Here's chapter two, I'm sorry it's so short.
On with the show!
Chapter Two: Whispers in the dark
*******
Malaika awoke to the sound of a fire blazing and the smell of food reaching her nose. She sat up and saw Gimli, Pippin, Sam, Frodo, and Merry sitting by the fireside cooking breakfast; Gandalf, Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn talking in hushed voices nearby. Malaika rose and sat down by Pippin, who offered her breakfast. She took it and ate gladly. After she was done, a mischievous glint sparked in her blue-gray eyes, causing Pippin to cock his head sideways in a gesture of confusion. Malaika shrugged it off and the glint disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. As soon as everyone had eaten, Gandalf said to be ready to travel. All the bags were packed, and the beds were rolled up and packed too. The group headed off on their day and a half travel to Caradhras. At about noon on the first day, the Fellowship stopped for a short lunch and continued on.
They stopped at a wooded area at dusk and set out their beds. By the glow of the fading fire, Pippin, Merry, and Malaika talked quietly, as not to disturb the others, who were sleeping.
Aragorn snored loudly, while Boromir stirred gently in his sleep. Pippin snickered. "They can be very bothersome when they are awake, but when they are sleeping, they can provide good amusement."
Malaika nodded. "Yes, I know. My father was like that. I had to listen to him every night. It was funny. Sometimes my mother would wake and hit him on the head to be quiet." She suppressed her laughter with difficulty.
Merry cocked his head to one side. "What do you mean, 'was'?"
Malaika suddenly stopped laughing and lowered her eyes.
"H-he... died. A long time ago."
Merry bit his lower lip.
"I am sorry. I didn't know he had died."
"It's alright, Merry," she whispered.
A sly grin spread across Pippin's face.
"Looks like Merry is going to have a very good friend sometime soon," he snickered, pulling a silly face at Merry, making him crack a grin. Merry pulled an even sillier face back at Pippin, who clamped a hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing out loud. Malaika caught the gestures, and made a face at Pippin. His grin showed between parted fingers, and he snorted softly. "Don't make me laugh," he struggled to say between bursts of suppressed laughter.
"We will anyway," Merry whispered with a grin. Malaika made another goofy face, and Pippin couldn't take anymore. He burst out laughing, causing Merry and Malaika to laugh also. Suddenly Aragorn stirred and sat up, glaring at the hobbits and the girl who was short enough to be one.
"What are you doing? You make enough noise to wake a cave-troll. Now go to sleep. Gandalf will know of this matter in the morning."
Malaika shuddered at the mention of a cave-troll, and gulped.
"We are definitely in trouble now."
Pippin nodded. "Yes, but it was still fun."
Merry grinned. "I don't know about you two, but I still want to stay awake."
Malaika agreed, saying with a smile, "Me too. So, what do you want to talk about?"
Merry shrugged, and Pippin said, "Tell us about yourself. You seem so secretive about your past."
Malaika sighed. "I- I don't know what to say. Tell me about yourselves first," she challenged. Merry and Pippin looked at each other with a look of cluelessness in their eyes.
Pippin yawned. "I'm tired," he whispered.
Malaika nodded. "I am also, if only a bit."
Merry looked at them strangely. "Alright. I will go to sleep, only if you two do so first."
"You're on," Malaika challenged.
With amazing speed, the three fell asleep, not knowing what lay ahead for the next day.
On with the show!
Chapter Two: Whispers in the dark
*******
Malaika awoke to the sound of a fire blazing and the smell of food reaching her nose. She sat up and saw Gimli, Pippin, Sam, Frodo, and Merry sitting by the fireside cooking breakfast; Gandalf, Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn talking in hushed voices nearby. Malaika rose and sat down by Pippin, who offered her breakfast. She took it and ate gladly. After she was done, a mischievous glint sparked in her blue-gray eyes, causing Pippin to cock his head sideways in a gesture of confusion. Malaika shrugged it off and the glint disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. As soon as everyone had eaten, Gandalf said to be ready to travel. All the bags were packed, and the beds were rolled up and packed too. The group headed off on their day and a half travel to Caradhras. At about noon on the first day, the Fellowship stopped for a short lunch and continued on.
They stopped at a wooded area at dusk and set out their beds. By the glow of the fading fire, Pippin, Merry, and Malaika talked quietly, as not to disturb the others, who were sleeping.
Aragorn snored loudly, while Boromir stirred gently in his sleep. Pippin snickered. "They can be very bothersome when they are awake, but when they are sleeping, they can provide good amusement."
Malaika nodded. "Yes, I know. My father was like that. I had to listen to him every night. It was funny. Sometimes my mother would wake and hit him on the head to be quiet." She suppressed her laughter with difficulty.
Merry cocked his head to one side. "What do you mean, 'was'?"
Malaika suddenly stopped laughing and lowered her eyes.
"H-he... died. A long time ago."
Merry bit his lower lip.
"I am sorry. I didn't know he had died."
"It's alright, Merry," she whispered.
A sly grin spread across Pippin's face.
"Looks like Merry is going to have a very good friend sometime soon," he snickered, pulling a silly face at Merry, making him crack a grin. Merry pulled an even sillier face back at Pippin, who clamped a hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing out loud. Malaika caught the gestures, and made a face at Pippin. His grin showed between parted fingers, and he snorted softly. "Don't make me laugh," he struggled to say between bursts of suppressed laughter.
"We will anyway," Merry whispered with a grin. Malaika made another goofy face, and Pippin couldn't take anymore. He burst out laughing, causing Merry and Malaika to laugh also. Suddenly Aragorn stirred and sat up, glaring at the hobbits and the girl who was short enough to be one.
"What are you doing? You make enough noise to wake a cave-troll. Now go to sleep. Gandalf will know of this matter in the morning."
Malaika shuddered at the mention of a cave-troll, and gulped.
"We are definitely in trouble now."
Pippin nodded. "Yes, but it was still fun."
Merry grinned. "I don't know about you two, but I still want to stay awake."
Malaika agreed, saying with a smile, "Me too. So, what do you want to talk about?"
Merry shrugged, and Pippin said, "Tell us about yourself. You seem so secretive about your past."
Malaika sighed. "I- I don't know what to say. Tell me about yourselves first," she challenged. Merry and Pippin looked at each other with a look of cluelessness in their eyes.
Pippin yawned. "I'm tired," he whispered.
Malaika nodded. "I am also, if only a bit."
Merry looked at them strangely. "Alright. I will go to sleep, only if you two do so first."
"You're on," Malaika challenged.
With amazing speed, the three fell asleep, not knowing what lay ahead for the next day.