The company set out at first light, though the stormy clouds that surrounded Caradhras made it impossible to see the sun. Gerithor took his position at the front of the company as usual, but didn't notice that the halfblood rangers watched him with newfound respect. Gilian had told them what he had done for her, and for the first time on the journey they felt completely loyal to him.

The dwarves, on the other hand, grumbled loudly at the lack of food and other supplies, which they blamed Gerithor for.

"We wouldn't be starvin' if we had taken the path through Moria!" One of them growled as he shouldered his shield.

"Aye, we'd be feastin' with Lord Balin right now!" Another exclaimed in agreement.

"Enough!" Kalan shouted, causing several of the dwarves to shrink back. "Tisn't Gerithor's fault lads. He knows what he's doin'. We'd have run out of supplies if we had turned back."

"We're runnin' out as it is!" A dwarf retorted angrily. "If one more pony takes a tumble off the mountainside, we might as well follow it!"

Kalan opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off when Gerithor himself approached, a look of consternation clouding his features.

"We can argue about my foolish decisions later," he said, a hint of urgency in his voice. "Right now we must be silent. Something isn't right on the path ahead. I'm taking a few rangers to see what is amiss, but until we find out you'll all need to remain quiet. We do not want to draw unwanted attention to our errand."

"Why does it matter?" We're gonna die!" The most vocal of the dissenting dwarves growled.

At this Halbarad trudged to the front of the company and addressed them all with a loud voice.

"Silence! We are all brothers in arms here!" He began. His deep voice carried power and authority with it, and all obeyed his command to listen. "Whether you be elf, dwarf, or man, you all fight the same enemy! It will not do to fight amongst ourselves! We left Mithlond together, and we left with a purpose." He pointed a gloved hand to the East, his voice filled with passion as he spoke. "Over these mountains and far to the east is our enemy. He musters his armies for war, and I have no doubt that he wishes nothing more than for us to fight amongst ourselves! He knows of the feuds between our people." At his words the elves and dwarves glanced uncertainly at each other. "He knows that there are differences that have kept us apart for centuries! Surely, he even depends on it! We cannot let these differences come between us now! We must prove him wrong! For the future of our people... For the future of this Middle Earth!"

Dwarf, elf, and man alike nodded in agreement with the older ranger's words. Even the dwarves who had previously dissented were silenced. Gerithor nodded in thanks to Halbarad as the ranger passed.

"This is a fragile alliance, Gerithor," Halbarad whispered as he stopped. "I will do what I can to help in keeping it together, but it will take more than the words of an old washed up ranger to see this quest to its end. Unify them, Gerithor."

"I'll do my best," Gerithor replied. He knew that Halbarad was right, and he didn't know if he had the strength to keep them from fighting each other. Without any further words he nodded to several rangers who followed him around the corner of the mountain pass. He hoped that nothing worse than grumbling would occur while he was gone.

========================

Halbarad gathered Glorfindel, Gloin, Kalan, and Caledorn to speak away from the prying eyes of the rest of the company. They now stood in a small alcove that was worn into the side of the mountain, speaking in hushed voices.

"This won't do," Kalan said, pacing restlessly back and forth. "My lads hate the elves, and they're not subtle about it. I've tried talkin' to them but it's no use."

"The same seems to be true of the Rivendell elves," Glorfindel agreed. "The old feuds go back far, and they cut deep like dagger wounds. It is only a matter of time before it goes further than just words."

"Now is not the time for that," Caledorn replied with a frown. "If we fail, if we do not reach Erebor... I fear that the north will be doomed."

"Agreed," Halbarad said with a nod. "And my speech was just that; A speech. We cannot hope that it will leave a lasting impact on them. We must find a way for the company to move past the conflicts of old, even if just until our journey's end."

Just then the sound of angry shouting reached their ears from the camp. The companions sprang into action, hurrying to the site of the disturbance. Standing facing each other were a stony-faced dwarf and an elf, both of them with weapons drawn and their kinsmen at their backs. It was clear that there had already been a fight of some sort, as one of the elves was holding a hand to his nose and blood was trickling slowly through his fingers.

"Ya long-haired fairy! I oughta wring your delicate little neck!" The dwarf roared.

"I knew you dwarves would be trouble. You think of nothing beyond your own greed!" The elf replied. Several of the elves behind him nodded in agreement, their eyes narrowed at the dwarves. Three rangers stood in between the two parties, attempting to prevent a physical conflict. One of the dwarves even seemed to take issue with this.

"Aye, ye thenk yer so high and mighty, rangers! That yer the noble unifiers eh? Well have some of this!" The dwarf quickly picked up and threw a snow-covered rock at one of the rangers, who immediately fell to the ground with a hand to his head.

"Stop this nonsense at once!" One of the rangers, the young woman named Gilian, exclaimed. "Did you not hear Lord Halbarad's words?!? There are greater enemies out there! We must stand together!"

"I'd sooner fall on my sword!" One of the elves shouted angrily.

"Do it! I'll laugh as ye die!" One of the dwarves replied.

"Listen!" Gilian began again, her voice beseeching. "We cannot let this come between us. These conflicts of yours... I admit that I know little about them. I am not learned in the history of the past. But that's the point! It's the past! None of you were even there!"

At this several of the elves raised their eyebrows in disdain.

"Well, most of you weren't," She corrected. "The point is that these conflicts are old. Really old! They should be resolved by now! I was at Mithlond, and I saw how well you all fought side by side. Were the conflicts in your minds then? No! But now that you've had time to sit and think a little too much, you've let petty squabbles come between you again. Fighting over salt pork?" She held up the piece of meat that had evidently been the source of the conflict. "Your ancestors are most likely looking down at you in shame!"

This seemed to affect the dwarves in particular, as several of them looked at the ground in shame. The elves seemed slightly embarrassed as well, though they didn't show it quite as much.

"Evidently there will need to be some rules on rationing," Caledorn said as he approached. "Since you all are clearly incapable of controlling yourselves. And from now on, if you fight with another member of the company you will lose your share of food for the night. Understood?"

When the dwarves didn't immediately respond Kalan hit one of them with the blunt end of his axe. "Are ya deaf? Pointy ears said something!"

The dwarves reluctantly nodded in agreement. Halbarad approached Gilian and smiled gratefully. "Good job in diverting that disaster... Now get that elf some medical attention." He pointed to the injured elf.

"Aye, captain," Gilian replied as she hurried to carry out Halbarad's order. The ranger narrowed his eyes as she left and glanced from the elves to the dwarves. He couldn't help but notice the furtive glances that the elves made toward the dwarves, nor the silent glares that the dwarves directed at the elves. More would be needed than simple rules... This much he knew.

==============================

Meanwhile, further along the path Gerithor and his fellow rangers moved ahead quietly, the shrill shriek of the wind the only sound breaking the silence. The path grew wider here, and the sides of the mountain were more craggy and less steep. Too many places for ambushers to hide, Gerithor thought uncertainly. He knew that goblins commonly waylaid travelers on this path, and it was even more likely now. The goblins had grown bolder now that Sauron's strength was gathered, and there had even been word of goblin raids on villages far from the mountains.

"This place has an ill look about it," the ranger named Belon said as he looked around warily. The ice-covered crevasses and the dark nooks carved into the side of the mountain seemed to him to all hide enemies, enemies that were watching their every move.

"Indeed it does," Gerithor replied quietly. "Stay close, something feels wrong."

Suddenly a loud clash of steel sounded from ahead, startling Gerithor and the other rangers into drawing arrows from their quivers. A sharp cry followed, along with the telltale screech of a goblin.

"Someone is in danger! Quickly, move!" Gerithor sprang into action, pointing to Belon as he began to sprint forward. "You, go back to the company and tell them to make haste. We might need reinforcements."

Belon turned and ran back the way he had come, while Gerithor and the other two rangers hurried forward.

He did not know what to expect, but he could tell from the growing cacaphony that a full-fledged battle was taking place.

He and his men rounded a corner, bows drawn. What met them was indeed a battle unfolding. Goblins swarmed down the sides of the mountain while a small company of elves, clad in the manner of Lorien Marchwardens, stood fast in a circle. The elves had clearly been ambushed, for they were surrounded and were fighting for their very lives.

"Defend the North!!" Gerithor cried as he rushed into the fray, the other two rangers echoing his call. The elves looked up and cheered at the Rangers' approach, reinvigorated and encouraged to continue the fight. Gerithor stopped to release an arrow, felling a nearby goblin instantly. One of the elves was struggling against a massive goblin who had pinned him to the ground, and the elf was slowly being choked to death. Gerithor drew his dagger and threw it forcefully, knocking the goblin off of the elf and giving him time to recover his breath.

"Thank you mellon," the elf said as he extended a bloodied hand. "I am Haldir of the Golden-"

"I'm not sure you noticed, but we are in the middle of a battle right now," Gerithor interrupted as he recovered his dagger and quickly threw it at a charging goblin. "Introductions can be saved for later."

Haldir nodded in understanding and turned to swiftly cut down another goblin warrior who had been approaching from behind. Gerithor and the elf fought side by side, killing goblin after goblin that attempted to attack.

Soon a horn sounded, and reinforcements arrived. The goblins immediately broke at the sight of the dwarves and elves that were pouring into the valley, scaling the very cliffs that they had descended a moment earlier. Suddenly, a loud crack sounded throughout the pass. Gerithor looked up swiftly to see several goblins cutting away at a massive ice sheet.

"Look out!" He cries to the advancing elves and dwarves.

They managed to hurry to safety just in time, for no sooner had they entered the valley than the ice sheet gave way, tumbling downward and blocking the passage back.

Having seen that their efforts to kill their enemy had failed, the rest of the goblins fled as well. Soon they had all but disappeared, though the cries of a few that were struck down as they fled could still be heard.

Haldir and his soldiers let out a cheer, and many of them embraced the Rivendell elves of Gerithor's company as if they were old friends.

"What brings you to such a forsaken place as this?" Gerithor asked Haldir as he cleaned his bloodied sword on the ground.

Haldir glanced around uncertainly before he spoke in a hushed tone. "The Lady of the Golden Wood sent me as a messenger to Lord Elrond of Rivendell. Dark things are taking place in the forests."

"I think we can safely say that the passage west is no longer an option," Gerithor said with a frown as he looked at the thick ice that blocked the way. "Unless you fancy traveling south many miles, you'd be better to join us. We need all of the warriors we can get."

"Unfortunately I do not have the freedom to make that choice," Haldir replied. "Only the Lady can order me hence. But I know of your errand, Varonwe Lastborn. We have heard of you and your deeds in the Golden Wood, and I have no doubt that the Lady herself would wish to speak with you. We would be honored to accompany you, and to see your safe passage through our lands."

Gerithor nodded gratefully. "Then we shall make for Lothlorien."