Happy October! I hope you, the readers, enjoy the rest of this five-shot story.

Wolf-napped, One-Shot

As Sam and Merry helped him stand back up, Frodo heard his gardener asking him in concern, "Are you all right?"

In relief, Merry told Sam, "It's good my cousin's alive, or else the wolves would have taken him away."

"Mr. Meriadoc!" said Sam, stunned, as Merry shot him a furious gaze.

In a serious tone, Merry barked, "You're lucky you are Frodo's gardener, or else I could easily find a way to keep your remarks silent."

"Merry," said Frodo in a demanding voice.

Merry fell silent as he and Sam released Frodo. When Merry dragged Sam off to the side, bringing the two hobbits into a fierce debate, Frodo walked a few paces into the nearly emptied village square. There, he saw five wolves with different shades of grey fur crowding around the Maypole, howling at the full moon as it slowly turned blood red. Glancing back at the wolf pack, Frodo saw the same dark grey wolf advance towards him with a sharp look in her eyes.

Although he was confused, Frodo guessed politely, "Is that you, Lydia?"

The wolf snarled at him for a brief moment. You know me well?

"No, we've only met this morning," admitted Frodo, as realization passed by him. Stunned, he added in disbelief, "It can't be. You can't be Lydia Maether. You're just a…"

The wolf interrupted fiercely, A wolf! She nearly attacked his arm with her sharp teeth, but Frodo jerked his arm away almost too fast. The wolf growled deeply towards the hobbit, as she told him, Tell me if anyone else saw us speaking. When she heard no response, the wolf barred its teeth at him again. Answer me!

"Mr. Frodo?" cried Sam aloud, as he and Merry observed Frodo speaking to the dark grey wolf in a hesitant discussion.

Just as he saw his gardener and cousin staring at him, Frodo looked back at the wolf as she leaped over him in flight. He witnessed Sam and Merry chased by the wolf out of Bywater, moments before the Sheriff Robin Smallburrow arrived at the scene, carrying a wooden staff in two hands. As the other hobbits joined Robin to help him send the wolves out of the village, Frodo ran for the dirt road leading back to Hobbiton. His path was intercepted by a raven-colored wolf that barred its sharp teeth at him, while showing hungry eyes. Soon enough, Frodo was trapped in a makeshift circle, where all five wolves growled and snarled at him, ready to attack at a given moment. He only had a brief amount of time to look, before a massive light grey paw swiped at the side of his face. He recalled nothing afterwards, except he was astride a wolf's furry back.

Frodo slipped in and out of consciousness for a few hours. When he at last came to, Frodo opened his eyes and saw he was inside a small forest, wrapped in a warm blanket. He felt a rush of sharp pain along one side of his head as he moved quickly into a sitting position. It was a bad idea at first, but after a few deep breaths Frodo looked again at his surroundings. As he recognized the woodlands, knowing he was still in the Shire and not too far away from the villages Bywater and Hobbiton, Frodo heard voices from a nearby distance.

Taking the blanket with him in one arm, Frodo followed the three female and two male voices closer to a small clearing, where he found the hobbit family, who recently visited Bywater, had made their camp. He stopped in mid-step as he saw all five family members' gazes fixed on him. One part told him to flee back to Bywater, as well as Hobbiton, to warn his relatives and others about the strange family. Another part was curious and wanted to see what Lydia knew about her transformations to a wolf.

Lydia approached Frodo, before he thought about running away. Calmly, she told him, "Walk with me." She led Frodo away from the clearing.

o-o-o

Keeping away from the edges of the wood, Lydia continued to lead Frodo towards a winding path. When they reached a spring, Lydia planted herself on top of a flattened rock as Frodo kneeled next to the spring. A brief silence fell between Frodo and Lydia that eventually caused Frodo to face Lydia, with a nervous expression across his face.

"Why did you bring me here?" When he heard no response from Lydia, other than receiving a look of dread, Frodo asked another question. "Are we still in the Shire?"

"Yes," spoke Lydia, sullenly.

"You couldn't take me back to Bywater, or Hobbiton?" asked Frodo, in slight desperation.

"There isn't any need for you to travel back to those villages… not until you hear what I have to say," said Lydia, sharply.

Frodo admitted, bluntly, "Your father is an odd fellow. He looks as if he wants to hurt me."

"Forgive him. He's very protective of me and… the pack," replied Lydia, hesitant.

"You sound very troubled," admitted Frodo, showing some bravery.

Stunned, Lydia asked him, "How could you know?"

"I don't," he answered, "but you could tell me the truth." Frodo paused. "Why are you so tense?"

It was Lydia's turn to pause. She asked, softly, "Do you think I should act different?"

"No, but you could be more considerate," told Frodo back in a sharp tone. He paused, before he replied, calmly, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't…"

"Why are you apologizing?" asked Lydia, somewhat concerned.

"Shouldn't I?" asked Frodo, curious.

"I didn't see any reason why you should," spoke Lydia, calmly. She chuckled for a brief moment, and then asked him, softly, "So you… know what I am?"

"The only part I can recall from last night was you as a wolf. I'm not sure how you became a wolf." He paused. "Still…"

"You don't know what I am. Do you, Frodo?" asked Lydia, concerned.

"I know you're an odd hobbit, as are your family. I just do not know what creatures you are called," admitted Frodo, nervously.

"Do I frighten you?" asked Lydia, growing suspicious.

Frodo asked almost rhetorically, "Would you call me a liar if I wasn't afraid?"

"No," said Lydia, almost too fast. She made a quick recovery, "Of course I find you an odd hobbit." Upon hearing her mother's voice, Lydia faced him and spoke, "Come. My parents and siblings will be expecting you to join us for lunch."

"What do you mean?" asked Frodo, now confused.

"Just come on," barked Lydia, softly, as she led him back down the winding path.