Giving Chase {Lord of the Rings Crossover: Book One}

Chapter Nineteen

As the days grew ever longer the Fellowship continued their clamber through the rock and snow as they ventured forever higher up the snowy slopes of the mountainside. Their journey up Caradhras was as unforgiving and unwelcoming as Calypso had imagined with the fresh snow and chill in the air clinging to her ruffled fur, sinking deep into her bones. The feline had climbed the mountain many times during her time in Middle-earth however she often swayed herself away from the snowline journeying instead on the dull red slopes which supported the towering mountain, such a journey she begrudgingly admitted to the fellowship when she suggested the route prior to their climb was weeks longer in distance but at least it meant they could keep the feeling in their toes.

Their rejection of her idea along with the slowly decreasing feeling in her paws had left the cheetah in the foulest of moods which even her dearest pup Frodo was staying well clear of. Deciding instead to follow in the mighty cats trail as she pushed her way through the deepening snow. The deep gully she hollowed left the red stones beneath open to the elements painting a river of red into the pearly white mountain, a river which deemed to be treacherous as Frodo slips on the forming fresh ice beneath, stumbling and rolling back down the slope.

"Frodo!" Cried Aragorn as he caught the hobbit stopping his fall. Frodo brushes the snow off himself after scrambling to his feet, in a panic he notices that the ring is no longer hanging round his neck. Further up the mountain the ring gleams innocently against the upturned snow, a glossy eyed Calypso stands hunched peering down at it. Calypso often rejected the notion that she would be swayed by the power of the ring, after all she had no need nor desire for fine jewellery and certainly had no means of properly wearing the item herself. Yet as she gazed upon the tainted creation she felt a deep and dangerous growth of curiosity well up within her. A train of thought which was blissfully derailed as Boromir's hand picks up the trinket.

Boromir holds the ring dangling on its chain in front of his face in awe. The fellowship looks on in concern as the Gondorian almost appears to grow in his stature upon seeing the ring in its full beauty and power. Aragorn warily approaches his eyes flickering from Boromir to the feline haunting the soldier's shadow at his feet. The pair stood motionless staring transfixed upon the ring.

"Boromir?" He calls in question giving the man his full attention, "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing, such a little thing." Boromir replied in a trance, raising his hand to touch the ring.

"Boromir!" He says again more urgently, making Boromir stop abruptly. "Give the ring to Frodo." For a moment Boromir stands looking shocked upon his actions before he walks to the worried hobbit and holds out the ring. Frodo snatches it from him in hast watching the man before him. "As you wish!" Boromir says with shadowed cheer, "I care not" he grins hesitatingly as he sees the look in Aragorn's eyes before laughing and ruffling Frodo's curly hair turning and walking away back up the mountain. As he passes the feline he places a hand upon her head flattening her ears for a moment before continuing on past her up the mountain slope. Calypso stands at attention watching with feral eyes as Aragorn stares after Boromir, only turning away and following the soldier once his grip on his sword was released.

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The hike up towards the pass of Caradhras unfolded to be increasingly more hazardous the further the fellowship struggled to reach the top. Through deep snow, strong winds and heavy snowfall the group were all but spent in both body and mind. Legolas was the only member of the party to be left relatively unscathed by the blizzard as his Elven grace and light feet enabled him to move lightly across the top of the snow whilst the weight of his companies left them battling through the thigh deep snow. 

 Aragorn and Boromir had resulted in carrying three of the hobbits through the snow with Frodo clinging to Strider's back like a monkey whilst Boromir held Merry and Pippin under his arms like two hard logs of wood. The fourth and heaviest hobbit was mounted upon Calypso's back, his body low against her frame. Gandalf and Gimli took up the forefront of the line carving their way into the deep snow at a snail's pace. 

 Normally Calypso would find a peaceful bliss in taking her time when out in the wild being the type of cat which preferring likes to use energy only when needed however, the slow pace had long since make her muscles ache from the cold and her fur to become frozen stiffly from the harsh ice winds. Such harsh weather reminded the Narnian of the everlasting winter which her home was engulfed in upon her leaving, she half wondered in apprehension if her friends back home still suffered her current pain almost daily or if by some miracle the Snow Queen had found her demise. 

Atop the snow ahead Legolas pauses to listen, against the howling blizzard a distant echo carried on the wind. "Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya! (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained.)" "There is a fell voice on the air" Legolas shouted in urgency, "It's Saurman!" Gandalf bellows. A mighty crack is heard overhead and great chunks of rock fall down from the mountain top, littering the floor around them narrowly missing the company. "He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf! We must turn back!" Aragorn yells over the wind as he hunches to protect Frodo from the elements. "No!" Gandalf cry's back in reply, stepping out to the edge of the path raising his staff aloft chanting into the free air. "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith! (Sleep Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!)

"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; Nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar! (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!"

A great streak of lightning explodes on the mountain top above them Frodo looks up in horror as a huge avalanche of snow and ice thunders down the mountain towards them. Quickly the Fellowship throw themselves against the cliff face as snow crashes down onto the narrow ledge. Legolas lunges forwards pulling Gandalf from the cliff edge to safety. Aragorn and Boromir shield the hobbits with their hulking frames as Calypso tackles Gimli into the mountain side protecting him from danger with her own powerful frame. Within moments, the pass is blocked and the Fellowship is buried underneath a thick blanket of snow. 

 Legolas was the first to emerge from the snow looking dazed for a moment before helping Gandalf out of the snow, Boromir and Aragorn were the next to appear both frantically beginning to dig for the hobbits who are pulled out shivering and fearful colder than ever before. Calypso was second last to pull herself from the snow, her fur completely covered by a thin layer of white giving her the appearance of a thin faced bear. Quickly the feline turns and begins to dig feverishly with her paws before hunching down and dragging a spluttering, gasping Gimli from the snow.

"We must get off the mountain!" Shouts Boromir urgently in his voice, "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" he continued Merry and Pippin pulled tightly to his chest. " The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Reply's Aragorn over the howling wind. "If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it!" Gimli declares, "let us go through the Mines of Moria." There was silence for a moment as Gandalf contemplated their options with a concerned face.

"No matter our destination we cannot stay here!" Calypso voiced with worry, "We must leave this place!"

"Let the ringbearer decide," Gandalf declared, Calypso couldn't help feeling sorry for the pup. He already carried the fate of Middle-earth around his neck whether he realised that or not but now he also held the very real and presently diminishing fates of his company to wait upon his word. "Pup?" Calypso called out, "We will go through the mines."

"So be it," Gandalf murmurs, slowly nodding his head.

(Edited: 22/09/2022)