Sam grunted in his sleep. Something hard was digging into his back, it felt like a tree root.
When did I fall asleep beside a tree?

He cracked open one of his eyes and was met with the green leaves hanging on the branches of a tree. When he sat up he looked down behind him and sighed in annoyance. Sure enough, he had been sleeping on a tree root.

What he didn't understand was how he had gotten to this place in the first place? The last thing he remembered was running from the Black Riders with a tall man who had taken him and his friends captive.

Wait- Frodo!
Sam scrambled frantically to his feet, kicking up dirt in his desperate attempt to locate his friend. Gandalf had told him not to leave Frodo's side and look at what he'd done! Frodo was missing, and after searching the area he was in he found that Merry and Pippin were missing at well.

What am I going to do?
Sam gripped the sides of his head as tears as frustration filled his eyes. He was alone in a strange forest, he didn't know where any of his friends were or if they were in the hands of the Black Riders or the men who had captured them in Bree.

Speaking of that, what happened to my kidnapper?
Sam wondered as he began to slowly turn around in a circle. There was no sign of the tall man who had ran with him out of Bree when the Riders had attacked.

Had he been killed or was he out trying to find his missing companions? If so why hadn't he tied him up to make sure that he didn't run away?

He was nearly tempted to do it. Waiting around for a mysterious man whom he had seen fight off several armed men with nothing but his hands and a knife was not something he fancied doing.

I should just leave.
Sam took a few steps forward before coming to an abrupt stop.
But what if he comes back and follows me? Then he'll tie me up for sure!

Sam turned back to the tree he'd awoken by and started walking back towards it.
Maybe I'll just wait for him here. Then I can demand to know who he and his friends are and why they took us.

Sam paused as he came to the trunk of the tree and stared at the rough bark in exasperation.
What are you thinking Sam? He won't tell me anything! He'll probably just laugh and drag me into some forest and kill me.

Sam blinked and thunked his head against the tree.
I'm already in a forest.
Sam sighed and turned away from the tree. His mind had been made up, he wasn't going to stand around and wait to be killed. Not when Frodo was somewhere with some stranger who most likely wanted to kill him.

I'll try and find Frodo first, and if I come across the others I'll....
Sam felt despair creeping into his heart. What was he supposed to do? He wasn't a warrior! He didn't know how to use a sword and he certainly wasn't fierce or intimidating at all.

How was he supposed to rescue them? How was he even supposed to find them?

Sam clenched his hands into fists. He knew that his chances of finding his captive friends were slim, nearly impossible. But he refused to stand around and do nothing would only make him a traitor in his own eyes.

He'd rather the Black Riders kill him then even think about leaving his friends behind. Sam took a deep breath and started walking forward again. He noticed with slight annoyance that some wet leaves and grass were sticking to his feet at he walked.

He also noticed for the first time how dirty he truly was. Of course he had been out in the rain, and he had fallen in the mud several times during his flight from the Black Riders. That thought brought him back to his captor, why had he just left him out here in the middle of nowhere?

What if he didn't leave?
Sam thought with a shudder.
What if he's watching me right now?

Sam began to use more caution as he walked. He jumped at the slightest noise, expecting that every snap of a twig or rustling of leaves would belong to the tall man with the knife.

Sam reached his right hand over his left shoulder to adjust the strap that held his pack in place, only to find that his pack was gone.

He stopped and reached for it again, as if it would suddenly appear, but he had no such luck. His pack; with all of his food,water, everything, all of it gone.

And I have no doubt who took it.
For reasons he couldn't understand the tall man had taken his pack and left him in the forest. Why would he do something like that? Why go through all the trouble to capture him just to rob him and dump him in the middle of a forest?

Sam groaned and continued his miserable trek alone through the forest. So far this "adventure" they had set out on wasn't going well at all.

The sound of running water caught his attention and a sudden desire for water overcame the hobbit. He was thirsty, and since he didn't have any supplies he would need to get water while he could.

Sam headed in the direction where the sound was coming from. He told himself that he would only stay here for as long as he needed and then continue his search for his friends.

A small stream came in sight and Sam couldn't help a small grin of relief pass onto his face. He was about to emerge from the treeline and drink his fill when he saw something that instantly turned his body into ice.

His heart thumped in his chest and his hands began to shake and sweat. Crouching beside the stream, just a few feet away from where he stood, was the tall man who had captured him.

His back was turned to him and his dark green hood still covered his head. A bow and quiver were laid carefully on his right, and Sam's pack was on his left. As he peared closer he saw that the man was filling one of his waterskins.

Every muscle in his body screamed for him to run and that was exactly what he was about to do. Just as he was about to bolt something truly odd happened. The man stood up, not exactly to his full height, and grabbed Sam's pack which he placed the filled waterskin into.

This action wasn't what had stopped Sam from running, it was the fact that the man was singing, and there was something in his voice that seemed to calm Sam's nerves. The man's was clear and smooth, soft and light, it was unlike anything Sam had ever heard before.

The man took notice of the hobbit watching him from the trees. Instead he stood up to his full height and turned his head to the east as he brushed off his hands, all the while singing a song that was quite plain, yet enchanting at the same time.

"Where does your journey end oh river? Where does your winding path lead from here? Through forests you roam, under mountains made of stone. How long until you've reached the end? And from where did it begin?"

Sam gasped as the man reached up and removed his hood. Strands of gold appeared framing a youthful face that held two, bright blue eyes. What Sam couldn't stop staring at though, were the delicately pointed ears that adorned the sides of his head.

Sam's eyes widened to the point where they felt like they would burst out of their sockets. It wasn't a man who had taken him, but an elf. An elf who had finally noticed him standing amidst the trees.

Sam gave a startled yelp as the elf's saphire eyes burned into his own. He tripped over his own feet in an attempt to run and collapsed with a loud *thump* as his body hit the ground.

Joyful laughter filled the air and it took him a moment to realize that it was the elf who was laughing. Sam lifted his head just as the golden haired elf came to stand over him.

His eyes were alight with mirth and sparkled with amusement as he looked down at him. Sam could feel his face turning red in embarassment, yet he didn't know why.

"What is wrong penneth? Have you not seen an elf before?"
The elf tilted his head to the side and crouched down as he extended a hand towards the fallen hobbit.

"No-er-I mean-I've seen some before but- um..."
Sam's stuttering was met with more laughter from the elf.
"You are an odd one penneth, very odd indeed!"
The elf's tone wasn't mocking, yet his cheerful demeanor was causing all kinds of confusion for Sam.

"I just mean that, you're not how I imagined elves being like."
Sam mumbled as he cautiously gripped the elf's hand. He grunted in surprise as the elf nearly flung him into the air before as he pulled him onto his feet.

"Oh! Forgive me penneth, I had forgotten how light you hobbits are."
The elf chuckled as he brushed some leaves and twigs out of Sam's hair.

"I aplogize for leaving you on your own, but seeing that you were nearly out of food and water I tool it upon myself to find some before we continued on our journey."

His words caught him off guard and Sam had to relay them over again in his mind. It was all too much for him. Being chased out of Bree by the Black Riders, waking up alone in a forest to find a singing elf who had his belongings, on top of worry for his friends, had finally pushed him over the edge.

"What do you mean our journey? Who are you? Why did you bring me out here? And where are my friends?!"
Sam started breathing heavily and his face paled when the elf's smile faded.

What was he going to do to him? Hurt him? Kill him? Sam didn't want to believe that this elf would harm him, but after seeing him fight and knowing what he was capable of made him almost certain that a beating wasn't far off.

Yet to his complete and utter surprise the elf calmly began to answer his questions as he turned around and began to walk back to the stream.

"You do not have to worry about your friends, they are quite safe with my companions. Though they may not look or smell like it, they are good and very noble people."

Sam found himself trotting after the elf in order to find here the answers to the rest of his questions. He found it hard to believe that those two men and the dwarf were good, especially after how they had taken them from the inn.

"As for me my name is Legolas."
Legolas bent down to retrieve Sam's pack and hand it to the hobbit, he accepted it tentatively, still not sure if he should trust him or not.

"And I brought you here in order to hide you from the Ringwraiths, the ones who hunt your friend for that which he carries."

Sam nearly dropped his pack in shock.
"You know about-"
He began but was interupted by Legolas holding a hand up.
"Yes. I know about the Ring, and that Frodo is the one who carries it."

Legolas turned around and retrieved his bow and quiver. As he secured them onto his back he continued to speak to Sam, but in a far graver tone.

"That is why we were waiting for you in Bree. Gandalf asked my companions and I to ensure that you reached Rivendell safely. We had hoped the he would be there to lead us himself, but I fear that something has happened to keep him from coming."

Sam slid his arms through the straps of his pack, shifting its weight as he stared up at Legolas in amazement.

"You know Gandalf?"
He asked in surprise.
Legolas nodded his head.
"Aye, and believe me when I say that I wish he was here now to guide us. We may have lost the Ringwraiths but they will most likely be after us again soon."

"You mean the Black Riders?"
Sam gulped.
Legolas nodded again as a look of anger flashed in his eyes.
"Sauron's most feared and evil servants, I am not certain but I belive that may think that you carry the Ring."

Sam stuttered in shock as Legolas began to lead him away from the stream at a brisk pace.
"Why would they think that?"
He finally managed to get out.

"I am not certain. But there were five of them in Bree and I know that two of them went after Frodo, two came after us, and one of them went after our other companions. I don't know why they wouldn't all go after Frodo, but I belive that they will hunt down whoever they can in order to find out where Frodo is."

Legolas' words unsettled Sam as he struggled to keep up with the elf's long strides.
"But we don't know where Frodo is, or do you know where he is?"
Sam asked trying to keep himself from gasping for breath.

"I do not know his exact location. But I do know where we are to meet with the others. If Frodo is with Strider, he is the man with the dark hair, they will be on their way to out meeting place. We will find him there penneth, I can guarantee it."

After that Legolas fell silent. Sam huffed as he jogged to keep up with the elf. The thought of getting to Frodo was what kept him going, but despite his determination he could not hide the fact that he was exausted.

"I never did get your name penneth."
Legolas said after a long period of silence.
"It's-gasp-Sam."
He managed to respond out of breath.

"That is a nice name."
Legolas commented. Sam hardly took notice of the elf's compliment, but he did notice him slow his stride to where he was walking alongside him.

Sam looked up at him gratefully and he smiled warmly.
This Legolas was certainly different from how he had always imagined elves being.

He used to think of elves as wise, ancient, beings who were solemn and quiet. Yet Legolas seemed to laugh alot and seemed more "wild" than the elves his mind had come up with.

He was completely and utterly different.

And for some reason,
Sam thought with a smile.
I'm glad that he is.