A/N: Once again, I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update. I've actually had this written for a long time, but I haven't had the chance to type it up and get it posted until now. I have to say, this is probably the longest chapter I've written so far so have fun! I now longer have any time because all spare time is sent at school with robotics. However, today there was no school due to snow, so I finally had a chance to get this up. I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever owned Lord of the Rings or any of its characters. They belong to the brilliant JRR Tolkien.

You're as Short as a Hobbit

Chapter 7

By Stellamucca

It was nearing dark when they reached Weather top. Strider, Merry, Alice, and Jen went to the top of the lookout while the others remained behind to set up camp.

At the top where the tower had once stood, Merry, Alice, and Jen stood looking out at the surrounding country while Aragorn had a look around. Suddenly there were black shapes that looked like riders running along the ground. Aragorn pulled the three to the ground and lay flat peering over the edge of the hill.

"Oh great! They've probably seen us and we're all going to die," whispered Malice.

~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, the rest of the party was setting up camp at the base of the hill. Phillip and Pippin went to gather wood, while Sam, Frodo, and Kassi cleaned a space to camp and Katie kept lookout from a nearby tree.

"Look at all this dirt on the ground, we'll never be able to get it all cleaned before the others get back," Kassi said as she tried sweeping the ground with a branch. Frodo and Sam looked at each other then back at her again and laughed.

Katie, who was still sitting in the tree, began to get impatient. Suddenly a squirrel ran across the ground, Katie grabbed a twig, threw it, and hit the squirrel directly on the head, knocking it unconscious. "I've got dinner!" Katie said to her companions who were still trying to get rid of all the dirt on the ground.

Within a few minutes, Phill and Pippin came by the tree. Once again, Katie grabbed a stick and threw it. She continued grabbing handfuls of twigs and leaves and anything else she could grab, including a sleeping squirrel, and threw it at all the two.

"Ahh! Possessed squirrel!" Pippin squeaked and ran away when the sleeping squirrel hit his head.

Phillip picked up the wood Pip had dropped and grabbed the unconscious squirrel and the sleeping squirrel that had scared Pip and followed him back towards the camp.

~~~~~~~~

Back on the top of the hill, Merry, Aragorn, Jen, and Malice were lying on the ground watching the Black figures in the distance. "We should go, we have lingered up here for far too long," Strider said quietly.

"If we can see everything for miles, then surely everything can see us as well," Alice said.

Once the black figures had disappeared, the four stood and quickly scrambled over the hill to where the others were.

"Supper's ready," Sam said, holding up the two roasted squirrels.

"Eep!" Jen squeaked seeing the dead squirrels.

"Where's the brat?" Strider asked.

"She's in that tree keeping watch," Frodo said pointing to a tree that stood off a little ways.

~I will get my pipe back if it's the last thing do.~ the ranger thought as he walked off towards the tree.

Katie saw the ranger approaching and very quickly climbed higher in the tree. She then grabbed a large branch, which happened to be broken off and threw it at strider. It hit his head and he fell to the ground. Katie then scrambled down the tree, walked over to the figure on the ground, and held the pipe over his head.

"Give me that pipe," strider said as he let into the air. Katie immediately shoved the pipe back into her pocket and skipped back to where everyone was eating.

"Need food," she said, grasping her stomach.

Sam handed her a plate of food and she quickly ate. Aragorn returned with a stick hanging out of his mouth. ~Well if I can't have my pipe, I can at least have a stick.~

The night wore on, and the company sat around the fire while Aragorn told stories and sang of things long passed.

Before long, they heard a piercing cry. Pippin shivered in fear. "Stay together near the fire," Strider said as he stood. The rest of the group followed his example and stood back to back near the fire. The Halflings had their swords drawn along with Aragorn, and the five teens had a torch in each hand.

Soon they were surrounded my black figures.

Pippin gulped and took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing," he muttered as he charged toward the nearest wraith, but was easily pushed aside by the black-robed creature.

"Pippin!" merry shouted as he rushed after the hobbit. He too was pushed aside by the rider. The black shapes grew closer to the small group.

"Aie!" Kassi and Katie called as the charged towards the closest figure, flailing their torches and easily catching the black robes on fire.

The creature let out a chilling scream and turned to run away. Soon everyone had grabbed torches and they were all running towards the wraiths. They were so busy with the threat of the Nazgul that one small hobbit was hardly missed. Looking over towards one of the remaining wraiths, Phill noticed it lunging with its sword. The blade seemed to have pierced nothing but the air until suddenly Frodo appeared on the ground where the wraith had just withdrawn his sword.

Frodo let out a cry and all turned to see him lying on the ground clutching his left shoulder. Alice charged the black rider and swung her torch at it, setting another set of black robes aflame. She turned to face Frodo and saw the three hobbits already surrounding him.

"Strider!" Sam shouted.

Aragorn ran to the small figure lying on the ground. Kneeling, he picked up the sword that had wounded the Halfling. "He's been pierced by a Morgul blade," he said as the blade seemed to disintegrate. "He needs Elfish medicine." He gently picked up the hobbit.

"The wraiths are still out there," Jen said calmly as another scream was heard.

They all quickly packed all that was left lying around and followed Aragorn through the wilderness.

~~~~~~~~~

In the early morning, while the sky was still dark, they reached the trolls that had appeared on Bilbo's journey. Sam walked to where Frodo was lying on the ground and knelt over him. "Look, Mr. Frodo, it's Bilbo's trolls." Frodo's only response was a small gasp and a squeak. "He's going cold!" Sam shouted to their ranger leader.

"Sam, Jen, come here," Aragorn said. "Do you know the athelas plant?"

"I don't even live here, how am I supposed to know what it looks like?" Jen asked slightly annoyed and then walked to where Alice was sitting and sat down beside her.

Aragorn turned back to Sam, "Do you know of it?" he asked.

"Athelas?" Sam questioned.

"It's also called kingsfoil."

"Kingsfoil, yeah, it's a weed," Sam replied.

"It may help slow the poison," and with that Aragorn and Sam ran off into the woods to look for the plant.

The two remaining hobbits stood by Frodo watching him struggling against his wound. "I hope he doesn't die," Pip whispered.

"He's becoming a wraith like them, He will soon pass into the world of shadow," came a voice from behind the hobbits. They turned and saw a dark cloaked shape sitting on the ground nearby. No face could be seen under the hood, which was pulled far down over the face.

"Who are you?" Katie asked standing and walking towards the hobbits.

Standing, the figure advanced, "You know who I am."

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Thank you to Draco girl who was nice enough to review! Yay! Well, you know what to do, just hit that little button down there to let me know what you think. Anything I should do to improve? Just let me know! Hope you all have a wonderful day!!!