DISCLAIMER- I believe that LotR is mine only in my dreams, so unless you've found out some way to infiltrate my mind like Freddy Krueger, I doubt any attempt to sue me would work...

Yes I know I should have updated sooner, but I've been seriously busy lately!

Anyway, thank you for all the reviews, here's some replies...

MoroTheWolfGod- Hmmm, you'll have to wait and see...

Darcy Took- On the edge of your seat?! Wow, what a compliment! ^_^

DJTCluva- Ooh, thanks! On your favourites list, wow!

Gwyn- YES THAT IS ALL I POSTED!!! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?! ^_^ Joke! At least you took the time to review, that's the main thing... *grinds teeth maliciously* ^_^

Pirate-chica- Yeah, people on this website have a thing about making his life a living hell, hey? ^_^

Jo- Of course not! It's just, I only got your review after I posted that chapter! ^_^

Alida-Fruit- Hmmm, I cant promise not to kill them... I cant promise to kill them either... I always break promises... Mwuhahahahaha! ^_^

Yaavannie- Thank you! *_* OMG!!! I have stars in my eyes! I remind you of Cassia?! CASSIA?! THE Cassia?! OMG!!! Phew!

And then a cookie each to all 8 of my wonderful reviewers! (:.)

And on with this happy little tale... =D

.:Chapter 4:.

Gimli wriggled slightly in the claustrophobic hole to stay as flat against the wall as was comfortably possible. The great gash that marred his body steadily dripped with crimson rain drops that splashed down upon the dusty ground underneath him. Fortunately, it was not too bad... yet.

The Dwarf was fretful, not only for himself, but for his Elven companion. Arod had taken off into the distance, Legolas on his back. From the looks of things, the Elf had not been faring too well. Were they safe now, back at Minas Tirith? Had they even arrived there at all?

Gimli shook the thoughts from his head. Legolas was back at Minas Tirith, someone was coming to help him, and everything would be alright. He had to keep that voracious, positive Dwarven spirit, even if everything seemed bleak.

He stiffened and held his breath as the acrid smell and shrill voices of Orcs drew close to his hiding place...

~*~*~*~

Aragorn caught the Elf lightly in his arms as he half-fell from the horse. Legolas opened his eyes blearily, causing Aragorn to gasp slightly.

His crystalline blue eyes were dim and cloudy, the pupils dilated; an obvious effect of poison. Of what type however, he did not yet know.

"Legolas? Can you hear me?"

The Elven prince blinked slowly, his eyes heavy lidded, and Aragorn held almost no hope for a response. However, as distant as it seemed, Legolas somehow managed to croak an answer through dry lips and a parched throat.

"Aragorn...?"

Arwen hung back a little, tears sliding their way down round cheeks and falling onto the velvet cloak she bore. In all the long years she had known Legolas, she had never seen him like this.

A few of the healers rushed around the corner, grinding to a halt as they beheld, one by one, the tear-invoking sight of their King Ellessar holding a dear friend tightly in his arms, fearing to let go, lest the Elf should vanish in front of his eyes...  

~*~*~*~

Gimli tried his hardest to train his hearing onto the Orc's foul speech. Their language was almost as disgusting as their looks. The Dwarf suddenly found himself wishing for his best friend's hearing; something he would never have dreamed of barely a few years ago. But time could change a person's thinking, along with the experiences one found themselves in during their lives. He'd honestly never expected to go Orc hunting three years after destroying an object of absolute power, and with an Elf no less, but there you go...

"Where did they go?!" cried one. His voice was like crushed gravel, rough and coarse, a sin upon the ears.

"The scout saw their horse galloping off," croaked another. He sounded a lot weaker than the first- obviously there was rank and order in this troop of miscreants; something Gimli had never come across before. "They must have escaped."

A slight whimpering was heard as the original roared with anger. "They can't have! I smell blood!"

"W-we injured t-the D-dwarf, h-he w-was probably t-taken b-back b-by the Elf." stammered the other.

"And what of the Elf?" sighed the first. His voice had cooled slightly and sounded as though he was now planning something.

"One of our archers shot at him with a Vrorbug arrow." The second Orc now sounded frightfully pleased, sending a wave of worry through Gimli.

"So it was poison!" he thought.

"Unless he's got some particularly strong antidote on him, I doubt he'll survive for very long!" cackled the latter Orc. Gimli felt numb.

"No," he thought, "Not that crazy Elf! He'll be fine! He... he has to be..."

The panicky Dwarf suddenly had to bite his tongue against a shocking ripple of agony that tore up his leg and torso. He couldn't help, however, the slight hiss that escaped his lips...

~*~*~*~

Aragorn lay a shaking hand on his friend's chest, feeling the shuddering that reverberated within from each choking gasp. "Nyarin ni mani marte.*" he whispered, praying that Legolas would try to reply.

"Yrch... oronti...**" wheezed the Elf. Suddenly his eyes went wide with fear. "Gimli! Aragorn, lle maurë...a lelya... tua ho! ***" He stopped his pleas abruptly, and concentrated on breathing; the one thing it seemed hardest to do at that moment.

Aragorn bit his lip. He didn't recognise these symptoms. He swiftly scanned the signs again, hoping to catch anything he may have missed. The young Elf's pulse was erratic, his lithe frame shivered slightly as though chilled by a winter frost, yet sweat ran freely down his forehead like on a hot summer's day. Each gasping breath rattled in his chest, and eyes stared off into the distance, unfocused, heavy lidded.

"Arwen, tell the healers to get Legolas up to the Houses of Healing. I shall go and find Gimli."

She turned and brokenly sobbed the order to those that stood nearby, then rushed to Aragorn, who was mounting Arod hastily, as fast as she could. "You are not going alone?!" she cried.

Aragorn stared into her brimming eyes, a cold grim stare that spoke of utter determination. "I will not lead my guards to this. Gimli is my friend. I shall find him." He bent in the saddle and kissed her wet, warm cheek. "Look after Legolas. He needs you now."

She could only watch helplessly as the white steed galloped away, bearing her beloved on his back...

~*~*~*~

Gimli shrunk back against the wall as the heavy, leaden footsteps crunched the black soil below them, searching with wild, bright eyes that burned with the icy fire of pure hatred.

They would find him.

It was only a matter of time...

~*~*~*~

Aragorn watched the plains below Arod's feet fleeting by in the blink of an eye. That was not his concern though. He had to rescue Gimli from the Eastern Mountains and get back to Minas Tirith, to help both his friends.

"Noro lim, Arod," he whispered, patting the horse's neck.

He had to find him...

~*~*~*~

.:Elvish Translations:.

*Tell me what happened.

**Orcs... mountains..."

***Gimli! Aragorn, you need... to go... help him!

Well, that was fun! ^_^ Oh, that poor trio, how I torment them so!

Let me count the ways... poison, scimitars, arrows, rivers, cliffs, bewitched stone, possession, drowning, and altogether general angst... I like to think of myself as Sadistic, and Proud!!!

So, leave a review and tell me what you think! You'll get your cookie, and *TREAT OF THE WEEK!!!*, your flavour choice of ice cream! How can you resist? ^_^ Remember my golden rule...

REVIEWS= CHAPTERS!!!

Namárië!

~*~ Star-Stallion ~*~