Author's Notes: Yep, it's been quite a while since I updated this or anything for that matter. I think out of all the things I do on the Internet, the only thing I've been updated is my LJ... bah. Of course, it's just been what? Over a month? Seems like a lot longer, although every week in IB seems now like a month itself. So, anyway, two reasons for my hiatus. First of all, I simply have not had the time or energy to update. This chapter has just been sitting on my hard drive with nothing to do. If any of you keep up with my personal liaisons you would have seen that school has been demanding a lot of my time this semester (what with beginning my HL courses and all) and as such, I not only have had to give up any and all extra curricular activities but I've also had to put off writing and updating.

The second reason is probably better excused however. (Did that sentence make sense? I don't know if it did.) This chapter I wrote as more of a transition chapter just to connect two stages of the journey together and of course, to delve once again into the relationship between Merry and Pippin. That said and done with, in a geographical sense they don't get much accomplished here and the chapter is mainly just one big flashback (based on my own personal frog-catching nostalgia with my older cousin). I wasn't and still am not quite sure just what it was that was bugging me in this chapter but needless to say I am still not very satisfied with it (or the quote for that matter). So I decided to move on with this story and stop worrying about it. So I did. And this chapter just ended up taking space on my computer. But now, after letting it sit and rot for a couple months, I've decided that there really isn't anything I can think to do about this chapter other than get rid of it completely. Not a good idea, as the effect would ripple through everything else I have. So here it is; still not sitting well with me but maybe you'll enjoy it. Hopefully you'll enjoy it. And please, don't forget to review as any and all comments/criticism are always more than welcome. (disclaimer can be seen attached to chapter one)

The Days Have Gone Down in the West

Chapter Four: Master Meriadoc's Decision

"Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."
~ The Old Walking Song; The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien

Dawn had not yet broken when Merry woke me to begin the day's journey. The innkeeper had not yet risen and so we went without breakfast. I was rather put out by this but Merry teased me saying, "If we were to wait for you to fill your belly an entire age of this world would pass us by."

"If the rest of our journey consists of no breakfast then, Merry, when we do find some in Rohan that is sure to happen."

"Always thinking with your stomach, you foolish Took," laughed Merry, mounting his pony. "Would I, your most loving and caring cousin allow you to wither from hunger?"

"No," I replied with a grin, "providing you were, in fact both those very things."

Merry smiled at me and shook his head. For a fleeting moment he no longer looked so old and weathered but like the cousin I remembered; the Brandybuck with the sandy curls not silver, and whose sapphire eyes glinted with mischief. Then as quickly as he'd come, the youth was gone and replaced now by this old hobbit whose face was lined with the years… and that faint brown scar above his eye.

Silence grew between us as our ponies trotted along in the twilight. Light was gleaming towards the horizon; day was coming. The first birds in the trees began to chirp, twittering their early morning melodies. Buckland was as beautiful as ever, I thought as we passed north and turned onto the East Road . Early morning dew lay on the grass and the scent of sage and rosemary filled the air. I closed my eyes, smiling dreamily. This was the Shire at its best; calm, peaceful, with the soothing sounds and smells of green and animal life.

I was jolted roughly from my state of bliss as my pony abruptly stopped. I opened my eyes and looked around. Why had we stopped?

The Brandywine Bridge lay before us, the sparkling waters of the Brandywine laughing as it ran along beneath. Merry's pony had halted and my cousin had turned in his saddle and sat gazing silently down the river. Suddenly I understood. I knew what lay a ways down the river. Brandy Hall was somewhere down stream; Merry's home and his family. I knew this would be the most trying part for Merry on our journey. For the second time he was faced with a choice. He could head east to Bree and continue the journey or he could turn south to Bucklebury where Brandy Hall was. Merry just had to nudge the pony in one direction and we would not have to leave the Shire. I could return home to Tuckborough and our adventure would end as quickly as it had begun. This was Merry's moment though and his decision and I would not interfere. I would go wherever he ventured and allow him to pick the paths. Instead I took to watching the sunrise and listened to the rushing of the water below the bridge.

Splash!

I started, sitting up from where I lay on the grass by the river bank. Something had hit the water by the shores of the river. I looked around. I could see ripples disappearing out into the middle of the river. The noise didn't seem to have disturbed Merry who still dozed peacefully under a tree by the shore, his fishing pole laying forgotten by his side.

I decided I needed to know what sort of curiosity had disturbed the water. Stealing one last glance at my sleeping cousin, I crawled quietly towards the river bank, creeping as quietly as I could.

Plunk!

I flattened myself out on the grass. I had seen something small jump into the river! What it was I wasn't sure but I had definitely never seen anything so small and quick before. Were there more out there? How many? I had to know, I decided as I reached the riverbank. I looked around in the river near the bank, searching for whatever it was that had made the splash.

Then I saw it. Something small swam by so quickly it startled me. It was a funny looking thing with a small body and long spindly legs with webbed feet. I wanted to touch it; to hold it in my hands and feel what it was like. Keeping my eyes fixed on the small creature, I reached into the river with my hand, leaning out as far as I could. I almost had it; I could almost touch it…

"Pippin!!!"

The shout startled me and I lost my balance, tumbling head first with a small yelp into the river. I thrashed in the water violently, kicking my legs wildly but it was no use. I was sinking to the bottom.

I cried out fearfully, taking in a mouthful of suffocating water. My chest burned and I felt dizzy. That was when I felt two strong arms grab hold of me and pull upwards, freeing me from the clutches of the Brandywine .

I began to cry, shivering and sobbing amidst my coughing and spluttering. Merry held me tightly, breathing deeply. I shuddered in his arms and felt him plant a soothing kiss amongst my sopping curls.

"Pippin, what were you doing?" he asked, checking me over.

"I s-saw something in the water, Mer!" I cried. "I wanted to see! D-didn't mean to fall in! I-I'm sorry! Don't be mad!"

"My dear Pippin," he soothed gently, smiling, "I'm not cross with you. You scared me, that's all. You let your wandering get the better of you as usual but it isn't safe to play so close to the deeps. You can't swim."

I was well aware of that fact by now but was still a little too shaken to point out what I knew to Merry. I still wanted another closer look at the funny-looking creature though and stared back out at the laughing waters of the Brandywine in thought.

Merry seemed to have read my mind because he asked, "What was it you were looking at?"

"I don't know," I replied. "It had a small body and a flat head. And long spindly legs with webbed toes. It had spots on it too and was swimming amongst the rocks. I've never seen anything like it before, Mer."

My cousin grinned. As I thought, he had seen what I had before and had enough experience to know its name.

"You saw a frog."

"I saw what? Ferawg?"

"Frog, Pippin." I blushed. I always had difficulty getting my tongue around new words. "They live on both land and water and eat flies. They have these great long pink tongues which will stick to anything!"

"Anything?!" I squeaked.

"Well... nearly anything," admitted Merry.

"What do you do with them?" I asked, eager to know more.

"Dad sometimes fishes with them as bait if there's been no rain," said Merry. "He says they work just as well as worms. I often help him catch them."

"In the deep water?"

"No, not where it's deep. Come, Pippin, I'll show you. Would you like to catch one?"

"Oh yes!" I eagerly took my cousin's hand and followed him down the shore a little ways. He stopped where the river bank sloped down gently to meet the water. It was sandy for the most part, with smooth pebbles littering the river's bottom. Merry made to walk down the bank into the river. I hesitated, unsure. "In the water, Mer? Is it safe?"

"Oh yes, quite safe," replied Merry. "Don't worry, Pip, Fatty and I have caught frogs here lots of times and Fatty can't swim either, you know." I still looked at the water wearily. Most hobbits could not swim and as I had just discovered, that included myself. Now that I knew I would sink, the water gave off some sort of warning message for me not to go near it. Going under was quite frightening and I didn't want to do it again. "Pippin, I live by the river, I know it quite well. And trust me, it's safe right here. You do trust me, don't you?"

"I trust you, Mer," I said softly, gingerly putting a foot in the water. The water wasn't too deep here so far so I took another step. Then I took another. I smiled proudly at Merry, pleased with myself for now being knee-deep in the river.

I went to take another step but Merry stopped me. "Careful, Pippin, not too far. Right here is just fine."

I obeyed and stood where I was, squelching my toes in the mud. It felt very pleasing. Then I saw something dart around my leg. It was the creature!

"Ferawg!" I exclaimed and pounced. I missed it and received another mouthful of water. I coughed and spluttered. Merry gently lifted me back onto my feet. I frowned and whimpered. "I missed, Mer..."

"You have to be quick, Pip," explained Merry, "and try not to make so big a commotion. Watch around the rocks and those reeds over there. Try and sneak up on them quietly." He moved slowly through the water, making few ripples to show me how to sneak. "Then when it's not looking, grab it!!!"

He plunged his hands into the water and grabbed at something. Carefully, he lifted his hands back up, the two of them cupped together like a box. Intrigued, I moved closer.

"Do you want to see it?" he asked, smiling.

"Yes! Yes!"

Merry held out his hands to me and opened them ever so slightly. A small flat head wriggled out. It had two round amber eyes on either side of its head and glistened. I stared, transfixed with wonder at this funny new thing. Then Merry let it go. It leapt into the air at me. I yelped and fell backwards.

Laughing, Merry pulled me to my feet. "Did it get you?"

"N-no," I replied. "But wow! That thing can jump!"

"That's why you have to be quick. Now you try and catch one."

I tried my best to mimic what Merry had done but the frogs were too fast. One after another slipped through my small fingers and away into the reeds. On the rare chance I did manage to get one, they leapt out of my hands before I could bring it up to the surface.

"I can't do it, Mer!" I cried, throwing my arms up in agonized surrender. "I'm too slow! I'll never get to hold one!"

"It just takes practice, Pip, here." Merry caught another frog and held his hands out to me. "Put your hands around mine and I'll let go of the frog. When I do, you hold onto the frog tightly so it won't get away, alright?"

I nodded eagerly and let Merry put the frog in my hands. My small fingers closed around it, squeezing to hold on.

"Not too tight, Pippin, you'll crush it!"

Horrified, I let go a little. I could feel the frog squirming in my hands. I giggled. It tickled! It was also very slippery, its skin wet and slimy.

"It feels almost like a fishy, Mer," I said. "Or a wriggler." Merry smiled. "I want to take it home!"

"What for?" asked Merry.

"Pimmie hates slimy things," I said, "so I want to give her some ferawgs! Like with Vinca and the wrigglers!" My sister had been mortified to find her bed full of wriggling worms I had found in Papa's garden one evening. When he found out, Papa had laid me across his knee and gave my poor bottom a good spanking. But I had proudly told Merry that the look on Vinca's face had been worth it. "I think the ferawgs would like Pimmie's bed; it's so comfy."

Merry laughed, his blue eyes sparkling like the deeper waters. "I like your thinking, Pip."

I looked up from the blue water and back at Merry. My cousin was still motionless, his eyes transfixed on a point in the distance down the river. I wanted to tell him that he didn't have to leave, that we could just go home but I couldn't. I would be acting selfishly. Merry had to decide and Merry would decide. And I would follow. He had not led me wrong yet and he still knew many things that I didn't. My pony however was impatient and snorted irritably. Startled, Merry looked from the pony to me and smiled tearfully.

"Come, Pippin. It's a long road to Bree."