Ashes of mordor

What a strange little creature

Ash's POV

We had been walking for days, i'd lost count how many. Poor Frodo was haunted by nightmare after nightmare, and I myself couldn't even sleep as ideas of my brother being slaughtered filled my thoughts. Thorin tried to comfort me but nothing could ease it. In the day I focused on the hobbits, at night I stared at nothing till thorin eventually caught my attention.

We marched across the small hills till, what seemed so close but also so far, stood Mordor. The land of black and death. The sight of it sent a shiver up my spine, and I hated the sensation. "Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to." Sam mumbles mainly to himself. "A very deep thinker isn't he?" Thorin queried sarcastically. I shushed him, though I knew the boys couldn't hear his comments anyway. "It's just where we can't get. Let's face it, Mr. Frodo, we're lost. I don't think Gandalf meant for us to come this way! What do you think my lady?.." Sam asked panickedly. I nervously rubbed at my arms and calmly replied "sadly he didn't disclose that information to me before his passing", glancing to see thorin looking at me in mild confusion.

"He didn't mean for a lot of things to happen, Sam... but they did." Frodo replies grimly as he kicked some stones almost out of spite. Suddenly he gasped and backs away. I shoot up and put my hand out to steady him and stop him from falling. "Frodo?.." I almost whisper as he stays still, almost frozen as if he can't stop staring at something. "It's the Ring, isn't it?" Sam asked nervously as he help Frodo sit down.

I wanted to rip it off him and just throw it as far away as possible, but the look Thorin gave me made me stop before I even began. "It's getting heavier" Frodo babbles as he fumbles to find his water and almost drinks the entire thing.

"Sam, What food have we got left? He needs energy" I ask quietly, worried about the answer. "Well let me see" Sam mumbles as he digs through his bag, taking out a package of food "Oh yes, lovely – Lembas bread. And look!" he digs even deeper "More lembas bread..." he sounded mildly disappointed but shrugged and handed a piece to Frodo and I before eating one himself. I hadn't eaten myself since we'd left the sanctuary of Galandriel's kingdom. I had to practically force myself to eat it but I was happy I did. We all needed energy for these trying times.

"I don't usually hold with foreign food, but this Elvish stuff, it's not bad." Sam says optimistically, making me and Frodo crack smiles. "Nothing ever dampens your spirits, does it Sam?" Frodo asks his friend sweetly. Sam seemed happy till he noticed the approaching rain clouds about to ruin our lovely relaxing sunshine.

Whatever that could was it drenched us within seconds and ruined my sense of direction. We'd been walking around in circles for hours in our cloaks till Frodo finally noticed, thorin hadn't been with me in a few hours, and it oddly worried me. We agree to just rest and finally Frodo seems to be having a peaceful sleep. We'd sheltered by the rocks and i'd promised to look out for them while they slept, though my eyes tempted to close on their own accord. I held my sword tightly as I sat against the rocks.

"You look exhausted. You need rest. Last time you pushed yourself this far you vomited black" a familiar voice told me. I smiled and glanced to thorin "your finally back... do ghosts have hobbies? Or do you just like to scare me for a few hours?.." I ask him softly. He shrugs and calmly sits in-front if me. "Even in death I uphold my duty to my people. But you are top priority since the fate of our home lies in the balance. If I was still in the world of the living, I assure you I'd be by your side" he reassured me before continuing "I was gone because we have an unwanted guest. An old friend of our burglar it seems". My eyebrows furrow as I try to think of what he means. Bilbo has never mentioned anything like that to me before. I stand up and look around. I nudge Frodo with my foot and put my finger to my lips to indicate he must be quiet. "Don't move.." I whisper as low as I can.

He wakes up Sam and repeats my actions. I back away and hide behind a rock in silence as I re-sheeth my sword and slip out my bow and arrow, aiming it at the figure slowly sneaking down the jagged rocks with murderous intent. I take a deep break and keep a close eye on it ready to shoot.

The creature begins to whisper to himself, but I can hear every word. "The thieves! The thieves! The filthy little thieves! Where is it? Where isss it? They stole it from us. My preciousss." It hisses, I almost lose my grip and fire early as I hear those last few words. Bilbo.. "focus.." thorin whispers sharply. I not and continue to listen to it's rambling as I get ready to kill it. "Curse them! We hates them! It's ours, it is... and we wantssss it!" It almost hell's As it reaches to grab the ring.

I fire my arrow to hit right between his eyes, but the hobbits suddenly leap up and pin the beast down. My heart almost stops as I watch the arrow tare through the back of Frodo's jacket but not reach the skin. I rush over and take my sword out once more, ready to kill it, whatever it was.

Suddenly it gets free and leaps into Frodo who is knocked to the ground. The beats wants the ring, it almost chokes him for it. I can't stand it while it's on Frodo! I don't know what to do. It rabidly attacks poor Sam when he tries to pry him off. I give up on my weapons and grab the beast, it was so frail and small I picked it up with ease. It tried to scratch me but I grabbed his arms and held him still, Frodo threatening it with his sword to its throat.

He spoke menacingly to the pathetic creature as it continued to struggle. "This is Sting. You've seen it before, haven't you... Gollum! Dont touch her or I'll cut your throat!" And with that he relaxes. I drop him and pant slightly, using a bit of the water to clean the scratches along my hands.

Sam had the plan to drag the beast with us and I didn't fight it, he thought he'd be useful and I valued his opinion, though thorin was less than pleased, making me keep a safe distance. The beast, apparently named Gollum, wails And writhes in 'pain' as he brings him with us. I stroke my mother's necklace and smile to myself as I think of forgotten memories to help me relax, my hands still stinging slightly. By the time I'd finally focused Gollum was begging for freedom and we'd stopped.

"No! That would kill us! Kill us!" He screams. Sam obviously regretting his original plan, yelled in response "It's no more than you deserve!". "That's slightly cruel isn't it dear Sam?" I ask him curiously, Frodo nodding and stating "Maybe he does deserve to die, but now that I see him, I do pity him.". The creature suddenly began to beg even more "We be nice to them if they be nice to us. Take it off us. We swears to do what you wants. We swears.". "Why does this thing keep speaking like a child?" Thorin asked me, but obviously I had no answers.

"There's no promise you can make that I can trust." Frodo responded calmly, the creature went pale. "We swears to serve the master of the preciousss. We swears on... on the precious!" Gollum begged before coughing his own name, which was odd. "The Ring is treacherous. It will hold you to your word." Frodo warned the beast, but it didn't seem to care as it responded "Yes... on the preciousss. On the preciousss.". He didn't even seem to listen really. He was so focused on that ring, it made thorin extremely uncomfortable. Poor thing..

After a few more kind words from Frodo, and surprisingly violent words and jerking of the rope around Gollum's neck from Sam, we discovered something. The beast has been to Mordor... that may explain his strange look and behaviour. What did this poor thing suffer? I don't even know what race he is.. he is so malnourished and odd. "You will lead us to the Black Gate." Frodo ordered simply as he freed Gollum. The creature looked so joyful as he ran off towards the black city, gesturing for us to follow.

Thorin crosses his arms and mumbles "this is only leading you to your death" but I ignored him, thinking he was only feeling upset over the gold sickness spreading over a simple ring.