Yeah, technically I've written all three chapters at once. So the following Prechapter authoress note is in regard to that. It was wriiten on 10-5-03 today is 10-13-03. So way out of date.

Yeah, I've been on a roll. 3 chapters at once is a good start for me. Originally I was just going to put up one chapter and leave you hanging. Instead I just put up one in the morning and the rest later. Reason why... I have a full version book of LotR, which means all three volumes.

So happy birthday to me, giving stuff to you. If you think about it, it's kinda like what hobbits do in LotR. I'm not going into that right now though. No heart, no initiative, and I don't think you want to know either.

Recap: Kuniko spars with Kurama and Hiei, coming out with just a cut. Yusuke and Kuwabara return to the temple with a "hole" behind them. The "hole" reopens Kuniko's wound and attracts Sesshoumaru to them. There, everyone is sucked into the "hole" and land outside the village of Bree. Taking a room at the Prancing Pony, a kid sized guy disappears from thin air while singing.

Longest recap ever... if you think anyone's OOC, blame Kuwabara. I don;t know why exactly, he's my scapegoat. That's his purpose in life. So enjoy this installment of "A Portal to the Ring",

5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%5%

***Prancing Pony, around same time as where I left you***

The kid sized guy, simply known as Underhill, was singing a song again. As he said "The cow jumped over the moon" he jumped too high, and instead of landing, he vanished. Everyone except the group of demos and the ranger wondered where he went. The demons sensed Underhill go over by Strider and reappear. Strider grabbed Underhill by the collar and dragged him up the stairs.

"This seems familiar." Kuniko just remembered her bag on her back and took out a thick paperback black book. Going through the pages, she found it blank except for the maps and language appendix. "Now we know where we are now." She was sitting in Sesshoumaru's lap, Kurama and Hiei were in a couch nearby. Kurama took the book from her and looked at the cover. "I guess it's a bit ate to say this. Welcome to Middle Earth, source of the book Lord of the Rings."

"You've read the whole book already?" Kurama continued to look over the maps.

"Not all of it. This looks to be the beginning of chapter 10 though. We ought to be careful, there's trouble coming tonight." Everyone went back upstairs, all but Kuniko went to their room. Kuniko went to another room and knocked on the door. The door opened with a sword pointed at her head, without even blinking Kuniko pushed the sword down gently. "I mean no harm. Just a request to travel to Rivendell with you and the hobbits."

"How do you know of our travels?" Strider said with caution, making sure not to leak anything. The sword was sheathed, but he blocked the door still.

"I'm not sure what I can say for you to believe me. I know of what travels, and I want to accompany your group, along with my own. It's pretty obvious that we're not native to any lands on Middle Earth, and we wish to return to our own."

"I have the feeling your intentions run deeper and dips into our own." Kuniko remained silent in deep thought.

"If not Gandalf the Grey, the Elves, might be the key to our return. The situation of our arrival is unusual, or rarely heard of. In fact, our arrival is purely accidental. That is why we wish to accompany you."

"What does you party consist of?" Kuniko could see the hobbits sitting on the bed, listening with curiosity on their faces.

"There are 6 of us. A human, a hanyou-"

"Hanyou?"

"Sorry, half human and half demon." Strider nodded in some sort of understanding, but more questions arose in his mind. "I'll explain soon. One of us is actually a reborn demon in a human body. The rest of us are pure demon, or youkai."

"Okay, now I know what you all are. I just don't understand exactly what it is that you are. What do you mean by 'demon'?" The ranger finally let Kuniko in, who took up the offer. She sat in the opposing chair Strider was sitting in.

"To compare it to the way of your comprehension. Where my group is from, demons and humans, or youkai and ningens are much like Elves and Men in this land." She paused and went over her words, making sure they were correct. She glanced at the now sleeping hobbits, with a smirk. "Of course not all youkai are that superior to ningens, some are very low class. Like... goblins and trolls are compared to Elves. An SS class being the strongest and the lowest being... actually I don't know the lowest. The lowest I've met was a D class."

"So which ones of your group are youkai, uh... ningen and hanyou?" Strider wasn't used to such a harsh accent, but the girl made it seem almost soft. Instead of the desired response though, she just smirked at him.

"You will find out soon enough 'Strider'" Almost mocking the name, she got up and headed towards the door. Halfway though, she stopped and grabbed her head as if from a serious brain freeze. A shriek was heard from the hobbits quarters on the lower levels. The hobbits on the bed woke up in alarm, Underhill mentioning worry of someone named Merry. "Kuso, that's quite hard on the ears." Kuniko was already up and sitting back in the chair she was in earlier, still nursing her headache.

"You heard them before their cry."

"Sensitive hearing. I'm mixed with several types of demons. Don't be fooled though, I'm considered the higher classes. If you were to sort me specifically, then it would be SS class oracle." Kuniko got up, muttered "ja ne" and left the room closing the door behind her. She went into her room, to see Sesshoumaru awake, shirtless and still in bed for her return it would seem. "Heard it too?"

"How could I not? It's hard to ignore the cry of death, especially if you've heard it before." Kuniko was already in a spaghetti strap tank top and shorts, both black. She got into bed and snuggled up to Sesshoumaru and put the covers over them both. Right, since this isn't rated R, I have no choice but to skip to morning. Both 'found' their clothes and met everyone downstairs. Including Strider and the hobbits, talking to Kurama. Yusuke was asleep, Kuwabara was bragging, and as usual Hiei was glaring at every little thing.

"Hey these guys are even taller than the shrimp!" Kuwabara laughed idiotically at his own remark. Hiei's jagan glowed under his headband for a second, causing Kuwabara to shut up immediately.

Everyone got their last supplies and left with a pony along with everything else. The hobbit named Sam got the animal, for it's living position apparently. The poor thing was nothing but skin and bones and it's ribs were seen perfectly. Hiei stated how not even the lowest class of demon would bother killing it.

***3 days later. Midgewater Marshes***

"What do they live on when they cant get hobbit?" (A/N: ^-^;;; Direct quote.) Sam asked while swatting the bugs and scratching his neck. All the hobbits showed problems with the bugs. Strider ignored the pests, and the foreigners used their energy to drive the pests away. Actually other than the hobbits, Kuwabara was the only one with any trouble from it the whole time.

The next night, everyone, save Sam Merry and Pippin, saw a light on a hill called Weathertop. Only Frodo questioned it though, with Strider saying he wasn't sure and the others ignoring it for the most part.

They finally left the Marshes the next day in hope of reaching the said hill in the next day.

By mid-day on the sixth night out from Bree, they were already at the slope. Kuwabara was surprisingly quiet, while Yusuke was still complaining of "the stupid nature hike" to which everybody attempted to ignore. Reaching the top, Frodo and Strider made note of some recent etchings in some boulder. They came to the definite conclusin that they missed Gandalf by only about a day or so. "So then how do we get back? If this 'wizard' can get us back, where do we get to meet up with him?" Yusuke was pissed off big time. Kuniko took out the thick book from her bag and looked through the maps in the back.

"I don't see a proper location between here and Rivendell by Striders planned route." Strider strode over Kuniko, took and looked over the book, nodded and returned the book to her. A glint of cold blue flashed in her eyes, then in an instant Strider was floating in midair. Sesshoumaru put an arm over her, whispered something in her ear, then let her go. Strider was set back down, and held back looking at Kuniko with a warning glare. "Next time, watch your hands. I don't like ningens touching my stuff, much less without my consent." She put the book back in her bag and went over to set up her part of camp, with Sesshoumaru by her side talking lightly but firmly to her.

"They can see?! I know they could smell, if that's what you could call it, but I was never told that they could see." Now Sam looked as pissed as Yusuke was.

"I was careless in coming up here in the open. Yes they can see, and sense every living thing. I was so caught up with meeting Gandalf again, it slipped my mind. Biggest thing is, the ring draws them" Strider said, sitting now on the boulder.

Frodo panicked. "Is there any way to avoid them? I run they will follow, if I stay then everyone is in danger."

"So they can sense energy much like we can. Is there anyway to avoid them for some of the groups sake?" Kurama glanced at Frodo, who seemed to be in shock.

"Yes, we will set up a ring of fire. Possibly the only thing they fear." Strider announced. The whole group set up the ring for the fire the rest of the day. Then they set a sleeping area in the camp, after eating that is. Hiei and Kuniko used their fire powers to start up the fire, though both almost overdid it. They were both calmed down by Sesshoumaru and Kurama. Soon it was night fall, a shriek was heard in the distance.

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Yay! Wait, is this another cliffy? Poor you, me setting up 2 of them in a row. It would have been worse if I continued to the point where I would normally have stopped, it would have been an even bigger cliffhanger. So I'm actually kinda nice. Did you like this chapter? What was the best part of the whole thing so far? Worst? Hehe I'm going for 10 reviews now, help me get there. Please! *chibifies eyes* Please review and get me to my goal?

***Teaser Time!***

I finally get past this one chapter. Something happens that causes the whole group to speed up their travels. There's more whining from Yusuke, more temper outbursts from Kuniko, and a new plant to be kept in Kurama's hair.

***Teaser Time!***

So until then minna-san. Ja ne

Aya aka Palin Deathholder aka Dragon Ladysupreme

and the provider of Kuniko's katana,

YumeMonoGatori