Reviewer responses for Chapter 1:

Deana: My goodness that was fast! I'm glad you like...I kind of like this too, but have NO idea where it will go! I'm writing off the seat of my pants!

Mornflower: Again, you ROCK. That was hilarious. I almost thought of using something similar to that in the story. I still might. Estel dancing and singing around a tree...that is SO cute and funny...cept in my story it would be CHILD Estel...not grown up Aragorn/Estel...

Marbienl: Good question...why was Legolas glad he didn't jerk when Estel touched him? You made me think..now I have to go and ANSWER that in the story...sheesh...now who'd of thought I had to have a plot figured out! LOL...thanks for reading.

Chapter Two: Lost hope

If this was babysitting, Legolas could handle babysitting. All he had to do was keep Estel occupied with one trick of the trade or another and the boy was quite content to remain somewhat silent.

Which is a good thing when you are hunting, Legolas thought to himself with a wry smile. He watched Elladan and Elrohir quickly sidestep to make way for a "tracking" Estel.

The boy would need to learn that he couldn't rivet his eyes to the ground when tracking, he would occasionally need to look up so he didn't wander into a tree, or scrub, or twin. The Elf prince chuckled lightly, amused at the way Estel seemed to scrunch his nose in concentration.

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged glances. It sure looked like having Estel around was good for Legolas. They hadn't expected the Elf prince to be so at ease on this hunt, especially knowing that Orcs had been involved in the death of his mother.

Though they weren't completely privy to the information surrounding Ithilwen's death, they knew that Orcs were largely to blame; which is why neither of them could quite understand why Legolas didn't seem keen on killing every vile Orc on Arda.

"Estel?"

Legolas' light call halted the young human, who straightened up, wincing a little when his small back cracked with the changing position. "Yes? How'm I doing?"

Holding in a chuckle and trying to sound completely serious, Legolas responded lightly, "Well, aside from nearing running your brothers over, you are doing well. But I suggest we head a little to the north now, the deer have changed direction again."

Estel's face fell. "I missed it. Again, I missed a change again."

Elrohir, taking pity on his young brother, put a hand on Estel's shoulder. "It's all right, Estel. No one expects you to see every change of direction on your first hunting trip. Why, I'll bet none of us caught every one on our first ones either."

Elladan and Legolas nodded in agreement. "Come, Estel. I shall show you what you missed and why you missed it." Legolas extended his hand to the small boy, which Estel readily took, and led him back a ways.

They stooped and began to examine the ground, Legolas pointing out how to tell that the deer had changed directions.

"You know," Elladan commented lightly, "I'm starting to feel...glad...we brought Estel along. This is just as good for him as it is for Legolas. I mean, we have had little time for the child with our hunting."

His brother nodded, watching the blonde and dark-haired heads study the ground. "I agree. Let's just hope all goes well. I know Legolas is not over his mother's death, if we were to meet with Orcs, or whatever else brings back memories, I am not so sure he would fight as usual."

The elder twin frowned. "I don't know, 'Ro. He is pretty protective of Estel. I think our little brother has wormed his way into that Elf's heart."

"Yes," Elrohir said quietly. "He has a way of doing that. Even the coldest heart would have difficulty not liking him."

They quit their conversation when Legolas and Estel returned, the latter bubbling with excitement. "I know how I missed it now!" He said happily, launching into the explanation for his brothers, even though they knew full well what he was going to say.

Legolas watched with glints of amusement in his eyes. Then, they moved on, Estel immediately taking point, but closely followed by Legolas, the twins taking up the rear and keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of danger.

Again, Estel assumed his hunched over position. Legolas approached him and pulled his shoulders backward, straightening him up. "You mustn't hunch so, Estel. You may not lose the trail, but you will not be able to see danger if it approaches you. Even if it means slowing your pace, do not hunch, mellon nin."

The boy nodded and kept his back ramrod straight, eyes roving over the ground. Legolas was surprised he hadn't tired of this already. After all, tracking wasn't the most exciting part of the hunt. But little Estel put his heart into everything.

As they progressed, Legolas occasionally prodded Estel one way or another as the trail shifted. The boy was good, he would grow up to be an excellent tracker, but the skills were not all there yet.

Then, suddenly, Legolas laid a hand on Estel's shoulder and drew him to a halt, pulling him down low and putting a finger in front of his lips. Estel looked at him in awe. "Wha" the boy began, but the Elf shushed him.

"There...over the rise"

Estel followed the Elf's eyes to the rise in the near by hill. Perched atop it, surrounded by lush green saplings, was a large, white buck. White deer were not common to Rivendell and to find one this large and full was a blessing.

Elladan and Elrohir had caught up with them now, both readying their bows to take down the buck. Estel looked down dejectedly, trying to hide his crestfallen face from the Elves. He had been hoping he'd be allowed to shoot at something after tracking it so far.

Legolas didn't miss the look. He smiled lightly. "This one is too cunning, Estel. Your brothers and I will have enough difficulty taking him down. The hide is strong and thick, difficult to penetrate. Your shortened long bow has not enough draw to do so."

Feeling a little better knowing it wasn't just him, but his bow, Estel smiled and watched as the Elven prince took his own bow from his back and notched an arrow.

"Well, let us see if us Noldor of Rivendell can match the archery ability of our Mirkwood kin," Elladan joked.

Legolas smiled. "After you, Lord Elladan, for when you fail to fell the stag, I shall have to mop up the mess."

The twin glared at that and Estel chuckled lightly. The stag lifted its magestic head and looked around, freezing where he stood. Elrohir quieted Estel as Elladan took aim.

The arrow flew true, impacting the stag in the chest, but as Legolas had predicted, the animal did not fall. Rather, it ran.

Not about to let this one get away, Legolas rose in one fluid motion and was off, leaving Elladan, Elrohir and Estel gaping in the brush. The prince moved through the forest as though he had been there a thousand times, never once having need to look at the ground.

Elladan grumbled as they too rose and joined the pursuit, slowed by the short legs of Estel. "Wood-Elf, I might have known he'd do that."

Estel was still awestruck by the sudden disappearance of his friend. The Elf moved so fast! Soon, he was out of their eyesight.

The twins grunted at that, not liking the fact that their long-time friend was no longer in sight. If Estel hadn't been here, they would have been right behind him. For the moment at least they wished he wasn't.

Climbing up the rise, Estel tripped and fell, hitting the ground with a resounding thud. Elladan and Elrohir never heard his fall, nor did they see his head strike a tree root and his body go limp.

They kept running.

Legolas didn't need to run much longer, he had the stag in his sights and the animal was beginning to feel the effects of the arrow lodged in its chest. So he drew to a stop, pulled back on his bowstring and let the arrow fly with a "twang".

The great stag stumbled, tottered, and fell.

Elladan and Elrohir, normally so light on their feet, came crashing through the trees and undergrowth until they were at Legolas side. "Well, not a bad shot," Elrohir said with a grin. "For a Wood-Elf."

Legolas nodded, turning to greet his friends. His eyes traveled across them, then downward. They quickly widened. "Where is Estel?"

Both twin's heads jerked upward and they began to spin and look around them. "No...oh, this is not happening!" Elrohir groaned. "He was right behind us!"

The Elf prince's face screwed into a stony expression and he glared at the twins. "You didn't watch him? I thought you would surely watch him if I chased the stag!"

Elladan held up his hand to prevent an argument. He could see the fire in the eyes of the two younger Elves. "Let us waste no more time and find Estel now. He can't be far behind, he was with us moments ago."

Nodding in agreement, they decided quickly that Elrohir would remain with the stag and begin to prepare it for transport while Legolas and his brother searched for Estel.

Hurrying into the trees without waiting for Elladan, Legolas quickly outdistanced the other Elf in his haste to find the child. Estel wouldn't last long if he were to meet up with an enemy.

Pain blossomed in his head and he winced. It was dark, very dark, and Estel didn't like the dark, so he opened his eyes and immediately regretted the action. The light added to the pain in his head and he had to blink rapidly several times to get things back into focus.

"'Dan? 'Ro? Where are you guys? This isn't funny, my head hurts real bad!"

He was momentarily surprised that his voice was so weak. The 10-year-old had had his share of spills and bruises, but this one took the prize for his worst. He felt as though his head would split if he were to move.

But he had to move. He was only armed with a small version of the Elvish longbow and he knew that it would not serve him well enough if he were attacked. Legolas had taught him well, but the boy was no archer. He was better with a sword.

"Anyone here? Hello, 'Dan, 'Ro, Legolas?"

No answer. Great, I'm all alone in the middle of the forest and my head is about to fall off, Estel thought dryly. But though he jested in his mind, he was really terrified. In his turmoil, he did not hear the approaching beings as they picked their way through the trees.

"Well, what have we here?"

Estel's head snapped up and he groaned and gripped it tightly when the pain hit. He took a moment to regain his senses, than opened his eyes. There were three men standing in front of him and three more emerging from the trees.

The men were dirty, that much was readily obvious. They had wild hair and dark circles painted around their eyes. Their weapons were sharp and crude, nothing like the delicately wrought Elvish weapons he was used to.

Not far behind the three who had just arrived were the sounds of crashing. Lots of crashing. Estel, now officially petrified, looked up at the men, speechless. He had not expected to meet anyone else in the woods. They were too close to Rivendell.

"I said, what have we here? You, boy, were supposed to answer me with who you are." The man, apparently the leader, leaned down, his breath making Estel's eyes water. Garlic.

"I...I'm Estel," the boy whimpered, not sure if that was such a good idea or not, but in so much pain he didn't care.

"Estel. Funny name for a human boy." The man leaned back again and Estel took a deep breath. "Where you from boy?"

Best not say Rivendell, these men don't look like they like Elves, Estel thought. "I'm from...Bree."

It was the only human town he could think of at the moment. "My, you're a long way from Bree for one so young then," the man answered. "What'd you run away from home?"

"N...no. I was hunting. My friend and brothers will find me any minute."

The man looked up. His eyes were no longer idle, they were bright and burning. His face stretched into a grotesque smile. "Eh...more of ya. That's good then. More for us to take along."

The crashing that Estel had heard chose that moment to make itself known. Hideous, black, armored creatures emerged from the woods. They walked with a drunken swagger, hunched backs and weapons trailing.

Orcs.

DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNN....Cliffie..I know...sorry...uh...no...not really... Giddy mood over here. TWO posts in one day mind you!!! Eek...I'm bad.

-Gwenneth