When Legolas awoke, he was surprised to feel a blanket covering his face, with the edge lifted to allow him to breathe fresh air. He opened his eyes with a frown, wondering what on earth had made Aragorn do something like that. Reaching up, he tugged the blanket off his face.

What he saw made his jaw drop.

Snow covered the ground: large flakes falling rapidly.

Aragorn was sitting beside him, and he couldn't help but smile at his friend's shocked expression.

Legolas shook his head, in shock. "Snow!"

"Aye, Legolas, very good."

Legolas pulled his good arm out from under his blanket, picking up some of the white stuff. "It's snowing!"

"Your point, mellon-nin?" said Aragorn. "Ah, it's on your ears."

Legolas shot a humored expression at his friend, before once more looking at the falling snow. "It never snows this early."

Aragorn nodded. "I know." He inwardly sighed, extremely upset despite his humorous words. How will Legolas continue this journey without a horse? And in the snow! Why did nature have to betray us now, of all times?

Legolas suddenly looked around the campsite, noting the continued absence of the horses.

Aragorn knew his thoughts. "They have not returned. There are no tracks to follow."

Legolas sighed, realizing the truth in his statement. Nothing could leave tracks in rocky terrain. "We must go on without them," he said.

Aragorn said nothing. They still had a two days journey to the Mirkwood Palace with the horses. Now, with Legolas' condition and the untimely snow, there was no telling how long it would take.

"Mayhap the horses will catch up with us," said Legolas. "They know where we are headed."

Aragorn nodded. "Aye, that is true."

Legolas watched the falling snow for another minute, before pulling the blankets off and attempting to stand.

"Wait," said Aragorn, putting a hand on his friend's chest to stop him. "Let me check your wound. How is the pain?"

Legolas had been trying to ignore his pain, but the sound of the word seemed to make him notice it all the more. "Bearable," he lied. "How long did I sleep?"

"Three hours," said Aragorn, reaching to unbutton Legolas' coat.

Legolas shifted away from him, blocking his friend's access. "There is no reason to check it so soon," he said. "Let us go."

Aragorn would not be deterred. He held Legolas in place again, going behind him and checking the bandage through the hole in the elf's coat. Blood had soaked through, as he expected. "The bandage needs to be changed."

"Later," said Legolas, stubbornly. Shifting his position, he used his friend's shoulder to push himself up, which also served to prevent Aragorn from touching him again.

The human sighed, but it turned into a worried frown when his friend began coughing.

Legolas was slightly taken by surprise by the coughing fit, and that combined with his blood loss made him waver where he stood.

Aragorn took his good arm, sitting Legolas down again as he reached for the cherry-bark tea that he'd warmed by the fire. He poured miruvor into it, hoping that their supply of the strength-giving drink would last until they reached the palace.

Legolas took the cup without protest, drinking it down, secretly relieved to have something warm inside his freezing body. He still couldn't believe that snow had come so soon.

Aragorn picked up the blankets and wrapped them around his friend, moving to pack their belongings and dissolve the campsite.

Legolas started to stand, intending to help, but changed his mind with a sigh. He knew that Aragorn would argue for him to sit again, and he knew that they didn't have time for a quarrel.

Aragorn quickly finished, moving to the fire with the intention of putting it out. One look at the shivering elf made him inwardly curse nature, and he put out the fire with a heavy heart.

Legolas looked at Aragorn when the human knelt before him. "Estel?"

The human sighed. "As much as I would like for you to keep the blankets while we travel, if you do, they will be soaked and useless to us when night falls…"

Legolas nodded, removing them with one hand. "Of course, take them."

Aragorn sighed as he shoved them into his pack. He had no idea how they would get through this day. Looking up at the sky, the snow didn't appear to stopping anytime soon, and there was already about two inches on the ground. "Come," he said, reaching a hand out to his friend.

Legolas took it, hiding a wince of pain as the human pulled him to his feet.

The descent down the mountain path was difficult. Not only did the snow make it slippery, but Legolas' injury made it very dangerous for the elf. Aragorn held onto him tightly lest he fall, and so far, they had avoided mishap.

Aragorn saw a large boulder jutting out from the side of the mountain, and he sat Legolas down.

"W-what are we doing," the elf said, frowning at the uncharacteristic stutter.

"Catch your breath," Aragorn said, sitting beside him.

Legolas said nothing, inwardly grateful for the rest. He wrapped his good arm around himself, trying to create more warmth.

Aragorn wrapped an arm around his friend, hoping to lend some body heat, though he knew that he hadn't much himself. While it wasn't bitterly cold, the temperature was much too low to be outside for a long period of time, and the falling snow made it all the worse, by making them wet.

Aragorn suddenly felt something bump his shoulder, and looked to see Legolas leaning against him. The elf's eyes were closed and his breathing heavy; Aragorn knew that the cold weather could cause problems with his friend's lungs.

As if on cue, Legolas started coughing and Aragorn unslung the waterskin from his shoulder, removing the cap and offering it to his friend.

Legolas took it, his frozen fingers fumbling to hold onto it as he drank. The tea was very cold, but the cherry-bark worked well to calm his coughs.

They sat there for a few more minutes before moving on, both of them eager to be off the mountain. It was their hope that the snow would be lighter on lower ground.

Thankfully, they were right.

The flakes were falling at a slower rate, and there was less snow on the earth. The wind was also lighter, and that served to make them feel a little warmer.

Travel was still slow and difficult however, as their limbs became numb from the cold. They walked close together; Aragorn holding Legolas tightly against himself to provide the elf with body heat, as well as to prevent him from possibly slipping and causing more harm to his shoulder.

Legolas remained quiet, too busy shivering to be able to speak. He grew exhausted as the day wore on, and he knew that Aragorn's tight hold was the only thing keeping him going.

They took frequent breaks, Legolas finally allowing Aragorn to re-bandage his wound.

As evening approached, Aragorn broke the silence. "We need sh-shelter for the night," he said, trying to keep his teeth from chattering.

Legolas was unable to speak, nodding instead.

"A-ask the trees?" Aragorn said.

Legolas slowly turned his head, looking at his friend. It took him a sluggish minute to understand what his friend meant, and they stopped beside a large pine.

Reaching out his good arm, Legolas placed his hand against the bark, resting his forehead against it. Oh great tree, Legolas said, with an inward sigh. We desperately need your help.

I heard the human, the tree answered, before Legolas had a chance to continue. We shall help you.

Aragorn looked up when he heard a loud rustling, and he watched as huge branches fell to the snowy ground; pine needles intact.

Several more thumps sounded around them, as other pines dropped their own, while a leafless oak dropped branches that they could use as firewood.

Legolas smiled, suddenly feeling slightly choked up. Hannon le. You may have saved us from a cold death.

The tree was glad to help, and it told him so.

Legolas straightened up stiffly, watching as Aragorn shrugged their packs from his shoulders and started to gather the tree branches. Legolas gathered the oak branches, making a pile and attempting to start a fire. It took him several tries to get a flame going, as his trembling from the cold interfered greatly.

Aragorn assembled the pine branches, tying them together with rope. He took some of the larger oak pieces and stuck them in the snow, before tying the pine branches to them and creating a lean-to. It effectively blocked the wind and flakes, and he used a pine branch as a broom, sweeping away the snow and placing the pine branches on the ground, laying blankets over them.

Legolas watched, amazed how fast Aragorn had done it. He wished that he could've helped his friend, but there was no way that he could do anything to assist with only one arm. Aragorn had put up the lean-to with the fire right at the opening, and Legolas stood and went under the shelter, sitting on the blanket before the fire.

Aragorn joined him, relieved to be sitting and feeling warmth.

It was a while before their limbs thawed out, and Legolas lay down after they ate, unable to stay awake any longer.

Aragorn took out all of their blankets, draping them over the elf. "Will the trees keep watch for us again?" he asked.

We will, indeed, the great pine said to Legolas.

"Aye," Legolas told him.

Aragorn smiled. "Hannon le!" he said to the trees, lying down beside his friend and pulling the blankets up to their chins. "Sleep well," he said to Legolas. "Do not hesitate to wake me if you need anything."

Legolas could feel warmth from his friend's body as well as the fire, and he shifted closer to Aragorn. "Good night," he said, falling quickly into slumber.

When Legolas woke the next morning, he found his body feeling very stiff. He mind seemed groggy and sluggish as he looked around for Aragorn.

The human heard his friend sniff, and walked to the lean-to, finding the elf blinking blearily from where he lay. "Good morning," he said.

"Mpfh," Legolas replied, re-closing his eyes.

Aragorn frowned as he knelt beside his friend. "Are you all right?" he asked, feeling the elf's forehead. "You aren't becoming ill again, are you?"

Legolas reopened his eyes, focusing on the human. "I do not believe so, I'm just…so cold."

Aragorn sighed. "I know, mellon-nin. I loathe nature for this early winter." He smiled slightly, though he was a nervous wreck inside, fearing the notion that Legolas' body temperature was falling. He knew that it would, in both of them, but he wondered if the vanwacoi's effect on the elf would make him more susceptible to the cold. We already know that it has, he thought, studying his friend's pale face.

"It is n-no longer s-snowing," Legolas said, his face feeling too numb to form words correctly.

Aragorn shook his head. "It stopped before I awoke." Turning, he shot an apprehensive glance at the clouds. They were very low and dark, and he secretly feared that heavier snow was coming.

Legolas suddenly shifted, trying to sit up. His limbs felt like lead, numbed by the cold. On the bright side, though, the numbness was helping with the pain in his shoulder.

Aragorn helped him, pulling him closer to the fire and handing the elf some lembas bread.

Legolas took it, but before he had a chance to eat, his lungs protested the overnight settling of fluid.

Aragorn grabbed the pot of fresh cherry-bark tea, pouring it into a cup for his friend. He held it out, wondering when the elf would be fully recovered from his illness.

Legolas drank it with relief, grateful to have something warm inside his frozen body.

Aragorn watched his friend, closing his eyes when a gust of cold wind blew. He looked up the clouds again, wondering when the inevitable flakes would begin to fly once more.

Legolas ate the lembas bread, wishing that he had some honey to smother it with. He smiled, shaking his head at the inane thought.

Aragorn saw his friend's expression, but before he had a chance to ask him what he found so amusing, a sudden sound erupted from the elf-prince.

"Hic!"

Aragorn's jaw dropped, as Legolas looked at him with his eyes opened wide and a hand covering his mouth.

The elf slowly removed his hand, opening his mouth to speak, but all that came out was another, "Hic!"

Aragorn began laughing hysterically. "You have the hiccups! The hiccups!"

Legolas frowned. "And you find this--hic!--amusing, human?!"

"Yes!"

Legolas frowned, hiccupping again.

"All those times," said Aragorn, still laughing. "All the times that you laughed at me when I got the hiccups…now you know how it feels!" He shook his head, looking at his friend. "How does it feel, Legolas?"

"HIC!"

Aragorn laughed harder, but he stopped when Legolas suddenly coughed, hiccupping in the middle of it "Hold your breath, Legolas," he said, knowing that hiccupping and coughing didn't go well together. "Take the deepest breath possible and hold it in until you can't anymore. Then let it out very slowly."

Legolas did as he was told, unable to hold it for very long because his lungs wanted to cough again. He had no choice but to give in, hiccupping again before he was able to try a second attempt.

Aragorn was no longer laughing, watching as Legolas finally managed to hold his breath long enough, before slowly letting it out.

They were both silent, waiting to see if it had worked.

"HIC!"

Aragorn snorted, shaking his head and trying to wipe the smile from his face. "Try again…inhale slowly, and hold it."

Legolas coughed again, grimacing as he obeyed.

Before the elf could let the air out too soon, Aragorn grabbed his friend's head, covering the elf's mouth and nose with his hand.

Legolas' eyes widened in surprise.

Aragorn had to fight not to laugh, as he recalled Legolas doing the same thing to him a year or so ago. He watched his friend carefully, ready to quickly let go if he had to.

Legolas sat calmly, waiting.

Aragorn let go a few seconds later. "Let it out as slowly as possible."

Legolas obeyed, and they silently waited.

No further hiccups came, and Legolas smiled his relief.

Aragorn chuckled, standing to break up the camp. "That was an incident that I shall remember for the rest of my days."

Legolas shook his head. "I have no doubt of that."