Me: Hey, you guys, ready?

Keyden: Yep.

Peyton: Yep.

Robin: Wait…

Kayden and Peyton: ROBIN!

Robin: Okay! Geez…

Kayden: Maethorelen

Peyton: only owns

Robin: us!

Me: Thank you!

Chapter Six: Strider and Canter

Rain poured down in torrents as the hobbits and Peyton trudged through the woods. Finally they reached a road, across which was a large, dark wooden gate dripping with water.

"Come on," Frodo ordered, before rushing across the road. Sam, Pippin, Merry, Robin, and Peyton followed.

Frodo hurriedly knocked on the gate. A small window opened revealing an old man's face that looked none too happy about the company being there.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"We're heading for the Prancing Pony," Frodo informed.

"The Prancing Pony?" Robin asked quietly.

"Aye, it's an inn here in Bree," Merry replied.

The gatekeeper closed the small window and abruptly opened the gate. "Hobbits! Five hobbits! What's more out of the Shire by your talk! And a lady to boot! What business brings you to Bree?" he sneered.

Peyton, quite annoyed by his talk, answered sharply. "We wish to stay at the inn. Our business is our own."

The gatekeeper, slightly taken aback by her tone of voice, gestured them inside the town. "Alright, young lady, I meant no offense. It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful." The rain soaked hobbits and human quickly tried to locate the inn.

Finally, after much jostling through the streets, they found it. It was a queer place to Peyton, filled with the laughter of drunkards. Frodo approached the innkeeper. "Excuse me?" he asked politely.

"Good evening, little masters. What can I do for you? If you're looking for accommodation, we've got some nice, cozy, hobbit-sized rooms available. Always proud to cater to the little folk, Mr. err...?" at this the innkeeper stopped his kind greeting in puzzlement. Frodo paused for a moment in thought. Peyton, Robin, Merry, and Sam knew why: Frodo couldn't very well give his name away if those Riders were looking for him. Pippin, however, was completely oblivious to the fact.

"Underhill," he finally answered. "My name's Underhill."

"Underhill," the man paused, mulling over the name in his mind. "Yes…" It was then that he noticed Peyton standing with the hobbits. "And what can I do for you miss?"

"I'll stay with the hobbits," Peyton replied. The innkeeper nodded his head in thought.

"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey," Frodo added, interrupting the man's train of thought. "Can you tell him we've arrived?"

The man looked quizzically at Frodo. "Gandalf?" A sudden look of realization appeared on his face. "Oh yes! I remember! Elderly chap! Big grey beard, pointy hat." He paused before adding, "Not seen him for six months."

Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Robin, and Peyton all huddled together, dismayed. Sam, probably very worried, asked Frodo, "What do we do now?"

~o*o*o*o~

The six of them sat around a table at the inn. Peyton stared blankly at her plate of bread and cheese, worried. What could have stopped Gandalf? she wondered. From what Sam had said, Gandalf seemed to have a good deal of magic. Why then, she pondered, was he not here?

"Peyton. He'll be here. He'll come." Frodo reassured her.

Peyton smiled as she watched Merry weave his way through the crowd of people in the tavern, holing a large tankard of ale. He plunked it onto the table and sat down, eyeing it happily. "What's that?" Pippin asked.

"This, my friend, is a pint," Merry replied before taking a sip.

"It comes in pints?" Pippin asked incredulously. He received a muffled hmmhmm from Merry. "I'm getting one!" Quickly he stood up and rushed over to the bar.

"You've had a whole half already!" Sam yelled after him. Pippin took no notice, causing Peyton to facepalm and Robin to burst into giggles.

After a while, Sam gently nudged Frodo. "Those fellows have done nothing but stare at us since we arrived." He gestured to the corner, where two cloaked figures were sitting. One was smoking a pipe.

The innkeeper passed by, and Frodo lightly tapped him. "Excuse me."

The innkeeper, whose name was Barliman, turned around looking at Frodo. "Those men in the corner, who are they?" Frodo asked.

"They're a couple of them Rangers," Barliman muttered ominously. "They're dangerous folk, they are, wandering the wilds. What their right names are, I've never heard, but around here, they're known as Strider and Canter."

"How can you tell them apart?" queried Robin.

"I believe Strider is the taller one," Barliman replied in the same ominous tone.

"Strider," Frodo mused thoughtfully.

Peyton pulled Robin aside. "Does anything seem, you know, familiar to you about them?" she asked, nodding her head towards the corner where Strider and Canter sat.

Robin paused, then nodded. "Yeah. Maybe it's the clothes or something."

Suddenly Pippin's voice rang out over the din of people. "Baggins ? Sure, I know a Baggins! He's over there. Frodo Baggins! He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side, if you follow me."

Frodo was alarmed. He jumped up and pushed his way toward Pippin as Peyton and Robin facepalmed. "Pippin!" he shouted. Peyton stood up to try to see what was happening. Frodo fell to the ground, something shiny flying into the air. The shiny object began its decent, and then Frodo vanished. Peyton's heart filled with dread as she realized what had happened. Suddenly, Frodo reappeared, but was soon roughly grabbed by Strider. Strider, closely followed by Canter, forced the poor hobbit up upstairs. Quickly, Peyton told the hobbits what had happened, and together they followed the Rangers upstairs, grabbing a few makeshift weapons along the way.

~o*o*o*o~

"Are you frightened?" Strider asked forcefully.

Frodo paused for a moment, then answered. "Yes."

"Not nearly frightened enough. We know what hunts you," Canter stated in the same forceful tone.

Strider wheeled around, drawing his sword. A noise behind him informed him that his companion had done the same. Five figures burst through the door – four hobbits and one human. "Let him go!" the hobbit in the front demanded. "Or I'll have you Longshanks!"

Strider grinned slightly, then sheathed his sword. "You have a stout heart little hobbit! But that will not save you. You can no longer wait for the wizard Frodo."

Canter, who had been standing by the window, whipped around to face him. "They are coming," she said gravely, lowering her hood.

"KAYDEN!" Peyton and Robin gasped, smiles spreading across their faces.

"Peyton! Robin!" Kayden rushed over to her friends. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Us too!" Peyton exclaimed.

"You're name's Canter?" Robin asked, unable to control herself.

Kayden grimaced at the name. "Yep. Strider gave it to me since I couldn't think of anything conspicuous enough."

Peyton and Robin just smiled and laughed.

~o*o*o*o~

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