I woke as the sun was starting to rise, which was odd since I usually slept in on weekends. Then again, how could I know what day of the week it was? I sat up and groaned softly. It seemed yesterday's ride had caught up with me. My legs and back were sore, but still usable. Gandalf was now guarding our camp, though he looked exhausted. I obviously was not the only one who had a bad nights sleep.

"Good morning!" I said cheerfully.

"As to you." He nodded.

"I think I'll go and wash in the river." I told him and I strode off. I placed a hand in the water and shivered, it was as cold as ice. Well, I'll just wash my face and hair. I thought to myself.

The clearing had a few trees and shrubs, but other than that it was just the river and grassland. Once I'd rinsed my hair, after seeing I had forgotten to ask for soap, I washed my face and took a drink. The icy water ran down my throat, but it tasted good. A glint in the water caught my eye. I turned toward it and saw that is was a bottle. Wait, is that a piece of paper? The bottle was stuck between two stones in the river, so it took awhile to get it free. I looked at the paper in the bottle and laughed. On the outside of the rolled sheets was my name. 'Jemma' was written in my brothers hasty handwriting. I laughed, of course he'd send me a note in a bottle, why not?

I wrestled with the metal cap, and eventually won. The paper slipped out and I unrolled it:

Jemma and Andrea,

Right, this has to be quick. The piece of equipment you need is in a little town called Nahor. I assume you don't need to know what it looks like. Oh, and you also need to ask Andrea for your bracelet to get back. She has the bracelets in her pocket. Do not put the bracelets on before you have what I need, because they could malfunction and you might end up stuck there, or somewhere else.

Sorry, thats all I can send right now,

hope everything is fine! (I'm sure it is)

-Tommy

I crumpled the note up, great, that was helpful...Now I only have more questions. At least the thing he needs is in Nahor, I mean we are heading there anyway. Wait, if he got this note through, why didn't he come himself? Well, no use sitting here. I bet everyone else is already ready to leave by now. I got up and started back to the camp.

A rustling behind me caused me to startle, and I turned. A goblin hopped out of a bush. It took a moment to look around, then it spotted me. With a high pitched cry, it charged towards me with a particularly dangerous looking axe. I somehow managed to dodge its first swing and scrambled to the side. It turned around and charged again, this time it nicked my arm as I jumped aside. Gritting my teeth from the blow, I took out the dagger I'd put in my boot. Good, maybe this will even the fight a little. I took a swing at it, which it dodged. Who would have thought such a nasty looking creature could actually be smart?

As it moved aside, I swung again, this time hitting it in the stomach. Unfortunately, it wasn't a deep enough wound to be fatal, but it did stagger it. The goblin seemed shocked that I'd actually hit it, which gave me time to hit it with the hilt and knock it out. It crumpled to the ground and I sheathed the dagger.

I heard an intake of breath behind me, and I turned to find Strider standing there.

"You were right, you can handle yourself. Are all the women from your home this good with a blade?"

"No," I answered truthfully, "I had my uncle teach me. He's a weapons expert."

"I see," Did I hear a hint of curiosity in his voice? He walked towards me and examined my arm, "Here, let me bind that for you, that way it will heal better."

"Well, I had to do something so I wouldn't be defenseless," I watched him bind my arm with a bandage then continued, "Though I have to admit, it's been a few years since I actually used a dagger. We really should get back to camp, I'm sure everyone's ready to go." Before he could say anything, I walked past him and headed back to the group.

Pippin and Merry were arguing with Gandalf when I came back.

"But we have to have second breakfast!" Pippin told Gandalf.

"I'm sorry but as soon as Strider and Jemma get back, we have to get going. Daylight has already been wasted enough. Now, pack up your things and get ready to leave."

I shook my head at Pippin and Merry, "He's right, if you eat too much then you'll become unhealthy. And we really should get going."

"We? So you've decided to travel with us."

I shrugged, "Well, if what you say about the dangers, then I agree it would be a good idea to travel in groups."

I helped pack up the horses and soon we mounted and headed out. Gandalf speculated that by the end of the day we would reach Nahor. This is good, it would be one step down and one to go before I could get back home. I slowed my horse beside the man who I still didn't know. He had curly brown hair and a slightly worried expression.

"Hi, I didn't catch your name earlier." I said in a questioning tone.

He looked at me with a little bit of suspicion. As if I was guilty of something terrible.

"Well, I did tell you my whole story, can't I have a name?"

"It's Frodo."

"Frodo, thats a nice name." It hit me, I knew why they all seemed very familiar, they were the characters from the Lord of the Rings. How had I not realised earlier? Then its very good that I did not tell them about my home. I could have spoiled the whole story! Wait, that means the stout man with the ax must be Gimli! I gave Frodo a smile, trying to lighten his mood. He gave me a little smile in return.

"Mr. Frodo! I noticed you didn't eat anythin' this morning!" Sam matched his pony's pace to ours.

"Sam, I'm fine. I'm not hungry, thats all."

"Oh no, don't give me none of that," He handed Frodo a piece of bread, "You too Miss Jemma. We have to have everyone at full strength. And Gandalf said you hadn't eaten." I laughed a little, and gratefully took a piece of bread. It tasted fairly fresh, so I guessed he'd gotten it at that elven place I'd been at a few days ago. That reminds me. I thought, and I rode up to Gandalf's horse.

"Gandalf, what do you think happened to that place we were staying at?"

"The elven house? I suppose it was probably made a goblin home." I looked down, it made me sad to think that the beautiful buildings were being run by ugly (and probably messy) creatures.

"Oh, did the inhabitants escape, do you think?"

"I would bet that they did. Elves are cleverer than most, no doubt they intend to retake the place once they make sure the injured are taken care of."

I nodded, and wished them luck. Suddenly there was a cry from behind us and I looked. Oh great, all we need is a pack of hungry, menacing looking wolves to attack.

"Wolves!" Shouted Pippin.

In a flash, Legolas had a slime bow out already notched. There was a swish then one of the five wolves collapsed to the ground with a whine. Before I knew it, another arrow sailed through the air and hit another wolf in the shoulder. Two wolves had run around in front of our little group, so that the pack now surrounded us. Snarls and growls could be heard from each of the wolves.

I took out my dagger and threw it at the nearest wolf, if stumbled. Then another dagger hit it, I looked and saw that'd been Strider. Giving him a grateful look, I turned to see that there was only one wolf left. I started to turn my horse but stopped. Gimli leapt from his horse and landed atop the wolf. It yelped as it struggled to stand under his weight, then collapsed to the ground. Gimli stood and gave a confident grin at Legolas.

"Did ya see that elf? That makes two." He said pridefully.

"Really?" Legolas lifted his bow and hit the wolf Gimli had landed on, "I believe that evens the score."

"He was already dead, that doesn't count."

"He was still breathing." Legolas countered as he put his bow away.

Gimli couldn't argue with this, so he shrugged and climbed back behind Legolas. I laughed and saw that everyone else was chuckling as well.

"Well, onward we go then." Gandalf said, spurring his horse into a rapid gallop. I gulped, because soon we'd be at the village and there was no way of knowing what other trouble we might run into. Then again, I am with the fellowship, what could go wrong?