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A really long chapter here..lots of action and strife too!

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Onwards...

The Fellowship walked briskly on through the trees, which had started to thin around them, their green leaves offering less and less protection from the elements. A thick sheet of rain had started to pour around them and Merry pulled his cloak around his face, his fingers feeling like small blocks of ice on the ends of his hands.

He felt Gandalf hum next to him, the wizard blowing onto his own hands. The Hobbit looked up, squinting through the rain at Gandalf, who smiled at him, before turning briskly to check on Frodo, who was trailing behind them, next to Gimli. The Dwarf was huffing along, his axe gripped in his hands, thick rivulets of rain clinging to his beard and running down the metal of his helmet.

Boromir was much the same, stood between Sam and Pippin, clutching at his shield, which to the Captain of Gondor seemed to get heavier with every passing second. He wiped his forehead, slicking back his wet hair, looking up at the sky.

'Infernal rain.' He growled, no one hearing him through the howl of the wind. It had started raining about half an hour after they had met the departing Elves and Legolas had been quiet ever since.

Knowing that his kin were leaving in the opposite direction than him, Legolas himself walking closer to danger than he had ever been before, did nothing to quell the unsettled feeling surrounding the Elf. Aragorn walked silently beside him, knowing that it would do better not to talk while Legolas was thinking; the blonde was also listening to everything around him and he knew not to disturb him without good cause.

They carried on walking for about twenty more minutes before the canopy of trees fell back completely, letting the rain fall on them heavy and hard. Aragorn shook his head and ushered the Hobbits back under the trees, Gandalf standing a little way out in the rain to consider where to go next.

In front of them was a wide plane of a mixture of sand and grass, with no end in sight and no more cover of trees to neither help nor hinder them. The stormclouds above seemed to be moving away, but Gandalf kept the company in the relative dry of the forest before continuing.

'We must take the long road to Caradhras' Gandalf announced solemly. 'It's at least a day's walk to the mountainous region under the mountain. We must be well rested before we attempt it. Samwise...'

Sam turned wearily to the wizard, who looked down at him.

'Would you make us one of your delicious meals to help us along our way? I fear we will have little time to eat for some time after this.'

Sam nodded. 'Yes, Mr. Gandalf.' And hurriedly started preparing his things, asking Pippin and Merry to go collect him some firewood.

Gimli sank to the ground, a squelching sound emitting from under him, the dwarf past caring, already more wet than he ever cared to be. Frodo glanced at him, silent, his hand clutching the Ring from under his tunic, his eyes downcast and distant.

Legolas remained standing, his back leaning against a tree, Boromir finding an unturned log to stand on. Aragorn stood next to Gandalf, both looking out to the path in front of them.

'How much further do we walk changing direction?' growled Boromir, casting a look at the wizard, who had his back to him. 'We have altered course twice now...how do we know we are not walking into more danger?'

'We must trust in Gandalf.' Legolas said softly, Boromir turning to him.

'Gandalf trusts in the Elves..of course you would trust the wizard.'

'Why are you so bitter? So we have taken the advice of an Elf, why should that be anymore untrustworthy than advice of a man?'

'At least men would not even try to leave Middle Earth on the coming of a great battle!' The man snarled. 'You Elves are leaving by the literal boat-load...how can we trust in cowards?'

'Cowards?' Legolas pushed off the tree he was leaning against, looking at Boromir with fire in his eyes. 'How dare you? The race of Men would have perished long ago if it were not for the Alliance of Men and Elves! We fought with each-other for each-other...we leave because we must!'

"Must"? Why must you leave?'

'We do not leave simply because Sauron is growing in strength...Elves have been slowly leaving this plane for centuries. The Time of Elves is passing, Men must learn to fight for themselves.'

'Now is not the time to abandon Middle Earth for the sake of passing Times!' cried Boromir, throwing his shield on the ground.

'I agree with you, that is why not all of us are leaving...we must protect our own, you must understand that!'

'I understand you are all cowards who would rather leave others to die in order to preserve your own skins!'

Legolas took a step forwards in anger, his hand reaching backwards for a bow before he caught himself and lowered his hand. He looked at the Hobbits who were watching the exchange with wide eyes.

'Now is not the time for fighting.' He told Boromir, who opened his mouth to angrily retort. But Legolas did not give him time; he simply turned away and put on foot on the tree, hoisting himself up into the comfort of its branches, swinging away to the top.

Aragorn watched the fight unfold with Gandalf and the pair kept their tongues in check as Boromir pushed past them, looking into the distance.

Aragorn heard rustling above him and smiled as Legolas jumped nimbly down to join them, noticing the Elf was ignoring Boromir, who was ignoring the Elf in turn.

'We must leave now. I see two Wraiths behind us and perhaps more following.'

'Pippin, Merry! Pack up, Frodo!' Aragorn started the Hobbits into action, Sam hurriedly packing up his things.

'I've got it, Mr. Frodo' he fussed when Frodo reached for the pans.'

'Again we trust the Elf.' Boromir shook his head, speaking under his breath in the hope no one would hear him. Unfortunately for him, they did hear him.

'Boromir!' Barked Gandalf. 'I will hear no more of your petty issues! If you distrust Legolas so much, I suggest you stay and wait here for the Nazgul's in the hope he is lying.'

Boromir looked at the wizard and backed down, turning away in defeat, muttering even more.

Once the Hobbits were ready, Gandalf pushed them in front, Legolas and Aragorn once again picking up the rear, eyes ever watchful.

-x-

'Merry?'

'Yes, Pip?'

'I'm hungry; we didn't manage to eat anything back in the forest.'

Merry sighed and looked at his cousin. Trust Pippin to be thinking of his stomach at a time like this.

They had been walking through the plane for about three hours now, leaving the forest well behind them, the end still not in sight. The ground crackled under their feet, a mixture of grass and sandy pebbles, getting stuck between the Hobbit's toes, making them stumbled every now and then.

The rest of the Fellowship had hardly spoken a word, Gimli half heartedly tried to strike up a conversation with Aragorn, which had fizzled out rather quickly. They walked along in silence, mainly in pairs.

Legolas sighed and turned around, walking backwards, looking at where they had walked from. His eyes widened at what he saw.

'Estel.' He muttered, Aragorn's head immediately snapping in his direction. 'They are here.'

Aragorn pulled out his sword, the metallic grating sound startling the others. He looked at Gandalf, who nodded.

'Run!' barked Aragorn, pushing the Hobbits forwards. 'Keep going forward, don't stop!

Legolas could hear the hooves of the Steeds of Darkness thunder behind him and he pulled a bow quickly and turned shooting at the horse, regrettably knowing he could not kill the rider. The stallion whinnied in pain, stumbling and falling, throwing its black clad ridier to the ground.

The Elf heard Gimli growl next to him and he raised another bow. 'Keep running' he ordered the dwarf, pushing him back with his hand and following, knowing there were more riders behind them.

The fallen Nazgul was now following on foot, an awful limping spectre of evil, an inhuman scream echoing around them, pushing at their backs, making them all run faster.

When Gimli and Legolas had rejoined the others, Legolas turned back and fired again, bringing down another horse, limiting the two Black Riders to their feet, their steeds lying on the ground. Aragorn held out his sword, looking sideways at Legolas, who didn't look at him; he was watching the advancing Nazgul's.

'Gandalf, take the Hobbits on, with Gimli.'

The dwarf huffed indignantly. 'I will not run like a coward!' he growled. Merry gave him an angry look; they weren't cowards either.

'It would be better if you kept going before we are all encircled; if there are more Frodo will need your protection!'

'Gimli, come with us!' barked Gandalf, brandishing his walking stick, already walking on.

Legolas turned back to the advancing Nazgul's; a pair, which perhaps they had last encountered in the forest. He struck a bow and send it singing, the arrow hitting it's mark, sending the Rider wheeling backwards, but not hindering it much.

Boromir unsheathed his own sword, standing with them against the enemy. One Nazgul, on their left, nearest Legolas, lurched forwards, screeching, Legolas stepped forwards and moved right, his hand bringing around one if his Twin Knives around, slicing through the belly of the creature, using his weight to push it backwards, screaming louder.

Boromir gave a cry and launched himself at the other, bringing around his sword and deftly cutting off its head, cutting off its inhuman baying with one slice, bringing the creature to the ground. The other Nazgul screamed, bringing around its own sword, slicing it through the air towards Boromir's head in anger.

The Gondorian couldn't have managed to swing round fast enough to counteract the strike. The man turned and his eyes widened in terror as the sword swung in his face. Suddenly, the Nazgul stiffened for a second, turning abrubtly, an arrow sticking out of its back. Aragorn took this moment to step in, using his sword to push down the Nazgul's sword, pushing it away with his hand, kicking out while Boromir collected his senses and swung around his broadsword, cutting off this ones head as well.

The Man of Gondor looked at the Elf, who was looking around with narrowed eyes, certain there were no more following. He turned to Boromir, who coughed.

Legolas stepped forwards, his face open when Boromir spoke again.

'Did we kill them?'

Aragorn looked at him. 'No...they are neither living nor dead so therefore cannot be killed. Look...already they move.'

Sure enough, they looked down at the black cloaks were already twitching, the disconnected head slowly moving, as though it was nodding, black blood spilling out from the underside.

'We must move before they revive further...the further away we are, the better.' Legolas cleaned his knife and started walking, looking back as Aragorn started following.

They made their way back to the others, who they caught up with about ten minutes later. They stopped when they saw what had stopped Gandalf, the Hobbits and Gimli in their tracks.

In front of them was a draw-bridge, beyond which was a stone tower, ramshackled and unused.

'A dwarven fort.' Mused Gandalf. ' Designed to be occupied at all times; hence the drawbridge. Someone would always be here to let it down for others, by the looks of it, there had long been anyone here.'

'I see no reason for a draw bridge to be here.' Announced Boromir. 'We have nothing to fear...the river has long been dry!'

He stepped under the shadow of the bridge and extending walls with confidence.

'No!' barked Gandalf, Legolas rushing forwards. Aragorn grabbed his arm, stopping the Elf.

Boromir looked down and felt himself sinking; his trousers becoming sodden.

'It's quicksand!'

I hope you enjoyed that extremely long chapter! : )

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