Chapter XI: Approach of the Dark Riders

In the middle of a dark forest, a fair distance from where the fellowship was, three mutilated corpses lay side by side, covered in blood that was still gushing from their bodies. A majority of their bones were shattered and in pieces, and one of them had their back leg ripped viciously off and had it tossed into the woods. If one were to see these dead bodies up close enough, they would be just barely recognizable. What was left of them had dark grey fur, walked on four legs, and appeared to be carnivores based on what remained of their teeth. Their names, or at least what they once were, were Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Three hyenas that were the best of friends together had been slaughtered in cold blood by the swords forged of the strongest metal. They lay side by side in the now deep red grass, caused by their relentlessly bleeding forms.

But while a sight like this would certainly be one to remember, this was not what made the spot in the thick woods a terrifying place to be at that moment. For surrounding the dead bodies were the ones who had caused their inhumane deaths in the first place- none other than the Dark Riders and servants of Sauron himself. the Nazgul.

These riders rode threatening black horses that some said were just as merciless as they were. Thousands of years ago, the Nazgul were once men themselves. In fact, they were at one point the very nine men that the great rings were gifted to just before the One Ring was forged. but due to the power of those rings thousands of years previously, their physical forms had long faded away, and were now completely shrouded in dark robes, faceless. Their cloaks were the only way that they could be visible to mortal beings, as their physical form was long gone. They were neither alive nor dead. Rumor had it that if one were to get close enough to them for too long, they would experience nightmares, unconsciousness, and even death if it was a longer encounter. This was an effect known as the Black Breath. But while all this was certainly to be feared, it was hardly the worst thing about them. The most terrifying aspect that came from these riders was the unmistakable screeching sound that they would make. It was a truly awful and scarring noise that would strike fear into even the bravest of warriors. It was high pitched, evil, and all around unsettling.

The nine riders of Sauron surrounded the three dead hyenas in a circle. They were the least satisfying lives they had ever taken. While the three hyenas certainly weren't the nicest of beings, they were far from deserving of these fates. But the scene was interrupted once the nine riders began to sense something. The faceless servants all looked in the direction of Bree, a good two miles away. The energy they were feeling at that moment was unmistakable: Someone had just worn the One Ring.

The nine riders readied their horses, drew out their swords, and screeched that hideous and otherworldly sound that characterized them. All at once, they raced off through the forest, abandoning their latest (mostly) innocent slaughters, and headed for the direction of the ringbearer. The fast paced steps the horses took ripping against the muddy ground was possibly proof that even the horses they rode were possessed and demonized. If the fellowship though their journey was already hard enough, they had not yet seen even a thing.

Rafiki led the eight members through another wet, flat grassy plain outside of the east edge of Bree. After what had happened at the inn, it was decided that the best thing they could do was leave the village while their identities and their strength were still intact. Before they had left, the inn keeper had given Kopa two things: a sufficient amount of gauze to aid his wounded paw, and a thin chain necklace to hold the ring around his neck, much stronger than any grass. But wanting to keep the ring a secret, Kopa had to lie and said that the necklace was for his mate. So in spite of the experience with the eye, the inn keeper had no knowledge of the ring, though not to say that he wasn't suspicious. As of now, the fellowship was moving east in search of a new place of rest. The rain had stopped during the encounter with the eye, so the pounding torrent from before had long since stopped. The dark clouds were moving away as well, and the full moon could be clearly seen as well. The moon had yet to reach its highest point, so it wasn't midnight just yet, which meant there was still a chance to get an acceptable amount of sleep before morning.

So far, they were having little luck with that. Everybody, even Rafiki, stayed as close to Kopa as they could. Being the ringbearer, he needed comfort given what had happened to him at the inn. Vitani in particular stayed alongside him. Every once in a while she would glance down at the ring, now held around Kopa's neck by a thin chain necklace. It was such a strange fate that they had to suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Simba and Nala also kept close to their son. It disturbed them both to have to see him in such an agonizing condition, specifically his paw. It was likely to take several weeks before it healed fully, according to Rafiki. Kopa, although promosing never to wear the wretched ring again, still had the image of the lidless, burning eye imprinted into his memory. He held his head low in sadness and fear. The eye would be something he would unwillingly remember from now for the rest of his natural life.

A million and one thoughts ran through their minds. If Kopa had worn the ring, would he live longer, as the myth entails? If so, how much longer? It pained the lion to think that now he might outlive his mate, or even worse, his own children. He tried to push these thoughts aside, as they were making him mentally sick, but they pressed on. Whether it was an effect of the ring was something he never could know.

What exactly could Sauron have meant by 'there is no life in the void'? What was the void? Could it be Mordor? Mount Doom? Either one of those would've made sense to him.

And these kinds of thoughts were not absent from the others as well. Rafiki had mentioned that if the ring was to be worn, Sauron would gain knowledge of the wearer's surroundings, and the Nazgul would come after and kill whoever wore it. This was why they left Bree; to get as far away as they possibly could from where they were undoubtably heading now. Due to this, every member (minus Timon of course, as he was still asleep on Pumbaa's tusks) was on guard, ready for an attack from any direction. But as Rafiki mentioned, there were dark forces at play besides the will of evil.

They continued walking onward through the plains of grass, searching for any possible place to rest for the night. At first they found nothing, but as they went on, they saw something begin to emerge in the distance. It wasn't a termite mound this time. For now it was what appeared to be a gigantic hill in the shape of a wide mesa (Author's Note: The types of rock forms you'd find in Monument Valley). The hill was made of stone with significant amounts of moss and grass growing along the sides of it. Atop the stony hill was what looked like ruins of a watchtower, where only the first level was still standing. Perfect.

"Maybe we could stop there", said Kovu. Rafiki looked back to him and the group and replied, "Ah yes, dat is Weathertop."

He looked towards it and continued, "I remember dis place. Quite a history it has, indeed."

Kiara asked the baboon, "Can we stay there for the night, Rafiki?"

Still looking ahead, he replied to her, "Yes. Dat is where we'll stay."

After a bit of a rough climb up the stone pathway to the top (mostly because Pumbaa was having a hard time carrying Timon on his tusks), they arrived to the top of Weathertop. There, they all got a better look at the place. There wasn't much to it, really. It was a mostly flat circular surface of cracking stonework surrounded by thick, cracked and crumbling stone pillars. It took up the entire summit of the hill, which was more than enough space to accommodate them all. There was no roof or shielding of any kind, so the moon and stars were in clear view for them. Kopa and Vitani were the first ones to settle in. Right in the dead center of the place, Kopa collapsed of exhaustion from the day's events, and was ready to fall asleep right there. Vitani settled in close to his side and Kopa softly rested his head atop hers.

Kiara and Kovu went closer to the pillars and both laid down side by side not far from the edge. Kiara, witnessing what had happened to her brother, was also a bit shaken by the day's events. She rested her head up against Kovu's mane, getting comfortable close to him. Simba and Nala decided to sleep in the space between Kiara, Kovu, Kopa and Vitani, to ensure that they could protect either side of their family if harm came their way. And as for Timon and Pumbaa, Timon was already fast asleep, both arms hanging off the warthog's tusks, so Pumbaa just settled into a spot nearby Simba and Nala, with Timon still asleep. As soon as Pumbaa got comfortable, however, Timon fell off of his tusks and just fell onto the ground, not disturbing him from his sleep in the least. Pumbaa rolled his eyes about his friend's condition, and simply decided to sleep like that.

Rafiki, the leader of them all, decided not to sleep just yet. He was well aware of the new dangers presented from the incident at Bree, and didn't want anything to go wrong while the others slept. Still holding onto his stick, he walked over to the edge of the stone surface and looked out in the direction of Bree, which could just faintly be seen from there. Nala was the first one to notice this. She looked up and said to him, "Rafiki?... what're you doing?"

The baboon looked back at her and replied, "Dere are many dangers now dat de dark riders know where we are. I must keep watch for dem."

Then a thought came to Nala that hadn't before. She asked Rafiki, "Rafiki?... if the black riders do find us, would we be able to fight them off?"

The baboon replied, "Ah, dat would be a very difficult task, Nala. For you see, de black riders are nieder loving nor dead. But if one was strong enough... den I suppose dey could be fought."

"Yes, but could lions like us fight them? We can't wield the same weapons men or elves can. I mean... teeth and claws can only get you so far." she said, looking down at her paws for a moment.

Rafiki said to her, "It is difficult... but it can be done."

Nala sighed with relief at hearing this. She had no idea what the Nazgul looked like, but it comforted her knowing that at least the could be fought. She turned back over to Simba to see him staring deeply up at the stars. He looked sad about something, although Nala didn't have to ask what it was about. Curious though, she talked to him.

"Simba... I know you're thinking about what happened at Bree."

Her mate looked over at her amd said, "When that ring was on Kopa, I thought that was it. I thought we'd lost him, for good this time."

Simba could feel his throat getting heavy, nearing tears at not just what happened, but what was to come.

"I was scared too, Simba. We should be glad that the ring won't last much longer."

Simba sighed softly and sadly. "I'm just worried about what's going to happen next."

"What do you mean?" Nala asked. Simba replied, "Well... if this is what's happened to our son just two days in, imagine what could happen by the time we actually get there. I just don't..."

He stopped right there. His eyes were beginning to water at these thoughts, and Nala could tell. "I just don't want to lose him again, Nala. He's already done too much."

By now, he began to sob as he talked. The sadness within him was becoming more apparent by the second. Nala rested her head against his and said to him, "I don't want to lose him either, Simba. He means as much to you as he does to me. But it's something he has to do, not just for us... but it's for all of Middle Earth."

Simba sighed. "Maybe... I just want him to be able to make it out alive. I mean... he's got kids of his own, it'd kill them if this journey takes his life."

Nala nuzzled Simba softly and whispered to him, "Well if that happens, at least we'll die with him."

Simba looked at Nala. She had never said anything like that before. "Nala... I've never heard you talk like that before... that's the bravest thing you've ever said." he said to her. Nala blushed a little bit when he said that. Softly, the two of them stopped talking and rested against one another, slowly drifting off to sleep. By the time they did, all of the others were fast asleep as well. Even Kopa, emotionally scarred and all, managed to fall into a peaceful sleep, and dreamt of returning home to his cubs alive and well. However, they were still only dreams...

Rafiki was the only one of them still awake. The silence of the moment was no longer eerie or unsettling. It was a peaceful, relaxing kind of silence that only a starry night like this could bring. Rafiki looked up to the stars with some worry in his face, something rarely seen for him. He whispered, "Oh, Mufasa... every day we grow closer to de dark lands... but prince Kopa is falling weaker and weaker from de power of de One Ring... oh, give de boy de strength to survive."

The silence was broken as a calm breeze went through the ruins of the watchtower, symbolizing Mufasa's spirit. Rafiki smiled at this. They were a good enough distance from Bree. Maybe the Nazgul wouldn't find them after all. Maybe fate would cover up their tracks enough so that they wouldn't be found. Perhaps fate would give Kopa the strength he needed to survive the journey.

But as they say, fate can be cruel sometimes.