Lord of the Ants

By ElenweMorwen and Aduial

Time: After the Fellowship has left Rivendell, but before they reach the Mines of Moria

Disclaimer: We own none of these characters, and sadly, never will. They were all created by J. R. R. Tolkien. The only thing we take credit for here, is the plot of this story.

Summary: Who knew that one innocent prank could turn Middle Earth upside down? Gandalf develops an intense dislike of ants, Saruman takes all the credit, and Galadriel thinks the Fellowship has gone completely insane.

Chapter Three

Gandalf and a Thistle

Boromir looked incredulously at Gandalf. All this commotion over some tiny insects? He couldn't believe it. He sat down at the edge of the camp and put his head in his hands, muttering. "This Fellowship is going mad. And it has only been two weeks! This will be a very long journey."

Meanwhile, Aragorn and Legolas were trying, unsuccessfully, to get Gandalf to calm down. Legolas covered his ears, yet again, as Gandalf let out another loud stream of Dwarvish curses. Aragorn looked at Gandalf, hoping that he had misunderstood the wizard.

Gimli let out a yell of rage. "Did you just say my mother was a ------"

"Gimli!" Aragorn exclaimed. "Not in front of the hobbits!"

Gimli lunged at the wizard, his axe at the ready. His leap was cut short by Boromir yanking the axe from his hands. Gimli fell in a rather spectacular and undignified fashion. Legolas turned around so Gimli would not see him laughing and further anger the already irate Dwarf.

Legolas and Boromir were spared Gimli's tirade by Gandalf falling face first into a rather large thistle. Merry and Pippin had gotten under Gandalf's feet while trying to learn his new dance. This calmed Gandalf sufficiently enough to allow Legolas and Aragorn to brush the remaining ants off of Gandalf.

Frodo looked curiously at the scene before him and Sam. Shaking his head slightly, Frodo turned to Sam and said, "I wonder who the culprit is."

Sam turned red and muttered something inaudible.