Monstrous
by Leafy
Author's Note: This is my first LOTR fanfic ever. It is loosely based on an episode of the television show "Red Dwarf".
Also, this fic is more based on the movie of Fellowship of the Ring, rather than the books.
I hope you all enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I, the author of this fic, do not own anything Lord of the Rings or Red Dwarf.
Thank you for the great reviews, everybody.
Tookish: Thanks for the great review! :o) I'm glad you like the story. :o) And, oh, something big is in store for Frodo. :o) Thanks again.
Galadriel Greenleaf alias Eve Eastborne: Hehe, thanks for the review, and the heads-up on your new name. :o)
Tiggivon: Well, this may be the second to last chapter, but I'm in the process of writing a sequel now, so don't despair. :o) Thanks for the fabulous review, and tell Rimmer not to forget the backpacks. :o)
Griffin Moon: Thanks! I'm happy you like this fic. Yep, weirdness abounds…:o) Thanks for the review.
Europa: I totally agree. :o) Thanks!
Raider314: Thank you for the wonderful review, and the compliment. :o) That's very kind of you. Thanks again!
Anonymous: Thanks! I'm really glad you like it! :o)
Estelcontar: Wow, thanks. Very nice of you to say. I'm glad you're liking this story. :o)
Marissa: Oh, it made sense. :o) I know just what you mean. Don't worry, I hate nagging questions, too, so hopefully they will all be answered, for this story, before it's finished. :o) Thanks again!
* * *
"How are we supposed to find this beast, if it's not interested in you?" Sam demanded. "it seems fairly finished with the rest of us."
"We should seek it out then!" said Frodo.
"Partially correct, Frodo," responded Gandalf, coming out of abstract consideration. "While I do not think there would be much purpose to actively seeking the monster, now. However, perhaps we can lure it back with the enticement of more--nourishment."
"'Nourishment?'" Sam interrupted him. "You mean, use one of us as bait?"
"We will let no harm come to you, Samwise," assured Gandalf.
"It's a ridiculous--" Sam began with a scoff.
"I think it sounds charming," Aragorn broke in. "Great fun."
"I agree," said Gimli, who seemed more to simply want to avoid another argument, than anything else.
"Anything, so long as it's a decisive course of action, suits me," Merry put in.
Sam sat up, looking about at the others, his mouth open in protest. Finally, seeing that even his bold new disposition would not help him here, the hobbit leaned back, putting his head in his hands and sighing in annoyance.
"Fine," he said. "Just, don't use me."
**********
"The idea is to get him as angry as possible," Gandalf explained to Sam, as he looked through the branches at Frodo, standing alone in the large clearing in front of them. He'd been told that he and Sam were to watch for the monster as the others prepared. This lie had merely been told so as not to spoil the effect the wizard hoped the plan would have. "Hopefully then, the heightened state of his emotions will lure the beast back here--"
"And then, you'll finish it off, I know," Sam interrupted, his hand going to the hilt of the sword that he had been given back, which he had placed back in its sheath, at least for the time being. "Alright, here I go," he said, stepping between the tree trunks.
Gandalf straightened up apprehensively, backing up to stand before the rest of the fellowship. This was quite a gamble. The thought had occurred to Gandalf that drawing more emotions from the already-damaged ones might be more than they could stand, that it mgith kill them. There was also the possibility that more nourishment for the monster would make it strong enough to do this, itself. So, the wizard knew, it was crucial for all of their sakes that the minute the monster appeared, they must strike. It was for this reason alone that he had decided that Sam and Frodo should have their weapons back, now, before their emotional situation was rectified.
Gandalf looked behind him. With some difficulty, but no exceptions, he had managed to get Aragorn, Boromir, Merry, Pippin, Legolas, and even Gimli to bear their arms in preparation for the attack. Aragorn had been no trouble, he seemed overjoyed at the prospect of doing battle with the monster. Pippin, Boromir, and Legolas had become so sluggish and submissive that they required no persuasion, just somebody to thrust the weapons into their hands. Gimli obviously had only accepted his axe because he hadn't wanted to provoke or offend anyone, and Merry had been the one distributing the weapons, so he'd needed absolutely no talking into the matter.
A small exclamation of anger sounded from the clearing, and Gandalf looked sharply back. Frodo was now speaking quickly and sharply to Sam, who had wisely moved out of his trajectory. Frodo's eyes burned with fury at Sam as he spoke, but the conflict seemed strictly verbal, as Gandalf had commanded Sam to keep it, so there was no need for any of them to intervene.
The seven in the trees continued to stand and observe from their hiding place.
"I don't think it's enough," Merry said finally, after about five more minutes of waiting.
"It will be," said Gandalf softly. "Wait."
Just then, there was the sound of leaves rustling, and a small thud just behind the wizard. Gandalf turned back as Legolas and Boromir moved out of the way to see what had happened.
Pippin, in his weakened and malnourished condition, had lost his balance and tipped backwards onto the ground. He had thrust his right hand, which now bore his weapon, out in a feeble attempt to balance, but had only succeeded in making a small scrape down the side of the trunk, with the sword he had now lost his grip on. He sat up, looking about dazedly.
"Pippin!" Merry rushed to his cousin's side, pulling him up. He picked up the sword off the ground, glancing at the wounded tree as he handed the weapon back to Pippin.
Suddenly, Merry knelt down at the base of the tree. He ran his finger along the downward scrape on it, then drew his hand back, bringing it close to his eyes in keen observation.
"Meriadoc, what--?" Gandalf asked, quite confused, but then he saw it, as Merry turned his head to look forebodingly at him; the tip of the hobbit's finger was red with blood.
"Gandalf--?" he asked softly.
Gandalf tore his eyes from the halfling's hand, looking at the gigantic, sturdy tree Merry knelt before. The wizard traced its uppermost, longest branches with his eyes, trying to see where they led. The longest of them bent right down into the clearing, over Sam's and Frodo's heads.
"Move!" Gandalf bellowed at them, turning sharply.
The hobbits looked up at the others from their verbal sparring, and the branch swooped suddenly down, like an eagle, whisking them off the ground and back with it, high into the air.
"No!" cried Merry, leaping to his feet and trying to scramble up the tree, but the bark had grown suddenly smooth and slippery, making an ascent impossible. Frantically, he drew his sword and began stabbing into the trunk repeatedly. Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, and Pippin joined in the attack, as Legolas, looked up, blinking fuzzily at the sun as he fired arrow after arrow into the limbs that held Sam and Frodo.
Up in the tree, Sam and Frodo were fighting as best they could against their antagonist, since it had wrapped its tightening limbs around them, as if it meant to crush them to death.
Frodo struggled and thrashed, finally managing to wrench his arm out from the entanglement.
"Pippin spoke of its neck", he remembered, with difficulty. True, finding the neck of a tree wasn't likely to happen, but Frodo thought that an attack closer to the trunk would be more effective. He sliced savagely into the curving limbs that restrained him, cutting through them like ropes. He looked about for Sam as he freed himself, spotting him about twenty feet away, trying fearfully to fight off snake-like branches, with his sword. All thoughts of their petty bickering over the last several days left Frodo.
"Hang on, Sam!" he called out, moving swiftly along the branch on which he stood, and promptly falling off the unexpectedly-slippery surface.
Yelping in surprise, Frodo snatched at the limb as he began to roll off, joining his hands around it, in order to keep himself from losing his grip on the slick bark.
Unsteadily, Frodo slowly released his sword hand from the branch, reaching out in an attempt to impale the trunk, but he was too far away. Desperately, the hobbit drew his arm back and hurled his sword at the tree, like a javelin. It struck like an arrow, going in deep with the force Frodo'd used.
There came a tumultuously ugly shriek of agony from the tree, and Frodo knew that he had succeeded. He reached forward to pull the sword out and finish the job, but the limb Frodo was gripping one-handed suddenly began to tremor violently, in an obvious effort to rid itself of him. Not expecting this sudden effort, Frodo's remaining hand slipped from the branch. As he began to fall, Frodo flung his hands out in a last-ditch attempt to destroy the monster. He felt himself catch the handle of his sword, and his body hit the side of the tree with enough force then, that the blade bent sharply downwards, and slowly began to slide out, with his weight against it. The tree began a pathetic roar of protest.
Frodo looked down at the others, who were still trying to bring the tree down from the bottom. Before he could call anything out to them, the sword came out completely, and he plummeted to the forest floor.
**********
Frodo fell hard onto the ground and into unconsciousness, several feet from the bulk of the fellowship. Gandalf turned around, his eyes widening when he spotted the fallen hobbit.
"Frodo," he ran to his side, kneeling down.
As the wizard did this, the giant tree behind him suddenly swayed and fell with great force. As it hit the forest floor, it turned suddenly back into the familiar beast, lying crumpled on the leaves, its neck pierced. It was dead.
~~End of Part 10
Author's Note: This isn't the complete end! We have one more chapter to go! :o)