Disclaimer: Tolkien owns Middle Earth. I own this world! Legolas, Gimli and Glorfindel, as well as Valinor and common speech are all his.
Hope ya'll like it!
Chapter 8
Gimli sank wearily to the ground, and Legolas seated himself beside his comrade. Now that the pressing question of the cliff was answered, all of them felt hunger clawing at their bellies.
"Aye, laddy!" Gimli fixed his eyes on Colii who was tugging at his rope, which was still fastened far up the cliff, "Hey! Where do you find places of habitation in this land?"
"And if I know you my friend, your more worried about a mug of ale, a pipe of the vile weed and food." Legolas rolled his eyes at his old friend. "Am I right?"
"I wouldna say it in that order, Elf, but that'll do." The Dwarf's unpredictable temper took a slight turn for the worse when his question was completely ignored by the little creature. "But also I'd like to give that one," He jerked his chin at Colii, "A taste of Saru's ax! After all, he attacked up, and drugged you, Legolas."
Colii seemed not to hear anything they said, focusing intently on the rope in his hand, Glorfindel jumped in slight surprise when suddenly a small flame licked out of the Elf-thing's fingers, it licked up the rope faster than thought, and burned it all away. The three companions exchanged glances. The little one glanced at them "Ess prroff. Colii haf no proff hind!"
Glorfindel struggled to figure out what the creature had said, but Legolas questioned "The rope is proof that you have passed this way, and you don't want anyone to know you have been here?" All eyes swivel from the Prince of Mirkwood to their strange helper, who nodded.
"Ysss." Large golden eyes blinked at Glorfindel in surprise, and the Elf-Lord smiled. After all, he had wanted to say that word since Colii had first said it.
A small smile pulled at the creature's mouth, and he opened his own mouth, fierce concentration clouding onto his features, "Y... Yeee... Yessss!!!!" They both laughed, the ending hiss was to be expected after all. "Pepl. Chrrrr." He added after he had controlled his giggles, and pointed southward as he spoke.
Gimli looked slightly more friendly at this news. "People, over there?" He wanted to make sure he understood correctly. They would once again head away from the mountains again. Last time they did that, they had been attacked.
"Yesss. Offer chere!" he straightened to his feet and took several trotting steps away from the companions. "Yessss. Chom!"
The three readied themselves to follow. "Why're we doing this? We shouldn't trust the welp!" The Dwarf queried worriedly, and rather insistently.
Legolas shrugged and Glorfindel sighed, "We have no choice, son of Gloin. We know nothing of this world, and we need refreshment."
"So? Go kill a deer, or go pick some leaves if that suits you palate better." the warrior grumbled back.
Legolas looked down as his comrade, bewildered, "Just moments ago, you were wishing for ale and pipeweed. What has changed?"
"Trust that Elfling creature I do not!" Colii stiffened slightly, his eyes darting form face to face. "I thought when I spoke of food, ale and pipe weed, that we would be rid of the thing here, it would point the way to a town and be gone."
"Beware." Gimli turned to look at the little creature. He knew that neither of his companions could understand what was being said by it, but knew he could tell them in just a moment. In passing, he wondered where the creature had learned the Dwarven tongue. "Do not hunt, in these lands unknowing. The Haun lay claim in this region, to prey. The Jant also will be angry if you attempt to take what their's is. Satas, and Itr also this area run. Beware, I give you. Those the woodland creatures only are. Monsters there be else."
The two Elves looked at Gimli who told them the warning that they had been given. When Gimli was finished talking, Colii simply starting walking away. He didn't stop, or pause, or look behind. The other three, not sure what else to do, moved after him. They proceeded in silence as total dark fell, and rustlings began in the grasses of the open lands.
The moon had just started the rise, when the lights of a village came into view suddenly. They had, in the past few hours learned that the open lands were not flat by any stretch of the imagination. Colii hurried his steps toward a large brightly lit building on the edge of the town, and Legolas was startled to realize that the buildings themselves created a wall about the village. None could enter the place accept by the inn's door. No other opening was there in the barrier, at least not at entrance height. The archer was certain that there were narrow windows in the second story, and probably on the roof as well, but due to the well lit entrance, his eyes could not penetrate the surrounding darkness to be certain.
By this time their little guide had rapped firmly on the door of the inn. A bellow from within questioned their origin, species and general sanity, after all, it was past dusk, and the Haun were out! All this in the common human tongue of Middle Earth. Glorfindel felt relief that at least they would not face the problem they had with Colii everywhere they went. The little creature skittered around behind Glorfindel, and pushed him forward, obviously he was unwilling to answer.
"We are Elves and a Dwarf, far from home, and in need of shelter." Glorfindel raised his voice to be heard. "We ask lodgings in you town."
The door shuddered, thumped, thrummed, and finally was thrown open to admit them. "Welcome. Welcome. Well met, I hope!" A small human, with kind eyes and a ready smile, and a mich bigger voice than his body, greeted them. "Come in. But I do have to ask for your surety. Can ya quote me a figger?" Colii poked his head out from behind the Elf-Lord's tall body, but he said nothing.
"We have silver coin." Legolas said at last, they didn't have much but is should be enough, and they also had some adornments from the feast in Valinor.
Colii jerked in shock as Legolas pulled a coin from his pouch to prove his words to be true. The creature's pale hand was lightning quick and got there a breath before the Innkeeper's did. His luminous gold eyes glittered in the shadowed entrance hall, "Sssilvarrr!" He looked with strong accusation at Glorfindel, "Yuuu nossa!"
Puzzled the Elf-Lord looked down at him, "I did not say? You mean I did not tell you we had coin? Why should I?"
However, the Innkeeper seemed to have other worries. He had gone ashen faced, and was backing away from Colii while pointing at him with a shaking finger, and seeming to try to say something. At least his mouth was moving, but no sound came out.
Gimli took a step towards the man, hoping to catch him before he fell. "Shelos! Shelos!" The man had found his voice. The entire house seemed to shake with his bellow. Colii ducked way from the noise, hunching his shoulders and backing toward the door. His hand were held ready at his sides. Glorfindel knew from personal experience how sharp those claws were.