AN: Ah, me. Where does the time go? I managed to watch all three of the LoTR movies and finish off the new Harry Potter before I could get back into the writing mood. Hope this chapter is worth your time.

Chapter 4

"So this Gandalf was who you were meant to meet? What are you going to do now, Frodo?" Ivy's voice was pitched low and soft to keep up her male hobbit disguise. She wasn't the only one in the Prancing Pony who chose to keep her hood on either. Sam made it known to the group that a hooded man in the shadowed corner was keeping his eyes on Frodo's back. As subtle as hobbits ever got, Frodo stopped Butterbur the innkeeper as he passed by the table. It seemed that Frodo's watcher was one of the mysterious Rangers known only by the name Strider.

"What kind of name is 'Strider? Sounds like something you name a garden tool, not a person…" Frodo's mind wandered and Ivy's cheerful bantering faded away into the distance.

Baggins…Baggins…Baggins…

"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins…" Ivy and Sam were jolted from their conversation that had wandered into the medicinal qualities of certain herbs one grew in his garden as Frodo leapt from the table and dashed to Pippin's side at the bar. There was a small scuffle and then Frodo fell to the floor and vanished into thin air. All of the men at the bar pulled back like scalded cats at the thought that there was black magic working in their midst. In the confusion, Sam grabbed a hold of Pippin's collar and yanked him away from the bar to pull him into a huddle with Merry and Ivy in the inn's staircase.

"Where's Frodo," seemed to be the question of the minute and then Sam was scrambling up the stairs with the word, "Strider," on his lips. Ivy was really surprised at the little man's courage as she and the Trouble Twins bounded up the stairs after him. Somewhere on the way Merry managed to grab hold of a lit candelabra, for light or for protection, Ivy wasn't sure.

Finding only one door closed the group through it open and burst into the room. Ivy's lips twitched at Sam's threat of harm to the, "Longshanks," but she managed to hold back her grin and look as fierce as her companions.

"Are you okay, Frodo?" Strider's eyes zeroed in on her and Ivy realized that in the hustle to get up stairs her male voice had been forgotten and her hood had fallen back. Sam stepped in front of her and regained the dark haired man's attention.

Strider spread his hands wide to show that they were empty. "You have a stout heart, little hobbit, but that will not save you. You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo - they're coming…"

"Is 'they' those black riders?"

"Aye, and Frodo had just lit a torch in the night that will draw them here all the faster."

"What are they?"

"They were once men, great kings of men…" And as Strider's tale unfolded, the night seemed to become colder as it pressed its inky blackness against the window pane.

AN: And so the trail to Rivendell begins. Sorry for such short chapters, but my mind wanders if I write for too long. Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think of the story so far. Thanks!