A/N- This is my first fanfiction, so bare with me. Read and review please.

-I do not own LOTR or any of its characters-

At dawn, he was awoken by Sam shaking his shoulder lightly.

"Sorry sir, but we're getting' ready to go, and we can't leave you behind, can we?" He gave Frodo a smile, and stood and walked over to Bill and started brushing him.

Frodo gave a small groan and started to pack his things. When they finally started off, he only had one thought on his mind, what was that thing last night?

It sounded like a hobbit, with those soft steps. But no, Frodo shook his head, it couldn't have been! A hobbit wouldn't be following them! Then what could it have been? No other creature he knew of made that sound when it walked.

He shook his head again, knowing he would never figure it out. Should he tell the others? No. No, no no! He couldn't bring more worry to Gandalf, especially when he wasn't even sure he had heard it, he could have imagined it, couldn't he?

Frodo let a sigh. Too many questions! He finally let the subject fall.

For three hours they walked, until Pippin was starting to complain that his feet would fall off if he didn't have a rest. Gandalf let out a sigh of exasperation, but let them take a rest.

Where they rested, there was an overhand on the cliff, so they could stay out of the snow that was still drifting down slowly. There was about 18 feet of path where there was no overhang before reaching the edge.

Frodo sat down in the cold snow with a soft groan, and Sam did the same next to him.

Sam had been watching Frodo grow colder and paler by the day, and also saw a few other things. Sam knew that Frodo had been thinking hard, having a mental battle within him about something. He needed to know.

Sam got up and walked over to where Merry and Pippin were stretching out their short aching legs in the snow.

"Um, Merry?" He hesitated to ask. Merry looked up to him with mild curiosity, as did Pippin.

"Yes, Sam?"

Sam sat down next to Merry, choosing his words carefully. "Well, last night, when everyone was asleep, Mr. Frodo seemed to have some trouble getting' ta sleep. He woke me up, but didn't seem to notice. He sat there, just staring into the night, and I watched him. He seemed alright, but then he went all still and started looking around for something. He seemed tense, as if he knew something was happening and we didn't."

Merry and Pippin both sat listening silently, and when he had finished, Merry sat in silent thought, his brow furrowed. He stayed like that for a moment, and then looked at Sam a bit uncertainly.

"I don't know what to say, Sam. I doubt anything is out there, maybe it's just him. How could he have heard something that you didn't?" Merry said, puzzled.

"I don't know, Mr. Merry. That's why I came here. You're his cousin, ask him what happened." Sam said.

"But Sam," Merry and Sam both started at the small voice of Pippin. "I am also his cousin, and I know him very well. He will never tell us, he is a very stubborn hobbit, and likes to keep things to himself; he is very good at that."

"We've got to try, it looks like it's been buggin' him all mornin'." Sam said, a note of desperation and plea in his voice.

He looked over to where Frodo sat, staring out into nothing silently. Merry and Pippin followed his gaze, and in seeing him, nodded silently.

They got to their feet and silently walked over to where Frodo was now standing outside of the overhang, pack leaning against the cliff wall.

He started when Sam touched his shoulder lightly, and turned around to see Sam, Merry, and Pippin standing with their arms crossed and stern looks on their faces.

Legolas, wondering what had happened to Pippin's complaining about food, looked around and finally came to a stop on the group of hobbits. He smiled in amusement, he had never seen Pippin look so serious. He silently went back to talking to Gimli about archery and axes.

"What's going on, Frodo?" Merry asked quietly, lowering his arms. Pippin and Sam did the same and the four hobbits sat down in a small circle.

"What do you mean, Merry?" Frodo asked innocently, trying to look politely puzzled.

"Don't give me that look Frodo, what happened last night?" Merry asked sternly.

"No, I don't have any idea what you're talking about." Frodo said quietly.

"Frodo, tell us! We know you heard something last night, tell us!" Merry said, giving Frodo a small glare.

"No." Frodo said stubbornly.

"Yes." The three hobbits chimed.

"I won't tell you anything of what I heard last night. I'm not even sure I heard it!" Frodo said stubbornly.

"Frodo please, tell us. We've got to know what's troubling you. And if something is following us, Gandalf needs to know." Pippin said quietly.

Frodo sighed. "I can't."

"Mr. Frodo, you are going to tell us, you have to." Sam said softly, but sternly.

"Sam, I know what I have and don't have to do. And this I-" He suddenly stopped and grew still, listening to something only he and Legolas could hear. A soft, creaking noise. What was that?

"Frodo? What is it?" Merry whispered fearfully. Frodo and the other hobbits stood up slowly and silently, and Frodo listened silently to the creaking noise, which seemed to be growing louder. Then, a roaring noise. It grew to the point that the whole fellowship could hear it. They all froze and listened intently.

Frodo's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "Avalanche!" He cried, just as a ton of snow fell on top of the four hobbits form the edge of the hangover under which the rest of the fellowship stood in horror.

The four hobbits didn't even have time to draw breath to give a cry before they were hit with snow and saw nothing but white.

-To be continued-