Author's blurb: I own nothing except the computer used to type this up, and the story itself. All characters are Tolkiens. Saying that only once, so I won't bore you to death later.

Thanks to: Haldir. Haldir and I played this out, co-writing the entire thing. All bow down and worship he who is Haldir. :-) And no, I'm not talking the elf who dies in the movie. cackles Haldir knows who Haldir is. S'all that matters.

This story is NOT "R" yet. It will be. It will border more adult scenes in far later chapters. If I get pulled, I'll try and post it on Library of Moria, so it's only tough nuggies. Anywho. Enjoy the story.

Update – 5/18/07 -- After a critique of another author's fic and getting a very nasty, vulgar response indicating that my fics were a expletive word for 'dung', I decided to look over this fic – and I've come to the conclusion that though I love the story, it needs heavy editing. I've removed the later chapters, and will be editing this fic more heavily from this point on.

I am STILL looking for another author who can help me co-write Haldir and Legolas in this fic. The writing ends about halfway through the story, and my frustrations with this have influenced my willingness to really edit further chapters. I truly wish I could continue this story!

// shared thoughts

'' unshared thoughts

I will try my hardest to use actual Elvish (Noldor or Sindar) when my elves speak it, but when unable, I will indicate as much in the text surrounding the speech. I also apologize to those who I know might be offended by the idea that all elves are capable of sharing thoughts, but it is quite essential to the plot, and I rather enjoyed this little talent when the idea was brought to my attention. I also have taken liberties as to how long Legolas and Gimli have remained in Middle Earth. I guess… I claim artistic license? Heh… yeah, so mildly (just mildly) AU, for my little discrepancies.
For as long as Silathil could remember, he'd worked for the Ricwold family on the outskirts of Gondor, just north of Dol Amroth, mucking stalls and tending to the horses, as they obeyed him without question - something no other could do.

Centuries had passed, and he'd seen one Master of the Ricwolds pass on after another, only to be replaced by a younger generation. Centuries! He'd been there for so long... Never riding far from the small town his "family" lived within. They'd told him long ago that he was an elf, and though the term meant little to him, it explained away a few oddities. His delicately pointed ears. The grace he held that no family member had. The fact he outlived each master of the Ricwold family, watching sadly as one would die only to be replaced by a younger generation.

He never once understood why he could control the gentle barnyard animals in ways the others could not. They seemed only to listen to him, and not hear those humans he lived with. And he never once mentioned how the forest called to him, how he seemed to understand the cries and laughter of the trees. And of course, the family had not mentioned there might be others like him.

Others as graceful.

As elegant.

Others that could hunt as he did. Others that heard the trees... heard the animals ... Others that would not die as he had not.

Even now, as he rode through the forests in the south of Gondor, he could only visit those like him in his dreams, unclear images of family, of dangers and love. He had no idea if these images were wishful thinking or forgotten memories of times long ago. He could not remember his childhood, after all. A soft cluck was given to his mount, slowing her down to slide from her back. He took no saddle, as he felt more comfortable riding without one.

It was silly, really. If he had another family besides the Ricwolds, why had they not found him by now? Was Gondor so utterly hard to navigate that no one knew of that little town he was in? Perhaps the mountains to the north made it difficult? He'd mused over this many times, brooding each time he was allowed time to take one of the stabled horses out on his own, which was fairly often. Had he friends before he found himself in his present state? Had he love? Siblings?

All he remembered now were scattered words of a language other than the one he spoke now: a language that felt much easier on his lips despite that fact.

But it would be time to return soon enough, and he needed to hunt. A bow was brought out and carried as if second nature, searching the wild with keen eyes for any game that would provide a decent meal for "his" family.

Fortunately, Haldir of Lórien and Legolas Thranduilion had met up in their separate travels. And unfortunately, as well, Haldir of Lórien and Legolas Thranduilion met up in their separate travels.

Three days had passed since they'd both been blessed and cursed with the other's company, talking naught of their unique reasons for being so far from home, and opting instead for thick silence. As the day before had been spent in boredom, slinging dry insults back and forth between one another, so it was with the current day. Before that though, they'd both agreed the logical course of action would be to travel north together to Lothlórien for a spell, before they made their way to the Grey Havens to join the last of their people on a ship to Valinor.

Legolas had not asked Haldir why he'd remained, and so the question was not offered back to him. It brought him some relief, as he did not think he wanted to share nay a bit of -anything- with the old March warden of Lórien, now that he'd bound himself to him for the duration of this long...long...long trip back. Elbereth help him not to strangle the fair warden before then.

Haldir, for his opinion on the matter, was just as regretful on his decision as well. It was also in his opinion that Legolas had spent -too- much time with a dwarf, and had picked up their nasty habits...what those were he had yet to pin point...but he was certain they were there. At present, they were not walking together, though they had one another in their sights, incase something ill should erupt.

"I say we stop for a spell." Legolas found himself calling shortly thereafter to his companion, halting his steps to prop his foot upon a fallen limb of a tree as he glanced back to the other elf. "What say you?"

Haldir was not far behind, having taken his time so as to put some sort of comfortable space between them. "I say that is the cleverest idea you have had all this day," he called back, softer though as he was coming upon the sun kissed elf, a hand raising to touch a low limb of a tree as he stepped under it.

"We could have gotten further, had you not tarried for so long along the River Ringlo," Legolas informed him, looking away to scan their surroundings with keen eyes. He stepped fully onto the branch to better see, and was suddenly aware of Haldir's presence at his left side.

"Yes, well..." the warden sighed, as if bored, though he said nothing else of it. Legolas only smiled secretively to himself, knowing he'd bested the quick tongued Galadhrim. It was enough. Chiding him over it further would make this victory no less sweet, and he was not one to gloat when he won. A sensation ran through him a moment later, a faint noise on the breeze, and he turned to look at Haldir.

"We are not alone in this forest, I fear," Legolas uttered instead of a gloat or reprimand, brows furrowing slightly as he canted his head slightly to listen. "Someone draws near...though I cannot hear the jumble of human thoughts in my mind." Haldir was mildly horrified that he hadn't noticed it until Legolas said something. But now as he paid attention...he thought he heard the soft whinny of a horse.

Curious.

Silently, a look was passed between the fair haired elves and, at the same time, bows were readied and arrows were drawn. They were ready for what they might find...and finally, on the same side.

Silathil only released a silent breath as his mare demanded that they return that much sooner. She was bored, and she made that fact quite obvious, whickering softly as she waited for her dark-haired rider to finish hunting. Already he'd managed two rather large, tender seeming rabbits, plump from the bountiful summer they'd had. One more would easily feed the family of four (five, if he included himself) that gathered at the table recently. The third sprightly creature was quickly shot down - hunting seemed easier that year as opposed to the last few... small creatures and large cropped up as if popping the seams of the forest itself, allowing none to go hungry for even a day since the break of spring months earlier.

Butter, the mare he'd taken for the trip, approached her handler once she deemed him finished and nudged his arm playfully, drawing laughter from his lips and distracting him unknowingly from those approaching. Even she did not notice the silent stalkers, preoccupied with hounding the one the humans called Silathil with head butts and non-threatening nips. He wove slender fingers through the fine lady's mane before giving her a reprimanding tap on her muzzle.

"None of that, now... we ought to get back before anyone wonders if we managed to fall in the river!" And with those words he mounted, his motions still retaining the fluidity only one of the first-born could have. He took his time, however, not heading toward home just yet, but resting upon the light-haired mare as he admired the sounds and scents of the forest. It was too calming... too pleasant... and he wished silently he wouldn't have to go back every time he went out; that there would be one day he could leave and not return and instead just keep riding over the White Mountains, across places he'd no name for save for in dreams.

For a long moment, Haldir had stood looking up at the limbs above them, and Legolas half expected him to take to the trees to stalk their visitor from over head. But he made no move to so, instead seeming to deem the limbs useless for his purposes, and started on through the trees and brush silently. Without a word, Legolas followed, bow in his left hand, two arrows in his right, ears following the sounds as Haldir did just as easily.

The sounds of mirth were evident to them, and this was the first thing that made them feel more relaxed, confident that the visitor in the forest had no ill intent. The man was already on his horse when they found him, his back to them as he led the mare through the trees with uncommon ease. Both were glad to see that he had heard no signs of them so close. Haldir, however, was not as relaxed as his Mirkwood counterpart. There was something familiar in the dark haired man's manner...something regal about his posture, and as if they were connected to the same brain, the Silvan Elves passed looks to one another as they had before, furrowed brows mirroring furrowed brows.

/Elf. /

Haldir thought it openly. Legolas' pupils seemed to dilate with his agreement as his eyes narrowed slightly, and he gave a nod of his head.

/But, why would an elf be here? What should we do?/ was his question. Haldir seemed to think about this, before offering his companion a sheepish shrug of his shoulder.

/I know not. Let us follow for a time, and see where he goes. I have no other plans. / With that, Legolas agreed, and so they began their trail, neither realizing just yet who it -really- was that they followed.

So. There's the first chapter, re-edited. This one has fewer changes than the later chapters will, simply for the fact that it's fairly short. Still, I'm in desperate need of an editor – someone to double-check my work. Catch the things I'm missing, and whatnot.

If you think you can do it, PM me! 