Amara wandered a bit further away from the Fellowship and placed her bag on the ground. They had made camp and everyone mingled around and talked to one another, but Amara hadn't said more than ten words since they had left.
She perched herself up on the top of a pointed rock, her eyes searching the air for anything suspicious. Below her, the rest of the Fellowship were settling down to rest.
"Good, very good." Boromir complimented as he dueled with Merry and Pippin.
"Move your feet." Aragorn instructed.
"You look good Pippin." Merry said.
"Thanks." Pippin said as Merry joined in. San and Frodo watched them with smiles on their faces.
"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note that they're not, I'd say that we were taking the long way round." Gimli complained. "Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome." Amara tensed at the name Balin. She hadn't seen him for so long.
"No Gimli, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gandalf responded, his eyes shadowed.
Amara's eyes catch sight of a grey cloud in the distance. She tilts her head and tries to make out what it is. Light steps sound behind her.
"What do you see?" Legolas asked quietly, lowering down next to Amara. Without a word, she points to the mass. Legolas stands fully and peers at it.
Meanwhile, Boromir's sword slips and he cuts Pippin's hand with his sword. Pippin drops his sword.
"ARGH!" Pippin cried.
"Sorry!" Boromir steps forward to look at Pippin's hand, but Pippin kicks Boromir in the leg.
"Get him!" Merry cheered and joined in on the fight. The two hobbits wrestle Boromir to the ground and jump on him. Aragorn lets out a small chuckle.
"For the Shire." Pippin declares. "Hold him, hold him down Merry!" Aragorn stands up and grasps the hobbits arms.
"Gentlemen, that's enough!" Merry and Pippin grab Aragorn's legs, throwing him backwards onto the ground.
"You've got my arm... argh!... you've got my arm." Pippin said.
Sam stands up and notices that the cloud looking like dark specks is moving towards them.
What is that?" He asked.
"Nothing, its just a whisp of cloud." Gimli muttered. Boromir paused from the scuffle looks up.
"Its moving fast.... against the wind." He said. Amara lets out a gasp and jumps up.
"Crebain! From Dudland!" Legolas cried. Then chaos ensued. Everyone rushed to pack up and leave no trace that they were there.
"Hide!" Aragorn shouts.
"Hurry!"
"Frodo! Take cover!"
They all run gathering their things and dousing the fire, and dash under the rocks out of sight.
A great flock of black crows flies over them. Amara remained still next to Legolas, her breath almost non-existent. The birds circle then fly off again. There was silence before anyone began to move.
Amara pushed the branches to the side and climbed out of her hiding place then turned and grasped Legolas' arm and helped him out.
"Spies of Saruman. The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras." Gandalf announces. Amara looks up at the snowy peaks and a chill runs through her.
--
The Fellowship began their ascent, following in a line behind Gandalf. Amara walked close behind Aragorn at the back of the group. Up ahead, Frodo struggled to pick his feet up over the deep snow. He stumbled and fell, rolling down the mountain. Aragorn stopped him from going any further.
The ranger pulled the hobbit up as Amara caught up and brushed some snow off of him. Frodo does the same as they both realize something is missing. Amara's eyes move back up the mountain to Boromir, who bends down and picks up the chain that dangled the ring dangled from.
"Boromir." Aragorn warned.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing." He is mesmerised by it, his eyes fixed only on the ring. "such a little thing..." He raises his hand to touch the Ring dangling on the chain.
"Boromir!" Amara snaps, stepping closer to the man, her hand gripping one of her throwing knives. Boromir abruptly stops, halted from his isolation.
"Give the Ring to Frodo." Aragorn said. Boromir walks to a worried Frodo and holds out the Ring. Frodo snatches it from him.
"As you wish! I care not." He grins, looking from Aragorn to Amara, then laughs and ruffles Frodo's hair, before walking off.
Aragorn stares after him and releases his grip on his sword. Amara kept her hand in the knife and they continued their climb.
The Fellowship struggle around the side of the mountain, through deep snow, strong winds and heavy snowfall.
The hobbits were being carried by Aragorn and Boromir who were thigh deep in the snow, Legolas lightly walks across the snow past them to the head of the line. He listens as he hears echos on the wind. Amara walks up behind him, but stops at Aragorn and takes Frodo from him, picking the hobbit up out of the snow and wrapping him in her cloak.
"We're nearly there." She whispered to the near frozen hobbit.
"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!" {Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!} Amara's ears twitch at the faint voice coming through the shouting winds.
"There is a fell voice on the air." Legolas states.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf shouted.
The Mountain cracks above them and rocks begin to fall. Amara jumps out of the way, the rocks narrowly missing her and Frodo.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf! We must turn back!" Aragorn shouted over the wind.
"Gandalf, we can't take much more of this! Not now that Saruman is fighting against us!" Amara yelled.
"No!" The stubborn wizard shouted back before stepping out to the edge of the path. "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!" {Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!}
"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; Nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar!" {Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!}
Lightning strikes just above the Fellowship, casting an avalanche of snow upon them. Amara feels Frodo fall from her arms as they are both buried and crushed by the heavy snow. Moments later Legolas emerges from the snow, shaking the snow from his hair. Looking around, he sees no one. Amara was next, letting out a gasp of air as her head popped out of the snow. Slowly everyone else emerged, shivering violently.
As soon as Frodo appeared, Amara wrapped him up in her cloak again, giving what little warmth she had and giving it to him.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir shouted over the howling wind.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn countered.
"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it! Let us go through the Mines of Moria." Gimli suggested. Gandalf was silent, thinking. Amara could tell he didnt want to enter the mines, though she couldn't figure why.
"Let the Ringbearer decide."
Frodo looks confused and turns his head to Sam. Then he looks to Amara.
"We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the hobbits!" Boromir said and Amara couldn't help but agree with the man. She nodded at Frodo.
"We will go through the Mines." He announced.
"So be it."
--
The Fellowship made their way through the rocky valley. Frodo was at the front with Gandalf, both talking quietly.
Amara was instep with the elven Prince, but neither one spoke. Until Amara's foot caught on the rocky terrain and she tripped. Legolas caught her by the arm, keeping her from falling.
"Careful there." He whispered. Amara pulled her arm away and made her way over to Gimli. She much better enjoyed the company of Dwarves rather than Elves. Because Dwarves were far more accepting.
"How's your father?" She asked the dwarf. He looked up at her and smiled.
"He's well. I'll tell you, he was mighty pleased to see you at the council. Said he hadn't seen you since..." Gimli's voice faded away.
"I'm glad to hear. Maybe after this journey we can go and I can give him a proper hello." Amara said, smoothly gliding over Gimli's mistake. The dwarf smiled and laughed.
"You'll be welcomed with open arms I'm sure. As you will when we reach Moria."
"I must admit, I am excited. It will be good to see Balin again." The elf-dwarf smiled as she remembered the kind white haired dwarf. Suddenly Gimli comes to a halt and points.
"Ah! The walls of Moria!" In front of them a great sheer flat cliff face appears. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." He taps the wall with his axe.
"Yes Gimli! Their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten!" Gandalf said.
"Why doesn't that surprise me!" Legolas scoffed. Amara rolled her eyes at the elf. The Fellowship continue to walk on. Gandalf stops and rubs his hand over a smooth part of the wall.
"Ah... now let me see.... Ithildin." His hands brush away the dirt to reveal patterns in the stone. "It mirrors only starlight..." He looks up to see the clouds move away from the moon. "and moonlight"
As he speaks the patterning on the door shines brightly revealing an ornate door, with elvish writing above it on the arch. Gimli looks in awe. Gandalf points at the writing with his staff.
"It reads 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, Speak Friend and Enter.'"
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked, tilting his head to look at the doors.
"Oh it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." He turns back to the door and holds his staff against the star in the center of it. "Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen!" {Gate of the Elves, open now for me!}
Pippin grins widely, but nothing happens. Gandalf looks confused and clears his throat. He holds up both his hands
"Fennas Nogothrim, lasto beth lammen." {Doorway of the Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my tongue.}
Still nothing happens. Gimli grunts. Legolas looks at him.
"Nothing's happening." Pippin said to Legolas. Gandalf tried pushing against the door.
"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men and orcs."
"What're you going to do then?" Pippin asked.
"Knock your head against these doors Peregrin Took! and if that does not shatter them and I'm allowed a little peace from foolish questions I will try to find the opening words." Gandalf snapped.
The Fellowship sat waiting for Gandalf to come up with the right words. They sit around on the rocks. Gandalf mutters out different spells.
Merry starts throwing rocks into the lake. Pippin joins him. Aragorn and Amara jump up. The ranger grabbed Pippin.
"Do not disturb the water."
Aragorn is watching the water as ripples start to appear. Boromir walks up behind him and looks concerned. Amara walks over, away from Gimli and crouches in front of the lake.
She placed a hand on the surface, feeling something moving underneath. She jerked back up.
"Something's living in there. Something big." She whispered to Aragorn and Boromir who were close by. They all moved away from the water and Amara shuffled the hobbits closer to the door with Gandalf.
Frodo suddenly stands up and looks at the door's writing.
"It's a riddle! Speak friend... and enter. What's the elvish word for friend?"
"Mellon."
A great crack is heard and the doors swing open. Gandalf chuckles. Gimli removes his pipe from his mouth and looks round. The Fellowship get up as Gandalf leads the way through the doors, placing a crystal in the top of his staff.
"Soon Mr Elf, you will enjoy the fabelled hospitality of the dwarves. Roaring fires! Malt Beer! Red Meat off the bone!" Gimli raved.
Gandalf blows on the crystal in his staff and it lights up
"This my friend is the home of my cousin Balin and they call it a Mine!"
The light reveals many dead corpses and skeletons on the stairs in front of them.
"A Mine!" Gimli went on, not looking around his surroundings.
This isn't a mine, it's a tomb..." Boromir said.
They all look about them to see the skeletons of dwarves with arrows sticking out of them. Gimli ran forward.
"No! No!" He cried. Amara looked around, taking a few steps back before she was in front of the hobbits, keeping them out of the mine.
"Goblins!" Legolas spat as he inspected an arrow.
Aragorn and Boromir dree their swords and Legolas loaded his bow with an arrow.
"We make for the gap of Rohan. We should never have come here." Boromir said.
Amara brings the hobbits towards her as they back out of the mine.
"Now get out of here! Get out!" Boromir shouted.
Suddenly Frodo fell from Amara's grasp. She turned to see a large tenticle wrapped around his ankle.
"Frodo! Frodo!" Merry and Pippin shout.
The tenticle pulled Frodo out of the cave. Amara scrambled forward and pulled out her sword, slicing down on the tentacle.
"Strider!" Sam shouted, "Get off him!" Amara pulled Frodo up and dragged him away from the water.
The tenticle withdraws. The suddenly many tenticles sprung out of the water and pushed the hobbits away, but Amara, who had a strong grip on the Ringbearer, was pulled towards the water with Frodo. They hung in the air as Amara tried to get a hold of one of her many daggers wirhout losing hold of the hobbit.
"Frodo! Amara!" Pippin yelled.
Legolas appeared and fired an arrow at it, but the creature didn't let go. A tentacle reached up and grabbed hold of Amara. She tried to keep hold of Frodo, but it snaked around her waist and ripped her from the hobbit.
She was flung up into the air then was falling fast, hitting the water with a loud splash.
Aragorn and Boromir slash at the tenticles, cutting them off, but more appeared. Frodo was drawn into the center where a body appears and a huge gaping mouth with great teeth. He let out a loud scream. Boromir cut through a tenticle, Aragorn cut through the tenticle holding Frodo. Frodo fell and Boromir catches him
"Into the Mines!" Gandalf shouted. But another scream caught their attention. Amara now hung by her ankle above the creature's mouth.
"Legolas!" Boromir shouted. Legolas fires an arrow into the creature's body. It let out a groan and recoiled, flinging Amara towards the Fellowship. Aragorn grabbed hold of her as the creature moved to attack.
Fellowship hurried through the door with the creature following them. It tore at the doorway, bringing it crashing down and blocking the entrance. The world went dark and silence filled the air.
A light emitted from Gandalf's staff, just bright enough for everyone to see eachother.
"We now have but one choice, we must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard, there are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world," he began to walk up the steps, the rest of the Fellowship walkimg after him. "Quietly now, its a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."