Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Lord of the Rings.

Before the War of the Ring...

Late one evening Merry & Pippin were out by the river looking for mushrooms. Merry started digging in the snow near a huge oak tree that stood by the river, while Pippin was looking around the water's edge. Merry curiously asked his companion, "Why are we looking for mushrooms in the middle of winter?"

Pippin thought for a moment, "I don't really know, Merry. I think mushrooms grow during the winter, don't they?"

"I don't think so, Pip."

Pip looked up & saw a patch of mushrooms growing by what seemed to be a rock. Pip exclaimed, "Merry, there's some by that rock!"

The 2 friends rushed over to the site near the bank, & started gathering the tasty morsels. Pippin reached & grabbed a mushroom that was growing beside the rock. Pippin stopped what he was doing & started studying the rock.

It was translucent & irregularly shaped, but still beautiful. He looked closer at the rock & realized the rock was buried in the ground. "Merry, look at this!"

Merry joined his companion &Pippin pointed out the strange "rock" to his companion. Merry studied it then brushed away some of the snow & the dirt. Pippin stood up & tried to kick the rock loose, but the result was Pippin's foot hitting the rock, his foot slipping off the rock, & poor Pip falling flat on his back!

Merry shook his head, " Pip, sit down before you hurt yourself! Oh, wait you're already doing that! Let me show you how it's done."

With that Merry kicked the rock with all his might, & then a shot of pain sprang up his big toe. Pippin studied the rock once again & saw that more dirt & snow had fallen off the rock due to Merry's powerful kick. This revealed that the rock was huge! Pip looked even closer at the rock & saw there was something inside the rock.

"Merry, I don't think this is a rock."

Merry fell down on his tailbone, & replied, "OUCH! What are you talking about!"

"Merry, look at it! There's something inside it!"

"You're right, Pip!"

"Can we eat it?"

"Well, first we need to know what it is, & dig up as well, Pip!"

Pip couldn't wait though. He stuck out his tongue & tried to lick the rock, & then realized that his tongue was stuck to the rock. So by the time Merry dug up the rock the 2 could see it wasn't meant for eating (which Pip wished he had realized before he decided to taste the rock). Pip managed to say to the best of ability, "Merry, I think it's an orc."

"No, I don't think so Pip. Come around here & look at it from the front."

"I can't!"

"Why don't we take it to Bilbo, & see what he thinks? You pull & I'll push."

Pip almost shrieked, "With my tongue!"

After about an hour of strenuous pushing & pulling,...

(A/N: Don't worry Pip used his arms to pull the chunk of ice instead of his tongue! I'm not going to be that witchy towards him.) Merry & Pippin finally made it to Bilbo Baggins's front door with their large "rock" (which turned out to be about as tall as an average size hobbit). Merry wearily pounded on the door, & within a few minutes a very sleepy & grumpy Bilbo Baggins opened the door. When Bilbo saw who had awakened him, he growled at his cousins, "It's 1:00 in the morning. What do you two want?"

Pippin inquired with his tongue still stuck to the "rock," "Is it really that early?"

Bilbo narrowed his gaze at his Pippin & realized Pip's situation, "Oh, no! I should have guessed that you were the one...!"

Merry stepped forward, "We're sorry, Bilbo, but we found this strange rock down by the river, & Pip & I couldn't figure out what kind of rock it is."

Bilbo squinted as he gazed at the "rock." He sighed unhappily, "Oh, bring it inside!"

While Merry & Pippin struggled to get the "rock" into the living room, Bilbo put more wood on the fire in the fireplace & lit a few candles & a lamp. While this was going on Bilbo's young ward Frodo Baggins walked into the living room in his nightclothes. Frodo sleepily asked, "What's going on?"

Pippin looked up (to the best of his ability) from his work, "Oh! Hello, Frodo! Come & see this rock Merry & I found!"

Frodo walked up to the "rock" & studied the translucent wonder. Bilbo scowled at Merry & Pippin, "You morons, this isn't a rock! It's a chunk of ice!"

Merry looked the chunk over, "Oh, you're right! It's melting from the heat from the fireplace. I was wondering why it was getting smaller."

Bilbo moaned, "Oh, great! By the time this thing gets through melting we'll have a lake right in the middle of my living room thanks to you two!"

Merry wore that sheepish "sorry" look on his face as his replied, "We'll get it out of here."

Pippin cried out, "But what about my tongue! It's still frozen to the ice!"

Bilbo sighed, " Wait just a few minutes & your tongue will be free. And then YOU TWO WILL GET THIS CHUNK OF ICE OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

Frodo still studying the ice noticed that there was something strange about the it. There seemed to be a crimson flame & a green cloud inside. Frodo pointed to the fire & the cloud, "Bilbo, look! There's something in frozen in the ice."

Bilbo looked where Frodo was indicating, "My boy, I believe you're right! Merry, fetch a chisel and a hammer. I'll...get some towels to soak up the melted ice."

Merry dashed down the hallway to find the tools that Bilbo had asked for. The elder hobbit went to get the towels he was sure they would need before the morning came.

Frodo couldn't help, but stare at the figure frozen in the solidifed water. Who or what was it? How long had it been frozen? He heard a strange voice whisper something he couldn't quite make out. Had it been ... It couldn't have been...

Frodo's thoughts were interrupted by Merry coming back with the chisel & hammer, and by Bilbo returning with an arm load of towels.

"Merry," Bilbo said in a grumpy voice, "you'll do the honors of chiselling the ice, since you and Pip are responsible for this being here in the first place."

With that said, Merry started his task with Frodo and Pippin (once his tongue was free) undertook the task of taking the smaller pieces outside to dispose of them. It wasn't until the break of dawn the frozen prisoner was completely free.

A/N: I hate to leave you guys hanging, but I've got to stop for now. Please review! Constructive criticism please! No flames. I'll update as soon as possible! One of my friends from school gave me the idea to start this chapter off with Merry & Pippin's humorous dialogue & clumsiness. Just giving credit where it's due!