Mint Sauce: Well, I'm glad you finally reviewed, so thanks! Umm. .
.actually, to be completely honest, I don't know what the ending is yet. -.-
;; Yes, I know, it's sad. lol, and yes, Merry is quite weird in this
story.
Pippi: Hey! Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you like my story! It's okay, we all get hyper, I know how it is. And I don't think I'm an AMAZING writer. . . .but hey, if the boot fits! hehe ^_^
Lessien-Took: Hey. Thanks for your review. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Can't write that much description. Trust me. I've tried. It struggled.
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It had been four days since Fidell had turned up at Merry and Pippin's camp. And Pippin was more homesick now than he had been four days ago. They had been so close, oh so close, to going home. Why did more trouble have to start up? What had Pippin done wrong?
Well, he had done plenty of things wrong in his lifetime, but nothing he thought was deserving of this! Being kept out in the wilderness for so long was taking its toll on him, and he thought he might go hysterical if he didn't go home soon. At this point, all he wanted was a soft bed and his mum. He thought that to be rather childish, but it was the truth. He wanted her to hold him like she did when he was little, and tell him a story, or sing him a song, or let him help her make a loaf of bread. He wanted her to tuck him into bed after lighting a fire for him, and kiss his forehead good-night, and then sit and talk nonsense to him until he fell asleep. The thought of it made him want to cry. He felt so alone.
There were a few things he wanted from Merry as well. He wanted Merry to talk to him, and listen to him, and laugh with him, like they used to. He remembered many nights in Buckland with Merry, sleeping out underneath the stars, or camping on the edge of the Old Forest, or fishing in the Brandywine. He remembered when Merry taught him to swim, and the time Merry took him for a ride on the ferry and Merry had saved a lass named Meridol from drowning. Pippin had always admired his older cousin. Everyone admired him.
When Pippin had gotten older, Merry had allowed him to tag along with Merry and his friends to the inns for drinks. He could remember many a-night when they would go and have a grand time singing and dancing and talking. He remembered visits to his cousin Frodo's home at Bag End, and birthday parties, and Yule celebrations, and all of the adventures they had had in their lives. Stealing crops, chasing girls, singing at the Green Dragon, smoking. Pippin smiled. It had been Merry who had given him his first pipe. It had been a birthday present. And Pip carried it with him everywhere.
'My pipe!' Pippin thought suddenly. He stopped walking and dug into his inside shirt pocket. It wasn't there. His heart sank. He knew he must have lost it somewhere. He had completely forgotten about it. His slow trudge began once more as a chill wind swept past. How horrible. And then, Pippin felt a drop on his nose. He stopped and squinted into the sky. The clouds were gray and menacing.
"Merry!" Pippin called, still looking upwards. He heard his cousin and Fidell stop.
"What is it, Pip?"
"I think it's going to rain."
There was a pause. Then, "So it is. Let's keep on, Pippin." And the footsteps began again. Pippin didn't move at first, but after a dull sigh, he followed the other two. The drop turned into a few more drops, and soon a light drizzle began. It was the annoying kind of drizzle, that gets in your eyes and is cold and wets your hair just enough so that it won't move from in front of your face. Pippin was getting very irritated. He'd had enough of this kind of weather. He wanted the sunny fields of the Shire, and no where else. When he got home – if he got home – he was never going to leave again. He promised himself that.
The drizzle became stronger. His clothes began to feel soggy and stuck to his skin in a few places. He wanted to hit something.
The rain became steadily stronger, until it was a right downpour. Pippin stopped and lifted his hand to scratch the back of his neck for the hundredth time. His hair was so wet, it was dripping onto his face and stuck to the back of his neck and wouldn't let go. He was cold and tired and grumpy and hungry and a million other things. But most of all, he was sick. He knew he was sick. He could feel it. His nose was stuffed and his throat was sore. It had started the day before, but he hadn't mentioned it to Merry. It was most likely a cold, and there was nothing to be done for a cold. What was the point of being more of a burden if he could avoid it?
Pippin cleared his throat and wiped his nose with his sleeve. It didn't do any good, as his sleeve was sopping wet from the rain.
"Merry!" Pippin shouted above the storm.
"What?!" was the reply.
"Maybe we should stop for the night!"
"We will once we find someplace to stop! Come on!"
Pippin wanted to scream. He wanted to hit Merry a thousand times. And he wanted to cry. He wanted to curl into a ball and die. This was terrible.
Pulling out a handkerchief that was still mostly dry, Pippin brought it to his nose. Unfortunately, the wind caught it and it was blown out of his hand. With a groan of frustration, Pippin turned around to retrieve it. And stopped. His eyes went wide in fear.
Standing only ten feet from him, staring with a wild glint in his eye, was Will. Pippin was sure of it. Pippin opened his mouth to yell to Merry, but no sound came out. He went to run, but his foot was stuck in a pile of muck. Frantic, he yanked at his caught foot. Will started towards him. Pippin pulled as hard as he could. His foot came loose and he turned and tried to run. The ground was slippery and wet, and he slid and skidded down the path. Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw the man was only feet from him.
"MERRY!!" The shout was loud and clear, but was followed by a loud gush of air as Pippin was tackled to the ground by Will. Pippin, now in a panic, flailed and kicked and struggled with all of his might. He was not going to be captured. Not again. He'd had enough of this. He tipped his head back as far as he could to look down the path. Merry and Fidell were nowhere to be seen. Desperation and fear flooded Pippin's brain. He had to get away. He looked back up at the man, who brought his hand down to cover Pippin's mouth. Seizing the chance, Pippin opened his mouth and bit down (hard) on Will's hand. The man released a shout and pulled his hand away, sitting up a bit. Pippin brought back his foot and slammed it over Will's jaw. The man was thrown backwards by the force and landed with a thud in the muddy dirt of the path. Pippin jumped up with no hesitation and took off down the path, desperate to find his friends.
He ran and ran and ran, and did not look back. He felt he could run forever, if that's how long it took to be safe from people like Will. He spotted an alcove under a small grouping of trees just off the path and went towards it. If he didn't find Merry and Fidell, at least he could hide in the shelter of these trees until morning. And then, he could head home. He brightened at the thought of it. Perhaps it was all over for him at last.
"Pippin!" Or not. Pippin stopped running. Merry had appeared at the opening of the shelter. A smile was on his face. Pippin was glad to see his friend smile, but he himself did not feel like doing the same.
"I saw Will," he said.
Merry's smile vanished. "What?"
"Will. He was following us. He attacked me, but I got away."
"Pippin, come here." Pippin listened. Merry brought him into the warm, lighted, rain-free shelter and sat him down. He looked Pippin over and, finding no serious injuries, sat back. "What happened?"
"I stopped to take out my handkerchief, which I lost by the way, and it blew out of my hand, so I turned to get it and. . . .he was there."
"Will?"
"Yes. He was standing behind me, not more than ten feet. And so I turned and I tried to run, but my foot was stuck in the mud, so I yanked it out and ran, but it was slippery, and he caught me and tackled me and so I struggled, and I called out for you, Merry, but you and Fidell had gone and I was so scared that I was going to be captured again that I fought and fought and finally broke free and I ran as fast as I could to find you and. . . .and. . . ." Tears welled up in his eyes.
"Pip?"
"I can't stand this anymore, Merry! I can't take it! I want to go home!" And Pippin curled himself up into a ball and sobbed for his despair.
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A/N: Well, I hope you liked this chapter. It just sort of came to me all of a sudden. Weird how things happen, eh? Oh, and for anyone here who has read "May It Be" (another story of mine) you'll notice that one of Pippin's memories parallels a memory of a character from that story. See if you can find it! ;-) Please review!
Pippi: Hey! Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you like my story! It's okay, we all get hyper, I know how it is. And I don't think I'm an AMAZING writer. . . .but hey, if the boot fits! hehe ^_^
Lessien-Took: Hey. Thanks for your review. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Can't write that much description. Trust me. I've tried. It struggled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been four days since Fidell had turned up at Merry and Pippin's camp. And Pippin was more homesick now than he had been four days ago. They had been so close, oh so close, to going home. Why did more trouble have to start up? What had Pippin done wrong?
Well, he had done plenty of things wrong in his lifetime, but nothing he thought was deserving of this! Being kept out in the wilderness for so long was taking its toll on him, and he thought he might go hysterical if he didn't go home soon. At this point, all he wanted was a soft bed and his mum. He thought that to be rather childish, but it was the truth. He wanted her to hold him like she did when he was little, and tell him a story, or sing him a song, or let him help her make a loaf of bread. He wanted her to tuck him into bed after lighting a fire for him, and kiss his forehead good-night, and then sit and talk nonsense to him until he fell asleep. The thought of it made him want to cry. He felt so alone.
There were a few things he wanted from Merry as well. He wanted Merry to talk to him, and listen to him, and laugh with him, like they used to. He remembered many nights in Buckland with Merry, sleeping out underneath the stars, or camping on the edge of the Old Forest, or fishing in the Brandywine. He remembered when Merry taught him to swim, and the time Merry took him for a ride on the ferry and Merry had saved a lass named Meridol from drowning. Pippin had always admired his older cousin. Everyone admired him.
When Pippin had gotten older, Merry had allowed him to tag along with Merry and his friends to the inns for drinks. He could remember many a-night when they would go and have a grand time singing and dancing and talking. He remembered visits to his cousin Frodo's home at Bag End, and birthday parties, and Yule celebrations, and all of the adventures they had had in their lives. Stealing crops, chasing girls, singing at the Green Dragon, smoking. Pippin smiled. It had been Merry who had given him his first pipe. It had been a birthday present. And Pip carried it with him everywhere.
'My pipe!' Pippin thought suddenly. He stopped walking and dug into his inside shirt pocket. It wasn't there. His heart sank. He knew he must have lost it somewhere. He had completely forgotten about it. His slow trudge began once more as a chill wind swept past. How horrible. And then, Pippin felt a drop on his nose. He stopped and squinted into the sky. The clouds were gray and menacing.
"Merry!" Pippin called, still looking upwards. He heard his cousin and Fidell stop.
"What is it, Pip?"
"I think it's going to rain."
There was a pause. Then, "So it is. Let's keep on, Pippin." And the footsteps began again. Pippin didn't move at first, but after a dull sigh, he followed the other two. The drop turned into a few more drops, and soon a light drizzle began. It was the annoying kind of drizzle, that gets in your eyes and is cold and wets your hair just enough so that it won't move from in front of your face. Pippin was getting very irritated. He'd had enough of this kind of weather. He wanted the sunny fields of the Shire, and no where else. When he got home – if he got home – he was never going to leave again. He promised himself that.
The drizzle became stronger. His clothes began to feel soggy and stuck to his skin in a few places. He wanted to hit something.
The rain became steadily stronger, until it was a right downpour. Pippin stopped and lifted his hand to scratch the back of his neck for the hundredth time. His hair was so wet, it was dripping onto his face and stuck to the back of his neck and wouldn't let go. He was cold and tired and grumpy and hungry and a million other things. But most of all, he was sick. He knew he was sick. He could feel it. His nose was stuffed and his throat was sore. It had started the day before, but he hadn't mentioned it to Merry. It was most likely a cold, and there was nothing to be done for a cold. What was the point of being more of a burden if he could avoid it?
Pippin cleared his throat and wiped his nose with his sleeve. It didn't do any good, as his sleeve was sopping wet from the rain.
"Merry!" Pippin shouted above the storm.
"What?!" was the reply.
"Maybe we should stop for the night!"
"We will once we find someplace to stop! Come on!"
Pippin wanted to scream. He wanted to hit Merry a thousand times. And he wanted to cry. He wanted to curl into a ball and die. This was terrible.
Pulling out a handkerchief that was still mostly dry, Pippin brought it to his nose. Unfortunately, the wind caught it and it was blown out of his hand. With a groan of frustration, Pippin turned around to retrieve it. And stopped. His eyes went wide in fear.
Standing only ten feet from him, staring with a wild glint in his eye, was Will. Pippin was sure of it. Pippin opened his mouth to yell to Merry, but no sound came out. He went to run, but his foot was stuck in a pile of muck. Frantic, he yanked at his caught foot. Will started towards him. Pippin pulled as hard as he could. His foot came loose and he turned and tried to run. The ground was slippery and wet, and he slid and skidded down the path. Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw the man was only feet from him.
"MERRY!!" The shout was loud and clear, but was followed by a loud gush of air as Pippin was tackled to the ground by Will. Pippin, now in a panic, flailed and kicked and struggled with all of his might. He was not going to be captured. Not again. He'd had enough of this. He tipped his head back as far as he could to look down the path. Merry and Fidell were nowhere to be seen. Desperation and fear flooded Pippin's brain. He had to get away. He looked back up at the man, who brought his hand down to cover Pippin's mouth. Seizing the chance, Pippin opened his mouth and bit down (hard) on Will's hand. The man released a shout and pulled his hand away, sitting up a bit. Pippin brought back his foot and slammed it over Will's jaw. The man was thrown backwards by the force and landed with a thud in the muddy dirt of the path. Pippin jumped up with no hesitation and took off down the path, desperate to find his friends.
He ran and ran and ran, and did not look back. He felt he could run forever, if that's how long it took to be safe from people like Will. He spotted an alcove under a small grouping of trees just off the path and went towards it. If he didn't find Merry and Fidell, at least he could hide in the shelter of these trees until morning. And then, he could head home. He brightened at the thought of it. Perhaps it was all over for him at last.
"Pippin!" Or not. Pippin stopped running. Merry had appeared at the opening of the shelter. A smile was on his face. Pippin was glad to see his friend smile, but he himself did not feel like doing the same.
"I saw Will," he said.
Merry's smile vanished. "What?"
"Will. He was following us. He attacked me, but I got away."
"Pippin, come here." Pippin listened. Merry brought him into the warm, lighted, rain-free shelter and sat him down. He looked Pippin over and, finding no serious injuries, sat back. "What happened?"
"I stopped to take out my handkerchief, which I lost by the way, and it blew out of my hand, so I turned to get it and. . . .he was there."
"Will?"
"Yes. He was standing behind me, not more than ten feet. And so I turned and I tried to run, but my foot was stuck in the mud, so I yanked it out and ran, but it was slippery, and he caught me and tackled me and so I struggled, and I called out for you, Merry, but you and Fidell had gone and I was so scared that I was going to be captured again that I fought and fought and finally broke free and I ran as fast as I could to find you and. . . .and. . . ." Tears welled up in his eyes.
"Pip?"
"I can't stand this anymore, Merry! I can't take it! I want to go home!" And Pippin curled himself up into a ball and sobbed for his despair.
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A/N: Well, I hope you liked this chapter. It just sort of came to me all of a sudden. Weird how things happen, eh? Oh, and for anyone here who has read "May It Be" (another story of mine) you'll notice that one of Pippin's memories parallels a memory of a character from that story. See if you can find it! ;-) Please review!
