Chapter 3

'OK Piper, so can you tell me why you said we're all "daughters of Victor"? Because we sure aren't'

The sisters were lying about ten feet away from the sleeping form of Boromir. Aragorn, Legolas and the wizard named Gandalf were keeping watch and seemed to have no idea they we're awake and talking.

'A woman with two husbands here in Middle Earth is not a good thing', Piper said quietly. 'She would be punished. And you, my dear half-sister, would be taken who knows where because of the fact you don't have the same father as us but do have the same mother.'

'OK. That part makes sense. But why not just say that you and Phoebe are daughters of Victor and I'm the daughter of Sam?

Piper sighed. 'Two reasons. One: it would give one of the hobbits a scare because his name is Sam. Second: why are you with us and not at home doing your chores and making dinner with your mother or for the husband? If we only have one Dad to talk about, the less chance our cover being blown about the fact we're from the 21st century.'

Phoebe rolled onto her side to get a better look at Piper.

'OK that covers our first question, but how do you know we're in this "Middle Earth"? Wasn't that in a movie or something?'

'It is a movie and the last one came out this past Christmas. But I think we're going by the book.

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. 'The book?'

'The movie was based upon a book called the Lord of the Rings. But I don't think were going by the movie here. In the book they were described as very bedraggled and cold when they got of the mountain Caradhras. That's exactly what they looked like when they found us.'

'OK smarty-pants, said Paige sarcastically, 'What's going to happen next?'

Piper racked her brain. 'Hang on. Let me think...'

The wind began to howl loudly. Gandalf had moved them on to a small hill in fear of wolves attacking the camp. Piper tried to ignore the sound of the howling wind when she realized it wasn't the wind that was howling.

Paige shivered. 'Listen to that wild howl.'

Phoebe slowly got up and looked around, a concerned look on her face.

'That doesn't sound like the wind to me... but I can't put my finger on it.'

Piper suddenly jumped to her feet, her face pale.

'It's not the wind. I just remembered. The night after the Fellowship left the mountain Caradhras and camped on a small hill, wolves attacked them.'

Paige looked at her sister.

'What the hell is...'

Suddenly, a great wolf advanced into the firelight of the campfire and howled. Many eyes slowly appeared around the Fellowship and the Charmed Ones. They were trapped.

Gandalf drew his sword, and put his staff in plain sight as a warning.

'Listen, Hounds of Sauron! Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come nearer to this ring!'

Phoebe drew near to Piper and leaned forward. 'Piper, what ring is he talking about?'

'I'll explain later. Right now we got a problem. We can't use our powers to protect us.'

'Uhoh. Piper, freeze every one', hissed Paige.

With a flick of her hand, Piper froze time. The wolf looked like it was about to leap at Gandalf. Legolas's hand was gripping an arrow that was about to be fit into its bow. Aragorn's sword was halfway out of its sheath and every one else was in the middle of getting up.

'What is it Paige?

'Quick question. How are we going to protect ourselves without our powers? And if we get hurt, we got no Leo to heal us.'

'Um...'

Piper glanced at the frozen fire and an idea came to her.

'OK, when I unfreeze everything, grab a branch and set it on fire. We'll fend them off that way. And if I remember correctly, Aragorn can heal people really well the old fashion way. So, are you guys ready?'

Phoebe and Paige nodded.

'Ready', they said together

Piper waved her arms and time unfroze. Legolas's bow sang as his arrow was loosed into the foul beast. The girls ran to the fire.

'Fling fuel onto the fire!' Gandalf cried, 'You four draw your blades and protect the girls!'

Phoebe grabbed a dry branch and thrust it into the fire. It caught instantly. She turned to the hobbit, Frodo.

'Don't worry about me', Phoebe muttered, 'Protect yourself. I'll be all right.'

She laid a hand on Frodo's shoulder.

A huge figure charged toward the Company. It was the demon that had sent them to Middle Earth. It threw Boromir backwards and Aragorn's sword missed it. It ran forward and stabbed Frodo on the right side with its spear. The force of the blow sent him flying backwards into the wall, pinning him there. Sam used his sword and cut the spear in half. Aragorn's sword came crashing down on to the demon's helm. There was a flash like flame and the demon's head fell down to the ground.

'Are you all right?' asked Frodo.

Phoebe nodded.

'Yeah. Yeah, I'm all right.

The fight continued for about five minutes. Gandalf seemed to grow and spoke in a weird language. Suddenly a tree burst into flame and the flames leaped from tree to tree. The wolves fled but not before Legolas used his last arrow. When the flames from the trees died and there was nothing left but ashes and dust. As the fellowship slowly went back to sleep, Phoebe told them what she'd seen. When she had finished. Piper was shaking her head.

'Frodo isn't an innocent. He's meant to get stabbed. But he'll be OK. It's just your power reacting to the future.'

Girls!' called Aragorn, 'Get some sleep. We must try to reach Moria by the time the sun is gone from the sky.

Paige turned to Piper, a bewildered look on her face.

'What's Moria?'

Piper smiled.

'I'll tell you in the morning.'

And with that she fell asleep.