Chapter 4 - As white as snow

Gimli watched as Faramir forced his body through the snow. It was a difficult task, for although Faramir was strong, he was lean and did not possess the brute strength needed for such a task. Gimli helped as best as he could but in some places the snow rose over his head. It was slow work, not only because of the thickness of the snow, they had to continually check the direction of the path for they did not want to go tumbling into the abyss. What kept them going was the thought of the others back there, freezing. Gimli had no idea what Faramir was looking for, only that it must be in the cliff to their right for the man kept shifting his eyes to the wall.

After what seemed like an hour of exhausting work, Gimli heard Faramir sigh and stop in front of what seemed to him like the normal wall.

"Well?" Gimli asked impatiently, "What was that all for."

"I . . . thought I saw something," Faramir narrowed his eyes against the sleet.

"You . . you thought you saw something! You moved half a mountain of snow, dragging me behind you for something you thought you saw?" Gimli pounded his fist into the wall of snow by his side..

"Please Gimli, calm yourself, I'm trying to think," Faramir pleaded, not taking his eyes from the wall.

"I will not be quiet!" Gimli shouted. There was a rumbling from above as Gimli's voice echoed around the mountain. Gimli looked up fearfully and watched with motionless disbelief as a small avalanche tumbled down the mountain towards him. He could not make himself move and stood frozen to the spot as the snow crashed down on top of him.

Everything was white and freezing, he could not hear anything until a firm arm gripped him by the collar and dragged him up out of the snow.

"Foolish Dwarf!" Faramir smiled through blue lips, "I cannot believe that you caused an avalanche by the power of your voice! This will be an interesting tale to tell Master Legolas!"

Coughing, Gimli thought of the look on the Elf's face, forgot his pride, and began to beg Faramir not to say anything to Legolas.

"If you be quiet and let me think, I will say nothing," Faramir told him and they shook hands on it.

Faramir asked to borrow Gimli's cloak and wrapped it around his hand. To Gimli's surprise, the man stuck his hand into the rock wall to their right and when he pulled it out, it left a gaping black hole in the wall beyond. Small cracks ran from the hole and as he and Gimli tore apart the wall of ice, they revealed a small cave entrance, no bigger than a Hobbit's front door.

Gimli clapped Faramir on the back, making the man cough, "Let us fetch the others!" he said, "I'm sure the Hobbits will feel quite at home."

Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and the four Hobbits, not forgetting Bill the pony, walked along the path, following the tunnel that Faramir and Gimli had cloven between the drifts of snow. Faramir was pleased that he had been right about the cave and he led them all towards it.

"How did you know there was a cave here?" Merry asked him.

"I saw the different textures of the walls," Faramir told the young Hobbit, "Gimli and I have not looked inside yet but anything must be better that being outside in the wind and rain."

Gimli led Gandalf and the Hobbits into the cave but Sam found it hard to convince Bill to enter. In the end, Faramir had to help Sam push him in and even then, the pony would not move away from the doorway. Faramir was about to enter when he realised the Legolas had not passed inside. Faramir had not spoken many words with the Elf on account of the tension after their first meeting, and now he found it hard to know what to say.

"Are you coming?" he asked, looking back at Legolas who stood on the edge of the path, his arms wrapped around him as though he were cold.

Legolas did not answer for a moment, he only met Faramir's steady gaze with his own. Legolas' face was blank but Faramir could see something in his eyes, fear?

"I do not like caves," Legolas told him. "The stone shields the stars and the tree..."

"I did not know Elves feared anything," Faramir said, trying not to sound derisive.

"Men are not the only ones who fear," Legolas said, his eyes dark, "But like men, Elves must confront their fears . . . and defeat them." Taking a deep breath, Legolas passed into the cave.

Faramir stood for a moment in thought, wondering at what the Elf had said.