The Elven Gates [CONTINUING!!]

Chapter Twelve

I didn't sleep most of the night. Howling wolves off in the distance reminded me too much of the wargs I knew inhabited these lands. I looked up at the stars once more, admiring the constellations I knew and tying stars together to form my own.

"That one can be 'the horse'," I said quietly, pretending to string a few stars in the East to make a horse shape.

"And this one can be the dragon," I heard Pippin whisper to me. He pointed at a clump of stars in the northern sky that looked somewhat like a dragon.

"You can't sleep either?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied but then giggled, " and Merry keeps digging his elbows into my back."

"I do not!" Merry whisper-yelled.

"Do too!"

"Can you please keep it down," Aragorn seemed annoyed, "some of us are trying to sleep."

"Some of us!" Pippin pointed out.

"So what are we doing? Star watching? Oh yes I love this, please do count me in!" Gimli sat down in a small area away from the fire with those of us who couldn't, or wouldn't, sleep. After a few minutes we had quite a group huddled around in a small circle. Even Aragorn ended up joining us.

"Ready to hang with the cool elves?" I said sarcastically.

"I would rather not 'hang', and I hate to break it to you but you're the only elf here," he replied. I just slumped down on the edge of the circle.

"No she's not," Pippin piped up as Legolas effortlessly crouched beside Aragorn and I.

"Where did you come from?" I asked, why hadn't I heard him coming?

"Uhm, Mirkwood?" The others chuckled at his sarcastic remark, but I scooted away and closer to a large rock jutting out of the bare earth's surface. There I sat, studying the stars until I was lulled to sleep by the Fellowship's soft chatter.

I awoke to the muffled sound of feet shuffling around the dry ground. Sitting up, I saw the Fellowship loading up the light colored horses with bags and supplies. My joints disagreed with me standing up after being curled into a ball on the dirt.

"Leaving without me I see?" I said groggily as I pulled myself away from the earth.

"Oh, no we were just packing up. We didn't want to wake you." Aragorn continued tying up the horses' saddles.

"Why not?"

"Ye looked so adorable while you slept," Gimli nudged Legolas, "Elf boy here didn't want to break the peace."

I turned away, hoping to hide the fact that I was blushing like mad, and packed up my bedroll. I fiddled around with the strings and my belt. Anything to spare one more moment of not looking like hot water was just poured on my face. Faith and Fury sang as I brandished and then sheathed them again.

We all mounted our horses, and it took extra effort to get Losse to behave around the others- which were clonking with all the supplies they were carrying. I looked up at the Pass of Caradhras that loomed ahead. Dark storm clouds gathered around the mountain peak and gave it an eerie feeling. I could sense a darker presence within these mountains. Even though I knew what it was, the Balrog.

"We should pass through the mines of Moria," Gandalf said. What?

"Do you not know of the evil that dwells there? It could be the death of us all!" I shouted back at him. The storyline already wasn't following the books, what if one of my hobbits died? He shot me a menacing glare.

"It should be perfectly safe. I can and will send you to the safety of the Mines."

"A Balrog of Morgoth! That is what you send us to! The halls of Dwarrowdelf may have once been peaceful, but they are infested with Goblins and other terrible creatures!"

"I will not allow a she-elf's irrational impulses jeopardize this quest!" Gandalf was infuriated. I normally would have laughed at the image of flames coming out of his ears, which had popped into my head, if I were not in such a... situation.

"Mithrandir!" Aragorn boomed, "That is no way to treat Rhoevien. You may be renowned for your fireworks but there is a reason you are not known for your curtesy!" Legolas was squirming in the saddle of his horse, obviously uncomfortable with Aragorn standing up to the wizard.

"Amin uuma malia, I was only warning you of the danger behind the great Doors of Durin's Folk." With that I rode off in the direction of the mountains.