*walks into the room being pushed by Pippin and Legolas* Get off, get off! *gives them evil glare* Well, school is in full swing and I'm well adjusted to the work load once more. I've been prompted *another glare* by certain individuals to keep writing the story that got lost with that disk. Evidently, Pippin is an attention whore, Legolas doesn't like being unconscious, and Gimli-kins is tired of carrying said Elf over his shoulder.

Legolas: I'm going to smell like Dwarf! There is nothing worse than the smell of wet Dwarf!

Gimli-kins: How do you think I feel? By the speed of her writing, I've been carrying an unconscious Elf over my shoulder for the past month!

Pippin: Do Elves really weigh that much?

Gimli: Like tote-ing around a giant sack of rocks!

Legolas: That's not true! We Elves hardly weigh anything! And I've been on a diet!

Gimli: Got to keep up that girlish figure?

Legolas: That's it! *leaps onto Gimli with knife in hand*

Gimli: *tries to roll out of the way* Get off me you lunatic!

Shut up, all of you! And get off him you homo!

Legolas: *looks like he's been hit by lightning**quickly climbs off Gimli*

That's better! Now, if you don't mind, I've got a story to write!

Just a note: any text inside ~*~*~ marks equals a dream:)

********

Problems Along The Way

Chapter 4

Rainclouds Form

********

Dark clouds were forming overhead. Pippin was absolutely miserable. His feet were starting to ache from all the climbing they had been doing and he had slipped and fallen in the water when they had crossed the river. He heard thunder in the distance. //Great. Just great! As if this day couldn't get any worse.// Suddenly Aragorn halted them.

"Wait here," he said in a hushed voice. He jogged on ahead and disappeared behind an outcropping of rock. Gandalf's eyes were fixed on the spot where Aragorn disappeared.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes, Aragorn reappeared and went straight to Gandalf.

"There is a cave big enough for all of to take shelter in up ahead. There were a number of tunnels leading off from the back of it and I didn't get to explore them all, but it seems safe enough."

"Safer than our current location it seems," Gandalf said with a wary look around him. "Lead us to it then."

The cave was cold and drafty, but it was dry.

"I suggest that we all get some rest while we can," Gandalf said as soon as they were all inside. Aragorn opened his mouth as if to say something, but Gandalf beat him to it. "I will keep watch for now. Get some rest Aragorn," he said with a tone of finality in his voice. Aragorn looked defeated.

Gandalf settled himself down in a place near the mouth of the cave, and Sam and Merry began to lay out the blankets and cloaks for their bed. Just as Boromir and Aragorn were settling themselves on the floor there was a flash of lightning outside. It began to rain.

********

Gimli stopped. He felt like he had been walking in this direction for hours. He had no idea where he had been going nor any idea what time of day it was. All he knew was that he hadn't slept since the previous day, and Legolas still hadn't woken up. He had been going steadily up hill the entire time, but tired as he was, he couldn't tell.

//This is getting me nowhere!// He laid Legolas down on the stone floor and sat down. With a suspicious glance, he waved his hand in front of the Elf Prince's eyes. Nothing. Legolas had long since stopped shivering, but he was freezing cold to the touch. That meant that a) Legolas was starting to warm up or b) Legolas was so cold that his body was beyond shivering. Gimli hoped it was a.

//Alright. I've got to find a way to warm this Elf up so he wakes. We are both still soaking wet, and fire is an impossibility. I've got to get back to the others!// Gimli sighed in defeat. //I've got to keep going. But I'll take some rest first. No use of me falling asleep on my feet.// He settled himself up against the wall and, with a quick look at the unconscious Legolas, fell quickly to sleep.

********

Pippin rolled over for the hundredth time under his cloak. Try as he might, he just couldn't get to sleep. He had too much on his mind. He could see Gandalf smoking his pipe by the entrance of the cave, and he could hear the rain thundering down outside. He let out an exasperated sigh.

"Alright Pippin, what is it?" Merry caught Pippin by surprise.

"Merry, I thought you were asleep," Pippin said.

"I would have been if the Hobbit next to me could stay still for five seconds." Pippin inwardly cringed. "Now out with it, what's bothering you?"

"It's nothing, the rain's just keeping me up."

Merry sat up. "Don't lie to me Pippin. I can tell when something is bothering you, so what is it?"

Pippin sat up and wrapped his short arms around his knees. He was silent and kept his eyes fixed on the floor in front of his.

"Well?"

"Well, wewouldn'tbeinthismessifitwasn'tforme," he said in one short breath.

"What? What are you talking about?" Merry scooted closer to Pippin.

Pippin tried to gather his thoughts. //Well, let's see: it was because of me that we left the trail in the first place, my fault that we had to come here so I could get cleaned up, and Legolas was probably irritated at having to look for me when he started fighting with Gimli.//

"Everything!" he said at last.

"Shah," Merry quieted him, "everything is a very broad word Pippin. It includes anything from the creation of this world, which I know for a fact that you had no part in, to the destruction of it, which you haven't done yet."

Pippin didn't feel that Merry was helping. "We wouldn't be stuck in this cave if it wasn't for me."

Now Merry was annoyed. "How can you be so daft Pippin? Did Aunt Eglantine drop you when you were little?"

Pippin was confused. Evidently it showed on his face.

"Did it ever occur to you that the wargs would be after us whether or not we came to these falls?"

"Well..." Pippin started.

"And," Merry continued, "did the thought ever occur to you that we'd be out trying to sleep in this rain if we hadn't come here?"

"No, but--"

"None of this is your fault Pippin."

Pippin met Merry's gaze. "I guess you're right..."

"Of course I'm right, I'm a Brandybuck," Merry said matter-of-factly. Pippin could have sworn that he heard Gandalf chuckle.

"Yes, but what about--" Pippin tried.

"What about nothing," Merry broke in. "now get some sleep Pippin." And with that he lay down and shut his eyes.

Pippin lay down as well, and had one last thought before sleep won him over. //What about Legolas and Gimli?//

********

Gimli woke with a start. He was disoriented for a moment before he remembered where he was. //What in Durin's Beard woke me up.// He looked over to where Legolas was laying. Legolas was still unconscious and very pale, but he was twitching somewhat in his sleep. Out of nowhere he gave a forceful kick that narrowly missed Gimli's side.

"Oh so that's it, eh? Kick me in my sleep?" Legolas shivered and twitched a little more. "Bloody Elf!"

Gimli unceremoniously slung Legolas over his shoulder once more and started off again. Little did he know that Legolas was fighting a battle of his own.

~*~*~

Legolas was running so fast he couldn't even discern between the tree's around him. He felt every branch hit him as he ran, felt them tear at his milky-smooth skin, spilling precious red life from the wounds they created. He stopped and jumped into the trees.

//I know this place// he thought to himself. //I'm home!//

He recognized the look of the tree he was in, let himself be consumed by their familiar scents.

He heard something off in the distance. Someone was calling his name. He recognized the voice. "Aragorn!"

He took off in the direction Aragorn's call had come from, leaping from branch to branch with cat-like grace. //Hold on my friend, I'm coming!//

He arrived at a clearing and dropped down from the trees. There was Aragorn standing in the middle of the open space with his back turned to Legolas.

"Aragorn!" Aragorn didn't move.

"Aragorn? I heard your call. Are you injured?" Aragorn said nothing.

Legolas walked slowly and silently up to Aragorn and moved to place his hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Estel?"

The moment that Legolas' hand touched Aragorn's shoulder, he disappeared. Legolas was surrounded by Orcs, hundreds of them. It was at that moment that he realized that he was weaponless. His bow and his white knives were missing.

The orcs came at him with full force. He ducked a sword aimed at his neck, dropped to the ground and kicked the legs out from under the orc that swung at him. He jumped up just in time to dodge an arrow aimed at his chest. "Stinking yrch!"

He broke the offending orc's neck, only to receive a forceful kick behind his knees. He was on the ground when they just started pummeling him. He received blow after blow, in his face, chest, back and legs. Just then he felt a terrible numbing, burning sensation in the back of his head. Everything around him was going dark. He was falling, falling...

~*~*~

Gimli had heard something. It sounded like steel hitting rock. When he whirled around to see where the sound had come from, he heard a sickening thud and a moan from behind him. He realized he must have struck Legolas on the head when he spun. //That can't be good.//

He gingerly placed the injured Elf on stone floor and examined his head. There was a fresh bruise that was bleeding and quickly turning into a bump. "Damn!" He touched the bump only to hear Legolas groan and clench his eyes tight in pain.

"Legolas!" Legolas turned his head away from the offending noise. Gimli placed both hands on Legolas' shoulders and gave them a little shake. "Legolas! Wake up!"

Legolas' eyes fluttered open and he blinked many times in succession. Then his eyes locked onto Gimli's. Before Gimli could comprehend what was going on, Legolas flipped on top of him, pinning his arms down with his powerful legs. Before Gimli could stop himself, the words 'stronger than he looks' popped into his head. But he had no time to scold himself. Legolas had one of his white knives aimed at Gimli's heart, and his knuckles were pressed firmly into Gimli's throat, preventing him from breathing.

"Le...las..." he tried to speak.

Legolas was shaking his head slightly as if to try to clear it.

"Leg...as..." he choked out, "...air..." he tried desperately.

Legolas stopped shaking his head and looked at Gimli. His eyes widened in recognition. He rolled off Gimli, sheathing his knife as he did. He sat on the floor rubbing his head where it was bleeding. Gimli sat there struggling to breath properly and holding his throat.

For a long while, all was silent but for the sound of their breathing. Legolas was shivering again. He would have liked to ask what had happened but that would have given Gimli the upper hand. What Legolas did remember was that after they had arrived at the falls, he had been pushed in by the not-too-graceful Dwarf. He had no idea how he had gotten in this cave, but at least he knew why he was soaking wet.

Gimli glared at him. Legolas glared back. Finally Gimli broke the silence.

"Is that all the thanks that I get?"

"Thanks?! What reason have I to owe you my thanks?"

"I hauled your limp carcass up through these caves when I could have left you to die! This is how you repay my kindness?"

"It was your 'kindness' that got us into this mess!" Legolas wasn't exactly sure how he had ended up here, but surely the Dwarf had something to do with it. He was starting to feel like he was being slowly suffocated in this cave. He needed to feel the sun on his face and the wind in his hair. He needed to get out of here!

He stood up to find a way out, but Gimli took it as a threat and quickly stood up as well, axe in hand. Legolas notched an arrow in his bow. It would have escalated into something more, but then both heard something that stopped them. Howling. Along with that, they distinctly heard the sound of metal hitting rock.

"Where is it coming from?" Gimli asked quickly.

Legolas concentrated hard. The sound seemed to be coming from behind them, but he knew from experience in his father's palace back home that it was most likely an echo.

"This way!" he said taking off in the direction Gimli was originally headed. Gimli had no choice but to follow behind.

********

Pippin sat straight up. Something had woken him. He looked around. Gandalf, Aragorn and Boromir all were standing with their swords drawn. Sam was brandishing one of his cooking pans and Frodo was clutching at something beneath his shirt. Merry was crouched on the ground next to him. All was silent except for the rain and thunder outside.

Then Pippin heard it. A howl, followed by growling, and both very close to the cave. Merry drew his sword, and Pippin followed suit. Everything went in slow motion after that.

A mass of wet fur leaped into the cave directly at Aragorn, but was met with and quickly disposed of by the tip of his sword. Then more came. Gandalf cleaved the neck of a warg in one sharp blow, Boromir thrust his sword into the ribcage of another.

A Warg got through their line of defense and Sam abandoned his pan as he and Frodo drew their swords. The warg leapt at the Hobbits, who tumbled out of the way just in time. Merry made a bold move by jumping on the beast as it was about to leap at Sam, driving his sword down into its shoulder. It reared, throwing Merry to the floor, but Frodo drove Sting into it's exposed chest, and the beast was no more.

More Wargs flooded into the cave. They all fought them off as best as they could. Pippin received a large gash on his left leg from a Warg's claws. Boromir had a bad bite on his shoulder. All had some cuts and bruises. The stone floor of the cave was slowly being carpeted with the bodies of wargs.

Just as Aragorn felt that he could lift his sword no longer, he saw something that quite left him awestruck for a moment. Through one of the tunnels leading into the cave, in leaped Legolas, bow notched with one of his green feathered arrows, shining like Erendil in the night sky. He was dripping with water and his head was bleeding in two places. he was followed shortly (A/N: pardon the pun!) by an equally wet Gimli.

Legolas' bow sang and a Warg fell dead. Gimli swung his axe and another fell lifeless to the floor. In an instant, Legolas was at Aragorn's back, bringing down Wargs left and right.

"It is good to see you alive my friend," Aragorn said as he raised his sword once again.

"It is good to see you as well," Legolas replied as he loosed another arrow.

Aragorn had no idea how Legolas and Gimli had gotten into the caves, but at the moment he didn't care. He was just happy to see them both well.

Soon enough, the wargs were either all dead or had run away. Aragorn collapsed on the ground in exhaustion to find that the Hobbits were already there. Gandalf, leaning heavily on his staff, walked up to where Legolas, bow over his shoulder, arrows spent, and knives still in hand, was leaning next to Aragorn.

"I believe you have some explaining to do."

Legolas never got the chance to answer. The moment that Gandalf finished his sentence, an injured warg, presumed dead, leaped from the floor at Legolas. He let out a cry of surprise, dropping his knives as the warg clamped it's powerful jaws down on his mid-section. Before anyone had a chance to react, the warg took off into the storm, and the weaponless Legolas with him.

********

Well how do you like it? I was considering making this the last chapter and ending the story with everyone being okay, but hey the plot bunny that hopped into my lap when I started this story isn't dead yet. Thanx to all the people who have been sticking with the story. Your comments are inspiring and greatly appreciated. Please R/R! Feedback gets me off my lazy but to write more!