River of Stars

Chapter Three

They continued their journey the next day. They walked, Strider in the front, hobbits in the middle, and Abis at the back, until Aragorn stopped them suddenly.
"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sul," he said, turning back to them as a wind whipped his hair into his face. "We shall rest here tonight."
Once they were settled, Strider gave each of the hobbits swords. Abis however, did not pay much mind to this.
Something about the old watchtower felt incredibly wrong in a way he could not place. It was almost completely enclosed but he still felt so exposed. Even more so than he did walking the entire past days or sleeping the last night.
He adjusted his grip on Attraverso, the dwindling sunlight reflecting weakly on the metal parts of the shield.
When Strider left the cave he tapped Abis on the arm, and the younger ranger followed close behind. More than he did not want to leave the hobbits on their own, he wished not to have them all caught unaware in the night if his fears rang true.
"Do you think they'll be okay?" Abis asked absently, looking around the dead area as wind tore at his hair and clothes.
"They're resilient. And hopefully smart enough to not get themselves killed," Strider responded as he wandered ahead. "Frodo at least has some sense about him, and Sam is loyal and brave."
"And Merry and Pippin?"
"Hopefully they've learned a thing or two from bumbling around like squirrels on mushrooms for years." Strider cracked a small smile as he spoke, and Abis couldn't help but snort.
"You're really not as funny as you think you are, Aragorn."
"I'm plenty funny, you just have no sense of humor. Come on, we can't leave those four alone too long."
Abis shook his head, an indulgent smile on his face as they continued to search the area.
Everything seemed normal. Barren, yes, but normal. Abis's fears were just beginning to subside when he turned back to see flickering firelight coming from the watchtower and heard the screech of the Ringwraiths.
Strider heard it too, and the two of them shared long suffering glances before racing to the watchtower to protect the hobbits. The adult hobbits who apparently could not be trusted not to burn the house down. Or rather, to not summon Nazgul with a campfire.
Abis and Strider split, going different directions near the top of the tower so they circled the hobbits and wraiths, each on one side.
They were so discreet, and the wraiths so focused, that both of them were able to go undetected.
Frodo had fallen to the ground, the other hobbits swept aside as one of the Nazgul put their sword to the little hobbit's chest. Then he simply disappeared.
Strider struck from the back, launching at the Nazgul with his sword in one hand and a torch in the other. The riders shrieked at the flames and blade, and as soon as the young hobbit reappeared, Abis seized his opening. He dove forward, shield raised, snatching Frodo off the ground and pulling him away from the wraiths and the fight.
"FRODO!" Sam cried from where he and the other hobbits hid. Abis took Frodo that way, dropping him with Sam as he ran to help Strider.
As Strider continued to swing at the wraiths they only grew more and more enraged. The screams made Abis feel like the world was ending around him. Flames locked high at the sky as the Nazgul's capes caught, but Aragorn laid now on the ground, vulnerable.
Abis swung his shield at one of the wraiths, knocking it from its steed. He repeated the blow, over and over again, until he backed the wraith over the side. As he turned he saw Strider stab his torch into the last of them as it burst into flames.
"Strider!" Sam called desperately. "Dodger! Help him!"
Strider ran to kneel next to Frodo's side as Abis corralled the hobbits a little ways away. Aragorn picked a blade that lay discarded next to the little hobbit.
"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade. This is beyond my skill to heal." As Strider picked Frodo up Sam turned desperately to Abis, who could only shake his head. Frodo screamed as he rose.
"He needs Elvish medicine, all we can do is get him there."
The group ran from their remaining opponents on the ground, moving as fast as they could towards Riverdell. Frodo was carried on Aragorn's shoulder, the screeches of the Ringwraiths close on their heels as they fled.
"We're six days from Rivendell, he'll never make it!" Sam cried.
"Hold on, Frodo," Strider whispered, ignoring Sam's protests.
Finally Frodo screamed again, this time for Gandalf, and Abis's heart clenched. The Grey Wizard was not coming to help them.
"You will be alright Frodo," Abis assured him quietly. "I won't let you die."

"He's going cold!" Sam yelled from Frodo's side.
"Is he going to die?" Pippin whimpered.
"He is passing into the shadow world," Strider said. "Soon he will be a Wraith like them."
"We will not let that happen. Your friend will be alright." Though Abis made the promise, not even he truly believed it.
The screeches of the Ringwraiths continued, turning more to howls.
"They're close," Merry said.
"Sam, do you know the Athelas plant? Kingsfoil?" Sam nodded uncertainly.
"Kingsfoil, that's a weed."
"It may help slow the poison. Hurry." Strider turned to Abis. "Dodger, go with him."
Abis nodded, him and Sam rushing off to find the plant. Then the familiar light footfalls of an elven horse reached him ears, and Abis stopped Sam just as soon as they'd gone.
"Mister Dodger, we have to find the-"
"No we don't. Help is here." And sure enough an eleven face he knew all too well came to the clearing.
Arwen, daughter of Elrond, knelt by Frodo's side, murmuring elvish over him. After she healed what she could, she turned back to Aragorn, murmuring quietly to him. Most of what Abis caught was in elvish, but as they spoke they lifted Frodo onto Arwen's horse.
"What are they saying?" Pippin asked. Abis waved him off.
From what Abis could gather from the little elvish he knew, the two were deciding which would ride with Frodo now and which would stay with the others.
"Strider," Abis interrupted, and both of them turned to him. "Let Arwen ride. She is faster and more skilled than you are, now is not the moment to protect your pride or her. Frodo could die. Arwen, do not listen to him, he is stupid."
Arwen smiled sweetly at Abis before turning back to Aragorn.
"He is right. I do not fear them, let me ride." Strider finally nodded, and Abis did not miss his whisper in Elvish or the brief clasp of their hands.
She lifted herself onto her horse and looked back at them one last time.
"Arwen," Strider said softly. "Ride hard. Don't look back."
Arwen nodded to him, then whispered a few words to her horse. Then, as suddenly as she had appeared, Arwen was gone.
"What are you doing?" Sam yelled. "Those wraiths are still out there!"
Abis put a gentle hand on the hobbit's shoulder and shook his head just twice.
"It is Arwen. She will be fine."