KT SHY: My name is back in the penname search! Aieeeeee! *does happy little Frodo-chicken dance* (heh heh Sara) Thank you! Alrighty! This chapter also promises to be brief, but it makes for easier reading right? Right.

Disclaimer: Characters and places from The Lord Of The Rings belong to the master storyteller of all time: J.R.R Tolkien…….forgive me!

Eye on the Prize

Act VII: Flight from Fangorn

Sauron looked about for the source of the voice. He knew he had heard one, low and rumbling, coming from above him but he couldn't see anything except trees. Lots and lots of trees. Then he saw it. A face peering at him, a face set in bark and lined in moss and leaves. An Ent, and an ancient one by the look of it, rooted comfortably at the base of a sloping hill, nestled amidst bushes and large rocks. He regarded the sentient tree cautiously.

'So… this is your wood, I take it?'

The Ent responded slowly in a deep, lulling mumble. 'Hmm, hoom. My wood? Rmm, I suppose you could say that, hoom. And being my wood and home, toom, it seems proper I know what you are doing in it, luum, duum.'

'Hardly should by doings concern you, tree shepherd. But if you must know, I'm just a harmless little woodland critter and am really no threat to you whatsoever. Just let me take shelter here a while. I will leave your… ' he gave a small, barely visible sneer, '… home unscathed.'

'Hmm, normally I might comply, ruum, for you look small and not at all like an orc.'

The Dark Lord felt an uneasiness grow within him, he could feel the "but…" coming on.

'But you feel worse than one, roomy, toom. And I might have needed to take some time to consider the meaning of this, baruum, had he not already warned me of your coming.'

Sauron tensed. The voice was still so low and sleep-inducing but the words were becoming dangerous. Who was this "he" the Ent spoke of? The creature's steady voice cut back into his thoughts.

'We were warned of you, hrmmm, toruuumm. Puppet master of young traitorous Saruman. Room, toom! Saruman who murdered our kin west of Isengard; and still burns at our borders. Hoom hoom! Yes, we were warned of you, the destroyer of the gardens. Hoom roomy hoom toom! You who drove away the Entwives! HOOM!'

The great Ent rose slow and deliberate, feet likening to roots grasping the rocks below and arms outstretching toward the Dark Lord.

'Rarely is it our manner, but I'm afraid it's time to get hasty!'

Sauron looked up and to his horror saw a mass of Ents, two-dozen score, followed by row upon row of trees marching down the slope above him. Their intent shone clear in the dark pools of their eyes. Trod upon the enemy of all free people… haroom, broom, roomy, toom, toom, boom!

'Well, ' said Sauron backing up slowly and saluting to the ancient and enraged Ent. 'I appear to have overstayed my welcome… I'll just show myself the way out then, shall I?'

He spun and fled from the hill and the booming voice of the old Ent could be heard behind giving order that the chase begin, 'Hoom, toom, roomy, hrum, foombily, doom, loomdy, loom, (cough, cough, cough) GET 'IM!'

***

At the edge of Fangorn's mighty borders rose a column of black smoke. So high it rose that many a watchful eye would be able to see its dark trail smearing the sky, though none would know of what it signified save for those that were there. The fire at its base begun to die out in part as dawn spread over the remains of the battlefield. Charred bodies of slain Uruk-Hai tangled together in a large pile could be seen between the licking tongues of flame. A lone Rider of Rohan stood surveying the handiwork. The rising sun shone off his spear and helm - ordained with a long white horse tail that flowed softly in the cleansing breeze that carried across the plains. The rest of the Rohirrim were a fair distance away from the fire, having let their horses stray a little to graze and rest from the night's battle.

The Rider's own horse strayed only a little way from his master. Whickering softly every now and then, all the while staring intently into the darkness of the old forest. He let out a surprised snort as Sauron came bursting out of the underbrush, arms and legs flailing, pounding across the grass in a mad frenzy. So focused was Sauron on his flight that he didn't even notice the Rider until he was caught up in one intercepting arm.

'Lemmegolemmegomlemmegolemmego!'

'What business does a child have so near this treacherous place!?' Having never in his life seen a halfling (except perhaps in stories read to him as a lad), the man mistook the hobbit for a human youth.

Being the eternal grinch that he was, Sauron thought up a lie and he thought it up quick. 'Please sir! Those horrible monsters stole me from my home and wanted to use me as a snack! Then these horse people attacked them and… and… I escaped into the forest… and now the trees are trying to eat me too!'

'Good gracious!' While not an entirely trusting man, the Rider was not yet so suspicious as to think Sauron was anything other than what he appeared. His heart went out to the edible child. 'Don't worry lad, you are safe amongst the Riders of Rohan. I myself am Éomer, Third Marshal of the Riddermark, and I swear that no more harm shall befall you whilst under my protection.'

He whistled to his horse, which came forth in an unsettled and slightly frightened manner, but Éomer didn't notice. He swung the Dark Lord up into the saddle - 'What the… gah! What's wrong with this kid's feet?' - and was just about to saddle-up behind him when the horse bolted. The animal's horsey-mind had been able to recognize Sauron as a being of pure, unrelenting evil, and the instinct to run took over all reason. Sauron clung tightly to the bridle using the horse's own terror to his advantage, steering in the direction he needed to go… back to the Ring.

Éomer lay prone upon the ground, slightly dazed at the fall he took when his mount had charged off so suddenly. He lifted his head awkwardly to see the horse riding hard across the plain, the "child" still on his back. The child turned his head though, before he had vanished entirely from view (for Rohan's horses are swifter than can be imagined), gave Éomer a very rude gesture with his hand and shouted, 'THANKS FOR THE HELP SUCKA'!' And the mocking 'bwa ha ha ha' that followed echoed all throughout Rohan.

***

It was with great caution that Sauron chose his path to return to the place where he had first been captured by the Uruk-Hai. He had no doubt that the remaining members of that ridiculous motley-crew of a fellowship would be hard on the orcish trail, intent on rescuing their precious Ring-bearer. He gave a little chuckle at this, for he knew that the Ring-bearer was safely tucked away in Barad-dûr. And the sooner that Sauron got the Ring, the sooner he could get back there, take back his body, take over Middle-Earth, and delve out some serious mayhem. Sauron liked mayhem. It gave him a warm tingly feeling.

So anyway, Sauron chose his path with great caution, steering clear of the obvious trail and ensuring himself far enough away so as not to be detected by the eyes of the Elf. One would think that this should take longer, but he was on horseback after all and the horse was still in a state of blind panic. He was able to reach the wood edge by nightfall.

The call of the Ring grew clearer in his mind. It was giving off a harsh, clanging, desperate cry and Sauron was slightly agitated about this because the mental sound could easily be detected by anyone who happened to stray by. He could loose the blasted thing again if it attracted any orcs that might have survived the battle with the Ranger and the Elf. So preoccupied was he with this thought that he didn't notice the change that was overcoming the horse.

Blind fear was beginning to be conquered by a seething anger that he, a proud stallion of the Riddermark, should be ridden by a being so cruel, so vile! He reared, and Sauron gave a yelp of surprise, then the horse begun to buck wildly, intent on throwing the evil one from his back. Sauron fell forward over the neck of the great beast and landed hard on the grass. The horse rose up on his muscular legs, gave a triumphant 'NEEEIIIIIGHHH!' that resounded all around the area, then darted back in the direction from which he had come, intent on returning to his master. Vengeance had been carried out. Vengeance for his own misuse and for his poor black kin that Mordor had stolen from Rohan and given to the Nazgûl.

'FINE!' Sauron shouted after him, 'Who'd want to ride you anyway!? Not me! When I get back to my rightful self I'll track you down and make you pay! Mark my words horse! MARK THEM WELL!'

He turned away, teeth bared and backside aching from the fall. 'Stoopid, riggin, friggen, four legged sunnuva…'

He dusted himself off irately, then ambled down toward the sound of running water.  Sauron stood upon the western edge of the river, Anduin.  He'd been unconscious at the time of his involuntary crossing at the hands of the Uruk, but assuming they'd used some sort of floating craft to ferry him across he set off in search of it.  It took him only five minutes to find the remains of the Uruk rafts, dashed into pieces simply because they enjoyed breaking things.

Well, it can't be helped, he thought, it's what they do.

It was then that Sauron saw the white boat from Lothlórien that Aragorn, Boromir and Legolas had left in plain site as a message to the Small Troop should they have seen it.  It was a little further down the way and upon reaching it Sauron was delighted to see that the oars were still intact.   Using all his physical strength he pushed the boat into the river, climbed clumsily aboard, and paddled awkwardly to the eastern shore.  He leapt out and immediately began sprinting through the wood, searching for a familiar presence.  It wasn't long before…

Master!

He heard it then, the Ring. He fell upon all fours and crawled about quickly looking for the slightest hint of gold to catch his eye. The area was trampled and muddy with orc prints but he dug about and shifted his hands here and there.

Then he saw it.

Gleaming beautifully in the starlight.

'Thank Melkor!' he breathed with sigh of relief. Giddily he scrambled over towards the small trinket that was such a large part of himself. He extended a hand and placed it upon the cool smooth surface… as at the same time a cold, clammy, greenish-grey skinned hand fell on top of his. He looked up into a bulbous pair of luminescent, startled eyes.

'IT'SS OURSS, IT'SSS OUURSSS!'

'OH MY GAWD put some clothes on!'

To be continued…

KT SHY: Guess who? ^_____________^ Alrighty! Another chapter out and done for the most part. Once again EOP veterans will notice the slight changes that came as result of me forgetting Sauron had lost the Ring on the east rather than west side of the river.  SO! I've pretty much got things sorted out to this point.  Huzzah!  And dearest reader, if you'd drop me a line I'd be much appreciated!