LotR: Pippin's Point of View

V: Attack on Weathertop

"How do we know this 'Strider' is a friend of Gandalf?" Merry grumbled, bundling his cloak around him.

"We have no choice but to trust him." Frodo replied.

"But where is he leading us?" Sam asked.

Strider overheard. "To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the house of Elrond."

"Did you hear that? Rivendell. We're going to see the Elves." Sam said excitedly.

We walked for about an hour more when we hobbits stopped an began to prepare for second breakfast.

Strider turned around to look at us. "Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall."

"What about breakfast?" I asked him.

Strider looked confused. "You've already had it."

"We've had one, yes." I corrected him. "What about second breakfast?"

Strider turned and began walking again.

I watched him go confusedly.

"Don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip." Merry said to me, lugging his pack back on and continued walking.

Oh no! "What about elevenses?" I pressed. "Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?" I ran up to him.

"I wouldn't count on it." Merry said as Strider threw an apple over the hill.

Merry caught it and patted me on the shoulder. Another apple came flying over the hill and hit me in the face.

"Pippin!"

We walked all day, not stopping for anymore meals, much to my dismay.

My feet were aching by the time the sun was just beginning to sink.

A ruin loomed in front of us.

"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sûl." Strider said. "We shall rest here tonight."

I sighed in relief.

We climbed up to the base of the watchtower and laid out our things. I completely crashed onto my pack, eager to give my feet and legs a rest.

Strider laid down a bundle of cloth and unrolled it. Swords.

"These are for you." Strider tossed one to Sam. "Keep them close." One to Merry.

Frodo and I picked ours up. "I'm going to have a look around." Strider stood up as we inspected our swords. Merry pulled his out of the scabbard as I looked at the hilt of mine.

"Stay here," Strider walked away.

We let Frodo go to sleep and Merry, Sam and I decided to have a little midnight bacon, tomatoes, and sausages to make up for the missed meals today.

We started up a fire and began cooking.

"My tomato's burst." I murmured.

"Can I have some bacon?" Merry asked.

"Want a tomato Sam?" I asked him, offering it.

Frodo sat up and spun around.

"What are you doing?" He asked incredulously.

"Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon." Merry replied.

"We saved some for you Mr. Frodo." Sam held it out to him as he ran over.

"Put it out you fools! Put it out!" Frodo hurriedly steppe on the flames, reducing it to smoldering ashes.

"Oh that's nice," I said sarcastically. "Ash on my tomatoes."

A scream filled the air. Uh oh.

We ran to the edge of the outcropping we were sleeping on. Looking down, we saw for Black Riders advancing up the hill.

Frodo unsheathed his short sword. "Go!" He cried as we followed suit.

We scrambled up the steps to the second floor.

We instinctively made a back to back circle, watching the many entrances and broken walls of the ruin.

There were strange statues and the darkness pressed in all around the watchtower.

For I think the first time in my life, I was mortally afraid.

The first one appeared out of the mist. Frodo saw it first.

I heard the blade slid out of the scabbard as the Black Rider stepped forward.

We turned as all five appeared there in front of us, swords drawn.

They surrounded us in a semicircle, and pulled their blades back to thrust into our hearts.

"Back, you devils!" Sam cried and lunged forward, slashing his sword. They outnumbered him though, and pushed him out of the way, to the side.

Merry and I made a wall in front of Frodo, but the metal clad hands shoved us out of the way painfully.

I landed on the wall and slid to the ground.

I heard a sword clatter to the ground. Whose it was, I'll never know. All I knew was my blade, my only weapon, was on the stones, away from me, and I had no strength to find it and help Frodo.

I struggled to get up, but fell to the stones again.

Another blade was drawn from a scabbard. The noise was shorter, meaning it was a dagger.

I lifted my head just enough to see Frodo staring into the good of a Rider, and then vanished from sight.

He was obviously still visible to the Riders though, for they didn't falter at all.

The one with the knife reached out his free hand in the direction of the invisible Frodo. The Rider's hand retreated, not getting what he wanted.

I tried getting up again, knowing what was about to happen as the Rider pulled back his knife.

Falling to the floor again, I heard an agonized, strangled scream as the Rider drove his blade into what I guessed was Frodo.

Then, Strider jumped out of nowhere and wielded a flaming torch and sword with shocking skill.

Frodo reappeared and I finally found it in myself to begin to crawl over to Frodo and Sam, who had rushed over as soon as he appeared.

"Strider!" Sam yelled. "Help him Strider."

Strider picked up the knife by Frodo's side. "He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade." As he inspected it, the blade disintegrated in the wind. Strider threw down the hilt.

"This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs Elvish medicine." With that, Strider loaded the still screaming Frodo onto his shoulders. We followed, grabbing our dropped swords.

We ran down the watchtower stairs and down the slope surrounding it. Strider got two more torches and handed one to us.

"Hurry!" He urged us.

"We're six days from Rivendell!" Sam said. "He'll never make it!"

Frodo gasped and shouted into the cold night air:

"Gandalf!"

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Okay, so here is the next chapter! I know I just updated last night, but I didn't have anything to do tonight, so I just decided to update (plus I get to watch Lord of the Rings, so that's a perk! ;)