It was a particularly quiet night on the streets of Bree. Their seemed to be a sense of danger on the air that night causing most of the inhabitants of this

village on the hill to go home early and lock their doors and windows. And why shouldn't they feel threatened, they have good reason what with all the talk

of strange folk abroad and not to mention the tales of disappearing hobbits that had spread though the town like wildfire. All this gave the night an eerie and

queer feeling. These occurrences were more then enough to cause the streets of Bree that would usually be occupied at all times, even during the late

hours of the night to disperse. The muddy roadway leading to the inn of the Prancing Pony however had one occupant, a lone hobbit by the name of

Meriadoc Brandybuck who for reasons unknown to all save Merry decided to go out for a stroll on this foreboding night.

Merry was strolling up the road from the Prancing Pony toward the north gate entrance to Bree whistling a soft melody to himself looking up at the

stars. Merry's peace however was interrupted as he was startled out of his daze by a shadowy figure in the corner of his eye, for there had been few people

on the road he was not expecting to encounter anyone. His head shot to the left trying to get a better look to see who in fact the shadowy figure was. But

before he could get a well enough look the being slid away out of sight into a near by alleyway across the road. Merry had an idea of who this being was

but he was hoping that he was wrong. Merry knew it to be foolish but really just could not help himself, he followed the figure into the dark ally. Merry could

not find it around the corner or the next corner and soon he found himself very turned around in the inner workings of Bree's alleys and back roads. His

wondering paid off when he heard voices conversing to one another through mutters and hisses. He could not comprehend the words being said and he did

not dare creep any closer. Merry was now gripped with terror he turned to leave, to try to run back to the seemingly safe inn. He lifted his foot to

begin his search for safety and fell.

Piper Pickthorn was one of the other rare people who ventured out that night, but not by choice. She had been jumping at her shadow and her hazy

reflection in windows her whole walk home. Piper knew very well that it was not safe to be out this late on any night let alone this one or any of the nights

recently for that matter. Piper knew about all the strange things that had been happening recently since she worked in a tavern she was able to eavesdrop

on all the local gossip and news. That said tavern was where she was walking home from at this moment. Piper let out a soft gasp jumping back holding her

heart as a black cat darted out in front of her chancing a mouse. Piper covered her face cursing under her breath. Cursing her boss for being the cruel man

that he was for making her work so late when he knew very well how dangerous it was for her to walk home, cursing the fact that she was the only one of

her friends that knew about the heightened danger of the past few months since it was considered ill advised to tell adolescent girls such thing, that it could

frighten their silly little heads. Admittedly she was terrified right know which just caused her to start cursing herself for being so scared. Piper had always

prided herself on being better then her friends because she didn't get scared of the folk tales and legends the boys would tell to frighten them. Piper wrapped

her arms around herself and continued walking. It was times like these that she wished something bad would happen just so she could prove herself or at

least have a interesting story that would amaze her friends. Piper turned a corner and looked up at her surroundings she had come off a main road onto a

smaller side one near Bill Ferny's house. Off in the distance she could see a huddled group upon closer inspection she realized it was two what appeared to

her to be men and another smaller figure laying on the ground. Piper was about to turn away and continue on her way, street fights and drunken brawls

were common sights in Bree after all. But then she looked back on her earlier thoughts, this is something she wanted to happen. Piper gritted her teeth and

turned on her heels and walked hastily toward the group. While she was walking she was thinking a million different things going over scenarios in her mind

about what could possibly happen each scenario getting worse then the last. Piper scolded herself for thinking so much and shouted at the people. She was

now about half of the way to the group so she began to pick up the pace half walking half jogging to the spot . Piper arrived at the spot and looked around

for the two bigger men but they had disappeared.

"Figures," she whispered to herself and looked down at the person on the ground. It was a hobbit she realized with blond curly hair and he appeared to

be unconscious. Piper kneeled down hiking up her red dress so the hem wouldn't touch the mud. She nudged him gently with the tips of her fingers when

that didn't rouse him she nudged him more fiercely. When that didn't work Piper bent down lower, she moved her brown hair out of the way and held her

head just above his to check if he was even breathing. Before she could make her diagnoses a pair of hands pushed her away from the hobbit on to her

back in the mud. Piper let out a half disgusted half surprised gasp. She looked over at the hobbit, he was clutching his chest breathing heavily.

"I..(heave)…thought I had…(heave)..fallen into deep water." the hobbit struggled to say. Piper gave him a appraising look. Before she could ask if

something was wrong with him, he shot to his feet and was looking around madly.

"Please you must help me. Do you know where the Prancing Pony is?" the hobbit asked her, a pleading look on his face.

"Well yes of course," Piper replied

"You must show me. I got myself a bit lost I am afraid and we must hurry they might come back."

"They? Who are they ?"

"Theirs no time please," the hobbit was begging know desperate he tugged on her forearm pulling her up out of the mud, " We must go now if they come

they could kill us." This statement caused Piper to snap out of her fun little daze. Suddenly saving a poor little hobbit didn't sound so fun.

"What? Kill us! No there must be a mistake," Piper was near hysterics now. She was looking around searching for any sign of the men that might try to kill

them the whole time all that was going through her mind was 'this was a bad idea, this was a very bad idea,'.

"Miss please we must get to the inn,"

"Its this way," piper pointed up the road and started running.

The hobbit and the girl were sprinting through the streets. Piper didn't even care about the mud any more she was skidding and falling ever few steps. All

she wanted was to find the inn and whatever safety the hobbit thought was there. The pair sprinted up and turned a corner only to come face to face with

another hobbit. Piper let out a shrill scream, surprised she covered her mouth.

"Oh thank you Nob its you," Merry sighed, thankful it wasn't something else.

"Well you don't need to thank me for being me its quiet easy. But besides that Mr. Butterbur sent me out to fetch you. He said your friends were quiet

anxious you had not returned yet." Nob said.

"Yes well that's all well and good but we really must be hurrying." Merry said back a little winded and him and Piper were still in quite a panic. Merry started

to run past Nob, Piper following behind him.

"Well sure they were anxious but there's really no need to run." Nob called trotting along after them.