Chapter Three: Quite Safe Indeed

Disclaimer: I will make it simple. Everything that you recognize is not mine.

(Sorry about the short chapters, I like them better that way even if they drive people crazy. Goes for more recent posts. Thanks for good reviews, Arodiel!)

Legolas and Gimli soon realized that Fangorn was taking them along the Entwash, on which they had intended to sail along to get to the main body of Anduin.

They had come from their journeys to the Shire, to bade farewell to the adoring hobbits, (who had made such a fuss that the keepers of the Gray Havens would have heard them if they were much louder) and then gone on to Rivendell.

Now that Elrond was gone, Arwen and Aragorn kept it as a bit of a hideout when they wanted to be away from the stressful and chaotic men and visit the simple lives of the hobbits. They had come down from Minas Tirith to say goodbye to their old friends and allies.

They had gone on through the Misty Mountains, visiting Gimli's kin who had come down to the mountains near there, and then gone on to Mirkwood so Legolas could see his home. They passed through Lothlorien as well, but went around Fangorn at Gimli's request.

They then came to Entwash, which they were traveling beside. Fangorn told ancient tales about… well, something or other. He was speaking in a gruff, worried voice.

The two passengers soon gave up on discerning his words and began to talk quietly to each other about what was to come, believing that for now they were safe on their way. (Yeah right.)

"A greater evil than ever has been, eh? Well Sauron was quite bad enough, if you ask me. All the men in Middle Earth could not battle such a force, with not other races to help them."

"You are right, Gimli. Hey shall need the all the aid they can muster. There will be no elves, though. The dwarves must come out from their mountains and join the wars."

"Indeed they must, but your voice is doubtful. They certainly will come, for lore tells that they were made in Middle Earth and now will do all that is in their power to preserve her beauty," Gimli said a bit angrily.

Legolas gave him a sharp glance and went on. "Where were they, then, in the battle not to long ago? I seem to recall it was rather important."

"You know perfectly well that they had problems of their own, namely goblins. Who, by the way, are mainly extinct now. We shall make fine warriors."

Hearing that they had both began to raise their voices, and seeing that Fangorn was glancing up at them, he decided to turn the subject a bit. "I don't see the hobbits being of much help, though."

Legolas laughed quietly. "They may seem harmless, my friend, but when they are angry… We shall just say that little people can do great things if they have a strong enough motive."

Gimli recalled their defeating of Saruman and smiled. "Indeed, if their simple little lives are at all disturbed, they will do anything to get it back to normal."

"And then go back to living like nothing ever happened," Legolas whispered with a grin. "I hear they've quite taken to our game of—"

Gimli could say no more. Legolas drew his bow and Gimli his axe, but Treebeard hadn't seemed to notice. He was supposed to be the wisest and most learned of all beings, how could he be calmly accepting the arrival of a group of evil beings?

They resembled Balrogs, but with water instead of fire dripping from their dark limbs. Their great black bodies had strong forest green vines at wrapped around them, which looked like they could crush a mountain with no effort at all.

Water flowed from their mouths and fingertips with a foul smell that reminded them of the hobbits' sewage lot after a particularly large feast.

"Hoom, we seem to have a bit of a problem."