4

Frodo held her close, thanking every good spirit he knew for her being safe, and loving him. A small voice in the back of his mind jeered at him. "This will not last, you have the ring. I will tear you apart and destroy the world along with you." The whispers in his mind grew louder. But he had only to look down into Allison's eyes to banish them to the dark.

The party of hobbits returned with much hemming and hawing to announce their presence. Obviously afraid to walk in on something they made enough noise in walking to the campsite that an entire legion of orcs could hear them from twelve miles away. Frodo introduced all of his companions to Allison, despite the fact that she already knew all of them. Strider finally strolled into view, although she knew he had been keeping close watch on the proceedings all the while. Sneaky humans. Sam looked pained and stared unceasingly at Frodo, who was oblivious to the obvious longing his friend's eyes. Allison was not. Unbeknownst to Frodo the tension between the gardener and female built until Pippin burst out with "I LOVE MUFFINS!" All turn and stare at the insane but cute hobbit. Merry quickly chimed in: "Especially blueberry ones!" A fight or at the very least prolonged staring contest was cut short as the entire group's talk dissolved into a debate about the virtues of various muffins. The subject turned to popsicles.

A loud masculine voice boomed down at the hobbits and ranger from the clouds above. "POPSCICLES WERE NOT YET INVENTED!" Eying Frodo in an altogether uncomfortable way, Sam declared that he liked popsicles. Frodo finally gets the message and says, "How about we discuss something other than popsicles."

Merry: "What's a popsicle?"

Pippin: "What about HYPOTHETICAL popsicles, eh? We can have those can't we?"

Announcer man: "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A POPSCICLE AND AS I HAVE A REALLY NEATO DEEP VOICE I KNOW ALL!"

Pippin: "Neato? Dude! Get a better word!"

Merry: "I still don't know what a Popsicle is!"

Aragorn: "SHUT UP!"

(Everyone goes silent and crickets chirp ominously in

Aragorn: (talking strangely quiet, proving he doesn't have to yell to show his obvious authority) This is a mission that calls for secrecy. The fate of middle earth is riding one you! And you are willing to jeopardize our way of life for a discussion on popsicles.

Pippin: and it's always a good idea to have the narrator on your side

Merry: well YOU were the one arguing with him

Pippin: was not!

Merry: was too!

Pippin: was not!

Merry: was too!

Everyone except merry and pippin: SHUT UP! STOP IT WITH THE PLAY OUTLINE OF WRITING AND THE INCORRECT GRAMMER! GET ON WITH THE STORY AND STOP ARGUING!

Pippin frowned and muttered under his breath, "I was not."