Disclaimer: See the first chapter… (not that I think you will)

RR (very much appreciated)

I must say the first part of the chapter could be a little boring but keep reading I promise you some excitement a little further down !

Too much darkness in a day…

Chapter 4: Four days and a battle

Although it was snowing again, the warriors still had to practice archery every day, especially the novices. But they all seemed to like it in some way. For Legolas, archery was a way to blow of some steam, but today it was more some task he still had to do. His thoughts didn't do any harm to his skill though. He quickly notched an arrow and shot it in the centre of the target without any problems. As always some of the warriors were still astonished at his speed. They followed his example…

After archery Legolas told his brother their father wanted to see them… so they did as they were asked and only a few minutes later they stood in Thranduil's study waiting for him to start talking.

"I'm sure you both noticed through your own experiences, that we're dealing with a problem. A problem that must be taken very serious. The other patrol that was sent into the woods, still hasn't returned. I want one of you to go and search for them with a group of warriors."

"I'll do it" Legolas agreed before Eleiden could even open his mouth.

Thranduil locked eyes with his son before nodding "Fine, that's settled then. I expect you to leave tomorrow morning. Can you be ready by then ion-nin?"

"Yes, of course adar"

"Get some rest and prepare yourself for a possible long journey. And Eleiden before I forget, Menenwen asked me to show her around, but I don't really have the time at the moment so I told her you wouldn't mind, I hope that's alright with you." Thranduil smiled sheepishly.

"I think I'll just leave you alone for a while" Legolas stated making his way to the hallway.

-

Legolas wanted to stay awake that night, expecting someone to enter his chamber in the middle of the night, but he decided against it because he knew he needed his rest for the upcoming 'trip'. Fortunately nobody did and the night passed slowly but uneventful, But somewhere else in Mirkwood an elf stood laughing manically, very pleased of a newfound plan. 'Four days' the elf thought 'Four days and I will carry out my plan. He will regret…' The threat to Mirkwood stopped laughing and looked up to sky "By the stars I swear I will have my vengeance"

-

Legolas took a deep breath and urged his mare to go faster. They had been riding for more than seven hours, in search for the others. Unfortunately the snow made it rather difficult to find any kind of tracks. Legolas couldn't appreciate the view for once, under other circumstances he would've found the white trees beautiful.

"Your highness!" Arandur called from behind him.

"I know" Legolas answered shortly sensing the same Arandur was.

"Orcs?"

Legolas seemedto be thinking for a moment before replying with a grim expression on his face "And wargs I'm afraid, they're getting closer each second, it's as if they know exactly where we are, I do not think we can escape battle." Legolas spoke to the others then "We must be prepared for a possible battle, but we must also try and avoid it by going faster. We might be able to do this if we deviate and ride in the direction of Imladris."

They all agreed to try and avoid any kind of fight with these creatures and encouraged their horses to speed up.

"I think we lost them" Arandur stated after another hour.

"Thank the Valar for that, only too bad that the weather isn't on our side…" Legolas told his long-time friend and mentor.

-

The snowfall only worsened. "We will seek shelter for the night, the weather is getting worse, we'll continue our search tomorrow!" Legolas addressed the warriors under his command.

A rather small cave offered help, small but sufficient. Some of the warriors sighed in relief, it had been another long day. They weren't in a good mood, there was still no trace of their companions. They all expected to find something, something that would lead them somewhere, but the only thing they found was snow and more snow.

Since they left it took them four days to find something…

They neared another clearing and they couldn't appreciate the sight that greeted them very much. The dead bodies of their friends…

Legolas got off his horse and knelt down beside one of the first bodies near him.

He didn't have time to check anything as he sensed danger in the neighbourhood. They were unbelievably close 'How come I didn't notice until now' he thought drawing his bow and ordering the others to do the same. They gazed questioningly at him 'Didn't they notice?'

It wasn't the right time to be thinking as a warg jumped out of nowhere.

More came…

Legolas jumped out of the way just in time, preventing the warg to feed itself with a bite out of Legolas' left calf. His bow was no use so he took his twin blades, stabbing and slashing the wargs coming near him. He glanced over to where Arandur was fighting, he seemed to be doing fine.

The fight had barely started and Legolas could see there were already some of his companions wounded. Legolas turned all of his attention back to the wargs confronting him. One of them jumped into his direction again, but Legolas sidestepped the attempt. It was hard to fight three of four wargs in turn, without getting injured. But he somehow managed it for a long time.

When another warg jumped he couldn't avoid being pinned underneath it. But it was rather easy for Legolas to get rid of that one, he just had to bring up the blade he held firmly into his right hand. There was only one problem, the warg's body fell limp on top of Legolas. He barely had the time to regain his breath as one of the remaining wargs saw the opportunity to have diner. Legolas' left calf must've been very attractive that day when also that warg wanted to bite him there.

Legolas tried to move himself from underneath the burden, but found himself unable to do just that. 'I could use a little help here' he thought frustrated. He tried again to pull his leg away, but to no avail he already felt the warg's teeth penetrate his skin. He converted the pain into strength as he pushed the dead corpse of his own body, it seemed to be working.

He pulled out his twin blade and threw it into his opponents direction, it landed right between its eyes. The creature's legs gave away and it sank to the ground, another one had found death. But more came and it was almost impossible to keep fighting at that rate. Legolas knew he had to think of something.

He glanced at the others and saw that they also were in trouble, he got an idea… a warg passed by him and he decided to take a ride, as the warg was running to Arandur anyway. It growled once before Legolas felled it and jumped off its back.

"Arandur" he called "Make your way to Rivendell."

Arandur lifted an eyebrow and hesitated "Now!" Legolas yelled "That's an order, get help, you're the only one I see fit enough to do it at the moment.

"But…" Arandur tried.

"Go Arandur!" Legolas cried again hoping he would listen. He turned back to the wargs behind him when he saw Arandur finally leaving.

Legolas had only one of his twin blades left, he had lost the other one and his bow somewhere on the battlefield. 'Where do they keep coming from?' he didn't expect to get an answer…

Suddenly Legolas spotted a tall, hooded figure on the other side of the clearing. He was so confused he didn't hear the warg coming from behind him. He felt the warg's body collide with his and before he knew it he was pinned underneath it again. He expected death coming to take him, but nothing came. the warg just sat there, keeping Legolas from moving.The hooded figure came his way without saying anything. Legolas couldn't see his face. 'Was he laughing?' he thought still confusedof everything that was happening.

"This is all your fault." the figure said pointing to the massacre behind him, before taking a rather heavy object and knocking Legolas unconscious. Before leaving the clearing,a smile crept on the attackers face again.

Cliffie?

I hope I haven't given away the note placer's gender ? male or female? (scrolls up and checks) good, I didn't… (if you're reading this, you must've struggled your way down this chapter. So perhaps you could just select 'submit review' and push the 'Go' button… hint, hint !) Thanks for the reviews I already received…(love you guys) well, see ya later.

Translations:

Adar: father

Ion-nin: my son

Imladris: Rivendell