Hey everyone, sorry it was such a wait so here is a large chapter. Hope you all like it and thanks for the reviews!

Active Mind of a Quiet Elf

Chapter 6

The Cave Troll

They followed Gandalf through twisting passages, cut into the sides of the large rocks surrounding them or else crossing rickety bridges that swayed dangerously, spanning large black gaps below them. Legolas' expert eyes couldn't see more then a few hundred feet into the darkness ahead but he, unlike the rest, had no trouble seeing small breaks in the rocks beneath their feet.

The dank smell of stale air filled his lungs with every breath and he rubbed at his chest slightly, panicked. Even his father's halls, underneath the caves in Mirkwood, were not as dark as this, nor as perilous.

A high staircase spanned above them and they began to climb, Legolas still sticking close to Gandalf and his small light. Behind him he could hear curses and muttered oaths…even the Dwarf was complaining. Legolas blocked them from his mind and concentrated on the mines around him, trying to listen into the dark for any sound of danger. The skeletons of Dwarves, cobwebs and lethal looking stalagmites around him didn't ease his mind any.

The sound of scraping behind him made him turn his head. Pippin had slipped on the stairs and slid down on top of Merry.

"Pippin!" The other Hobbit admonished. Seeing he was alright, Legolas continued to climb.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they reached an open 'room' of sorts. There were three hallways leading off of it, through squarish openings cut into the rock. The stairs twisted and turned and a large jut was formed in the middle, over a small pit between the doorways. Legolas chuckled softly. It looked slightly like a dirty picture Aragorn had once shown him. He wondered if the human was thinking the same thing as he was. Gandalf stopped on his way the far left door and stood still, staring at them all.

"I have no memory of this place." Gandalf said suddenly. Legolas stopped dead and felt Frodo walk into him. No memory of this place! How could he not remember Moria of all places, with its twisting passages and it's stale air…and, he shuddered to think, the other things.

Heaving a deep sigh, he turned back to the other members of the Fellowship and gave Aragorn a dirty look. It was, after all, the man's fault. They moved into the small dip between the doorways.

Boromir sat down on the stairs in front of Legolas and stared off into the darkening gloom far below them. Legolas hitched up his bow and wrapped his arms around it, leaning his slender cheek against the cool of the wood. Aragorn took a stand beside him and looked at him for a long moment.

"Yes, Aragorn?" Legolas asked. "Mani uma lle merna?" (What do you want?) Aragorn shifted uncomfortably.

"Are you mad at me?" Legolas shook his head. Although he would like nothing more then to stay angry at Aragorn he could not. It really wasn't his fault. "Gandalf then?" Legolas let his eyes wander to the old Wizard sitting with his back to them on the stone outcropping.

"Ianter." (Old One) Legolas muttered spitefully.

"You are angry with him?" Legolas reluctantly shook his head and Aragorn sighed. "I am also worried."

"Uuma dela." (Don't worry) Legolas said simply, turning his eyes down the stairs as well. Aragorn smiled and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I won't. Rest." And with that, Aragorn sat down on the steps beside Boromir and pulled out his pipe. As he filled it, Legolas looked down to his right. Merry and Pippin were sitting beside him, relaxing against the stone wall.

He turned his attention back to the stalagmite that hung in front of them and stared at its glittering depths.

"Are we lost?" Pippin asked his small friend quietly. Legolas raised his eyes and glanced up at Gandalf who was still sitting on his rock, thinking. If Legolas didn't have the restrictions of the Fellowship, he'd find a way out himself but, under the circumstances…

"I think we are." Merry answered. Legolas grinned, despite himself. At least he wasn't letting Pippin onto false hope.

"Shh, Gandalf's thinking." Sam admonished. Legolas didn't know if the wizard was thinking or if he were simply going into a fit of senile mind blanking.

"Merry?" Pippin whispered again, ignoring Sam's words.

"What?" Merry asked.

"I'm hungry." Legolas rolled his eyes and stared at his stalagmite again, thinking about Gandalf as Frodo crawled over the stairs towards the old man. If Legolas' father, Thranduil could see him in such company now…a Dwarf? Thranduil would have a heart attack. As for Hobbits, Frodo's uncle had freed the Dwarves years before when they had been in Mirkwood's prison. Then there was Boromir, in himself a mighty man and Aragorn, whom Thranduil had learned to deal with. Gandalf had always been held in high respect but it seemed he was slowly loosing his touch.

"There is something down there." Frodo said to the wizard, his voice startled and slightly strangled. Legolas was shaken out of his thoughts and stared down the stairs, into the darkness. There was in deed something moving below, leaping from rock to rock. It was crouched low and, now that he was focused, he could hear its hissing breath.

"It's Gollum." Gandalf answered. Legolas stiffened at the name and all other sounds seemed to be blocked from him, all other sight drained. Gollum, the very named made him well with anger. That damn, skulking creature escaped his people and, more importantly, his father.

Legolas again thought of the incident with the She-Elf. His father was still displeased with him…maybe, if he brought Gollum back?

"My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many." Gandalf's words brought him back. How long had he been standing there staring at the dark shadow below, Legolas didn't know but again he fell into his own world until Gandalf brought him back for a second time.

"Ah! It's that way." Finally, the old codger remembered! Glancing back at the creature below one last time, Legolas placed himself behind the rest of the group and listened intently to the sounds of heavy foot falls before him…and the wet slaps of bear feet behind.

They walked for a while before coming into a large cavern. Legolas could see pillars around him, looming out of the dark. Were they in a hall?

"Let me risk more light." Gandalf muttered, cupping his lighted staff and blowing on the crystal inside. As the crystal illuminated it dazzled Legolas' eyes. They were indeed in a hall…a monstrous one. Against his will, he felt himself in deep awe. How could something so grand and beautiful be left to the Dwarves? They couldn't even see the top of the pillars, they were so short and stubby they'd fall over if they craned their necks too much.

Humored by the thought of Gimli falling over backwards, his stumpy legs kicking in the air, Gandalf's words hardly penetrated his brain. "Behold the great realm of the Dwarf city, Dwarrowdelf." Elf being the last part, he thought with disdain. No wonder it was beautiful.

"That's an eye opener, make no mistake." Sam muttered, awe in his voice. Legolas' mind's eyes changed to accompany Sam, rolling on his back, his legs in the air after trying to look as high as the pillars.

Mentally, he shook himself. He was such a child! Legolas spotted the open doorway before the others did. A shaft of light was visible, hitting a square stone dais much like a tomb.

"Haugh!" Gimli cried, lunging forward with much more swiftness then Legolas would have thought the ugly little creature possessed. He raced towards the open door and into the room beyond before anyone could stop him. He didn't even stop when Gandalf called his name.

Gimli fell to his knees before the crypt and began sobbing, muttering the words "No!" over and over again. Legolas stood farther back, beside Aragorn, watching the sickening scene unfolding before him. Although Gimli was a disgusting, weaseling little creature; although Gimli could not smell worse then all other foul things in the realms and though his snores kept Legolas awake at night, there was no doubt that Gimli didn't deserve this pain.

"'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf read from the tomb. He sounded slightly sad. "He is dead then."

Gimli just started wailing harder, his small shoulders shaking. Legolas shifted nervously and clenched his bow tighter to his chest. This was most unwise to stop. He didn't see the need in it and the damn Dwarf, no matter how much Legolas felt for him, his cries would awaken every evil thing around them. He had two options; trust Gandalf and let him continue as he picked up a dusty book from the floor, or else shoot the Dwarf and take control of the operation.

He chose the former. "We must move on." Legolas said in a low voice, pleading to Aragorn. "We cannot linger."

"'They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep.'" Gandalf let his last words hang in the dusty air ominously. Even the dwarf stopped his cursed wailing. "'We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out…They are coming.'"

Oh great. Was Legolas the only one with a sound enough mind to realize what this meant? This was a foreshadow if he'd ever heard of one. And then, as though the entire world had fallen apart, Pippin hit the well and a bucket fell from its rim, pulling with it a heavy chain and a skeleton. They clattered down the hole and fell into the darkness. With his acute hearing, Legolas listened with a quickened heart as the noises below fell away into a loud, ringing silence.

There was silence and then Gandalf voiced what Legolas was thinking. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Suddenly, there was the sound of drumming far below them. Legolas' heart stopped and he cursed the Dwarf now. It was, of course, his fault that they were in this mess. If he hadn't come running into this room then Gandalf wouldn't have read the foreshadow and Pippin wouldn't have touched the well…

"Frodo!" Came Sam's voice. A blue glow illuminated his sword but Legolas didn't need that to tell him what was coming.

"Orcs!" He cried in despair, turning to the open door. Boromir rushed forward to close the door and an arrow hit the wood near his face. He closed the door and turned to Aragorn.

"They have a cave troll." He said. Legolas raced forward and grabbed some weapons, throwing them to the men at the door. They blocked up the rotting wood and then fell back to the hall entrance. Behind them, Gandalf and the small creatures were huddled around and the Dwarf was standing on Balin's tomb. Though he found this to be quite disturbing, Legolas ignored it.

"Aarrgghhh! Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!" Gimli growled, hefting his axe. Legolas raised an eyebrow.

"Continue like that," He whispered to himself, "And there will be no Dwarf in Moria too draw breath." And, before he could stop himself, he muttered, "Careful Gimli."

They began hacking the door. A small hole appeared and Legolas shot through it, hitting an Orc in the eye. The creature fell back but more came through. Suddenly, the door broke and wave after wave of Orcs slid into the room. Firing shot after shot, Legolas didn't even think about the arrow he'd need to end his own life.

He battled, completely ignoring the other Fellowship members. Suddenly, a chain swung at his head. Legolas ducked and again the cave troll swung at him. He smiled slightly. There was a slight intelligence behind its eyes, something akin to dimwittedness that he saw in some of his companions (we all know which one). It swung again and stupidly enough wrapped the chain around a pillar. Legolas ran up the chain swiftly and placed his feet on either side of the monster's head.

His shot simply ricocheted off of its rocky head. Legolas leapt down and was immediately engaged in a fight with a vicious little goblin.

"Frodo!" Sam's cry came just as he dispatched of the last orc. Turning, Legolas saw Frodo leaning against the wall, a large spear thrust into his chest. Legolas paled (or as much as an elf can) and started forward. The cave troll turned and he met it, ready to kill the beast once and for all.

The two small Hobbits, Merry and Pippin suddenly leapt onto the troll. Legolas thought it incredibly brave, but even the incredibly brave could be incredibly stupid. The two small creatures began stabbing it on the top of the head, something that seemed utterly pointless, as the top of the head was incredibly rocky and as tough to penetrate as a dwarf's brain. Legolas raised an eyebrow, waiting to shoot. He had to get it just right…then he suddenly realized, he'd been an idiot for setting such an example to these small beings. It had been he who had pointlessly shot an arrow on its head, in the same spot. Legolas cursed himself, hoping their respect for him was still intact and wondering what his father would say.

"Legolas, you idiot." Would be the main thing. Legolas gulped and watched the creatures on the troll's head with mild interest. At least it was slightly entertaining to let them try. The fact that Frodo was dead was still slightly shocked in his mind and he couldn't grasp it just yet. Besides, Aragorn could heal anything…right?

Merry's cry startled him. The Hobbit had been pulled from the troll's back and was now hanging upside down in its massive hand. Gimli rushed forward and chopped at its leg. The troll turned, about to pounce on the dwarf (with Legolas' full backing) when Gandalf rushed forward and beat it off. It let go of Merry who hit the ground with a sickening crunch, his breath knocked out of him.

Well, if he was stupid enough to…Legolas' thoughts trailed off. Gandalf and Gimli were trading blows on the troll's hide, finally getting through it. Suddenly, Gimli was thrown to the ground. Legolas, not really understanding what he was doing, raised his bow and steadied it, waiting with his elf sense for the creature to raise it's head. Forever he knew he'd tell himself that it was because he didn't want to be outdone by and old man and a short thing but he knew, deep down that it was his friends who were in danger and he had to save them. Even the Dwarf.

The troll was looking at its wounds when Pippin, still riding its back, stuck his small little sword into the creature's hide. The troll lifted its head, crying out in anguish and Legolas loosed his arrow. It flew into the creature's neck and instantly delivered a killing blow. The troll staggered where he stood and everyone backed away, Legolas triumphantly. The troll fell forward, throwing the Hobbit off its back and lay motionless, dead.

A strange feeling suddenly came over him and Legolas stepped back a few steps, jolted. In a way he felt sorry for the beast, just doing what it had grown up doing. There had been an innocence in his eyes and he looked up, around the dusty chamber at the rest of the Fellowship, standing around the dead creature as well. They had to destroy the ring so more innocent creatures wouldn't become fouled by Sauran. Grimacing, he realized Frodo was dead and turned to see Gandalf rushing towards the place Frodo and Aragorn had fallen.

Grabbing Merry by the shoulder, Legolas pulled the Hobbit along toward his fallen friend. Relived, he found Aragorn alive when he reached them. The human was crawling towards the small, dead creature and turning him over. As Frodo was turned, the small being moaned and began coughing. Looking over, Legolas saw the surprised look spread across Sam's face and felt his own stomach unclench. He wouldn't admit it or let it show on his face but he was delighted. He'd been right, Aragorn could fix anyone.

It was strange though, Legolas thought as he leaned against a pillar and jumped back ungracefully as a spider descended on him, he could have sworn the injury had been on the Hobbit's other side. The hole in his shirt wasn't in the same place but maybe he had been mistaken?

"He's alive." Sam announced pointlessly. Legolas rolled his eyes. The moaning and heavy breathing were loud enough to make any unknowing elf from here to Rivendell and beyond blush.

"I'm alright, I'm not hurt." Frodo said quietly.

"You should be dead." Aragorn said, also out of breath. Humans got so stressed out. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Awe, Aragorn. The mother of all men. Legolas smiled…or rather smirked.

"I think there's more to this Hobbit then meets the eye." Gandalf said. Frodo dramatically opened his shirt and showed them all the dazzling mithril coat beneath. Legolas felt his breath catch. It was actually, quite beautiful.

"Mithril." Gimli muttered, amazed and for once Legolas was at a loss for a quiet insult, he simply stared. It was as Gimli said, "You are full of surprised, Master Baggins." That Legolas heard it. A sharp whistle of air greeted by others similar. Their battle wasn't over yet. There were goblins coming, fast.

"To the bridge of Kazad-dum!" Gandalf announced. Everyone grabbed their dropped things and hurried out of the room as fast as they could. Legolas felt a strange feeling welling inside of him and for once in his life he felt fear at what waited ahead…true fear.

TBC…

To my reviewers: I'm sorry I can't reply to you all individually but I was told that's not allowed and I really don't want my story to be taken off the net. Thank you all so much. I really loved replying but the stupid rules…anyway, I appreciate it all so much, thank you all. You make my day.