Chapter 3: The Black Riders
If one would look at the long road that was passing through the forest on the eastern side of the Shire they would see four hobbits and a black clad human walking, laughing, and overall having a great time. You would also see three of the aforementioned hobbits lunging onto a patch of white mushrooms and fighting over who gets what.
"Oh God! They remind me of Bryce on the tech market!" Laughed Lara but stopped as soon as she'd seen the curious gaze of Frodo. 'Shit! Lara you idiot!' her mind screamed at her.
"Lara what's a tech market?" asked the little hobbit and Lara made a mental note of hitting her head on the nearest wall once they came near one.
"Umm, it's a market with various books on modern warfare and such. My friend is a architect of sorts and his new occupation was building things like that" she made it all up and somehow she knew that Frodo didn't quite believe her little lie. None the less he nodded and looked down the road with a curious and a slightly frightened face.
Lara was about to ask what is bothering him but all of a sudden remembered that part of the movie 'The Nazgul!' her mind screamed at her.
"Frodo we have to get off the road, now!" she whispered urgently. Frodo nodded and the two of them ushered their friends off into a ditch slightly away from the road. A tree root that was slightly sticking out creating a curved like shelter enabled the hobbits to hide from the Rider however Lara knew that she won't fit even with her slim body so she hid behind a nearby tree and waited. She felt something calling and heard the Rider get of his horse, sniff the air and kneel down next to the ditch where the hobbits were hidden. If Lara remembered correctly (which she certainly did) Frodo will attempt to put on the Ring and she wasn't sure whether Pippin will throw the mushrooms or no so she peaked around her tree and saw Frodo almost putting it on. Without thinking Lara took out her gun and shoot into the opposite direction of where they were going just as a mushroom back went that same way. A horrifying screech came from the Rider and it went off on its horse and galloped away. The hobbits came running to Lara who was putting her gun back into the holster.
"Let's go before it comes back" Lara urged them and together they ran into a general direction of where they were going. They ran for some time until running down another hill and slipping. Luckily for Lara she just slid down and came to rest near a tree very much like Frodo who looked very warn out, apologetic, and sad.
"What was that?" exclaimed Merry. Everyone turned expectantly to Frodo who seemed not have heard him and was staring at his Ring. Lara came up to him and whispered "Hide it and try to resist the urge of wearing it" Frodo was surprised but didn't have time to ask questions before Lara told them all that they had to move and fast.
The rest of the day passed in the same manner: the hobbits and Lara where running and hiding from the Riders (they soon discovered that there was more than one) until after the sun set "Anything?" Sam required when they again stopped for a small break.
"Nothing" was Frodo's reply when a tired and worn out Pippin walked over almost falling over a root.
"What is going on?" he asked tiredly the question on everyone's but Lara's minds.
"That Black Rider was looking for something… Or someone. Frodo?" Lara smirked to herself when she heard Merry come to that conclusion and yet again made her way towards the four. She was about to say something when Pippin shouted "Get Down!" and she looked back seeing the Rider on a little hill about three hundred meters away from them. Quickly they all ducked and became alert once again. Lara found herself wishing that bullets could destroy a Nazgul and had to inwardly laugh at her childish thoughts.
She had to admit that the night forest along with the constant screech of the Riders sent chills even through her. The forest was no fun in the dark, the treacherous roots sticking out of everywhere and deep mist covering the ground did not help.
"I have to leave the Shire" muttered Frodo to Merry "Sam and I must get to Bree". Merry's answer was to nod understandingly (Lara was again fascinated how loyal the four hobbits were) and request that they follow him to Buckleberry Ferry. It was then that Lara noticed the Rider was gone. "Wait!" she shouted at them remembering the wild chase that was about to happen but they did not hear her and all she could do was sprint up to catch up with the four. They made it exactly twenty meters before the Rider sprinted right in front of them and Lara skidded to a stop taking out her guns. "Wait!" "Follow me!" "This way!" mingled together with the screeching of the Nazgul had Lara frozen in fear. She stood watching the hobbits scurry and get passed the Rider. All but one, Frodo was stuck between the horse and a tree trunk. Lara immediately chastised herself and shot right at the horse's hoof. The Nazgul gave a screech far more terrifying than ever before and Lara barely managed to yell out a "Run Frodo!" to the little hobbit.
They continued running down a road that led to the crossing with four more Riders coming behind them with drawn swords. Lara span around and shot once again at the hoofs of the horses giving the hobbits more time knowing that she was way faster than them and could also swim over the crossing.
"Get the rope Sam!" she heard someone scream. Looking forward she saw all the hobbits in the little boat like thing and after firing one more shot she ran after them. The crossing was about five hundred meters away from her and the Riders where catching up fast. "Lara!" screamed Frodo as she jumped over the fence near the ferry but not before feeling a sharp pain on her face. They were already moving out into the river when Lara finally managed to get to the small dock. She dived into the water and resurfaced only a meter away from the ferry, her clothes and weapons were dragging her down a lot but she managed to climb onto it and watch with wide eyes as the Riders stopped and galloped away into the darkness of the forest.
Please R&R... It is my first fanfic so sorry if I'm doing a bad job :)
