Gollum led Frodo, Sam, Tosh, and Vorazun out into some open area. "See? See? We've led you out. Hurry, everyone. Hurry! Very lucky we find you."
"It's a bog. He's led us into a swamp," Sam stepped into something wet and nauseating.
"Vorazun, you and your group are in the Dead Marshes," it was Rohana in the Spear of Adun.
"I heard Gimli mentioning something about those marshlands," Vorazun thought.
"A swamp, yes, yes. Come, master. We will take you on safe paths through the mist. Come, everyone! Come! We go quickly," Gollum continued leading the way.
"Gollum's untrustworthy. If he's leading us in the right direction, so be it," Tosh thought.
"I found it. I did. The way through the marshes. Orcs don't use it. Orcs don't know it. They go around for miles and miles. Come quickly. Soft and quick as shadows we must be," the creature continued showing them the way through.
"I hate this place. It's too quiet. There's been no sight nor sound of a bird for two days," Sam muttered.
"No, no birdses to eat. No crunchable birdses. We are famished! Yes! Famished we are, precious!" Gollum whined until he took out a worm and ate it like a noodle.
Tosh shared the elvish bread with the hobbits and Frodo tossed a piece of the elvish bread to Gollum, "Here."
"What does it eats? Is it tasty?" the creature attempted to eat the bread but he spat it out. "It tries to chokes us! We can't eats Hobbit food! We must starve!"
"I hope that worm can keep you from starving," said Tosh.
"It's not enough," Gollum turned to the man.
"Or starve then. And good riddance!" Sam spoke in a serious tone.
"Oh, cruel Hobbit. It does not care if we be hungry. Does not care if we should die," Gollum turned to Frodo. "Not like master. Master cares. Master knows. Yes. Precious. Once it takes hold of us, it never lets go," he saw the hobbit was grasping something underneath his shirt.
"Don't touch me!" Frodo swayed the creature's hand.
"Gollum will want to get his hands on the Ring on whatever opportunity that is given to him," Vorazun thought.
"Agreed, we'll need to keep an eye on him," Tosh used telepathy.
Gollum continued leading the small group through the marshes and there were fires as they passed. "There are dead things! Dead faces in the water," Sam spoke as there were corpses in the shallow water.
"All dead. All rotten. Elves and Men and Orcses. A great battle long ago. Dead Marshes. Yes. Yes, that is their name. This way. Don't follow the lights," said Gollum.
"So that's how this place got its name," Vorazun thought.
"Careful now! Or everyone go down to join the dead ones and light little candles of their own," the creature gave out a tip.
"Joining the dead? That's strange," Tosh muttered.
"Frodo!" Sam shouted as his friend was staring downwards.
Tosh and Vorazun saw Frodo collapsing into the water. They hurried to pull him out of the water and put him to his feet.
Gollum approached the young hobbit and reminded him, "Don't follow the light!"
"Mr. Frodo. Are you all right?" Sam asked. "Thanks Tosh and Vorazun."
"There's no need to thank us," the Dark Templar replied.
Evening approaches, the hobbits rested while Tosh and Vorazun stayed up. Frodo was fidgeting with the Ring and heard Gollum muttering, "So bright. So beautiful. Our precious." This got the attention from both the spectre and the Dark Templar.
"What did you say?" Frodo asked.
"Master should be resting. Master needs to keep up his strength."
"Who are you?"
"Mustn't ask us. Not its business. Gollum. Gollum. Gandalf told me you were one of the river-folk. Cold be heart and hand and bone. Cold be travelers far from home."
"He said your life was a sad story."
"They do not see what lies ahead. When sun has failed and moon is dead."
"You were not so very different from a Hobbit once. Were you? Smeagol."
"What did you call me?"
"That was your name once, wasn't it? A long time ago."
"My name. My name. Smeagol."
"I fear Frodo's pity for that creature will cloud his judgment," Vorazun said to Tosh.
"I agree, we'll get rid of him if he dares to double-cross us."
As dawn approached, there was a blood curtailing screech that woke Sam up. "Black Riders!"
"Hide! Hide!" said Gollum but Frodo was feeling pain in his shoulder. Tosh and Vorazun used their cloaks then pulled Frodo to cover. "Quick! They will see us! They will see us!"
"I thought they were dead," said Sam.
"Dead? No, you cannot kill them. No."
"I heard about those black riders from Mr. Raynor," Tosh muttered.
"Hierarch calls them the Ringwraiths or Nazgul," said Vorazun.
"Wraiths! Wraiths on wings!" said Gollum as a black rider on a flying creature was seen.
"Vorazun, that flying creature is called Fellbeast according to one of the books in Rivendell," Rohana informed.
"They are calling for it. They are calling for the precious," said Smeagol.
"Mr. Frodo! It's all right. I'm here," Sam held Frodo's hand.
"Hurry, everyone. The Black Gate is very close," said Gollum as he continued leading the way.
Author's Note
The next chapter will be on Aragorn's group.