A Risk And What It Brings

"Your friends are dead"

Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin and Merry made their way across the grassy plains.
Aragorn stopped, followed by the others.
He looked around, and ducked behind a big rock, followed by the others.
Many men on horses marched past them, and Aragorn jumped out and yelled to them.
"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"
They all stopped and circled the group, a blonde man stepping forward.
"Eomer?"
"Boromir, son of Denethor? What brings you here with a man, dwarf, elf and children?"
"Children??" exclaimed Pippin in an offended tone.
"We come on a personal task. We were pursuing some Uruk Hai who took our friends."
Eomer gave them a curious look.
"We pursued the Uruks earlier this morning, and slaughtered them".
"Did you see two hobbits with them?" inquired Merry.
"We saw none. We slaughtered them all. I am sorry, but in my opinion your friends are dead."
"What did you do with the bodies?" asked Gimli.
"We put them into a pile and burned their carcasses."
He whistled, and three horses came to them.
"Take these, and see if you need."
Boromir nodded and took a horse with Merry, and Pippin mounted one with Aragorn, and Legolas with Gimli.

After a while, the six came to the pile of burned carcasses and inspected them.
Pippin and Merry didn't look with them, out of fear they'd find the Ring and two hobbit carcasses.
"They are not among the dead," said Aragorn.
He looked at the ground, and saw a small trail of blood leading into the forest. It was too red to be Orc or Uruk blood.
Aragorn, followed by Gimli, Boromir, Legolas, Pippin and Merry, went into the woods and searched for signs of the hobbits.
Legolas listened intently. His elf senses warned him of something.
He turned and shot a bow, and a shining figure in white deflected it with a staff.
The six companions pit their hands over their eyes, blocking the light.
"Who are you?" asked Boromir aggressively, drawing his sword.
"Are you friend or foe?"
"Lie down your arms," boomed the deep voice. "Rest now, and know that your quarry is safe."
The figure stepped forward.
It was Gandalf. Clothed in white.

Treebeard walked and talked, carrying Frodo and Sam. He told them many things, about the forest, about the nearby tower of Orthanc, of Gandalf, and his culture. He seemed saddened at the loss of the Entwives.
The hobbits told him also about their cultures, and their mission to Mordor.
Frodo urged Treebeard to help them to Mordor.
"Do not be so hasty, Master Baggins."
"Hasty? The fate of the world lies in his pocket!" explained Sam.
Treebeard hummed and put the two down.
"What concerns me is the behavior of Saruman. Many Ents have disappeared. They have simply vanished. Always smoke is coming from Orthanc."
Sam thought to himself.
"Take us there!"
"What?" asked Treebeard.
"Take us there."
"Well, if you insist. Saruman is quite the fellow, we will be welcome."
"Not as much as you'd think," mumbled Frodo.

Gandalf explained to the group that he had defeated the Balrog, but died along the mountainside. He was brought back to complete his mission, and that Theoden was being poisoned by Saruman.
"Gondor is in danger as well. Sauron is plotting against it. The White City will be weak without a king."
He looked at Aragorn.
Boromir spoke up.
"I must go and warn my father. Who wishes to accompany me?"
"Denethor would not see to me kindly," said Aragorn.
"Always have I wished to seen the White City in its glory," said Gimli. "I will go with you."
"Perhaps he could return home with two halflings," said Gandalf, looking at Pippin and Merry.
"But... but what about Frodo and Sam?" asked Pippin.
"They are quite fine, they are in good care. A friend of mine is in good care of them."
Merry nodded, and before mounting the horse with Gimli, turned to the wizard.
"Oh, Gandalf?"
"Yes?"
"It is good to see to it that you are back."
Gandalf smiled at the hobbit, and got onto his horse Shadowfax, and Aragorn got onto his horse as well.
Boromir, Gimli, Pippin and Merry rode off to Gondor.
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf rode fast to Rohan.

Treebeard came upon Isengard, and stopped.
He saw the destruction that was done to the nearby Ents.
"Many of them were my friends. They had voices of their own!"
Treebeard roared in anger, and more Ents stepped forward.
"A wizard should know better!" shouted Treebeard.
"What is going on?" asked Frodo fearfully.
"It is likely we go to our doom, little hobbits. It is likely that this is the last march of the Ents."