Quick note: This story is dedicated to Avengers14. She is a very talented writer and a huge supporter of my story!

Gimli raced after the hobbits as they charged through the forest. He called for them to slow down and at the same time wondered how they were able to outrun him.

He finally caught up with them just as he came over a small hill. When he looked down he saw Merry and Pippin surrounded by orcs.

Gimli drew his axe and charged down the hill towards the hobbits. The first orc he encountered quickly fell under his axe. He swung again taking off another orc's arm.

The orc's howls of pain were quickly silenced as Gimli finished it off.

Gimli turned towards the two hobbits and saw an orc towering over them.

He prepared to defend the hobbits, when suddenly Merry sprang up and dug his sword deep into the orc.

Merry pulled out his sword and watched as the orc fell dead at his feet. Pippin looked at the dead orc, and then up at Merry, and then back at the orc.

"That was close." Pippin stared wide-eyed at his cousin, who was gasping for breath.

Gimli looked around in dismay as he realized that one of the hobbits was missing.

"Where's Sam?"
He asked them.

Pippin looked around in confusion. "I thought he was right behind us."

"He must've gotten seperated."
Merry scanned the area they were in.

All the orcs they had encountered were dead, but he doubted that they were all gone.

Merry also realized that something else was amiss.

"Where's Boromir? And Legolas?"
Gimli hadn't noticed that the man and elf hadn't been following them.

"They must've fallen behind." Gimli told them grimly.
"We have to go back for them!" Pippin drew his sword and looked desperately at Gimli.

"What about Sam?"
Merry asked. "And Frodo and Strider. They're still out there!"

Gimli looked at the two hobbits and struggled to make a decision.
"We'll go find Boromir and Legolas. They can help us find them faster."

The hobbits nodded and following Gimli they raced back to camp.

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When they arrived the dwarf and hobbits stared in horror at what they saw.

Legolas was lying motionless on the ground. His forehead was bleeding and surrounding him were three orcs, one who was about to stab him with his sword.

Before the orc could move Gimli threw his axe. It hit the orc right in the head and the beast fell dead.

The two other orcs turned and faced the dwarf, but without warning Merry and Pippin ran foward with their swords drawn.

They crashed into the orcs and dug their swords deep into them. The orcs each jerked around for a minute until finally they were still.

Gimli ran over to the hobbits and retrieved his axe from the orc's head. He then went over to inspect the elf.

"Is he dead?" Pippin asked fearfully. Gimli studied the elf and sighed with relief as he saw that the he was still breathing.

"No lad. He's alive."
Pippin looked down at Legolas and asked the question they all had on their minds.

"How did this happen?" Pippin looked up and glanced around the area.

"And Boromir, where is he?" Gimli exchanged a look with Merry whose eyes widened.

"You don't think-" He was cut off by the sound of orcs crashing out of the trees.

"Stay behind me!" Gimli gripped his axe and prepared to fight the orcs. Merry was immediately at his side with his sword drawn.

Pippin also drew his sword but stayed behind them. The young hobbit was determined to protect his friend.

The orcs charged at them with swords, clubs, and spears. A few had bows with cruel black arrows.

Gimli knew at once that the situation was hopeless. They were outnumbered and even though Gimli could handle himself pretty well, not even he could last forever against all of these orcs.

'The one time I actually need the elf and he's unconcious.' Gimli continued to fight the orcs, swinging his axe at any that got too close.

"Gimli!" The dwarf turned towards Pippin, his eyes widened in horror as he was carried off by an orc.

"Pippin!" Merry screamed and tried to reach his cousin, but was also caught and carried away.

Gimli tried to fight his way towards them but there were too many orcs.

He was forced back until he was standing right in front of Legolas. The elf still showed no sign of waking. Gimli faced the orcs and continued swinging his axe.

If he was going to die he was going to take a few orcs with him.

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Sam hadn't meant to get seperated from the others. One moment he had been right behind Pippin, and the next he was running from orcs.

'What a fine mess you've gotten yourself into Samwise Gamgee.'

Sam kept running, the sound of the orcs was getting closer and closer.

Sam didn't dare look behind him. He concentrated on putting as much distance between himself and the orcs as much as possible.

Sam suddenly cried out in pain as he fell foward. He had tripped over a tree root that had been sticking out of the ground.

'Get up!' Sam struggled to his feet but wasn't fast enough. The orcs were upon him in an instant. He closed his eyes and waited for them to finish him but instead they picked him up and carried him away.

'Why haven't they killed me yet?'
Sam's question was soon answered when he saw another group of orcs carrying Merry and Pippin.

There was no sign of the others. Where was Frodo? Had they killed the others? The orcs met in the middle of a clearing and quickly began talking in their foul language.

Sam couldn't understand what they were saying but he could see Merry and Pippin, both equally as terrified as he was.

Merry looked at Sam.
"Legolas and Gimli are surrounded by orcs, we don't know where Boromir or
Fro-" His words were cut off when an orc struck him in the head.

Pippin cried out in fear and Sam looked on in shock. 'Gimli and Legolas are trouble. We don't know where Frodo, Strider, or Boromir are. And we've been captured by orcs. How can this get any worse?'

Sam suddenly crashed.to the ground. The orc that had been holding him fell down as well. Sam looked at the orc and saw the end of a knife sticking out of the orcs head.

"Run!"
A voice shouted.
Sam scrambled to his feet and ran just as an orc reached for him.

"Frodo!" Sam raced towards him and also saw Strider.

The ranger had another knife in his hand and was about to throw it at the orc who held Pippin.

The orcs suddenly split into two groups. One carried Merry and Pippin away while the other one raced towards Aragorn and the hobbits.

Aragorn shoved Frodo and Sam behind him and drew his sword.

Frodo looked at Sam and asked, "Where are the others?"

Sam remembered what Merry had told him and quickly told Frodo.

Frodo looked in horror at Sam and then at Aragorn. The man had heard what he had told Frodo and he became fill with fear.

"Run!" Aragorn turned around and shoved the hobbits foward. He urged them on as the orcs pursued them. Frodo thought about the others, and Aragorn. The orcs would kill them.

"They're not after you." Frodo gasped. Aragorn looked down at the hobbit.
"What do you mean?"

"They're here for us." Sam finished Frodo's thought and began to stop running. Frodo slowed down as well.

"What are you doing?" Aragorn reached for the hobbits but both began backing away.

"You have to get the ring back!" Frodo told him, tears began to fill his eyes.

"You're not doing this." Aragorn once again tried to grab the hobbits but they turned and headed back the way they came, towards the orcs.

"Find the others! You have to stop Boromir!" Aragorn watched in horror as the two hobbits raced to the pack of orcs that were just now catching up to them.

They shouted and ran past the orcs who immediately chased after them. The hobbits lead the orcs away from Aragorn.

They ranger watched in disbelief as the hobbits disappeared.

His first impulse was to follow them, but Frodo's words hung heavy over his head.

Save the others, get the Ring back.

With anger in his heart and tears in his eyes, he raced back to camp.