Old Friends

Dusty gold, rosy pink, royal purple, and cobalt deepening to raven black were the colours of the sky as the Fellowship sat around a campfire in Hollin. The crackling of the fire filled Frodo's ears as Merry and Pippin regaled Boromir and Legolas with more tales of the Shire. Sam was cooking bacon, potatoes, thyme and water mixed with a bit of flour trying to make a stew. Some feet away Aragorn was tending to Bill's hooves and talking in a hurried whisper to Gandalf of something. Whatever the ranger's words were they were enough to make the wizard chuckle as he puffed on his pipe. Gandalf waved Aragorn's words off and moved to sit beside him.

Obviously, the grey-haired man had seen him looking for Gandalf turned to him raising his bushy eyebrows, "Is something the matter, Frodo ?"

Frodo shook his head, "No, Gandalf, everything is fine." It was then that Sam announced supper and as they ate there wasn't a matter. Indeed as such things happened it waited until night had fallen fully upon them. Barely had Pippin and Merry climbed into their bedrolls when Bill whinnied loudly, tossing his head as he pulled wildly at his picket.

Boromir reached for his sword, Gimli his axe and Legolas his bow, meanwhile Gandalf stood slowly from his place at the fire. Legolas's voice filled the hushed, expectant air, "I knew that something followed us. Gandalf, what are you doing ?"

He couldn't help wordlessly echoing the sentiment as Gandalf freed Bill from his halter. They watched in stunned silence as Bill bolted disappearing swiftly into the night.

Beside him Sam gave a great cry, "Bill, Bill, come back 'ere ! Bill !" Sam clutched his hand asking, "What'd ya go 'n do that fer, Mr. Gandalf ?" while sparing a sullen glance for the wizard.

Unconsciously, he squeezed Sam's hand and stroked the tanned knuckles, wishing he knew the answer so that Sam wouldn't worry so. Bill was a good horse, he would come back, wouldn't he ?

In rather an ominous tone Gandalf replied, "You will see for yourself in time if you wait. Do you trust me, Samwise Gamgee ?"

"You've led us this far, at least, Mr. Gandalf, sir, so I s'pose it can't do us no harm."

So, he found himself trying to peer beyond the fire's glow into the night, unable to see anything for the longest time. Long enough, in fact, that Sam nodded off, slumping against his shoulder. Gentle as could be he slid an arm around Sam so there wouldn't be a risk of his falling over and waking. If there was one thing Sam didn't need at the moment it was to share in his sleeping troubles.

Merry and Pippin were glancing fearfully about as Boromir and Legolas moved to patrol the edges of the camp, weapons ever at the ready. All the while, Aragorn merely stood looking up at the sky and Gimli sat back down to sharpen his throwing axes. Pop-sizzle-sizzle-pop went the fire as a few twigs collapsed sending a flurry of sparks into the air as he saw something in the distance. Not just one shape, but two, as they got closer he saw that it was Bill and a...wolf ? Even from this distance he could see that it was not a normal wolf. After all what type of wolf had fur that glistened as if it lit by the moon when not even a sliver shone down upon them ? None that he knew of.

Legolas sprang to stand beside Gandalf, an arrow knocked while the animals approached.

Gandalf lifted a hand, "Do not be rash with that arrow, Legolas, to do so would be unwise."

Sam stirred slightly as Boromir called, "You know something of that wolf."

"Like I do of many things."

Quite strangely, Bill nuzzled the snow white wolf before meandering up to Aragorn for re-picketing. The wolf as it moved to stand before Gandalf, Legolas, Sam and himself was quite large or much taller than him at any rate. From the corner of his eye he saw Gimli freeze mid-strike of the whet-stone as Gandalf bowed his head and greeted, "I extend to you the welcome of the Fellowship, o' Amaterasu. It is good to see you again and in Hollin no less."

He'd seen Gandalf do many things, but he had never seen the wizard talk to an animal before. Even more oddly the wolf barked and Gandalf replied as if he could understand it. "Oh, you do ? Well then, I think I speak for us all when I say that we would welcome such a treat."

Pippin burst into the conversation, "Treat ? What does it have food hiding on it somewhere, Gandalf ?"

"Indeed, she does, so gather around everyone. Frodo, wake Sam won't you ? I assure you he will want to see this."

When he delayed for a moment the wolf, er, Amaterasu walked up to him and he saw a great intelligence in her warm, onyx eyes. Amaterasu barked softly and Sam groaned, "Hmm, 's it mornin' already, Mr. Frodo ?"

A smile crossed Frodo's face as he glanced down at his Sam murmuring, "No, Sam, but Bill's come back and he wasn't alone, either."

Bluish-hazel eyes fluttered open, "That's a big dog, where'd 'e come from ?"

Gandalf answered, "She journeyed a great distance, but you have enough to worry of without wondering whence she came."

Aragorn, Boromir and Legolas joined them on the ground making a full circle around Pippin, Merry, Gimli and Amaterasu. The white wolf had sat down beside Pippin curling her tail over her paws before some little, brown-crusted cakes popped from the emptiness above her back to land with soft plunks on the grass.

Pippin gasped, "Did you see that, Merry ? Cakes, cakes from nothing ! Ha-ha, this is...wonderful, absolutely brilliant, I love you, Wolfie !" The darker haired hobbit leaned over to hug Amaterasu tightly before scooping up a cake for himself and Merry each.

Sam stretched, flushed briefly, then moved to get cakes for them. The crust which somehow still steamed was crisp, the filling still tasted fresh and sweet yet also slightly earthy. Soon enough everyone had a cake in hand, but Gimli for the dwarf was eyeing the remaining one suspiciously and poked it with his axe.

"How'd ya know it's not poisoned, eh ? That wolf looks like an elf dog ta me. Ah ! I mean, yer a nice looking dog, unlike the elf there."

Amaterasu had climbed to her feet, turned and started growling at Gimli. It only stopped when Gimli dropped his axe to pet her and keep complimenting her. The wolf once again returned to Pippin's side then lay down.

Legolas responded to Gimli's jab with, "A dwarf scared of a tiny cake ? Well, I should not be surprised since it is the same size as your brain." which caused Boromir to chuckle.

Truly, he didn't think he would ever fully understand the rivalry between elves and dwarves because Gimli raised the cake, almost spitefully, and took a bite. After they finished their cherry cakes Amaterasu yipped.

Silence before Gandalf wondered, "Sam, would you like some trout ? Amaterasu has offered what she has to you."

"Trout ? Gosh, I would, but how much could she possibly have with 'er ?"

In answer six big silver trout popped out onto the ground. Sam leaned over whispering, "Where'd ya think she's keepin' all that stuff ? She ain't got any pockets or anything."

"I don't know. Maybe she is an elf's pet wolf and she has magic."

Amaterasu yawned then got up to disappear into the night...trailing flowers behind her ? Even as he squinted and rubbed his eyes the small bunches of flowers faded away in little flashes of green light.

Sternly Gandalf replied, "She is no pet, she was created long ago by Eru - a powerful vala in the shape of a wolf. She and I are very old friends, indeed, she is older than I am."

Even though he knew that sleep was unlikely Frodo still crawled into his bedroll. He heard Sam start flaying the fish as he drifted slowly into dreams of sitting in Bag End with Bilbo, telling tales and eating cherry cakes.