Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR and am making no money
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With relief Frodo watched Legolas at last pull Gimli to safety feeling a small spurt of laughter at the dwarf's complaints about the abuse to his beard. He heard a loud cracking a moment before he felt himself half thrown-half pushed up several steps. Falling hard he landed on his butt, watching with horror as the piece of staircase he had been standing on broke off. He gasped, unable to move as he saw Aragorn fall, only his hands managing to grab onto the last stone step. It took a few anxious moments for the ranger to pull himself up, still holding his sword and bow Frodo noted with amazement. The ranger had no more than pulled himself to his feet when Frodo heard another ominous crack behind him. Looking back he saw a large rock slice through the staircase several feet above them. Fearfully he glanced up at Aragorn as the small piece of free standing staircase began to sway. The ranger was scanning the area for a way out. Frodo shifted his eyes to those safely on the other side of the gap. He could see the worry and fear. The gap was too large to jump and too wide for Aragorn to safely toss him. The ringbearer had no doubts that if it were possible Aragorn would send him to safety even if he could not follow himself. A familiar hand grabbed his backpack.
"Lean forward."
Frodo did not hesitate to obey the command. He could feel the sway and hear the slight tap tapping of Aragorn's bow as he used it for balance. The stairwell started to slide forward, bridging the gap. Loud thuds behind him caused him to glance over his shoulder as the stairwell started to move backward. Several orcs were on the staircase, running toward them while others simply stood on the edge.
"Hold on!" Strider yelled at him as he began firing arrow after arrow.
Frodo grabbed the ranger's waist tightly, pressing himself as close as possible as Legolas' arrows just missed them as he joined Aragorn in the defense.
Suddenly Aragorn slung his bow to his back and crouched beside him. "Grab on to my back. Do not let go, no matter what. I will need my hands."
Not questioning Frodo did as ordered, wrapping his arms around Strider's neck and his legs around his waist. The ranger spared a quick glance at their companions before shifting forward suddenly, throwing their combined weight and that of most of the orcs to one side of the staircase. As it started to collapse in that direction he jumped backward, landing on the side of the staircase and crouching down. Frodo buried his head in Strider's neck as he felt every muscle in the ranger's body coil as they fell faster and faster. He closed his eyes as the wind whistled past them. They were falling.
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With relief Frodo watched Legolas at last pull Gimli to safety feeling a small spurt of laughter at the dwarf's complaints about the abuse to his beard. He heard a loud cracking a moment before he felt himself half thrown-half pushed up several steps. Falling hard he landed on his butt, watching with horror as the piece of staircase he had been standing on broke off. He gasped, unable to move as he saw Aragorn fall, only his hands managing to grab onto the last stone step. It took a few anxious moments for the ranger to pull himself up, still holding his sword and bow Frodo noted with amazement. The ranger had no more than pulled himself to his feet when Frodo heard another ominous crack behind him. Looking back he saw a large rock slice through the staircase several feet above them. Fearfully he glanced up at Aragorn as the small piece of free standing staircase began to sway. The ranger was scanning the area for a way out. Frodo shifted his eyes to those safely on the other side of the gap. He could see the worry and fear. The gap was too large to jump and too wide for Aragorn to safely toss him. The ringbearer had no doubts that if it were possible Aragorn would send him to safety even if he could not follow himself. A familiar hand grabbed his backpack.
"Lean forward."
Frodo did not hesitate to obey the command. He could feel the sway and hear the slight tap tapping of Aragorn's bow as he used it for balance. The stairwell started to slide forward, bridging the gap. Loud thuds behind him caused him to glance over his shoulder as the stairwell started to move backward. Several orcs were on the staircase, running toward them while others simply stood on the edge.
"Hold on!" Strider yelled at him as he began firing arrow after arrow.
Frodo grabbed the ranger's waist tightly, pressing himself as close as possible as Legolas' arrows just missed them as he joined Aragorn in the defense.
Suddenly Aragorn slung his bow to his back and crouched beside him. "Grab on to my back. Do not let go, no matter what. I will need my hands."
Not questioning Frodo did as ordered, wrapping his arms around Strider's neck and his legs around his waist. The ranger spared a quick glance at their companions before shifting forward suddenly, throwing their combined weight and that of most of the orcs to one side of the staircase. As it started to collapse in that direction he jumped backward, landing on the side of the staircase and crouching down. Frodo buried his head in Strider's neck as he felt every muscle in the ranger's body coil as they fell faster and faster. He closed his eyes as the wind whistled past them. They were falling.