Not an Elf

Chapter 8

I don't own nothin'. (Éomer above.)

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Rin began his regular routine of hopping out of the boat, grabbing onto all three, and dragging them to the shore with everyone else still aboard, all while the rest of the fellowship looked on in mild amusement.

"We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn told them as he put his pack down.

"Oh, yes?! It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better!" Gimli declared much to the Hobbit's (and Rin's) alarm. "Festering, stinking marshlands far as the eye can see!"

Why do I ever listen to you Kuro.

The cat swiped at his face.

"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength Master Dwarf."

"Recover my...?! Grrrrrr." Gimli turned his back on the Ranger, muttering. Rin sniggered.

"We should leave now." Legolas argued.

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness."

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near... I can feel it!"

Rin bit his lip before nodding. "I can too."

"Where's Boromir?" Kuro asked in his mind.

A split second later Merry asked, "Where's Frodo?"

Rin's eyes widened and he took off into the forest line, Kuro growing to a larger size to search too.

He realized that he had overshot slightly when he heard the clash of battle behind him. He spun and ran back in time to see-

He growled and jumped, unsheathing his sword, which quickly found itself in the back of the monster. It growled and turned to him, crossbow having misfired, and swiped even as it's body was being consumed by flame.

Rin lept back from the unexpected swing, pulling out the Kurikara sword and swinging it wildly at another one of the monsters. The battle went on for only a minute or so, Rin completely obliterating the orcs out of anger. He stumbled back to the boats, where Aragorn and Boromir were. Rin saw with regret that Boromir had an arrow wound in his sword arm, probably from the Orc that Rin had tackled.

"Where's Frodo?" He panted out softly, winded from the battle. Boromir just shook his head. "I am such a fool."

Aragorn turned to Rin, and was about to speak when Rin caught sight of Sam and Frodo, nearly ¾ of the way across the river.

Rin looked at the ranger. "They're leaving, shouldn't we follow?"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Legolas and Gimli enter the area.

Aragorn shook his head. "Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands."

Rin's eyes widened.

He wanted to argue. He wanted to argue so badly.

"He's right, you know."

... I know.

He did. He wasn't the smartest person out there, but he had seen it. The tired wariness that had developed in Frodo's eyes. He didn't know if it was the Ring, or the Nazgûl's wound, or just the situation, but if Aragorn said that the Hobbit had to go ... then he would listen.