One month later, Bree
It was raining, and Frodo and I were accompanied by three other hobbits, Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Peregrin Took. We were told to meet Gandalf at the Prancing Pony, but when we arrived, the innkeeper reported that Gandalf hadn't stayed at the inn for six months. We sat down at a table, soaked and worried. Sam leaned over to me and said, "That man has done nothing but stare at you and Frodo since we got here."
I dared to glance in the direction Sam was hinting at. The man had his hood up, so I couldn't see his face, exept for one moment when his pipe glowed, and I could see his eyes. I tried to remember something about this in Lord of the Rings, but my mind was blank. In fact, I could barely remember my real name, just Avalon Brandybuck. Merry sat at the table carrying a tall mug of ale.
"What is that?" Pippin asked
"This... Is a pint."
"It comes in pints?! I'm getting one!" With that, Pippin ran off.
"But you've already had... Oh, forget it," Sam moaned.
I don't know what I was thinking, but I slowly stood up and walked towards the man that was wearing the hood.
"What is your name, girl?" he asked.
"Avalon. Uh, Brandybuck," I added.
"Avalon... people around here call me Strider."
"'Call you Strider'? That's not your real name, is it?"
"No," he admitted. "You're quite smart, Hobbit. You are a friend of Gandalf, right?"
"...Yes."
"Sure I know a Baggins. Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin, twice removed on his mother's side, and..."
I spun around. Pippin was the one who had spoken. He was so loud, I could hear him from across the inn.
Horrified, I ran towards Pippin, but Frodo got there first. I watched him tug at Pippin's sleeve, then fall back. Suddenly he just wasn't there anymore! I saw Strider sit up straiter. An image of a red eye surrounded by flames corrupted my vision for a moment. Next thing I knew, I saw Frodo leaning against a sort of bannister. Strider grabbed both of us by the arm and led us into a room upstairs. Once we were inside, he let go of my arm, but shoved Frodo roughly.
"You should take more caution. That is no trinket you carry." Guess who.
"I carry nothing."
"Indeed. I can make myself hidden, if I choose, but to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift."
"Who are you?"
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Not nearly scared enough."