Well. The last chapter went down like a lead balloon didn't it?

So I'm going to explain everything and hopefully not too many of you will jump ship.

From a story point of view – 1) Actually protecting Frodo and the Ring is the most important thing. The Fellowship is all well and good but if they die it's not as devastating as the Ring falling into the wrong hands. Therefore Frodo has to leave the city for the safety of all Middle Earth – you don't get more important than that.

2) Yes Sakura or Sai could have gone. Sakura is the obvious choice as medic and everything else but there is one thing I think a lot of you are forgetting – the Ring can corrupt them, it can't corrupt Naruto. The Ring is powerful business, and what's Frodo going to do if Sakura or Sai went all Boromir on him? Naruto is the only one that can truly be trusted to look after Frodo, so it has to be him.

From a literary point of view – 1) Crossovers have to be about balance. You don't really want to read a story where the one-man-tank comes in and defeats everyone do you? For starters this would only be about three chapters long, and all the characters from LOTR would just fade into the background. So Naruto is powerful yes, but he's not a one man army beyond limits or this story would just stall, there'd be no meaningful interactions or growth and I think it would be pretty boring.

2) We've still got a ways to go yet, a climactic battle is all well and good but you don't want to waste it all half way through. There will be more fighting and everyone will get their day.

I hope that clears up my thought process behind this all!

Many thanks to Girl-chama for sorting out my chronic comma issues!

Enjoy

XXXXX

The silence was heavy, oppressive, and deafening in its stillness as the two sides faced each other in the darkening twilight. The new orcs were as foul as the drawings in Saruman's study had shown them to be. Even from over the distance between them it was plain to see the Dunlendings were horrified at the predicament they had found themselves in. Even their burning hatred of the men of Rohan could not have been enough to convince them to join with such creatures and it seemed as though Éomer's predictions may come true.

The silent stand-off continued for some moments as the commanders of both forces attempted to remain in psychological control. The leader of the orcs was a fearsome sight – tall and upright unlike his twisted kin. Rather than the thick piece of iron crudely pointed in a semblance of a sword he carried a bow, currently slung over his back. He even had hair though it was matted into thick dreadlocks that fell down around his thick neck. Over his face had been slapped a hand; one covered in white paint.

Down below the city the civilians in the cellars waited. The silence from above was as agonising as any of sound of battle. Occasionally a baby would wail or a child would cry before being hushed by their mothers. Éowyn paced slowly before the doors that led to the stairs, her sword clutched in her hands. Sam, Merry and Pippin sat near her. While there had been no doubt that they were willing to defend each other and their friends there had been no talk of their participating. They felt the snub more keenly than the women-folk but less so than the shield-maiden. Under the floors they simply had to keep waiting.

Standing before the Golden Hall, Hama and his company faced a similar strain. The men under his command milled around resentfully at being forced to take the post protecting civilians. Each of them would fight to the death to protect their people but to be denied the glory of the first rush of battle was hard for the proud soldiers of Rohan. Sakura stood apart from them at the top of the stairs where she was afforded a view of the battle below. She chose not to heed the whispers of the men behind her who questioned each other about why she was not below with the other non-combatants. It seemed they had enough sense not to approach her on the matter directly, and they were soon scolded by Hama for their ill-attention to the matter at hand.

Legolas and his archers alternated between watching the stalemate below them on the plains and keeping a watchful eye on the eastern wall. Compared to elves these men were amateurs, but then even a proud prince of his people could accept how little time there was in a mortal life to hone such skills. In a perverse way he almost hoped some of the enemy would be stupid enough to face him – he could not let that dwarf have all the glory. Gimli had even talked of keeping a tally of enemies slain. It was something he had picked up from Boromir whose men had often used it to improve morale and foster healthy competition. Legolas had scoffed but the idea had taken root in his mind and his hands twitched with the need to prove himself.

Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli stood in the foremost line of the foot soldiers. Their eyes moved quickly over the assembled ranks before them searching for weaknesses. The armour they wore was shoddily made but solid enough, though Aragorn was sure the areas under their arms and around their necks could be exploited by a skilled fighter. Sai stood beside them. His seeming detachment from the battle at hand was more unnerving than reassuring. Where elsewhere the air was filled with the mists of battle he gave no impression that he felt anything at all. Gimli was sorely tempted to sink an elbow into his flank to garner a reaction but his thoughts were suddenly cut short.

The leading orc raised a thick arm to the sky. The men of Rohan collectively inhaled as their bodies tensed subconsciously. Moving his head to look directly at the king, the commanding orc dropped his hand with a howl.

In a breath the orcs and Dunlendings surged forwards. Théoden gave an answering roar and the Rohirrim thundered forward to meet them. Éomer and Théodred spurred their horses to flank the black masses on either side with their men. Théoden charged into the centre, his spear clutched so as to point at the heads' of his foes.

Those on foot drew their swords, readied their lances, and settled their shields as they shifted into their battle stances. In the city the remaining fighters heard the commotion and girded themselves also in case any should slip the net. The civilians below clutched each other tighter and prayed fervently for victory.

The initial charge of the Rohirrim was devastating. The new breed of orc was powerful, yes, but even they could not stand against the armoured battle horses that seemed as keen as their masters to destroy the foe. Orcs and men were trodden under hoof, the massive weight ensuring that any suffering that fate could not survive. Others were thrown clean into the air or knocked aside as the horses continued to wade through them.

While their king ploughed a furrow through the centre, Éomer and Théodred threw their horses inwards from the sides. Their spears flashed in the gathering dark as they sought to join their king, slaughtering all in their path to get there.

However, no matter how effective the first impact, the orcs and Dunlendings swiftly recovered. Though they could not stand before the horses it did not mean they could not unseat the riders. Some of those who came down were felled instantly but many more shook off their opponents, drew their swords, and continued fighting.

In the wake of Théoden's advance there were many orcs remaining and these turned their attentions towards the city gate and the soldiers defending it. Those who were able bunched together and began to run towards the gathered troops.

"Stand firm my friends, you fight for your homes, your people and your lives. You will not falter!" cried Boromir as the first of the orcs began to come within range.

"Show them no mercy for you will receive none!" Aragorn instructed.

Gimli merely growled and launched himself forward at them. His battle-axe swung in great arcs as it cleaved through the masses of flesh before him. His short stature could not have been more suited to the taller orcs – he slid easily under their guards and avoided their swings, hacking away as they came to him.

Aragorn and Boromir remained close to each other. Side by side they weathered the first assault – felling the creatures that, though strong, lacked the skill possessed by the men. There had been tension and bad blood between them but on the battlefield they were kindred spirits. They moved in sync with each other so flawlessly that they easily created a space around themselves while others were becoming lost in the black masses. When the other was in danger there was always a sword, a shield or even a body in the way to prevent harm coming to them.

In a brief moment of respite Boromir chanced to look around in the hope of seeing Sai who had disappeared moments after the battle started. He supposed that his attention had been taken by his own fighting but Sai was not near them. It was Aragorn who saw him, much further into the orcs than they, and shouted to Boromir that there was nothing to fear.

For the orcs suddenly faced with such a different fighting style as came from the leanly muscled and terrifyingly blank-faced ninja there was a lot to fear. There had been little time to prepare his ink animals and he could not find a space that was not occupied by orcs to do so. So he had drawn his standard-issue katana and had found that the long days of travel had done little to diminish his skills.

Most weapons used in Middle Earth were heavy. Many used long blades that could be used as much for bludgeoning as for slicing and stabbing. There were few blades other than those of Elvish make that were as light and sharp as the one in Sai's practiced hands. The orcs and Dunlendings could not keep up with his movements as he weaved around them, his deadly blade singing through the air. He was never where they aimed their swings and would often appear much closer than they could react to in time to prevent a slit throat.

Though his face betrayed nothing, Sai was secretly amused by Gimli's voice as it carried across the battlefield. Aragorn could not be heard but Boromir had picked up the game. '14 ... 15 ...' they shouted to each other, the men of Rohan starting to join them when the breath could be spared. Sai almost smirked as he counted along in his head, he would surely win.

XXXXX

"My Lord elf!"

Legolas turned from the sounds of battle beyond the gates and ran to the archers he had tasked with watching the wall. They had lit as many torches as could be found and they could see almost to the bottom of the rocks on which the city stood. Appearing out of the gloom were moving figures that were headed for the smoother, easier climb directly below them. It had been the movement that had caught the guard's eye but Legolas could see almost every detail on their attackers.

"Summon the archers, do so quietly," he whispered, drawing an arrow and readying it.

The guard followed his instructions as silently as could be managed, and soon he was surrounded by fellow bowmen. The figures below had been conferring with each other about how best to tackle the climb and had not yet realised they had been discovered. Legolas motioned that all should stay silent and hold their fire until they had begun to scale the rocks. His reasoning was that there would be no escape from the volley of arrows and even if shots were not fatal there was a chance the fall would be.

The collection of orcs, there were no men, had evidently been ordered to infiltrate the city as swiftly as could be managed, perhaps to open the gates. It was not long before they lowered ladders against the rocks and began swarming up them. They were not as nimble as their smaller brethren but their pace was still good. Legolas gestured that all should nock an arrow and wait for his signal.

As soon as he could see that as many orcs were on the ladders and scaling the walls as there could be, he loosed his first shot. It whistled through the night and directly into the skull of the foremost orc. With barely a sound it fell backwards from the force, dispatching several of its fellows as it tumbled lifelessly to the ground.

A startled cry rose from the rest as the realisation they were in danger dawned on them. In that moment Legolas gave a shout and a flurry of barbs rained down on the orcs from above. Those who were not struck were knocked from their perches and lost their footholds to go spiralling back to the ground. Legolas could not stop himself frowning as he saw that the drop was not as damaging as it could have been had the wall been higher. Still, broken bones would certainly prevent more climbing.

"Again! Do not let them get close!" he ordered, the men around him scrambling to obey him despite their lack of experience with elf-kin.

Wave after wave of arrows fell upon the orcs but yet more came, eager to try and succeed where others had failed. Legolas scowled down at them and hoped there was enough stock of arrows to last them through the night. There could be no retrieving their ammunition, and he could not allow them over the wall.

XXXXX

The sounds of battle carried well through the stone to the cellars. At first some had tried to sing or play instruments in an attempt to drown them out, but these efforts had soon faltered. The older women had been through such times before and most sat focussed on their work to distract themselves. The younger women and the children could not help themselves but to strain at every sound and to continually cast the door fearful glances.

Éowyn had ceased her pacing some time before and had settled with the hobbits. Though they appeared as children to her it was clear to see the intelligence and willingness in their eyes. She had seen something of herself in them and had moved to show them how to sharpen and polish their blades with cloth and whetstone. Sam had blushed to the roots of his hair on talking to a real princess. Merry and Pippin had taken it in their stride and were currently regaling her with tales of the Shire. Tales in which they were the heroes, of course.

Sam had heard them so many times before and with his worry for Frodo they were even harder to bother with. Excusing himself with a mumble he walked around the edges of the room under the pretence of stretching. The women and children paid him little heed as he manoeuvred around them, and soon he had reached the trapdoor that concealed the exit to the plains. A cold draft was seeping through the wood so it was much less crowded and afforded him a place to think.

The clashing of steel suddenly cut through the oppressive atmosphere, followed by the cries and roars of battle. Sam winced and huddled further into his coat on hearing it. He could even hear the chatter of voices, as clear as if they were nearby. He had almost turned from the trapdoor when the noise of footsteps reached him. They were not from the battle but rather from underneath them – behind the trapdoor.

Sam gasped and ran back to his friends and Éowyn, "Begging your pardon, miss, I mean your highness, but I can hear something in the tunnel," he whispered frantically.

Éowyn rose to her feet, unsheathing her sword. The women and children around her froze at the sight of their lady walking through them as if ready for battle. Merry, Sam and Pippin followed in her footsteps, their own weapons held before them.

"Move away from trapdoor, silently!" she hissed as the panic began to spread in the room.

The civilians obeyed her harsh commands instantly. She was no man, but she was their leader when her male relatives were not present.

"Should we not tell someone from upstairs? Like Sakura?" Pippin whispered as they approached the trapdoor.

The civilians that had crowded against the door leading back to the Golden Hall seemed to agree as a low level murmuring followed his question.

"Quiet!" snapped Éowyn, "It may yet be nothing and we cannot afford to distract those above ground from their duties."

Merry had been watching the shield-maiden, and he was not at all sure that was truly her reasoning for facing the supposed danger in the tunnel alone. Rolling his shoulders, he made sure that Pippin was slightly behind him in case there was going to be trouble. Sam was a little nervous but generally a steadfast and unexcitable hobbit – if he had heard something then it was unlikely to simply be the product of an overactive imagination.

Eowyn motioned for quiet with her free hand and crouched near the trapdoor to listen. Several tense heartbeats passed as those in the cellar held their breath. Raising herself to standing Eowyn drew the hobbits close, "There is something in those tunnels, though from the sounds it does not seem like a large force. We shall surprise them."

"We have to get someone from upstairs," Sam stated firmly, "Better embarrassed than hurt, my old Gaffer used to say."

Eowyn shook her head, a queer light in her eyes that made Merry and Pippin at once nervous and excited, "These are my people, and I will protect them as I see fit. They were put into my care, and I will defend them."

"What if there are too many? These people need –" Sam was cut off by Eowyn's finger pressing against his lips as his voice began to rise.

"We have the element of surprise and, while the tunnels are about our size, they will suffer from the confinement. There is nothing to fear so long as you are with me. I will keep you safe," she smiled grimly.

Pippin looked unsure still, and Sam wrung his hands nervously. However Merry met her eyes and nodded, "What do you need us to do, my lady?"

"Once you descend into the tunnel there is a sharp bend to the right. We shall light some torches and lie in wait. They shall not reach our people. Are you with me friends? The men may doubt you but in you all I see a willing heart. You have as much right as any to defend yourselves and your friends."

Merry nodded to his friends. Sam and Pippin shared a look but it was clear the younger hobbit was sold on the prospect of battle and glory. Sam bowed his head, unwilling to let his closest friends into danger as he had been forced to let Frodo.

Éowyn smiled victoriously and turned to the crowds, "We shall investigate the tunnel, to ensure that there is no danger. Do not be alarmed, and remain here – we shall return in due time."

A wave of concerned muttering washed over them, but Éowyn was quick to restore order and silence to them. As deftly as she could manage she raised the trapdoor and slid quietly into the darkness. The hobbits gave each other one last assuring glance before following.

XXXXX

Frodo was amazed at how swiftly Naruto was able to cover the distance to the small cave. They had easily evaded their enemies and had seen no evidence of any other dangers on their route. Naruto's back was warm and the easy lope had lulled Frodo almost into sleep. It felt like they had barely left when Naruto was rousing him at the entrance to a recessed cave, almost hidden behind a curtain of leaves.

Naruto paused and breathed deeply to sense if there were any life signs nearby. Frodo held his breath so as not to disturb his guardian's concentration. After a moment he determined that they were alone and slipped inside the cave. The Rohirrim had adapted the natural cavern expertly for shelter from the elements. It was sparsely furnished. Most of the space had been given over to pallets for injured soldiers, but it was warmly insulated from the cold and had a good selection of food and fresh water.

Naruto decided against a fire as the light would draw attention to their position, and Frodo found himself swiftly wrapped into a blanket. He lay back against the wall on a relatively clean pallet and watched his guardian as he moved around. Naruto paced the opening to the cave muttering to himself as he laid some simple traps. He would never be as good at genjutsu as Sakura or even Sai, but thankfully a great level of skill was not necessary against the inhabitants of Middle Earth.

If he stood before the entrance he could see the lights starting to be lit all over Edoras, lighting it up against the night sky. The air held the unmistakable tension of battle – there were neither birdcalls, nor insect noises and even within his chest he could feel the faint agitation of Kurama as he paced within his cage. Kurama was clearly sulking at being denied a chance to be involved in the fight that was sure to be starting soon but that was not all that seemed to be affecting him. Naruto pushed but all the Great Beast he was willing to state was that he had an ill-feeling.

That naturally gave Naruto an ill-feeling too. Rather than stay and enjoy the night air that was somehow cleaner and fresher than that at home, he retreated into the cave and re-covered the entrance. He made sure Frodo was comfortable before settling beside him, a kunai resting loosely in his fingers as he prepared to wait out the night. The circles under the hobbit's eyes showed many sleepless nights, and it was not long before he drifted off. Naruto wondered how such a small thing could have such an impact on a person's mental and physical well-being. Kurama ordered him to stop thinking as hard as it was disturbing his own thought process.

Through the night the faint sounds of battle were occasionally carried to the cave on the breeze. They did not disturb Frodo who had managed to fall into as peaceful a slumber as he had been able for many days. Kurama groused to Naruto that it was because the Ring was focussing all its intentions on him as it tried to break through to reach Naruto's subconscious. Naruto smiled slightly as he listened to Kurama's complaining – he could not remember the days when all he ever felt from the beast was raging hatred or cold disdain.

Then outside a twig snapped some distance from the cave. There were few trees in this location; the sparse plains had been mainly turned to farmland which had withered over the years. Without Kurama's increased hearing and the luck of the breeze he would never have heard it over the sound of Frodo's soft breathing. He was instantly on his guard, the action waking Frodo who stayed mercifully silent.

"Hide behind those barrels, Frodo. I will look," he whispered as quietly as he could.

Frodo nodded, all traces of sleep replaced with genuine terror as he slipped away to conceal himself behind the fresh water barrels. Naruto moved silently immediately disappearing into the shadows despite the fact Frodo had been looking directly at him. On reaching the entrance to the cave Naruto paused to listen.

"... must be here, this is the only place nearby," an ugly, guttural voice could be heard speaking on the wind.

"You sure we're going the right way? I knew I should've kept the map!"

Whoever had spoken first continued in the orcish tongue, from the tone Naruto could guess at its content, before switching back into the common language.

"It's definitely here, just over there."

"I don't see why we're doing this, there won't be anything here; the Ring will be in the middle of that stupid city."

"Saruman told us they'd panic, that city can't hold out against us, they'll have sent that hobbin thing away."

"If Saruman knew everything then how come he's dead then?"

"I don't know, maybe the Dark Lord did him in, but if we get the Ring think of the rewards – we'll live like kings! Who cares what happened to some old Wizard?"

Though only the two foremost orcs were speaking the rest carried torches allowing Naruto to calculate their numbers. It was a large band of perhaps some thirty orcs, all of this new breed except the one with the map. He was much smaller and thinner, his face pinched and twisted under his bright red eyes. There was no doubt that they were coming to the cave and there would be no time to get Frodo to safety without being seen. He would have to fight them. Kurama filled his head and heart with battle fury as the Great Beast roared inside its cage with the chance to destroy after all.

Checking to see that Frodo was completely concealed, he emerged from the shadows directly before the orc party. The orcs froze in their tracks on seeing the blank-faced, dark cloaked apparition materialise as if by magic. Their surprise did not last long on seeing that he was the only one.

Pulling out a cruel sword the large leading orc stepped forward, "Only the one of ya?"

The other orcs laughed in derision but Naruto merely shrugged, "You want more?"

His hands flew together in the hand-seals that had served him well since he was just a boy. The orcs were slow to react, almost fascinated by the quick movements and were forced to tumble back into each other as several clones appeared in a puff of white smoke. They were all the same, and even moved as one as they stepped forward into battle readiness.

The smaller orc shied away, as if sensing that this was something more than he could face. The other orcs shared no such feelings and quickly recovered. The larger orc gritted his teeth and lunged forwards against Naruto – if this conjurer was here then it stood to reason that he was protecting the Ring.

Following his lead, the others rushed forward. Like Sai, Naruto was much faster than his opponents, and what he lacked in height he more than made up for in skill. An orc larger and slower than the rest was dispatched by a kunai deep in the ribs before being sent crashing into his fellow with a solid kick. Another stumbled over the rocky terrain only to have his neck broken before he could regain his footing.

One of his luckier companions swung his sword at a more distracted Naruto, clipping his arm as it moved from range. On a normal foe it would have left a ragged gash, deep enough to dull an arm and leave the body's side unprotected. However this was no normal foe and, though the sword made good contact, there was no injury. Rather the whole body of his opponent disappeared in a puff of smoke the same in which it had arrived.

The orcs were once again stunned, and several paid for their ill-attention with their lives. However the others had their hopes raised by the event – if even a scratch destroyed the apparitions then they could surely be victorious. While Naruto's clone may have been so easy to ruin the same could not be said of the man himself. He allowed his clones to do most of the work, choosing to flit in the shadows of the battleground, striking like a coiled snake at the most vulnerable foes.

It was not until more than half of their number had been reduced that the orcs began to pull close together in the hope of surviving Naruto's onslaught. One, quicker than the rest, was able to parry a kunai strike that aimed at his under-protected armpit and that seemed to give them courage. However it was not to last as several kunai came whistling through the air to embed themselves in the eye-sockets of those without helmets.

The remaining orcs, the ones who had been gifted with sense enough to wear as much armour as they could and with quickness of reflexes enough to have avoided the multitude of lethal blows, looked around before attempting to flee into the night. Part of Naruto's soft heart wished to let them live, but the rest had been hardened enough to know they would pose a danger to his friends if he did so. With their backs turned as they fled they did not see the clones descend on them from behind and wipe them out.

Naruto frowned under his mask as he tallied up the count in his head – only twenty-nine. One was missing. A sudden fear gripped his heart as he turned to the cave and ran inside. Had he let one slip under his notice to Frodo?

Frodo shied away from the small, twisted orc who had entered the cave. Hidden as he was the orc had yet to spot him but was searching determinedly with the point of his ragged sword. He shook with fear as the orc slowly approached him.

"Come out, come out little hobbin ... I know you're in here," it sing-songed, red eyes rolling madly as it looked.

"I think he is called a hobbit," Naruto's voice whispered in the orcs ear as his kunai slid around its throat.

Frodo almost sobbed with relief as he saw Naruto stand from his crouch and grab a cloth to wipe his blade clean of the thick, dripping, black blood.

"Are you alright, Frodo?"

"Yes," he managed to stutter, "are you?"

Naruto pulled his mask round to the side of his head and gifted Frodo with a cocky grin that made him smile, "Of course, and I'm sure our other friends are, too."

XXXXX

It seemed that it was not only Éomer who had made use of the passage under Edoras. As soon as they had reached the bottom of the short ladder Éowyn had moved to a hidden stash of weapons, including the broad shield she swung onto her arm, and quickly found flint to light the torches nearest the trapdoor. The hobbits had found themselves handed various pieces of armour that had clearly been designed for the children of the city. Merry somehow knew that this was where Éowyn had spent a lot of time as a young girl in the world of men.

The voices from down the corridor sounded as though the enemy was almost on top of them but Éowyn whispered that the tunnels bent sound in strange ways – it was likely that they would have another few moments before they would be forced to fight. Sam was looking anxiously between his little sword and the shield. Pippin's helmet was slightly too big and he was forced to keep pushing it up from obscuring his vision.

In front of them stood Éowyn with her spine straight and her head held high. She had a warrior's stance that had not been unnoticed by her kin but had gone unappreciated. The clanging noises of the enemy were becoming louder by the minute as the small force found it difficult to move within the small confines of the tunnel. The area in which the hobbits and their lady stood was taller, more open and wider – it was a good a spot as any to hold off the foe.

"Stay with me," ordered Éowyn softly, "I will protect you."

Merry moved to stand at her side and nodded as the first orc turned the sharp corner that led in the sloping tunnel.

It was very large when compared to the hobbits but it was taken aback to see armed opponents of any size. It was clear that they had been expecting to launch a surprise attack on the undefended population hidden away under the hall. However it was not long until the surprise faded from its slow brain and the pushing of its fellows at its back drove it forward.

It raised its sword as high as it could in the confines of the tunnel, but Éowyn was much lighter on her feet. With a swing that her brother and cousin would have envied, she severed its sword arm and on the return cut its throat straight to the bone. The arm dropped with a clatter and she was forced to step back as the body slumped to the floor.

She had been mercifully correct that it was only a small band, and only three more pairs of eyes met them over the body. The orcs moved with a howl of rage on seeing their leader felled and Éowyn and Merry rushed forward to meet them.

The clashes of steel on shields and grunts of effort must have been terrifying to those upstairs but Sam was of the opinion that it was far worse down where they were. Without the element of surprise Éowyn was forced to use all her skill to parry the blows the next orc was laying onto her. Suddenly it cried out as Merry slashed all the tendons in its knee, bringing it off balance enough that Éowyn was able to angle her sword upwards and into the creature's heart.

The remaining orcs were then aware that the hobbits posed a real threat rather than just the woman. The first attacked Merry and Éowyn while the second turned its attentions to Pippin and Sam.

Pippin gulped audibly and the thing's face twisted a cruel grin as it advanced. That set a fire under Sam and no mistake. Again it was the height difference that proved to be the creatures undoing. It was forced to move strangle and bring its arm much further down that it was used to in its attempts to cleave them in twain. As Gimli was doing outside so did Sam as he ducked under the creature's guard and slashed deeply into its unprotected belly. Pippin followed him to end the thing's life by stabbing his little sword into its throat as it fell cradling its guts.

With a roar of anger the last orc aimed a heavy boot at Merry, catching him in the side and knocking him to the floor. Pippin and Sam leapt forward to cover him but they were not needed. In the split second that it was off-balance Éowyn slammed her shield into its side. It fell to the ground with a heavy crash, and Pippin was at its throat in a heartbeat – the anger over the treatment of his cousin clear in his eyes.

For a few seconds after the last orc fell all that could be heard it the tunnel was the heavy breathing of the survivors. Sam helped Merry to his feet and Pippin rushed over to be told by Merry that he was fine and to stop fussing. Éowyn lowered her shield to the ground and sheathed her sword.

"And to think they would not have us on the battlefield!" she laughed.

Merry grinned shakily up at her; positive he was going to bruise heavily down his side, "I would not ever wish to stand against you, my lady."

XXXXX

Legolas' fears had been unfounded. The arrow supply had lasted them well enough and for some time the area of wall below them had been silent. He had sent men to scout the other walls of the city in case their foe had simply moved to try their luck at a different place but so far there had been nothing.

From his position high on the wall he could see that the battle was slowly starting to turn in their favour. Several of the men that had been placed under his command were shifting anxiously – clearly wishing to join their fellows in the fray. However Legolas could not make the decision to allow them to.

There was every chance that those down below were simply waiting for such a shift of manpower to mount another assault. He would not abandon his post, but he hoped that Hama and his company would see that the battle was being won well enough to allow them to join.

XXXXX

Aragorn and Boromir breathed as heavily as they could manage over the smell of blood and death. Gimli was further ahead; his enviable stamina had him fighting with barely a pause. The ranks of the enemy were thinning – the horses and their skilled riders had once again proven crucial. However this realisation had also come to the enemy and they fought all the harder.

Sai was less winded than the men but sustained fighting of this sort was not his style. He did not suppose it was the style of any ninja who chose to use the many tricks of the trade to destroy their enemies quickly. To his consternation he had found that several times in the past few minutes his form had been much sloppier than he was accustomed to. Though he had yet to put himself in real danger it was not the precision he demanded of himself.

Each way he turned there was another orc or another of the wild-eyed Dunlendings that required his attention, and they never seemed to be ending. Had he been further from the centre he would have seen that they were inching closer and closer to victory, but as it was all he could see was a sea of black occasionally punctuated by the blond and green of the Rohirrim.

His musings had drawn his attention from his surroundings for a split-second and his balance left him as his heel caught on the handle of a discarded blade. An orc saw its chance and raised its blade as he fumbled to regain his footing. As he did so he angled his body from the blow so as to reduce its severity should it land and he waited.

However he need not have worried. He, and all those around them, heard the sickening crunch of bone and the revolting squelch as ribs were crushed into the soft tissues underneath them. The orc cannoned backwards into more of its fellows under the force of Sakura's fist.

Sai looked up at his comrade whose green eyes flashed angrily under her hood. For a moment in their little well of calm all eyes were turned to the angry woman who stood before her friend. Her fist was clenched and a humming blue essence glowed around it as she scowled at the remaining enemies. The moment stretched until two Rohirrim laughed delightedly, and a little disbelievingly, to each other over the fear in the faces of their enemies.

Another orc chanced its luck against the petite woman and Sai was forced to turn his face away to avoid the blood splatters as she crushed its skull. With his blade in hand they stood back to back against the enemy. Sai smiled to himself as he felt her surging, angry chakra at his back where it belonged – she was a hundred times fiercer when any of her friends were in danger. Now all they were missing was Naruto to complete their triangle and they would be complete.

As it was, it was not Naruto who joined them, but Gimli, borne forward towards them through a space created by fresh troops. It seemed Hama had decided it was time to allow his troops into battle, and the rush of new energy turned the tide. Gimli announced that he had slain nearly a hundred, and they had better allow him to complete the century – before telling them it was good to see them alive.

Aragorn and Boromir were able to join them next, creating a hole in the foe large enough for them to slip through and create a circular quintet. The orcs fought harder, but the Dunlendings had been slipping from the battle for some time.

The sun was beginning to rise in the east and the light was beginning to reveal far better than the torchlight just how few orcs remained. Most of the horses had been discarded to prevent them tiring and there was a hardy circle of foot soldiers around the King, including his son and nephew.

It was Gandalf that ended the battle. He had been able to rest through the night and had come to the edge of the battle, standing in front of the sun. With a great bellow he raised his staff to magnify the sun's rays creating a blinding flash. Once all had regained their sight the enemy began to flee.

Aragorn and Boromir laughingly embraced, Boromir throwing an arm around a protesting Gimli's shoulders to draw him in. Sai and Sakura knocked their fists together before being swept into the life-affirming hug from their friends. This was how they were found by Théoden, Théodred, and Éomer, and then joined by Legolas and Gandalf. Aside from some scratches and more bruises than could be counted they had fared well.

As they and the Rohirrim began to troop back into the city they were met by their overjoyed civilians who clamoured around them. Éowyn, Merry, Pippin and Sam were heartily welcomed as Éowyn tried to avoid the thunderous faces of her relatives – the deeds she had performed to protect her citizens had already begun to spread throughout the town.

"I don't know if they fought hard enough. Do you think they did, Frodo?"

The group turned with relief to see Naruto and Frodo standing completely clean and unhurt before them.

Théoden turned to look around his city, the city that had been held against the odds, and smiled. Now this is a tale worthy of remembrance.

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