Daughter of Dragons: A Lord of the Rings Fanfiction

The Pass of Caradhras

     "Spies of Saruman." She growled.

      "The passage south is being watched." Gandalf said. "We must take the Pass of Caradhras."

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     Boromir, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin suddenly noticed Valadhiel and looked at her in amazement.

     "Yes, I can shift into a wolf." She said. "Come, let's get going." She walked past them and headed for the Redhorn Gate.

     "Are you going to travel in that form?" Aragorn asked.

     "No, of course not." She glanced back at them before shifting into a snow leopard. "This is the form I will be traveling in."

     "You never have liked the cold." Legolas said with a small smile.

     "I only like the cold in the heat."

     "That doesn't make sense, lass." Gimli said.

     "Do I ever make sense?"

     The Hobbits tried stifling a laugh, but failed. Aragorn and Gandalf chuckled: Legolas smiled. Gandalf caught up to Valadhiel (as she was now in the lead) and walked alongside her. Valadhiel glanced back at Frodo.

     "So when did your adventure first begin, Master Baggins?" She asked him.

     "You can call me Frodo." He said quietly. "I left the Shire September twenty third. Sam, Merry and Pippin came with me, as you already know. Eventually we came to the Old Forest and traveled through it."

     "That one tree tried to eat me!" Pippin exclaimed.

     "I don't want to go through that forest again." Merry said.

     "We would still be there if not for Mr. Bombadil." Sam said.

     "Bombadil?" Valadhiel repeated. "You mean Tom Bombadil?"

     "Yes. Do you know him?" Frodo asked.

     "I've met him once or twice. He offered me a place to stay when the hunters were after me. Anyways, please, do continue your story."

     So Frodo continued his story- Merry Pippin and Sam occasionally adding things- about Barrow-Wights and things of the like. He also included his story of when he met Strider (Aragorn), and their encounter with the Ringwraith at Weathertop.

     "Sounds like you've already been through quite a lot." Valadhiel said when he finished his story. She stopped suddenly, causing everyone (but Legolas) behind her to bump into each other.

     "Why'd you stop so abruptly?" Gimli asked.

     "We're about to enter the Pass of Caradhras." She said, then looked back at them. "Sorry."

     The Fellowship continued walking. Gandalf was (of course) in the lead. Aragorn was walking right behind him if not beside him. He made sure to keep Frodo close to him. Boromir walked with Merry and Pippin, Sam walked alone a lot of the time, and Gimli was in front of Legolas and Valadhiel.

     Soon the snow was pretty deep. The Hobbits were almost buried in it. Legolas and Valadhiel, however, walked on top of the snow as if it was nothing. Frodo stumbled and fell.

     "Frodo!" Aragorn said in alarm.

     Aragorn helped Frodo to his feet. Frodo felt his neck and a look of alarm spread across his face when he realized the Ring wasn't there. Both he and Valadhiel scanned the area, then stopped when they found it lying on top of the snow. Boromir saw it too and picked it up by its chain.