Hi!

This is my first LOTR fic, so please let me know what you think about it...anything is helpful!

I always thought about the Nine throughout the second half of FOTR...where did they go? How long does it take to find new shapes? And so this fic was born...

Filled with danger on the Road from Imladris, the Nine stalk the Fellowship, threatening to strike at any moment...with strife becoming apparent from within, how will the group hold out, especially upon the long road to Mordor...

Please R&R!

Onwards...

The wind whistled through the overhanging trees, shrouded in darkness, making the leaves sing their songs, serenading the weary travellers who walked below them. The night was cold and dark, no stars to be seen, no birds to be heard. Frodo stifled a yawn on the back of his hand, his tired feet barely noticing the ground they walked upon.

It had been two days since they had left the safe haven of Rivendell, two days of trek and toil. Merry, Pippin and Sam stumbled alongside him, barely keeping their eyes open, their woollen cloaks clutched around them like shields.

Boromir and Gandalf walked ahead of them, the Gondorian soldier trying to convince the wise wizard to take the Gap of Rohan, to his people. Gandalf argued against it fiercely, pushing away all of Boromir's suggestions until the man lapsed into silence, quietly seething.

At the back, a good ten paces behind everyone else, were to be found a man and an Elf. The two walked briskly and talked quietly, their words as hushed as the wind that whistled around them, pulling at their clothing and lifting their hair. They spoke in Sindarin and Legolas smiled gently at whatever Aragorn had said to him, his eyes bright and searching. The Elf was never complacent; always was he watching, listening, into the darkness.

Gimli grunted, halfway between the pair and the Hobbits. 'We would have much less of a morose walk if people would speak things we all had knowledge of', he muttered, casting an angry look behind him.

Legolas opened his mouth to retort, but Aragorn placed a calming hand on his arm and the Elf closed his mouth, giving the Dwarf a look before turning his back to look behind them, at the dark path they had just walked up, before turning to look at the clearing they had found themselves in.

Gandalf stopped the group and the Hobbits sunk to the ground with relief, curling in on themselves. Pippin's head lolled on Merry's shoulder, eyes already closed. Aragorn closed the gap between them and smiled at them all.

'Two days of walking. I think we have all earned a well needed rest.' He announced, looking to Gandalf, who, as the leader, nodded his approval.

'Yes.' Murmured the wizard, taking his pointed hat off and folding it in his hands. 'We will stop here, in this clearing, for the night. We should set a fire.'

'What's the point of a fire if there's nothing to eat?' Piped up Sam, from his place at Frodo's side.

Aragorn raised his eyebrows. 'Then what do you suggest?' he asked the hobbit

Sam contemplated for a second. 'To find something to eat?' he ventured.

Aragorn let out a bark of a laugh, the noise rousing Pippin from his slumber. The ranger turned to the Elf.

'Legolas, the Hobbits are hungry.' He grinned, Sam staring up sheepishly at them both

Legolas smiled gently before turning to look into the forest behind him.

'And what will the Elf do?' laughed Boromir, who was trying to light a fire. 'Pull a hare from the ground with his bare hands? Magic up a wild boar for us to devour?'

'No' countered Legolas, softly. His eyes narrowed and Pippin watched as his head shifted fractionally from side to side, as if listening to something. Then, at a speed which he could hardly keep up with, the Elf Prince drew his bow, and shot, seemingly blindly into the dark sky.

Gimli let out a hearty laugh. 'A fine miss, Master Elf.'

'Miss?' Legolas cocked his eyebrow and less than a second later there came a sound of something crashing through the trees and hitting the ground.

'Look! Food!' Merry and Pippin, ignoring their aching limbs and tired heads, stood up, rushing towards the felled bird, bringing it back to the group.

'How did you see that?' asked Sam, looking at the prize.

'I didn't see it, young Hobbit...I listened.' Legolas told him, setting his bow and quiver down on the ground before perching on an upturned log.

'Show off elves...' came a dark hiss from Boromir's side of the camp, who had just got the fire going.

'Can you teach me how to do that?' asked Pippin, eyes wide at the elf, who was magical and strange to his eyes.

'I can teach you many things...can you yield a bow and arrow?'

'No'

'Have you ever held one before?'

'Um...no.'

Legolas laughed, a sound which sounded as light as the wind, but carried strength with it.

'Then we shall have to start at the beginning'

'Brilliant!' Pippin sounded pleased and he nudged Merry next to him. But Merry wasn't listening; he was watching as Sam pulled the feathers off the bird Legolas had caught, his pots and pans already boiling with water over the fire Boromir had tendered.

'I had rather thought you would want to learn how to use a broad sword...a much more useful weapon.' Boromir entered their small circle, Aragorn sat next to Frodo on another log, looking on. The son of the Steward of Minas Tirith cast a look at Legolas, who did not back away. 'A weapon of the men of battle.'

'Be that as it may, but I have never once needed a sword during a battle; my twin knives and quiver have always been enough for me.'

'Well, from what I have heard of the Elves they don't fight battles unless there is no other choice.'

'You mean to say that we pick out our battles better than the World of Men?'

'What I mean to say is-'

'Boromir, that's enough!' barked Aragorn, sensing that Legolas was just beginning to get into his stride; the last thing he needed was a fight with their Fellowship: they would have more than enough battles to attend to later.

'Dinners up!'

Eight weary travellers crowded around Samwise, who happily dished out the fruit of his labours, to murmured thanks and kind looks.

They ate in a contended silence, Gimli making enough noise for all of them. Soon they were all finished and they sat back, after a filling meal and good company. Gandalf leaned back, placing his staff along the ground in front of him, his hat atop that.

'We make for the Path under Caradhras in the new morn' he told the group.

'Gloss' murmured Legolas, looking into the trees.

Frodo looked at Aragorn, who smiled. 'He said 'snow'. It will be cold on the mountainous Path. We may find ourselves buried in snow.'

'Come, Aragorn. That will only happen if we go over the top; I have no intention of scaling the mountain itself. We should make the pass within the week, if we set a quick pace.' Gandalf spoke to the group as a whole.

Aragorn nodded in respect, before turning to look at the north side of the camp.

'I will take first watch' Legolas announced softly, looking to Gandalf who nodded.

As the Hobbits settled down to sleep, Boromir shot a look at Legolas, who had picked up his bow before setting himself down at the edge of the camp. Aragorn caught this look and raised his eyebrows, as if daring the Gondorian to speak. The Man, however said nothing, returning to his bedroll without a word.

By the firelights glow, all that could be seen of the Elf was a slender silhouette against the black canvas of the forest behind him, the night unyielding to all who lay in its grip.

Aragorn awoke from his fitful sleep, knowing it was time to relieve his friend from his duties. He slowly and cautiously made his way over to his Elven friend, who he was surprised to see, was sat as straight as an arrow, eyes open and narrowed. Even his ears seemed to be listening to the ranger's eyes.

'Man cenich?' whispered Aragorn, eager to know if Legolas heard danger around them.

Legolas shook his head. 'Nay. But I feel.'

Aragorn nodded and clapped a hand to the Elf's shoulder. He felt rather than saw Legolas turn to him.

'We are being followed, Aragorn.'

The ranger cast a look towards the Hobbits. 'You are sure?'

'A black malice. They have been behind us since we left Rivendell. Silently, like the threat of lightening during a summer storm.' Murmured Legolas. 'I fear for us. They do not attack; I feel they are herding us, to catch us where they will.'

'They?'

Legolas nodded. 'Ulari'

Ringwraiths.

Aragorn felt a cold dread wash over him. He looked into the Elf's eyes and saw no lie; not that he was expecting to find one. He too had felt a presence around the group, although he put it down to anticipation as sleep deprivation; he berated himself for not questioning this earlier.

'We cannot leave now...the Hobbits will not make it ten paces with their exhaustion.'

Legolas nodded, casting his eyes back to the forest. 'But They do not rest, Estel.' He said, using Aragorn's elvish, seldom used name.

Behind them, Frodo moaned in his sleep, tossing on the forest floor, unknowing of the danger all around him.

'We have to take that chance.'

'Then I will keep watch.'

'Nay. We will watch together, better to be together in trouble than to wake the other in a desperate moment of need.'

The Elf nodded and felt the Man settle at his side.

And together they watched throughout the night, waiting for the darkness that lay so heavily ahead of them.

I hope that was an interesting start...I have many things planned for this fic, lots of exciting things. And yes, for eagle eyed readers, I did use two different Elvish languages...I figured they might use a mixture of the two... : )

Thanks for reading...I'd love to know what you think!

Next chapter up soon...

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