Like Brothers

Chapter 10

Found

Pippin awoke in the middle of the night. He heard hushed voices from the hall. He quietly crept to the source and saw that Odocavar, Uncle Bilbo, and his cousin Frodo had arrived. Bilbo, Saradoc, Odocavar, and Pippin's father stood talking in a circle; Frodo stood outside it listening inventively. He turned and caught a glimpse of Pippin peeking around the corner, then quickly disappearing. Frodo approached him, "Pippin, what're you doing awake at this hour?"

The young Took didn't answer. Frodo smiled lovingly, took his small hand, and walked with him down the hall, and into his room, "Frodo? Are you going to be a part of the search party?"

Frodo shook his head, "I want to, but they won't allow it."

"Me too," frowned Pippin.

Frodo picked his tiny cousin up, and sat him on his bed, "Get to bed," said Frodo and he turned to leave.

"Frodo?"

Frodo turned around, "Yes, Pippin?"

Pippin looked at Frodo, then looked at his hands turning them over and over again.

"What is it, Pippin?"

Pippin looked up, "Well... it's just that Merry's my friend. He's my best friend. He's my cousin... why can't I help? Frodo, why can't I help? I want to, and they won't let me. An' I ask why and they don't answer. Why can't I help? He's my friend... Frodo, he's your friend, too, isn't he?"

Frodo went back to Pippin and sat down next to him on his bed, "Of course."

"And he's your cousin, too. Why can't you help?"

Frodo shrugged, " I suppose it's too dangerous."

"Why?" asked Pippin. "We just have to look for him. What's so dangerous about that?" he stood on his bed, "We can just walk outside and call, 'Merry!'. We just shout, 'Merry, where are you?!' and if he's not there, we keep looking."

Frodo chuckled lightly, "Pippin--"

"Please, Frodo, please can we go look for him? You're old! You're like... one hundred!"

"Er... a little younger, Pippin," Frodo laughed.

"How old?"

"I'll be twenty seven this autumn--"

"You're old enough!" Pippin grabbed Frodo by the hand, "Let's go! Come on, Frodo!"

Frodo looked into the young hobbit's pleading green eyes; he shook his head, "Sorry, Pippin, but we can't..."

"Please, please, please, please, PLEASE!"

Frodo shook his head, "No, no..."

"Please! Merry needs us, Frodo! We're his friends! Please!"

Frodo sighed, "... alright... but when we get out there, be sure and stay close to me."

Frodo and Pippin quietly slipped down the hall. They crept past the search party, further down the hall to a closet, where Frodo took out a lantern, and the two cousin stepped outside.

It was dark, besides from the light of the full moon, there was no way to see the nose on your face. It was quiet and that was heard in the still night was the small chirping of crickets and hoots of night birds. Pippin had never been out so late before in his short life; he guessed it was midnight or perhaps one.

Frodo and Pippin walked down to the main road and stopped.

"Which way, Frodo?"

Frodo thought for a while, "Brandy Hall is down the east road. Let's go there."

They turned east and walked for some fifty yards. Pippin began to shout, "Merry?! Merry, where are you?!"

Frodo hushed him, "I don't think he's this near by. We have to go into the forest," he signaled at the wilderness that began at the side of the road.

"We have to go in there?" squeaked Pippin.

Frodo nodded, "If he's lost, he's not on the road, Pippin."

Pippin nodded agreeingly.

Frodo lit the lantern and handed it to Pippin, "Here, you hold on to this."

The two hobbits walked through the thick brush and into the dark wilderness. Pippin kept close to Frodo, grasping his hand tightly to be sure not to lose him. They walked for some ten minutes headed north.

"Merry?" Pippin would say softly every now and then, "Merry, where are you?"

Another twenty minutes passed and Pippin was starting to regret his choice to come out here. He looked up at the sky; it was dark and frightening. Black clouds hung in the sky and slowly moved, soon eclipsing the moon. Pippin thought about the possibility of rain... of thunder... he shuddered, and tried to shake the thought from his head.

Suddenly Frodo stopped, and it was so abrupt, Pippin bumped into him, "What is it?" whispered Pippin. He inched closer to his cousin, preparing himself for the worst.

Frodo took the lantern from Pippin. He held the light close to the ground, "These have to be Strawberry's tracks," he looked at Pippin who breathed a sigh of relief.

"I... I thought you saw a monster or something..."

Frodo smiled.

Pippin knelt down on the ground next to Frodo, "Are we close?" Pippin asked Frodo. He looked around expecting Merry to appear in front of him, "Merry?! MERRY?!" he shouted.

Frodo stood and started to follow the pony's tracks. They walked some twenty yards and Pippin continued to shout his cousin's name.

"They stop here."

Frodo studied them for a long time and Pippin watched curiously. Frodo's brow wrinkled with concentration and Pippin thought the look was a little funny.

"What're you smiling about?" asked Frodo.

Pippin shook his head clenching his teeth, grinning, "Nothing."

Frodo returned his attention back to the ground. "The pony ran here... stopped.. and I bet you anything Merry fell off... see this mark here? That's where he landed. And these hear, that where the pony ran off after..."

"Do you think he's close by, Frodo?"

"Maybe... come on, Pippin."

Frodo walked quickly and his one step took Pippin three, "Frodo! Slow down!"

**

Merry awoke; he thought he heard something. The hobbit sat up and looked around. It was very dark and he strained his eyes, but was unable to see anything. He heard a crack as something move in the brush. Something was out there... but what? Merry panicked and slowly began to back away from the unseen creature or creatures. He bumped into a tree and slid down against the trunk, his eyes staring at the mysterious, black night. Whatever it was he did not want to witness what it was and what it might do to him. He closed his eyes tightly and clasped his hands over his ears, 'It's a monster,' he thought, 'No, a bear... something big... something big and it's going to eat me! O, no! I'm going to die!' Merry began to cry as more thoughts rushed through his head all at once, 'I'm going to die! O, no, no, no! I'm never going to see Pippin or my mama, or Papa, or--"

He felt something shake him and he screamed, "O, please! Please! Leave me alone! Please, don't eat me! Noooooo!"

"Merry, Merry, it's alright! Open your eyes, Mer, it's me!"

Merry reluctantly opened his eyes, "Frodo!"

"Merry! Merry! Are you OK?!" Pippin rushed over to his cousin, occasionally stumbling and tripping as he did so. He jumped into his cousin's arms and embraced him tightly, "Merry, you're alright! I told then that you were big, an' strong, an' that nothing can hurt you!"

"Are you alright?" asked Frodo as he helped Merry to his feet.

"Yes... I'm fine," he said wiping the tears from his eyes.

Pippin tugged on Merry's sleeve, "You're mother's crying, Merry. She's really sad..."

Merry frowned, "Is she?"

"You gave everyone quite a scare, Merry," said Frodo.

"I...I didn't mean to..."

"Of course you didn't," Frodo said shaking his head.

"Over here! I heard something!" shouted a voice.

Merry looked to where the voice came, "Papa?" Merry ran over to the source, with his cousins following.

Saradoc spotted his son, and there was a instant were they stared at each other in disbelief. Each thought just moments ago that they might've never seen each other again.

"Meriadoc! Where have you been?" exclaimed Saradoc.

Merry ran and hugged his papa, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I'm sorry! I really am!" he was in tears again.

Pippin's Father soon stepped out from the trees, "Peregrin, what are you doing out here?"

"Father! We found him! We found Merry!"

"Come one, let's get back," said Saradoc. He picked his son up in his arms and carried him out of the scary wilderness.