Chapter Two- Voices in the dark
"We'll make camp along this bank," Aragorn said, gesturing to the right hand bank of the river.
His voice broke the silence, and the Fellowship turned their heads to look where he was pointing.
This part of the river was covered in thick undergrowth, and would make a fine place for them to camp, unseen by anyone, unwelcome or otherwise.
Boromir guided the boat to the bank and Pippin climbed out, glad to feel the ground beneath his feet. He stretched out his stiff limbs and retrieved his pack from Legolas and Gimli's boat. Following the lead of Aragorn, they all trooped up the bank into the cover of five large oak trees. They busied themselves with laying out their rugs and Sam began to make a fire.
Aragorn, who had been scouting around the oak trees, had a slightly troubled expression on his face.
"I have an uneasy feeling," he said in an undertone to Legolas. Pippin, who was close by, pricked up his ears.
"I have seen things moving on the side of the river and I am certain they weren't Gollum."
"We must be careful then," Legolas replied, glancing at Sam, who was about to light the recently built fire.
Aragorn followed Legolas' glance, nodded curtly and moved over to Sam.
"No fire tonight Sam. We must keep our position secret."
Sam looked disappointed, and Pippin knew how he felt. A fire was a comfort to all of them when night came.
They all sat in a circle, silently munching on their (rather stale) bread and dried fruit that they had brought with them from Lorien. After he had finished eating, Pippin sat with his back to one of the trees, hugging his knees. He was not looking forward to another night in a spot almost as unfriendly as the last. He took a sip from his water canteen to quench his thirst after the rather tasteless meal and thought wistfully of some hot food and pipe-weed to smoke. He sadly fondled his pipe, which had been empty for many days. He watched as the others drew lots for who would watch first. He noticed, rather sadly, that he had not been included. Merry, realizing that Pippin was sitting alone, walked over and sat down beside him.
"I'm watching first. Do you want to keep me company?" Merry asked him.
Pippin smiled slightly. Trust Merry to notice when he was left out. "All right then," he answered.
The two hobbits sat in companionable silence by the tree, watching the sun go down. Meanwhile, Aragorn was sitting with his back to the rest of the Fellowship, thoughtfully sucking on the end of his pipe and staring out to the river. Pippin wondered what was going through his mind, and what burden he carried on his shoulders, for he was looking tired and care-worn. Legolas was pacing the camp with his hands behind his back, and Gimli was sitting sharpening his axe. Sam had busied himself with his pots and pans, and Frodo was sitting studying something in his hands. The Ring, Pippin realized. Sam was right, he was getting more affected by it.
Pippin noticed how much more somber the atmosphere had become. In the early days of their quest there had been songs, laughter and jokes before night, but now they sat quietly, singing or jesting was rarely heard. Pippin missed it, it helped take his mind off the danger that was ever growing closer.
The night crept in, and before long everyone had lay down to rest. The air was presently filled with Sam's soft snores, a comforting sound in the thick silence that hung all around them.
The minutes crept on and Pippin could sense sleep overcoming him. He shook himself mentally, and stared ahead into the darkness. He could hear Merrys breathing grow heavier, and then his head flopped onto his front. He had fallen asleep. Pippin went to wake him, but then stopped himself. Merry had not slept for two days, and it seemed a shame to wake him when he could carry on the watch on his own. He gently lay Merry down on a rug and went back to where he had been sitting on the outskirts of the camp.
It was then when he heard the voices.
*-*
Authors Note: Ooh, a bit of a cliffhanger! The story is about to get a lot more interesting now, and I'm again sorry if these chapters weren't up to scratch, I'm not totally pleased with them but I have done all I can. Please review, and the next chapter should be up in a day or two.
LOTR is not mine.
"We'll make camp along this bank," Aragorn said, gesturing to the right hand bank of the river.
His voice broke the silence, and the Fellowship turned their heads to look where he was pointing.
This part of the river was covered in thick undergrowth, and would make a fine place for them to camp, unseen by anyone, unwelcome or otherwise.
Boromir guided the boat to the bank and Pippin climbed out, glad to feel the ground beneath his feet. He stretched out his stiff limbs and retrieved his pack from Legolas and Gimli's boat. Following the lead of Aragorn, they all trooped up the bank into the cover of five large oak trees. They busied themselves with laying out their rugs and Sam began to make a fire.
Aragorn, who had been scouting around the oak trees, had a slightly troubled expression on his face.
"I have an uneasy feeling," he said in an undertone to Legolas. Pippin, who was close by, pricked up his ears.
"I have seen things moving on the side of the river and I am certain they weren't Gollum."
"We must be careful then," Legolas replied, glancing at Sam, who was about to light the recently built fire.
Aragorn followed Legolas' glance, nodded curtly and moved over to Sam.
"No fire tonight Sam. We must keep our position secret."
Sam looked disappointed, and Pippin knew how he felt. A fire was a comfort to all of them when night came.
They all sat in a circle, silently munching on their (rather stale) bread and dried fruit that they had brought with them from Lorien. After he had finished eating, Pippin sat with his back to one of the trees, hugging his knees. He was not looking forward to another night in a spot almost as unfriendly as the last. He took a sip from his water canteen to quench his thirst after the rather tasteless meal and thought wistfully of some hot food and pipe-weed to smoke. He sadly fondled his pipe, which had been empty for many days. He watched as the others drew lots for who would watch first. He noticed, rather sadly, that he had not been included. Merry, realizing that Pippin was sitting alone, walked over and sat down beside him.
"I'm watching first. Do you want to keep me company?" Merry asked him.
Pippin smiled slightly. Trust Merry to notice when he was left out. "All right then," he answered.
The two hobbits sat in companionable silence by the tree, watching the sun go down. Meanwhile, Aragorn was sitting with his back to the rest of the Fellowship, thoughtfully sucking on the end of his pipe and staring out to the river. Pippin wondered what was going through his mind, and what burden he carried on his shoulders, for he was looking tired and care-worn. Legolas was pacing the camp with his hands behind his back, and Gimli was sitting sharpening his axe. Sam had busied himself with his pots and pans, and Frodo was sitting studying something in his hands. The Ring, Pippin realized. Sam was right, he was getting more affected by it.
Pippin noticed how much more somber the atmosphere had become. In the early days of their quest there had been songs, laughter and jokes before night, but now they sat quietly, singing or jesting was rarely heard. Pippin missed it, it helped take his mind off the danger that was ever growing closer.
The night crept in, and before long everyone had lay down to rest. The air was presently filled with Sam's soft snores, a comforting sound in the thick silence that hung all around them.
The minutes crept on and Pippin could sense sleep overcoming him. He shook himself mentally, and stared ahead into the darkness. He could hear Merrys breathing grow heavier, and then his head flopped onto his front. He had fallen asleep. Pippin went to wake him, but then stopped himself. Merry had not slept for two days, and it seemed a shame to wake him when he could carry on the watch on his own. He gently lay Merry down on a rug and went back to where he had been sitting on the outskirts of the camp.
It was then when he heard the voices.
*-*
Authors Note: Ooh, a bit of a cliffhanger! The story is about to get a lot more interesting now, and I'm again sorry if these chapters weren't up to scratch, I'm not totally pleased with them but I have done all I can. Please review, and the next chapter should be up in a day or two.
LOTR is not mine.