Legolas had not seen them, so they went back to where Elladan saw him stray from the path and followed the trail of broken branches and disturbed snow through the thick woods. There, where the path ended abruptly, Elrohir's mare was tied to a tree, pawing the ground frantically. The blonde elf immediately dismounted and tried to calm her, whispering words into the velvety white ears until she calmed.
"Where is Elrohir?" Legolas asked her, gently untying her from the tree. She moved towards a dark gap in the trees, and then whinnied once, tossing her head.
"Your master thanks you." Legolas told her, rushing after Elladan and Estel who had already dismounted passed through the dark opening, too small for a horse.
"Elrohir!" Legolas heard Elladan cry out, before he even reached the spot where he was leaning over his unconscious twin. When he came upon them, he gave a gasp; Elrohir lay in the snow, blood pooling about his dark hair, staining the snow bright red. His eyes were closed, which was nearly as alarming as the blood, and his skin was pallid. Immediately Elladan fell to his knees over his brother and tilted his head sideways to listen for breath. Estel felt for a pulse, and both sighed in relief when the fluttering of a pulse beneath his fingers proved Elrohir to be alive.
Elladan found the mark on Elrohir's neck, where the blood was coming from. Two tiny puncture wounds were there, swollen and red, and the blood was still oozing out, although it seemed to be slowing. As soon as Legolas saw the wound, he felt a sense of relief pass over him.
"'Tis but a spider bite, nothing serious." Legolas explained, "I have seen many. He probably saw something and went to investigate, and was then bitten."
Falling forth on his knees into the soft snow, Elladan closed his eyes, recovering from the sudden panic at the thought of loosing his other half, but he could not feel settled just yet. "How long 'til he wakes?"
Legolas shrugged, "That depends upon how much venom he received."
"The wound seems deep, for a spider bite." Estel observed, although he had seen few of the sort.
"It is a bit more than usual," Legolas said, taking a closer look, "and look how much blood there is! That is most abnormal. They do not often bleed."
"But do not worry," Legolas reassured at Elladan's alarmed expression, "it may have been a queen."]
"A queen?" Estel asked.
"A large female, usually has a nest."
"Do you think she is still near?" Estel asked, standing up to look about the area.
"Not too near... but she will return with her brood to feed shortly, so we must move him."
"How long will he remain thus?" Elladan persisted, lifting his brother into his arms easily.
Legolas became thoughtful for a moment, his brow creasing before he admitted, "Three or four days... but I have seen it last for a week."
Elladan was not certain that he could endure a week with Elrohir in his current state, but he nodded stoically and clutched him tighter to his breast, "Your father will be glad to see us, I am sure."
"Thranduil glad to see US?" Estel asked with a grin, a touch of mirth colouring his tone, "I think that these woods would be safer if he remembers our last visit."
Legolas laughed loudly, and started to head back towards the horses, followed by Elladan, bearing Elrohir and Estel. They mounted and set out into the dark woods once more, cutting through the mists as quickly as they could, for the sooner they could get Elrohir someplace warm, the sooner he would recover from the venom. Elladan noticed that his skin was disturbingly chill, a result no doubt, from lying in the snow as he had been. Still, something nagged at him, for Elrohir had not been in the snow very long.
- - -
For the people of Mirkwood, the elven city carved into a mountainside, their prince's homecomings were normally quite dramatic and he often brought with him foreign beings. So, seeing him come home with two Noldor elves, one of which was wounded, and a human, was a relatively unconsequental. A few heads were turned, carefully observing Estel, and one was heard to say, "Are those not Elrond's sons?" but they made it to the palace without being confronted, which was a blessing because none had the energy nor patience to explain their story. They had ridden hard all night, and most of the day before they arrived in the city's innermost circle. It was now getting dusky again, and the snow had just begun to fall. Immediately Elrohir was brought to the healer's chambers, and she was awoken from an afternoon daydream to attend to him.
"All is well. It seems to be just a spider bite." Celvandil, the healer announced once she had finished examining Elrohir.
"You are sure?" Elladan asked, anxiously.
"Yes, I am quite sure." She reassured, snatching a bottle of clear, blue-tinted liquid from one of the high shelves lining the room. "What else could it be?"
"What is that?"
"Anti-venom. He will heal quicker once I administer this."
"When will he wake?" Elladan wanted to know. Estel smirked to himself, amused at how protective Elladan was being.
"No later than tomorrow night with this." Celvandil said, pouring a small, measured amount of the blue potion into Elrohir's mouth and then rubbing his pale throat to induce swallowing.
"He will awake then for certain?" Elladan ventured.
"Yes, for certain." She said, exasperated, one hand resting on Elrohir's forehead. Even after being indoors for sometime, the chill had yet to be expelled from his body. This was not normal, Celvandil knew, but she bit her tongue for Elladan's sake.
"How fares Elladan?" A loud, imposing voice asked.
"I am well," Elladan looked to the door to see Mirkwood's king enter the room, followed by his son. "'Tis Elrohir who was bitten."
Thranduil was an elf of great physical similarity to Legolas, though he held himself with greater decorum, dressed in gold-trimmed clothing with a thick, ornamented circlet always about his golden head.
"He will be well by tomorrow's eve my lord." Celvandil supplied, bowing to her king and prince.
"Very well then." He ushered the healer from the room and shut the wooden door, his expression suddenly grim. Legolas' face mirrored his, pinched with uneasiness.
"I am glad that you are here now." Thranduil said, fixing his gaze on Estel and then Elladan, "We bring ill tidings."
Legolas sighed, "There always seem to be ill tidings from this place..."
"We do what we can, my son." Thranduil said, putting one hand on Legolas' shoulder and squeezing it.
"My father has informed me that there have been several perplexing disappearances this past winter." Legolas started.
"Seven in total, including a child." Thranduil said, his tone distraught; children were rarities in Mirkwood, for elves preferred to have their children in times of peace, and the loss of one was felt by the entire population, "All took place in the forest, yet besides that they seem entirely unrelated. We think that it may be spiders, but then their numbers are growing quickly, and we are still killing just as many as before. If this was spiders, they are getting better at hiding."
Legolas shook his head, "It is bizarre."
Thranduil agreed, but then added, "There is naught we can do, but it is heartening to have my son home safe."
Estel chose that moment to give a great yawn, earning a smile from all, even the king.
"I do believe," Legolas ventured, "that it is about time you took some rest."
"All of you." Thranduil said, noting the weariness in Legolas' features. "You have been travelling for long nights."
They nodded, and Estel left with Legolas to his usual room in the palace.
Thranduil paused at the door, looking to Elladan who had seated himself next to Elrohir, "Will you not rest, son of Elrond?"
Elladan shook his head, "Not just yet."
"The room next to this one is prepared for you."
"I thank your majesty for your hospitality... despite previous incidents."
Grinning, Thranduil closed the door, "Do not venture think that I have forgotten, son of Elrond; my vengeance is simply delayed."
- - -
Back in the forest, if they had looked closer, they would have noticed the broken snow about Elrohir's bloody imprint in the snow that led to a cave entrance, shrouded in dark branches. From inside the cave He had watched them leave. A tongue darted out to lick pink-stained fangs.
"Thranduil," He had hissed, "Thranduil, son of Oropher. So this is his son..."