Chapter 3 - The Doors of Moria

At the bottom of the mountain, there was an argument among the older folk as to their new path. Boromir wanted to use the Gap of Rohan and Gimli wanted to go through the Mines of Moria. Gandalf settled the debate by saying that they would go though Moria.

Shysa was teaching the hobbits more Ewok when Aragorn leapt to his feet and cried out, "There is howling among the wind! The Wargs have come west of the mountain!"

"How far is Moria?" Boromir asked, fear evident in his voice.

Gandalf answered in a riddle; something about 15 miles by crow and 20 by wolf running. The fellowship wasted no time and quickly ran to the top of the hill they had been at the base of for a more defensible position. Shysa lit a fire for them incase they needed to see the Wargs…should they attack. They waited about a half hour before the Wargs actually attacked. Gandalf tried warning the Warg that he would 'shrivel them tail to snout' if they came within the ring of stones that protected the fellowship. It didn't listen and it leapt forward with a ferocious snarl. Legolas felled it with one shot from his bow. The hunting packs left.

The hobbits thought that they were safe now but as the night grew colder the Warg's cries came and grew in sound and number. Gandalf called out, "Fling fuel on the fire! Draw your swords and stand back to back!"

Shysa stood between Frodo and Pippin, igniting her pearl white saber. The four hobbits drew their swords as well. The Wargs came in a great number and Shysa fought the
Wargs away from her short companions. The men, elf, and dwarf fought front line defense. Then Gandalf drew a blazing branch from the fire and advanced on the Wargs. He then called out in Elvish tossing the branch high in the air. The surrounding trees caught fire and the whole hilltop was ablaze. Legolas slew the Warg king and the others fled. All except one…

The last Warg sprung forward at Frodo. Shysa heard his panicked cry and saw the Warg out of the corner of her eye. Shysa had no time to get her saber in position so she reached out with her mind and sent the Warg flying back into a burning tree. There it burnt to death in an instant.

The others looked at Shysa after the cries had died down. "How did you do that?" Frodo asked. The others nodded their agreement.

"I wasn't going to get my saber up in time so I used one of my other powers to do what you saw me do." She replied.

In the morning there was no trace of the fight. Gandalf said they must reach the mines by nightfall. So the fellowship moved quickly across the land to reach Moria in time.

When the fellowship finally reached the Walls of Moria, it was dark and they were tired. They had walked around the edge of a dark foul pool to get where they were now. The pool reminded Shysa of the Martha Stewart shows her once Sith-brother, Maul, liked watching and shuddered. Finally Gandalf announced, "Well, here we are at last." Then he gave some history about the seemingly non-existent door. That got Gimli and Legolas to a near argument on who broke the friendship between the elves and the dwarves. But Gandalf made the two stop before an all out fight broke out.

"Well here we are already, but where are the doors?" Merry asked. "I can't see any sign of them."

"Dwarf doors are not made to be seen when shut." Gimli replied.

Slowly the moon cam up and shown upon the walls and a picture appeared in silver.

"There are the emblems of Durin!" Gimli exclaimed.

"And there is the Tree of the High Elves!" Legolas said, awe in his voice.

"And the Star of the house of Fëanor," said Gandalf. "They are wrought of ithildin that mirrors only starlight and moonlight, and sleeps until it is touched by one who speaks words now long forgotten in Middle-earth."

"What does it say?" Frodo, Pippin and Shysa asked at the same time.

"The words do not say anything important to us. They say only, 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, Friend, and enter." Gandalf translated.

"What does it mean, 'speak friend and enter'?" Merry asked.

"It is quite simple," Gandalf replied, "If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open." Then Gandalf set about saying and doing various things to open the doors.

They didn't open...

A/N: Review me.