Woah... I wonder how many people are gonna kill me for not updating soon?! I'm sorry!!! I saw ROTK yesterday, isn't it just the best movie EVER?!?!?! This is one of the most complicated stories I've written- I normally only work with Aragorn and Legolas, (and sometimes Gimli) but my two precious little guys are gone! I've never really used the Hobbits before, and certainly not Boromir, so this is a good way to get some practise in!

Anyway, review replies!!!

Darcy Took; Lol, thanks Darc!!! The New Chapter Dance?! ^_^ you'll have to teach me that...

Deana; Ok, ok! ^_^ Here's some more!

Irish QT; Ah Irish, you're too kind! ^_^ Course I don't mind that you didn't sign in! ^_~ your stories are good!

Alida-Fruit; You'd be surprised! Perhaps Gandalf's way of fighting isn't the way to beat this thing... I'm glad you like it!!! ^_^

Starlit Hope; Your name is very cute! ^_^ Perhaps Legolas did try to fight back... you'll have to wait and see... =) Ain't I evil?!

SailorGirl4; Marshmallows you say? Might give it a try... ^_^ If you wanna read an Aragorn-+-Legolas-get-sold-into-slavery-etc-etc fic, I'm gonna write one for my series that I'm doing. It's gonna be a while yet, but it will come! See you there, yeah?! ^_^

Shadowwill; Ha ha! Thanks!

XM6; Now! ^_~ Thanks for the review!

Kawaii Elf Girl; A ritual? Woah... that's commitment!!! How do you know Legolas isn't dead already?! I like the look of your story! Is it up yet? Is it gonna be in the LOTR section or is it a different thing, like, oh, I dunno, Pirates of the Caribbean or an anime show or something? I don't really know as I don't really stray out of the LOTR bit!

Dha-Gal; Hello there Dha!!! Nice to see you... thanks v. much! Yeah, Lego had to go!!!

Gabby_the_elf; Thanks! I made Legolas go first because otherwise I would have concentrated on him too much!!! I wanna get more Hobbits into my stories, so I thought, why not this one?! That's why no Hobbits have disappeared yet... note the fact I said yet! =)

Lainfaer; Oh, I wanna be more evil than a little evil! *goes into a huff and grumbles Gollum-like to self* I am evil, I AM, PRECIOUSSSS!!!

Noleriel; Oops, sorry bout that! ^_^ We'll see...

Astievia; Ok! ^_^

chels; Lol, I'll tell Amy for you! ^_^ Thanks!

youfan; Nice name! ^_^ YAY!!! SOMEONE SAID I WAS EVIL!!! =D That makes me soooo happy, it does!

#1fan; Thanks! ^_~

Stephanie; Ok! ^_^

Ok, that's it for the reviews! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!

~*~*~*~

Gimli looked out grimly towards the East, still not quite believing that their group had lost three people in the space of two nights. He sighed. They had lost Gandalf, the leader of the Fellowship. Now they didn't know where they were, or where to go. Aragorn was second in command. They could have asked him. The young Ranger was also their healer; no matter what the injury seemed to be, serious or not, he could heal it. That was a great loss, especially if someone got hurt now.

Then his thoughts turned to the Elf. He scowled slightly. Legolas, in his book, was just the same as every other annoying flighty Elf on Middle-Earth. Then he stopped. 'No,' thought Gimli. 'No, he's not.' Legolas was a valuable asset to the Fellowship, what with his keen hearing and sharp eyesight. That was a big loss in itself, but... somehow...

Gimli shook his head. 'Friends with an Elf?! Preposterous...' he thought. But Legolas was still part of this group, and a good Dwarf never leaves a companion, no matter who, to die.

~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, Boromir was talking to the Hobbits. They were scared and confused, and he was trying to comfort them.

"But what took them?!" asked Merry, frowning. He didn't understand the mixed emotions inside, the anger, the despair, the worry...

"That I do not know, Master Merry," said Boromir gravely. "We only know that it has to be most powerful, if Gandalf couldn't kill it."

Sam looked up at the Gondorian with wide brown eyes. "Will it come and get us Mister Boromir, sir?" he slowly asked, mouthing the question that was secretly on everyone's lips.

Boromir didn't know what to say. "Well, I... erm..."

Sam interrupted. "Do you know? After all, it got Master Legolas, and Strider, and now it's got Gandalf too..." He stopped, and looked down. "I always thought he'd be able to get rid of anything."

Pippin nodded slightly. "I did too." He started to play nervously with his fingernails. "You don't think they're... you don't think they've been..." The young Took couldn't finish his sentence, not daring to say the dreaded word on his mind.

"Dead?" said Boromir sadly. Pippin blinked, before nodding slowly again. Boromir sighed. "I don't know. I just... don't know."

Frodo had remained silent for the whole conversation. He had listened to the words intently, but now the conversation had finished, he had another worry on his mind.

In his hand, he held the Ring. It shone bright gold in the dimming sunlight, for they had stayed waiting for almost another whole day. The colours swirled and mixed in his head, dancing, twirling, and enticing him. So bright... so beautiful... he twirled it around in his fingers, fiddling with it.

"Frodo?"

A voice suddenly drew him out of thought, and he dropped the Ring upon the floor. He looked up to see Boromir standing above him.

"Is everything ok?" he asked.

Frodo looked around for a minute before answering. "Yes, yes, everything is fine..." He trailed away.

Boromir nodded. As he looked down again, he saw the intense gold band lying among some brown fallen leaves. He bent down, and picked it up.

"Boromir..."

A seductive, soothing voice called his name. As he stared at the Ring, Boromir could have sworn that it was making the sounds...

"Boromir..."

He raised a finger to stroke its smooth shining surface, longing for it, wanting it... could he take it?

"Boromir?!" Frodo questioned. Boromir's head snapped up, and the trance fell from around him. He was back in the forest, the leafy trees all about him, and the darkness of the night descending upon them before the pale Moon arose from its daytime slumber.

"Here Frodo," he said, choking slightly. He pushed the Ring into Frodo's small hand. "Put it back on the chain."

The Hobbit obediently slid the Ring back onto it's sliver chain and placed it back around his neck. Boromir noticed that as the ring touched Frodo's skin, he seemed more relaxed.

As he walked away, back towards where Merry and Pippin were helping Sam to put Gandalf's things away, he silently berated himself. 'Never do that again,' he thought. 'Do not give in to temptation...'

~*~*~*~

Gimli could stand it no longer. Brandishing his axe, he rose from his seat and cried; "Boromir! I'm going to look for them!" With that, he took off...

~*~*~*~

He watched horrified as the Dwarf ran off into the forest.

"Gimli, no!" shouted Boromir loudly. Gandalf had made him promise to keep them all together! He began to run after the Dwarf, but stopped. What about the Hobbits? They couldn't be left alone, especially not Frodo. He hesitated, looking first to the thicket of trees ahead of him, then back to the four Halflings behind him.

Merry, saw Boromir's look of division, and stepped forward slightly. "Don't worry Master Boromir, we'll be fine! You go after him!" he called.

Boromir saw that he was serious. With a nod and a grim smile, he ran into the darkness of the trees...

~*~*~*~

He had been running but a little way when he unexpectedly tripped over something large and heavy in the darkness. He turned and looked down towards his feet.

He shut his eyes in despair. Beside his right foot, Gimli's helmet lay forlornly amid the leaf litter. He scrambled up to his feet and moved to pick it up, when suddenly...

"Screeeeeee!!!"

Boromir turned at the sound of thick, heavy breathing. As he did so, he caught sight of the monstrous yellow eyes, and the sharp, bloody teeth... as they came flying at him in a violent flurry...

"SCREEEEEEE!!!"

~*~*~*~

He he he... '...another one bites the dust...' Please R&R!!! I make that... *checks plot listing* another 4 chapters to go! Nearly finished!!!