Elrond expected Legolas and Aragorn to be out for a long time, and so was not worried. Nothing can harm them within this valley, he knew. So when he happened to look out the window to see the two friends ride up to the house dirty and bloody, he gasped in shock.

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

"The stable hands will take care of the horses, Legolas," Aragorn said, pulling his friend towards the stable door.

Legolas submitted, but only because he knew that his arm would never hold up to the task.

As they stepped out the door, Aragorn saw his father rushing towards them, looking worried.

"What happened?!" Elrond exclaimed.

"We were attacked by wolves," Aragorn told him.

Elrond's eyebrows shot up. "Wolves?! Within Imladris?"

Legolas quickly looked at the ground.

"No," Aragorn said, giving his friend's arm a comforting squeeze. "Beyond the river."

Elrond sighed deeply, looking Legolas over. "Any serious injuries?"

"No," Aragorn said, relieved.

Elrond noticed Legolas' strange behavior, how he said nothing and stared at the ground. "Legolas?"

"I am fine," the younger Elf answered.

Elrond gave Aragorn a questioning look, and the human shook his head, motioning them towards the house.

Knowing that Aragorn would explain later, Elrond said nothing more, ushering the two inside.

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

Elrond and Aragorn sat Legolas on his bed and quickly took care of his scratches. The ones on his arm were deeper than the ones on his chest and face.

Elrond couldn't take the Elf's silence anymore, and asked, "What is wrong, Legolas? Why do you keep silent?"

Legolas said nothing at first, wincing slightly as Elrond wiped blood from a scratch on his forehead. Finally he sighed. "The attack was my fault; I rode too far, beyond Imladris' border." He sighed heavily. "Estel's life depended on my archery skill."

Elrond looked sharply at his son, wanting to hear more.

Aragorn opened his mouth to explain, but Legolas continued.

"The wolf tried to take out his throat. I was too far away, and had no choice but to shoot at it."

Elrond exhaled deeply. He could only imagine the fear and doubt that the younger Elf must've felt. "You succeeded."

Legolas nodded, looking relieved, before closing his eyes with a tired sigh.

Elrond didn't like the look of his pale skin. "Rest," he said, pushing Legolas to lay flat.

Aragorn took his friend's other side and they gently laid him down.

Legolas was asleep within seconds.

Aragorn sighed. "He sleeps with his eyes closed."

Elrond nodded. The sight was enough to tell them that Legolas still wasn't physically fit; the fight with the wolves had taken a lot out of him.

Finishing up with the scratches on the left side of Legolas' face and forehead, he turned to his son.

"I need no care," Aragorn said. "They are minor."

Elrond opened his mouth to dispute his words, being used to his son downplaying his injuries.

Aragorn knew his father's thoughts, and laughed. "I am telling the truth this time. They really are minor, I will see to them myself."

Elrond noticed that there was little blood on his clothes, and was relieved that Aragorn's words truly were fact. "I do not know what to do with the two of you," he said, sighing dramatically. "You could cause even an immortal's heart to stop beating."

Aragorn touched his father's arm, feeling guilty over the worry that they constantly—but not purposely—caused him. "Forgive us, ada. One day we will both return without a single scratch."

Elrond shot a look of shock at him, before chuckling softly.

Aragorn laughed too before quickly stopping, not wanting to wake Legolas.

"I shall return," Elrond whispered. "Let me know if he wakes."

Aragorn nodded, sitting in the chair beside the bed. Watching his friend as he slept, Aragorn realized that though the fight was difficult for the still-weak Elf, he'd managed to escape alive and without serious injury. Legolas was dwelling on the fact that Aragorn could've been killed if he'd missed the shot, but the Elf hadn't realized that he'd overcome serious odds just by being able to make the shot! Especially with his arm in the condition that Aragorn knew it'd be in after fighting off the wolves.

Legolas' body gave a sudden jerk, his eyes flying open.

Aragorn was startled by his sudden movement, and put a hand on his friend's arm. "Legolas?"

The Elf looked up at him, as if surprised to see him alive. Sighing in apparent relief, he closed his eyes. "A dream," he said.

Aragorn waited for Legolas to elaborate.

"I…missed."

The human sighed, tightening his grip on the Elf's arm. "How do you feel?" he asked, changing the subject.

"All right."

Aragorn shook his head. "I'll believe that the day that I become friends with an orc!"

Legolas smiled slightly at that one.

"How is your arm?" Aragorn asked. "The truth."

The Elf sighed. "The truth…I can barely move it."

"And yet you were able to fight, and fire the killing shot that saved my life," said Aragorn, smiling. "You did very well, Legolas…today was proof that you truly will fully recover all of your skills."

Legolas said nothing, considering his statement.

"Forget about what might have happened, mellon-nin," Aragorn went on. "What truly matters is that it did not. Rejoice instead that you have come so far so quickly. A week ago, would you have thought yourself capable of killing that wolf?"

"No," Legolas replied, without hesitation.

Aragorn spread his hands, as if to say, 'I've made my point'.

Legolas smiled slightly. "You are right, mellon-nin, and I have you to thank."

Aragorn smiled.

"I would not have made it this far so quickly if not for you and your father," Legolas said.

Aragorn suddenly realized that Legolas didn't know that the tree sap would've killed him if Elrond had not discovered an antidote. He was debating on whether or not to say anything when his father walked in.

"He is awake!" Elrond said, sounding surprised. "Why did you not inform me?"

Aragorn winced, having forgotten. "We were talking…"

Elrond shook his head. "Humans!" he muttered.

Legolas chuckled at that, pushing himself up to a sitting position. "I am all right," he said, before Elrond could ask.

"Elves!" Aragorn muttered.

Everyone laughed again, and Elrond sat on the side of the bed. "You might like to know," he said to Legolas. "That silent forest has been successfully burned down."

Legolas' reaction wasn't what they'd expected. "Burned? Why?"

Aragorn looked at his father. "I don't think he knows…"

"Knows what?" Legolas asked, bewildered.

Aragorn sighed. "The tree sap doesn't just cause severe illness…it would have killed you, if my father had not discovered an antidote."

Legolas was shocked to hear that.

"The effects of the sap didn't drive away the inhabitants of that forest," Aragorn continued. "It killed them."

"How can you be sure?" Legolas asked, still looking shocked.

"The trees in the garden told me," said Elrond. "They were aware of the sap's danger."

Legolas was silent for a minute, too shocked to speak. Finally, he said, "I owe you more thanks than I could ever give."

Elrond smiled, patting his arm. "You have been like a son to me for thousands of years, Legolas, you do not need to thank me."

Legolas smiled back. "You have been like a father to me, also."

Smiling wider, Elrond reached forward and hugged the younger Elf, painfully aware that if he hadn't found the cure for the deadly sap, Legolas would've died horribly.

Legolas returned the embrace, feeling another weight against him a minute later when Elrond pulled Aragorn into it.