(Author's note: I've breezed through the first two chapters. So, without further ado, on we go)

Kria tapped her foot against the trunk, yawning in boredom as she waited for the hobbits to catch up. It was late and they had been traveling hard for hours, so she could understand their sluggishness in keeping up. It still made her very impatient, especially as they had not been able to leave Bag End as early as she had hoped. They didn't have nearly as close a call as it had been in the original time line, but it was close enough that her paranoia was going off big time.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the bushes rustled nearby, ejected three very tired halflings. Climbing down from her perch, she beckoned them to follow her into a thicket of brambles and thorns. Painful, but it would keep less determined beings from getting too curious. She built a small fire, one easily controlled or extinguished as needed. She needed to make travelling cakes, and she couldn't do that without heat...the fat needed to be melted after all.

This allowed the hobbits to have the last hot meal they would have until they hit Woodhall at the earliest, which they were half-way to. Given the way things usually went, Kria suspected that they wouldn't be getting much in the way of meals until Buckland. That was a good few days away still, as long as they were going cross-country as was safest. This, of course, was just speculation on Kria's part, who watched the hobbits cooking a very late dinner. If there was one thing she could say with certainty about Shire-folk, they knew how to cook.

Once dinner was finished, Kria set about working out a watch roster. It was important, she told the hobbits, to get into good habits if they were going to make this journey reasonably safely. She hoped in this way she could get them prepared for the longer, harder trek after Bree. Either way, she bid them good night as she took first watch. She suspected that the only one who would have trouble, at least in the beginning, was Pippin...he was, after all, still a youngster.

Deciding not to dwell on age and culture differences, Kria instead focused on watching for danger while she made the travel cakes. A flask of rendered fat, some grains picked during harvest, some dried berries...even a bit of mint to help make the cake taste just a little more palatable. She couldn't measure up to the elves' lembas bread but she doubted many humans could...like as not, they put some of their magic into every batch, something she couldn't do.

As she stirred, she sensed something approaching the thicket. Glancing towards it, she relaxed once she realised it wad just a fox. Harmless enough, at least to people, and honestly quite cute. From the look of his pelt, the fox was a yearling, fresh away from his mother. Chuckling, she greeted him in a few quiet yips, causing the wild thing to start with fright and flee. Shaking her head, she scolded herself bemusedly for using one of her Talents to startle him...even if it was a little bit funny to see the look of confusion on his face.

Once she had set the cakes out to cool and harden, she woke Frodo for his shift. Making sure to get a promise from him that he wouldn't stay up too long (as well as making sure the food was watched), Kria lay down on the grass. There were a few thorns to be removed, but other than that, it was fairly comfortable. Far better than sleeping on hard stone at any rate...she had to admit she was going to miss the relative peacefulness of the Shire. There was an illusion of safety here that she hadn't felt in a long time. It was this illusion, and the hooting of a nearby owl, that lulled her into a relatively undisturbed sleep, a gift she wasn't going to turn her nose up at.

KWKWKW

Kria watched the Black Rider slinking around just a few feet from them. He was sniffing, searching desperately for the ring that called to him. Feeling Frodo shift slightly towards his pocket, she gripped harder on his shoulder, warning him not to make a move. They had to keep the enemy from knowing they were there for as long as possible. She wished that she could sense elvish minds, as she really had no idea if they were coming or not. Without them, she was going to have to figure something else out to get them out of this predicament.

She felt her stress release a bit as she heard the singing finally approaching. The Rider fled hearing it, or fled from the light, she wasn't entirely sure. Nor did she really care, as her companions were safe for the night. Once she was sure that the Rider was gone and before the elves got too close, she ushered the hobbits into view, motioning for Frodo to take the lead. He did magnificently, greeting the High Elves with all the respect due their age.

"Ah, young ones! What are you doing out so late and with danger lurking these woods?", one of the elves, apparently the leader, said to them. Frodo explained what was going on, at least to an extent. That they were heading to Bree to meet with Gandalf and had just had a far too close brush with one of the Riders. This, unsurprisingly, got the elves nodding to each other and pointing towards a hidden house in a tree that they could spend the night with. Frodo and Kria both thanked them in Sindarin, causing a bit of shock to the otherwise unflappable immortals.

"Well then! Well met, elf-friends...I'm not quite sure who you are, little one, though I suspect I know who you are related to. You, human, must be Tamuríl Nénharma. Lord Elrond said to expect you with three hobbits sometime this week...I did not expect it to be so soon. Shall we adjourn to the safety of the tree?" Kria squirmed slightly at her elvish name, but followed them into the tree anyways. She didn't really have anything much to say to the questioning looks the hobbits were giving her; Frodo especially was watching her with a look that suggested suspicion.

Kria was saved from answering any questions for at least a few minutes, as the elves laid out quite a reasonable feast for dinner. Food took priority, especially for the younger hobbits. She allowed them the pleasure, knowing that nourishment was going to be hard to come by in later months. For her, this mini-feast was a pleasant change from the normal traveling fair she ate while on the road. It didn't really compare to what could be served in a proper home but it was still really good. Though, she declined the offer of elvish liquor; she was adverse to drinking in general, never mind the stuff that elves served. She had no desire to lose her wits during this trek of the quest.

Eventually, though, the questions came, part in curiosity for a good story, part in desire for information. Frodo took spearpoint to answer the elves' questions, having the sense not to say too much about their journey. He mearly mentioned that they were heading to Bree and from there were going to visit Rivendell...not all that unusual a trip, given the elven home was one of the last bits of civilization before Rohan. Kria mentally didn't count Isengard, given that she knew what was going on there currently.

Frodo, meanwhile, wanted to know who she was and why she was on this pilgrimage. After all, she had joined rather late on something that had been in planning for a few years. Kria gave vague answers, merely saying that her home was in the Northern Woods, next to a road. She also said that she was good friends with Gandalf and he had wanted to be sure that the hobbits' journey wouldn't be interrupted by dangers along the way. The others seemed satisfied with her answer and turned away, but Frodo clearly wanted to know more.

"Do not question my story right now, little one. Just know it has to do with the item, and that we all could be in danger if I say anything before Rivendell. Wait until the safety of the fire and winter-time tales," Kria whispered in Frodo's ear, letting him know she would say more when they were in safer territory. He wasn't happy with her answer but he let it be, sensing that she would give no more away while they were still in such danger. Especially around the ring, which was probably listening closely right now.

Things started to wind down after that, with the hobbits dropping off rather quickly. Even Frodo was soon snoring, despite the heavy weight on his shoulders. Kria, meanwhile, was still awake, as were the elves. They asked her if she wanted a bed set up but she said that she would rather be by the door. She could see the sky from there and it was rather calming for the nerves that had been completely shot by the close encounter they'd had earlier.

Leaving her to her thoughts, the elves went about whatever it was that they did at night. She sighed, humming softly to herself as she gazed at the moon. She really wanted this journey to be over already but knew it was going to be a long time before then. For now, all she could do is think, watch and wait. Some of her thoughts went to Gandalf, wondering if he had taken her advice and avoided Saruman.

Not that that really was her concern now; after they had parted ways earlier that year, his tasks were his business to worry about. She had done all she could to prepare him for what was to come...she just wished there was more she could do for him. She knew, though, that if she did, it would undoubtedly be disastorous for the entire War; instead, she had to be satisfied with background helping. Even if she chafed at being unable to be helpful with someone who had been more family than friend to her those first fifteen years. Something she would be grateful for for the rest of the long quest.

(End Author's note: From here on out, the rewrite is more a case of breaking new ground. I'm sticking fairly close to the book right now, but I will eventually start changing things up. For now, catch y'all in the next chapter!)