When Merry, Pippin, and Diamond reached The Ivy Bush they were quite famished, for the apples Diamond has "borrowed" were not returned to them. After getting two rooms for the night, Merry and Pippin decided to go get a drink, while Diamond chose to stay in her room and write, for she had hardly had time for her stories of late. Also, her adventures had given her many new ideas that she wished to add.
The wind blew fiercely on this day, whipping itself around the many trees of the Old Forest. It amplified the many sounds of the forest, but Daisy pushed her way on nonetheless. She was not frightened until she heard the crack of a branch from somewhere off to her left. Daisy froze, and drew her dagger from its sheath. She scanned the trees for any signs of movement, careful not to leave her back to one direction for longer than a few seconds.
Then suddenly, from behind a large tree sprung a wolf. It leapt at Daisy, but she was able to dive aside in time. She stood up quickly as the wolf turned to come at her again, this time more enraged from its failed first attempt. Daisy stood proudly, her dagger at the ready. She would fight until the very end. The wolf charged her once more, and a pang of fear struck Daisy. She found herself rooted to the spot, unable to fight, unable to move.
Then suddenly, just when Daisy was about to be attacked, she was pushed aside to safety. Daisy fell hard onto to the path, her dagger falling beside her. She lay there, dazed for a few seconds, when she suddenly realized where she was. The sounds of the wolf snarling could be heard once again, but they were mixed with the sounds of a pained voice. Daisy stood quickly, grabbing her dagger once more, and with one swift motion she stabbed it deep into the distracted wolf. It howled in pain, before staggering away to die.
Daisy looked down on her rescuer, and she laughed aloud upon discovering whom it was. Daisy's friend Peterin laid at her feet, his arm badly wounded.
"Peterin!" she cried aloud. "How did you find me here?"
"I followed you into the forest, for I knew you would most likely need rescuing," he laughed in response. "I know from past experience that the Old Forest is not somewhere to travel alone. It seems I was right."
"I did not need rescuing you know. I could have easily defeated the wolf on my own," said Daisy defiantly. "But I thank you nonetheless for your help, however unneeded it may have been."
The two friends laughed once more as the made their way out of the forest. Fate had brought them together once more, as it always seemed to do, and on this day Daisy wondered for the first time if it were a mere coincidence or not.
Diamond was interrupted from her writing by loud cheering from downstairs. She put down her book, and proceeded to walk down the stairs to the bar. Upon entering the bar, she noticed a large crowd of people around one particular table.
Diamond walked over to the table, and asked one of the many Hobbits who had gathered around what was going on. "A drinking competition, miss," he had replied.
"Really? What is the challenge?"
"Come and see for yourself," the man answered, stepping aside so Diamond to get through. She moved to the front of the group, and saw a most unnerving site. Horro Boffin was seated at the table; ten pints were set in front of him, and ten pints in front of his opponent. What astounded Diamond, however, was that Pippin was seated at the other end of the table.
"What are you doing?" she asked amusedly.
"Just a friendly drinking competition," said Horro cockily.
"Friendly indeed," said Merry, who was standing behind Pippin.
"What is the purpose of this competition?" asked Diamond.
"Horro came into the bar and asked if any were brave enough to take him on in a drinking competition," replied Pippin. "I accepted for the free ale."
At this the entire bar went into hysterics, Diamond included. "What are the stakes?" she asked, once her laughter had subsided.
"We have not decided yet," said Horro. "Do you have a suggestion?"
Diamond thought hard for several minutes, when suddenly her eyes lit up. "Whoever wins this competition shall receive my scarf as a token of their superiority."
"Excellent suggestion," said Horro. "The winner shall be able to proudly display the scarf wherever he goes. Do you agree Mr. Took?"
"Yes I agree with that. The first through these ten pints first shall win the competition and Diamond's scarf. Now can we please start the drinking?"
The bartender came out to oversee the competition. Practically the entire bar was crowded around the one table where Horro and Pippin sat. Merry, who was behind Pippin, suddenly began to laugh.
"What is so funny?" asked Horro annoyed.
"I am just imagining Pippin after he has had ten pints," laughed Merry.
At this the entire bar went into hysterics yet again, and were only quieted by Diamond's shouts. "Let the competition begin.now!"
The two both grabbed their first pints, and began to drink. Pippin, who considered himself quite a skilled drinker, had drained the first in less than a minute. After five minutes of nothing but chugging, and cheering Pippin was halfway through his seventh pint, while Horro was just finishing his fourth.
It seemed quite clear that Pippin would win easily when he suddenly stopped drinking and looked around. "Merry why are there three of you?"
"There is only one of me, Pippin, now keep drinking," said Merry.
Pippin picked up his eighth pint and began to casually drink it, as if he had all the time in the world. The entire bar was cheering and laughing at the already drunk Hobbit.
Horro was catching up quickly and was already in the middle of his sixth pint when Merry leaned down and whispered something in Pippin's ear. As soon as Merry stood back up, Pippin began to drink heartily once more. He finished his eighth pint quickly, but not quick enough to maintain his large lead, for Horro had taken the opportunity and was finishing his seventh pint.
Pippin reached for his ninth pint, almost knocking over the table as he did so, and Horro in turn seized his eighth. The Hobbits watching were given quite a show that night, for there was seldom a competition that lasted this long. The seventh pint was usually all it took to knock out the competitors, but not Pippin. As Pippin drained the last few drops of his last pint, Horro was trying his hardest to stay awake.
The entire bar erupted in cheers at the victor, who was looking up at them all with quite a dazed look on his face. Horro was furious, for he had been humiliated once more, and he held himself conscious just long enough to see Diamond wrap the gray-green scarf around Pippin's neck. "It should have been mine," he thought to himself. "I shall not forget this," he said aloud as he stumbled out of the inn, supported by his brother Folco who was laughing heartily at his brother's foolishness.
"You should not have challenged a Took to a drinking competition," said Folco laughing. Horro simply glared at him as he took one last look at the celebrating bar.
Diamond and Merry had to practically carry Pippin up the stairs to his and Merry's room. "I do not envy the headache Pip's going to have when he wakes up tomorrow," said Merry.
"Nor do I," said Diamond, "but I am glad he won. I did not want Horro to have anything of mine, be it just a scarf. He is most conceited, rather unlike his younger brother Folco."
"Yes, Folco has been friends with Pippin and I for some time. I did not know he had an older brother until today. They are most unlike for brothers. You would never know it just looking at them," said Merry.
"Well, I suppose I shall return to my room and get back to my writing," said Diamond. "Good night Merry."
"Good night. Oh Diamond. Pippin and I were planning on visiting our friend Frodo Baggins tomorrow. Would you care to come? I do not believe your sisters were expecting you home for a few days at least."
"I would love to meet your friend," said Diamond. "Wake me when we are ready to leave."
"I will, but I would not expect it to be too early. I expect Pippin shall sleep a good deal of the morning tomorrow," said Merry, with a glance at Pippin who was sleeping on the bed.
Diamond laughed at this, and with a last good night to Merry, she retired to her room for the night. Little did she know that the scarf she had given Pippin would not leave see him through some of the most difficult times of all of their lives.