AN: All right...there's finally real action in this chapter and y'all know me. That means more spiders. I do promise to get to something else soon, though...spiders aren't the only evil creatures in Middle-Earth, even if they seem to be the only ones I can write (maybe it's the phobia...I don't know).

Chapter Eleven: Fight in the Forest

By Gilfaroth's estimate, it would take four days to get through the forest, two to travel south to the Old Ford, and another three to go through the High Pass to Rivendell. Meluial sighed and glanced over at her sister, relieved that Legolas was sleeping again. They were three days into their journey, about three-quarters of the way to the western border of the forest. The road was usually well-traveled, though there weren't many parties traveling to or from Mirkwood this time of year, so it was uncommon for there to be any real dangers. But the warriors all stayed alert, just in case.

There was a certain sharpness to the air that signaled the approach of Autumn, and Meluial was a bit concerned that their stay in Rivendell would have to be cut short for fear of snow blocking the mountain passes. Luinlothiel would undoubtedly want to stay until Legolas was well, but with a mild summer and signs predicting a long, harsh winter Meluial was afraid they wouldn't have time to stay. She looked over to Luinlothiel again, and caught an encouraging smile from the older she-elf. The party of elves was strangely silent, as though fearing conversation would somehow delay them.

"How is he?" Meluial asked, maneuvering her horse a bit closer to her sister.

"Sleeping," Luinlothiel shrugged. "At least the fever hasn't returned, but he hasn't changed since we left."

Meluial winced. Their departure from the palace had been a horrible blow for an elfling, and for the entire day he had been quiet and listless as though he were physically hurt. Granted, he had started acting like that in the days since the accident but somehow this was worse. "Should we slow down?"

"No," the older princess shook her head firmly. "We need to get him to Lord Elrond as soon as possible. The pace isn't too difficult for him."

Sighing, Meluial glanced around at the silent company. Gilfaroth rode at the head, perpetually searching the trees for any threat that might dare approach. Brithdil was just behind them, acting as rearguard with a few of the other warriors. Meluial knew the rest of the company on sight, though since most of them came from Gilfaroth's patrol she didn't know them all by name.

She couldn't help but notice that all of the elves chosen for the company were archers. Many, like Gilfaroth, were skilled with both bow and blade, but it all of them (with the exception of Luinlothiel, of course) were well-known for their archery skilled.

Luinlothiel was not numbered among the warriors, though she did carrying a weapon and knew enough to defend herself. Her instructions were explicit: if they were to run into danger she was to take Legolas and flee as fast as her horse could take her.

The younger princess shook her head as dark thoughts flitted through her mind. It was likely that they would run into danger on this journey...by the last reports orcs had been sighted in the Misty Mountains, gathering in numbers. While this was a very real danger, Gilfaroth had feared worse the delay that would result if they chose to go south and bypass the mountains. The journey to Rivendell would already take nine days if all went smoothly (and Meluial had no doubt that it wouldn't)...going around the mountains would add nearly twice that.

"Captain!"

Brithdil's voice startled the princess out of her musings.

Gilfaroth whirled about, the company halting as he turned. "Yes?" he asked, his voice taught with anxiety. "I heard it too, Brithdil."

Meluial looked back. Brithdil had an arrow out, drawn up on his bow. "They approach from the south," he called.

She shivered. All in the company knew what he was referring to...there could only be one "they" in Mirkwood forest.

"What force conspires against us," Gilfaroth muttered, shaking his head. "Draw in! Prepare for the attack! Brithdil," he called the younger elf forward. "How large do you think it is?"

Brithdil frowned in concentration, and Meluial edged a bit closer to hear what he would say.

"Perhaps ten...Green Spiders, I believe."

The princess breathed a sigh of relief. Green Spiders were more greedy than dangerous...likely this was a simple hunting party moved to a desperate assault on the elves due to hunger. Or they could have been driven from their nests by larger predators, or perhaps were cast-outs by a new queen. Any number of reasons...but a party of this size was not likely to be trouble.

"All right," Gilfaroth nodded. "I want you to take Luinlothiel and go further up the trail. Wait for us there...and be prepared to flee should their numbers grow."

Meluial grimaced as Brithdil nodded. If the spiders were feared in battle for one reason, it was that they seemed to multiply in the thick of a fight.

The younger captain and Luinlothiel spurred their horses on, Brithdil still with an eye out for approaching danger. Meluial watched them for as long as she dared, jerking her attention back to the trees as she held her bow at the ready.

Yet she still jumped when the first spider dropped down from the trees above. She swore under her breath, firing an arrow at it and hitting it in the side. Gilfaroth was barking orders out to his warriors as the spiders attacked, himself pausing to fire into the trees.

Tricky spiders, Meluial thought to herself. Only three had come down in the first wave, and the others scuttled about in the branches overhead, making it nearly impossible to see them for a clear shot.

Of course, the fact that the sun was setting and the forest was swiftly growing darker didn't help at all.

Her horse suddenly bucked, and Meluial leapt off before the beast could throw her, whirling around to fire at a spider that had come up on the other side of the path. She shouted a warning to one of the other warriors, and he instinctively dropped to the ground as she shot an arrow into the spider that had been about to drop on his head.

Ignoring the warrior's thanks—there would be time enough for that when the battle was over—Meluial turned her attention back to the tree canopy above.

She could see movement in the branches, and wryly realized that the "perhaps ten" spiders had indeed multiplied into a much more formidable force. Not that she could blame Brithdil for his miscalculation...truly, it was hard to count the number of approaching spiders based solely on sound.

A dark shape hurtled down in the corner of her eye, and she spun and fired into it, another arrow nearly meeting hers as it pierced the creature. It hissed something, and Gilfaroth quickly killed it with another arrow, pausing to meet Meluial's eyes as if ensuring his sister-in-law's wellbeing.

She managed a quick smile, ducking away from another warrior's warning, only to realize belatedly that it hadn't been aimed at her. Some small portion of her mind noted that there was a warrior named Meledur in the party, and no doubt this wouldn't be the first time that their names were confused.

A sudden weight sprawled across her back as her brother-in-law pushed her down, rolling aside and slashing out with his knife as another spider seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Where are they coming from," Meluial grumbled, whipping out another arrow to slaughter another spider.

"This is the last wave," Gilfaroth grunted, shoving a carcass away with one foot. "Notice, there are no more coming."

Meluial nodded thankfully, her eyes still darting about the trees for more spiders.

It seemed true, then. Perhaps the spider attack was ending.

Just as the battle seemed to be over a scream echoed through the forest, and Meluial froze. She knew that voice.

So did Gilfaroth. "Luni," he gasped, running and leaping onto his horse.

Meluial mounted her own, doggedly following her brother-in-law down the path. She could hear the sound of battle and could only pray that they weren't too late.

"Brithdil, no!"

The princess's heart nearly stopped beating at the sound of her sister's terrified voice. She urged her horse faster, catching up with and nearly passing Gilfaroth. If anything happened to Brithdil...

The elves came to the top of a slight dip and saw Luinlothiel down in the hollow, huddled against a tree with Legolas safely wrapped in her cloak. Meluial breathed a slight sigh of relief that her brother and sister were all right, but when she caught sight of Brithdil her breath was nearly stolen from her again.

Brithdil was in the center of the path, and in the fading light she could see that he was facing down one of the largest common spiders she'd ever seen. It was nearly the size of a wolf, its eyes gleaming with a hungry light.

The elf-captain's quiver and bow lay discarded, and to Meluial's eye it looked as though they had been torn off of his body.

Meluial could only watch as Brithdil lunged forward, knives in hand, to battle the spider. She was just a bit awestruck as he dodged and feinted, effectively scoring several strong hits on the spider. She had never had a chance to observe someone fighting with two knives before. In one fluid move Brithdil cut through the spider, finally striking the kiling blow. Meluial sighed in relief, barely noticing that Gilfaroth had ridden down ahead of her to check on Luinlothiel and Legolas.

"Captain Brithdil?" she called, dismounting and running over to the captain who was wiping his knives off with a disgusted expression. "Are you hurt?"

The captain glanced up, a hint of pain twisting his handsome features. "Not really," he shrugged, wincing as he did so. "Caught me by surprise...jumped down from the canopy and landed on my back. Guess I was luck it caught hold of my quiver and not my skin."

Meluial grimaced, helping Brithdil gather his scattered arrows. Glancing over at him, she suddenly noticed blood staining the sleeve of his tunic. "You are hurt!" she exclaimed, grabbing him by the uninjured arm and forcing him to sit down. "Did it bite you?"

"No," Brithdil shook his head. "Might have scratched me, though."

"Let me see it," Meluial said, shooting a glare at her sister when she caught Luinlothiel smiling. "Luni, Dear," she called over, sweetly, "you wouldn't happen to have a roll of bandages in your pack would you?"

Luinlothiel made a face at her sister, but tossed the requested item over and went back to soothing Legolas. Meluial winced...no doubt the spiders brought back horrible memories for the elfling.

Gilfaroth, seeing that his wife was safe, headed back to the rest of the elves to bring them forward. Meluial knew that they would move out as soon as he returned, to make camp farther along the road away from the spider bodies. There were enough scavengers in the forest that they didn't need to worry about disposing of the carcasses.

To her relief, the scratch on Brithdil's arm was minor. Once it was cleaned and bandaged, the captain assured her it would heal with no trouble. He was a bit sore (apparently throwing a wolf-sized spider off of one's back could cause that), but other than that he was uninjured.

The greater relief, however, was when Gilfaroth returned to announce that they had all come through the battle with not terrible hurts. No one had been bitten, and it seemed none had a wound more serious than Brithdil's.

But Meluial knew, as they all did, that they were lucky. Had the spiders been lead by a Great Spider, the battle would have gone much worse.

Reviews? Flames? Tar and Feathers?

AN: Sorry, I had to cut it off there otherwise it would have ended up twice as long. But we're almost through the first part...about four chapters left. In the next one Legolas finally arrives in Rivendell, and in the one after that he meets Elladan and Elrohir.

Funny (and pointless) story. As I was sitting at my desk trying to write this chapter my cat was nearby, and he kept meowing at me with this very earnest expression on his face like he had something important to tell me. I just wish I knew what. He was very insistent.