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

Chapter Twenty-One

The sinister and eerie atmosphere within the winding great caverns of Moria had Calypso's predator instincts on high alert. She noted that as the fellowship continued their long descent into the very heart of the mountain they encountered no danger from Goblins or Orcs, finding themselves instead at the mercy of the landscape itself. Their path took them over many narrow sagging bridges, down countless steep crumbling stairways and past the once mighty now cold and disused furnaces of Moria. The Narnian felt a great sadness upon the sight of the many abandoned ladders lining the cavern walls, the company had all but fallen blind to the despoiled graves which littered the earth they walked upon. Believing it better to not witness the dwarf skeletons strewn across their path or the Goblin graffiti painted on the towering monuments in dried deep red blood.

It was hard to imagine this dark and dank mausoleum being a once warm and lively place to call home. Her own dear friend Balin had ruled this domain saying in the past that he wished his halls would forever be filled with laughter and prosperity. Calypso had hoped for Balin's sake that as they furthered into the depths of Moria the company would find some spark of light and hope within the empty halls however as they wandered deeper into the endless sea of black she knew there was none to be found.

As the company delved deeper and deeper into the mountain the carved cavern walls stemmed into slithers of silvery white rivers awaking into diamond like sparkles as they drank in the light of Gandalf's staff. Larger and larger the rivers of silvery light swelled until the fellowship come to a sharp turn in the path the true depth and beauty of Moria unfolding before them as the precious gems, gold and silver gleamed below them endlessly like a blanket of stars. "Behold my cubs, the glittering starlight seen only by the gods," Calypso whispered to Merry and Pippin "what a wondrous sky my brothers and sisters must see from the high halls above." She continued trailing off into thoughtful sorrow.

Gandalf stops at the head of the party as he gently lays his one upon the rock-face peering at the flecks of silvery white. "The wealth of Moria is not all in gold and jewels" he voiced, shining his staff below into the abandoned mines, "but mithril." Slowly he lead the fellowship on further his staff once again by his side lighting the way, "Bilbo had a shirt of mithril rings that Thorin gave him before the great battle which almost claimed the King under the mountains life" the wizard stated in passing "aww that be a kingly gift" Gimli stated in awe, "Yes. Calypso was also given a gift of mithril by Thorin however the jester did not go down so well." He continued with humour in his voice, "did it my dear" he poked further subsequently resulting in a burst of deep throaty growls from the mere thought of the so called 'kingly gift.' "He learnt very quickly that certain gifts are better explained before its presentation to their new masters." Gandalf informed the curious company.

"If he simply explained that its purpose was to protect my throat then I would not have found such a deep offence by it," the feline stated in defence. "Even you have to admit it looked remarkably like a collar one would give a mere mangy dog," "well that 'mangy dog collar' and Bilbo's shirt were each greater than the value of the Shire," Calypso stopped abruptly looking onward at the shrinking frame of the grey wizard in astonished. "Now wait just a minute." She barked hurrying to catch up with the grinning trickster, "you traded me that collar for a bag of biscuits! and thinking back they weren't even that good!" she exclaimed, jumping slightly on her paws as to better see the emotion upon Gandalf's face however all she was seeing was amusement.

"And a fish," he said out of the blue, confusing Calypso. "What?" she barked back stumbling slightly as her paws found uneven ground, "I believe the trade we agreed upon was a bag of biscuits and a fish, the largest one I could find I recall." He reminded his four legged companion, as they reached a junction where the path splits into three passages, each archway disappearing off into dark tunnels causing Gandalf to pause suddenly  frowning in puzzlement, leaving poor Calypso to walk straight into him from behind. "That was a big fish..." Calypso thought aloud to herself nodding her head in silent agreement to the wizards words even going as far as licking her lips in memory of it much to the watching Fellowships amusement, "but still I have most definitely been cheated in this exchange." Gandalf laughs breathlessly at the cheetah still looking between the different tunnels before finally admitting after a long pause. "I have no memory of this place"

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Much later the fellowship found themselves still sitting nervously waiting for their heading as Gandalf sits smoking his pipe intently staring at the three tunnel mouths in front of him as he tries to decide which way to go. Beside him Calypso sat with her spotted golden tail shifting violently as she playfully confronted the wizard, "I have decided Gandalf after consulting with my melon that to settle your emotional betrayal I ask only for one large extra tasty fish." Calypso stated grinning, her sharp pearly white teeth showing under her whiskers.

"Extra tasty you say?" He questioned with a smile pulling his gaze away from the tunnels for a brief moment, "Yes, but!" She added her golden eyes widening in horror as she forgot the most important part of the deal, "for each day I do not have a fish you owe me yet another fish. Two days becomes two fish, three days comes three fish so on and so forth until I have all the fishes." "And what pray tell, will you do with all these fishes?" Gandalf asked with a raised eyebrow, "well eat them obviously," "oh well obviously" the wizard echoed in jest, "either that or I put them in Legolas's reflection pond in Mirkwood he describes as being quite beautiful."

"I'm sure the Elven King will have a few things to say about that my dear," Gandalf states, taking another puff of his pipe. "I purpose I'll just call Thranduil 'King' for a few hours to win him over to the idea, you should probably make the fish pretty too for extra measure just in case." "Large, extra tasty and pretty enough for the Elven King himself. I'll be sure to keep a sharp eye out"

The pair fell into a comfortable silence together and after a couple of peaceful moments Gandalf raised one of his aged hands, intertwining his withered fingers into the slightly raised hackles between Calypso's powerful shoulders. As his fingers scratched deeply into her short dusty pelt, the feline's once violently turning tail began to still behind them. That was how Frodo found the pair as he approached, glancing back at something moving behind them in the dark. "There's something down there," "It's Gollum" Gandalf answers without even looking back at the creature. "Gollum?!"

"He's been following us for three days" Calypso informed the pup before Gandalf continued, "Calypso found his stench amidst the foul air in here when we first arrived." "But that means," Frodo murmured in disbelief, "he escaped the dungeons of Barad-dur." "Escaped-" the wizards turned to face Frodo, "or was set loose? Now the ring has drawn him here. He won't ever be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the ring, as he hates and loves himself. Smeagol's life is a sad story." He said, shaking his head at the creature, "yes he was once called that, before the ring found him. Before it drove him mad."

"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance," "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death and many that die deserve life. Can you give it to them Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgement. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play, yet whether it be for the good or ill before this is over I have yet to decide. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many." Frodo glances back towards the shadowed creature before leaning into Calypso's side in search of comfort "I wish the ring had never come to me, I wish none of this had happened." Frodo admits grimly.

"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring, in which case you also were meant to have it and that is an encouraging thought"

"Ah! It's that way" Gandalf declares pointing to the right hand tunnel, the fellowship quickly scramble to their feet. "He's remembered" Merry sighs in relief. "No, but the air doesn't smell as foul down here. If in doubt Meriadoc, always follow your nose." The fellowship follow the passageway until they come out into a great cavern "Let me risk a little more light" he says holding up his staff and shining it brightly within the cavern, "behold the great realm and dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf."

(Edited: 22/09/2022)