Into the Labyrinth
Author: Amorous
A/N: Disclaimer in chapter one.
*Chapter 2: Caught by Surprise*
Soft laughter echoed off the cliff face and into the night. The four Elves and the man sat around a small fire, their horses tied just outside firelight's reach. After a small meal, they had sat and begun telling stories to pass the time, Isorfinduil and Elladan seeming quite content to leave each other alone. The darkness of the night was almost complete, save only the light from a thin crescent moon and the stars that hung above them.
"So all five Orcs ended up tripping over each other right off the edge and into the river! I didn't even have to lift a finger." Elladan finished up his story with a chuckle. "I hope that taught them a lesson about ambushing an Elf."
"I'm sure it did, brother." Elrohir replied, laughing. "That sounds like the time when Legolas and Estel and I went hunting that time in Mirkwood. Do you remember?" He asked Legolas and Aragorn.
"How could we forget?" Aragorn said with a smile. He turned to Isorfinduil and Elladan to explain. "These Orcs attacked us out of nowhere and then tried to lure us under a net. But they stepped into their own trap and captured themselves!"
"Yes well, It would have been us too if Elrohir hadn't stopped you in time." Legolas pointed out, leaning leisurely back against the lone tree that stood in their clearing.
"I told you, it was all a part of the plan!" Aragorn said defensively as Elrohir, Isorfinduil and Elladan began to chuckle.
"We didn't have a plan, Estel." Elrohir laughed.
"Well then it's a good thing you had me there."
"Oh you had a plan, did you?"
"Of course, I always do."
"So that time when you fell into the spiders' lair," Legolas spoke up, his face glowing from the light of the fire. "That was a plan?"
"That wasn't the plan, but I had one once I fell in."
"Aragorn, I had to come and get you out, if I remember correctly." Legolas countered. The other Elves were laughing light-heartedly.
"That was my plan!" Aragorn said with a boyish grin.
"I see-" Legolas began but was suddenly cut off by a loud and awful screeching noise that pierced the night. The five immediately jumped to their feet, laughing time over.
"Orcs!" Legolas muttered with distaste as he picked up his bow and notched an arrow. Isorfinduil cursed softly under his breathe and pulled out his bow as well. They heard a ring of metal as the three others drew their swords. Their eyes darted about, trying to see through the darkness of the night.
"They must have seen our fire." Aragorn said, and another screech split the air, this time coming from above them.
"The ledge!" Cried Elladan. That was their only warning as dark shapes came flying down around them. Orcs poured out of some hidden cave and leaped off the ledge into the camp, immedietely attacking the Elves and the human. Legolas and Isorfinduil lost no time and began shooting their arrows, their hands moving almost too fast to see. Aragorn went at it the moment the first Orcs hit the ground, hacking away at those near him. Elladan and Elrohir both stood at his back, and they formed a loose triangle, attacking any Orcs who came at them. They had only the firelight to go by, which was sufficient, if it stayed lit. Sounds of metal hitting metal, and the continual zipping of Mirkwood arrows combined with ear-piercing screams and growls filled the night.
More Orcs moved in around the trio in the center of the camp, surrounding them completely. The creatures didn't let up an inch, jabbing and slashing at them without break. Legolas and Isorfinduil, who were somewhat off to the side shooting into the camp, suddenly found a wall of Orcs on their right, backing them into the cliff. In the next moment, an Orc smothered their small fire, sending them into a deeper darkness and Legolas heard a soft whinnying coming from somewhere nearby.
"The horses!" He shouted to Isorfinduil, grabbing the two knives off his back and slicing the heads off a couple of Orcs who'd charged them. Isorfinduil glanced at the Prince and made a sudden decision. He whipped his hunting knives out as well and made a break through the wall of creatures in front of them. The Elf dashed toward where they'd left their horses, knowing that Legolas would be able to hold his own.
Elrohir ducked a wild swing aimed for his head and buried his sword in the unprotected midsection of his attacker. Two more came at him from either side, and he was forced to step into the attack and away from his brothers.
"Watch your backs!" He called to them in warning. Aragorn and Elladan heard and turned their backs to each other, closing the gap. Elrohir got a quick glimpse of Isorfinduil running into the woods, which struck him as strange until he remembered the horses. He wished to go and help the Mirkwood Elf, but that was simply not an option. The battle around him was almost too intense for thought, especially now that he had no one protecting his back. He was constantly ducking and blocking and slashing at the foul Orcs around him.
Isorfinduil sprinted to where they'd left their horses tied to see them being driven into the darkened woods by ten or so Orcs. He swung his bow up and shot at the foul creatures as he ran, quickly closing the gap with long, swift strides. Half of them were dead by the time he reached them, but he raced past the remaining few and flew after the horses, ignoring the screeches and growls of the Orcs crying for reinforcements. Seeing the white form of Legolas' mare cantering through the trees just ahead of him, he forced his legs to pump faster and vaulted onto her back from behind. Startled, she shook her head and began to rear back. Isorfinduil quickly spoke to her in Elvish and she calmed immediately, recognizing his voice. He spoke into her ear again and they took off into the night after the other horses, leaving the battle raging behind them.
Legolas slid his knife into an Orc's chest and glanced quickly around the camp in the dim moonlight. The Orcs' numbers were steadily decreasing. Aragorn and Elladan, he saw with some assurance, seemed to be doing all right together but he caught sight of Elrohir in the dead center of camp, and quickly began to make his way over, still fighting off creatures on either side of him. When Legolas was only yards away, he glanced up just in time to see Elrohir stumble down out of his line of view. He felt a quick spike of fear as an Orc quickly stabbed downward with his jagged knife and the creatures screeched and rushed toward the spot where Elrohir had been.
"Elrohir!" Came Aragorn's frantic voice from across the camp. The young man suddenly broke away from Elladan and charged forward. Legolas had finally hacked far enough into the pile of Orcs that he caught momentary flashes of Elrohir in the middle. Legolas saw his opportunity as an ugly creature next to him swung his long sword towards him. The Elf ducked and spun low, coming up in the middle of the group. Elrohir was on his knees in an awkward position, and looked quite relieved to see the Prince. Legolas had no time to see how he was doing, but stood close and fought by him.
Aragorn had seen his brother go down and immediately rushed towards the spot. He saw Legolas going in from the other side and fought his way forward. Suddenly the blonde Elf vanished from his sight and for a split second, Aragorn feared that he too had been hit, but a moment later Legolas popped up in the center of the group of creatures and Aragorn gave a small inward sigh.
With Aragorn on the outside fighting his way in and Legolas in the center, the Orcs that had once come in masses were quickly dying off. A few began to scurry off into the woods. More slowly followed until there were only a few left fighting, who quickly fell to a knife in their throat or a sword in their stomach.
The moment they were fully gone, Legolas knelt beside Elrohir, who was still on his knees.
"Where are you hurt?" Legolas quickly asked. Aragorn appeared at his side in a second, sheathing his sword.
"I do not think it is bad." Elrohir said. He gestured toward his back and twisted so that they could have a better look. From what they could see in the dim light, blood was flowing out of a dirty cut on the far left side of his back. "I'm sorry, one of them caught my foot at the wrong time. Once I fell, they didn't give me a chance to get to my feet again."
"That's a part of what makes them Orcs, I suppose." Aragorn replied, obviously relieved that the wound wasn't fatal. He quickly ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt and wadded it up, pressing it onto his brother's back to stop the bleeding.
"Brother, are you all right?" Elladan asked with worry as he came jogging over. He quickly took a look at Elrohir's back.
"Yes, I'm all right. It is not deep." Elrohir got to his feet, took the cloth from his younger brother, and held it there himself with his other hand. He glanced around the camp. "Isorfinduil hasn't returned."
"He went after the horses." Legolas said with obvious worry.
The screeching of Orcs echoed deep in the woods. "The Orcs are still out there. He will need help!" Legolas said and took off into the dark trees, the others racing to catch up.
**
Isorfinduil leaned far out of Lydiel's saddle and snatched the reins of Aragorn's brown horse who was galloping beside him.
The horse nickered even as the Elf saw the forms of two other horses racing somewhat to their right. He veered towards them. As he pulled up alongside them, he saw they belonged to the twins; Elladan's grey mare and Elrohir's chestnut. They were flying side by side at an astonishing speed and Isorfinduil encouraged Lydiel to stay even with them. For a moment, the Elf wondered why the horses would still be running this hard, but he didn't have to wonder long as sounds of Orcs in the surrounding woods came to his ears. The four horses galloped in a tight line, occasionally weaving in and out of the trees. Isorfinduil saw that the horses weren't slowing and knew that he must calm them down soon. He still hadn't seen any sign of his own horse, Merencil, and didn't want to risk straying too far into the forest.
The light brown haired Elf drew his legs up under him so he was riding in a low crouch. Then, with a glance ahead to be sure of no oncoming obstacles, Isorfinduil shifted his weight and made a small hop onto the back of Elladan's grey horse. The horse made a loud screaming noise, and Isorfinduil winced, knowing that it would inevitably draw all the Orcs in the area to their position. The horse whipped his head up and down, but did not slow. If anything, he sped up.
The Elf slowly drew back on the reins, and the horse finally began to check his speed, as did the chestnut beside him. When they were at a safe running speed, Isorfinduil made a tight turn and began to head back to camp, giving a whistle that he hoped his own horse would hear.
**
Legolas dashed through the woods and broke into a place where the trees were less thick, Aragorn at his side and the twins somewhere behind him. He suddenly skidded to a stop.
"Wait!" He said, lifting a hand. They stood still for a moment as different sounds reached their ears; a light breeze rustling the leaves of the forest, the jostling and growling of Orcs somehwhere near them, and the steady pounding of hoofbeats drawing near.
"He is coming here." The blonde Elf stated. He raised his bow, prepared to cover for his friend. Elrohir and Elladan fanned to either side just as a group of horses came into sight, with Isorfinduil atop Elladan's horse in the lead. But just as they caught sight of him, black arrows began to rain upon them from all sides. One struck the horse upon which Isorfinduil was riding and the horse screamed and crashed to the ground, throwing his rider onto the forest floor. The other Elves and man rushed forward. Legolas saw that the Orcs were not many, and began to pick them off as they showed themselves in the trees. Aragorn as well was making use of his bow and together they finally killed what remained of the Orc host.
When they turned around, they found Elrohir helping a slightly dirty but unharmed Isorfinduil to his feet. Isorfinduil's grey horse, Merencil, came trotting into the area just then and whinnied upon seeing its owner. Elladan knelt by his horse. His hand was resting on the horse's shoulder and his head was bowed, his dark hair falling about and blocking his face from their view. They stood silent as Elladan's hand rose and fell one last time and the horse drew its last shuddering breathe and went still. Isorfinduil slowly and carefully began to walk over.
"Elladan, I'm sorry. I -"
But Elladan cut him off by standing up brusquely and brushing by him. "Come, we must leave this place. We don't know what other Orc camps may be nearby." And, as an afterthought, added, "We must be more wary. We were taken by surprise and must not let it happen again."
They were quiet as they went back to camp and collected their belongings. No more word was spoken of Elladan's lost horse, and seeing as how dawn was not far away, they set off again, so as to get a head start on their day's journey.
**
And there's the action! I hope you liked it. I'm sorry I had to kill Elladan's horse, but I have my reasons. Well, I must say a have a newfound respect for story writers. It's harder than I thought to put in the right amount of each character! I want people to get to know Isorfinduil, but can't let the story center around him, and I'm trying to have Elladan and Elrohir have different personalities but if I spend too much time on them, it takes away from Legolas and Aragorn, who the story is supposed to be about! Haha…then again, I can't have everything happen to Aragorn and Legolas…well, I guess I'll have to deal with that, huh?
Oh and thanks so much to those of you who reviewed! They were really encouraging.
Anime Soccer Lobos- haha, those eyes of yours must have worked! And yes, Isorfinduil and Elladan's fight was meant to be serious, but also enjoyable at the same time…if that makes any sense….anyways, yeah, they've never really gotten along. So it'll be interesting to see what happens…thanks again!
Gemstone- Yes, I'm trying to get Elladan and Elrohir in here as characters with a purpose. And I'll keep Elladan in mind… J Thanks for the nice review!
Hey, is anyone else having problems with ff.net? It's real slow, and I'm getting all these "site experiencing overload…please come back in a few minutes." Geez….
Please review, anyone who read this and liked it…it's your support that keeps me motivated!!
