"What happened?" Gandalf asked, watching Aragorn run into the cave with the limp body of Pippin in his arms. He stood up from where he had been sitting with Sam.

"Sam! Get a blanket and lay it down," Aragorn commanded, ignoring Gandalf question. Right away Sam got his own blanket and lay it down near where Aragorn was standing.

"Thank you Sam, go get some water," Aragorn said and then while both him and Gandalf kneeled down near Pippin's body, he answered Gandalf's question," I followed him…He started convulsing and throwing up...and…and choking…as if someone was holding his throat, choking him and then he just fell to the ground."

Frodo was sitting alone, thinking, when he saw Aragorn come into the cave carrying someone and start commanding Sam. Could it be Merry?, but he had not come back form looking for firewood with Legolas, he had not thought about it but they had been gone a very long time. He got up and walked over to see what Gandalf and Aragorn were so concerned over. Next to the kneeled figures, Frodo saw a very unexpected sight.

"What happened to him?" Frodo asked and Gandalf turned to explain everything Aragorn had told him.

"I knew he was not acting the same, but I was not sure if I should suspect something or not," Frodo said.

"Yes, I kno-," but a moan and mumbling made all three of them look down.

"Pippin, dear heart, do you wake?" Frodo asked.

"Fro..do?" Pippin asked, cracking his eyes open.

"Yes, it is I," Frodo answered, relieved to see Pippin's eyes were wide open.

"Pippin, have you felt bad all day?" Aragorn asked.

Pippin did not answer right away, but then a small, "Yes," came with a wheezy cough.

Right away Frodo handed Pippin the water that Sam had left there and then went to keep watch due to a sleeping Boromir and Gimli.

Pippin gratefully accepted the water and then laid his head back down to stare at the ceiling.

"Why did you not tell anyone?" Aragorn asked firmly.

"I did not think it was important," Pippin admitted, and he was not lying. Pippin felt that with all the stuff going on with Frodo and the ring, being sick would be the least of everyone's problems.

"Not important?! Pippin-!" Aragorn started to yell, but Frodo gave him a don't-go-there look. Aragorn sighed and lowered his voice, "Pippin, you are very important. If something is going on with you, you need to tell us, understood?"

Pippin nodded in understanding, as his eyes started to drop drowsily.

"Well, it is getting dark and we all need sleep," Aragorn said standing up with Gandalf, "Do not hesitate to wake me and when you are awake again, I will prepare some herbal to help you feel better."

"And I will stay and sleep with Pippin, if, that is ok with Aragorn," Frodo asked, looking up at Aragorn questioningly.

Aragorn nodded in approval and walked off with Gandalf, to sleep.

Frodo lay down on his side and wrapped his arm around Pippin's front and they both fell asleep.

All had been quiet for 2 hours until a wiggling Pippin made Frodo sit straight up.

"Are you awake again Pip? How are you feeling?" Frodo asked rubbing his sleepy eyes, but when he did not receive an answer, he opened his eyes and looked down to see, a wide-eyed Pippin struggling for breath.

"Pippin, it's ok, just breathe," Frodo said calmly, rubbing Pip's arm, but then Pippin started to convulse and the breath was barely coming.

Frodo hated leaving Pippin, but he knew what he had to do.

Frodo sprang up from the ground and ran straight to two sleeping figures.

"Aragorn!" Frodo screamed, "Aragorn!"

Frodo got right next to him and kneeled down to shake him awake.

"Aragorn, please!" Frodo begged.

Then Aragorn sat straight up, wide-eyed, "What? What is it?"

"It's Pippin!! He can't breathe!!"

"So how long do you plan we stay out here," Merry asked, looking around worriedly. Legolas and him had been walking around for an hour looking for firewood. Merry was getting tired of walking, but Legolas was looking around the darkness, admiring all the trees.

"Do not worry, Merry," Legolas said," I am sure everything at camp is fine, and so are we."

"Yeah, but, what are we doing? Looking for the right tree?" Merry complained

"Yes, Merry, that is what we are doing," Legolas joked.

"It's so quiet out here," Merry whispered," I li-."

SNAP!

Merry pulled out his sword and Legolas, his bow, right after the sound of the snapping twig.

Then something sounded like it was rushing through the tree, BONK! Legolas suddenly fell to the ground.

"Legolas!," Merry screamed, bending down next to an unconscious Legolas, and picking up the rock that had caused blood to rush from the back of Legolas's head.

Another SNAP made Merry stand dropping the rock and gripping his sword hard.

"Who…Who's there?" Merry whispered nervously. WHOP!

Merry's hand flew to the back of his head, due to the sharp pain he knew another rock had caused.

Merry fell to the ground and the last thing he saw was Legolas being tied up and then all went black.