An Unexpected Journey

Ghost Mountain

Previously:
No one spoke as they all climbed back into bed. Except for Percy, who groggily sat up on one arm, much like Boromir had earlier and slurred, "Annabeth? Was'goin'on?"

"Go back to sleep, Seaweed Brain," she muttered sleepily, already curling back into his side.

He grumbled and plopped back down on his pillow, put an arm around her, pulling her closer and continued drooling.

"How are we looking?" Percy asked Annabeth as she and Aragorn trudged up to their small camp from meeting with King Theoden. Clarisse and Percy had been waiting with the rest of the fellowship around the fire.

"We are at six thousand." she told him solemnly.

"It's not enough to defeat Mordor." Aragorn sat heavily on a log next to the fire.

Clarisse snorted. "What we would have given for six thousand when we fought Kronos or Gaea."

"That's different, Clarisse," Annabeth said. "We could control where Kronos' army filtered through to an extent and Gaea's army was mostly giants and dirt. Mordor's army is already tens of thousands and he pulled in help from another country."

"How did he manage that?" Clarisse asked in surprise.

"Who cares?" Gimli said, poking at the fire. "We'll take care of whatever army stands in the way. "

"I like this guy," the daughter of Ares said appreciatively as she was handed a plate of whatever the dwarf had been cooking.

Annabeth smiled in unsurprised amusement. The group had followed Théoden and the Riders of Rohan to the mountains where they would pass into Gondor's lands. They had gotten the call through the beacons from Gondor barely a week ago. They pulled everything together faster than Annabeth thought they could but it wasn't fast enough for Clarisse. She had actually complained about riding the horses because they were so slow.

Percy had covered his horse's ears at that.

As Annabeth reflected on the last few days, her gaze was drawn to the growing darkness coming from the path into the mountains.

Percy and Legolas was there, trying to calm the horses that were fighting their masters right at the opening.

"The horses are restless," Legolas said curiously. "And the men are... quiet?"

Éomer came up to help in time to hear Legolas comment. "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain."

"The road there -" Gimli said, sounding nervous "-where does that lead?"

"It is the road of the Dumholt," Legolas answered. "The door under the mountain."

"None who venture there ever return." Éomer said darkly. "That mountain is evil."

"I've heard stories of this place" Boromir whispered. "It is said the ghosts of the past roam in there--never at peace because of some curse."

"Cool," Clarisse said, grinning.

Annabeth, knowing what had hidden themselves in the mountain, glanced quickly at Clarisse. She debated telling her considering the last time she knew Clarisse had heard of someone not fulfilling their oath to fight for someone. Would it be worse if she found out in the mountain or right then before she met the ghosts hiding in the mountain?

"Hey, Merry!" Clarisse called, breaking Annabeth from her thoughts. The hobbit was running as fast as he could past their camp. "Where are you going?"

"To the smithy! "Merry answered enthusiastically. "I've got to get this blade sharpened."