"Sam! Oh, than' goodness yer here!" Flisa jumped off of Sam. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around Flisa's neck and let her pull him to his feet. Bilbo stood, a little ways off, shocked into silence.

"Sorry 'bout that, pushin' ya down 'n all," Flisa said. "I'm glad yer here, though. Thought I ws gonna have to haul to poor lad back meself."

Sam stood there, silent. And then he remembered.

"You…you traitor!" He leapt at her, punching and kicking blindly. "I can't believe you would just kill him like that! You monster! You murderer!"

Flisa, startled, was pushed off her balance. She didn't fight back; se merely tried to get away from him.

Suddenly, a noise came from the bushes. Sam stopped, and Flisa took this opportunity to break away, crouching low to the ground.

Before Sam could move, a tall figure jumped out from its hiding spot. A man, by the looks of him, armed with a knife. He slashed at Sam, but the hobbit was able to dodge his blow.

Flisa leapt forward and pinned the man to the ground. She was limping and hurting from Sam's beating, but she growled, and he yelled, swinging his weapon back and forth. Flisa jumped away, her skin sliced in several places. The man lunged, and she jumped aside.

Finally, after several blows and dodges, Flisa leapt at him, her jaws closing around his neck. The man gasped, struggled feebly, and soon moved no more.

Flisa pulled herself off of him. As she moved away from the man's body, Sam saw that she was breathing heavily. The man's knife had been plunged into her side. She stumbled forward and collapsed onto the ground.

"My goodness…" Bilbo murmured. Sam rushed forward to look at the man.

"Wait just a moment!" Sam exclaimed, pulling something off the man. "This is Frodo's!" He held up Frodo's cloak that he had found in the man's pack.

"Why," Bilbo murdered. "He must've been robbed! This man was a bandit!"

Sam looked down at his feet. "And Flisa saved us," he murmured.

"Which probably means that she wasn't the one who killed Frodo," Bilbo murmured.

"D-d-didn't…kill…F-Frodo…"

Sam rushed to the dog's side as he heard her rasp the words. "What?"

Flisa looked up at him, her red eyes cloudy. "I…didn't k-kill Frodo…the, the bandits..."

Sam glanced up at Bilbo, tears in his eyes. His eyes met Flisa's again. "I-I'm sorry, Flisa…I…I…We'll get you back, we will, and you'll be fine, and…and… "

"Stop the stutter, silly hobbit," Flisa murmured with a smile. "Anyways…I'm n-not gonna make it, dearie. I can feel it. J-just go 'elp Frodo."

Sam's eyes widened. "Frodo? But, he's dead!"

Flisa shook her head weakly. "Nah, he's just been bashed on his head. He'll be fine, go get 'im."

Bilbo, overhearing this, ran off to attend to Frodo. Sam remained with Flisa. "Go, Sam. Go!" she ordered, shoving him with her nose. Sam stood up and ran to help Bilbo.

They picked up Frodo, who moaned in pain. Bilbo carried his head, while Sam carried his feet. They walked around Flisa, who smiled and murmured, "See ya Bilbo, you've been so nice to me. Bye Frodo, get well soon, dearie."

She then looked at Sam, who hung his head. "Goodbye, Sam love. I forgive ya. You be good fer your ole Gaffer, tell 'im I said goodbye, won't cha?"

Sam was shocked. "I…I…well, yes." Flisa smiled and laid her head down.

Bilbo bowed his head and started walking again.

When they reached Bag End, the Gaffer was waiting for them. The three hobbits tended to Frodo's wound, which was a small cut on his forehead, and they cleaned up the blood on him.

"I have to go back and get Flisa," Sam whispered to Bilbo. "I can't just leave her there."

Bilbo smiled. "Don't worry, Sam. You stay here and watch Frodo; Hamfast and I will go get her."

The two older hobbits went to find Flisa, while Sam stayed behind, looking out of the window in worry.

----x--X--x----

After a while, Sam noticed that Frodo was turning and muttering in his sleep.

"Sshh," Sam murmured. "It's alright Mr. Frodo, don't worry."

But nothing he said could comfort the sleeping hobbit.

----x--X--x----

Frodo awoke to a throbbing forehead. He sat up, looking around in confusion. What had happened?

"Eh!"

Startled, Frodo looked to his right. He saw a large, black dog, sitting up and glaring at him.

"Stop movin' the bed, you idjit," she muttered.

"Flisa!" Frodo threw his arms around her. Flisa smiled, but winced.

"Ai! Watch it, darlin'. Got quite busted up, see."

Frodo pulled away and looked at her. She was bandaged up all over the place. "Oh, Flisa…"

"Don'cha go all 'Oh Flisa' on me, sonny!" she said playfully. "Now, why don't ya go tell yer ole uncle that if 'e wants me to stay in this here bed an' heal, he better bring me somethin' to eat afore I die."

Frodo nodded and rushed off to find Bilbo, running past Sam, who'd been coming in.

Sam walked into the small room. "F-F-Flisa?"

Flisa smiled. "C'mere, you silly lil' hobbit! Why haven't you come tae visit me, eh?"

Sam moved closer, his eyes on his feet. "Well I…I thought that…since I'd thought…and I had…."

Flisa rolled her eyes. "What've I told ya 'bout stutterin'? I forgave ya fer what ya did, and I'm proud."

Sam looked up. "Proud?"

"Yes, proud. Frodo is much too trusting. I can see that you're going to be very helpful to him, You're smart Sam, and you can see the bad in people, even when Frodo can't. And that's a good thing." She grinned. "Plus, yer a pretty good fighter. I could teach ya more if you like."

Sam smiled. "Would you?"

Flisa nodded. "Why, a 'course. Now, go see what's takin' Frodo so long with that food!"