Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.

Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.

Chapter 5

Weathertop & Nazgul

Tori had just finished shoving everything that they had unpacked the night before into her pack when Strider returned with a pony that he had bought from one of the men in Bree. She watched as he loaded most of the packs onto the pony before handing several of the smaller packs to the Hobbits and Koga. Tori started to lift her pack but Koga beat her to it. The sun had yet to rise over the village as Strider ushered everyone out of the village.

Strider knew that the strangers that were with him had a story to tell but he wasn't sure how to get them to tell him what he wanted to know. He could feel Tori's tension about him but she was starting to relax. By mid-morning they would be at the Midgewater Marshes and the Hobbits and the children would be complaining about the tiny insects.

"Where will we be by noon, Strider?" Tori was keeping up with him at the front of the column of travelers.

"We'll be in the Midgewater Marshes. I'm going to warn you now; those insects are tiny and will try to eat you alive." Strider noticed Tori's shrug and smile.

"I've got something for them that they won't like."

"What would that be?" Strider was interested in anything to keep those bothers out of his clothes.

"You'll see." Tori smiled as she dropped back to walk with Koga for a few hours.

-----

Koga slapped at the tiny insects that had started biting him as soon as they had stepped into the waters of the Marshes. "What the hell do these things eat when they can't find wolf?"

"Or Hobbit?" Pippin smacked at the midges that were swarming around his face.

Merry noticed that Tori, Strider, Frodo, Sam, Rin, and Shippo weren't slapping at the midges. "Why aren't you guys slapping at these things?"

"Because I have bug spray." Tori pulled a can from her pack that she had confiscated from Koga.

"And you didn't think to offer us any?" Koga glared at the Lady of the Western Lands. "Gimme that can."

"Not until you ask nicely." Tori bounced away from Koga as he tried to take the can from her.

"I said gimme that can!" Koga chased after Tori as she ran past Strider and Frodo.

"And I said not until you ask nicely." Tori managed to stay out of Koga's reach but tossed the can to Strider. "Catch!"

Strider caught the can as Rin squealed. "Keep away from Uncle Koga!"

"Keep away?" Strider looked down at Shippo who had grabbed the can from him and tossed it to Frodo.

"It's a game where you keep an item away from a person, in this case Uncle Koga." Shippo caught the flying can and ducked around Koga before tossing it to Tori.

Koga jumped around as Tori caught the can and tossed it to Frodo. "You're going to have to be faster than that if you want the bug spray."

Koga jumped as Tori threw the can to Strider. He caught it and landed in a crouch. "Got it. Come here, runts."

"Be careful not to spray it into their eyes, Koga." Tori giggled as she turned to follow Strider further into the Midgewater Marshes.

Koga shoved the can into his pack and sighed in relief, as the midges seemed to take the hint that he wasn't dinner anymore. Strider slid down a small embankment and turned to help Tori down the slippery slope. Rin squealed as she and Shippo slid down the slope behind them.

"Be careful, children. You never know where the roots may be sticking up from the ground." Sam was picking his way through the mud.

Tori shook her head slightly as she scrambled over on of the many fallen logs littering the swamps. "Strider?"

"Yes, Lady Tori?" Strider barely turned as he heard Tori tugging on the tunic.

"Please call me Tori." Tori lengthened her strides to match Strider's. "How long until we reach Rivendell?"

"If we keep our pace, a week." Strider heard her soft groan. "Once we reach Rivendell, you will be able to rest for a while." He watched her snap a small twig from one of the branches they passed. "Tell me about yourself and the others."

"It's complicated."

"So Gandalf told me."

"Well, I…we…" Tori grinned. "I guess I should start at the beginning."

"That is often a good place to start."

"I was taken from my home in the year 2000 by a bunch of droids."

"Droids?"

"Trust me. You'll get an explanation before too long." Tori took a deep breath and jumped into the tale of how she had met Koga, her mate, her daughter, and all the rest.

Strider knew that he should keep quiet but questions like 'Then what happened?' and 'You survived after saying that?' kept popping out. It took Tori threatening to hurt him for him to only ask important questions.

-----

That evening, Koga and Strider went hunting and returned with a gutted and skinned buck. Strider was also carrying three rabbits and the skins from all the animals. "I thought you'd want them to make something for Rin and yourself," was his explanation when Tori asked him about the skins. Tori watched him stretch the skins while she started their meager meal of venison, rabbit, and of course, Ramen Noodles. Shippo had started the fire while Strider and Koga had gone hunting and Rin and Frodo had gathered the water they would need for the night. Strider had noticed that Tori avoided the fresh meat like a plague so he cut the chunks and put it on spits for the fire. Shippo took the hint and put the spits over the fire. Tori was rummaging through her pack before getting frustrated and going through Rin and Shippo's as well.

Koga handed three packets to Tori. "Is this what you've been looking for?"

"Did Kagome make sure that everyone had some of these?" Tori took the packages and looked into her pot of water.

"Apparently." Koga shrugged slightly as he moved to his makeshift bed. "I just thought you and Rin might like to eat that instead of the fresh meat."

"I like fresh meat, but Sesshomaru was smart enough not to bring it within a hundred feet of me at certain times of the month." Tori smirked slightly as Koga shuddered. "How do you think Ayame is doing with your new pup?"

"She's most likely doing fine." Koga dropped onto the log that Sam, Merry, and Pippin had wrestled over for her to sit on.

Tori's laughter filled the clearing. "You're still pissed because Inu-Yasha got Kagome and you didn't."

Koga huffed once more before leaning forward to look in the pot that would contain the noodles. "Isn't the water hot enough yet?"

"No, Koga. You'll just have to wait until it's ready, wolf boy." Tori hit the back of his hand with the wooden spoon she held.

Koga rubbed his head as Tori ripped open the packages and dropped them into the boiling water. Shippo continued to turn the chunks of meat on the spits over the fire. Strider leaned over the pot and watched the hard noodles soften and spread through the water.

"What is that stuff?" Strider looked up at Tori, who was sticking a fork into the meat to make sure it was done.

"You'll see." Tori pushed him away from the fire. "Why you take the kids and get them cleaned up?"

"Aye, milady…Tori." Strider grabbed Rin's hand and ushered Shippo in front of him.

Tori shook her head as she stirred the noodles one last time. "Koga, could you get the pot off the fire for me?"

"Sure." Koga lifted the heavy pot from the fire and sat it beside the fire pit while Frodo laid out the plates for the group.

Tori had cut several pieces of raw meat for Kirara and placed it downwind from the rest of the group. Sam was lifting the spits of meat off the fire when Strider returned with Rin and Shippo. Rin hurried over and slid the pieces of venison and rabbit from the spits while Tori ladled up some noodles onto each of the plates. She passed each plate to each of her companions. Strider rose to take his plate but she waved him down. Tori carefully carried his plate, and her own, to the log and sat down. Strider took the plate and started at the noodles nestled at the bottom of his plate with the venison and rabbit chunks placed around it.

Tori laughed as Strider poked the noodles slightly. "They won't bite. That is unless you want them to."

Strider shook his head slightly. "You have done this before."

"Yes. I usually end up cooking with Kagome, Sango, and Ayame. Rin and Shippo like to help us. Sesshomaru, Koga, and Inu-Yasha do the hunting while Miroku stays with us 'ladies' and makes sure we have enough firewood." Tori stirred her noodles slightly before putting her bowl down. "I wonder what they're doing now."

"I'm sure they are safe and are hoping that you, the children, and Koga are safe as well." Strider spooned some of the noodles into his mouth and sighed softly as the spiced exploded on his tongue. "This is good."

"That was Inu-Yasha's first reaction when Kagome introduced him to it. In fact he hardly eats anything else that she gives him." Tori started to rummage through her bag and pulled out her CD player, CDs, and the portable speakers. "Can I play this or should I use the headphones?"

"Headphones?"

"It'll keep the music quiet while I listen to it." Tori pulled out the headphones.

Strider just nodded as he rose to refill his plate. "I would suggest you use the 'headphones' then."

"I guess I'll just wait until I can play it loud without worrying about alerting anyone." Tori shoved the items back into her pack before hauling out her sleeping bag. "Sam's on cleanup duty so I'm going to get ready for bed."

Sam had already started to gather the dirty plates and utensils and was using the hot water that Tori had set off to the side for the purpose of washing the dishes. Rin had pulled out her sleeping bag as had Shippo and they were setting them up close to Tori. Strider watched the others start to get ready to for bed as well.

Strider stretched slightly. "I'll take the first watch."

"Wake me around midnight and I'll take the second watch." Koga stretched out in front of the fire while the Hobbits laid out their beds on the other side of the fire.

Tori woke up to a soft song being sung. She barely kept herself from jumping when she heard Frodo speak. "Who is she?"

Strider took a puff on his pipe. "She was an elf that fell in love with a mortal man."

"The song is beautiful." Tori straightened her covers slightly. "Please finish singing it."

Strider nodded as he turned to back to the fire. "I will sing it to you in the common tongue."

The leaves were long, the grass was green,

The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,

And in the glade a light was seen

Of stars in shadow shimmering

Tinuviel was dancing there

To music of a pipe unseen,

And the light of stars was in her hair,

And in her raiment glimmering.

There Beren came from mountains cold,

And lost he wandered under leaves,

And where the Eleven-river rolled

He walked alone and sorrowing.

He peered between the hemlock-leaves

And saw in wonder flowers of gold

Upon her mantle and her sleeves,

And her hair like shadow following.

Enchantment healed his weary feet

That over hills were doomed to roam;

And forth he hastened, strong and fleet,

And grasped at moonbeams glistening.

Through woven woods in Elvenhome

She lightly fled on dancing feet,

And left him lonely still to roam

In the silent listening.

He heard there of a flying sound

Of feet as light as linden-leaves,

Or music welling underground,

In hidden hollows quavering.

Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves,

And one by one with sighing sound

Whispering fell the beechen leaves

In the wintry woodland wavering.

He sought her ever, wandering far

Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,

By light of moon and ray of star

In frosty heavens shivering.

Her mantle glittered in the moon,

As on a hilltop high and far

She danced, and at her feet were strewn

A mist of silver quivering.

When winter passed, she came again,

And her song released the sudden spring,

Like rising lark, and falling rain,

Melting water bubbling.

He saw the Elven-flowers spring

About her feet , and healed again

He longed by her to dance and sing

Upon the grass untroubling.

Again she fled, but swift he came.

Tinuviel! Tinuviel!

He called by her elvish name;

And there she halted listening.

One moment she stood, and a spell

His voice laid on her; Beren came,

And doom fell on Tinuviel

That in his arms lay glistening.

As Beren looked into her eyes

Within the shadows of her hair,

The trembling starlight of the skies

He saw the mirrored shimmering.

Tinuviel the elven-fair,

Immortal maiden elven-wise,

About him cast her shadowy hair

And arms like silver glimmering.

Long was the way that fate them bore,

O'er stony mountains cold and grey,

Through hall of iron and darkling door,

And of nightshade morrowless.

The Sundering Seas between them lay,

And yet at last they met once more,

And long ago they passed away

In the forest singing sorrowless.

Tori shifted in her sleeping bag slightly as she had fallen asleep. Strider sighed softly as he looked over at the now sleeping Frodo. Tomorrow we will reach Weathertop.

-----

A crumbling tower came into view as the weary group left the marshes and the midges behind. Tori gave Strider a soft smile before following him. Koga was right behind her with Rin clinging to his back and Shippo perched on his shoulder. Kirara had volunteered to take the packs that morning so that they would be able to walk unhindered. Finally they reached the tower.

"What is this place, Strider?" Frodo dropped to the ground.

"This is Weathertop. It once was a great tower but now it is naught but ruins." Strider took four short swords from his pack, which was strapped to Kirara, and tossed them to the ground beside the Hobbits. "You might need these." He turned to look at Tori. "Lady Tori, if you'll come with me."

"Right." Tori turned to Koga. "Keep them safe, Koga, or Sesshomaru will have your guts for garters."

Koga shuddered slightly. "Scary thought."

Tori accepted Strider's hand as he helped her up the side of the tower. "What are we looking for?"

"Any sign that Gandalf has been here." Strider kicked over some rocks. "Nothing."

"I might be able to help." Tori lifted the dragon necklace to her eye level. "Reveal your location."

Strider watched in amazement as a picture of Gandalf appeared in the small pearl. "Where is he?"

"For now he's safe." Tori smiled as she watched a giant Eagle take off with the wizard. She dropped the necklace and perched herself on one of the boulders. "Was there a reason why you wanted me to come with you instead of , let's say, Koga?"

"I'm not sure. I feel that you have a way about you. You seem…" Strider turned as a scream filled the night.

"What the hell was that?" Tori watched Strider unsheathe his sword.

"Wraiths."

"The kids!" Tori grabbed the hilt of her sword and unsheathed it as she and Strider ran back to camp.

-----

Night had fallen and Sam decided to make a fire to cook supper. Frodo had fallen asleep as soon as they had stopped. Koga was watching the horizon for anything that could be considered a danger. Frodo awoke to the smell of the campfire and cooking sausages.

"What are you doing?" Frodo jumped to his feet and started kicking dirt over the fire.

"We were hungry." Pippin looked up at his cousin as a scream filled the air.

"Let's move, people." Koga scooped up Rin and hurried the Hobbits and Shippo up to the next level.

Nine figures followed them. Koga pushed everyone behind him. Rin screamed as the Wraiths moved toward him.

"Look out, Koga." Shippo watched as Koga drew his katana, which he never seemed to need before.

"Kirara, protect them." Koga jumped toward the Wraiths and started to fight with one.

The Wraiths screamed as Kirara grew in her flames. Koga flew to the left as the Wraith defeated him. Kirara jumped forward only to be knocked back. Shippo grabbed Rin and pulled her behind one of the many boulders. Sam stepped forward only to be knocked to the right. Merry and Pippin stood in front of Frodo. They too were knocked back into the boulders around them. Frodo had the urge to slide the Ring onto his finger. What he saw was amazing. Instead of nine black shapes he saw nine kings garbed in white. The leader of the Wraiths reached out to take the Ring but Frodo pulled back slightly. The Witch-King, as they learned later he was called, stabbed Frodo in the shoulder with his blade. Frodo's screams echoes through the tower. Suddenly two figures dropped from above.

Tori landed in a crouch. She twisted herself slightly as she rose to her feet. "Hey, morons. Remember me?" She pulled her sword back as the Wraiths screamed at her. "Blades of Fire!"

Strider moved out the way just as three blades whipped past him. "Nice move."

"Thank you." Tori fought with the Wraiths while Strider did the same with his sword and a flaming torch. Together they got eight of the Wraiths to run away. The Ninth thought it was going to be sneaky and try to get past Strider and Tori. Strider flipped the torch toward the Wraith just as Tori swung her sword again. "Blades of Fire."

The Wraith screamed as it ran. It was trying to put the fire out as it ran. Frodo pulled the Ring off and screamed again.

"Frodo." Sam knelt next to Frodo. "Strider! Lady Tori!"

"Frodo." Tori hurried over to Frodo as she sheathed her sword.

Strider picked up the knife that had stabbed Frodo. "He's been stabbed with a Morgul blade. He needs Elvish medicine."

"But we're still six days away from Rivendell." Sam looked worriedly at his friend.

Strider scooped Frodo into his arms and started for the forests. Tori watched Koga and the children gather their belongings. "Then, we're going to have to get there fast." Tori ran after Strider with the rest of the group behind her.