(PTII)Defenders of Middle Earth: A Middle Earth Story(Book 4)

Chapter 2: Storms and Recollections

Rain. Despite his many years of living in the wilderness, Gerithor still hated it with a passion. And it was even worse when one was attempting to negotiate the slippery rocks of a narrow mountain pass.

"Ranger, I suggest we turn back!" Glorfindel exclaimed over the roar of the wind. The path was narrow, and only two could travel abreast. Being nearly five hundred strong, their company was experiencing much difficulty in traversing the treacherous pass.

"We cannot turn back now!" Gerithor shouted back. "We have come too far!"

"Besides, there is no other way!" Taliel exclaimed. "Moria has fallen into disrepair, and the Gap of Rohan is being watched."

"An abandoned mine would still be better than this grazach," Kalan grumbled loudly.

"I agree," Gloin added. "Besides, old Balin runs the mines now! It can't be that bad!"

Gerithor frowned as he stopped the company yet again. He knew that the mines were not safe, Balin or no Balin. He had once attempted to traverse them but quickly became lost in their many winding passages. And while there, he had come across signs of battle between the goblins and the dwarves. Either some skirmish had taken place, or the goblins had managed to retake the mines. It was not a safe path... but then again, neither was the pass.

"Shall we put it to a vote?" He asked exasperatedly.

Taliel shook her head, her damp hair clinging to her face. "There is no reason to. We've already come this far; surely we can continue."

"I agree with Taliel," Caledorn, who had been silent until now, added. "Besides, the path widens ahead a short distance from here."

"Define 'a short distance'," Gloin snorted. "We dwarves are made for the mountains, but this is too much even for us! We lost a pony a short time ago, and if that happens again we won't have enough supplies to make it to the other side!"

"I have to side with the dwarves this time," Glorfindel said, drawing a smug grin from Gloin. "I've seen too many journeys such as this go awry. Not only is the path too narrow, but Goblins infest this part of the Misty Mountains. An ambush would most likely mean the death of us all."

Gerithor frowned as he considered their words. Had it just been the dwarves who had voiced that opinion, he might have dismissed it as them merely wanting to return to Moria. But Glorfindel's words held weight in this situation, as he was usually loathe to agree with the dwarves.

"There are some caves a short distance from here, if my memory serves me correctly. We should sleep on it. A decision made in haste could cost us dearly."

"Any caves here would surely be infested by goblins," Edhael said. "It doesn't seem safe to me."

"These caves were inhabited not by goblins, but by mountain giants," Gerithor replied as he signaled the company back into motion. "But both giants living in the caves died. When last I passed through these lands I found their bodies at the bottom of a nearby chasm. The storms must have killed them... Or worse."

"What could be worse than mountain giants?" Edhael inquired.

"Stone giants or eagles," Gerithor replied. "At least in this case. The eagles have a standing feud with the giants."

"How do you know?" Kalan asked with a snort. "Do ya speak with 'em regularly? Perhaps share a spot of tea with them?"

"No, Kalan," Gerithor replied with a slight laugh. "I've seen them fighting before. It is quite a spectacle."

"Indeed, the eagles harbor bitter feelings toward the giants," Caledorn added. "The giants will climb up the mountainside to the eagle's eyries and steal their eggs. And I know because I have broken bread with the eagles, Kalan." He gave the dwarf a wry grin, to which Kalan raised an eyebrow.