This is my first fan fic so please be nice if you review…I hope you do review…I like feedback! But for now just read on.

The Clearing

The Company had started out from Rivendell at least a week prior to the time at which this story takes place. They were already slightly tired, though they knew they had a much longer journey in front of them then they had already trekked. Even Legolas, the strong hearted elf, who was used to such conditions, was not walking with the usual spring in his step. The fact that the weather was bitterly cold only served to make matters worse. The little hobbits, especially the youngest, Pippin, were feeling the weather the most, even though they had the likes of Aragorn and Boromir to shelter them.

'Gandalf' said Pippin, shivering with cold, 'can we not find a resting spot soon? Achoo!' It seemed that the youngest member of the Company had developed a cold due to the weather conditions. 'It is so cold and I don't know how much further I can go without a warm meal inside of me. Achoo!'

'Yes, p-please have pity Gandalf!' Merry was so cold that his voice shivered nearly as much as his small body.

Gandalf sighed and replied, 'Alas, Merry and little Pippin, I would dearly love to stop, for I too am cold. But we must press on for at least another few hours. Even if we did stop now, I doubt if we would be able to light a fire with this cold weather. No, I'm afraid we must persist until nightfall, otherwise we will lose valuable time.' Noticing the downcast looks on the hobbits faces, he added, 'Do not worry, if we carry on we may find a place out of the harsh wind, suitable for lighting a fire.'

'Achoo!' replied Pippin.

Although this did little to raise Merry and Pippins, and the rest of the Company's spirits, for that matter, they carried on, unwilling to displease Gandalf.

After a few hours, when nightfall had finally arrived, Gandalf suddenly stopped and placed the end of his great staff upon the floor. Everyone else in the Company also stopped, not wanting to hope this would mean what they thought.

Gandalf sniffed the air and was looking at a little clearing a few metres away from the narrow path they treaded on. 'Yes, I think that will do nicely,' he said quietly, then loud enough for the rest of his travelling friends to hear, 'Look thither, that clearing will be our resting spot for the night. And if I am not mistaken, Master Pippin,' he said with a twinkle in his eye, 'I think it is sheltered enough from the wind to light a fire!'

Pippin paused only a few seconds before crying, 'What are we waiting for! Let's go and get the food cooked! Achoo!'

So the nine of them trekked through the short patch of forest to arrive at the clearing.

'First thing's first,' said Gimli, the dwarf very authoritatively. 'We must collect wood for the young hobbit's fire!' So he and Legolas each headed off in different ways to collect firewood. While they were gone the four hobbits took it upon themselves to unpack their belongings and get the food ready for cooking.

'Do you think Gimli and Legolas would mind if we ate a little bit of the food that is to be eaten without heat?' Inquired Sam. Although Merry and Pippin were the ones who had been so vocal about eating before, Sam was still a hobbit and would eat seven meals a day if given the chance. Lately they had barely been having three meals a day, but neither he, nor indeed any of the other hobbits, had lost their appetite.

'Achoo!' sneezed Pippin.

'I doubt if they would mind, Master Sam,' replied Gandalf, 'but I do not think you shall have to wait long for their return. I think I hear them coming now.'

Sure enough, a few seconds later, both Legolas and Gimli appeared from the woods. Each was carrying a bundle of firewood.

'Ah!' exclaimed Legolas. 'I did not think you young hobbits would be able to wait long enough for us to collect firewood to start eating!'

'What do you mean, Legolas?' demanded Frodo. 'We have not yet begun to eat!'

'I know,' smiled Legolas, 'but my elfish hearing allowed me to hear Sam and Gandalf's conversation. Don't worry though, I'm sure we will get this fire started in no time, and you shall be able to have hot food. How does that sound, Sam?' In saying this he dropped his stack of wood to the ground, motioning for Gimli to do the same, and the two set about making the fire.

'It sounds very good, Legolas!' cried Sam. 'Come, Pippin and Merry, let us bring the food over to the fire!'

'Achoo!'

So the three friends carried the food over to the fire and sat in eager anticipation for it to be hot enough to cook on.

Ten minutes later Boromir, who had been placed in charge of cooking the food, was just about to serve up the food when a noise was heard in the woods. 'Shh!' he whispered. 'There is something out there!' Immediately everyone in the gathering froze and ceased to make any noise. Then they heard it again. A sound like a high-pitched voice, but with no words.

'Orcs!' cried Sam.