Disclaimer: I own my website. I own my computer, but I don't own Lotr.

Author's Note: I must warn you all that this chapter is very intense and does include death, of some supporting characters. It is a very dark, and disturbing chapter, but one that must be told, to get to the end.

Disaster

"That, is the cave?" Van asked, as they grew closer to the cave entrance. Bala had started making a low growling noise as they came within a mile of the cave, and no matter what Van said to her, she would not cease the noises.

"Van, what is wrong with her?" Legolas asked as the noise continued to grate on his nerves.

"I'm not sure, Legolas. The cave is upsetting her. Maybe she has been here before." Van ventured a guess.

"Maybe, but if you can't control her, we'll have to leave her behind." Legolas warned, which gained him a growl from the giant beast.

"You tell her that, Laddie." Gimli suggested.

Legolas gave Gimli a dark look at the obvious barb.

They had traveled swiftly and made it back to the cave entrance within two days time, and all looked the same as when they had left it before. But for some reason that Legolas could not fathom, he felt a difference that unnerved him. He did not want to enter that cave again. But how else would they discover its secrets, and figure out how to release the hold that it had on Atavus?

They hadn't brought a large number with them. They numbered at seventeen Elves, one Dwarf, two Throwbacks and one large Warg. That had seemed a sufficient number to take on the twenty or so men that Veri had said held their friends. But within a few moments Legolas was wishing he had brought all of Lothlorien with him.

As they drew close to the cave entrance it was as if the cave itself erupted with fangs and fur, as dozens of large Wargs streamed from it's mouth, teeth barred and ready to rip the group to pieces.

The group of Elven warriors fought as diligently as possible, but the number of the beasts overwhelmed them. They were outnumbered at least three to one. Legolas, Gimli, and Orophin fought side by side standing in front of Veri and Van, who had been backed into a corner formed by the rock walls of the mountainside. Bala stood in front of Van growling with as much menace, as she possessed at any beast that approached the child that she thought of as her new cub. They watched in horror as one by one the other Elves were struck down and drug into the cave entrance.

Legolas was shooting arrow after arrow into the fray of beasts ahead of them as Orophin and Gimli stood to either side of him blocking the beasts that drew near with sword and axe.

"We will be overtaken." Legolas called back to Veri. "There are just too many."

Veri knew why he warned her as she looked down to Van. She was positive that they would all die that day, but possibly they could save the boy. She quickly bent and picked Van up, swinging him on top of Bala. "Veri, what…" The boy began to protest.

"Run, Bala. Save him. Protect him." Veri called out through tears as she slapped the Wargs hind leg. For a moment her eyes met those of the large animal, and she thought she saw tears there also. Then she was gone, sprinting and weaving through the other Wargs, until she broke free of the mass of beasts and headed away to the south, carrying her precious cargo.

They had been traveling for two days, with the men cruelly pushing the captives along, with little rest or nourishment. Kellet was becoming anxious to rid himself of the elves and especially the throwback. She did not cause trouble, but the look of her was creepy. It reminded him too much of the Dark Lord. This would be the last job he would do for the Dark Elf. He wanted to head back to Harad, where the employers were more ruthless towards the slaves than their hired help.

Haldir had not spoken to Atavus again. He had not spoken to anyone since their discussion. It had been a day and a half since then, and Atavus had thought a lot about the discussion. Her mind was filled with it, to the point that she could think of nothing else. She wondered if the obsession was in part caused by her own increasing madness, but it mattered not. She would use the madness to decipher a way to stop what was happening. Somehow, someway.

It was approaching midday and they would stop soon for a small meal. She decided to attempt to speak to Haldir again when they stopped. The twins had questioned her thoroughly, but she had refused to tell them more than the fact that they were in more trouble, than any of them had imagined. She did not want to risk panicking the other captives. Not yet, at least.

They were into the lower mountain ranges, when they finally stopped for a meal. Atavus took a couple of bites of the bread she was handed without looking at it. She had decided that she must fool her distorted senses to beat her affliction. It was working. They had been untied from each other, but their hands were left bound.

Atavus stood from where they had been sitting and purposefully walked towards the north closer to where Haldir was standing alone. "Sit down, Freak" One of Kellet's men ordered her.

"I wish to speak to the Dark Lord." She said, knowing he would hear her words.

Haldir raised one hand waving the guard away, without turning to face them. Atavus stepped up beside him. They were far enough away from the men that they would not be heard. "I have been thinking." She whispered.

"I'm sure you have." He answered coldly.

"When I was in the cave, the spirits tried to enter me, so they could leave the cave." She started to explain.

"They are such fools. Your body was already occupied. That would not have worked." Haldir snorted at the ridiculous notion.

"That's what Celebrían told me also." She said smiling at the last comforting memory she had.

He turned to her, with a shocked look upon his face. "You saw her? She spoke to you?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yes. You must have seen her also when your body was revived." She answered frowning in confusion.

He turned back to the North. "I saw her, but she shrunk from me. She was afraid of what I had become." He said bitterly. "I remember her from when I was a child. She was the most beautiful elleth I had ever seen. And she loved our entire race, with out any hesitation. I spent much time with her, because of my friendship with the twins."

Atavus realized how much it must have hurt him when the apparition of Celebrían turned from him. He was frightened, and confused. He had been through the most horrific ordeal imaginable, and one person who had always shown him compassion, had turned from him.

"I'm sorry Haldir. I'm sure the apparition did not mean to offend. But she said something to me, which you might want to consider. She said that she was just a ghost of her former self, because the true Celebrían had sailed to Valinor where her soul was healed. The apparition was nothing more than a shade, left over from darker times." Atavus explained as best she could.

"I am glad she was able to find piece, but how does this affect me?" He said in exasperation.

"Don't you understand? If you were to sail to Valinor….." She began to explain, but her words were cut off as she bent over double, and then fell to the ground retching.

Haldir turned to her quickly. "What's wrong with you?" He asked, but just as sudden, fell to his own knees, grasping the sides of his head, as if his eardrums were splitting.

"My Lord." Kellet said approaching them, but stopped as Haldir screamed in pain.

The twins had been watching the two speaking, and were up immediately running towards their friend. Elladan reached them first kneeling beside Atavus as she retched up the small amount of food she had eaten earlier. Elrohir was there shortly afterwards. He kneeled beside Haldir, but dared not touch him.

"What is happening to them?" Kellet yelled at the twins, not sure what he should do.

"How should we know?" Elladan screamed back. "Atavus, what is it?" He asked pulling her hair back, so he could see her face.

"Blood. By the Valar, so much blood." She said gulping large amounts of air. "It's choking me." After a few moments Haldir had stopped screaming, but was still clutching his ears rocking back and forth. Atavus was finally able to sit up, and she crawled closer to Haldir, taking both his hands in hers, pulling them away from his ears.

"The voice it was deafening. He was laughing in glee." He said whimpering as his ears continued to ring.

Atavus turned to Kellet. "Let me speak to him." He began to object, but the deadly look she shot him, turned him around. He stalked far enough away to let them speak in private, but close enough to intervene if need be.

"Haldir. There has been blood spilled in that cave. What happened?" She whispered, as to not hurt his sensitive ears further.

"I am not sure. The voice was laughing in glee. It said only fifteen more were needed. I don't understand. We have not even arrived yet." Haldir said shaking his head from side to side.

Atavus' gaze dropped, and her hands fell from his as she leaned forward, shaking her head violently. "No, no, no." She repeated over and over.

"What is it, Ata? What does it mean?" Ro asked, wrapping a comforting arm around her.

She sat back up, and they could all see the tears cascading down her face. "Our friends are dead." She whispered. "Van…" She was unable to continue sobbing.

Elladan immediately grasped Haldir's shirtfront in his bound hands and shook him. "What does she mean?"

Haldir had a distant look on his face, but the twin's fierce behavior, brought him out of it. "The cave has taken fifteen Elven lives today. I don't know how, or where they came from."

Elladan's face went pale, and he looked to Atavus who was now wrapped in Elrohir's arms shaking uncontrollably. "Those fifteen elves were a rescue party from Lothlorien. They were your people, your friends. Legolas Greenleaf was with them, and Van. A child, Haldir. Her nephew, her ward. Just a child."

Veri moved forward, brandishing her own short sword, and fighting with the men. It seemed as if hours had past even though it had been but mere minutes. Many of the wargs had already perished, and many more were wounded, but they were still outnumbered by at least five to one. Legolas spent his last arrow, bringing down a small female, and then brandished his twin swords ready to fight hand to paw as necessary.

They watched as the wargs suddenly stopped approaching, and began to part hearing a deep growl coming from the cave entrance. The four remaining fighters drew back seeing the largest male Warg any of them had ever seen, stalking forward growling at the others as they coward back, deferring to their pack leader.

The monstrous creature approached within ten feet of the survivors and a deep growling noise was heard from the monsters gullet. "I will fight him first." Legolas whispered, hoping to at least wear the beast down some before the others had to face him.

But just as Legolas began to step forward, he heard growling from behind him. He turned to see a familiar Warg standing on top of a boulder at least twelve feet above them. Bala stood tall and proud eyeing the large male, and growling her fiercest with teeth barred ready to spring.

Just as the large male leaped forward, Bala sprung forward colliding with the larger beast in mid-air. Legolas moved back, giving the animals room.

They watched the horrible dance of death as the beasts ripped at each other. For a few brief moments Legolas thought that the male would prevail, and he moved forward looking for the opportunity to slip in and help Bala.

"Bala!" A scream was heard from above them as Van scooted to the edge of the boulder above. The boy was crying as he watched the male Warg push her to the ground ready to make the killing bite. But the boy's outcry distracted the male for a moment, and as he turned to see what had made the noise, Bala struck out biting into the soft tissue of the male's throat. A piercing howl sounded through the mountainside as the male realized his end was at hand. But Bala did not let go until he slumped over dead on top of her.

Van slid from the boulder, with just enough time for Veri to catch him and break his fall. Then the boy was out of her arms and next to the entangled Warg bodies trying to push the male off of his protector. Legolas helped him, noticing that the other Wargs had slunk back not sure what to do with their leader dead.

As they managed to push the heavy carcass from Bala, she stood shakily and faced the other wargs, letting loose a primal growl, offering a challenge to any of them that would face her. As one they all bowed their heads in submission, and backed into the cave behind them. When the last one was out of site, Bala slumped to the ground, too exhausted and bloodied to move any farther.

Author's Note: Okay, I said it would be dark. I did warn you. I don't like to kill characters (especially elves), unless they are the bad guy, or my favorite orc, but for the completely dramatic ending that I have planned, they had to die, and I'm afraid they won't be the last. I'm sorry. But at least I'm actually writing, and I know exactly what I plan to write, so there is no possibility that I will not be able to finish this.