I do not own The Lord of the Rings or any of the characters

This is the start of my version of the fourth book of The Lord of the Rings. Although this story may not follow the Appendixes in the back of Return of the King, I tried to keep as close to the story as I could. Please let me know what you think, ideas and constructive critisism are always appreciated.

Chapter 4

"Well, this is familiar!" Pippin announced cheerily as he walked alongside Merry and Sam with Gandalf leading them and Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas taking the rear. Merry smiled but Sam's face remained impassive. Ever since they had set out from Rivendell to enact the plan, Sam had felt a sense of concern and apprehension set around his heart, as if something was warning him that the plan might not be successful. He had tried to ignore the feeling but it was gradually creeping into his thoughts and making him feel nervous. Indeed, his friends had noticed the change in the hobbit and were beginning to worry for him.

"How are you feeling Sam?" Merry asked cautiously, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder and giving him a heartfelt smile, "You don't seem to be saying an awful lot..."

"I'm fine," Sam replied firmly, as if assuring himself as well as his friends, "I'm just concerned about Mr Frodo. The sooner we find Gollum the better I say."

"Don't worry Samwise," Gandalf said from a little way in front of them, "We will reach the river within a few hours and there are already some elves awaiting our arrival. Smeágol will be surrounded. We will do everything we can to make sure that Frodo is safe."

Sam nodded, though the uneasiness that had settled in his mind did not lift. He fixed his eyes on the road ahead and put a little more purposefulness into his stride, focusing all of his thoughts and his energy on reaching the ford and dealing with the creature that had been a threat to him and his master for so long.

***

By the time the reunited Fellowship reached the river, the sky had darkened above them to an inky black. The moon was shadowed in cloud and the stars had been blown out so they could not see more than a few feet ahead. A chilling gale swept around them and they stood shivering in the shelter of a clump of willow trees at the waters edge, hiding until the creature approached.

They now knew for certain that Gollum had not yet crossed the ford, for they had caught a brief glimpse of him from a distance earlier that day, a small hunched figure weaving in and out of the trees, but they had thought it best to stick to their plan than to pursue him. They had marched hard to ensure that they made it to the ford before Smeágol, and they were now exhausted but alert and ready.

"Sam," Aragorn murmured to the hobbit through the darkness, "I think you, Pippin and Merry should go over to the other side of the river. The elves are waiting there and if Gollum decides to run then there will be more of you to catch him."

Sam nodded, a determined expression set on his face, and silently nudged Merry and Pippin. Noiselessly they made their way across the shallow ford, the water barely covering their ankles, and when they reached the other side they were greeted by a band of five more elves sheltering in the trees, each with a quiver slung across their back and a large bow clasped in their hands.

The hobbits turned to look out over the river, straining to see in the blackness. The trap was now set and all they could do was wait for Smeágol.

***

Legolas spotted him first. His keen elf eyes detected the slinking movement as Gollum passed the trees and made his way down to the water. Legolas signalled to Aragorn and Gandalf with the slightest movement of his head and swiftly but in utter silence they drew their arrows.

From the other side of the river Sam had spotted Gollum too, and so had the other elves. They waited, holding their breaths and keeping their bows steady. Merry and Pippin were keeping their eyes fixed intently on Smeágol and Sam did the same, trying desperately not to lose sight of him as the creature took his first steps into the water.

As he reached the middle of the river, Sam saw him more clearly and peered closer in puzzlement. The creature was indeed small and terribly thin and it did walk close to the ground using all four of its limbs, but there was something different about this creature from the creature Sam remembered from Mordor. It seemed more clumsy than it did sly, and from its jerking movements it appeared to be incredibly weary. And when the creature turned its head so that its eyes were gazing up towards their hide-out, they were not huge and bulbous as Gollum's were. Sam felt an intense fear grow inside him as he detected movement from the other side of the ford. Legolas and Aragorn were getting ready to fire, and this creature was not Gollum. Sam cast his eyes over the figure again as it drew nearer to their side of the river and he gasped in recognition, throwing himself forwards out of the trees and half running, half stumbling down to the water.

It was too late. Aragorn's arrow had already been released. Desperately Sam threw himself down over the figure who had just reached the river bank and the two of them fell backwards into the shallow river with a splash. It was then that Sam felt the sharp arrow puncture his shoulder and he gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying out in pain. His face was in the icy water and he realised in horror that he couldn't breathe. He tried to push himself up but his shoulder was so painful that the slightest movement was unbearable and his limbs were aching from the cold so he could not muster the strength needed to haul himself out. Everything seemed to be spinning into some terrible black void and he closed his eyes and let it take him, for he was in no state to fight it. The blackness had nearly taken him over and his consciousness had almost fully slipped away when he heard raised voices and something dragging him away from the darkness. Then he heard and saw no more.

***

Next chapter up soon