Chapter One
It was an icy cold day in the small village of Hobbiton, and this was also a rare time, for the Shire had become covered in the crunchy blanket of snow. The older hobbits were busy trying to save their precious gardens and crops of vegetables, but the younger hobbits and the tweenagers were taking full advantage of the snow and were using the time to have fun. Two hobbits were especially going to have fun. These hobbits were Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. Merry was a full-fledge tweenager and Pippin was only eight year old.
"Are you sure going on that hard stuff will be safe, Merry?" Pippin asked with a worried gaze at the ice.
"Of course it is, Pip!" Merry replied with a smile. "Look, I'll show you!"
To be honest, Merry was terrified of the thought of even stepping on the ice, but he couldn't show his fear to his young cousin or his hard-worked-for reputation would be in shatters.
Slowly, Merry stepped onto the ice. An icy shiver ran up the length of his spine as his feet finally registered the chill of the ice. With a gulp, he slid himself forward, desperately hoping he wouldn't slip over and embarrass himself in front of Pippin. But as he continued to slide, Merry noticed that he wasn't slipping and with that realisation firm placed in his head, his confidence on the ice gradually grew.
"See, Pip!" he shouted, taking some more professional slides. "Nothing to it!"
Even with his cousin's shouts, the feeling of dread ran through Pippin as he continued to stare at the ice. There was no way it could be safe on there. Even if it was hard, and slippy, and fun.
"Don't be such a ninny-hammer, Pippin," shouted Merry, an annoyed tone evident in his voice. "Just come and try and if you don't like it, you can go back to land, okay?"
With a sigh, Pippin gave a small nod, and stepped onto the ice. Instantly, one of his feet shot forward and he landed hard on his behind.
A loud, echoing laugh filled the air as Merry burst out laughing.
"Way to slip, Pip!" he laughed, holding his sides.
"I'll show you, Merridoc Brandybuck," Pippin muttered under his breath as he pushed himself unsteadily off the ice. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and slid himself forward once more. This time, he managed to stay up.
"I did it," he muttered. "I DID IT!"
Merry gave a smile. He had had no doubt in his little cousin.
"Good for you!" he shouted to him.
After his first slide, Pippin couldn't be stopped. He was skating around the whole lake, slipping over a couple of times but determined to enjoy the advantage of the snow, but the weather was slowly deterioating and becoming icy in its blast of wind. Merry shivered as a particular nasty chill blew around him.
"Pippin, it's time to go!" he shouted. "The weather's getting worse and I don't really want to be stuck in a blizzard!"
Yet Pippin shook his head.
"It's not that cold!" Pippin called back. "You go home if you want."
Merry sighed angrily. Whenever his cousin was stubborn as he was, no-one could convince to him to do anything and now was not the time for him to be stubborn.
"PEREGRIN! GET HERE NOW!" Merry shouted, annoyance evident in his voice.
"NO!" Pippin screamed. "I...AM...NOT...GOIN-,"
But he was suddenly cut off as he heard the ice beneath him begin to slowly crack as he stopped jumping. His eyes bore into Merry's, fear shining brightly within them and with a small gasp, Pippin fell with a splash into the icy cold depths of the lake and disappeared.
"PIPPIN! NO!" Merry cried in dismay, but it was too late his cousin had gone. "PIPPIN!"