The camp is attacked by a band of Orcs and Boromir is killed. Before he breathes his last breath, Boromir tells Aragorn that the Orcs have carried off the other Hobbits (Merry and Pippin). The remaining members of the party search through the bodies of dead Orcs and find many weapons, but not any clue as to where the hobbits were. They put Boromir's body on a raft and set it out to sail, having no time for any other kind of funeral. .
Aragorn tells Gimli and Legolas that he thinks Frodo and Sam have gone alone to Mordor and that they themselves should follow the Orcs and not Frodo. So the trio of warriors continue on their journey, traveling in search of the rest of the missing company.
The Riders of Rohan.
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On their journey, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli come across a pile of slain Orcs and come to the conclusion that the Orcs have quarreled among themselves. Still there is no sign of Merry and Pippin. Later, they find Hobbit footprints and a broach clues that their captured friends have passed this way. .
After many days of pursuit without sign of trail or hope, Aragorn sees riders coming their way. The riders are men of Rohan and their leader is Eomer. Eomer and his riders tell the men that they have already slain the Orcs but that there were no Hobbits with them. When Aragorn tells Eomer that both Gandalf and Boromir are dead, Eomer is sorry. He tells the hunters that the men of Rohan are no friends of either Sauron or Saruman, the wizard who was aiding in the attack on Boromir's people. He offers the hunters horses, asking only that once their deed is accomplished, they return.
After bidding farewell to the men of Rohan, the three hunters again pursue their Hobbit friends. At night they rest under some trees in the forest of Fangorn. Gimli, who is on guard, sees an old man but before they can discover who he is, he disappears. The horses are gone as well. Gimli tells the others that he thinks the old man was Saruman, who has taken or scared away their horses.