A Shattered Life (LOTR/Legolas Fanfic)

Chapter 5- Breaking of Fellowship

The Fellowship rode silently down the river, the only sound being the oars gently paddling through the water. Amara looked down into the water, running her fingers through it, before smirking slightly and scooping out a small handful. She splashed it at Gimli, who jerked back at the water and nearly tipped into the water.

His movement swung the boat around, causing Amara to fall back against Legolas, laughing. Gimli stood up, jerking the boat even more.

"Why you little...!" The Dwarf bent down to scoop out water, but Legolas lifted his paddle and tapped Gimli's back. With a shout of surprise, Gimli fell forward into the water. Amara and Legoals began laughing as the Dwarf's head popped above the water.

Boromir let out a laugh as he paddled by. Aragorn shook his head but smiled, grabbing hold of Gimli.

"I can manage!" The dwarf protested as he was lifted out of the water. He climbed back into the boat with the elf and elf-dwarf, who were doubled over in laughter.

"You both with pay for this!" He exclaimed to them. Once the boat stopped rocking, Legolas rowed them back on course. Silence fell again, but everyone now had a small smile on their lips, all except for Gimli who was grumbling to himself.

"Frodo. The Aragornath. Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old, my kin." Aragorn said quietly. All eyes turned upward.

And there two enormous statues of men in armor stood above them, flanking the river, their left hands outstretched in a gesture of warding. The company goes past them, into a lake, where they find an old moorage and beach their boats.

"We cross at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn commanded as everyone clambered out of their boats.

"Oh? Just a simple matter of finding our way across Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks! And then it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands as far as the eye can see!" Gimli scoffed, wringing put his still soaked clothes.

"That is our road, sir dwarf. Perhaps you should take some rest, and recover your strength." Aragorn said.

"Recover my...!" Gimli growled.

"We should leave now." Legolas said quietly, standing by Amara and Aragorn.

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness." Aragorn murmured.

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near, I can feel it." Legolas whispered with urgency.

"As can I. We are not safe here." Amara cut in.

"Recover my strength! Pay no heed to that, young hobbits." Gimli said, sitting down as Merry walked up and dropped a handful of firewood in front of the Dwarf.

"Where is Frodo?" He asked, looking around.

Aragorn looked around in alarm as Amara tapped his shoulder and points to Boromir's shield laying against a tree. He too was missing.

"We split up. They couldn't have gotten far." Amara suggested. Aragorn nodded.

"Hobbits, stay here. Gimli, Legolas, Amara, follow me."

They hurried through the woods, following a path left by Boromir. The ranger came to a stop and looked around.

"They were both here, but I cannot tell which direction they went...the path is all muddled." Aragorn stated, swooping down to look at the ground, "Amara, you're with me. Legolas, Gimli head west."