Sword and Arrow

Chapter 13

As the Fellowship hiked back down the mountain, the weather didn't get warmer, but it certainly did get less cold. They slowly stopped shivering whenever the slightest breeze washed over them, and the snow got less and less deep. Above them, the mountain emitted some of a creaking groan, as if expressing relief that these travelers, these people that had encroached on its territory, were finally leaving its slopes, and establishing dominance over all living creatures, for not even a weed dared to open its leaves on those slopes, and not even a fox scurried down the craggy rocks.

This noise was heard distinctly by the more keen-eared, namely Legolas and Aragorn. They uneasily glanced back at the peak rearing its head behind them, relieved and glad to be leaving that place once and for all.

"That mountain seems like a sentient being," Legolas murmured to Gandalf, disturbed by the strange power that lay there to the very marrow of his bones.

"It is," Gandalf replied in the same volume as if scared that a louder voice would waken the beast again. "It has forever hosted a malice toward all travelers, and all that dare to brave its cliffs."

Beruthiel glanced back at the white peak and sighed. "I could've done better, you know," she said morosely. "I should've done better."

"Caradhras is a challenge for even the most experienced of navigators," Aragorn said kindly, walking closer with a hand on her shoulder. "And navigation isn't even your specialty. You did remarkably well, considering that you've never been up here in the middle of high winter."

"I know," Beruthiel staff, sighing. "But I still think that I've failed... Like I could've done better."

"Well, you better keep that archery specialty handy," Gandalf advised. "We will need it- the path south to the Gate is difficult and dangerous, and the passage through even more so."

"There is no chance we will make it through without incident," Aragorn agreed. "I have been through there a few times on urgent errands, and I will not be lying if I say that I never want to pass through that cursed place again." He shuddered. "But you were willing to follow Beruthiel's leadership and mine north over Caradhras, so I will follow you south through Moria."

"Pah," Gimli scoffed. "The dwarves have made a return to Moria. My cousin Balin is Lord there. My kin, the colonists, will give us a welcome worthy of kings and princes!" He glanced at Aragorn and Legolas, then at Boromir. "And Steward's sons, of course."

Gandalf shook his head. "I fear that what he expects of the dwarves' colony will not be the reality," he said quietly to Aragorn. But let them have their hope. A little optimism won't do us any harm."

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After about a week or so, they left the deep snow behind and entered the misty remains of Hollin. Ancient pieces of architecture loomed out of the heavy fog at startling times, sometimes seeming like the remains of great creatures of a bygone age.

"Stay close now," Gandalf advised, uneasily looking at the forgotten architecture that lay on rooms around them. "Strange things emerge here at night."

Beruthiel glanced at the sky. Seeing the moon, she silently drew and nocked an arrow to her now that she had not shouldered since seeing out that morning. Aragorn saw her motion and nodded, himself loosening his longsword in its scabbard, as did Boromir. The hobbits, looking quite unnerved, stuck close to Boromir and the two Rangers, except for Frodo, who moved forward to join Gandalf as the latter called him agreed.