Chapter Fourteen

When It saw the prey disappear into the small dark area of the rock wall, It became alarmed.  Surely, after all that It had gone through, It’s prize was not going to get away. 

When It came close enough to see what the dark area was, It feared that it was a tunnel.  Knowing how deep, and extensive It’s home tunnels were, It became fearful that the prey would never be seen again, since it was clear that It would never fit inside this tunnel to give chase.

It approached but could see nothing by staring straight into the opening.  So, It turned It’s head to the side and put It’s eye up to the entrance and peered through the darkness.

It’s eyes, which had been basically unnecessary in It’s home tunnels, had become more used to the light of the outside world.  It still did not see well, yet even so, It didn’t take long for the tiny cave’s interior to become visible.

It was surprised to see that both prey beings were now inside.  It couldn’t quite figure out how, since It wasn’t able to reason that one must have been carrying the other.  It only knew that both beings were just out of It’s reach.

It was more a case of anger than exploration that made It flick It’s tongue inside, hoping to slap at the elusive beings.  The powerful scent of both prey begins, one more strongly than the other, reached It’s brain through It’s tongue.

The sudden pain that assaulted It’s tongue was an agony that It had never experienced before.  The prey It caught in It’s tunnels fought back, if able to, but their attempts at freedom had been feeble and never resulted in escape.  Even the  strange, earth-bound forms that had attacked It while on the way here had not injured It in such a way as this.

Whatever the prey being had done, it had somehow ripped It’s tongue.  The action not only caused intense pain but also caused blood to fill It’s mouth and run down It‘s jaw.

It jerked away from the little tunnel and screamed the only way It knew how.  Blood splashed on the rocks, as It swung It’s head from side to side, trying to ease the pain. 

It moved away, but even in the throes of such an assault to It’s very being, It refused to go far.

It did not know revenge, never having had the need to develop such a notion in It’s rudimentary mind.  It only knew the pursuit of food, and so far, It hadn’t caught any.  Once It recovered, that would change.

Realizing that the snake, while not going far, was no longer an immediate threat, Aragorn could now turn his attention to Legolas.

The ranger could feel the heat coming off of the elf’s body.  As a healer raised with elves, he was well aware that, even though they couldn’t get the same ills that mortals suffered from, they were susceptible to fevers brought on by poisons.  It had become quite evident that Legolas was now suffering from just that condition. 

Aragorn didn’t think the snake was poisonous.  The amount of venom from a creature this large would have killed Legolas in a matter of minutes.  He had come to the same conclusion that the elf had earlier; the snake’s teeth must contain remnants of rotting food that did produce a sort of poisonous  infections in anything, or in this case, anyone, when those teeth penetrated flesh.  Even an elf was not immune to that.

There was precious little room to maneuver, but Aragorn believed that if he was careful, he could turn himself  around, so he could check the elf’s body and determine how many puncture wounds there were and how best to treat them.

Reaching back and placing his hand under Legolas’s head, Aragorn turned, wiggled, squirmed, twisted and inched his way around until he was facing the back wall.

He would have preferred to move Legolas around, so his head was nearest the light coming in from the cave opening.  However, moving himself was hard enough.  It was certainly easier than trying to do it with a limp, unresponsive body.

Once he and Legolas were side by side, Aragorn began unfastening the elf’s velvet outer tunic and silk under tunic.  The numerous red, swollen puncture wounds almost made the man cry.  A shiver went through him instead.

There was not enough water to clean the wounds and still have what they would need to consume.  It was a guess as to which would be the better for Legolas, but in the end, Aragorn saved the precious liquid for drinking.

There were no  bandages.  He had long ago lost his pack, and the pouch he had on his belt, the one that had held the elven rope, was now empty.  There were no medicines of any type. 

There was only a small jar of medicinal salve that the ranger carried, mostly for scrapes and scratches.  Legolas’s wounds needed much more, but there was absolutely nothing else Aragorn had to help his friend.

Using a relatively clean cloth from an inner pocket, Aragorn began to gently rub the salve on each puncture wound.  He knew there had to be pain from the infected wounds, but Legolas was so far out of it, he couldn’t feel a thing.  For that, the man was grateful.

All too soon, the little jar was empty.  Running his finger around and around the inside had gotten all there was.  Each puncture site was tended to, but it hadn’t been nearly enough. 

Aragorn wanted to scream in frustration.   Doing so might relieve some of the tension he could feel throughout his body, however, it might also turn the attention of the snake back toward them again.

The little cave was perhaps  four feet high.  It would allow the man to sit upright, which, in turn, would allow him to hold Legolas and give the only thing he had left to give - comfort.

By the time Aragorn had worked his way behind Legolas, careful not to injure him further, and had the elf leaning against him, as he himself leaned against the back wall, the little cave had become gloomier.  It was with a start that the man realized the sun was setting.  Soon it would be dark and much colder.

An hour later, the only light in the shelter was coming from the  moonlight that filtered inside.  The only heat was from Legolas’s fever. 

Aragorn sighed.  How many times had this very scene played out in the past, him holding a wounded Legolas, sometimes on the brink of death?  And how many times had the reverse been true, as well? 

Not for the first time, the ranger thought about how dangerous Middle-earth truly was.  Too many good people suffered and too many died, while far too many evil beings roamed about at will, causing all that suffering and death.

He and Legolas tried to hold back the evil of Sauron as best they could wherever and whenever they encountered it.

He had no idea if this giant snake was a minion of the Dark Lord or just an aberration of Nature, but either way, the results were the same, in this case at least.

So, here he was, holding onto Legolas with all his physical strength and praying to the Valar that the elf would survive this latest assault on his life.

“I killed them.”

The words snapped Aragorn out of his thoughts with a jolt.  Had he really heard Legolas speak?  Believing he must have, he said, “Who are you talking about?” 

The man held his breath, waiting for an answer to prove he hadn’t imagined that the elf had rejoined him in the waking world.

The answer came as softly as the statement had.

“The trees.”

When no further explanation was forthcoming, Aragorn asked, “What trees?”  He was clearly puzzled.  Legolas was awake and talking, but his mind might well be wandering, thinking back to battles long past, and that would be as troubling as his fever.

“The trees in the little forest we came through on the way here.”  Before Aragorn could comment, the elf continued.  “They died protecting us, Estel.  I knew when we went in there that the snake would kill many of them.  So, you see, I killed the ones that were destroyed as surely as the snake did.”

Aragorn’s emotions were torn.  He was greatly relieved that Legolas’s mind was clear, and he remembered what had happened.  But, he also felt bad that his friend was consumed by guilt.  “Legolas, the death of those trees was not your fault. We had to go through the forest. We had no choice.”

“Neither did they,” the elf said sadly. “The choice to stay and aid us was not theirs to make, since they had no way to escape. It was my decision to involve them by leading the serpent straight into their midst.”

“I share in that decision,” Aragorn had to admit. Trying a different tact, he said,“We were trying to save our own lives.” He hated saying that, because it implied that their lives were more important than the lives of any trees. In truth, he believed that way, and he knew that despite his love for the forests of Arda, Legolas believed that way, as well.

Everything belonged to Ilúvatar, but he would never expect, nor want, anyone, including a wood-elf, to sacrifice himself even for a whole forest. However, now did not seem to be the time to make such a statement. Legolas did not need the stress of an argument.

“I know what you are thinking, Estel. But, it is my fault. I could have led us around the forest. It was small and would not have been that much farther.”

“As forests go, it may be small, but we would never have made it had the trees not slowed the creature down. I think if you could go back and ask those trees, they would all have gladly done what they did to save us.”

A long silence followed. Aragorn couldn’t be sure if Legolas was thinking over what he had said or if he had simply fallen asleep. “Legolas?”

“I am still here,” the elf replied, letting his friend know he hadn’t drifted away and left him.

“I’ll tell you what,” the ranger said. “When we leave here, we’ll go back and you can ask the trees that survived how they feel about what happened. I’m sure they’ll tell you the same thing that I just did. Will that ease your mind?” He couldn’t imagine the trees blaming Legolas, so he felt safe in making that suggestion.

There was no verbal answer, but Aragorn felt the elf’s head nod against his shoulder.

“This is quite the shelter you have found for us,” Legolas said, changing subjects.

Happy to be talking about something less emotionally painful, Aragorn laughed. “I told you a cave always shows up when we need one.”

“You call this a cave?” Despite the softness of the elf’s voice and the lack of strength behind it, the humor it contained was evident.

“Well, I didn’t really have the time to shop around for more suitable accommodations. Besides, I know how much you hate having to go too deep inside a mountain. This seemed the perfect choice.”

“I appreciate that. All we really needed was a place the snake could not get into, and this certainly qualifies.”

“I aim to please.”

Changing the subject himself, Aragorn asked, “How do you feel?”

“I guess you would not believe me if I said I am fine.”

“No, I most certainly would not.”  Aragorn had to smile.  It felt good to engage in their old habit of humorous banter.  But, he knew it couldn’t last, not under the current circumstances, so with more concern in his tone, the ranger added, “I did the best I could, but I had little to work with.”

Understanding that it wouldn't take much for Aragorn to take on his own guilt at not being able to easily heal anything at any time, Legolas offered the reassurance that he honestly felt. “You always do your best, Estel.  With your efforts, I soon will be fine.”

As if to defy those words, Legolas began to shake.  It was not violent, yet it was plain to the healer that the elf’s body was trying to throw off the infection that was invading it. So far, the elf was losing that battle.

“Legolas?” the man asked again.  This time, however, there was no answer, and he knew the elf had slipped into unconsciousness once more.

Aragorn wrapped his arms around Legolas more tightly, cursing the fact that he had no medicine to fight what was happening to his friend. What he wouldn’t give for a few leaves of Athelas.  Even some more of the salve he had run out of earlier would be most welcome right now. 

Aragorn rested his head back against the cold stone behind him.  How on Arda was he going to get them out of this one?  Summing things up in his mind: there was a seriously wounded elf, a tiny, claustrophobic cave with a single opening, which  led directly to a giant snake bent on devouring them.  Had they ever been in such an impossible situation before?  If so, he certainly couldn’t think of any.

The ranger closed his eyes and, amid swirling emotions, mercifully fell asleep.

TBC