The Dame of Dúnedain

Stone Trolls

They left Bree as soon as the sun came up, going out the back way. Sam led a pony named Bill up the hill, Huntress walked next to him. Strider walked behind her, followed by the last three hobbits. They were soon into the forest, the wild, which felt like home to Strider and his sister.

Strider and his sister walked side by side, up ahead of the hobbits, though they were able to hear the hobbits' conversations. Merry leaned over to Frodo, "How do we know these rangers are friends of Gandalf?" He whispered.

Frodo only shrugged, "We have no choice but to trust them."

Sam called out from the back of the group, "But where are they taking us?"

Huntress smiled slightly, "To Rivendell, Master Gamgee...to the house of Elrond," she spoke, turning around and walking backwards, facing the hobbits. She gave them a small wink as she watched Sam get excited, turning back around.

They walked for a couple hours before the hobbits started unpacking, getting ready to make food. Strider turned around, "Gentlemen, we do not stop until nightfall."

Pippin's small voice cried out, "Well what about breakfast?"

Huntress furrowed her eyebrows in, "You've already had it."

Pippin smiled, "We've had one, yes, but what about second breakfast?"

Strider and his sister only turned to each and raised their eyebrows before continuing to walk on. Huntress turned to her older brother, "Brother, do you think that something has happened to Gandalf?"

Strider didn't answer because she already knew the answer. Gandalf was never late, especially to important gatherings. Seeing as how he never showed up to Bree, they could only assume what had happened. 

It was beginning to get dark and they had made it to a hill with an ancient ruin sitting on top of it. Strider turned back to the group, "This was once the the great Watchtower of Amon Sul. We shall rest here tonight."

They climbed up the hill and into the ruins, the hobbits instantly began to lie down and rest, completely out of breath. Huntress only chuckled slightly, though Strider looked unamused. He took out a rolled up blanket and unrolled it, revealing four small, hobbit-sized swords. "These are for you," he told the hobbits, throwing each one of them a sword. "Keep them close, I'm going to have a look around." He turned to his sister, "Stay here."

"N- careful, Gwanur," his sister said to him, watching as he nodded and then strode off.

As soon as he left, Merry spoke to Huntress, "Why is he always so serious?" Referring to Strider.

She smiled, "And I'm not?"

Merry smiled kindly, "Not as serious as him!"

She turned her head and watch her brother walk off in the distance, "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." She mumbled.

The hobbits didn't understand what she meant by that but carried on nonetheless, preparing a place to sleep and food to eat. It was beginning to get darker so Huntress stood up, "I'm going to go make sure Strider is okay, I won't be long." 

Her over-protective nature of her brother took over and she stood up, walking off the way that strider went. She wasn't far away from the camp before she heard Frodo yell "Put it out, you fools!"

That's when she heard the loudest screech she had heard, coming from down below the hill. She was quick to look around for any sight of Strider, not seeing him, she began to run back to where she came from. Only, the hobbit had moved to the top of the ruins. She got there in time to shield the hobbits from the ringwraiths. They stalked towards them with long swords in their hands vertical to the Earth.