Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli
"Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us."
Legolas

Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli make the difficult decision to leave Frodo and Sam to their own fate and to pursue Merry and Pippin in an attempt to rescue them. As they travel across the rough terrain they realise that the Uruk-hai that captured their friends are taking them to Isengard to deliver them to Saruman. Despite the fact that they are running both day and night with very little rest, they do need to sleep. The Uruks, on the other hand, do not pause for rest, they run on and on through day and night.
The companions refuse to give up hope and as they follow the tracks of their friend's captors one day Aragorn stoops and finds Pippin's broach. He knows that it would not have come loose on it's own and that it must have been cast down by someone, although they do not know who. Nonetheless it gives them just enough hope to keep on going.
Finally, as the trio crosses the plains of Rohan they meet a troop of riders of the Rohirrim, with a leader tall and fair haired. At first conversation between the groups is tense as Gimli offends the Rohirrim leader. But they soon learn that Éomer is a friend, not a foe, although he gives them the news that they were dreading to hear.