Title: On Their Own

Author: White Wolf

Genre: Action/Adventure

Timeline: III 3018

Summary: What if Legolas and Gimli became separated from the rest of the Fellowship in Moria? Could the unfriendly twosome battle orcs, trolls and each other and still manage to get out of the mines alive and make their way to Lothlórien?

Disclaimer: I don’t own them. I just make their lives more difficult. (I really do love them, though.)

A/N: This story was written for the Mellon Chronicles Teitho Contest: What if...

*~*~*~*

The nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring made their way to the largest of Khazad-dûm’s bridges. So far, in their journey through the heart of the mountains, they had been able to avoid being detected. Considering the denizens that currently inhabited the dwarven mansions of old, if they had been discovered, they wouldn’t have been allowed to advance untouched. They had been extremely lucky,

In addition, neither the intuitive elf nor the perceptive wizard felt more than the danger that would normally be expected under the circumstances.

They had narrowly avoided a disaster earlier, when Pippin had backed into an armored skeleton that would have sent it clattering into the bowels of Moria and surely alerted whatever lived there to their presence. Merry had just barely managed to grab hold of a leg bone before the warrior’s remains could fall. Had that happened, the Nine Walkers would most likely be running for their lives right about now.

As the Fellowship approached the bridge and began to cross, a gap several yards ahead of them came into view. Legolas made his way to the front of the group and, showing no hesitation, the agile elf easily jumped the intervening space, landing lightly on the other side.

"Show off," Gimli grumped under his breath.

Since leaving Rivendell over a month ago, whenever the elf did anything that was natural to his kind and no other, the dwarf usually said the same thing, and it wasn’t always just to himself.

He was well aware that Legolas had superior hearing and would most often hear him quite well, which was one of the things that Gimli grumbled about. "Can’t even think without that pointy-eared elf hearing it," was another comment he had made on more than one occasion.

The wily dwarf learned to use these little side remarks to insult the elf without confronting him directly. Legolas usually ignored him, which didn’t help Gimli’s disposition any. He did not like to be ignored.

Occasionally the insults led to open hostility. At such times, rolled eyes, head shakes and deep sighs inevitably came from the others, usually followed by a sharp scolding from Gandalf. It often didn’t help much, peace lasting only a short time until Gimli or sometimes Legolas resumed the verbal battles.

Legolas hadn’t heard him this time, but he had seen by the movement of Gimli’s barely-visible mouth just what the antagonistic dwarf had said. The elf frowned but made no comment. Instead he looked toward Gandalf and called to him to jump. The wizard made the leap with no trouble, though Legolas caught onto his arm to make sure it would stay that way.

One by one, or sometimes in two’s, the remainder of the Company jumped, was carried or simply tossed across the gap. Soon there were eight people standing on one side of the open space and a lone one standing on the other side.

"Jump, Gimli," Aragorn urged, waving his hand a couple of times in a come-here motion.

The dwarf eyed the gap and took a deep breath. He was not about to be left behind nor, even worse, show himself to be lacking in either resolve or ability to make the jump, especially in front of the elf.

Gimli walked back several feet along the stone archway and turned to face his friends. Just as he took the first step forward, a rumbling sounded that appeared to be coming from the stone walls that surrounded them. The noise was followed by tremors that soon had all of Khazad-dûm shaking wildly.

Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, some dropping perilously close to the bridge. It didn’t take long for the rock slabs that composed the bridge to start breaking loose.

Gimli was thrown to his knees as his part of the bridge seemed to be taking the worst of it.

"Gimli, get up and jump before the bridge falls apart," Aragorn yelled over the din.

"Hurry," both Sam and Merry called out at the same time, their faces reflecting the fear that if Gimli didn’t make the attempt right then, he may never get another chance.

The dwarf tried three times to gain his feet, but each time he found himself thrown back onto his knees. A fourth attempt to rise ended abruptly when a particularly violent tremor slammed him flat on his face, eliminating any attempt to go anywhere.

Aragorn gathered himself to jump back to Gimli’s aid and took a step in that direction, but he never got any farther. In a flash, Legolas had propelled himself past the ranger and across the chasm. Everyone held their breath, as the elf soared through the air, landing more steadily on his feet than the ranger would have been able to do.

Eight collective breaths were released in unison.

Aragorn frowned but realized that the only person who could have made that jump under these conditions had just done it.

Unceremoniously, Legolas hauled Gimli up and dropped him on his feet. He then turned back to the rest of the group, just as a huge chunk of the bridge broke loose and fell, widening the gap even farther. Legolas’s eyes locked on Aragorn’s and the two long-time friends stared at each other.

"Legolas," Aragorn whispered, as the full impact of what had just happened and what it meant struck him like a physical blow.

Both of them knew that there was now no way the elf and the dwarf could get back. Even given Legolas’s agility and strength, it was doubtful he alone could have made it back across safely. Trying to help Gimli do it would only cause them both to fall.

Aragorn closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again. Yelling above the rumbling, he said, "Legolas, you will both have to find another way out."

The elf nodded.

Still stunned by the situation, no one on the other side had moved. A large chunk of rock, bigger than a man, hit the bridge just a few feet from where the little group stood. Alarmed, Legolas called out, "Go!"

He tore his gaze away from Aragorn and looked at the others. Their expressions were a mixture of shock, fear and sadness. Even the relatively naive hobbits understood the dire circumstances that Legolas and Gimli were in.

Forcing a smile, the elf said, "We will meet you in Lórien." He desperately hoped the seven members of the Fellowship that remained together would find the journey to the Golden Wood safe and uneventful.

Aragorn stood for a moment longer, concern for his friends keeping his feet from obeying his command to move. His side of the bridge led to the outside world and freedom. The other side led back to... He didn’t complete the thought. It was too frightening to contemplate.

He looked at Legolas again, knowing that the quaking had surely awoken whatever dark creatures now inhabited Khazad-dûm. The idea that those creatures would soon be fleeing the depths in panic and were bound to cross paths with Legolas and Gimli terrified the man more than he thought he could bear.

The elf knew what his friend was thinking. Frightened though he himself was to be left behind, he mouthed the words ‘Be safe’ and then turned and started back along the remaining section of the bridge. Legolas didn’t turn to look back, not wanting to see Aragorn’s worried face again and trusting that the dwarf was smart enough to follow him on to more solid ground.

Gimli was following him, if only because he knew he couldn’t stay on the swaying bridge. He hadn’t cleared it more than ten feet, when the whole thing collapsed into the abyss below. He shivered. Had he not left when he did, he would be on his way to the depths of Moria, from which he knew he would never return.

Gimli realized that had the elf not also left when he did, they would have both died, his body possibly being twisted together with the elf’s forever. Gimli shivered again at the very thought of such a thing befalling one of Durin‘s Folk.

On the other side of the chasm, the remaining Company of the Ring made their way toward the East Gate that would take them to freedom. Gandalf had already spoken of the need for haste before they were discovered by the creatures of darkness that could even now be searching for any intruders they thought might have caused the quaking.

Pippin turned to Aragorn. "Strider, do you think Legolas and Gimli will be all right?"

Not wishing to think about it, but knowing that he couldn’t just push his friends from his mind, the man answered as honestly as he could. "I don’t know, Pippin. We have to implore the Valar to keep them safe until they can reach Lothlórien."

"But they hate each other," Sam pointed out.

Boromir gave a nervous laugh. "They may end up being more dangerous to each other than anything that might come after them will be." He didn’t believe that, of course, but it was his attempt to lighten the somber mood that had fallen over the group. Unfortunately, it was sorely lacking in conviction and no one else laughed.

Aragorn did manage a grim smile. "I know that left to themselves that may be too true, however," he paused and took a deep breath, "I think that when confronted by a common enemy, they will pull together."

Merry nodded. "They did go from always fighting to just fighting sometimes." The hobbit tried to sound encouraging. He failed to point out that the number of arguments had dropped mostly because Legolas often just ignored the dwarf’s attempts to bait him and not because they were, in any way, warming up to each other.

"Battle they will, between them," Gandalf said, turning his head to look back over his shoulder, "but Aragorn is right. They will unite in adversity."

No one else commented. They all preferred to think Aragorn was indeed right, and their friends would work together to get themselves free of danger and out of the mines.

As he often did, Frodo put his hand over the Ring tucked under his shirt. It was his innocent attempt to hide the knowledge of their location from the probing Eye of Sauron. Sometimes it was a conscious gesture, and sometimes it was done without thinking. Now he did it hoping that the whereabouts of them all would remain a secret as they made their way to the safety of the Golden Wood.

Up ahead, no one saw the forlorn look on Gandalf’s face. The dangers Legolas and Gimli faced were enormous, and wizard though he be, not even the Istar could know what the future held for the elf and the dwarf. He only knew their survival was a tenuous thing that would depend, in large part, on their wits and their courage, both of which he knew they possessed in abundance. Sometimes, he sighed, even those qualities were not enough.

*~*~*~*

Legolas moved back the way the Company had come just moments before. The quaking had stopped but now shrieks, howls and a low rumbling noise could be heard, making their way upward. It was quickly clear that the sound was getting closer.

Gimli rushed to keep up with the long-striding archer. "What do you plan to do, elf? That Watcher thing brought the West Gate down. We can’t get out that way."

"I am well aware of that, dwarf." Legolas emphasized the word ‘dwarf’ just as Gimli had done in calling him ‘elf’. That had become the standard way of addressing each other, when they deigned to do so, since the day they had first met in Rivendell. "That way will not get us to Lothlórien in any case."

Gimli came to a complete stop. When Legolas turned around at the cessation of what, to his sensitive ears, was the very loud clomping of boots on the stone floor, he saw Gimli standing defiantly with his arms crossed over his barrel chest. The stout being demanded, "Then where are you going?"

Legolas narrowed his eyes at the tone the dwarf was using but did not react other than to say, "We have to go down."

"Down? Are you crazy?" Gimli yelled. He grimaced as his words echoed off of the stone walls. Then he thought about what he had just asked and answered his own question, more quietly this time. "Of course, you are. You’re an elf, after all."

Forcing himself not to waste the time or energy it would take to indulge in the anger he felt starting to rise, Legolas said, "Gandalf told us there were no bridges higher than the one we tried to cross. Therefore, we have to climb down to find a lower bridge to cross over in order to reach the far side of the chasm. Then we climb back up to leave by the East Gate we were headed for to begin with." He stared at the dwarf. "Or do you plan to climb up and cross the ceiling to accomplish that?"

It took all of Gimli’s willpower to keep from charging the elf and knocking him to the ground. Oh how he would love to punch that insufferable woodland creature in his oh so perfect face. Putting a bruise on that flawless skin was almost too tempting to forego. Instead he clenched his fists tightly to hold himself in place. "Whatever evil things have taken over Khazad-dûm are down there, or had you forgotten that? And from the sound of it, they are rapidly on their way up here."

"Then I suggest we get moving instead of standing here and arguing. Oh, and though I have my doubts about your ability to work with anyone not a dwarf, I think we need to remain together to have the best chance to survive. However, you may go your own way, if you choose." He glanced upward for emphasis.

Before Gimli could answer, Legolas had turned and was continuing down the tunnel they had entered just before Gimli had stopped.

With a snort borne of frustration, Gimli once again started after the elf. It galled him to have to admit that the elf was probably right about what they would have to do to get out of Moria. It also galled him that he was following an elf in this land of stone rather than leading him.

Truth be told, he didn’t really know the way any more than Legolas did. Still, he was at home among the rocks and could find the right path out, if given the chance. But as unhappy as Gimli was walking behind an elf, he would not disgrace himself by running to get in front, which was the only way he would be able to outdistance that flighty creature moving swiftly ahead of him.

Gimli soon found himself grinning. He had heard that elves had an unerring sense of direction, but he had also heard that elves hated caves. Being deep underground, surrounded by stone, would probably mess up the elf’s sense of which way to go, so Gimli decided he didn’t need to get ahead of the elf. All he had to do was wait a while. That smug prince would get himself lost, and then he, Gimli, could find the right path and lead them out. The idea that the elf would enter the outside world while trailing behind a dwarf in defeat mad Gimli’s grin widen. He could hardly wait for the elf‘s downfall.

*~*~*~*

A few minutes later, Legolas stopped. He had reached the place where another tunnel crossed the one they were in. It angled off to the left but, darkness closed in on its depths before revealing whether it went up or down. The tunnel he and Gimli were in was beginning to slope upward.

Gimli stopped a few feet behind Legolas. "What seems to be the trouble now? " he couldn’t stop himself from asking.

"Wait here," was the only response he got, as Legolas entered the darkened tunnel.

Even his keen sight couldn’t penetrate the blackness that quickly engulfed him. He had to forcibly keep himself from shivering, as fear gripped his stomach and moved up into his throat.

The shrieks and howls were becoming clearer and closer in this tunnel, so Legolas was fairly sure it angled downward.

Going back to tell Gimli that this was the right way only to be proven wrong would only give the dwarf more reason to taunt and insult him. Gimli’s opinion of him mattered not a bit, but he was on edge enough down here without having to listen to that stone-lover’s crude remarks. It was best to be sure.

As he started forward again, Legolas heard the echo of Gimli’s voice. "Did you get lost already, elf?"

"Hush before you alert all of Moria that we are here," Legolas hissed back.

"Like they couldn’t smell an elf," Gimli grumbled. He spoke barely above a whisper, though he hoped the snooty prince could hear him.

Legolas heard quite clearly, even above the noises coming up to them from the depths. A few more strides and the tunnel took a definite downward slope. Satisfied, he turned back and called to Gimli. "Come. This way goes down."

It took only a few minutes before the tunnel began to lighten. It took another minute for Legolas to realize that the soft glow that surrounded him was coming from the rocks themselves. He ran his hands over the stone wall to his left. It felt like normal rock, the same as other caves he had been in. Yet it looked as if the light was shining through the rock, similar to what a tent looks like at night with a lit lantern inside. He knew it was not the glow of mithril.

He was about to ask Gimli what kind of rock this was, when the sound of heavy running feet rose up to meet them. "Orcs," he spat in disgust, all thought of the glowing rock abandoned.

"If they are coming up this tunnel, we better find a side passage before they get here," Gimli advised.

"Are there any side tunnels?"

"Dwarves always make side tunnels. Like all dwarven places, Khazad-dám is full of them."

"Then I suggest you find us one, and quickly," There was too much need for urgency to care that he had just asked the dwarf to find something that he wasn‘t sure he could locate himself.

Gimli moved ahead of Legolas and began searching. He came to an opening on the right and stopped to examine it.

When Legolas started to turn into it, Gimli grabbed his arm. "Not this one." He pointed inside. See? It’s a dead end and will trap us."

The two continued down. The pounding orc feet were getting too close for comfort.

"Here," Gimli said, darting into a dark hole to the left.

Legolas was right behind him.

TBC