As the mist of the early morning, laid heavily on the river , a small elegant ship ,carved in the likeness of a swan, slowly floated on the water with Lady Galadriel standing silently on it. On shore, dark gree cloaks were fastened around the Fellowship along with green, silver-veined leaf-brooches. "Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people. May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes" Celeborn inquired after fastening a cloak on Boromir and he and the other Elves present took a step back.
The Elves helped the Fellowship to departure as some boats were given to them. One of them , Galadriel assumed, was strong enough to hold the weight of both Vitani and Kopa. Both Lions were relieved that they didn't have to follow their comrades through lands. It would be hard to.
Legolas was shifting parcels into a set of boats provided by the Galadhrim before holding up a thin wafer for Merry and Pippin to see, as they sat in a boat "Lembas! Elvish Way-bread. One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man" The Blond Elf explained as he took a bite of the Elvish-bread before walking away.
When he was sure Legolas was too far to hear him, Merry scooted closer to Pippin before asking "How many did you eat ?" His friend responded by saying nonchalantly "Four" Then he burped loudly without opening his mouth.
As the Fellowship were climbing their boats, Kopa and Vitani saw Aragorn talking with Celeborn. That's made them curious so the two Lions carefully listened at what those two were saying "Every league you travel south, the danger will increase. Mordor Orcs now hold the eastern shore of the Anduin...Nor will you find safety on the western bank. Strange creatures bearing the mark of the White Hand have been seen on our borders. Seldom do Orcs journey in the open, under the sun, yet these have done so!"
Then the two Feline saw Celeborn presenting to Isildur's heir an ornate elven dagger who took it before unsheathing the blade to look at it. Then the Lord Elf whispered something to Aragorn who looked back up at him but they managed to hear the last sentence which was " By river you have the chance of outrunning the enemy to the Falls of Rauros !"
/
A paddle splashed into the water as the Fellowship rowed through the river, past the Elves onshore. The sun was rising in the sky and its ray breached through the trees and the mist. The group was separated into 4 boats : the first one was carrying Legolas and Gimli with the Elf paddling, the second carried Aragorn, Frodo and Sam with Aragorn paddling, the third carrying Boromir as paddler , Merry and Pippin.
Th last boat carried Kopa and Vitani but also a male brown-haired Elf Guard by the name of Kinîn who had been ordered by Galadriel herself to be their paddler. As they rowed away on their boats, all of them were reminiscing their parting gifts from the Lady of Lorien as they all (almost) received individual presents beside the cloaks and broaches.
Legolas had received a bow of Galadhrim ; Merry and Pippin were both given daggers of the Noldorin which Galadriel commented that they had already been used in War; Samwise Gamgee received an Elvin Rope and Boromir received a solid gold belt. Gimli, at first asked for nothing except to look upon Galadriel one last time… before asking to have a strand of her blond hair… The Lady gave him three.
Galadriel remarked to Aragorn that she had nothing better to give him since he already had it in the form of an elfstone gem around his neck. It was a gift given to him by Elrond's daughter : Arwen Evenstar. Frodo Baggins, for his part, received something known as the ' Phial of Galadriel' or the 'Light of Eärendil' " May it be a light for you, in dark places, when all other lights go out !" was her words as she gave her gift to the Ring-bearer.
The only ones who didn't received anything were Vitani and Kopa. When Galadriel approached them, the Brown Maned Lion spoke in a calm and respectful tone when she asked them what she could gave them "Lady Galadriel… We don't want to be rude or something but… We don't want anything..." His mate only nodded to show her agreement.
The rest of the Fellowship had looked at them with wide eyes of shock , fearing that they upset the Lady Elf. Vitani, noticing this, had added quickly " We already have everything we want~" then she and her mate nuzzled each other lovingly , purring loudly in content . Galadriel watched them with a smile " Your love to each other is strong and unbreakable… As pure as air and water…It is the best gift anyone could receive… " The two Lions had looked back at her with an appreciative smile before the group went to their boats.
As Kirîn paddled, Kopa and Vitani were looking at their surrounding , pressing their bodies against each other. What they said to Galadriel was right : as long as they had each other… everything would be fine.
/
Four hours, the Fellowship rowed their boats along the river as they passed out onto a larger branch of Anduin River. Unknown to them, a large group of Uruk-hai ran at full speed through the forest near the river. As the boats kept floating on the water, something from the woods caught Legolas's attention almost as if he could sense the coming enemies when suddenly a crow cawed into the wind, which caught everyone's attention.
Kopa and Vitani , like everyone else, felt like the dark bird was cawing for a particular reason. Maybe it saw something dangerous coming from the forest ? As this instant, the group were becoming more and more suspicious of those woods as they all thought that something was really really WRONG with it.
Darkness eventually appeared when the sun disappeared in the horizon to be replaced by the moon. The Fellowship rested on a small island. All the groups, minus the Lions and Kirîn, had kept their cloaks but also agreed to take turn to guard the camp. Legolas took the first guard then Boromir .
Kopa was resting near his mate and was about to fall asleep when the Gondorian approached "Kopa its your turn for watch duty " Groaning in displeasure, the Brown Maned Lion slowly got up before hiding behind a tall massive boulder and peering out around for slight movement along the river. Thanks to his excellent night-vision, he soon noticed a small log floating at the surface but it wasn't what caught his attention.
The young Lion frowned when his turquoise eyes spotted small hands clutching on the floating debris but soon growled when all of a sudden, he saw the top of a head appearing from behind the log along with glinting eyes. He watched closely and he could tell it wasn't an Orc and was in fact a creature he never saw before. But he didn't lowered his guard down because whatever or whoever it was, it might be one of Sauron's spies.
"Pssst Vitani come over here !" Kopa quietly called out his mate who instantly got up before approaching him "What's going on ?" she asked him with a raise-brow. He didn't respond but instead, he looked toward the log with narrowed eyes and barred teeth. Blinking in confusion, the Beige Lioness followed her mate's gaze… and growled when she saw the log or more precisely what was holding it.
"Its Gollum… He has tracked us since Moria" Aragorn's voice echoed behind them as the three watched the log getting stuck on some rocks " I had hoped we would lose him on the river...But he's too clever a waterman..." "Gollum ? You mean the creature who had the Ring before Bilbo found it ?" Vitani asked the Ranger with surprise but still spoke in a quiet tone.
Aragorn nodded before saying "He will wait until Frodo is alone to try to take back his 'precious' as he don't have any skills on combat nor have any weapons..." Zira's daughter scoffed in disgust " Gollum is a coward if you ask me..." "Agree..." Kopa grunted with equal disgust as he was still glaring at the log.
Boromir then stood up before approaching them " And what if he alerts the enemy to our whereabouts ? It will make the crossing even more dangerous !" " He is trying to get back the Ring for his own reason...I doubt he would ever work with Orcs as they would take his 'precious' away from him..." Kopa inquired as he glanced at Denethor's son.
" What you just say is true...but I think he could wait for us to fall asleep so he could steal the Ring before running away to safety !" Boromir said back with concern and no one noticed that Frodo had heard their conversation and was now really afraid. Sam then approached him as he wore a troubled look on his face " Have some food, Mister Frodo..." "No Sam" "You haven't eaten anything all day. You're not sleeping, either. Don't think I haven't noticed. Mister Frodo..." "I'm all right" the Ring-Bearer said cutting his friend off as Sam looked at him worriedly.
"But you're not! I'm here to help you. I promised Gandalf that I would..." the Loyal Hobbit inquired before Frodo looked at him with a pained look on his face " You can't help me, Sam… Not this time… Get some sleep" Sam decided to give up and did what his friend told him to.
At the same time, Boromir took Kopa's place for watch duty and the Brown Maned Lion was laying against his mate who licked his cheek lovingly before closing her eyes and falling asleep. He looked at her with a fond smile on his face and was about to do the same when he saw Aragorn and Boromir arguing about something. But right, Simba's son didn't cared as he yawned before putting his face on his forelegs and falling asleep.
/
The next morning, the Fellowship continued to row down the river and soon came across two gigantic but majestic statues and they all looked up in total awe at the towering splendor of Argonath. Two majestic statues proudly stood on each side of the Anduin as their left arms were held aloft, their palms facing outwards in gesture of warning. Solemn and Stern were seen on their faces which showed the silent wardens of a long time vanished kingdom.
From their boats, Kopa and Vitani were completely taken by this gorgeous sight and they didn't hear Aragorn's voice as the Ranger was speaking to the Ring-Bearer " Frodo, the Argonath! Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin..."
" Those statues used to mark the northern part of the realm of Gondor… They are known as the Pillars of Kings or as Argonath as those statues represent Isildur and Anarion… Great Kings of Gondor… but things changed since that time and Gondor lost many lands..." Kirîn explained to the two Lions who nodded at him in understanding. The group went past the Gates of Argonath toward a massive Waterfall. On each sides of the falls, the land rose in two crowed by ruins. As they disembarked on a gravel beach, Boromir looked troubled and seemed to be fighting an internal conflict within in which caused Frodo to glance at him ,looking afraid.
As the Fellowship began to make camp, Kopa and Vitani were thanking Kirîn for his service which he responded by a respectful nod before wishing them good luck and paddling back all the way to Lothlórien. They watched the brown haired Elf leaving for a moment before looking back at Aragorn as he spoke those words "We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north !"
Legolas seemed to ignore them all as he was looking at the forest with a concerned look on his face but Gimli, who was was smoking while sitting near Merry and Pippin looked up at Aragorn before saying "Oh, yes ?! It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil ? An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better!"
At this, Pippin looked up at the Dwarf with an alarmed look on his face while Kopa and Vitani eyed Gimli with curiosity" Festering, stinking marshlands, far as the eye can see!"
As those words, the two Lions grumbled in displeasure at those words while Aragorn looked at the Dwarf calmly " That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf " "Recover my…?! Phrrr…" Gimli grumbled in annoyance as he stopped himself in half-sentence.
Legolas then turned away from the forest to quickly approach Isildur's heir " We should leave now..." the Blond Elf said as he was trying to warn Aragorn of something but the Man objected "No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness !" Legolas turned back to the forest with a troubled expression on his face as he said "It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near… I can feel it"
Kopa and Vitani overheard this and glanced at the forest as well. Their instincts were tingling madly when they looked at the woods . They had the feeling that they were all followed , not by Gollum, but by something far more dangerous. Meanwhile, Merry dropped a handful of logs for the future fire as Gimli was still grumbling with clear annoyance about what Aragorn said earlier " No dwarf need recover strength! Pay no heed to that, young Hobbit !"
Then Merry stood up as he noticed something "Where's Frodo ?" Sam, who was half-dozing, rosed with a startled look on his face as he looked around. Everyone was doing the same when they heard Merry's question. Vitani then noticed something that sent chills down her spine : Frodo was not the only one missing. "Where is Boromir ?!" she asked loudly as she looked around with panic.
Kopa , hearing this , also looked around and spotted Boromir's shield lying there. His turquoise eyes narrowed as he remembered what happened in Caradhras when Boromir had the Ring dangling before his face. Since that day, he and Vitani had kept a close eye on the Gondorian Soldier.
"Quickly we have to find them !" Aragorn said as he dashed into the forest soon followed by the rest of the Fellowship . In order to have better chance finding them, they separated in different ways. As they ran through the forest, Kopa and Vitani were hopping to find the Ring-Bearer safe and unharmed.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Frodo was wandering around alone. He stood near a immense head stone, long aged and lost from its body, lying with its side in the ground. Suddenly, without warning, Boromir appeared with arms full of wood. The Gondorian saw Frodo and approached him across the leaf-littered earth "None of us should wander alone, you least of all. So much depends on you. Frodo?"
The Hobbit looked at him as he stopped. A long silence fell between the two and Frodo slightly turned away when Boromir slowly approached him "I know why you seek solitude. You suffer. I see it day by day. You sure you do not suffer needlessly? There are other ways, Frodo, other paths that we might take"
At those words, the Ring-Bearer stared at him blankly "I know what you would say. And it would seem like wisdom but for the warning in my heart !" " Warning? Against what?" Boromir asked as again approached the Hobbit who tried to keep as much distance as possible between him and the Man " We're all afraid, Frodo. But to let that fear drive us to destroy what hope we have… don't you see, that is madness?"
As Frodo continued to back away, he noticed that Boromir's voice seemed to get angrier in tone all of a sudden. " There is no other way!" The Gondorian stopped at first at those words but quickly continued walking toward the Ring-Bearer " I ask only for the strength to defend my people!" the Man said loudly in anger as he threw the wood he had in his arms on the ground, startling Frodo in the process. "If you would but lend me the Ring…"
At those words, Frodo took a step back "No !" which caused Boromir to ask "Why do you recoil? I am no thief" " You are not yourself !" Frodo said in an attempt to reason him which caused the Man to stare at him " What chance do you think you have? They will find you! They will take the Ring and you will beg for death before the end!"
At this point, Frodo knew by instinct it was pointless and walked away from the Man. Big mistake at this gesture seemed to enrage Boromir "You fool !" he yelled loudly as he slowly chased after the Hobbit who looked back at him with fear " It is not yours, save by unhappy chance !" The Ring-Bearer began to run away from the Mad Man , tripping over before quickly recovering as Boromir gained more and more paces after him " It could have been mine ! It should be mine! Give it to me!" the Man yelled in anger as he tackled the Hobbit down.
Frodo managed to crawl away but was quickly grabbed again by his attacker. The Ring-Bearer turned around as Boromir was now standing on top of him with hate clear on his face "Give it to me!"The Gondorian demanded loudly as Frodo tried to keep the Ring away from the Man "No !" "Give it to me !" Boromir demanded again in the same anger tone.
In response, Frodo slipped the Ring on his finger to make him disappear from Boromir's sight. The Gondorian was confused by this and he was thinking that Frodo had teleported himself elsewhere when he suddenly received a kick from an unknown force which knocked him a bit as the leaves rustled from him, letting him know that the Ring-Bearer was running away from him.
By the time he recovered, he heard nothing but silence as he looked around in desperation "I see your mind. You will take the Ring to Sauron! You will betray us! You'll go to your death and the death of us all! Curse you! Curse you! And all the halflings!" Boromir yelled as he stood up but then footsteps caught his attention. He began to turn around but then he found himself being pinned by something strong.
He landed on the ground with a cry of pain and looked up to see narrowed turquoise eyes as well as barred teeth standing above him. He instantly recognized who pinned him...and became afraid by the way he looked at him "Where is he ?!" Kopa yelled in furor as Vitani soon came into view "Where is Frodo ?! What did you do to him ?! " she asked him with a deep growl as her eyes narrowed at the Man.
Boromir looked at them blankly for a moment before a flash of remembrance appeared in his eyes "Frodo ?" the Man whimpered… in sadness ? Boromir instantly wore a face filled with sorrow , guilt and regret as he looked up at the Lions with tearful eyes "What I have done ?"
Kopa and Vitani were taken aback by his reaction and watched him with a frown. At first they thought Boromir was tricking them but then they saw his eyes : there were filled with guilt and shame. They glanced back at each other before Kopa asked "Where is Frodo Boromir ?" The Gondorian whimpered before answering " He disappeared after I attempted to..." then he stopped himself to cry.
"Return to camp Boromir ! We will look out for Frodo..." Vitani inquired the crying Man sternly but yet in a gentle tone. Boromir nodded and slowly made his way back to camp after Kopa released him. When he was out of sight, the Lions started to look around to find at least a track or a scent to show them where Frodo went.
But suddenly, Vitani froze dead in her tracks as she smelled the air "Love are you okay ?" Kopa asked her with concern clear on his face "Do you smell this ?" she asked him with a growl. Blinking in surprise, he smelled the air….and growled angrily afterwards "Orcs !" "Right where Frodo went ! We have to save him !" the Beige Lioness said as she and her mate dashed away at full speed.
(Earlier)
Frodo was running away from Boromir as he was in the shadow world, climbed up onto a stone platform framed by two stone eagles. A great shape loomed before him from afar : his vision rose to a pinnacle and the Hobbit realized what it was: the Dark Tower of Barad-dûr, where the burning Eye of Sauron resided until the One Ring will return to him.
But at the moment, the say Eye stared back at Frodo menacingly as he spoke in the Black Speech. The Hobbit quickly rushed to pull out the Ring off his finger but, when he did, the Ring-Bearer fell from the top of the ruins before landing on his back. Frodo breathed deeply as he laid on the ground but then he slowly got up before looking at his surrounding.
He was standing on a hilltop and the ruins beside him almost like some lookout post. "Frodo ?" someone called out behind him and the Hobbit turned around in panic thinking it was Boromir but he calmed down when he realize he was facing Aragorn "It has taken Boromir !" Frodo revealed to the Man who suddenly looked at him intensely "Where is the Ring ?"
This question seemed to made the Hobbit afraid of the Ranger as he scrambled away from the way shouting in panic "Stay away !" then he retreated further from Isildur's heir who had a concerned look on his face "Frodo !" The Ring-Bearer stopped as he looked up at the Man before him " I swore to protect you" Strider said in an attempt to calm him but the Hobbit objected by saying " "Can you protect me from yourself?!"
Then he revealed the One Ring as he opened the palm of his hand "Would you destroy it ?" Frodo asked him. The Ranger didn't respond as he took a step forward while looking at the Ring. When he was close enough Aragorn extended his arm so he could reach the Ring and Frodo looked at him worriedly ,thinking that the Ring corrupted Strider like it did with Boromir.
But then to his surprise (and his relief), Aragorn , with both hands, closed Frodo's hand over the Ring before gently pushing it to the Hobbit's chest saying "I would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor..." Hearing this, Frodo looked at the Man who was Isildur's heir with relief before saying " I know. Look after the others, especially Sam. He will not understand..."
Aragorn nodded in acceptance but then he suddenly stood up back on his feet before unsheathing his sword "Go Frodo !" The Ring-Bearer seemed confused at first but then he followed Aragorn's gaze and looked at his own sword Sting and unsheathed it. It was glowing blue ! He instantly knew what was going on and looked at Aragorn with hesitation "Run ! Run !" Strider inquired hurriedly and Frodo had no choice but to leave this place, leaving Aragorn alone.
(To be continued…)