Disclaimer: See chapters 1- 4.

Review Responses:

Slayer3: I can see millions of little cloned Orlando Blooms roaming around. Man wouldn't that be cool.

ashlyns: I like begging. No that's my orc counterpart. Okay well maybe a little.

Karone Evertree: Now wait just a minute. I said very little Legolas not no Legolas. Oh please he's so much fun to torture. Maybe the twins will satisfy my torture fetish. Things are beginning to go from bad to worse. Just read on.

Larien: Yes Atavus needs to learn how to keep her mouth shut. Now, now haven't you ever looked a child playing on a playground and wished you had their energy. I know I have. Veri is not out of shape, just not as young as Van. And don't worry you'll get to see lots of twin angst.

Sindarin translations:

Hannon le, mellon-nin – Thank you, my friend

Shelter From The Storm

After several hours of trying in vane to follow Veri and Van the men gave up and decided to move on. They untied the captive's feet, but tied them together with Elladan in the lead followed by Elrohir, and then Atavus.

They took a small path leading south and higher into the mountains. Atavus overheard the leader say they'd make camp that night in the higher caves and then press on through the mountains the next day.

"I wonder who we are being sold to." Elrohir wondered quietly.

"Judging by our southern course I'd say someone in Harad." Atavus ventured a guess.

"That will take us right through Gondor." Elladan said smiling.

"Yes it would. I wonder if these men know exactly how much the King of Gondor hates slave traders?" Atavus wondered aloud.

"You, slaves no talking." The man who held their lead rope said pulling hard unbalancing Elladan. Elrohir caught his brother before he hit the ground.

At that moment they heard a thunderclap to the west. They could all see the dark clouds that were advancing on them. It would not be long before they were caught in the storm. The captives were all thinking along the same lines. What if in the confusion of the storm they could escape?

Unfortunately the leader had sent out a scout to find a suitable cave for the night, and Atavus saw the man return and motion towards the south.

The rain started shortly before they approached the large cave entrance. The mouth of the cave stood over two men high, and had stalactites hanging from it's opening making the cave look as if it was an open mouth. Atavus felt very uneasy being near the cave. The men started pulling the captives inside, but the twins had stopped in their tracks staring at the cave. Neither would move.

"Come on you cursed elves. We're all getting wet." The man pulling the rope ordered.

"No. We won't." Elladan insisted staring in horror at the cave.

"Elladan what is it?" Atavus whispered too low for any but elf ears to hear.

But he would not respond. By then the man was pulling as hard on the rope as possible. But Elladan would not budge. Several of the men who had already gone inside came back out as they heard their friend yelling at the elves.

Atavus wasn't sure why Elladan refused but if he didn't want to enter that cave she would try to help as much as she could. Elrohir had also started to pull back. One of the men grabbed Elladan by the hair and started to pull him towards the cave entrance, but the elf dove at the man placing his shoulder square in the man's stomach. This pulled Elrohir and Atavus down with him, which was what the men were hoping would happen. Several of the group surrounded them kicking them viciously. Elladan received the worst of the beating, as he was fighting in a complete rage, striking out with his feet and bound hands.

Atavus was pleased to hear a scream as she sunk her teeth into the soft flesh of one of the men's ankles that was just covered by a thin leather boot. Then as he was distracted she swung her legs around swiping his feet from under him knocking him to the ground. But then she felt another booted foot land in her side. She could hear the crack, and knew by the amount of pain that a rib had been broken.

Elrohir had managed to get to his knees and was using his head to ram anyone who came near, but it didn't last long as one of the men snuck up behind him and drove his knee into the elf's back, knocking him to his stomach, giving the others the opportunity to land several kicks to his sides and face.

It took several minutes and most of the men to subdue the captives and drag them into the cave. None of them survived without injury. Elrohir had a bloody lip and nose, while Elladan was sure his shoulder was dislocated. And Atavus had a busted lip and at least one broken rib. They were thrown in a back corner of the cave where they each lay gasping for breath.

The men searched the cave for anything that might burn so they could start a fire. It was apparent that the cave had quite recently been occupied. There was a large store of firewood, and other items.

When Atavus caught her breath she sat up so she could see the twins. They were both lying on the cave floor with their eyes closed, not making a sound. She had never seen Elladan react the way he had outside the cave. It was almost as if he was berserking.

"El. Are you all right?" She asked quietly.

He said nothing, but the frown on his face deepened. "Talk to me El." She whispered.

Elrohir turned to her knowing his brother would not be able to say the words. "This is the cave Ata." He whispered.

At first she didn't understand, but then understanding dawned on her. She looked around bitterly. Out of all the caves in the Misty Mountains these wild men had to pick the one that Celebrían had been tortured in. She remembered the story of how the twins had tracked the orcs until they found the cave and then slaughtered all of them to save their mother. Of course they would remember which cave it was. The mere sight of it was burned into their minds for all eternity.

"I'm sorry El, Ro." She scooted closer to them hoping her presence would help drive away the pain she saw evident on their faces. Elrohir smiled knowing she would help if she could, but Elladan rolled away from them not making a sound. "El we'll get out of here. I know we will." She said trying to bring him around.

"He needs time Ata." Elrohir whispered.

At that moment a disturbance drew their attention. There was a commotion coming from the front of the cave. Several cloaked figures had just entered the cave entrance and were making angry threats. "This is our cave. What are you humans doing here?" One of the figures said drawing a sword. But not just any sword. It was an orc blade, shaped like an L. Atavus watched in dismay as the figure shrugged his cloak off revealing one of the Uruk-hai.

"Just what we needed." Elrohir said bowing his head.

"No wait maybe they'll kill each other." Atavus whispered.

"We don't want a fight with you. We just needed a dry place to wait out the storm." The leader of the men explained holding up unarmed hands.

The orc looked from side to side considering and then looked around the cave maybe gauging if his orcs could take the men, but his gaze stopped when it fell on the captives. Then an evil smile lit his face. "You can stay. But it will cost you."

The man looked to where the orc was staring. "I think something can be arranged. You can have the she-elf." The man said knowing he was keeping the best for himself, but would the orcs know that.

The orc smiled. "That will do." He answered then ordered his orcs to settle in. The men stayed on one side of the cave, while the orcs took the other.

"I think my lot in life is to be constantly tormented by these beasts." Atavus said sarcastically as the orc made his way to where she sat. "So what do they call you?" She boldly asked the orc.

The orc was taken back by her straightforward actions. "Lagush, but you will call me master." The orc snarled.

"Not likely." She said looking around disinterestedly.

He bent forward then grabbing her by the face and the front of her tunic lifting her up and off the ground. "What makes you so insolent slave?" He said pressing his face but only inches from her own, his hot breath brushing her cheek. She wanted to gag from the smell of rotting meat, which she knew to be their favorite food, but controlled her reaction.

"I'm no slave." She mumbled. It was difficult to speak with his hand clasped on her jaw the way it was.

"You are what I say you are." He said throwing her backwards so she struck the wall behind her. The wind was knocked from her and she slid to the rock floor.

"Ata stop." Elrohir said standing to defend her. He knew how much her mouth tended to get her into trouble.

The orc turned to the elf and shoved him to the floor again. "You don't belong to me maggot, but I'll teach you a lesson if I have to."

The leader of the men joined them. "Are they causing trouble?"

"That one is trying to be a hero." The orc snorted kicking at Elrohir.

The man pulled his blade and placed it at Elrohir's throat. "Listen elf. I'm assuming he's your brother. If you both want to live you won't interfere in my friend here's sport."

"I love your choice in friends." Elrohir said glaring at the man.

"Ro, forget it. I know how these games go, remember." Atavus said using the wall to help pull herself up.

"Yes I remember all too well." Elrohir answered, remembering all the times she had taunted Ugluk, and received beatings for her insolence.

Lagush and the man traded looks not knowing what the captives spoke of. Then the man remembered something that might amuse the orc. "You know what this one said when we captured her?"

"What?" Lagush asked.

"She's a real funny one. She said she was not an elf. You know what she claimed to be." He asked.

"No." Atavus realized her mistake then. What would the orcs do if they knew she was a throwback? Surely most orcs knew of their existence by then.

"She said she was an orc." The man said laughing.

But the orc didn't laugh. The look on his face became cold. Atavus could see the beast clench his jaw. Atavus knew she had to stop the direction of the orcs thinking. "Well we all know how possible that is." She said pushing off the wall and getting closer to the man. "You know I was just jesting, now don't you…what did you say your name was?" She asked the man.

"I didn't. It's Kellet." The man said wondering at her friendly speech. He kept the knife close to Elrohir's throat in case she tried something.

The orc grabbed her by the arm and then pulled her close to him. He dug his sharp nails into her skin until she began to bleed. Then licked the blood from one long nail. "Boys look what we got here." Some of the other orcs moved closer staring at Atavus. "It's one of those freaks. We've come across some of your kind before girl. I wonder what surprises you hold?"

Kellet looked to the orc not understanding what he was saying. The orc turned and saw his confusion. "She is an orc, or at least was born by them. We call them throwbacks. And they always have some little surprise. Something abnormal that they can do. What can you do girl?"

She jerked her arm from his grasp. "If I had a sword I could kill you pig."

The orc was getting tired of her threats and taunts. He grabbed both her arms and pushed her against the wall hard enough for stars to dance before her eyes. "You need to learn some lessons girl. You have forgotten your place." He said driving a fist into her stomach, and then throwing her to the floor next to Elrohir. Kellet was still holding the knife to Elrohir's throat. Elladan had sat up, but didn't want to move fearing for his brother.

"It's time to put her in her place boys. Give me my whip." Lagush commanded. One of the orcs came forward with the whip and handed it to his leader.

Lagush laughed gleefully with every strike of the whip. Atavus tried to move away from him but he followed her until she was forced into a corner. She had her back turned to him protecting her face. Strike after strike she blocked the pain from her mind. She considered imagining killing the orc, but remembered the outcome of the last time she had taken a lash beating and turned to rage. She had nearly become one of them. She could not risk it again. So instead she blocked all images from her mind and concentrated on the sound the whip made instead of the pain it brought. She could feel the blood seep down her back, from the open wounds.

Elladan had taken all he could watching the orc brutally whip her. With fast fluid movements he slipped in behind the orc clipping his arm knocking the whip lose, and then kneeled before Atavus. His hands were still bound in front of him, but he tried to comfort her anyway. "You've done enough orc." He spat at the creature who had retrieved his whip.

The orc raised his hand as to strike Elladan with the whip but was stopped when Kellet blocked his hand. "My friend. That is my property you are about to damage. I'm afraid my buyers won't want to see lash marks on them. Don't worry he'll be punished, but not by the whip."

The orc lowered his arm and stalked off to find somewhere to sit and enjoy watching the damage he had done to the throwback.

"Later elf." Kellet said pointing the knife at Elladan, and then stalking off to his own side of the cave.

Elladan and Elrohir helped Atavus to lie down. The moment her back touched the stone floor she winced in pain and rolled to the side facing the cave wall. There was blood smeared on the floor in several places. She leaned her forehead against the wall feeling the cold comfort of the stone.

"Ata what can we do for you?" Elladan asked forgetting his own painful emotions from before and concentrating on his friend.

"Nothing Elladan. I just need time. Hannon le, mellon-nin." She whispered biting her lip to push back the pain.

Author's Note: Well this looks like a good place to leave off. Next chapter starts to become strange, so hold onto your hats okay.