Disclaimer: I own none of the Lord of the Rings characters. *Sob* But I do own Arlena and Fenix. They are mine… my own… my precious… *looks around* Whoa! Wonder where that came from.. Oh, well… on to the story.

Chapter 9

~*~*~*

Arlena rushed to the collapsing bridge. She shook her head in disbelief. "No…" she whispered, mentally knowing that Fenix and Legolas were gone, but her heart didn't want to admit it. She fell to her knees at the edge of the bridge, her head in her hands.

"Arlena!"

She jumped up in surprise hearing her name. It was distant. She shook her head slowly. "Stop imagining things, Arlena! They-they're dead and there's nothing you can do about it…"

"Oh, Arlena! Just tie a rope up there and let it down here… You're not imagining anything! So just do it!"

Arlena scowled at the bridge and got the rope, tied it to a tree. She let the other end down. She heard a few curses, most of them in Elven. She drew back in surprise as she heard an oath- in Orcish. She grinned as she noticed who had said it.

"Fenix, you have a foul mouth!" She could just see the scowl and slight grin on Fenix's face.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Fenix's breathing was calm as she climbed up the fallen bridge, Legolas behind her. She pulled herself up to the lip of the cliff; Arlena was there to help her up the rest of the way.

"Next time, yell or something before ordering me around, Fenix."" Arlena said a scowl on her face.

Fenix grinned, her eyes flickering with amusement. "I will… If there is a next time, that is."

Legolas rolled his eyes upward, then looked again at his two companions. "We need to get going again…"

Arlena and Fenix looked at him, nodding in agreement. "Well, which way now?" Arlena said, getting up and looking around.

Fenix looked east, her eyes surveying the surroundings. "Well, East. That is where Amazon lies in hiding…" she paused, now considering something for the first time. "There was an Elven spell placed on Amazon before I can remember. Only the pure of heart can see it, unless they live there…" she paused, her face going even paler, as pale as her fair Elven skin would allow. "Someone betrayed us.." she breathed.

Legolas looked slightly shocked, but in truth, he wasn't surprised. "That tells us how someone like Sauron," he spat the name like a curse, "could get into your city…"

Alrena nodded, inclined to agree. "That makes it even more important that we reach Amazon before the week is over."

Fenix nodded her expression grim. "Right. Let's get started."

Her companions nodded, hitched up their packs, and started off again at a brisk run, hoping to pass through the dense forests that surrounded Amazon.

Silently, Fenix prayed that at least her companions made it out alive.