PLOT: A young hobbit, Katilocks, is in love with Samwise Gamgee. When he
disappears with Frodo Baggins, Katilocks has to follow him to tell him her
true feelings. Caitlo, Katilocks best friend, gets pulled along into an
adventure...
Note: I just wanted to let you know that before you read this, a lot of the characters are based on me and my own friends (i.e. Katilocks=me, Katie, and Caitlo=my friend Caitlin, etc.)
Disclaimer-Although some of the characters are completely my own, (and I don't want you to take them from me!!) many of the characters are those of J.R.R. Tolkien.
CHAPTER 1
Katilocks Gamwich and Caitlo Greenhand were the best of friends among all hobbits, except for Frodo and Sam, but we will get into that later. In spite of the great distance between Hobbiton, Katilocks dwelling, and Brandybuck, where Caitlo lived, they often visited.
One day, Caitlo's parents just up and left! No warning at all! Caitlo stopped by the Brandy Hall and asked the mayor if he knew what happened. Yes, he did. "Mum and Papa Greenhand came in here ere the sun came up this morn!" the grizzled hobbit mumbled. "They says they're off to the sea! 'We want to soak up the sun in our remaining days!' they says to me, that's what they says."
Caitlo was saddened by this news. She traveled across the Brandywine to Katilocks's hole in Hobbiton, and explained to her the situation over jasmine tea and cheese. Katilocks was mortified by Mum and Papa Greenhand's treatment of their only daughter! "Well, that is that!" she cried, and took a big gulp of her tea. "We are both old enough hobbits! Already I have bought my own hobbit hole away from the Gamwich parents! I say, Caitlo, you move into this hole with me! It does seem too big for just me, I reckon!"
Caitlo was delighted. "I'll go back to Brandybuck and get all my things, then! Oh Katilocks, thank you! Thank you so much!"
Caitlo traveled back to Brandybuck, and with the help of her neighbors, began to load her belongings into a cart.
**************
Meanwhile, back in Hobbiton, Katilocks went down to the Green Dragon, where she worked along side Rosie Cotton, who SEEMED to be a formidable hobbit!
Katilocks was pouring ale for ol' Porto Bridger when Samwise Gamgee came in. Katilocks almost dropped Porto's mug! "Watch it, lass, watch that!" he slurred. "That be my ale!"
"Sorry, Bridger," Katilocks replied, passing Porto his full mug. "I lost my head for a second."
"And wouldn't THAT be a loss?" yelled Mosco Tussock over the loud chatter. "A pretty thing like that gone! Don't you be loosing your head, Katilocks my love!"
Katilocks worked the rest of the night, smiling fondly at all her well- known customers. But she couldn't help sneaking glances at Sam. He had a smudge of dirt on his left cheek from his gardening, and his skin was bright and tan from being out in the warm sun all day. Sam sat with Mr. Frodo Baggins and his Gaffer, and they were all laughing and having a good time. Sam, however, kept looking over at the bar. Katilocks couldn't help but notice!
When the time came, Katilocks helped Rosie Cotton clean up, and Rosie went to the door to say goodnight to the departing hobbits. Katilocks brought an empty ale barrel outside, just in time to hear Sam muttering to Frodo about Rosie. "Don't worry, Sam," Frodo said assuringly. "Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one."
"She does?" Sam said worriedly, looking back at Rosie.
Katilocks went back inside, but her spirits were dampened. So. He fancied Rosie, not her. She sighed. What could she expect? She took up her towel and started wiping the counter clean. Rosie came up to clean the mugs. "That Sam Gamgee," she chuckled. "He sure is a darling, isn't he?"
"A darling," Katilocks repeated monotonously.
"He fancies me, you know," Rosie said. Katilocks feigned surprise. "Yes, he does. He'll probably want to MARRY me. How silly. Like I'd marry a gardener. Tsk!"
Katilocks looked at her, but this time she really was surprised. "What's wrong with gardeners, I wonder?" she asked.
"Oh, well, take Sam. He's just so...so DIRTY! He had soil on his face all night! And under his nails, it was all grimy, and...he'd probably be sweaty all the time! I wouldn't marry someone like THAT. I'd rather marry someone like...like that Sackville-Baggins lad, what's his name?"
Katilocks shrugged, but inside she was furious. How dare this Rosie insult her Sam! He was as sweet as honey! "Goodnight, Rosie," Katilocks said shortly, walking out of the Green Dragon and going home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Katilocks walked away from the Green Dragon, miles away, Caitlo was preparing for the big move. She excitedly knocked on her neighbor, Bill Boffin's door. "Bill! I need your help, Bill!"
Bill had known Caitlo since she was a young child-hobbit running over the hills and through the grass. The Boffins and the Greenhands had lived next door to each other in Brandybuck as long as the records could show. Bill worked at the Brandy Hall for the mayor, and he had been there when Mum and Papa Greenhand has come in to inform the mayor of their leaving.
The aged hobbit opened the door and smiled widely at Caitlo. "My dear, sweet Caitlo! Of course I'd be willing to help you! Whatda ya need?" Caitlo quickly told him of her moving to Hobbiton, and his face fell. "But you can't do that, my lass!" he cried. "I've known you since you were yay-high- " he held his hand close to the ground, "and had nothing but a great mess of goldy curls on top of your head! We're breakin' history if you move! No more Boffins and Greenhands! No more!"
Caitlo smiled gently. "I will visit Bill, I will! You are like a second father for me. I just can't stand to be in that house any more. Every wall, every nook and cranny has some of Mum and Papa in it. Katilocks needs me in Hobbiton."
Bill understood, and he began to round up his many sons to help Caitlo pile furniture onto her father's old hay cart. Bill even gave Caitlo his two ponies to pull the cart. "Nobottle and Cotman will be happier out there in Hobbiton with you, my lass." Bill's wrinkled face spread into a smile. "Now, you come here, Caitlo! Give your Uncle Bill a farewell hug!"
Caitlo squeezed him tight, but simply said, "This is not farewell, Bill. I'll be back!" With that, she began to ride off on her cart, toward the Buckleberry Ferry and Hobbiton beyond.
***********
After a couple of hours of not seeing another soul, Caitlo was beginning to feel nervous. She had made this trip plenty of times before, but she always saw at least 10 hobbits on their way to or from Hobbiton. Even on days when she didn't see people, the birds were usually tweeting, or the squirrels chattering. But it was quiet, and it was unsettling.
Quite suddenly, she heard hoof beats approaching from behind. "Ah, finally!" she said to herself. "Someone to tip my head to!" She turned around with a smile ready on her face, but before she even saw any pony or rider, she felt a chill all over. The smile disappeared. As the hoof beats came nearer, she could tell it was no pony. It was a horse, which meant that there was a Big person on it.
Caitlo quickly turned around, but she heard, or rather felt, the rider drawing nearer. In no time, she saw from the corner of her eye a giant black horse, and a rider heavily cloaked. A black hood covered his face, but inside Caitlo heard a malicious, cold voice say, "Where can I find Baggins?"
"B-B-Baggins?" Caitlo stuttered.
The rider jumped off his horse. Even without the stead, he towered over Caitlo on her cart. She fell back in her seat and closed her eyes. "I know no Baggins!" she cried, trying to shield herself. "Let me be!"
She heard a hiss from inside the hood, and the rider getting back on his horse. Soon the sound of hoof beats disappeared into the distance behind her, and she opened her eyes. The sun blinded her, and was quite warm, and she had no idea why she had felt so cold earlier. But the looks of that Rider didn't reason well with her, and she hurried to Hobbiton.
*********
"A black rider?" Katilocks asked surprisedly, cutting some bread for Caitlo. "And it was a Big person? Caitlo, were your eyes deceiving you? It's quite warm outside, maybe the heat got to your head."
"No, Katilocks!" Caitlo looked over her shoulder, even though they were very much inside. "He was looking for Frodo. He asked where he could find Baggins."
"Are you certain?" Katilocks said unsurely. "What would a Big person be doing looking for Frodo? Why, he's as innocent as, as...as Sam!" She blushed at her own reference to him.
Caitlo, however, missed this sign of affection toward Sam. "I think," she said, her mouth full of bread. "I think we need to pay a visit to Frodo."
"Yes, you're right," Katilocks murmured. "Maybe we can get to the bottom of this."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Katilocks and Caitlo walked along the roads of Hobbiton toward Bag End. It was a warm night, and there was not a cloud in the fading blue sky. One or two stars twinkled above. Caitlo chattered on nervously about the mysterious Black Rider, but Katilocks just listened.
As terrifying as the Black Rider was, her mind kept wandering back to Sam. Sam liked Rosie. Of course he did, who didn't? "I don't," Katilocks thought angrily. "The little deceiving wasp. She's going to break poor Sam's heart!"
They finally reached Bag End, but the windows were dark. "Maybe we should come back tomorrow," Caitlo said quietly, turning around. "I don't think anyone is here."
"No, wait!" Katilocks whispered, grabbing Caitlo's arm. "Look, in that window over there!" As soon as she had spoken, they saw a shadow pass by the open window. They could see the soft flicker of a fire inside. "Come on, let's just go up to the door and knock."
They walked slowly up to the door, and Caitlo was about to pound her fists against it, when they heard a soft "Pssst!" The two hobbits looked to their left, only to see Samwise Gamgee, scrunched up under the open window. He waved his arms in warning.
"He doesn't want us to knock," Caitlo said to Katilocks. "Well let's go over to him, then! Maybe he knows something."
Caitlo and Katilocks crawled over to him, and Katilocks was about to ask what was going on, when they heard a deep, old voice inside. "There is one other that knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum. But the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him for. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words."
"Shire!" they heard Frodo say, horrified. "Baggins?! But that would lead them here!"
"Them?" Sam mouthed questioningly. But Katilocks and Caitlo both felt a terrible cold sweep over them. Who else could it be but the awful black rider? Inside they heard a hurried dialogue:
"Take it Gandalf! Take it!"
"No, Frodo!"
"You must take it! You cannot offer me this Ring!"
All three of them gasped. A ring? Why would Gandalf be so afraid of a ring? All of the sudden, Caitlo knew. It explained everything. The Enemy, the Riders, the Ring. It could mean only one thing!
She looked at Katilocks, but the look in her eyes showed that she had figured it out too. They heard Frodo rushing around, and Gandalf talking about hobbits.
"We better go," whispered Katilocks. "I have a feeling we've already heard too much." Sam and Caitlo nodded, and they all began to crawl away. All of the sudden, a staff came flying out of the window, and hit Sam right on the shoulder! He grunted and rubbed his sore shoulder, but in the next instant he was gone! Gandalf's long arm had pulled him in the window.
"Sam!" Katilocks said breathlessly, and was about to stand up and look through the window. But Caitlo pulled her down.
"Don't you understand? Frodo is going away! It's the One Ring, Katilocks. The One! Frodo's going, and now it looks as though Sam is going with him!"
Katilocks looked at her friend with a mixture of anger and understanding. She had to help Sam! He didn't feel the same way, true, but she had to help him! But she knew Caitlo just wanted to settle down. The past month had been hard on her, why would she want to go out after two hobbits?
Suddenly the door to Bag End opened. Gandalf walked out, looking to the east. He was joined by Frodo and Sam, who both had packs on their backs. "Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee!" said Gandalf.
The two hobbits nodded and began to walk away. When they were far enough away, Katilocks burst out of the bushes before Caitlo could stop her.
Gandalf jumped and turned around quickly, his staff ready. But his look softened when he saw her. "Katilocks! You should know not to give a man my age such a scare! What are you doing here?" His eyes narrowed. "How long have you been here?"
"We heard it all, Gandalf! All of it!" Katilocks walked right up to him, and tilted her head back to look up into his face. "And I need to help them! I have to! You sent Sam because he knew, why won't you send us as well?"
Gandalf went down on his knees to look Katilocks in the eye. "I do not feel right sending two hobbits such as yourselves into the wild. I did not even want to send Frodo, but with Sam looking after him, I'm sure it will be alright."
"But who will look after Sam??" Katilocks cried, exasperated. "You cannot expect someone to look after someone but have to also look after themselves! Gandalf, let me go! Let US go!!"
Gandalf looked at Caitlo, who was looking sadly at her feet. "Your companion does not wish to go, Katilocks, and I could not send you out in the wild by yourself. I'm sorry. I just...I just can't. Goodbye, my dear hobbits. Fare thee well."
Katilocks watched with teary eyes as Gandalf climbed up onto his horse and rode away. "Come on, Katilocks," Caitlo said softly. "Let's go back to the hole."
Note: I just wanted to let you know that before you read this, a lot of the characters are based on me and my own friends (i.e. Katilocks=me, Katie, and Caitlo=my friend Caitlin, etc.)
Disclaimer-Although some of the characters are completely my own, (and I don't want you to take them from me!!) many of the characters are those of J.R.R. Tolkien.
CHAPTER 1
Katilocks Gamwich and Caitlo Greenhand were the best of friends among all hobbits, except for Frodo and Sam, but we will get into that later. In spite of the great distance between Hobbiton, Katilocks dwelling, and Brandybuck, where Caitlo lived, they often visited.
One day, Caitlo's parents just up and left! No warning at all! Caitlo stopped by the Brandy Hall and asked the mayor if he knew what happened. Yes, he did. "Mum and Papa Greenhand came in here ere the sun came up this morn!" the grizzled hobbit mumbled. "They says they're off to the sea! 'We want to soak up the sun in our remaining days!' they says to me, that's what they says."
Caitlo was saddened by this news. She traveled across the Brandywine to Katilocks's hole in Hobbiton, and explained to her the situation over jasmine tea and cheese. Katilocks was mortified by Mum and Papa Greenhand's treatment of their only daughter! "Well, that is that!" she cried, and took a big gulp of her tea. "We are both old enough hobbits! Already I have bought my own hobbit hole away from the Gamwich parents! I say, Caitlo, you move into this hole with me! It does seem too big for just me, I reckon!"
Caitlo was delighted. "I'll go back to Brandybuck and get all my things, then! Oh Katilocks, thank you! Thank you so much!"
Caitlo traveled back to Brandybuck, and with the help of her neighbors, began to load her belongings into a cart.
**************
Meanwhile, back in Hobbiton, Katilocks went down to the Green Dragon, where she worked along side Rosie Cotton, who SEEMED to be a formidable hobbit!
Katilocks was pouring ale for ol' Porto Bridger when Samwise Gamgee came in. Katilocks almost dropped Porto's mug! "Watch it, lass, watch that!" he slurred. "That be my ale!"
"Sorry, Bridger," Katilocks replied, passing Porto his full mug. "I lost my head for a second."
"And wouldn't THAT be a loss?" yelled Mosco Tussock over the loud chatter. "A pretty thing like that gone! Don't you be loosing your head, Katilocks my love!"
Katilocks worked the rest of the night, smiling fondly at all her well- known customers. But she couldn't help sneaking glances at Sam. He had a smudge of dirt on his left cheek from his gardening, and his skin was bright and tan from being out in the warm sun all day. Sam sat with Mr. Frodo Baggins and his Gaffer, and they were all laughing and having a good time. Sam, however, kept looking over at the bar. Katilocks couldn't help but notice!
When the time came, Katilocks helped Rosie Cotton clean up, and Rosie went to the door to say goodnight to the departing hobbits. Katilocks brought an empty ale barrel outside, just in time to hear Sam muttering to Frodo about Rosie. "Don't worry, Sam," Frodo said assuringly. "Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one."
"She does?" Sam said worriedly, looking back at Rosie.
Katilocks went back inside, but her spirits were dampened. So. He fancied Rosie, not her. She sighed. What could she expect? She took up her towel and started wiping the counter clean. Rosie came up to clean the mugs. "That Sam Gamgee," she chuckled. "He sure is a darling, isn't he?"
"A darling," Katilocks repeated monotonously.
"He fancies me, you know," Rosie said. Katilocks feigned surprise. "Yes, he does. He'll probably want to MARRY me. How silly. Like I'd marry a gardener. Tsk!"
Katilocks looked at her, but this time she really was surprised. "What's wrong with gardeners, I wonder?" she asked.
"Oh, well, take Sam. He's just so...so DIRTY! He had soil on his face all night! And under his nails, it was all grimy, and...he'd probably be sweaty all the time! I wouldn't marry someone like THAT. I'd rather marry someone like...like that Sackville-Baggins lad, what's his name?"
Katilocks shrugged, but inside she was furious. How dare this Rosie insult her Sam! He was as sweet as honey! "Goodnight, Rosie," Katilocks said shortly, walking out of the Green Dragon and going home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Katilocks walked away from the Green Dragon, miles away, Caitlo was preparing for the big move. She excitedly knocked on her neighbor, Bill Boffin's door. "Bill! I need your help, Bill!"
Bill had known Caitlo since she was a young child-hobbit running over the hills and through the grass. The Boffins and the Greenhands had lived next door to each other in Brandybuck as long as the records could show. Bill worked at the Brandy Hall for the mayor, and he had been there when Mum and Papa Greenhand has come in to inform the mayor of their leaving.
The aged hobbit opened the door and smiled widely at Caitlo. "My dear, sweet Caitlo! Of course I'd be willing to help you! Whatda ya need?" Caitlo quickly told him of her moving to Hobbiton, and his face fell. "But you can't do that, my lass!" he cried. "I've known you since you were yay-high- " he held his hand close to the ground, "and had nothing but a great mess of goldy curls on top of your head! We're breakin' history if you move! No more Boffins and Greenhands! No more!"
Caitlo smiled gently. "I will visit Bill, I will! You are like a second father for me. I just can't stand to be in that house any more. Every wall, every nook and cranny has some of Mum and Papa in it. Katilocks needs me in Hobbiton."
Bill understood, and he began to round up his many sons to help Caitlo pile furniture onto her father's old hay cart. Bill even gave Caitlo his two ponies to pull the cart. "Nobottle and Cotman will be happier out there in Hobbiton with you, my lass." Bill's wrinkled face spread into a smile. "Now, you come here, Caitlo! Give your Uncle Bill a farewell hug!"
Caitlo squeezed him tight, but simply said, "This is not farewell, Bill. I'll be back!" With that, she began to ride off on her cart, toward the Buckleberry Ferry and Hobbiton beyond.
***********
After a couple of hours of not seeing another soul, Caitlo was beginning to feel nervous. She had made this trip plenty of times before, but she always saw at least 10 hobbits on their way to or from Hobbiton. Even on days when she didn't see people, the birds were usually tweeting, or the squirrels chattering. But it was quiet, and it was unsettling.
Quite suddenly, she heard hoof beats approaching from behind. "Ah, finally!" she said to herself. "Someone to tip my head to!" She turned around with a smile ready on her face, but before she even saw any pony or rider, she felt a chill all over. The smile disappeared. As the hoof beats came nearer, she could tell it was no pony. It was a horse, which meant that there was a Big person on it.
Caitlo quickly turned around, but she heard, or rather felt, the rider drawing nearer. In no time, she saw from the corner of her eye a giant black horse, and a rider heavily cloaked. A black hood covered his face, but inside Caitlo heard a malicious, cold voice say, "Where can I find Baggins?"
"B-B-Baggins?" Caitlo stuttered.
The rider jumped off his horse. Even without the stead, he towered over Caitlo on her cart. She fell back in her seat and closed her eyes. "I know no Baggins!" she cried, trying to shield herself. "Let me be!"
She heard a hiss from inside the hood, and the rider getting back on his horse. Soon the sound of hoof beats disappeared into the distance behind her, and she opened her eyes. The sun blinded her, and was quite warm, and she had no idea why she had felt so cold earlier. But the looks of that Rider didn't reason well with her, and she hurried to Hobbiton.
*********
"A black rider?" Katilocks asked surprisedly, cutting some bread for Caitlo. "And it was a Big person? Caitlo, were your eyes deceiving you? It's quite warm outside, maybe the heat got to your head."
"No, Katilocks!" Caitlo looked over her shoulder, even though they were very much inside. "He was looking for Frodo. He asked where he could find Baggins."
"Are you certain?" Katilocks said unsurely. "What would a Big person be doing looking for Frodo? Why, he's as innocent as, as...as Sam!" She blushed at her own reference to him.
Caitlo, however, missed this sign of affection toward Sam. "I think," she said, her mouth full of bread. "I think we need to pay a visit to Frodo."
"Yes, you're right," Katilocks murmured. "Maybe we can get to the bottom of this."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Katilocks and Caitlo walked along the roads of Hobbiton toward Bag End. It was a warm night, and there was not a cloud in the fading blue sky. One or two stars twinkled above. Caitlo chattered on nervously about the mysterious Black Rider, but Katilocks just listened.
As terrifying as the Black Rider was, her mind kept wandering back to Sam. Sam liked Rosie. Of course he did, who didn't? "I don't," Katilocks thought angrily. "The little deceiving wasp. She's going to break poor Sam's heart!"
They finally reached Bag End, but the windows were dark. "Maybe we should come back tomorrow," Caitlo said quietly, turning around. "I don't think anyone is here."
"No, wait!" Katilocks whispered, grabbing Caitlo's arm. "Look, in that window over there!" As soon as she had spoken, they saw a shadow pass by the open window. They could see the soft flicker of a fire inside. "Come on, let's just go up to the door and knock."
They walked slowly up to the door, and Caitlo was about to pound her fists against it, when they heard a soft "Pssst!" The two hobbits looked to their left, only to see Samwise Gamgee, scrunched up under the open window. He waved his arms in warning.
"He doesn't want us to knock," Caitlo said to Katilocks. "Well let's go over to him, then! Maybe he knows something."
Caitlo and Katilocks crawled over to him, and Katilocks was about to ask what was going on, when they heard a deep, old voice inside. "There is one other that knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum. But the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him for. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words."
"Shire!" they heard Frodo say, horrified. "Baggins?! But that would lead them here!"
"Them?" Sam mouthed questioningly. But Katilocks and Caitlo both felt a terrible cold sweep over them. Who else could it be but the awful black rider? Inside they heard a hurried dialogue:
"Take it Gandalf! Take it!"
"No, Frodo!"
"You must take it! You cannot offer me this Ring!"
All three of them gasped. A ring? Why would Gandalf be so afraid of a ring? All of the sudden, Caitlo knew. It explained everything. The Enemy, the Riders, the Ring. It could mean only one thing!
She looked at Katilocks, but the look in her eyes showed that she had figured it out too. They heard Frodo rushing around, and Gandalf talking about hobbits.
"We better go," whispered Katilocks. "I have a feeling we've already heard too much." Sam and Caitlo nodded, and they all began to crawl away. All of the sudden, a staff came flying out of the window, and hit Sam right on the shoulder! He grunted and rubbed his sore shoulder, but in the next instant he was gone! Gandalf's long arm had pulled him in the window.
"Sam!" Katilocks said breathlessly, and was about to stand up and look through the window. But Caitlo pulled her down.
"Don't you understand? Frodo is going away! It's the One Ring, Katilocks. The One! Frodo's going, and now it looks as though Sam is going with him!"
Katilocks looked at her friend with a mixture of anger and understanding. She had to help Sam! He didn't feel the same way, true, but she had to help him! But she knew Caitlo just wanted to settle down. The past month had been hard on her, why would she want to go out after two hobbits?
Suddenly the door to Bag End opened. Gandalf walked out, looking to the east. He was joined by Frodo and Sam, who both had packs on their backs. "Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee!" said Gandalf.
The two hobbits nodded and began to walk away. When they were far enough away, Katilocks burst out of the bushes before Caitlo could stop her.
Gandalf jumped and turned around quickly, his staff ready. But his look softened when he saw her. "Katilocks! You should know not to give a man my age such a scare! What are you doing here?" His eyes narrowed. "How long have you been here?"
"We heard it all, Gandalf! All of it!" Katilocks walked right up to him, and tilted her head back to look up into his face. "And I need to help them! I have to! You sent Sam because he knew, why won't you send us as well?"
Gandalf went down on his knees to look Katilocks in the eye. "I do not feel right sending two hobbits such as yourselves into the wild. I did not even want to send Frodo, but with Sam looking after him, I'm sure it will be alright."
"But who will look after Sam??" Katilocks cried, exasperated. "You cannot expect someone to look after someone but have to also look after themselves! Gandalf, let me go! Let US go!!"
Gandalf looked at Caitlo, who was looking sadly at her feet. "Your companion does not wish to go, Katilocks, and I could not send you out in the wild by yourself. I'm sorry. I just...I just can't. Goodbye, my dear hobbits. Fare thee well."
Katilocks watched with teary eyes as Gandalf climbed up onto his horse and rode away. "Come on, Katilocks," Caitlo said softly. "Let's go back to the hole."