[Mithadan]

Elladan led his group through the tunnels as quickly as he dared. His lamp was partially shrouded lest its light reveal them to any foes. Yet the dim glow was sufficient to show any crossings or forks in the passage. At each such place, they paused briefly to search for the mark which showed the direction which Elrohir had taken.

The darkness was oppressive and there was little movement of the air in this deep place. Yet, upon occaision, they passed a corridor from which a slight breeze issued. Elladan placed a mark of his own on the walls of such tunnels, as they might lead to halls at the level of Durin's Gate. Otherwise, they rushed along into the bowels of the mountain, feeling the weight of the stone above them grow as they descended.

At length, they reached a place where a tunnel crossed the corridor in which they travelled. At this crossing, there was no mark on the wall. "Have we gone awry?" wondered Fingil. Elladan peered into each of the rock encircled pathways carefully, then straightened. "Nay," he answered as he uncovered his lamp. "Come forth, brother!"

In response, a shadow detached itself from the wall of the tunnel to the right and approached. The shadow resolved itself into Elrohir as he stepped into the light with a slight smile. He whistled softly and, after a moment, was followed by Angore who led another by a rope. "What have we here?" laughed Elladan softly. "I see you have secured us a guide. Have you enquired regarding bed and breakfast?"

Angore grinned grimly. "Nay," he responded. "But this one leads us to the level of Durin's Gate. There, we may orient ourselves before continuing. But he claims not to know of the Lady we seek or any dungeons."

Elladan approached the Orc carefully. "Is this true?" he asked. The Orc squirmed and attempted to avoid the Elf's gaze. "Never heard of no Lady and never been ter no dungeon," he muttered. Elladan continued to examine the Orc closely, until it wriggled in fear. "Don't know no dungeon but it must be below where we..."

Elladan's eyebrows rose. "Where you what?" The Orc did not answer. The Elf handed the lamp to Fingil who stood nearby and placed a hand on the hilts of his sword. The Orc stepped back only to be jerked into place by the rope which bound him. "Where we lives!" he continued. "That's the only place they'd be now, wouldn't they?"

"Perhaps," said Elladan quietly. But he dropped his hand from his blade and turned to his brother. "Have you called to her?"

"Not yet," answered Elrohir. "There is danger. Do you feel it?"

"Aye," said Elladan. From the moment he had set foot in Moria he had felt it. Not nearby, yet present -- a shadow darker than the tunnels themselves. He nodded grimly. The Orcs were not the only threat in this place.

Even at that moment, Torfithien pressed forward into the pool of light made by the lamp. "Behind us," he hissed. "Something approaches." Elladan pulled the hood over the lamp and the group was plunged into darkness...