Disclaimer: I don't own and this is my first trip down the LOTR lane. I've only seen the movies and read part of the series so please be patient with me. Story is over 50 chapters so far and I'm still working on it, will try to release a chapter once a week – if not more. Thanks and I hope that you enjoy, just try it!

One last thing – I want to give a huge shout-out to my beta Lady Crack, thank you for answering all my pesky questions and always getting back to me as soon as possible. You are great and I'm dedicating this fic to you, just wanted to say thanks for everything! Now…let us begin our tale, shall we?

Glow of Dawn

Silently they waited.

The man made himself comfortable in the old, beaten wood of their shared booth. His back rested against a wall, a black hood keeping his face out of view from all as he leisurely enjoyed smoking his pipe. Though most there would not know it, a female was among the local drunkards. In the same booth as her familiar companion and mentor, the girl sat on the other side of the table between them, her senses intent on all that surrounded them. One could not tell though, as like the man, she kept her figure and face hidden beneath a heavy dark blue cloak.

Ah, there it was. She made a simple gesture towards the man, as silence continued to reign between them, informing him that their targets had arrived at last. Long before the man could hear them, the girl picked up the burdened footsteps of a smaller race. At the man's barely noticeable nod of acknowledgement, she slipped quietly from the table. Taking a seat at the bar and ordering an ale; she lay in wait, listening to the four hobbits asking for Gandalf the Grey.

Most curious indeed. So the whispered rumors had been right. They were meant to be here in Bree after all, to become the disruption of the Nazgûl's hunt.

Long had the two of them been roaming the northern lands as rangers. Taking on quests as time went along. No one remembered her, only a few actually knew her, and that was just fine with the female warrior. Remaining in the shadows is what she did best. Her past was an ill one, painted with gory stories of death and mysteries, in her time beside the man she had become an extension of his blade.

The wizard Gandalf was one of the few that she was in confidence with, and when his request came to watch over the Shire, to look for two hobbits in Bree, she was ready to partake in a new adventure. An adventure she and her mentor would learn to be the saving of Middle-earth.

A good hour had passed with the four hobbits, not two but four, sitting rather quietly amongst themselves. The great thing with her senses was that she did not need to look in their direction to know what they were doing. Her sharp ears heard the rough sound of two chairs scratching against the floor as two hobbits made their way to the bar, quite close to her in fact, and ordered drinks for themselves. While one went straight back to the table with his drink, she heard the other linger and eventually inquire about the larger drinks he'd seen the men having. A pint, the girl hid a smile, the wee hobbit was in for a night of fun wasn't he? And it was to her brief amusement when the other drinking hobbit made a fuss upon seeing his friend's much larger drink than his own and quickly went to get his own.

"That fellow's done nothing but stare at you since we've arrived."

She stiffened after picking up the conversation between the two non-drinking hobbits, so one at least had noticed Strider's gaze upon them. The barkeep was then stopped and he hesitantly gave them the ranger's name. It was of no consequence, for all of them were to be soon acquainted with each other. As was Gandalf's will. What had delayed the grey wizard, she didn't know, they had been expecting him as well as the half-lings.

And then evil was set against them.

"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins, he's over there."

Her trained ears heard the sharp jump of a chair being pushed back and a hobbit was suddenly standing. Quickly she rose from her seat and made her way towards the other side of the bar.

"Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side. And my third cousin twice removed on his father's side, if you follow me."

The hobbit in question pulled on the other's sleeve, "Pippin!"

"Steady on Frodo!" and just as she rounded the corner towards them, the hobbit Frodo fell backwards, a golden ring tossing and spiraling down towards him as he lay there.

Still she walked, in the very edge of her vision she saw Strider raise as well, his gaze locked onto the golden band and its descent. It was unbelievable how the ring of power was openly displayed like that. It should have been well hidden on the fallen hobbit's person. Just as she neared Frodo, he vanished into thin air, bringing her up short in slight wonder. Her eyes then caught her companion's and the search for the missing hobbit commenced. This was not good. Not good at all.

Strider was the one to find him just after he reappeared under a table, safe from the eyes of most in the bar. Thankfully most of them were all far too drunk to believe what they'd just seen. She watched as Strider led the hobbit upstairs, probably into his room for the night. Quickly her gaze sought out the remaining three hobbits, and quickly she rushed as one grabbed a chair, another with a candlestick, and the last moving towards the staircase with only his mere fists in hand. She followed after them, catching up just as the bare handed one flew open the door. Both her hands at the ready for the twin blades strapped on her back.

"Let him go or I'll have you, Longshanks!"

Over the heads of the hobbit Strider sent her a slight smile just as he re-sheathed his own blade.

"You have a stout heart little hobbit," Strider told him, "but that alone won't save you."

And with that she quickly yet easily took the chair and candlestick from the other two's grasp. The three turned in stunned surprise at seeing another behind them, previously unnoticed. She ushered them forward and closed the door silently behind her, taking another look to make sure no eyes followed them.

Strider took a step towards their captive friend, "You can no longer wait for the wizard Frodo," he glanced toward his ward who gave him an agreeing nod, "They're coming."

"Who are you!?" cried out the hobbit that had the first pint.

"They call me Strider," he gave them.

"And you," the other said, the one who called out Frodo's given name," who are you?"

Eyeing the others she pulled off her hood and called out to them, "You may call me Light. Now please, your names? Other than Frodo that is, by now all of Bree know who he is."

The one who spoke his friend's name flinched, "I'm Pippin and that's Merry," he pointed out his close friend, "and that's Samwise Gamgee with Frodo there."

"How do you know of the wizard we seek?" Frodo asked in caution.

It took a bit of time to explain things to Frodo and his traveling companions, and a scant two hours later the four hobbits finally fell into a restless sleep. Strider kept his lookout through the window while Light made her way back down to the bar to make sure the name of Baggins didn't go further into the village. It had though, and Light made her way out into the dark rain to follow the whispers. Thinking on her feet she made her way into the room where the hobbits were supposed to be staying, and hoping she could delay their hunters by setting their beds to appear as though hobbits slept there. Out into the rain again, she walked slowly around the inn. Within thirty minutes her fear came true. She heard the great gate of Bree crash down and sudden gallops of the ringwraiths enter the small city.

Swiftly she flew back into the inn and up to the room, warning the barkeep as she hurried along, managing to get him to take cover quickly. Entering Strider's room she walked to him, pulled down her hood and said, "They are here."

He nodded towards the roaring blaze behind him, "Dim the fire and watch the door, keep your ears open Light."

Nodding in understanding, she threw a glass of water onto the fire, satisfied to see its glow lowered enough to hide any moving shadows they might stir within the room. She then took her spot as sentry near the door, one hand at the ready on her shoulder, near one of the two blades she kept on her back if needed.

And then silence. With her trained hearing she knew they were in the room the hobbits were originally given. With a deathly shrill, she nearly their felt blades falling into the mattresses. Soon the screams of the wraiths filled the air when they found nothing but empty beds, their unnatural sounds waking the hobbits from their troubled sleep.

"What are they?" Frodo asked in a quiet voice.

"They were once men," Strider glanced at him before looking back out through the window, "Great kings of men. Then Sauron the deceiver gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness and now they are slaves to his will." He eyed the wraiths leaving the inn, his gaze soon went to Light's and noticed her posture slightly relax, so they were leaving Bree then, "They are the Nazgûl, ringwraiths, neither living or dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring, drawn to the power of the one. They will never stop hunting you."