However, thanks to her keen senses, she was able to both hear and see the still-sleeping Dwarf. She stood over his body and whispered his name. "Just a few more minutes..." Clulyan mumbled, then rolled onto his other side.
There was another snap, then she heard something like heavy footsteps. Panic welled in her throat. Though Legolas had not left his daughter untrained in the ways of fighting, she had never been forced to face anything bigger than an angry deer. And she had no desire to find herself up against much more so soon.
The Elf, annoyed and frightened, decided that she could not waste any more time on trying to coax the stubborn Dwarf out of his slumber. Her foot connected with his backside, and he bolted up. "What in the-" She clapped her hand over his mouth, muffling his outburst at his rude awakening, and crouched down beside him.
"We have to keep moving," Melime whispered. Her voice blended with the sighs of the wind in the trees. "Something is out there." Her eyes darted around nervously. "We must get to the Caves as fast as we can."
A deep, rumbling bellow descended upon them. Melime felt something soaking through her light garments. Large raindrops began to fall from the sky, then sped up, quickly drenching the two.
If her warning about her fear that they were being watched was not enough to rouse the groggy and grumpy Dwarf, the storm was. He clambered to his feet, still shaking off the last effects of sleep.
An incredible flash illuminated the forest, and for a brief moment, everything was as clear as day. And what Melime saw in that second of light would have wretched a scream from even the most courageous man's throat.
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Okay, I know you're all dying to review. C'mon, just hit that lil' button! Please? Pretty Please?
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Clulyan had no idea as to how long they'd been walking. His legs swore that it had been at least a week, but really it could've only been two days at the most. He often found himself stumbling along mechanically behind Melime. After a while, not even the lembas was enough to help him.
"Have to stop..." he gasped, holding onto a tree to keep himself steady. "Too tired..." Melime turned briefly, then kept walking. "Oh, c'mon, Clulyan. I thought you were a big, tough Dwarf."
The only response to Melime's comment was a dull thump. She stopped. "Clulyan?" She turned back to face him and burst out laughing. From out of the top of a thick cluster of bushes two boots stuck up in the air.
Still grinning to herself, she dragged the sleeping Dwarf out of the brush by his feet. Guess we do have to take a break, she thought. A couple hours ought to be good enough...
**************
She hadn't bothered to make any sort of camp. If he could fall over into the bushes and sleep in a matter of seconds, she figured she didn't need to.
Instead, Melime decided to rest herself. She found a large tree relatively close to where she left Clulyan and climbed it. The trees were the only thing that stayed the same for her. Everything else might change, but she could always count on the trees.
She found a thick branch that wasn't very far up from the ground and settled down there, just in case Clulyan needed her. Her long legs hung down from either side of the limb, and her back rested against the trunk. She let herself slowly sink into the world of Elven dreams.
**************
Melime's half-lidded eyes snapped open wide as the sharp crack of a stick boomed in her sensitive ears. She sat up quickly.
The first thought that jumped into her head was 'Oh no... Clulyan.' Not giving her mind any more time to think, she swung down from the branch and landed lightly on her feet.
She did not know exactly how long she had been dreaming, but it could be estimated as about six or seven hours. When she'd shut the world out, it was around four or so, judging by the sun's position in the sky. Now everything was engulfed in blackness. Not even the moon's silvery beams could pierce the dense canopy of Mirkwood's forests.
However, thanks to her keen senses, she was able to both hear and see the still-sleeping Dwarf. She stood over his body and whispered his name. "Just a few more minutes..." Clulyan mumbled, then rolled onto his other side.
There was another snap, then she heard something like heavy footsteps. Panic welled in her throat. Though Legolas had not left his daughter untrained in the ways of fighting, she had never been forced to face anything bigger than an angry deer. And she had no desire to find herself up against much more so soon.
The Elf, annoyed and frightened, decided that she could not waste any more time on trying to coax the stubborn Dwarf out of his slumber. Her foot connected with his backside, and he bolted up. "What in the-" She clapped her hand over his mouth, muffling his outburst at his rude awakening, and crouched down beside him.
"We have to keep moving," Melime whispered. Her voice blended with the sighs of the wind in the trees. "Something is out there." Her eyes darted around nervously. "We must get to the Caves as fast as we can."
A deep, rumbling bellow descended upon them. Melime felt something soaking through her light garments. Large raindrops began to fall from the sky, then sped up, quickly drenching the two.
If her warning about her fear that they were being watched was not enough to rouse the groggy and grumpy Dwarf, the storm was. He clambered to his feet, still shaking off the last effects of sleep.
An incredible flash illuminated the forest, and for a brief moment, everything was as clear as day. And what Melime saw in that second of light would have wretched a scream from even the most courageous man's throat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay, I know you're all dying to review. C'mon, just hit that lil' button! Please? Pretty Please?