Chapter 3

Ziya landed, gracefully, on the ground and walked to the high rise that stood not far from the gates. She heard a rock fall and ran towards the sound, pouncing on the unsuspecting rabbit and biting down on it's neck.

She admitted once to the Ringwraiths that the blood of a rabbit was the sweetest thing she had tasted. She dropped the body when she had drained it and licked the fleck of blood from her upper lip. She heard something else move and leapt, this time pinning down a most unusual creature that she somehow recognized.

"You're Gollum aren't you?" His eyes betrayed the fear he felt as he looked around.

"Please don't hurts us! We'll do whatever you wants. Just please don't kill us." She growled and heard the notable creak of the gates opening. If she didn't move fast she'd be spotted and then she'd get in trouble. In all technicality she was supposed to stay within the gates so they could make sure she didn't just take off one day.

"Then shut up and follow me." She growled and snuck silently across the rocks, moving swiftly. Finally she reached the dark alcove where she had hidden once before. She and the Gollum creature managed to duck into hiding just in time. As the doors fully swung open she noticed a group searching the area. And Saurons eye was searching as well. If he found the alcove then she'd be found. She pressed herself against the wall as the eye drew closer.

She couldn't run, she couldn't move to a darker corner. She could only stand there as the eye drew closer. And then Gollum panicked. He ran out and she heard a yell. The eye locked onto him and then swung back and illuminated where Ziya was standing. The troops turned to look at her and some of them backed up slightly. her tongue ran across her lips and she found the small trail of blood that stopped at her chin. One of them walked up and grabbed her arm. She growled and pulled free, instead following the ones who held Gollum between them.

The gates closed behind them and Gollum began to yell and try to pull himself free. "Please! Let us go! We were only hunting the rabbit that the nasty woman caught!" Ziya narrowed her gaze and he shivered, gaze filling with more fear.

"What does he mean by that?" One man asked, looking towards Ziya. She growled and flicked her tongue again, catching a bit more of the blood on her chin. His eyes widened slightly under his helmet but he didn't say anything. Ziya was forced to walk with them even as the sun rose. She lowered her gaze as the haze from the volcano hid it.

"Ziya." She winced as they reached the tower and all nine Ringwraiths were there.

"Sorry. I was hunting. I ran into that-" She gestured to Gollum. "And then Sauron found me." A subtle glance passed between them and Ziya walked over, standing by them. The guards said nothing as they understood none of what had been said. They were unaware that she was the one who walked with the Black Riders. They turned away and took Gollum to the holding cells.

"Sauron wishes to see you." Ziya winced slightly and then was taken up the stairs. She was glad her eyes were dark blue. It proved her story. They opened the door in front of her and she walked through, holding her head high.

"You summoned me?" He turned and looked at her.

"Why were you outside of the gates?"

"I was hunting. It's not the first time I've been out there. And do not worry. I will not leave Mordor. It is the only place where I have not ben exiled from." She could feel his gaze looking up and catching her eyes. Though she could not see his eyes she held her gaze firm until he looked away.

"Very well. You were called here because you need these." A servant ran in and handed her a pile of clothes before nearly running out, not even looking at Sauron. "LIsten to what this Gollum has to say about where the Ring is and then go with the Ringwraiths to acquire it."

At the mention of the Ring her head snapped up and she recalled the tale her mother had told her before her exile. 'One ring to rule them all. One ring to find them. One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.' She supressed a shiver and bowed.

"As you wish my lord." She was dismissed and stopped as soon as the doors shut. The Ringwraiths noticed her subtle shivering. Remnant was the first to her and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Long had I heard of the One Ring. But I thought it was just legend." Her voice was quiet as she walked down the stairs and ducked into her room. She changed into the long sleeved shirt and long leggings that had been given to her. She had pulled on the cloak when her door opened. She turned, the cloak flowing around with her swift motion. In that moment she also noticed it was already sunset. Had it really taken her that long to speak with Sauron and then to change into these clothes? The Witch-king stepped into the room and looked at her.

"We are ready to see this, Gollum creature." She bowed her head and grabbed the gloves she had been given. She pulled them on and closed her hand into a fist a couple of times, getting used the the leather and metal. She then pulled up the hood. From outer appearances she looked almost exactly like them. They walked out and down the steps, the walk silent. They reached the room where Gollum was being 'interrogated' in time to hear him yelling.

"Shire! Baggins!" The other Ringwraiths turned and the guards freed him, throwing him towards them.

"Take him. He is of no more use to use." Ziya looked down at him and nudged him with the toe of her boot. He jumped up and yelled. She grabbed him by the shoulder and he seemed to freeze, looking up at her. He walked beside her and up to the horses.

"You are free to go Gollum. If you wish I could take you as far as the gate." Ziya whispered so that only Gollum and the other Ringwraiths could hear her. Gollum looked at her closely before she climbed onto a horse and held out a hand for him. He reached up and she grabbed his wrist, pulling him up and onto the saddle. She rode beside the Witch-king and Remnant.

As soon as they reached the gate, Ziya lowered Gollum to the ground. Once the gates were open he was gone. The Ringwraiths then followed the road that led them towards the Shire. Ziya kept her eyes on the road ahead. She hadn't been to that part of Middle-Earth for a long time. They rode for four nights, stopping in the shadows during the day. She would often ride ahead during the day and then return to them by nightfall in order to check for patrols.

"The Shire is just ahead." The Ringwraiths nodded and turned to the Witch-king.

"Only one is needed to go into the village and acquire this Hobbit." He stood. "Therefor I shall go." The rest nodded and watched as he pulled himself onto his horse and rode forwards. Once he left Ziya pushed her hood back, leaning against a tree. Her tongue ran over her teeth. She hadn't eaten since the morning she had found Gollum.

She stopped as soon as she heard movement in the darkness and she stood. Over the crest of the hill which they had camped beneath, stood a deer. She licked her lower lip and snuck forwards, soon jumping and sinking her teeth into it's neck. It kicked and struggled but she simply bit down harder. Once she finished she stood and heard a yell. She turned swiftly and saw an elderly woman staring at her. She stepped towards her and the woman fell.

"Please don't kill me." Her voice was familiar. Ziya quickly cleaned her lips and then walked over, kneeling by her and then grabbing her by the chin. She stared into the womans eyes for a moment and her face paled.

"Mother?" The woman looked shocked.

"Ziya." Ziya stood and backed away before turning and leaping of the hill and landing beside the Ringwraiths. She pulled up her hood and pressed her back against the dirt. "Ziya!" She heard her mothers shout and the Ringwraiths stared at her. Not to long after Ziya's mother looked down the hillside. Seeing nothing she moved to walk away but the dirt gave out under her feet and she yelled as she fell. Ziya leapt forwards and caught her.

"Watch your step." Ziya put her down and stepped away from her.

"You! You're not Ziya!" From beneath the hood dark blue eyes glared menacingly. Ziya grabbed the clasp and removed it, swinging the cloak around and onto the ground. Her hair and eyes were unforgettable. Ziya's mother nearly screamed at seeing this ghost.

"I am Ziya! Of that you can be sure, mother." Venom and sarcasm layered the last word. "I'm still the same girl who was exiled for her primary appetite."

"It was not my choice!" Ziya growled and her mother fell back. During this time, the Ringwraiths stood off to the side, watching the two.

"Yet you were the one who threw everything I owned into a fire!" Ziya's voice was growing to sound more like a growl. Even the Ringwraiths knew not to piss her off after she had just fed. "You destroyed my life!"

"I-" She stopped, unable to say anything. Ziya narrowed her gaze at her.

"Get out of here. Now!" Her mother scrambled to her feet and ran. They then heard a screech and climbed onto their horses. Ziya pulled her cloak back on and fastened it as they ran, pulling the hood up as they saw a group of Hobbits ahead of them, heading for a small ferry. She saw one of them point towards the nine of them that were riding towards the Witch-king. Ziya saw their lips move and read as one of them whispered something about there only supposed to be nine Black Riders.

The ferry was to far out for any of them to go after. Instead they kept riding and followed the road. Soon they saw the small town of Bree and the ferry outside of it. They waited in the darkness until they were sure the Hobbits were in bed and asleep. Then they rode forwards, the Witch-king rode ahead of them.

A mans face was seen as a small window opened. "Who's there?" He asked before he saw the horse reared back. The door was kicked open and the riders went through the door, stopping their horses outside of the Prancing Pony. The owner quickly hid behind the counter. But her was of no concern to them. Yet Ziya stopped.

"Where are the Hobbits?" She growled and the man pointed a shaky finger to the door that led to their room. There she found the Riders, holding their swords over the beds a moment later. As a single unit they brought the swords down repeatedly into the sheets. Ziya stopped as she caught a feather. She ripped the blanket away and growled. They had been fooled. Pillows lay under the blankets. The Ringwraiths all screamed and Ziya yelled. They all but ran out and climbed onto their horses.

They rode from the village as a man watched them from a far window. Behind him four Hobbits sat, awakened by the screams.

The Ringwraiths stopped in the forest and climbed from their horses. Ziya remained on hers, watching the village.

"They're still in there." She said as they began to speak with each other.

"How do you know this?" Ziya looked at them

"Because there's a ranger there. And he's hiding something with incense." She turned back to look at the lit window where she could barely make out the familiar face. "Strider knows I ride with you."

Strider

He froze a bit as he saw the dark blue eyes even in the black of the night from one of the Ringwraiths outside of the inn. And even now he saw her eyes in the forest, staring at him. Ziya rode with the Black Riders now?

"What's wrong mister Strider?" He turned to look at the Hobbit.

"It is nothing. Go back to sleep." Sam, if he recalled right, nodded and lay back down. Strider turned once more to see Ziya still watching him. His eyes locked onto hers and he winced as her thoughts entered his mind.

"Strider. How are you my old friend?" Sarcasm layered the word friend. He was unable to break eye contact. She had his gaze locked.

"Ziya. We all thought you were dead."

"Yes well sometimes things happen and people show acceptance." To this he winced again.

"You could always have come back." She laughed coldly and it sent shivers down his spine.

"Back to what? Being looked at like a freak?! No Aragorn, son of Arathorn. I would not have that. So I left and nearly got killed by the Ringwraiths. Yet for some reason they spared me." Strider had all but forgotten the day she had gone missing. She had been caught feeding on a deer about five years after she had been accepted. Arwen had tried to get her to calm down but she had ran off that night. Despite many warnings that is.

"So for the past five years you have been a tool, bent to Saurons will? Been used?"

"No. I am one of the Ringwraiths now. Despite our differences. Watch your back Strider. You may just find a sword in it one day." The connection broke as she turned and ran farther into the forest. He stared after her but soon lost sight of her.

Ziya

She rode past the others and farther into the forest, not caring that they were calling for her to return. The Witch-king climbed onto his horse and followed her, telling the others to watch the gates. He soon came across her horse and climbed down. He wandered down a small, hidden path. At the end of the pathway he found her laying back with her cloak spread around her as she watched the stars. She didn't notice him until he stood beside her, his stony facade fading away as he lay beside her. She glanced to him and then looked back up as his hood fell back.

"Elendil." She said that one word and he looked at her.

"What?" She raised her arm and lowered all but her index finger. He followed her hand and saw the star that lit up the night sky.

"The brightest star. And the elves most beloved." She lowered her arm and closed her eyes.

"Where did you learn this?" She shrugged.

"Rivendell. I lived there for five years before you found me." She turned her head and smiled. "And I am grateful you did." He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.

"And I am glad you chose to stay. You have helped us remember what it's like to laugh and have fun." She moved over, unhooking her cloak and put her shoulder against his side.

"Yeah." She sat up and looked into the creek, her hand moving and resting over her right side. Her fingers traced the mark she had noticed not long before and she stared down into the water. He sat up beside her and placed an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into his side and smiled. Perhaps what she had told Strider was wrong. Maybe they weren't so different after all. He leaned down and she craned her neck up. Just before he could kiss her they heard a twig snap. They both turned and saw Remnant walking towards them. Ziya grabbed her cloak, putting it on, and then stood in the water, her smiling face soon becoming transparent and then falling to join with the river.

The Witch-king stood quickly and pulled up his hood. "Have you yet found her?" He turned.

"No. Why have you come down here?" Remnant stopped beside his superior and looked out through the forest.

"We were wondering if something had happened. So far there has been nothing from the Hobbits." Ziya chose that moment to rise from the water, further down. She struggled to remain silent but Remnant saw her. "There she is." The duo turned and she froze.

"Caught." She said. Remnant laughed a bit and she grinned, vanishing again. This time she appeared behind Remnant and tackled him, knocking him to the ground and then hiding behind the Witch-king. He gave her a curious look and she put her finger to her lips. Remnant stood again and Ziya tried not to laugh.

"What was that?" He looked around before turning back to the Witch-king who, Ziya could feel it in how he moved, was trying desperatly hard not to laugh. "Ziya. I know you're here." She vanished again and once more, like a cheetah, she moved fast and knocked her prey on his back before vanishing again. She reappeared with her palm against the Witch-kings back so that he knew she was there and he needed to stay still.

"It appears, Remnant," Her voice echoed from every corner of the forest around them. "That you need to watch your sorroundings much closer." She ran at him again and this time they both saw the distortion in the sorroundings. Remnant moved swiftly and dodged to one side. She barely stopped before she hit a tree and turned back. Now that she was immobile they couldn't see her. And then she was soaring through the air, leaping towards the two. Remnant stepped to the side and she hit the Witch-king, kneeling on his stomach as he hit the ground. His hood fell back and she grinned.

"Nice aim Ziya." She smiled and remained unseen, moving slow enough that her body could copy the colors and make sure she blended in. She carefully whispered in his ear before brushing a subtle kiss along his neck.

"Stay down." And like that she was gone. He did as she said and stayed down. In that moment she snuck up behind Remnant and placed a sword against his throat. His entire body went rigid as the cold metal touched his neck. "Submit?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Good." She pushed him to the ground and her sword vanished as she lay away from the two. They were both surprised as a group of large eagles flew overhead. Ziya climbed a tree and a sound escaped her throat. An eagle riders call. The group banked low and the largest one landed in the clearing. She leapt down and reached up, her hand running down the eagles neck as it curled its head around her. It nipped at the cloak before looking inqusitively at her.

She looked behind her and spoke one word. "Stand." The two riders complied, the Witch-king hiding his face once more. Ziya turned back to the eagle. "This is Freesoul. I found him shortly after my exile. He was a single egg left behind because he didn't hatch in time. With plenty of care the egg hatched. He helped me hunt before I got the hang of it. And just before I went to Rivendell he vanished. I saw him again shortly before I was taken to Mordor. And when we left Mordor. He was flying off in the distance. Don't ask me how I know. I just do." She smiled and Freesoul pulled at her cloak. She laughed lightly and threw herself up onto his back.

"Why did you not tell us this before?" She leaned down.

"Because I feared that Sauron might try to take him to Mordor and use him there." The eagle seemed sad as he looked to Ziya. She climbed down and smiled. "Don't worry friend. He won't." She smiled and the eagle opened his wings, taking off.

"That is understandable. You did not wish for your closest friend to be harmed." She nodded.

"Exactly. Now let us return. The sun will be rising soon and we must follow them." They didn't ask who as she returned to her horse. They rode back to the camp and the other riders looked at her, glancing occasionally to the large eagles that were flying away. "Come. The sun is rising. I know the path he will take." The riders climbed up onto their steeds and followed Ziya.

A/N: Okay! So things have taken a turn for the interesting. O.o But then again Ziya is a witch of sorts. And she was based off of a random character that Shade drew up. And those are always strange... Anyways! I own nothing but Ziya, and now Freesoul. Thatnks for reading and have a good day. Ciao! ~ Kitteh 01