Adventure 2
Climbing Caradhras...
Elrond sent his scouts out and two months later, we set off. As a parting gift, Bilbo gave me the coat of mithril-mail and the short sword Sting that he got on his own adventure. Aragorn's weapon, the Sword of Elendil, was reforged and named Anduril. Legolas's weapon was the bow and arrow, Gimli's was an axe, and my fellow Hobbits each got their own sword. (We also took Bill the Pony, for Sam.)
After three days of walking, we reached the foot of Caradhras. There we paused and I heard Aragorn and Gandalf speaking, though I was not supposed to. They were uncertain about our journey up the mountain, and needed another plan, should this one fail. Gandalf came back, and announced that we would travel up Caradhras and go through Redhorn Gate. Boromir suggested that we each take a stick to carry, should we all get cold.
We started up the mountain. At first is as easy, and we all went fast. Then the snow fell harder and faster; Aragorn commented how odd it was that snow was falling so far south on the mountain. The suggestion of the Enemy creating this snow was passed around, and over all agreed upon. It did not help matters though.
We found a sorry excuse for a shelter, but stayed there nonetheless. Bill stood in front of us Hobbits, protecting us from the fast falling snow. I am not sure how long we were standing there, but I began to fall in a warm and hazy sleep. I began a dream where I was talking to Bilbo, but all of a sudden I was lifted up off the ground by Boromir. Gandalf gave us all a mouthful of miruvor, the cordial of Imladris, a present from Elrond. After everyone in the Company had a mouthful, a new strength and hope was felt by all. Boromir suggested we make a fire, and no one protested. We didn't care if we were being watched.
It did not look like a bright future up the rest of the mountain. Snow had stopped falling, but it had piled into drifts almost as tall as a Man. Boromir and Aragorn, dug a path through the snow because it was not quite as tall as they were, and they were still strong. Legolas followed them. After an hour or so they came back. Boromir and Aragorn carried us Hobbits through the path, as the snow was still too high for us to walk through.
We reached a great drift across the path and all agreed that we could go no further. As if Caradhras knew we had admitted defeat, the snow lightened as we walked back down the mountain.
