Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings is still not mine. Neither is the quote at the beginning of this chapter even though I have no clue whose it is; my math teacher likes to write quotes on her board and that is where I get most of these.

"Behold the turtle; he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out."

Chapter Eight

The . . . um . . . Early Breaking of the Fellowship

He hadn't felt it, Aragorn realized. He had been told. The wind had spoken, as clearly as his own voice. The wind, however, had spoken with the voice of another. The voice had been Boromir's. "They're there," he had said. "That's where they are, my king."

"You heard him, didn't you?" Faramir asked.

Aragorn nodded. "They're there, all right."

"You're sure?" Eowyn asked.

"I'm sure."

"Let's go, then."

"Hold up," Eric interrupted. "We can't just run up to the tower and demand they release your friends."

"Why not?" Bergil asked.

"We'd be captured, as well," Morgan explained. "That would do us no good."

"She's right," Avanwë said. "Legolas, you and I are the fastest, even on all this snow. Come with me to the tower and we'll see if we can't work something out with Athos."

"She'll never change," Elrond laughed as the two Elves took off. "Headstrong. Stubborn. Fangorn would say 'Hasty.'"

"What's with her and Legolas?" Bergil asked.

"Nothing," Gandalf said. "I know it looks like it, Bergil, but neither of them's the settle-down and romance type. They work well together because they have a lot in common."

"I'll see if I can help them," Radagast said.

"Can you catch up?" Gimli asked, well aware of how hard it was to keep up with Legolas.

"Need you ask?" Radagast smiled. "Haven't you ever heard the expression 'fast as an eagle?'"

"And he was telling me to only use magic as a last resort," Gandalf laughed.

"H told you to 'zap' people as a last resort," Morgan corrected. "I have yet to see good old Radagast 'zap' anyone."

"Peter, are you all right?" asked Faramir, who had taken Radagast's place by his side.

"Fine," Peter said. "I just . . . . have a feeling I know what Athos will suggest."

"If he does, Peter, please don't . . . . ." Rona started.

"I'll do what I have to, Rona. You know that."

"I know. Just try not to get yourself killed in the process," Balo suggested.

"I'll try."

"This way a little more," Avanwë called to Legolas. "We have to stay in the shadows." Legolas nodded and followed Avanwë into the huge shadow of the mountain, keeping up perfectly.

"Now, there's no way of knowing what answer we'll get, if we even get one, so be ready for anything," Avanwë said, raising her bow. Legolas followed her lead.

Just then, an eagle landed in front of them. Of course, it wasn't really an eagle at all. It was Radagast, who changed back immediately to a recognizable form.

"Clever. Real clever," Avanwë sighed. "All right, then. If you wanted to come along so badly, you do the honors."

"Very well," Radagast said with a slight bow to the Elves. He walked up to the door of the tower and knocked. His knock was answered within seconds, as if it had been expected. In the doorway stood a man who was most definitely Athos. He had brown-and-black hair a little past his shoulders and light brown eyes that mirrored the Wizard's won. Radagast's first impulse was that this man could be trusted, but he'd been more cautious ever having been tricked by Saruman. He wasn't deceived as easily.

"Radagast," Athos said, a little surprised.

"Hello, Athos," Radagast said evenly. "I expect you know why I'm here." He said 'I' instead of 'we' on purpose so as not to reveal that anyone else was with him. Athos, however, had already guessed the Wizard was not alone.

"You're here about the Hobbits and Eomer."

"Eomer's here?" Radagast was trying to hide his surprise, but not doing a very good job of it.

"Oh, you weren't expecting that?"

"Get to the point, Athos. What do you want?"

"Well, it's obvious what you want, so I'll be agreeable. A prisoner exchange, if you wish, but only three of them."

Radagast paused a second, and then nodded. He wasn't going to get anything better, that much was clear in the man's voice. "I'll be back," he said

"I'll be waiting."

"How could you agree to that?" Gimli demanded when Radagast, Legolas, and Avanwë returned with Athos' offer.

"It's the best we're going to get," Avanwë said calmly.

"You don't know that."

"Yes, actually, I do."

"How?"

"Enough, Gimli," Legolas said. "Avanwë is right. Now, the question is, 'Who?'"

"Athos would never agree to that unless it was part of some bigger plan," Eric interrupted. "We'll be right back where we started, no better, no worse."

"He's planning to send the gleems out," Avanwë said. "While we're still distracted. We'll have to warn the elves and dwarves here, as well."

"You have Dwarves here?" Gimli asked.

"Their elves are short enough," Legolas complained.

"Athos said three people?" Morgan asked.

"Three for three," Radagast confirmed.

"Then I suggest Legolas, Gimli, and myself," Aragorn said, speaking for all three of them.

"My friends, your fighting skills will be needed here," Avanwë insisted. "Legolas and I alone here are fast enough to make it to the dwarves on time, except perhaps Radagast, and I'm not sure if thy know him. They know me. They'll listen, but they'll also need help. Legolas and Radagast can provide that in plenty."

"What about Aragorn and me?" Gimli asked.

"You guys are some of the best warriors I've seen," Latano said. "The elves have needed help for a long time. You, Aragorn, Elrond, and Gandalf can go help them.

"Process of elimination, then," Morgan said. "Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Gandalf, Elrond, Radagast, and Avanwë are needed, but you've forgotten something, Latano. There are two elf-villages, and the kytes, and not everyone knows where they are."

"I do," Gandalf said. "I will take Elrond with me to the northern village. Latano, you can take Gimli and Aragorn to the southern one."

"Gandalf, you forgot . . . . ."

"That you were banished? Not at all. You, out of the Woodland Wanderers, are the best at disguising yourself, if what Peter's told me is true, and they need a guide."

"Good," Morgan said. "Tandro, you, Rona, Balo, and Noka go and warn the kytes."

"What in Middle-Earth are kytes?" Gimli asked.

"No time for that," Morgan said, which was really just an excuse to not have to explain anything. "That leaves me, Peter, Eric, Bergil, Faramir, and Eowyn."

"Eowyn should go with Gandalf and Elrond," Faramir said. "She's a warrior, good as any."

"Bergil, you go with her," Morgan said. "I don't like where this is headed, but I suggested it. I volunteer to stay as Athos' prisoner."

"Me, too," Peter said calmly. "In my condition, I'd be of no help in a fight." Radagast started to object, but silenced himself. He knew Peter was right.

"I will stay, as well," Faramir volunteered. "I have no love for battles, and I can endure whatever Athos wants to do to me."

"He'll test that," Morgan warned.

"I assumed so, which is why I don't think a child like you should have to stay. Are you sure of your decision, Morgan?"

"I'm sure of it," Morgan answered confidently. "I know what I'm getting into, probably a lot better than you do, Faramir."

"Okay," Eric said. "What do I do?"

"Do what you think best, Eric," Peter answered. "Someone will need to be there for whoever Athos releases. Considering everyone else is going somewhere, that's you."

"You got it. We'll come back for you."

"I know you will."

"All right, people!" Aragorn called. "I never thought I'd tell a fellowship to split up, but now I have to. Split up! We'll meet back here again when fate allows. Let's go!"

Okay, so Aragorn probably wouldn't really shout 'let's go,' but the 'when fate allows' thing makes up for a little modern language. :)