Category: Tolkien-Universe
Rating: M
Couples: Egalmoth/Rog, Maeglin/Salgant
Warnings: AU, canon-levels of Everything
Chapter: 3
Copyright: Characters & places © By Tolkien Estate and/or mynameisjessejk, Plot & OC´s © by me
Authors note: Set in the Otter(less) Mayhem Universe of abovementioned mynameisjessejk on AO3. Unofficial sequel to 'The House of the Mole'
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If there had ever been a time before this that he had been glad to have been a thrall in Angband in his first life, Rog could for the love of everything that was good and holy not remember.
While his current body did not have the pain-resilience of his first one, his mind was still more than able to lock out any agonies that got in the way of doing things. Sadly, it did not change the fact that his injuries were sapping his strength too much for him to do much more than keep them afloat once the waters had calmed some.
His only good limb was firmly locked around Egalmoth's waist, his body supporting the other as the waters swept them south-west, away from New Gondolin. He could do not much more than that, not with the other Lord being a solid dead weight... and he could only hope that was not a literal descriptor. It had taken them far too long to be able to fight the waters enough to surface... considering Egalmoth had been close to unconscious, he could well have drowned back there being unable to hold his breath. He hissed sharply when he hit another rock underwater with his leg. At least it was the one he was pretty sure was only sprained, not broken. He'd be in even worse straits if any of his broken bones worsened.
Still, he was not letting go of his fellow honorary-parent without being absolutely sure that he was dead... and maybe not even then. He deserved better than that. Mouse certainly deserved better than that. They had to get out of the water before he lost all ability to keep them afloat, because then even he would not be getting back to their sort-of-adopted son in any form or way as well and he had no doubt that would break the boy.
"Powers..." He groaned, struggling to get their heads high enough that he could briefly look around with having to worry that either of them would sink underwater as he did so.
There! Gritting his teeth he struggled a bit closer to the left bank, reaching his free arm for the branch of the fallen tree that rested in the river. Pain shot through his entire body at the move, but at least he managed to hold on until the searing white left his eyes and he could function again. Using that hold, he managed to move them behind the tree, where the current was finally a bit less.
Grunting, he shifted Egalmoth's body until the black-haired head rested more firmly on his shoulder and stretched his less-wounded leg down. Still no ground. Cursing several words he learned in Angband, he looked the tree over.
Throwing a quick prayer into the air, he pulled them closer, managing to hook his arm over the branch. In a desperate grab, he moved just quick enough to get a branch closer to the shore, repeating his swing closer to the rocky bank so tantalizingly just out of reach.
This time, he felt something solid under his foot. Pushing himself off, he used the tree to make his way over. Groaning, the weight of the other elf increased now that he was no longer held by the water as well. Still, drawing upon the horrible experience of having to work no matter what or die, Rog struggled forward.
Until even he could do no more, leg giving way under him. He barely managed to turn them so that he hit the ground first, head disappearing under the watersurface. Clawing at the ground, he managed to pull them both far enough that he could breathe again. Gasping sharply, Egalmoth resting on his chest, the Lord of the Hammer of Wrath noticed darkness creeping into his sight. Moaning just once, his eyes rolled back in his head before he went slack on the sharp rocks below him.
Black hair mixed with white in the water as both Lords of the Gondolindrim were now fully unresponsive to their surroundings, the remnants of their clothes dancing in the light waves that reached the sheltered bit of shore behind the fallen tree.
In the forest behind them, midnight claws dug into the dirt as shadow-dark fur shifted. Something growled, scenting the air.
