Oh man, the many many many pages this one shot had...Twenty four to be exact. Here's another chapter! I hope you all enjoy! Again, I apologize if the Elvish is a little off. Thanks to my collaborator!
-WingedIceWolf

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN LORD OF THE RINGS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS

It didn't seem long, but he was woken with a tap to his face. He wearily opened his eyes to find Gimli towering over him. What were hours had felt like minutes, but Legolas could tell that it was dark out by the shadows that flickered from the small crack beneath the doorway. He sat up slowly, groaning in pain.

"It's time, lad," Gimli stated quietly, helping Legolas to his feet. He was a little unsteady, but managed to regain his footing and slip on some clothing, not his original clothing unfortunately, seeing as that still needed to be sewn, but his cloak was still salvageable.

The dwarf fastened the cloak around his companion's shoulders, his blades, bow, and quiver included. He tried to even the weight so that Legolas's wound wasn't strained more than it already was. The Dwarf would aid him properly if he could, but he doubted Legolas would allow it. The only one who could most likely talk sense into the Elf was Aragorn himself.

"You'll have to scale the wall, Elf," Gimli stated. "Do you think you can accomplish that? There are guards posted nearby at nearly every gate entrance. You will have to hurry. I'll meet you there. Somehow…" The dwarf gave him a slight smirk.

Legolas nodded and stepped out of the room, walking out of the hall into the open. All of Helm's Deep was quiet. Save the crackling of the torches and the howl of the wind accompanied by chirping crickets. He looked around, familiarizing himself with his surroundings, then began scaling a wall. He leapt over the side and carefully took hold of the rough stone.

The rest had given him little strength, but whatever strength he had was needed for this task.

Left, right, left, right. He moved down the slope, clutching to the stone wearily, climbing down. When he reached the bottom, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Thankfully he had not lost his footing…Now he was at the first floor, but the gate would be closed at this time. The only form of leaving would be scaling another wall.

He quickly glanced around for any guards, thankfully he found none in his current position, but he did catch the sound of footsteps.

He quickly scrambled up the large wall, right left, right left, until he was at the top. He was nearly out of breath and his side began to flare with pain, but he took little time in climbing down.

Steps approached the edge he was climbing down. He froze, holding his breath, trying to make himself as flat as possible as he hid in the shadows. He could hear a guard look over the edge, muttering under his breath, but thankfully he found nothing but darkness as Legolas held perfectly still to the wall.

The guard continued his watch and Legolas continued climbing down the wall until he met the rocky ground beneath his feet. He let out another sigh and leaned against the wall, catching his breath as he gazed at the stars above. They twinkled and shone upon him, a comfort against the bitter cold breeze from the mountainsides.

He allowed his eyes to fall closed, but a hand was placed to his shoulder, snapping him awake. The form of Gimli startled him, but Gimli placed a finger to his lips, guiding Legolas's stallion to him, Arod. In Gimli's other hand was an unlit lantern.

The horse nuzzled him in acknowledgement. The Elf Prince reached up and scratched the horse behind the ears, feeling the warm hair beneath his fingertips. The horse let out a concerned whinny, placing his nose to Legolas's shoulder.

"I'm alright," Legolas said, gently petting the horse's blonde mane. Arod stomped his hoof in protest, but Legolas stepped to his side to mount him. "How did you get him here without being seen, Gimli…?"

"Never question a dwarf," Gimli stated proudly. Arod lowered himself to make mounting easier, allowing his rider to mount without much of a struggle. Riding a horse would cause more strain to his wound, but again, all that mattered to him was Aragorn. Gimli managed to mount himself with Legolas's aid, despite Gimli's orders to not be aided in fear of Legolas harming himself further.

"Arod, make haste!" Legolas ordered, tapping his horse's sides with his boots. Arod obeyed his rider and carefully trotted away from Helm's Deep before breaking into a full gallop. Legolas leaned forward to prevent himself from falling, feeling the frigid wind rush past him, everything a blur as they galloped to the Warg attack.

It was too dark for Gimli to really see anything, but Legolas could see the dark as if it were dim light, making sure to keep watch if any Wargs were to spring out of the blue. Unfortunately, with his blood loss, his senses were somewhat dulled. But that would not prevent him from searching for Aragorn.

Bodies still lied in a mass, orcs and Wargs piled up, dead, the stench of it heavy in the air. Legolas almost gagged, shutting his eyes and shuddering. Normally, this wouldn't have bothered him. But for whatever reason, it did this time.

The horse came to a stop near the cliff face, trotting along the edge. Legolas searched the waters, finding nothing, as he had expected. Perhaps Aragorn had washed up further along the canal? The Elf Prince felt himself pulled back by Gimli.

"Steady, lad," the Dwarf ordered, pulling him back onto Arod. "Don't lean over the cliff."

He leaned over the cliff? He didn't even feel himself leaning. Was he letting go more and more…?

Legolas dug his heels into Arod yet again; the horse burst into a gallop, galloping across the stony-grassed ground, hooves thundering.

Finally, Legolas could see the shallow parts of the canal. Water spilled between rocks, trickling and spurting over them. He pulled Arod to a stop, then turned to Gimli. The dwarf lit the lantern with a piece of flint, then dismounted with Legolas's aid, guiding him carefully to the cliff face.

"I'll find a narrower place to meet you at, Elf," Gimli said. "I don't fancy myself in climbing like you elves do. Be careful and keep your guard."

Legolas nodded yet again and began climbing down the ravine as Gimli galloped away. He hoped and prayed to the Valar that his companion would be alive. He carefully climbed down the rock, but as he leaned over to peer at the waters below him, he found himself again leaning forward. As he scrambled to regain hold of something, his hand closed around air and he slipped, falling just a foot or so before managing to regain his footing.

The action caused a wave of agony to slam into him. He let out a scream of pain, fingers clutching tightly to the rock, gritting his teeth as he waited for it to subside. But it did not. He clutched to the rock for minutes, waiting, but he came to the realization that the more he waited, the more time he wasted.

He forced himself through the pain, putting one foot behind the other until he felt cold, icy water soak his boots. Legolas sighed in relief, but half that sigh was a hiss through his teeth. The water was still rapid, but was too low to really do much of any damage to him. He began to search for Aragorn, stumbling and having to lean against the ravine to catch his breath. If it were to start raining, he was sure he'd be doomed.

"Aragorn!" Legolas shouted. His shout echoed off the walls of the ravine.

The howl of the wind and rushing water was all he could hear.

He tried again, louder. "Aragorn!"

The echo rang, but again, silence. He wouldn't give up now, however. He would find Aragorn at all costs.

If…He were still alive.

He stepped around slick rocks, his feet soaking wet, but again, he was determined to find his companion. He heard hooves crunching against rock, expecting Arod and Gimli, but instead found Hasufel galloping toward him.

"H-hasufel…?" Legolas managed to say. The chocolate-haired horse reared up and neighed, stomping his hooves, jerking his head behind him. The Elf Prince could sense he wanted Legolas to follow and Legolas did as the horse wanted of him. His hopes rose. If Hasufel was still alive and was trying to lead him, he would find Aragorn!

Wouldn't he?

Legolas followed the horse to a large gap in the canal. Hasufel skid to a halt and neighed yet again. The Elf prince could barely make out a figure lying within the rocks. His eyes widened and he immediately scrambled to the figure, though it was difficult for him to see in such darkness.

"Aragorn?!" Legolas shouted, shaking the cold, nearly lifeless figure.

He was met with a soft groan, one Legolas could recognize as Aragorn's. He let out a sigh of relief and pulled Aragorn close to him, tears spilling down his cheeks, but the Ranger did not wake, hanging limply in

Legolas's hold. "Goheno nin, Estel!"

Legolas felt his heart sink when the Ranger did not respond. He turned to Hasufel, slinging Aragorn over his shoulder. He hoped the Ranger hadn't passed right there and then…Legolas mounted Aragorn a top Hasufel, then climbed on himself, hugging Aragorn close to him as well as Hasufel reigns.

The horse broke into a gallop yet again, galloping to a small natural ramp leading up the surface. Hasulfel began to buck and neigh as if in warning, trying to hurry up the ramp. They reached the surface and Legolas saw a faint lantern in the distance. He couldn't even let out a breath before a force slammed into him, knocking him free from Hasufel.

The horse neighed and tried to attack what had thrown Legolas off, but it was again forced to be driven back with a harsh kick to his barrel like chest.

Legolas shouted in surprise, trying to draw his weapon, but he was far too weak to reach down and writhe his Elven Dagger from its place at his hip. Some creature kept him pinned, snarling, saliva dripping onto the Prince's face. The smell of its breath was enough to make him gag, but any thought he had was cut short as it snapped at him.

He had barely just a moment to block the attack with his arm, which was met with powerful jaws and sharp teeth. The Mirkwood Prince screamed in pain and tried to pry his other arm free from the creature's hold, but it kept him pinned like a mouse in the hold of a cat.

And he was exactly that. A mouse. The large creature was toying with him, wanting to make him scream and bleed. Well, so far it was succeeding. Legolas could hardly keep consciousness with the pain overwhelming him, the creature viciously tearing his arm open.

The Elf Prince allowed himself to scream as the creature raked its claws across his chest, forming deep marks as his back arched in pain, tossing him in the air and clamping its jaws upon his thigh like a rag doll, the bones shattering upon the impact. He was hardly able to move at all due to his weakness. The creature threw him against the ground with a harsh thud, dust flying into the air, snarling in an almost mocking manner.

Was this how he would die? To this creature he could hardly recognize? He found himself fading in and out of consciousness as he struggled to rise, the darkness becoming even more dark. The creature charged, pinning him down, opening its jaws.

The creature's breath crawled down Legolas's shoulders, to his throat. Legolas closed his eyes, only able to hear the thundering of his own heart and braced himself for death as the creature snarled, snapping at his throat.

Cliffies! Yay!

-WingedIceWolf

Traslations:

Goheno nin, Estel! - Forgive me, Estel!