Hey everyone! :) I'd posted this chapter to ff.net a few days before Christmas, and made up a silly Middle Earth song to the tune of 'Winter Wonderland'. I figured that I'd share it with you too, lol!

'Elven Wonderland':

Elflings sing, are you listenin'

In the trees, snow is glistenin'

A beautiful sight

We're happy tonight

Walkin' in an Elven wonderland.

Gone away, is the summer

Now the orcs, can't a-plunder

We sing a love song

As we go along

Walkin' in an Elven wonderland.

In the forest we can build a snow-elf

And pretend that it's a stinkin' orc

He'll say, 'Death to Elves!' and we'll lift our bows

And shoot him full of arrows 'till he's gone.

Later on, we'll perspire

Since we're too close to the fire

We'll face unafraid

The havoc we made

Walkin' in an Elven wonderland.

In the forest we can build a snow-elf

And pretend that it is Saruman

We'll have lots of fun building this snow-elf

Until we all decide to knock him down.

When it snows, it's so thrillin'

Since we're Elves, we aren't chillin'

We'll frolic and play

The elfling way

Walkin' in an Elven wonderland.

LOL and now, on to the chapter! :)

*****

The next morning, Legolas' leg felt better; the horrible cramp was gone, but it had been replaced with soreness.

Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see where the sun's shadows were cast in his room, indicating that it was near noon. That drug was more than a simple painkiller!

Aragorn walked into the room at that moment, and he smiled when his friend looked at him. "How do you feel?"

"All right," Legolas replied. "Your father—and the drug—helped greatly."

Aragorn smiled at the mock-angry look the Elf gave him. "I will bring you breakfast…unless you would rather have lunch."

Legolas smiled back. "I assume that you will be having lunch now?"

Aragorn nodded.

"Then that is what I will have," Legolas told him, sitting up and pushing back the covers.

"What are you doing?" Aragorn asked.

"I would like to eat in the dining hall," Legolas answered. "I am tired of laying in bed."

"But what about your leg?" Aragorn said, moving to stop him.

"If I stay off it whenever it hurts, it will never strengthen," Legolas told him.

Aragorn saw his point, and he helped his friend dress, holding onto his arm as they left the room.

********************

Elrond looked up when he heard approaching footsteps, surprised to see Legolas beside his son. Rising from his seat, he crossed to them, taking the Elf's other arm.

"You should be resting that leg," he said, noticing the Elf's worsening limp.

"I've grown tired of laying in bed," Legolas told him.

Elrond nodded, as they helped him sit. "Understandable. It is good to have you back at our table."

Legolas smiled at that. It seemed like forever had passed since he'd been this far from his bedroom. He suddenly realized how long it'd been since Aragorn and Elrond themselves had sat at this table; they usually ate with him, when they brought his meals to his room. "I can never thank you both enough," he said. "For your care of me."

Elrond and Aragorn both smiled at him.

"You are part of our family, 'Little' Legolas," said Aragorn, with a smirk.

Legolas smirked back, giving him a whack on the arm for using his old, dreaded nickname.

********************

Holding the bow and arrow steadier than he'd been able to do the previous week, Legolas aimed as fast as he could, wanting to get the shot off before his arm and leg complained.

Aragorn and Elrond watched as the arrow flew, embedding itself in the target. It hadn't hit the bullseye, but it was closer than previous days.

Legolas sighed. There was nothing wrong with his aim; he had an eye for the shots, but his arm had been slow to strengthen. He had never experienced anything like it before; his Elven healing abilities had always healed his injuries so quickly…but then again, he had never suffered damage to his brain before. Something like that obviously took longer to heal.

"You are doing very well, Legolas," Elrond said. "How does your arm feel?"

"Fine," Legolas told him. In truth, his arm felt shaky, and the fact that his shot still wasn't perfect was proof that it still wasn't whole.

Elrond and Aragorn knew this, but said nothing.

"How does your leg fare?" Aragorn asked. "You do not seem to be limping as much today."

"It has greatly improved," Legolas told him. "In fact, I would like to go for a ride."

Aragorn blinked. "On a horse?"

"No, mellon-nin, on an orc!" Legolas laughed.

Aragorn gave him an exasperated look, but Elrond patted his son on the shoulder. "I think he is fit for a short ride, ion-nin," he said. "Provided he does not over-exert himself too much."

Legolas grinned, excited at the thought of riding his horse for the first time in over a month.

Aragorn nodded. "We will be back later."

"Much later!" Legolas said, as they headed to the stable.

Elrond chuckled, walking back into the house.

********************

Aragorn and Legolas saddled their horses—Aragorn discreetly watching to be sure that Legolas had no trouble with his—and rode out of the courtyard.

"Last one to the river is an orc!" Legolas exclaimed, kicking his horse into a run.

Aragorn didn't expect that. "Legolas!" he shouted, chasing after him. "Father said a short ride, not a race!"

Legolas didn't let up on his pace, instead urging his horse to go faster, enjoying the feel of the wind in his face.

Aragorn understood the Elf's emotion, and lagged slightly behind his friend, being sure to let him win.

What seemed to be only a few minutes later, Legolas saw the river come into view, and he whispered to his horse in Elvish.

Aragorn was surprised when his friend didn't come to a stop, instead riding the horse through the river at its shallowest point.

Legolas turned around, seeing Aragorn still on the other side of the water.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Aragorn asked, crossing the ford.

The Elf smiled. "Very much! Shall we do it again?"

Aragorn shook his head as his friend took off again. "Legolas!" he exclaimed.

Legolas laughed at his friend's exasperation. They have become overprotective of me, he thought. He understood why, and slowed his horse to a walk after only a few minutes, not wanting to worry Aragorn unnecessarily.

"How do you feel?" Aragorn asked him, seeing his increased breathing rate.

"I am fine, Estel," Legolas answered, enjoying the scenery. "It has been too long…"

Aragorn nodded. Life had practically stopped while he and Elrond cared for their friend, and it felt good to be away from the house.

They rode on in silence for a while, Legolas enjoying the scenery.

"I do believe that this past month has been the longest that we have ever kept out of trouble," Legolas suddenly said.

Aragorn made a face. "Yes, but that was the result of trouble."

Legolas nodded. "True."

Their ride stretched on, and Aragorn couldn't bear to make his friend turn around. He knew how badly Elves needed to feel the sun, hear the trees, see the stars…

Suddenly Legolas stopped his horse.

Aragorn looked at him, stopping his own. "Legolas?"

Legolas said nothing, looking around almost frantically.

Aragorn knew that he sensed danger, and tried to see in what form it was.

No, Legolas thought. Not now! I am not yet back to full strength…a mistake I make could cost Aragorn his life!

"What is it, Legolas!" Aragorn asked, still not seeing anything.

"Wolves," Legolas told him, grabbing his bow and arrow.

As if they were waiting to hear their name, the wild beasts suddenly leaped out of the woods.

Legolas immediately fired an arrow, hitting one in its hip. He reached for another and quickly let it fly, but the wolf he'd aimed at was too fast and managed to avoid it.

His arm screamed in protest. Legolas had already practiced his archery today, and then saddled his horse…his arm was sufficiently tired out for the rest of the day before they'd even rode out of Rivendell. He felt a surge of panic when a wolf leaped at Aragorn and nearly grabbed his leg.

Aragorn had thrown a couple of knives at the beasts and was now left with his sword; in order to use it effectively, he would need to dismount from his horse. He shot a look at Legolas to make sure that he was all right, before leaping off his steed.

Legolas had run out of arrows, and had no choice but to also dismount, as he only had his twin knives to fight with. His heart was beating too fast, in response to his anxiety, and he somehow landed on his weaker leg when he jumped down, sending a dull pain through it.

Nearly growling with frustration, he ignored the pain, slashing at the first wolf that jumped at him. He felled it, but another came at him before he was able to raise his weaker arm, and the wolf slashed it with its claws.

Legolas was mainly using his left arm to fight, and so had to turn his body to defend himself from that wolf, leaving his back open to the animal that came at him from the other side.

He stumbled when a dead weight slammed into him, but the wolf fell to the ground and didn't move. Legolas realized that Aragorn had disposed of it, but he had no time to thank his human friend as he slew the wolf that had slashed him.

Aragorn stayed close to his friend, shocked at the amount of wolves that were attacking them. He'd hardly ever seen a pack so large in number.

Legolas right arm was quickly becoming useless, as it couldn't handle the hard work of slaughtering the beasts. He obtained more scratches across his chest when a wolf leaped at him, but he managed to avoid serious injury by stepping to the side and slicing the wolf as it flew past.

Aragorn somehow managed to avoid getting slashed so far, as he killed one wolf after another, keeping an eye on Legolas at the same time. However, that was about to change.

Two wolves leaped at Aragorn at the same time, and he could do nothing but duck and run away from Legolas, so as to lure them away from the tiring Elf. It worked, and the wolves followed him.

Legolas didn't see Aragorn leave his side, and as he sliced at his last wolf he accidentally tripped backwards over the body of another.

The uninjured beast jumped on top of him, its jaws heading straight for the Elf's face.

Legolas gasped when the wolf's weight knocked the breath from his lungs, and he brought up his knife, just as the wolf's teeth made contact with his skin.

The wolf howled, falling in a heap on top of his chest.

Legolas stayed where he was, breathing heavily, unable to move. It wasn't until he heard a far-off growl that he realized that Aragorn was no longer nearby.

Pushing the wolf from his chest, he sat up to see Aragorn pinned against a tree, with a lone remaining wolf holding him there, trying to go for the human's throat.

Pure panic shot through Legolas, at the sight. He knew that the only way to save his friend would be to shoot the wolf with an arrow, and he grabbed one from the carcass of the wolf that he'd tripped over.

Somehow managing to get to his feet, he notched the arrow to the bow and pulled it back. If I miss, Aragorn's dead! he thought, his weak arm screaming in pain and shaking terribly.

Without another thought, he fired.

Aragorn punched the wolf in the nose, keeping its jaws from his throat for another second. Before he could do anything more, something slammed into the wolf, causing its weight to suddenly go slack.

Aragorn threw the dead wolf away from himself, quickly jumping away from the tree. Heaving a deep breath, he looked at his friend, who stood about twenty-five feet away.

Legolas was breathing like he'd just run ten miles, sweaty, bleeding, and looking dazed. His bow dropped from his hand, and he suddenly took a few shaky steps over to the nearest tree, which he leaned heavily on.

Seeing that the Elf appeared near collapse, Aragorn ran over to him, taking him by his good arm. "Are you all right?" he asked, checking him over for injuries.

Legolas swallowed audibly, his skin very pale. "If I had missed…" he whispered.

"But you didn't," Aragorn quickly said, seeing the nasty scratches that his friend had obtained.

"But I could've," Legolas countered. "If I had, you would be dead…"

"But you didn't," Aragorn said again. "And I'm not."

Legolas closed his eyes, feeling pain assault his body now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

Aragorn saw the Elf's legs buckle and he carefully lowered him to sit on the ground.

Legolas sighed heavily, eyes still closed.

"Legolas? Stop these thoughts," Aragorn said, tightly gripping his shoulder. "I am alive, you succeeded in saving my life." 

The Elf made no reply, but he placed his hand over Aragorn's.