All too soon, the time came for the Fellowship to leave the safety of Rivendell, and begin on their quest. Natasha, Aragorn and Legolas had spent many days wandering the Halls and the woods surrounding the House, talking quietly, and enjoying each others' company. She trained with Gandalf every day, but each lesson was short, not out of necessity, but simply that Natasha was very quickly coming to the end of her training. She would be fully versed in her Power, and, after the Fellowship's quest was complete, would be free to pursue whatever goal she set out for herself. And eventually, Gandalf sighed, as he watched the trio as they practiced archery and swordsmanship, she would have children of her own, and would in turn train them, should they have the Power. And then, far off, she would grow old and pass, leaving her own legacy behind to become legend and myth.
But that was the future, and now, as the Fellowship lined up in front of the Last Homely House, and Elrond spoke, Gandalf could not help but wonder what he had gotten his apprentice into, whether she would be alive at the end to have those children, or if she would perish in the course of their journey. Shaking such thoughts out of his head, Gandalf turned his attention to Lord Elrond's speech.
"Each of you has volunteered for this task, and so may you leave it, all save the Ringbearer, who must see it through. But no one else need feel compelled to go further than as their heart bids, and feel not shame at having done so." Elrond paused to look at each member of the Fellowship before continuing. "Go with the blessings of all the Free Peoples of Middle Earth. May the Valar keep you in their thoughts."
Aragorn nodded briefly to his foster father, and turned, leading Bill the Pony. Sam and Frodo followed suit, and soon the entire Fellowship were walking along the path out of the valley. Merry and Pippin spoke quietly, and Gimli the dwarf was bragging to Legolas about his prowess in battle. Something about how many orcs he had killed on the way from the Lonely Mountain. Boromir followed, what could only be described as a sulk on his face at having been rebuked by Elrond for blowing his horn before their departure. Natasha and Gandalf came last, each alone with their own thoughts.
Much of the next few days passed like this. Each member of the Fellowship concentrating on their own thoughts, but slowly each one of them started coming out of their shell. Boromir had taken over teaching the hobbits how to use their swords, and had started lessons almost immediately after the Fellowship had been formed. Gimli, Gandalf and Aragorn had taken to smoking their pipes after the camp was set up and while Sam and the hobbits figured out how to cook whatever Legolas had been able to catch for them, be it rabbit or pheasant. By the end of the night, Legolas and Aragorn would retire to their tent, Boromir's suspicious eyes following them, and that would be the signal for everyone to head to their own tents. Natasha's was beside Gandalf's on the edge of camp and on the furthest side from Gimli, whom they had discovered snored so loudly that neither of them got much sleep that night. Watch was taken in turns, each person coming to rouse the next, talk for a few moments and then head to bed.
And so the routine had been set. Even Natasha took watch, though she'd had to fight Boromir for it. Each day they walked, further and further away from Rivendell. Three weeks out from Rivendell, they prepared to make the journey through the Gap of Rohan. They were stopped for a rest on a hillside littered with boulders, some of which were as tall as houses. Boromir had taken the moment to have a lesson, and Sam and Frodo were cooking lunch.
Each time the Fellowship stopped, Natasha had taken it upon herself to set up defenses around their location. Defenses that would allow her to know the moment an enemy passed them, and she set them out far enough to give the Fellowship time to escape, should they be crossed by an enemy. Today, she sat with her senses extended out as far as she could reach to place the barriers, when a crow flew through the barrier. Not much to think about and so she continued. And then another crow, and another flew through, followed quickly by many others, too many to count.
"Gandalf?" she called, pulling herself back. "There are a lot of crows coming this way." She said as he came to stand beside her.
"Saruman has the Gap watched." He sighed, turning to Aragorn. "The Spies of Saruman are nearly upon us. Everyone hide!"
Everyone ran for cover of the boulders. Bill the Pony was led into a shelter provided by two large boulders. Legolas had pulled Natasha into his shelter with him, while Aragorn kept Frodo furthest from view with his body close by. Everyone was quickly hidden from sight, and not a moment too soon. The crows were faster than Natasha remembered crows being, and were on them just as the last of them was fully hidden. The hilltop was swarmed, and all that could be heard was the sound of flapping black wings and the cawing of the crows as they called to each other.
"Are they here?" they called to each other. "Have they been here?"
"There's a fire from someone being here."
"Could have been anyone."
"Keep searching north, maybe they didn't leave when the Red One said they did."
We are going to have to find another way east. Natasha mind-spoke to her mentor. Who is the Red One?
Gandalf shrugged at her and left his hiding place. He watched the crows flying away for a moment.
"If the road is watched, what are we going to do, Gandalf?" Frodo asked.
"We'll have to take the path up Caradhras." Gandalf answered, pointing with his staff up the mountain. Its tall, white peak stared balefully down at them, almost daring them to climb.
"Gandalf, there is another way." Gimli declared. "We could go under the mountain, through Moria. My cousin Balin should be well set up now, and would give us a grand welcome."
Gandalf simply looked at Gimli, considering how best to answer what was obviously meant in kindness.
"Gimli, I would not go there unless there were no other choice." His voice was grave, betraying all of the reluctance he had in taking that course of action. He turned and began leading the Fellowship up the mountain.
"Why is Gandalf so reluctant to go in Moria?" Natasha asked Aragorn, falling into step beside him and Legolas. "There was something in his voice, some horror he'd seen? But if Gimli's cousin is there, it can't be all bad."
"Gandalf and I traveled that way about a decade ago." Aragorn's voice too was grave, and almost weary. "The way was long and dark, with many dangers. We very nearly did not make it out alive. It may be true that Balin, son of Fundin is indeed dwelling within those once forsaken halls, but it may be too much to hope for."
Natasha watched as Legolas shuddered violently, stepping closer to his husband at the memory of what he had nearly lost. The Bond between them was strong, she could see it when she tried, a golden ephemeral thread floating between them. For that Bond to be broken would cause each to die, she could well imagine the anguish that it would cause before each succumbed to death.
The rest of the day was spent trudging ever closer to the snowline. At the end of the day, a fire was built in the shelter of a large overhang of rock, and they all huddled as close to it as they dared, the hobbits cuddled together for warmth with Gandalf, Boromir and Gimli sat with their cloaks pulled tightly around them. Natasha sat between Aragorn and Legolas, huddled between all their cloaks, breath smoking in front of them. Natasha hid her face in Aragorn's chest, trying her best to imagine herself somewhere else, somewhere warmer, but to no avail. The cold was just too pervasive.
"I still say we should go through the Mines of Moria." Gimli said vehemently through chattering teeth. "I do not understand your aversion to the home of my fathers. Lord Balin will give us a royal welcome, with meat and drink, and a warm bed to sleep in."
"Perhaps we should listen to the dwarf, Gandalf." Boromir said and nodded to the hobbits. "It would be far better to be with the dwarves, than to catch our death of cold out here."
Gandalf considered for a moment, but was interrupted by a loud roar through the mountains. All tried to find the source, but the blowing snow prevented them from seeing who or what had made such a noise.
There. Gandalf said in Natasha's head, showing her what to look for. Through the snow, a giant form could barely be seen, pulling back its arm and hurling something forward.
"Move!" she shouted to Legolas and Aragorn, throwing herself across the fire. The two elves were but a moment behind her, and in their place a boulder smashed down, chunks flying and nearly hitting Gimli and Boromir.
"Snow giants." Gandalf said in distaste.
"Saruman has surely sent them. They and this blasted snowstorm!" Boromir declared with more fire.
Gandalf studied the path ahead. "Saruman has anticipated every move I have made to this point. He knows my mind too well." Turning to Frodo, he replied. "Let the Ringbearer decide.
Frodo chose to go through the Mines, if for no other reason than to get out of the cold. Natasha felt more than the chill of the snowstorm shiver through her spine at his choice, but having no other choice, followed the others back down the mountain.
Far away in his cave, the Red Sorcerer frowned. He knew what lay beneath Caradhras, waiting in the Halls of Durin. But try as he might, he could think of no way to get his prize away from there without revealing his true self to his Master, and it was not time to do that. Soon but not just yet. Hurling his jewel encrusted goblet of wine across the room in rage, he let loose with all his Power, striking out at one of his captives. A scream of anguish rose up from the pit, along with the cries of rage from the others. A dragon died that night, but in the end, the Dark Lord only needed one, so he had a few to spare.