Chapter XIV: In the Shadows
Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Fergus were quick to leave Fangorn. Fergus was stunned at how much light those trees had blocked out, since the field seemed to be bathed in sunlight. Gandalf began to whistle. A long, high-pitched note pierced the air. A stunning, pure white horse appeared seconds later and was galloping towards the five of them.
Fergus simply stared in awe. Legolas craned his neck to get a better look.
"That is one of the Maeras - unless my eyes are cheated by some spell!"
The horse trotted to Gandalf and bowed his head.
"Shadowfax," the wizard introduced as he stroked the steed's neck. "He is the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers."
The five of them were quick to mount their horses, and they were quick to ride to Edoras.
...
Frodo lay asleep, bundled in his cloak as the sky was shrouded in night. Merida had cucooned herself in the black bear fur that her father had given her and was as fast asleep as the Ringbearer.
The only part of Boromir that was asleep was his abandoned corpse, of which he'd lost track long ago. He drifted out of Merida's bag and reassumed his ghostly humanoid form, observing the peaceful faces of his masters.
Frodo's eyes fluttered behind his lids. A fiery red curl fell in front of Merida's face. Boromir's gaze immediately shifted upwards at the sound of a raspy breath. Despite no longer having a physical body, the sight of a gangly silhouette in the pale light of the full moon chilled him to the bone. Boromir knew exactly who - or, more accurately, *what* - it was. Most knew him - or it - as Gollum.
"They're thieves- they're thieves! They're filthy little thieves!" he heard the creature growl as it crawled predatorily down towards them. "Curse them, we hates them! It's ours it is - and we wants it!"
Gollum leapt down on Frodo and Merida. Both of them rose to their feet at lightning speed. Both grabbed their weapons to defend themselves. Boromir tried to grab the gangly creature, but it was remarkably fast even for a ghost. Merida shrieked as Gollum maniacally pulled at her hair and sent her tumbling to the ground. Frodo leapt on top of them in an attempt to free her.
The Ring fell out of his shirt, hanging down on its chain in full view for Gollum and Merida. The former's eyes widened obsessively at it as it swung like a golden pendulum. In the next second, the gangly thing lunged at Frodo's throat and sent him tumbling to the ground.
Gollum pinned him to the ground, his grimy, grey, long-fingered hands groping greedily for the Ring as it inched away from his grasp. Merida rushed towards them, grabbing the rope in Frodo's bag.
Suddenly, Gollum turned his head around wildly and saw her coming. He leapt at her and sent her tumbling to the ground. The gangly grey thing swiftly climbed until his limbs were securely wrapped around her neck, ready to throttle her in a chokehold.
Boromir was there in the blink of an eye, attempting to wrench him off her when all three of them heard the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath.
"This is Sting. You've seen it before- haven't you, Gollum?"
Merida's heart began to pound as she peered up at Frodo, who now had Sting pointed right at Gollum's throat. His eyes bore into the gangly thing in a way that she'd never seen before - least to say, Gollum's current position wasn't an enviable one.
"Release her - or I'll cut your throat."
Gollum let out a pathetic moan and began to shriek. Boromir clasped his hand tightly around the creature's mouth, muffling his ugly tantrum as he wrenched him off Merida. Gollum tried to bite Boromir's hand to no avail. Frodo grabbed the rope and quickly fashioned a slip knot with a generous loop for the creature's head. Merida was still rubbing her neck from the assault as she watched Frodo slip it around Gollum's neck. Gollum thrashed out at him, but was held fast in Boromir's ghostly grip.
"I don't think that leash is going to be enough," Boromir said. "We should bind his hands and gag him - lest every orc in Mordor hear this racket!"
"Aye - I think I'm going to have to agree with Boromir," Merida stated.
She was quick to grab a rag and some spare shreds of the coat she used the other day carry out Boromir's suggestion.
Gollum screamed into his hand as a response. Merida was quick with her work as Boromir continued to hold him fast. After she was done, she took the rope around Gollum's neck and tied it to a nearby boulder, making sure he couldn't reach any blades or sharp rocks.
"Think that'll do it?"
"Aye, it should," Boromir replied. "I'll keep an eye on him. You should both rest. You've done enough for one night."
Merida nodded. She didn't even need to say "thank you,"; her face said it all for her before she fell back to sleep.
Frodo didn't fall asleep so easily. The sound of Gollum's muffled moans kept him up well into the night.