CHAPTER Seven - The Big Foke
They had been up in the tree for a while now; most of the animals were either lying down at the trunk or sitting, waiting for their prey to drop out of the tree. One or two were still pacing. As Merry peered down at them, they looked up at him-- licking their muzzles.
The sun hid behind a bank of dark clouds, and the children grew drowsy, as it was getting late. Merry's foot was throbbing and still oozing blood, even through the makeshift bandage. Then he felt it. A raindrop here, then another, and another. Of all times, Middle Earth decides to rain....now. Soon the rain was a steady fall. Merry tried to shelter Perva and Pippin, but it didn't matter; they all got soaked. Merry tried to keep his thoughts on when they would be found. Pippin, sitting next to Merry in Perva's lap, fell asleep and nearly fell out of the tree, but Merry quickly
grabbed his shirt in his fist and hauled Pippin back into his seat. He could
feel Pippin was chilled, so he rubbed Pippin's arms vigorously to get them warm up.
He saw Perva slipping downward; she, too, had fallen asleep, but immediately woke as soon as she felt herself lose her balance. She looked about in a stunned and drowsy state. "Oh, Merry! How long shall we be here?", Perva yawned. "I am so sleepy!"
Merry didn't answer her. He looked in the other direction to avoid her. "I don't know...", he sighed, and he felt his eyes welling up with tears, but he wouldn't let himself cry...not yet. He couldn't--not until everyone was safe. He didn't know how long he could hold up, either; it was getting late, and eventually, sleep would take him, too. Merry felt himself slip ever so slightly, then he painfully stirred himself awake. He took a deep breath to wake himself further. Perva dozed with her head on his shoulder. She awoke when he slipped, but settled down again when she saw he was fine. Everything was quiet. It stopped raining a short while ago, and now
he was wet and cold. He shivered. Merry knew his aunt and uncle had to be out looking for them; they should have returned before afternoon tea, and it had to be way past suppertime by now. They should have been here by now! Where were they? Were they not looking for them?, Merry wondered.
Then Merry thought he heard the sound of horse's hoofs in the distance. He figured it was the wind and tossed away the idea of riders. Then he heard it again, still in the distance, but he was certain now that he did in fact, hear horses. He waited. He looked down at the dogs, but because it was now dark, Merry could not see very well if they heard the horses, too. He heard them panting, and could hear one get up and run through the brush.
He did hear the horses! Merry was wide-awake now. He woke up Perva.
"Hmmm? Merry?", Perva yawned and stretched, until she remembered where she was and caught her balance. She looked down and sighed. "We're still here."
"Shhh! Listen!", said Merry.
Perva held her breath to try and hear what Merry was so frantic for her to hear. "What is it?"
"Don't you hear it? It's getting closer!"
She listened again. The sound was too heavy for ponies. " Horses!! Merry, It's horses!", cried Perva. Her excitement woke up Pippin, "Papa?", he yawned.
Merry could make out shapes in the dark, but before they got close enough for him to see, the riders halted. He could hear them talk, but Merry couldn't make out what they were saying; their language didn't sound familiar. They stopped talking, and one of the riders unsheathed a sword; Merry could see it shine in the moonlight. The first rider yelled something unintelligible and charged toward the tree. The dogs started howling and running frenzied around the tree, but this rider seemed different. When they saw that yelping wouldn't scare off the Man, they all began to yelp and disperse, deprived of any meal for the night.
The sword was raised high and seemed to be coming straight for Merry and his cousins; it frightened Merry so much that he gave out a yell. The horseman charging with his sword came to a sudden halt. It was plain to Merry that this was a Man; he never saw a Man before, but this one was close, though--too close. He frightened Merry, and Merry didn't know why. Perhaps it was his aunt Eglantine's alarm that triggered his fear.
Merry heard the second horseman yell something to his companion; the Man looked up. He looked straight up at Merry!
"Gg-go away!", Merry screamed, "Get going, you..you!", was all he could speak. "Go!!" He was shaking with fear. Perva clung onto Merry for a shield.
Pippin was wide eyed with fear--were these Big Fokes gon'ta eat him?
The first horseman turned and looked at the second horseman. Again, more language that Merry didn't understand. The first horseman looked up to Merry and spoke. "Hullo!"
Merry understood the greeting, but made no attempt to reply.
"Hullo, I say!", the horseman repeated. He looked to his companion and shrugged. The second horseman brought his horse up to the tree where Merry and his cousins were perched and dismounted.
"Greetings, young friend!", tried the second, "My name is Thorongil; my
companion is here is Elladan", the second horseman nodded to the first.
Merry tried to back away, but soon realized he was still in the tree. His breathing quickened. He looked to the ground and saw the animals had left, but knew as soon as the strangers left, they would return again. What do I do?, thought Merry, flee from one danger into another?
Thorongil stepped closer to the tree, and startled Merry to the point that he lost his balance and nearly fell out of the tree, but caught hold onto a low
branch as he fell. Perva screamed as she held Pippin in her arms.
Merry was too weak to hold on. He hoped his Uncle Paladin would find his cousins...and he let go.
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