They followed Aragorn on the path to Rivendell. Aragon led the party through the forest closely followed by the four hobbits, then with Faith leading Buffy from the rear.
They kept moving through the night and only stopped for short rests. Aragorn checked Buffy each stop and frowned at the delirious state she was now in. She was floating in and out of consciousness mumbling things about creatures being after them. Faith wondered if part of her was remembering being the slayer, another part was worried she could still feel the Nazgul following them. Faith could feel them not far behind, stalking them as though waiting for an opportunity. She told Strider about it and he nodded saying he felt them as well.
On the third night Buffy's fever had broken slightly and she was now sleeping. Strider had asked Faith some questions about Buffy, wondering why her symptoms seemed to be indicating she was beating the poison. Faith was vague not wanting anyone knowing about them just yet.
The hobbits were concerned for the blonde slayer; none of them wanted anything bad to happen to her.
They made camp on the third night in a small alcove. Faith pulled Buffy of the horse and laid her gently on the ground, the hobbits set about making some dinner and Frodo curled up in his bed to sleep.
Strider went out to check the area, he left the hobbits with a small sword each, he also handed Faith a slightly larger one. He didn't ask if she knew how to use it and she didn't comment, a silent understanding had developed between them since Buffy had attacked the wraiths.
It wasn't long after Strider disappeared that the attack came. Faith felt it seconds before it happened and managed to push the hobbits up the hill before the first wraith attacked. She was holding her own when a second and third one entered the fight. She didn't see the other five head up the hill after the hobbits. Nor did she see the one sneak up on the sleeping blonde slayer.
Faith knew if she struck the directly she would end up like Buffy, she blocked their attacks and pushed them back but wasn't sure how to drive them away. She knew eventually more would come and she would tire. She hoped Aragorn returned soon with a way to drive the wraith back.
Buffy was dreaming of the dark figures hunting her, every now and then they would get close and then she would draw away just avoiding them capturing her, they were calling out to her trying to lull her into coming to them, but as she ran she felt the pull of their calls fade a little bit more. She knew if she just ran for long enough, the calls would stop and she would be able to rest.
She came to a small clearing and realised she could no longer feel them behind her, she stopped trying to make sense of her surroundings. The wind had stopped and she looked around for her friend's some where along the way she had lost them. She closed her eyes and tried to sense them. Very faintly she could hear Faith, she sounded like she was in a battle of some sort. Buffy picked the direction the sound was coming from and headed off ion search of her friend. She ran for a few minutes, she came upon Faith fighting three of the dark ones.
For a moment she couldn't move, her fear of the dark ones was controlling her, but her concern for her friend grew stronger than the fear and she moved forward as if to help. She was stopped however by the feeling of a presence behind her. She turned quickly and found herself face to face with one of the Nazgul, she screamed and stumbled back, hitting the ground with a thud.
Buffy's eyes flew open just in time for her to block a strike at her head; she rolled out of the sleeping bag and jumped up onto her feet. Her body gave sharp volts of pain in protest to the sudden movement. Buffy ignored them and focused on the dark one attacking her. She blocked its first few strikes, allowing her senses to adjust. She then started to try and disarm the wraith. It took a wide swing at her head and she ducked under the blade catching its arm in the process, she then snapped its arm back causing it to drop its weapon, she then kicked it away as hard as she could sending it flying back several metres. She then picked up its blade and ran to help Faith.
By this time Faith had figured out a rhythm with the wraiths, they attacked in waves and she was able to hold them off for the time being, she sensed something move behind her and was about to take a quick glimpse when she felt Buffy come up beside her, Buffy took the wraith on to her left and started driving it back, she kicked and pouched until it was stumbling away.
Faith took this opportunity to get the better of the other two. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed small flames still burning in Sam's fire. She kicked one of the wraith back and then rolled towards the fire placing her sword over the flames, the sword lit up as if by magic. Faith smiled at the result and looked back to the wraith advancing on her, she flipped over behind them and struck out with the flaming sword, the wraiths clothes caught on fire and they screamed. After a few more unsuccessful strikes they fled, taking the other two with them.
Buffy lowered her weapon when they fled and she turned to look at Faith a broad smile on her face.
Faith looked at her in shook.
'"Nice timing B' she said smiling at her friend
Buffy nodded 'I felt you calling me for help, it was enough to wake me up'
Faith didn't know what to make of that 'How are you feeling, you've been out of it for days'
Buffy shrugged 'Peachy'
They grinned at each other but were alerted by the sound of strider yelling in the distance. Buffy took one look at Faith and they both bolted in the direction the sound had come from. Faith led the way up the hill in the direction the hobbits had gone. They got to the top just in time to see Strider pick Frodo up and come barrelling towards them.
He moved straight past them and back down the hill, Buffy and Faith followed closely knowing time was now going to be of the essence.
Strider placed Frodo on the horse Buffy had been occupying and started leading him off, the two slayers quickly packed up what they could and followed. Sam Merry and Pippin ran along after them their expressions grave.
Strider stayed silent for hours, concentrating on finding as quick a path to Rivendell he could find. Sam, Merry and Pippin watched Frodo on the horse with concern. Faith stayed behind watching the rear and Buffy moved up in the line to talk to Strider.
'Strider' she asked her voice soft when she fell in beside him
He didn't respond, he just kept walking
'Strider' she said again this time a little more forceful. he kept walking but turned his head slightly in her direction
She took this as an answer and spoke on.
'The hobbits need rest; they can't keep going at this pace'
Strider now fully turned to look at her while he kept on walking 'And what about you Buffy, don't you need rest'
His voice was soft as usual but there was a harshness to it she hadn't heard before.
She shook her head slightly before answering 'No I don't, I feel fine'
Strider frowned 'That poison should have killed you'
Buffy sighed 'But it didn't, look the hobbits are tired we need to stop, if only for a few minutes'
Strider shook his head 'Frodo doesn't have a few minutes, unlike you he is fading quickly from the effects of the Morgor blade, he needs Elrond's help'
Buffy sighed again 'Why do I get the feeling you aren't to happy about my recovery'
Strider looked at her again, his eyes hard 'you are not human'
Buffy flinched at his words 'Yes I am'
Strider shook his head 'No Buffy you aren't, no human has survived the poison of the Nazgul without help, I believe you when you say you don't remember who you are, but I don't believe either you or Faith when you say you are human'
Buffy felt her heart sink 'You don't trust me' she whispered
Strider looked away from her 'I don't know you, neither do you'
Buffy then fell back behind Strider and fell in beside the hobbits, she felt a sick feeling of dread creep up inside her, if she wasn't human, what was she?
She was brought out of her dwelling when the youngest hobbit Pippin stumbled beside her, without really thinking she reached out and caught him then picked him up so he was riding on her back.
'Thanks' he whispered to her
Buffy just nodded in answer and continued to follow Strider through the forest, Strider no longer trusted her and she wasn't exactly sure why, he almost seemed to believe she wasn't good, that she could be something bad. But something inside her pushed that thought away, if she wasn't human maybe she was like the hobbits, she was nearly short enough. She didn't feel bad, she felt scared and worried, but that didn't make her evil. She pushed the thoughts away and decided to ask Faith about them later. Right now she had three hobbits to help.
They travelled for five days, only stopping for brief times to put some plant thing on Frodo's wound and get some fresh water. They ate while walking and Buffy and Faith took turns in carrying the tired hobbits. Fordo grew progressively worse as they journey continued. Strider didn't speak to Buffy or Faith much only to tell them orders or ask for water. Buffy felt the sick feeling crawling further and further inside her. She hadn't asked Faith yet about what they did not want to make the hobbits worry further.
On the eve of the fifth day Buffy felt a wave of wariness come over her, she stumbled and almost dropped pippin who was riding on her back. She went down onto one knee and felt a searing pain shoot up her arm and into her heart, she stumbled further and pippin jumped off her back in concern. Faith stopped and turned around; she ran back to Buffy as soon as she noticed her fall and called out to Strider to stop. Faith raced to Buffy's side and lifted her head up so that she was looking into her eyes. She gasped at what she saw. Buffy's eyes were no longer their usual blue/green colour; they were a bright golden colour. Faith heard Strider come up behind her and drop to his knees beside her; he took one look at Buffy's eyes and turned to Faith.
'Has this happened before' he asked
Faith shook her head 'Never'
Strider reached out and placed his hand on Buffy's cheek, Buffy looked towards him, she stared at him as if not recognising him. A moment later her eyes turned a deeper gold and she seemed to become aware of her surroundings. Strider pulled his hand back at what he saw staring back at him.
Faith watched the interaction 'What, Strider whets going on'
Strider shook his head, he stood up and pulled Buffy up with him, then before either Buffy of Faith had time to react he punched Buffy as hard as he could causing her to fall to the ground.
Faith jumped up in anger and placed herself between them. She glared at Strider knowing Buffy would be able to handle the force of the blow.
'What the hell are you doing' she asked
Strider looked almost sorry 'Something's wrong Faith'
Faith snorted 'You got that right, why did you hit her'
Strider frowned 'to bring her back'
Faith was confused 'Strider, back from where' she asked not understanding
he looked down are Buffy who was now standing up and looking at them questioningly, her eyes were now back to normal. Strider let out a breath of relief and placed a gentle hand on Faiths shoulder, he leaned forward and whispered to her in a very low voice 'back to herself, what ever you are hiding , whoever you are, I hope you understand what lives inside your friend'
Faith pulled back and looked at him he returned her gaze steadily and she asked 'And what is that'
Strider looked at Buffy again his expression concerned 'Power, raw power'
Faith then turned and looked at Buffy who was looking fairly lost at this point. Faith turned away from strider and reached out to Buffy 'Are you ok' she asked
Buffy nodded 'Yeah' she looked up to Strider 'We need to move, they are coming, fast'
Strider nodded and ran back to Frodo. Buffy picked Pippin up and Faith grabbed Merry. Sam grabbed Bill the pony and they ran down the path trying to beat the Wraith to Rivendell.
It turned out they didn't have to run to far, a few miles down the road they were intercepted by a female elf who took Frodo the rest of the way on her horse. The others followed more slowly taking the time to gather their strength. No one mentioned the incident with Buffy earlier. Buffy walked last in the line trying to understand what had gone through her earlier. She had felt her hand ache then the pain had moved up to her heart. She like something had been attacking her making her wake, then like with the poison her system had rebelled and she pushed it away. At that point she had felt something go through her, something so familiar it almost brought tears to her eyes. But as familiar as it felt part of it also felt new, like a new flavour in her favourite food.
She had then felt them, each one coming up behind them closing the distance on them, she had looked up at that point and noticed Strider staring at her concerned. She had met his gaze but he had pulled away as if burnt, the next thing she knew he had struck her and she was laying on the ground. Something about her had made him afraid, she didn't know what he had seen in her eyes but she knew he hadn't liked it.
When the elf came and took Frodo she had greeted each of them quickly, when she looked upon Buffy her eyes had widened slightly, she then turned to Faith with a similar expression. Buffy felt the bad feeling inside her intensify at that moment. The elf knew, she sensed they were different and the thought terrified Buffy
