Frodo comes to still clutching the Ring in his hand. Sam, Merry, and Pippin are standing over him and he is before a bright fire. Frodo asks his companions where the "Pale King" is and they do not understand him. Frodo is in great pain from the wound in his shoulder. Strider is gone, but he had told the Hobbits to keep Frodo near the fire, keep him warm, and that he would soon return. When Strider does return, he tells them that he does not see any sign of them anywhere in the area and cannot understand why they left so suddenly and did not finish the attack. Strider also remarks that it is possible that they are just waiting for the wound to work its evil into Frodo, because.....
