Author's note: School holidays are almost over :( Oh well! I guess they couldn't last forever. Anyways, the story continues. This chapter was actually influenced a lot by Paulo Coelo. I had just read The Alchemist when I wrote this. Every good book! Lots of underlying messages. I hope you like this chapter and don't hesitate to offer any tips to better my writing.

I don't own Tolkien or any of the characters here, besides Cisternia and Stubbs.

Chapter 7

Each mouthful Merry took slid painfully down his throat. The pancakes Cisternia had made him were delicious, but nothing could comfort him. Even as he sat here eating, time was wasting. Time that would be needed for Pippin's rescue. He stabbed the last bit of pancake with his fork and stuffed it into his mouth before rising abruptly.

"Breakfast was delicious Mrs. Bracegirdle but I have to leave now. I have to look for Pippin now." Said Merry politely as he entered the kitchen.

"Sorry?" Cisternia was slightly shocked. She had gotten used to Merry already. He felt slightly sorry for her. She was alone and he had been her first company in quite a while.

Merry reiterated politely.

"I see…"

"I promise I will visit you, but right now I am on a mission."

A warm smile spread across Cisternia's wrinkled countenance. She walked into the living room and made her way to a small cupboard near the window. She turned around and crouched under the bench into one of her dark cupboards. After digging around for a while until she re-emerged with a small backpack.

"This was my husband's backpack back when he was a young gentleman. It's been gathering dust in this cupboard for years. I would like you to have it."

She held out the backpack. Gingerly, Merry took it and inspected it. It was old and grey from the layers of dust that had coated it over the years, but the fine stitching told him it had been quite a backpack in its time. Beneath the layers of grey, Merry could see the beautiful chestnut leather it was made of. With a little dusting off, this could prove a valuable item on his quest.

"Thank-you, Mrs. Bracegirdle. I will use it well." He patted off some of the dust. Already the bright chestnut was coming through. Yes, this was quite a backpack.

Cisternia turned back into the kitchen. She re-entered with basket full of various foods. Slowly one by one she placed each item in the backpack.

"I think you will need these on your trip. I know how hungry young hobbits can get." Just as she put the last item in, Merry reached over and embraced her.

Slowly Merry, with the backpack over one shoulder, trudged down the steps to the path ahead. Just as he reached the path he turned around and waved back to the elderly hobbit woman standing at the door of the house. She smiled and gave a quick wave before returning to the house.

He was back on the trail again. Already he missed the atavistic charm of Cisternia little cottage but he knew he had quite a task ahead of him. The sun was at its zenith. Before he knew it, it would be nightfall and all the dark beings of the world would come out to hunt, hopefully not him. He wouldn't think about what to do then. He had a whole day and he wouldn't waste it.

Merry stopped suddenly. Once again he was at a stalemate. Where would he start? What would he do first? He slumped down on the path. Already tears were welling up in his eyes. He had been so busy convincing himself that he would find Pippin that he had neglected to think about a starting point. Merry put his head in his knees. This was hopeless.

"Listen to your heart…"

The little voice inside his head was talking to him again. Since he had nowhere else to turn he decided to listen to it.

'Those who ignore their heart are those that fail on their quest. When you desire something pure, your heart will conspire to help you achieve it." The voice in his head had somewhat matured. It was now the voice of wisdom.

Merry had never really stopped and listened to his heart. He was a child after all, and children are not yet old enough to understand such deep thoughts. But he was desperate and right now it seemed that his heart was the only thing that could help him.

He closed his eyes and blocked out all external distractions. It took a while, it was hard to mentally remove himself from the world but in a while his mind was delving deep into his soul. Soon it reached Merry's core where his heart lay.

His heart was beating wildly. It had never been listened to and had many things to say. It spoke of happiness and sadness. Love and hate. But nothing of the quest.

"Please I need your help now more than ever."

It continued to talk of many trivial things but through it he managed to decipher a few small words that he knew somehow were linked to the quest. Merry didn't know why, but he knew these words were significant. His inner voice never said that the heart's answer would be obvious. You do not listen to your heart the same way you listen to a person speaking. This was something Merry could never explain to another.

"Thank you."

Slowly his mind rose back to the surface, like a diver rising from the depths of the ocean. Only now did he realise the cold slimy sensation continually brushing against his cheek. Merry opened his eyes, only to come face to face with two large pink lips. He let out a small shriek, only to be stifled as a tongue shot out and coated his face with the cold saliva

"Ewwwwwwww!" Merry spat in disgust. He backed away a little to see who his 'attacker' was. Merry grinned with delight.

"Stubbs!"

It was Stubbfoot, lovingly called Stubbs by the neighbourhood children. He was Ted Sandyman's carriage horse, a little white pony that had a penchant for escaping his enclosure. Everyone in the neighbourhood knew him, as he got out often and roamed the streets until Ted would find him yank him by a rope back home. Everyone also knew that Ted wasn't the nicest of owners. Stubbs was a healthy and happy pony however, kept nourished by the treats of apples and carrots the children would give him.

Stubbs whinnied happily. He was glad to see Merry too. Then he turned and nudged the backpack that was now at Merry's side.

"Oh you want some food?" Suddenly a thought popped into his head. Stubbs' four legs would be much swifter than his two. Double the legs means double the distance right? And double the distance means half the time it would take to find Pippin! Maybe he could convince Stubbs, using food assistance, to help him…

Merry reached into his pack. He fished around until he found a fresh apple Cisternia had given him before he had left. Slowly he took it out of his pack. It was a big apple, no doubt juicy inside. It looked so good that Merry could have eaten it himself then and there. But it could help him finding Pippin. At that moment the apple was more than an apple. It was an opportunity.

"Mmmm, a big, red apple. Oh it looks good!" Stubbs stretched his neck to take a grab at the apple, but Merry moved it out of his reach.

"No, no this apple seems to good to just give away." Stubbs burred disappointingly. He nudged at Merry's chest and looked up at him with a horse's equivalent to a puppy dog look.

"I would could give it to you but…" At that moment he veered to the side and sprang lightly onto the pony's back.

"…only if you bear me." The horse shifted his weight and snorted discontentedly. He didn't like the idea of anyone on him back. Just as he was about throw Merry off, Merry waved the apple seductively in front of Stubbs' face. As if in a trance, the horse's tension eased and he stared fixedly at the apple.

"Will you bear me?" repeated Merry. The horse nickered in acceptance before grabbing the apple in his teeth. As Stubbs crunched happily, Merry suddenly remembered that before he had been rudely disturbed, he was trying to listen to his heart. Those few words that would help him now rang clear in his head.

"Keep going, the forest lies ahead."

He was on the right track. Natural instinct had not led him astray. Optimism overtook him, he was going to rescue Pippin! With one mighty kick, he was off on his quest.