Crossed Bows

By: Tasha

Disclaimers: Same as chapters before.

Author's note: If your having problems with the time line. Then here's the scope: In chapter 1 the time period is during when the ring of power was created. Chapter 2 is sent about twelve thousand years later. This chapter is set five thousand years after chapter 2. That means that in this chapter, Legolas is 19 and Lynxionia is 18 in normal years. Still confused? Don't worry it will clear up later.

Chapter 3: They Cross

~5,000 years later~

A sound. It was a familiar sound. She had heard this sound before. Sitting up right she looked around her dark surroundings. Her eyes cut through the darkness and she saw the figures lying around her. Silently she emerged from the cave and scanned the surrounding area. The light was just beginning to peek through the ancient trees that were her companions besides the ones she lived with. She sniffed the air around her and listened closely to the sounds of the forest.

For her this was the everyday schedule that she ran. She pulled her fingers through her knee length hair and then used the water in the nearby stream to wash her face and hands. Then she returned to the cave and put a satchel of arrows on her back and grabbed her specially carved bow made from a mahogany wood grown deep with in the woods. She then left the cave for the second time and headed out for a hunt. It was her turn to get breakfast and she decided to start early. That way she would get back before the others awoke and would have the meat ready when they finally came out of their slumber.

With silent feet she raced in and out of trees. She left no trail of any kind and passed though as if she hadn't even come to the place. Her eyes darted around, searching for any sudden movements or rustling of bushes. It was a good day for a hunt. The dew was still on the leaves and the air was cool to the skin. She wished she was able to feel the temperature, but she found that she was unable to do so.

Suddenly a blur dashed off to her right and she instinctively pulled out an arrow and mounted it on her bow. Then she slowly advanced towards the bushes she had seen the blur dash into. Her perfectly trained eyes focused on the shrub until she finally caught the hint of an antler sticking out from the thick shrubbery.

Slowly she pulled back her arrow till the tense in the string was at it's greatest. Then she let go and the perfectly aimed arrow hit its target and the arrow sank in causing the unsuspecting animal to cry out in pain. Swiftly, she ran to the creature and ended it suffering with another silent arrow.

Quietly, she slung the animal over her shoulder and headed back in the direction of the cave. As she walked she hummed a tune in remorse for having to kill the delicate creature, but survival demanded that she kill the animal to feed those she cared for. It wasn't that she enjoyed killing, but it was necessary.

The cave came into view and she laid the carcass down on the carving stone then re-entered the cave and came out with a small dagger. Kneeling next to the deer she began to clean it and after a while she finished then cut it up into equal portions for each of her fellow friends.

With her work complete she sat down nest to the stream and hummed to herself and closed her eyes while she chewed on her own pieces of meat. That's when she heard the call from the cave that was calling her to eat. She rose then walked back to the cave smiled at the she-wolf that emerged.

Using her mind she reached out to her and spoke to her old friend. *Kionba, rosumba. Kes ignas wimfa?*

Kionba nodded her and answered her adopted child, *Rosumba Onia, on pasis si inef. Doyat si odog.*

Onia nodded and walked off into the surrounding woods to make sure no outsider was foolish enough to invade the sacred Seshoni forest.

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He ran through the meadow once again as he did when he was a young boy, carefree and happy. Yet, the ring of power had resurfaced and he would soon be called to council at Rivendell. His father had been called to Rivendell long ago when his father was still only 18,000 years old as Legolas was now. But it was now his turn to go to council and show that he was strong and willing to protect, just as his father had once done.

The wind blew through his hair again and the darkness around him seemed to be still and calm. Slowly he tilted his head up to the sky, then closed his eyes and lifted his arms up as if he were going to catch it if it fell. He smiled as the feeling of freedom flooded back to him. It felt so right, being close to nature. That was when he heard it, the sweet sound once again. The words that he had heard many times during the night when he was a young boy. He listened to the beautiful words of what he knew to be the Seshoni hymn.

"Heem ba weimpo hado pepo, wokote onashon a waka na.

Heem ba weimpo hado pepo, wokote onashon a waka na. Oon weimpo, wemta, hee daaya. Heem po henday, weimpo ono tota."

The words seemed to calm his tense nerves and bring a peace over him. He could not explain why these feelings were coming to him. Nor did he want them to stop coming, but he did long to know the source of this enchanting voice.

Looking into the ancient forest he watched the trees billow in the wind and almost all to him. He heard those words repeat over and over again until he decided to do what few elves would ever attempt.

With his mind made up, he set off towards the stables in the city where he kept his horse, Windcaller. Silently he crept up to the old building, which housed the animals and looked around left and right to be sure that Fronsis wasn't near.

With the coast clear he went in through the back of the stable and looked for Windcaller at the end of the rows. He found him as he expected, standing there as if he had been waiting him. Whispering some soothing words into Windcaller's ear, he mounted him and rode out of the stables out passed the edge of the city and out across the field again.

They came to the edge of the Seshoni forest when the darkness was still heavy around him. For a few minutes he scanned the edge of the forest for a path. Finding one a few yards away, he entered the thick forest and listened closely to the voice and tried to determine where it was coming from. Quietly listening he decided that the voice was emanating from the northeast side of the forest. Silently as possible he moved towards the words that still were being sung. He rode for what seemed like eternity but soon he realized that the singing had died down and only the wind whistled through the trees leaves.

Disappointed he headed back the way he came with his head down and his horse at nothing but a slow walk. Lost in his thought he failed to see the arrow that was pointed at his face until it was right next to his neck. Bringing his horse to a full stop he froze in place and swiveled his eyes to his right to see something unexpected.

At the other end of the bow was not a master archer who was said to be the most frightening sight in all of Middle-Earth. No, instead there was a beautiful young women with the most defining features Legolas had ever seen. Her hair was a deep chestnut color with lighter brown streaks here and there. Her lips were the color of pure blood and had skin the color of a perfect almond. Yet, her most enchanting feature was her eyes. The left was set in an ocean blue as if a sea was put in it. Her right was an endless emerald green that shined as the forest around her did. The figure she held was trimmed to perfection. Every muscle was sculpted to a completeness he did not know. She was tall and her hair reached down to her knees covering her back completely.

Legolas was so mesmerized, that it took a few seconds for him to register that she was speaking to him, "Owh rea uyo? Hyw od uyo omce?"

Shaken out of his stare he realized he didn't understand what she was saying, she spoke in the tongue of the forest, >I'm sorry I don't understand you. I don't speak your tongue.< He shook his head and pointed at his ears, then surged to show he didn't understand.

Then suddenly she began to speak again, >You do not speak the tongue of the forest. This I know. That is why you are not to be here in these woods, it is not safe.<

Legolas was in awe. She spoke the tongue of the elves as if she had spoken it for years. How would she know his tongue when she didn't even live with them. He didn't know, but he would find out, >Who am I not safe from, you? If this is so then tell me why?<

The girl's expression became even more suspicious as she answered him, >No one is safe from me. I have long protected these woods from people who want nothing but wealth from their great trunks. Yet, you come here with only a bow to protect yourself. This means you are not here for the trees. Am I correct?<

>If I say yes will you not kill me?< Legolas stared her down.

Yet the girls eyes did not waver nor did her words falter, >Perhaps. That all depends what you are doing in this realm.<

Legolas answered her with a calm tone, >Alright then, you are correct, I have not come here for the trees. I have came here to find…………..well, never mind what I have come here for.< He lowered his head remembering the voice and not finding the source.

Slowly the girl lowered her bow to rest at her side, but didn't lift her gaze. On the outside she was calm and in control, but her mind was working over time. *This man is an elf! Could he have come from the city? Could he be part of my…..*

She didn't finish her thoughts as the man started talking again. >How long have you been in these woods? You could not have survived on your own.<

A hint of surprise passed over her perfect features, but was gone as quickly as it had come, >I have been in this forest for as long as I can remember. I manage to survive.<

Something in Legolas's head clicked and he put the pieces together. *This is the "master archer" they say that roams these woods killing all those travelers! It was…a women, not a "master" archer, but a "mistress" archer! Could she really be the long lost elf? But how is that? She doesn't look like us or even closely resemble us? Could she be from Rivendell?*

Legolas needed to know if he was right, >What is your name? Please! I must know!<

The girl frowned at his forwardness, but humored him anyway, >My name is Lynxionia, but the forest calls me Onia. Now that I have answered you, what is your name?<

Smiling he answered her, >They call me Legolas where I am from.<

For the first time she smiled and repeated his name, >Legolas? Hm, it suits you well. Tell me, where are you from?<

Legolas smiled at her, dismounted his horse, and walked up to her then sat down. Onia followed suit and sat down next to him putting her arrow away and setting her bow down on a nearby tree root. She felt somewhat safer and more secure, but she still kept her gaze on him out of the corner of her eye.

The ground was warm despite the fact that the air was cool. Legolas had so many questions he wanted to ask her, but where to start? >I live in the city right outside these woods. We call it Mirkwood. You do know what I speak of, don't you?<

>I know what city you tell me of. I have seen it many times from the edge of the forest. It is a very beautiful city.< She lowered her head and sighed deeply.

Legolas looked at her with confused eyes, >Why don't you come and visit it some time? I'm sure that my father wouldn't mind having you in our house.<

Onia's eyes lit up in surprise, >Uh………I'm sorry but I do not think I am able.<

Sadness seemed to wash over her features and Legolas didn't understand why she seemed to not want to come, but he decided not to push his luck, >If you change your mind, feel free to come by and you will be welcome.<

Onia's head suddenly snapped up and she looked over at Legolas as if he had said something strange, >Are you saying I…….<

She was cut short by a howl from deep within the forest where…Onia knew what that meant and she abruptly stood up and put her mask of anger back on. Without even saying goodbye she looked at Legolas and spoke with urgency, >You must leave! You cannot stay here any longer! Please, return to your city! Go!<, Onia then turned towards the deep woods and scowled, *They came early. This cannot go on any longer.*

Legolas didn't understand, but he sensed the urgency in Onia's voice, >Will I see you again.?<

Slowly, Onia turned around with surprise back in her features. But she recovered and smiled, then answered, >The forest will decide that, but for now I bid you farewell, Legolas of Mirkwood.< Then as quick as lighting she was gone, vanished into the surrounding shrubbery .

Smiling, Legolas mounted his horse and took off into a canter through the woods. The ride seemed shorter this time and he found himself at the edge of the forest in less than half an hour.

Looking back at the forest with a sigh of contempt he stared through the trees and knew that he would enter the ancient woods again. *Yes, Lynxionia of the Seshoni, we will meet again.*

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Well? Will Legolas and Onia meet again? Find out in chapter 4: She Decides

Reveiwers:

Elfie: You like? Thanks! ^_^ I'm working on chapter 4 as we speak. Writers block is threatening me.

PrimulaBrandybuck: I'm known for my strange writing style! Chapter 4 should be done soon so sit tight!