Gaurhoth

For the sake of Legolas, Aragorn tried to fight the growing feeling within. But his insides hurt so badly. He felt a hunger that he had never suffered before. It gnawed at him like a growing canker. He was tired yet restless, weak yet absurdly aware of the slightest sound, movement or sensation. He would give anything, anything to stop this malady. It took all his strength to not start screaming and writhing on the ground.

The worst sensation was the itching. It flared along his arms and back, it ran down his torso and onto his legs. It even attacked the delicate skin between his fingers. He kept his arms folded across his middle for he somehow knew that if he touched his own skin he would claw at it till he bled. He was huddled against the wall of the cave, shaking in misery.

For the first time in his long life Legolas felt helpless. Seeing Aragorn in pain and being unable to help was killing him. At first, he had tried to comfort him in some way but Aragorn would not suffer his touch. He sat cross legged on the ground, dagger held loosely in his hands. He looked completely relaxed but his emotions were in turmoil. He did not know if being underground when night fell and the moon rose would forestall the change. He did not know how well the blood of Númenor would stand against the curse of the Gaurhoth.

Aragorn would either change into the werebeast or not. Either way there was nothing he could do. He fingered the dagger in his hand. He did not know if, when the time came, he would be able to kill the dúnadan. In an effort to delay the Drúedain, Legolas had used his considerable skill to hide their trail when they had moved that morning. He had finally run to ground in an abandoned bear's den. It was big enough to hold them both yet the entrance was narrow enough to defend.

In his heart Legolas knew that they could not stay concealed for long. Just as he knew all the secret dangers and beauty of Mirkwood, just so these warriors knew every crooked path, every hidden glade and every secret place in this forest. After all the forest was theirs, it had been their home for many ages of the sun. He could only pray to the Ainur that they both survive this.

Aragorn could take no more. He was stretched out full length on the floor of the cave fingers clawing at the earth beneath him. He groaned and grunted as waves of heat suffused his body.

Legolas came as close as he dared, wanting to touch him, reassure him in some way, but he did not.

"Aragorn Im si," he said full of sorrow.

The moon was full round and sat low in the sky. Its beautiful light shone forth, bathing the darkened forest in its glow. It was said that the light of the Hunter's moon had magical powers. It bestowed upon man and beast extra prowess and cleverness and strength. It was said that a boy child born under such a moon would make a great man; a girl child would grow to be surpassingly beautiful and clever.

The moonlight called to the spirit of the beast trapped inside the man. It shone on the tips of the spears of the painted men as they began to chant.

The chanting broke through Aragorn's last defences. The sweet susurrus of their voices called to him in a dark, urgent, primal way. His back arched as all the pain, hurt and anger he felt came to a boil. He tilted his head back and gave a piercing, maddened scream.

Aragorn's scream sent Legolas to his feet. He tightened his hold on the blade, knowing that he should strike, but unable to do it.

"Fight Aragorn, fight!" he exclaimed.

Aragorn felt a rush, it spread from the tips of his toes to his tingling scalp.

Legolas stared with anguished eyes as long wicked looking claws grew from the tips of Aragorn's fingers and feet. The hair on his head grew like sentient life to three times its length. The hair on his chest darkened and thickened. His arms grew impossibly longer and the muscles in his legs began to bulge. His screams were unending and unbearable.

The heat that had been consuming him finally stopped. Aragorn ceased to think or feel as the werebeast took control.

"Do not let them have me."

Aragorn's words rang in Legolas' head as kneeling beside his friend, his hand descended swiftly in a powerful fatal arc.

The Gaurhoth's eyes snapped open as the elven blade plunged deep into its chest. With a roar of pain he leaped up and slapped away the one who had caused that pain.

Legolas was thrown against the wall of the cave with terrible force.

Aragorn the Gaurhoth whimpered as it pulled the elvish blade out of itself and let it fall to the ground. The wound bled. Aragorn scratched at it with his paws and then squatted. He gave a long ululating howl.

Legolas stirred, his head and back throbbing in agony. Blinking slowly as he tried to focus, he made a small sound of distress.

Aragorn growled menacingly as Legolas shifted. There was the thing that had tried to hurt him. He sniffed the air and smelled the elf's blood. It was sweet. But, before he could attack there came something sweeter. The call of the Drúedain. Pausing briefly to find the entrance, Aragorn did not look back as he loped outside.

Legolas struggled to call out to him. The blow to the back of his head was serious however and he could not find the capacity to speak. His outstretched hand grew still as unconsciousness crept in to claim him. He had noticed something, something important, something that he must not forget.

To

Mornflower…… Wolf man Ranger huh? I like that.

AM….. Hope ya like this one too. (what does am stand for?)

Viggomaniac…….. Poor Bard, and ummmm I thought I'd leave the nightmare escape thing to the imaginations of the viewers.

Shanna…….. Hola ! Gracias por los montajes nuevos, me empujan.

Tanya…… Ah yes Hunter's moon, don't mind a little foray in the forest myself on those nights. And ummmm didn't really plan on describing 'the escape'. Forgive me?

Quick beam……. Aw shucks thank you.

I would have hightailed it too!

Legolas is a very stubborn elf.

Ainu Laire…….. You have a wonderful sense of humour. I kinda agree with Aragorn though.

Lindahoyland…….. Scary! It ain't scary, once you ignore the werewolf and the little men and all the death… hmmmmm.

Grumpy….. Hey Grumpy thanks you so much for saying that. Hope you liked chapter 4.