The trap was sprung swiftly on the company. The thin strip of packed snow crumbled under the sudden weight of a leading Gondorian, and he disappeared, yelling a warning to his companions as he fell to his doom. Bali, out in front, swung his axe upwards and caught it in the wall of ice; securing himself.
The group watched in horror as the ice slowly cracked, forming a ten-foot gap in the narrow passageway. There was nowhere else to go.
They stood in silence, as the realization struck them that a friend had left them, needlessly falling into the depths of the Caradhras. Then the snow started again.
Bali viewed the gap, and shook his head. "This was not merely a natural danger that I spoke of; someone passed through here recently. This was a trap, set for us to fall into."
The company, seeing that there was nothing they could do at the time, broke camp. No one talked much, and they ate only through the urgings of Bali and Eruantalon; who realized the need to keep up their strength.
"Well," said Bali. "Does anyone have an idea on how to get over this crevase?"
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