Chapter 6: Adding to the Party

The sun had begun to rise in the sky when we got to farmlands as they ate while we walked but I kept my eyes focused ahead. Traveling with them I learned hobbits needed lots of stops for food and rest and while I knew it was urgent we get to the Bree as fast as possible I also knew this was all new to them. While we were walking I felt them both stop turning around to see Sam standing in one spot looking at the ground making me approach him.

"Sam… is everything alright?" I asked worried while he said, "This is the farthest I've ever been from the Shire…"

Frodo, being the good friend he was, came up beside him putting a kind hand on his shoulder as Sam took a step letting out a breath he'd been holding.

I smiled at them both trying to lighten the mood saying, "Do not worry your hobbit heads, you'll be back in the shire before you know it."

We reached a large cornfield as I walked beside Frodo trying my best to traverse through the field when we suddenly heard Sam yelling out to us. We stopped following his voice as he looked relieved seeing both of us.

"Don't worry Sam." Frodo said smiling while Sam shook his head saying, "I made a promise to Master Gandalf, don't you let him out of your sight Samwise Gamgee and I don't mean to."

I laughed lightly until we heard something running towards us making me grip my weapon until two very familiar hobbits ran into us.

"What are you two doing here?" Sam said as Merry and Pippin looked at us surprised but I looked down seeing they had a bunch of vegetables between their arms saying, "Have you been stealing from this farmer?"

They went to speak when we heard a large dog and angry man making his way towards us as I grabbed both their cloaks saying, "Come on!"

We began running through the field at full speed and I looked back not seeing anyone following us but when I turned around we had hit a cliff tumbling down. We all rolled down the hill as I felt myself get kicked and pushed finally coming to a stop feeling a weight land on top of me. I groaned opening my eyes to be met with a pair of green ones making my cheeks go red.

"Sorry." Pippin said innocently as I scoffed pushing him off of me standing up as I brushed myself off.

"Mushrooms!" Merry said happily watching him, Pippin and Sam go for them as I noticed we were on the road.

"We should get off the road…" I said quietly as Frodo looked down the road feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand on edge, "Get off the road now!"

We jumped down off the road under a fallen tree hidden underneath it as a sudden chill came into the air making my body tremble. I could hear the large horse feet approaching feeling the hobbits grow still hearing the rider get off of his horse. I looked up seeing the cloaked figure above us sniffing the air as bugs and spiders began crawling around us trying to flee the immediate threat. Pippin went to make a noise when I wrapped my arm around his shoulders covering his mouth as I closed my eyes trying to ignore the creatures crawling all over our bodies.

I opened my eyes in time to see Merry throwing a rock as the creature screeched in anger riding off towards the noise seeing this as a perfect moment to getaway. We got far away from the road as the hobbits caught their breaths.

"What was that thing?" Pippin said shakily as Merry looked towards us saying, "That rider was looking for something… or someone… Frodo?"

I saw the conflict in Frodo's eyes as I said, "We need to get to Bree as soon as possible."

Merry and Pippin looked between each other before Merry said, "Bucklebury Ferry, let's go."

We began running again unsure of how close our enemies were seeing the sun had set as we turned back onto a road. We could hear the horrid screeching not far behind us as I ran ahead seeing a wooden board tied off making quick work of it when Pippin and Merry reached me helping. I looked up seeing one of the riders right behind Frodo as I picked up a rock throwing it at the rider hearing it hiss angrily.

"Come on everyone on!" Pippin yelled as I looked behind me seeing they had pushed off the board grabbing Frodo tossing him on as I jumped on feeling the hobbits grab onto me so I wouldn't fall into the water.

I looked back seeing the horses not wanting to touch the water as the riders screeched before taking off as I looked at Merry and Pippin saying, "Will we beat them to Bree?"

"Yea, this is the fastest way, they must go around the river." Merry said as I sighed relieved watching them all row as Frodo stared at where the riders once stood visibly shaken.

"So are you going to tell us what's going on?" Pippin asked breaking the silence as I looked over at him saying, "I suppose at this point you are both involved… we are to meet Gandalf at the Prancing Pony where he will guide us somewhere safe."

"Safe from what?" Merry asked as Frodo said, "An artifact that has come into my possession from my uncle."

"What kind of artifact." Pippin asked as I said, "A dangerous one that is not to be revealed right now, the most important thing is that I get you all to safety and I intend to."

"Where do you think Gandalf will take us?" Sam asked curiously as I looked ahead of us saying, "Rivendell I image… but I can't be sure."

"Isn't that where the elves are?" Pippin asked making me nod saying, "Yes, it's the safest place I can think of in all of Middle Earth."

"I hope you're right." Frodo said making me nod seeing storm clouds coming, we were in for a long night.