Chapter Eight - Moving Camp
Aragorn stood silently for a time, lost in his own thoughts. Ever since Gandalf had passed, he had the responsibility of leading the fellowship placed upon his shoulders. It was a hard burden to carry, for Aragorn did not know what Gandalf meant to do after they had passed through Lothlórien. He just hoped that his decision was the right one. Legolas touched him on the shoulder, interrupting his thoughts.
"If you mean to leave today, we should go now," the elf said. "Dark will be with us in a matter of hours."
"You are right Legolas," Aragorn replied after a moments thought. "Let us prepare to leave immediately." He then raised his voice, so he could be heard by all in the camp.
"Bormoir, please make ready the boats. We will leave for a safer place where we cannot be tracked."
Boromir nodded, and began to gather their belongings.
"Legolas, please carry Pippin to a boat."
Legolas also nodded.
"And I shall make a bed for him," Gimli said, glancing at Pippin. "I hate to see the merry young folk so unhappy," he added in an undertone to Legolas.
"As do I, Gilmi son of Gloin. Let us make haste," Legolas answered.
The Fellowship busied themselves with preparing to leave. Pippin, who was still deeply asleep, was carried to the river by Legolas, laid out in the back of one of the boats, upon a bed of cloaks and spare garments of clothing. He slept on, oblivious to what was going on around him.
After the last of their things were safely stored in the boats they were ready to leave. Aragorn appeared from their now deserted camp, a satisfied look on his face.
"I've destroyed all traces of us," he announced. "No one will know we've been there. Now it is high time we left."
"How are we to fit in the boats?" Boromir said, looking at the boat that Pippin lay in with slightly raised eyebrows. "Three of us can no longer fit."
"You are right," Aragorn said, pondering for a moment.
"I can man Pippins boat. I am more than able to," Merry said, stepping forward.
Boromir looked doubtfully at his small frame. Merry saw his expression and laughed, something that he had not done for many days.
"I may be short, but I can handle a boat better than any man," he said, crossing his arms in mock stubbornness.
Bormoir looked amused. "Very well, I shall go in Legolas and Gimlis boat, if I may."
"Of course," Gimli said, chuckling to himself. "But we must store some of our things with Merry, or we shall surely sink!"
They set off shortly, Merry paddling strongly down the river, following Aragorns boat. His spirits were higher than they had been previously, the lighthearted jesting had lightened his heart and the fact that they were moving to a safer spot made him feel more optimistic. However, he still worried about Pippin. Aragorn was right, boats were no place for healing, and although he was sleeping naturally, Pippin did not look much better. Merry found himself turning around every few minutes to look at Pippin anxiously, scanning his face for signs of improvement. None came, and as the evening wore on, Merry grew more worried. Why was he not getting better? This was why the words of Aragorn came as a relief.
"Bring your boats to the right hand bank." he called out. "Follow me!" He deftly steered his boat over to the riverbank, followed by Merry, and lastly Legolas. They climbed onto the riverbank, and Boromir lifted Pippin up into his strong arms, cradled in blankets.
"We must first hide the boats. They could give our position away," Aragorn said.
Legolas and Gimli made light work of hiding the boats in a thicket of overgrowth, and soon they were unrecognisable.
"Now grasp your packs and tighten your belts," Aragorn announced. "It will be a long walk back upstream."
Slinging his pack onto his shoulders Merry began to walk behind Boromir, so he could be close to Pippin. Because of Boromir's height all he could see of Pippin was a curly head peeping out from a bundle of rugs. Remembering Pippins wound; he worried that it would hurt him to be carried.
"How much further must we walk?" He asked Aragorn, after they had been on foot for over an hour. "Only I am afraid this is not good for Pippin."
"Not much further now. We must double back on ourselves to confuse anyone who is tracking us," Aragorn answered. "And as for Pippin, I have bandaged him up as well as I know how. I know this walk isn't helping his condition, but I saw no other option. It simply
isn't safe to go any further down river."
Merry nodded, and then stepped back so he could walk beside Pippin and Boromir. Aragorn seemed to be leading them on a winding path back upstream. He made sure they did not leave any tracks on wet ground, and occasionally disappeared for some minutes to make some signs further from their trail so as to lead any enemies away from them. At last he seemed satisfied they were in a safe enough position.
The place where they stopped was a small dell in the land, big enough to hold the eight members of the Fellowship, yet small enough not to be seen unless you were nearly in it yourself. On one side were small, wiry looking bushes, and on the other were grey, gnarled trees, bare and leafless. Tired and hungry, the company flopped into the patchy, yellow grass, which was ugly yet comfortable to sit on, and made a meal out of lembas and water from their canteens.
"I suppose they'll be no fire then," Sam said unhappily to himself as night began to approach.
Merry half heartedly nibbled on a piece of the waybread whilst sitting beside Pippin. Aragorn had re-bandaged the wound, which was not healing properly, "due to the poison," he had said. The walk, although necessary, had taken its toll on Pippin, and he was looking most uncomfortable. Merry could feel himself growing more and more troubled. Pippin occasionally writhed on the ground, as though something was paining him.
"Come on Pip. You need to wake up now. We need to give you some water," Merry said to him, holding Pippin's hand as he moved again. Merry felt a sudden pressure on his hand. Pippin was grasping it back, and then his eyes slowly opened.
"Pippin!" He said, joy sounding in his voice, as, for the second time, Pippin awoke.
-*-
Aragorn stood silently for a time, lost in his own thoughts. Ever since Gandalf had passed, he had the responsibility of leading the fellowship placed upon his shoulders. It was a hard burden to carry, for Aragorn did not know what Gandalf meant to do after they had passed through Lothlórien. He just hoped that his decision was the right one. Legolas touched him on the shoulder, interrupting his thoughts.
"If you mean to leave today, we should go now," the elf said. "Dark will be with us in a matter of hours."
"You are right Legolas," Aragorn replied after a moments thought. "Let us prepare to leave immediately." He then raised his voice, so he could be heard by all in the camp.
"Bormoir, please make ready the boats. We will leave for a safer place where we cannot be tracked."
Boromir nodded, and began to gather their belongings.
"Legolas, please carry Pippin to a boat."
Legolas also nodded.
"And I shall make a bed for him," Gimli said, glancing at Pippin. "I hate to see the merry young folk so unhappy," he added in an undertone to Legolas.
"As do I, Gilmi son of Gloin. Let us make haste," Legolas answered.
The Fellowship busied themselves with preparing to leave. Pippin, who was still deeply asleep, was carried to the river by Legolas, laid out in the back of one of the boats, upon a bed of cloaks and spare garments of clothing. He slept on, oblivious to what was going on around him.
After the last of their things were safely stored in the boats they were ready to leave. Aragorn appeared from their now deserted camp, a satisfied look on his face.
"I've destroyed all traces of us," he announced. "No one will know we've been there. Now it is high time we left."
"How are we to fit in the boats?" Boromir said, looking at the boat that Pippin lay in with slightly raised eyebrows. "Three of us can no longer fit."
"You are right," Aragorn said, pondering for a moment.
"I can man Pippins boat. I am more than able to," Merry said, stepping forward.
Boromir looked doubtfully at his small frame. Merry saw his expression and laughed, something that he had not done for many days.
"I may be short, but I can handle a boat better than any man," he said, crossing his arms in mock stubbornness.
Bormoir looked amused. "Very well, I shall go in Legolas and Gimlis boat, if I may."
"Of course," Gimli said, chuckling to himself. "But we must store some of our things with Merry, or we shall surely sink!"
They set off shortly, Merry paddling strongly down the river, following Aragorns boat. His spirits were higher than they had been previously, the lighthearted jesting had lightened his heart and the fact that they were moving to a safer spot made him feel more optimistic. However, he still worried about Pippin. Aragorn was right, boats were no place for healing, and although he was sleeping naturally, Pippin did not look much better. Merry found himself turning around every few minutes to look at Pippin anxiously, scanning his face for signs of improvement. None came, and as the evening wore on, Merry grew more worried. Why was he not getting better? This was why the words of Aragorn came as a relief.
"Bring your boats to the right hand bank." he called out. "Follow me!" He deftly steered his boat over to the riverbank, followed by Merry, and lastly Legolas. They climbed onto the riverbank, and Boromir lifted Pippin up into his strong arms, cradled in blankets.
"We must first hide the boats. They could give our position away," Aragorn said.
Legolas and Gimli made light work of hiding the boats in a thicket of overgrowth, and soon they were unrecognisable.
"Now grasp your packs and tighten your belts," Aragorn announced. "It will be a long walk back upstream."
Slinging his pack onto his shoulders Merry began to walk behind Boromir, so he could be close to Pippin. Because of Boromir's height all he could see of Pippin was a curly head peeping out from a bundle of rugs. Remembering Pippins wound; he worried that it would hurt him to be carried.
"How much further must we walk?" He asked Aragorn, after they had been on foot for over an hour. "Only I am afraid this is not good for Pippin."
"Not much further now. We must double back on ourselves to confuse anyone who is tracking us," Aragorn answered. "And as for Pippin, I have bandaged him up as well as I know how. I know this walk isn't helping his condition, but I saw no other option. It simply
isn't safe to go any further down river."
Merry nodded, and then stepped back so he could walk beside Pippin and Boromir. Aragorn seemed to be leading them on a winding path back upstream. He made sure they did not leave any tracks on wet ground, and occasionally disappeared for some minutes to make some signs further from their trail so as to lead any enemies away from them. At last he seemed satisfied they were in a safe enough position.
The place where they stopped was a small dell in the land, big enough to hold the eight members of the Fellowship, yet small enough not to be seen unless you were nearly in it yourself. On one side were small, wiry looking bushes, and on the other were grey, gnarled trees, bare and leafless. Tired and hungry, the company flopped into the patchy, yellow grass, which was ugly yet comfortable to sit on, and made a meal out of lembas and water from their canteens.
"I suppose they'll be no fire then," Sam said unhappily to himself as night began to approach.
Merry half heartedly nibbled on a piece of the waybread whilst sitting beside Pippin. Aragorn had re-bandaged the wound, which was not healing properly, "due to the poison," he had said. The walk, although necessary, had taken its toll on Pippin, and he was looking most uncomfortable. Merry could feel himself growing more and more troubled. Pippin occasionally writhed on the ground, as though something was paining him.
"Come on Pip. You need to wake up now. We need to give you some water," Merry said to him, holding Pippin's hand as he moved again. Merry felt a sudden pressure on his hand. Pippin was grasping it back, and then his eyes slowly opened.
"Pippin!" He said, joy sounding in his voice, as, for the second time, Pippin awoke.
-*-