Ithildin - Legolas x OC

Chapter 7: Ithildin

~*~

The mountain is steep, its path narrow and the snow deep as the Fellowship trudges through.

As the snow falls heavily around us I lead the way around the mountain pass, my tread on the snow light whilst Gandalf is waist deep in it, creating a trail for the others to walk in. The snow is so high that it would cover the Hobbits, so Aragorn and Boromir are carrying them with slight difficulty.

I glance behind me as I hear someone speak faintly. My gaze flits up to Legolas who slowly trails behind them, his height magnified as he stands atop the snow as I do.

None of them are talking. Turning back to the open mountain before me, my face scrunches at the hard falling snow restricting even my sight, but the wind cannot keep away the sound of a chant.

My eyebrows furrow as I stare out before me, Legolas moving ahead of the group to join me.

"Do you hear it?" I ask.

"There is a fell voice on the air." He nods, the voice echoing around us.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf cries just as a rock fall from above tumbles down towards us.

Legolas swiftly places an arm around me and brings me against the mountain rock behind us, away from the edge. My back hits the snow hard and I dig my hand into it to hold my stance.

We all duck our heads and stay close behind us as the rocks fall down the mountain and over the edge to the pit beneath, narrowly missing our path.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" I hear Aragorn yell. "Gandalf! We must turn back!"

"NO!" Gandalf replies with a firm shake of his head.

He moves forward and starts to chant also, his words battling with Saruman's.

Bill, the poor pony whose reigns are held firm in Gimli's grip at the back of the group, rears up in fear. We should not have brought him.

A strike of lightening hits the mountain, creating a snowfall. I gasp as I look up.

"Hold on!" I scream out to my companions.

Together, Legolas and I pull Gandalf back from the edge and towards the rock behind us, the snow tumbling down and encasing us fully.

I inhale a breath as I get buried in snow, the tightness of it suffocating me. I get pushed further down as the snow continues to fall on us, and its only when I feel it has stopped that I try to push myself out, my lungs burning for the need of air as my limbs try to push in what I can only hope is upwards.

My fingers feel a rush of cold wind, and I manage to push my head up above the snow, gasping for air as I shake away from snow from my face. I look around, all of my companions safely free from the avalanche. We manage to shift away the snow so we are all able to stand, and I push through to walk back and embrace Pippin, trying to keep him as warm as possible whilst also trying to reassure him that he is safe with us.

He shakes so much, I fear he will cause another avalanche.

"We must get off the mountain!" Boromir yells. "Make for the Gap of Rohan, and take the West road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn tells him.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it." Gimli speaks up, "Let us go through the Mines of Moria."

"Whatever we choose to do," I say loudly, "we must decide quickly! We are not safe in these conditions."

A grave look passes over Gandalf's face. "Let the Ring bearer decide."