Scrat comes from the animated film series "Ice Age". The hobbits venture into the cave was inspired by the sequence in the caves from the film "National Treasure: Book of Secrets".
Chapter Twenty-Two:
Journey to the Mountains
Early the next morning, before dawn, Frodo walked into Aria's bedroom and woke her up. Aria, once again, dressed in suitable clothes. As Frodo helped Aria pack her belongings, a thought came across Aria's mind:
"Frodo, about what I said about me not having a lot of friends back home. Well, there was this one friend I had, ValueMyHeart, and she's currently still my friend…"
"I know," said Frodo.
"You do?" asked Aria. "What did you think of her?"
Frodo said, "I have nothing that I would like to say about her."
"So, you don't like her?" asked Aria.
"I didn't say that," said Frodo.
"You like her?" asked Aria.
"Oh no." Frodo said, calmly, "Look, I know you haven't made a lot of friends in life. How's the situation with close friends."
"Those have gone away for years now," said Aria. "Why do you ask?"
"You don't have to return home, but if you do, after this quest, I won't stop you. As I've said so many times," said Frodo.
"Why do you think I'm going to leave you?" asked Aria.
"That's how it is with us, isn't it? To be honest, I wouldn't abandon family either," said Frodo. "I just hope you make the right choice." He said, "The deal still stands."
"You think I'm going to leave you," said Aria.
Frodo paused. "You should finish packing."
Aria stopped him. "Wait, Frodo. Why are you asking me to leave you?" She said, "I understand where you're coming from. I don't get along with people either." She added, "Yes, I have trouble with keeping friends, but that's naturally that most friends would leave whereas a few would stay. Frodo, what's keeping us from being together?"
Frodo turned to look at her now. "The truth: the reason why, when my wounds were still present, I thought I would have no woman because I knew they wouldn't want to have to take care of me all the time. Now that my wounds are healed, it's hard to think that any woman would want me, due to my oddities."
"I don't mind them. I'm odd, too," said Aria. "The reason I didn't want to be with any man is because I figured who would want to take care of me. I'd be a burden to him."
"You're not a burden," said Frodo.
"And you're not that strange. I know there are stranger people out there," said Aria. "So, the reason you never married is because…"
"I've already told you the reason. Hobbit lasses wouldn't come near me due to my travels, talking to Elves and Dwarves. Hobbit folk of the Shire find that strange. As for the heroes, when I was the newcomer, they let me right in… most of them did," said Frodo.
Aria said, glumly, "I forgot, you're popular."
Frodo looked at her. "Throughout Middle-earth and everyone else in the other worlds. I'm an enemy of villains, but not so much in the Shire, probably thanks to my merciful behavior towards Saruman and Gríma Wormtongue." He noticed the saddened, serious look on Aria's face. "You've never had that experience before."
Aria said, "No, I haven't. You're luckier than me."
"Lucky?" asked Frodo, stunned. "It's hard being well-known. To be honest, I'd rather have what you've had."
"You mean being picked on, only having a few friends and a lot of acquaintances, having only fifteen minutes worth of fame only to be shoved off to the side," said Aria, stubborn.
"Even then, you've had the quiet life up until now. You should be grateful for what you have. The reason I want you to return to your home is so you can embrace that. That's all I want for you, but it's something I'm hoping for, too," said Frodo. "As much as you doubt it, I would so much enjoy seeing you happy."
Aria told him, "You chose a world that's cruel. What's there to be happy about?" She grabbed her pack and headed out of her bedroom.
Frodo said to himself, "If only you knew." He followed Aria out of the bedroom.
After a warm breakfast, the hobbits and Aria grabbed their packs, gathered the rest of the supplies and food, and left the housing court. They left Glamïre at first light, just as the elves and heroes were waking up. It didn't take them long to leave the forest, thanks to Rhyme's efforts at keeping the wild flowers at bay.
As soon as they left the Ketterwold Forest, the hobbits led Aria across the green countryside. Aria looked back at the lone wooden door, which stood a distance away. She could leave now, but would risk the hobbits their journey. Deciding to leave the matter at rest, Aria chased after the hobbits. The five trekked across the countryside throughout the morning. They drew closer to the mountains with each step. The five stopped to rest and eat at noon. Most of their discussion consisted on where the entrance was. Pippin pulled out a device that looked to Aria to be some sort of GPS.
"Where did you get that?" asked Aria.
"I borrowed it from one of the talking animals." Pippin explained, "All right, they loaned it to me yesterday. They said it would be a good way of finding the entrance inside the mountains."
"Is it accurate?" asked Frodo.
"That depends. So far, it looks like we're heading in the right direction," said Pippin.
"We should start climbing after lunch," said Frodo.
The hobbits constantly looked at the mountains. They were still a distance away. Aria had no idea how long it would take for them to reach the mountains, but she hoped it wasn't too long.
After lunch, the hobbits and Aria set out again. Following Pippin's GPS device was tricky, but it kept them going on a straight path. They were closer to the mountains, but not as close as Frodo would have liked. He nearly pulled out a device that allowed for portals, but sought reason thanks to Sam and Aria, who preferred taking the journey on foot. Aria wasn't sure if the portal would take her home, instead of on their current course. Frodo agreed with the two and put the hilt device away.
Before dusk, they set up camp. Aria was surprised at how many modern devices the hobbits had brought with them. The hobbits even brought a makeshift campfire, which they borrowed from the talking animals living at Glamïre. When the campfire was lit, Sam worked on making them a meal. Aria couldn't help but feel concerned over what the campfire could bring.
"We should each take turns keeping watch," said Frodo, commanding. "If there are any enemies around, douse the campfire."
"Beggin' your pardon, sir, but we don't have any water, except for what's in our skins," said Sam.
"There's a brook nearby," said Pippin, looking at his GPS device.
"Any luck that the villains don't come snooping around," said Merry.
"What happened to them anyway?" asked Pippin. "It's so quiet."
"Be grateful. We may not get nights like this every night," said Frodo.
As Sam cooked the meal, Merry sent Pippin to collect the water. Their warm cooked meal was well had. After their small meal, Aria took the first watch. Frodo joined her by the campfire.
"How are you?" asked Frodo.
"Deciding whether or not I should go home," said Aria. "I can't believe, after all this time, I'm still thinking of home."
"You don't want to return," said Frodo.
"I'm not sure, Frodo." Aria changed the subject, "So, what do you think this torch is?"
"I don't know. The first time I heard about it came from the magic mirror the Evil Queen had," said Frodo. "There's not much else I can tell you." He then remembered, "Well, I did have this vision of the torch. It wasn't very long."
"Where do you think it was?" asked Aria.
Frodo said, "It was somewhere in the mountain. It looked to be in a stone room on a pedestal. That's about all I can tell you."
Aria nodded.
"You should get some sleep," said Frodo. "I'll take over this watch."
"I'm fine," said Aria.
"Aria, please," said Frodo.
Aria did as she was told. After finding a spot on the ground, Aria tossed and turned until she found sleep. Frodo, meantime, as he kept watch, spotted two pairs of glowing lights watching him. The lights moved away, but left Frodo confused and alarmed. He looked at his maimed hand, where the right middle finger was a stump, leaving him to remember what had happened before Gollum's death.
Sam, keeping watch at the time, roused the others. Dawn had approached. After having a small breakfast, the hobbits doused the campfire and set out. They were planning on making the hike up the mountainside that day. As they walked across the countryside, drawing ever closer to the mountains, the five came across a prehistoric grey squirrel. He looked like he was burying his acorn on the ground.
"Oh look, a squirrel!" cried Aria. "He looks familiar."
"He's only a squirrel, Aria. That's nothing to get excited over," said Sam.
Frodo remembered hearing cries in one of the tunnels beneath the Merswold Camp. "Now come to think on it, I do remember him."
The prehistoric grey squirrel, upon seeing Frodo, prepared for a fight. Merry said, aimlessly, "Let's go."
"I think his name is Scrat," said Aria.
"We don't care what his name is," said Merry. "Isn't that right, Pippin?"
Pippin was fixated on his GPS device. "What?"
The five continued their journey across the countryside. As they walked, the countryside changed to a coarse ground, riddled with rocks and pebbles. They banked to their far left, reaching the mountainside then. The ground had little vegetation, but there was tall grass growing in certain areas. Boulders could be seen along the mountainside. Aria lagged behind the four.
"Do you travel like this often? Can't we slow down for a time?" asked Aria, panting and coughing.
"Aren't you used to this?" asked Frodo.
"I told you bringing her along would be burdensome," said Pippin.
Aria said, infuriated, "I'll have you know that I haven't walked for a while. These long journeys I'm not used to. Nope."
"If your Common Speech was better, you would understand Westron," said Pippin, joking.
"That isn't funny, Pippin." Aria thought then, "How come we're speaking the same language? I thought you four spoke Westron."
"We picked it up during our travels," said Sam. "It wasn't easy learning the modern English."
"You speak with an accent, you know," said Aria.
"What does this have to do with our quest?" asked Frodo.
"Absolutely nothing, cousin," said Pippin. He turned to Merry, "You've been quiet, Merry."
"I'm thinking," said Merry. He looked ahead. "Isn't the cave entrance that way? Or that way?"
"Please tell me we're not lost," said Aria, catching up.
Pippin moved his GPS device around. "Nope, the entrance should be right… over… there." He pointed out a large cave in the distance. "I think the entrance is this way."
"Are you sure? I thought it would be higher," said Frodo.
"Let's hope not," said Aria, frustrated.
"I'm sure it can't be riddled with too many enemies. There must be lizards inside," said Sam. He looked up, pointing out higher up. "What's going on up there?"
The four hobbits looked in the direction Sam was pointing. In the near distance, they could see four titans and Hades in a chariot working out a cornerstone. Not liking the scene, but noticing a violent rumble where they were, the five sped inside the cave.
When they came inside the entrance, which was riddled with skeletons both human and animal, along with pieces of gold coins, Frodo and Merry pulled two torches off the walls. Sam and Pippin did the same, while Aria looked around. The four hobbits lit their torches before moving on. The five had just crossed into the first room when the opening collapsed. Merry dropped his torch as he and Pippin attempted to move the rocks. They could not. Sam helped Merry find his torch, which had to be relit.
Frodo told the four, "We move forward."
Aria looked at the bones and scattered gold coins. "It's no wonder no one comes out to tell the tale. Think of how many died in here."
"That won't be us," said Pippin. He turned to his cousin. "Right, Merry."
"That depends on whether or not we survive. That cave-in makes it positive we won't be coming out that way," said Merry.
Frodo pulled out the hilt device, passing it to Merry. "Here. Just in case. If we need to make a portal out of here, it's in your hands."
Merry put the hilt device in his pack. Aria coughed, while her mind started to play tricks on her. She was freaking out at the thought of being trapped inside a cave. The five pressed on through the nearest tunnel. Pippin walked on ahead, unsure what he would see. That's when he caught a glimpse at the dead end, and the gold statue on the wall.
"What an intriguing object, and so far underground," said Pippin, staring aimlessly.
"What? Did you see something?" asked Aria, catching up to Pippin.
Aria noticed Pippin stopped. She looked on ahead, before moving past Pippin. Just as she grabbed the statue, the ceiling brought down a wall. Frodo rushed up to Aria, making it to her before the wall reached the stone floor. The two were trapped, separated from their companions. Frodo held the torch away from him as he looked back at Aria. Before the two spoke, the wall behind Aria moved to reveal a secret passage.
"Looks like we're not going back that way, but this way… seems kind of dangerous," said Aria.
"Let's go," said Frodo, moving his torch in front of him. He extended his hand to her. "Come on. You're not walking alone in here. You'll get lost."
Aria took Frodo's hand. "I hope you know where you're going."
"So do I," said Frodo, leading the way.