Green hills breathe farewell A ring weighs more than it seems Shadows stir behind

Four cloaks leave their home Laughter fades into silence Leaves listen in fear

Night presses closer Hoofbeats whisper on cold roads Stars dare not look down

Frodo grips the chain Heart pounding louder than drums Darkness knows his name

Sam walks one step back Hands ready, loyal as earth Roots hold when winds scream

Merry scans the road Eyes sharp as foxes at dusk Danger hums softly

Pippin bites his fear Jokes crack like twigs under boots Courage tastes like salt

Black riders draw near Breath like frost upon the grass Hope hides under leaves

They slip off the path Mud and thorns embrace them tight Silence saves their lives

A sniff in the dark Evil bends, seeking the Ring Hearts freeze—then it passes

Rain erases tracks Streams carry secrets away Feet bleed, still they go

Lanterns glow ahead Stone walls, smoke, a breathing town Bree rises from mist

Doors and murmured ale The Pony’s sign creaks in relief Fire swallows fear

Cloaks fall, ale is poured Shadows linger at the door Songs tremble but live

One road ends in warmth Another coils yet to come Fate waits—watching still