Hi!

Just wanted to start with a big thank you to all the reviews I got with the last chapters...I got some very good advice from certain reviewers, looked back and realised they were right. So. It's not going to be a massive change, but I figure that I need more substance, in hindsight, particularly with the fight scenes...so I'm going to have more fun with them soon! : ) And I'm breaking the mould with the angsty Boromir having verbal spars with Legolas... so I can write him a bit more freely...after all, it's strife within and out the group, but I think others can offer just as much as Boromir can...

So, to you two very helpful reviewers who weren't afraid to voice their opinions, thank you. And I hope you like the following chapters a little more...

Enjoy!

Onwards...

Aragorn looks aghast as Boromir was slowly sucked into the ground, the wet sand now up to his waist. The Gondorian looked down in horror and lifted his heavy shield above his head, throwing it as far as he could onto the dry ground; his sword had recently been re-sheathed, which meant that it was now stuck in the sand, the glint of the metal fast disappearing.

'Someone help him!' shouted Merry, rushing forwards and unclipping his cloak, only for Pippin to grab him around the body, pulling him backwards and onto the ground, the youngest Hobbit scared for his cousin's life if he went running in. Together, the two Hobbits grabbed Boromir's shield, dragging it backwards.

Gandalf stepped forwards, concern flooding his face as he watched Boromir whimper slightly as the sand reached his chest.

'For heaven's sake, someone help me!' he shouted, now panicking and reaching his arms out beside him, trying to push himself out, anything to stop him sinking anymore. All this did was make it worse and now he was almost up to his neck.

Legolas quickly shed his cloak, knowing it would only slow him down, looking at Aragorn and passing him his quiver and bow. The ranger nodded and moved out of his way, the Elf tentatively walking towards safety's edge.

'Boromir' he said, bending down right next to the Captain of Gondor, who turned his head, straining his neck as the sand reached his shoulders; he was fast disappearing.

'I need you to stop moving, or you'll sink faster. 'I'm going to move in beside you and take your arms; do not move until I tell you.'

Boromir nodded, looking forwards again as Legolas got into place. The Elf gingerly started creeping forwards, sitting in the wet sand, his weight making no indentation at all, no sign of him being there at all. He shuffled up behind him, so his legs were either side of Boromir's head and he leant forward and took hold of his hands.

Legolas moved in close and spoke quietly. 'I'm going to pull you backwards and your going to have to lean on me; I'm not going to sink by myself, but if you start to panic we're both going to die. Just relax, stay calm and let me do all the work'

Boromir nodded frantically before turning his head. 'Elf' he panted, afraid that Legolas was going to leave him. 'What I said before, about you being a coward-'

'Don't' instructed Legolas, smiling, although Boromir couldn't see this. 'It is forgotten; we all say things in times of high emotion; I hold nothing against you.'

'I should not have said it.' mused Boromir. 'I am sorry.'

'You speak as if you are about to perish.' Frowned Legolas, leaning forwards and taking a deep breath. 'You know you are not.'

Gandalf, Aragorn and the Hobbits' watched this exchange from the bank of safety, the Elf sat on top of the sand behind the sunken Gondorian, all differences forgotten in Boromir's time of need. They needed to keep moving, or more Nazgul's would be upon them.

Legolas gripped Boromir's hands tighter and pulled back with all his might, shuffling backwards a few millimetres as a sucking, squelching sound emitted from around Boromir as the man was pulled from it, little by little. Thick, brown ooze covered the Gondorian and he started to frantically kick, trying to get out quicker.

'No!' Legolas stopped pulling and Boromir started to be sucked back in. 'I told you not to move! You will be the death of us both!'

'I am trying to free myself!' panted Boromir, straining against the Elf's hands.

'I'll get you free. Trust me.'

Boromir stilled his frantic kicking, obviously thinking hard. After a few silent, tense moments, he nodded and relaxed further, letting Legolas grip his hands and pull again.

Soon, the sand was pooled around the Gondorian's waist, with his upper body lying length ways across the Elf's lower body, Legolas now gripping his belt, trying to pull him out the last section of unforgiving sand.

'It is not...working!' Boromir gasped, and Legolas relaxed for a few moments before starting again, this time successfuly pulling the Man from the sand.

Together, very slowly, Man and Elf made their way back to the rest of the Fellowship, Boromir collapsing onto his back on the solid ground, breathing heavily.

Legolas carefully stood up and brushed a few grains of slightly wet sand from his cloak, looking down at the man.

Boromir looked up at him, blinking sunshine out his eyes. 'Thank you.'

Legolas nodded, turning away to retrieve his bow and quiver from Aragorn, looking at the Hobbits and Gandalf. Frodo and Sam stood together, their eyes wide, both silent. Pippin and Merry sat on the ground next to Boromir's shield, both looking at the Man, hoping his would move and all would be alright again.

Soon enough, Boromir did move, sitting on his backside and putting his elbows on his knees, looking out at the slowly filling hole he had just inhabited.

Gimli cleared his throat, stepping forwards and looking up at the grey stone wall in front of them. 'We still have to make haste across to the encampment.' He stated, looking at Gandalf, who stroked his beard in contemplation.

'We cannot go across the sand; we must go around.'

'We cannot afford the time to go around.' Aragorn said, gesticulating with his hands, signalling behind them .'We do not know how many are following.'

'I can lower the bridge.' Legolas stepped forwards again, cloak on, along with his bow and quiver. 'It would be much quicker that taking a different route.'

Without waiting for an answer, the Elf took one step onto the sinking sand, again, not even making an imprint on it's surface, quickly making it across, gracefully walking along to the other side.

Frodo watched, eyes wide as Legolas found small vantage points in the wall's face opposite him, scaling the wall with ease. He watched as Legolas looked down, checking out how high he was from the ground, before the Elf disappeared over the wall's top completely.

Then followed several minutes of tense silence as they waited for the bridge to be lowered towards them. Aragorn's eyes widened as they heard a metallic clang, his hand instinctively reaching to his sword at his waist.

'Legolas!' he called, stepping forwards, just short of the quick sand.

Finally, the sound of a rope being let free was heard and Aragorn looked up, only to be pulled backwards hard as the bridge landed with a crash where he was stood moments before. The Man looked behind him to see Frodo, who had grabbed his left arm and the back of his belt. He nodded his thanks and Frodo smiled, looking to the bridge, which Gandalf approached.

Legolas was stood at the end, not far from them and Gandalf did not like the look on his face.

'I fear we have made a mistake coming here.' Legolas stated gravely as his eight companions joined him, leading the way into the small cove, which looked out onto a grassy plane, leading to the forest beyond. In the distance, as clear as anything, you could see the Great Mountain of Caradhras, it's white peak just disappearing into the clouds.

'No..' whispered Gimli, stepping forwards. What used to be a bustling, vibrant Dwarven community, also full with training, laughing, drinking, eating Dwarves was completely desolate. Not a sign of life, not abandoned swords, shields, axes. Nothing.

Gandalf shot a look at Aragorn, who pulled out his sword, Boromir following suit, Legolas drawing his bow.

'Where are they all?' Pippin asked, grasping hold of the corner of Gandalf's cloak. The wizard didn't answer, looking up at the former watch towers, also empty.

The wind whistled between them, no Dwarven voices carried upon it, giving no clue as to the whereabouts of the inhabitants of this once thriving training encampment.

Legolas narrowed his eyes, watching around him. 'We should leave; we are clearly alone, although that troubles me greatly.'

'Aye.' Boromir agreed. 'How could they all have disappeared?'

'There is no sign of a fight, which leads me to think they have left...perhaps into battle?' Gandalf mused, stepping forwards, leading the way through the eerily quiet courtyard, the forest leading to Caradhras just in front of them now.

'They would not all have left unless the need was dire.' Gimli disagreed, Gandalf looking down his beard at him.

'Perhaps the need was dire.' Countered Legolas, standing next to Merry, who was looking around in awe, in danger of falling behind.

The ground beneath their feet was loose and rocky, Boromir almost stumbling as he lost concentration, trying to pry drying sand from his clothes.

Soon, they reached the forest's edge, Gandalf holding up his staff and stopping them. He looked at Legolas, who looked at him, confused.

'This is a forest unused to visitors; we must know that it is safe.' He said softly, Legolas nodding.

Slowly the Elf walked into the forest, trailing a hand against one of the trees bark, looking at the leaves as they danced in the wind, some brown, decaying examples falling onto the ground.

Legolas closed his eyes and to Sam, he seemed to be listening to something, something he could not hear. After a few moments, Legolas opened his eyes and turned to the group.

'We are safe, evil has not reached these trees yet.'

Gandalf nodded, nodding at the Hobbits, who hurried forwards, Frodo stumbling.

'It's alright, Mr. Frodo' Sam grasped his arm. 'I've got you.' Frodo smiled at his friend, eyes soft.

They had only been walking for an hour when Aragorn noticed that Gimli had stiffened, the Dwarf, having better hearing than his, was a trustworthy aid as well as Legolas. Gimli kept walking, however, he kept looking around him, his eyes narrowed, axe held tightly in his hands.

Legolas, however, had turned full circle and was now walking backwards, eyes wide, bow and quiver ready to fire.

A low growling reached the ears of the Hobbit's, a rustling of leaves in the forests around them, the air suddenly becoming very close. Frodo gasped and grabbed Gandalf's cloak, the Wizard looking around in alarm. Legolas backed away from the left side of the track they were on, Aragorn shooting him a look.

A low, very loud growl, almost a snarl echoed around them, at several different pitches, which told Boromir there were more than one.

'What is this?' he demanded, his sword held aloft, shield covering him.

Legolas shot an arrow into the bushes, a sharp yelp emitting from the darkness.

'Wargs.' He murmured.

Thank you for reading so far, I hope you enjoyed this offering...trust me, the Warg attack is going to be a little more written out than the other fights with the Nazgul's, but I hope to write better Nazgul fights in later chapters...

More soon!

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