"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." - Marylin Monroe

Chapter 7

That evening, back down on the even ground at the feet of the mountain that had defeated them; they discussed which way they could now go. It was Gandalf, answering the hobbit Frodo's question of their choices who brought up a way that immediately cast a silence among the group.

Moria, the dwarven city of old, and a path beneath the mountain. Legolas felt a cold trickle of fear run through his body at this name. An evil place if ever there was one and one that he dared not venture. Seeming to sense his panic, Amber turned to him, her brow creasing in silent question. He swallowed, fear leadening in his stomach and he ceased to join in the discussion now heating up at their choice for path to now take for he now knew not which way would pose the most danger.

Suddenly it seemed that the howling wind was back about them, causing the hair at the nape of Legolas' neck to prickle in fear.

Aragorn leapt to his feet, shouting "how the wind howls!" the others looking now about them as if they had only just noticed the sound, "It is howling with wolf voices. The wargs have come west of the mountains!".

A flurry of action ensued from Aragorn's statement, all standing and readying their weapons and the wolf howling drew closer. They climbed to the top of the hill beside which they had been sheltered, finding defence in a circle of broken stones.

A fire was built, around which they huddled for warmth and protection. None slept, even Bill the pony shaking in fear where he stood at the sound of the howling in the wind.

Then, in the gap of the stone ring a great wolf shape appeared, howling a call to his pack. Gandalf strode toward it, challenging it to come inside the ring or flee for it's life.

The moment he saw it prepare to leap, Legolas knocked an arrow and let it fly as the beast left the ground to enter the circle. The arrow pierced it's throat and it fell, the body thudding to the ground and seeming to put fear into the hearts of the pack, the shapes seeming to retreat into the darkness.

The howling too, seemed to retreat about them at the loss of their leader.

It was later that night, when the moon was high above them that the howling returned. They built up the fire which had burned lower and stood, weapons drawn, hobbits in the centre with their backs to each other. The others stood about them, looking in outward directions to the darkness where the howls drew closer.

As the wargs again attacked, the company fought, swords and bow singing as they struck as many as dared enter their circle.

A great beast leapt through the air, aiming straight for Frodo. Before Legolas could turn to loose an another arrow, a flash of orange seemed to cross his vision, colliding with the diving wolf.

Just then, the wizard held aloft a flaming branch and cried out a spell which lift the circle aflame and seemed to stop the onslaught of attacking wargs.

As silence fell, a sound of crunching paws drew Legolas' attention where the last warg had disappeared. He brought around his bow and took aim.

"Halt!" cried Aragorn, before any could turn their weapons and defend against it. There was a pause, no one daring to draw breath as the sound halted. It was just then that Legolas realised that their number had decreased. Amber was not among them.

Aragon took a step towards where that last pouncing wolf had vanished and as he did so a great orange paw entered the circle of firelight.

Boromir and Gimli held their weapons aloft but Aragorn's raised hand stopped them. Legolas felt his breath leave his body as he realized what must have happened.

The most beautiful, and yet in many ways terrible, beast entered their circle, walking straight to Aragorn with slow purpose. It stood larger than the giant wolves, longer in its body which was striped downwards with black; ending in a long tail that swished slightly as it walked.

The first coherant thought that Legolas had was that she was beautiful. The beast's face was striped in the same orange and black with a white also, around the muzzle and reaching the large amber eyes, which he recognized too well.

Dark blood was staining the fur around it's large jaws from the warg that it had defended against.

"Thank you for protecting us my friend" spoke Aragorn, breaking the tense silence that had fallen among them. A purr rumbled in the belly of the great Beast, somehow soothing Legolas, despite his bodily fear of seeing such a creature. At his change in emotion, the amber eyes flicked towards him, seeming to pierce him with their keen intelligence.

He realized how he still held his bow, and lowered it slowly to the ground, staying low so that he was on an eye level with the Beast. There, slowly, he bowed his head and acknowledgement before standing again.

"So this is what they meant by calling her beast" breathed Frodo, he alone of the hobbits seeming to understand. "She saved my life" he said, staring in awe at the creature which stood taller than he, despite remaining on it's four legs.

"This is our gracious companion" answered Aragorn, who seemed the least afraid of the party; "Only once have I seen her in this form before now, and then in a great peril. You do not need to be afraid".

Although this seemed not to comfort the other man and Dwarf; the hobbits seemed to relax slightly, eyeing the beast, but lowering their swords.

"Witchcraft" muttered Boromir, from behind him, and Legolas turned, frowning at the man, though not quite able to take his ever from the creature before him.

"There is Magic behind this, but not witchcraft" Gandalf spoke to the Gondorian; his tone chiding. "The Beornings are a great race, and only few have had the fortune to see one without coming to harm".

"Then she is dangerous" said the dwarf, himself edging further from the beast.

Aragorn shook his head, "Not to us. She is in Greater control of her Beast than her brothers or late father. She is half elf and thus it does not control her."

At his words the great creature, who had been watching the exchange, seemed to transfor; it's features shifting, within moments becoming the orange haired woman whom Legolas had grown close with. She crouched, blood still streaked across her mouth, and seeming suddenly nervous of the group with whom she had been traveling for weeks. Slowly she stood, as if fearing making a sudden move would cause them to treat her as a threat again.

When standing, she turned her face away, glancing back at the darkness behind her. The uncertainty of her face broke through Legolas' stupour and he found himself stumbling forward towards her, capturing her in an embrace that surprised all, including he. "Thank you" he said, as her stiff form relaxed slightly in his arms, "Thank you for protecting us and for honoring us with sight of your other form." He stepped back, hands still on her shoulders and eyes shining with emotion too strong to place. She stared back at him, large eyes questioning, uncertain. He saw fear in her eyes, but also hope. "You are beautiful" he said, quieter now so that only she could hear him. "I have never seen a creature so fierce and so magnificent." He could not think of another word to describe her.

Strangely contrasting with the red about her mouth, she flushed, the blood rising in her cheeks at his last words. Aragorn stepped forward then, handing her a cloth and water skin. She seemed to realize what he meant for her to do and turned away, embarrassed. She poured from the water skin over the rag, using it to clean her face of blood.

The eyes of the rest were averted once she turned back and a deep sense off loss settled in her heart. She had known that her tentative friendships would be lost when she revealed her other form, and yet, she felt the loss keenly. Only Legolas and Aragorn seemed unaffected; even the wizard seeming to show discomfort at seeing her once she had been revealed for what she was.

They did not dare venture out of the circle after that; huddling down into their blankets but not sleeping, for none of them could after such an attack. At first, Amber placed herself away from the group, but when Legolas came to join her, she seemed to relax and pull her bedroll slightly further into the circle.

Boromir seemed the most wary of Amber; staying as far away as he could and the dwarf Gimli by his side. Though neither were particularly his friends, Legolas did not like the strange looks they now cast at their traveling companion.

Legolas wondered, not for the first time this journey, how his life might have been different were he born another race. He had always taken for granted his elven blood and what this brought for him; but seeing the way the others treated his friend, he wondered now if he had been sheltered, for the world could be a cruel place to those who seemed to others, strange.

Such thoughts mulled in his mind as the fellowship rested, the fear amongst them still tangible in the aftermath of the attack.