Chapter 12: A Storm!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings

Author's Notes: Here is chapter twelve, I hope that you will enjoy it! Thanks so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate them. I hope that this chapter is a little longer than last chapter.

Elrond felt worried for the safety of his three sons and their best friend. They had found a trail of four different prints. The first belonged to Rochmith, of that he was sure. The second and third belonged to the twin's horses, but he dreaded to think about the fourth. The fourth belonged to a little pony, Estel's pony.

They were really worried about Legolas now, but to that worry now Estel was also included. He was five years old, and a human nonetheless. He was not inmortal, and he was still a child.

They were following the trail leading into the forest, when the sky began to get cloudy. All the elves were so intent on reading the ground, that none of them notice this at first.

Gradually, it began to get darker as dusk fell, and the clouds took away the little light that was left out of the sun.

Now that the elves noticed this, they began to worry, as that could only mean that a storm was approaching.

"Elrond, a storm is coming, and we need to get to a refuge as soon as possible" Glorfindel tried to get some sense into his old friend.

"Nay, mellon-nín, let us continue. We need to find them as soon as possible!" Elrond said.

Glorfindel didn't break any argument, knowing that Elrond already had set his mind to that answer, and that he couldn't change it. Elrond was as stubborn as his sons, but of course, he just wouldn't admit that.

In truth, Elrond saw this idea of getting to a refuge as soon as possible a good one, but in his heart he knew that something was wrong. His senses were telling him to find his sons and their friend as soon as possible as they were already in great peril, but what could he do against that strong desire, nothing, only kept riding, following their trail, searching and hoping to find them soon.

"Legolas, are you all right?" Elladan asked after Duirellon left. He knew that he would have a large bruise where he received the kicks, but he needed to know how his friend was faring.

Legolas took some time to regain his breath after the brutal kicks, before responding "Yes, do not worry mellon-nín, I am fine"

Both Elladan and Elrohir rolled their eyes at that. Of course Legolas wasn't fine! He was far from that, in fact, all of them had uttered those dreaded words by their fathers so many times in the past, that indeed they now knew that Legolas wasn't fine as he said.

"Really Legolas, how do you feel?" Elrohir asked this time.

It was now Legolas' turn to roll his eyes. Really, the twins knew him all too well.

"There's no need to worry for me mellyn.nín. I am going to be fine, really. Let's just think of a way of getting out, then you can tell me about his elf" Legolas said, curious as to why the twins knew him.

"Okay, but first you need to get some rest. Sleep Legolas, you look tired, and your body needs it to heal properly." Elladan said.

Legolas didn't argue, but felt that his eyelids began to close. He was indeed tired and sore from the recent kicks. He instantly fell asleep. The twins looked at him with concerned when his eyes closed.

It was almostnight when Legolas awoke. He blinked his eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them as he couldn't rub them. The twins were anxious to know if he was alright, as they couldn't tend to his wounds, so now Legolas' body needed all the rest it could get to heal.

"Maybe you could tell me now who this elf is?" he asked his friends. In truth he was in pain, and he needed a distraction for him to forget about the stinging he felt in his back where the welts were located.

"Do you remember all those centuries back, when once Rivendell had to ask for aid to Mirkwood as the number of orcs suddenly grew in intensity?" Elladan asked.

"Yes, I remember. We sent as many forces as we could, before I went with another force. There were many deaths in that fight." Legolas said, remembering very well that battle. After that, the number of orcs suddenly dropped in Rivendell that Legolas was asked by the twins to stay for the season. Thranduil had given him permission, and he had remained there for the rest of the autumn, returning in time before the Mountain's Pass in the Misty Mountains was blocked with snow.

"Well, and do you remember that our Adar was attacked, and only after he woke we knew who it was?" Elrohir continued.

"Yes, he said that…" Legolas tried to remember the name. Elrond had spoken little of him, and at that time the twins refused to speak about him after their ada had been injured. "Duirellon… Duirellon attacked him! Do you mean that this Duirellon was the one responsible for the attack?" Legolas asked. It suddenly had come to him; it was the Elf that still wanted to avenge his brother's death.

"Exactly" both twins responded.

Now everything was starting to make sense.

The clouds began to gather more and more on the sky as dusk fell. Estel saw this, and though he was still a child, he could see that a storm was coming.

If he was going to rescue his brothers, he had to remain safe, but where could he hide from the coming rain? Everything around him was forest, and the trees in that part didn't offer much refuge.

He decided to search for some boulders that could provide little shelter, or a cave. The second was the better idea, but he didn't think that he would get to find one before the storm, so he went searching for a suitable place to pass the night without getting wet.

He rode his little pony, until he lost from his sight the little hut where his bothers and friend were held prisoners.

His little pony also felt the urge to get to safety, and so he hurried on.

After some time, he had finally found a refuge! It was a boulder on the mountainside, and there was also a cave! It would be perfect, as the cave wasn't too deep to make it look welcome to wild animals, but it was enough to hold him and his pony.

Estel entered, and made himself as comfortable as possible, resting his back against his pony. The rain start to come down, and soon, with the continued sound of falling rain, the child was asleep.

It had started to rain. Elrond urged his horse forward into a fast gallop, urging him to go forward. His horse immediately obeyed his master, and soon the other elves followed him.

Indeed there was a lot of rain, and soon the ground became slippery with mud, and the horses were beginning to tumble in it. Glorfindel tried to catch Elrond, and when finally reached him, he bellowed to him, as the rain was too much, and the wind didn't help matters.

"Elrond, the horses cannot continue like this! We need to find shelter as soon as possible! Let us go into the nearby cave!"

Elrond knew this. There was no point in continuing the search in that awful weather, he nodded to Glorfindel, and soon they were on their way to the cave Glorfindel had spoken of earlier.

That cave was big enough to hold the ten warriors and horses, and soon they found themselves settled, watching the storm, and all the thunder in front of them. Elrond looked on sadly; the prints they had been following would be gone by the morning when the storm had passed.

Their firewood was wet, so they had a cold meal that night, which consisted in dried fruits, and lembas bread, before the turns for the night were set. Elrond was really worried, for the twins, for Legolas, and for Estel, as the child still was scared of thunderstorms. He hoped that this was only rain, and that no thunder would come that night.

The rain continued falling, never stopping, and increasing in intensity. The first thunder was heard, and at the same time, a little boy of five years old woke up as he heard it.

He wanted his Ada. Ada was the only one who could comfort him after such a night, or one of his brothers, or even Legolas, but now he was alone, and afraid.

Estel really couldn't believe the situation he was in. He was alone and afraid of the storm. In Rivendell everytime there was a storm he went to his Ada, and Elrond let him stay in his room until morning, when the storm had passed. He even sometimes woke up his brothers, or even Legolas, but now he had no one to wake up and tell that he was afraid.

He felt something nudging his arm, and he turned his head to see his little pony turning hopeful eyes at him. He was not alone after all. A little hope filled his heart; he just hoped that his brothers and friends were going to be alright.

Another thunder was heard, and this time it was followed by a lightning. Everything in the cave was suddenly illuminated with a blinding white light, and Estel couldn't help it as tears suddenly appeared in his eyes. He clung to his pony, griping hard at the mane.

He was not alone, he had his pony, and that gave him hope enough that his brothers were going to be all right.

TBC…

Translations:

Mellon-nín: my friend

Mellyn-nín: my friends

Ada/ Adar: dad, father

I would like to thank Slayer3, Kerowyn Greenleaf, Invisigoth3, Illeanah, IwishChan, HarryEstel, Eshlyn Kar and Gemini 969 for their reviews.

Yes, I know, poor Estel, alone in a storm.But don't worry, more is coming soon!

Silverstreak Wolf