Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. I just like to write about them.

He's not alone: Chapter 1

There was water somewhere. He felt it as it dropped steadily upon his cheek,cold and running down his neck, leaving an icy trail, ending in his collar, which felt heavy and damp. Splash, splash, splash. This was becoming an annoyance, so he decided to open his eyes.

The dimness did not change much as when he had his eyes closed. It was still dark. He tried adjusting his eyes, focusing on anything. Then he found a small point of light right above him. He could make out some shrubbery lining the small hole. Another drop of water splashed off his face. It was definitely raining, he concluded as another couple of raindrops bounced off his forehead.

At that time his head throbbed, bringing back a bloody hand as he wiped his forehead. He contemplated how he was going to get himself out of this cave as he tried to move himself out of the line of dripping water, when a pain ripped through his left shoulder. Taking his right hand, he cautiously slipped it under his shirt to feel a wet sticky substance his fingertips outlined a cut. 'How did I get that?' he questioned himself.'For that fact, how did I get down here? And how am I going to get myself out?'. Those were just some of the questions that was on his mind, but the biggest one of all was 'WHO AM I?'

The rain had not stopped for sometime and Frodo was not yet back from his walk about the woods of Rivendell. He told Sam that he wanted to walk around by himself that afternoon. Sam was looking for Mr. Frodo about an hour later when he noticed storm clouds approaching. He had prepared tea and a hot bath. He was sure his master would be soaked to the bone and a nice hot bath would soothe his tired muscles. It was just a couple of days since he got out of bed after being stabbed by the Ringwraiths. Then just yesterday he had decided to take the cursed Ring to Mordor. Sam had concealed himself in the bushes and in no way was his master going without him. Now it was getting late. It was hightime that he went and told Gandalf or even Strider that he had no idea where he was.

He covered his head with the hood from his cloak and set out to find help. He found Strider with Lady Arwen beneathe the gazebo in the middle of Rivendell. This gazebo seemed to connect every walkway and was like a roundabout when wanting to go in a different direction. He noticed they seemed quite cozy together and did not want to disturb them. They had not noticed him right off, but he made his presence known when he cleared his throat. They both turned around in surprise.

"Excuse me Strider, Me Lady, but I cannot find Mr. Frodo," he said with desperation in his voice.

Aragorn noticed the frantic tone and knew Sam would not seek help unless it was most important. "What is wrong, Sam? What do you mean you cannot find him?" he asked kneeling down to the hobbits height.

"Well, you see, he wanted ta go walkin' about Rivendell. Ta clear his head about the um...you know...journey? It started rainin' a while back and I thought he'd be here by now. But he's not," he told them with worry in his eyes.

"How long has he been gone?" Aragorn inquired.

"I'd say since after luncheon. He did not eat much either," Sam put in.

Aragorn figured luncheon was when the sun was at its highest and now since it was still raining he had to figure when tea was. His eyes seemed to pop out of his sockets,"Four hours!"

he exclaimed while visions of mercenaries and Orcs that could be out there hunting for the Ringbearer, flashed before his eyes.

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Lord Elrond's eyebrow lifted as he listened intently to Sam's explanation as to why Frodo had gone alone to venture around Rivendell. True, he was not a prisoner, but precautions had been put in place for the very protection of the Ring-bearer. Crossing the high glossed wooden floors, Lord Elrond sweeped his long robes behind him as he took a seat in one of the high back chairs positioned towards the fireplace. "Who will you include in your search party, Estel?"

Sam turned around expecting that someone else had entered the room as he was talking, trying to figure out whom Lord Elrond was speaking to. There was noone else there besides him and Strider. To Sam's surprise, it was Strider who answered the great Lord. He learned from the council meeting that Strider went by another name. A name that would one day again be heard in all the lands. He was future heir to Gondor. Son of Arathorn. He was Aragorn. Brought here by his mother for protection. Raised by Lord Elrond after she had died. Estel, Sam figured, was just one more name given to the Ranger of the North.

"I will take Legolas, Elladan, and Elrohir," Aragorn said with certainty. "If that is all, I am losing daylight. It will be nightfall, and the temperatures have been cooler at nights, My Lord. If Frodo was caught in the rain, then his recent recovery will be for naught."

"Yes, take what provisions you need and the fastest horses in my stable. I will have other scouts patrol the outskirts of Rivendell," Lord Elrond said waving his hand to his foster son. Then he saw the look of apprehension on Sam's face. Wringing of hands in his vest not knowing what to do. "Samwise, please come with me. We will get things ready for Frodo when they return with him. I am sure he will be fine, being glad to come back to a good hot meal. Besides, I would like for you to tell his cousins why he is not here this eve. It would be better coming from family?" he asked raising that pertinous eyebrow again.

"Yes, sir," Sam replied, hoping that telling Mr. Bilbo would somehow save face, realizing he should have not let Mr. Frodo go alone in the first place.

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'Who am I'? This question kept nagging at him as he moved legs and arms to determine any other injuries. 'Well, no broken bones' he proclaimed to himself. 'That's a good sign, I guess' as he continued to feel over his body. For some reason, his right hand found its way back to his left shoulder. It was cold. Just in that one area. He tried rubbing some warmth back into it, being careful of the opened edges when he kept felt something roll under his palm against his chest. Patting his chest, he found the object and lifted it out. From the little light that filtered through the opening above, he declared 'what is this?' It was a chain of yellow color attached to his neck. As he pulled it all the way out, a yellow metallic circular object hung from it.

As he looked at it, pondering what it was, a sudden pain flared alongside his head. Dropping the chain back under his shirt, he held his head in his hands, forgetting all about it.

'Vrrr'

Snapping up at the sound he called out,"Who's there?" surprised that his voice had a somewhat high, but soft tone. There was no reply to his answer. He heard it again, but closer.

'Vrrr'

He knew what that sound was. It was a growl, very low. 'I'm in its lair' the thought suddenly coming to him. 'If I just sit still, maybe it will leave' he said to himself crouching into a tight ball.

A few moments went by, like an eternity. He heard its nails clicking around on the dirt floor. It was definitely getting closer. 'I have to move, hide, but where?' His head was pounding again. It was too late to move. His hair raised on the back of his neck as he felt the heavy breath. The pounding in his head beating louder to the rhythm of the breath on the back of his neck. 'Maybe...Maybe...' It was getting too hard to concentrate. He felt as if it was going to explode.

'Vrrrr, Vrrrr'

The figure slumped to the floor, its hands relaxed at its side, blood seeping through his shirt leaving a trail as the animal had dragged it's body from the back of the cave towards the front.

The big furry animal circled the intruder, its huge footpads smacking the dirt as nails scratched the surface. It relaxed, slowing its pace as it felt no threat from it. Sniffing the ground then the intruder itself, its black moist snout came across the bleeding shoulder. Shaking its head, it backed away as if offended by the copper smell. Opening its great massive jaw, baring its teeth, the animal approached the intruder and found its target. No sound came from the intruder as the animal grabbed hold of the fabric, ripping it from the injured limb. Cirling the intruder again, the animal halted at its head, sprawled its body on the dirt floor, holding the intruder down with one of its paws. Then opening its jaw once more, like a mother caring for its young, it began to lick the shoulder wound clean being gentle not to tear the opened flesh. Soon the blood had stopped seeping and it went on to the head, methodically licking there as it had the shoulder. As it was doing this, the intruder sighed at times, but never came fully awake. Satisfied that the wounds would not bleed anymore, the great animal felt tiny vibrations coming from the intruder as it watched it shake. Out of instinct, it got up and circled a couple more times, this time its body coming to rest against the length of the intruders. It felt the intruder turn onto its side curling into a ball, nestling against its fur. Making one more sniff in the air that no others were around, the animal placed its jaw on top of the curly haired head, closed its brown eyes and slept.

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tbc...

Thanks to all those that encouraged me to keep going with this story. It will only be a couple of chapters, so enjoy.