Sorry for the delay. I was updating my fanfics. :)

*.*.*

The smell of sulfur wafted through Parker's nostrils. The shifting colors brought no heed to him. He opened his eyes, discovering a volcano in the middle of a blackened land. Where was he? This place looked familiar. He turned his head, watching two hobbits make their way towards the volcano.

He followed them, doing his best to be silent. He hid behind a grey boulder, watching the two hobbits rest and recover. He recognized them in moments.

"Frodo? Sam?" That got their attention. Parker laughed in surprised delight. "I'm so happy to see you." He rushed towards them, attempting to hug them. He was stunned when they backed away, too frightened to speak to him. "What's wrong? Don't you recognize me?"

The brown-haired hobbit, Samwise Gamgee, intervened. "Don't you dare hurt Mr. Frodo!"

"What did I do?" Parker asked, confused. He looked at Frodo, if only for a second. The hobbit didn't recognize him. "Frodo, it's me. It's Parker! Frodo?"

"Stay away! Please?" Frodo Baggins said, weakly.

"Frodo—" Parker lost his voice. How was that possible? He looked on, attempting to speak to the hobbit. Only, he couldn't. He lost Frodo, just as he lost everything! Now, what could he do? In seconds, he was pulled back into the darkness, lost in his own thoughts….

….Parker woke up inside a healer's hall. Massive stone walls lined the hall, as did the beds, where other sick or injured dragonoids were tended to by healers. The ceiling was high up and arched, allowing birds to fly in and out of the hall. A fireplace stood at the end of hall, its flames crackling and spouting out ashes. How did he get here? The last thing he recalled was being astride Falkor… oh, there he was in the middle of the hall, being petted by a few dragonoid children! And there, in front of Parker was a pink female dragonoid with fiery eyes. She really was beautiful, by the looks of her. Oh, he must be dreaming!

"You're not dreaming," the female dragonoid said, smiling. "My name is Lily. Lily Dragonkin."

"What kind of a name is that?" Parker chuckled.

"Don't you dare insult me, Parker Dooley!" Lily scolded. "Do you know how many dragonoids I had to ask just to find you!" She snarled at him. He liked it. "Now that you're here, maybe you can fix the mess that's been going on around here."

"Yes," Falkor insisted, "that would be most adequate."

Parker shook his head. "You're always there for me, aren't you Falkor?"

"You bet!" Falkor said, purring.

"How long have I been out?" Parker asked Lily, curious.

"Two days," Lily said, handing him a tray filled with heaps of beef and vegetables. "I thought you might like this, after your journey. Along with this," She gave him a large glass of water. "I believe you'll need it."

"Thank you," Parker said, digging into the food. He didn't want to stop! How could he? He was too hungry to think straight. In minutes, nearly most of the food was down, allowing him to slow down. He looked up at Lily. She was smiling. Why was she smiling?

"What?" Parker asked, annoyed.

"Just the way you digest your food. You could almost eat a whole wild boar with that stomach!" Lily said, impressed.

"Well, you're not bad yourself," Parker declared, smirking back, "for someone with such a wide array of knowledge. You knew what I liked and didn't like." He nearly spit out the raw carrots.

"Oh, come on, Parker. All dragonoids need their vegetables." Lily said, broadly.

"I swear you're trying to torture me." He said, managing to digest the carrots. He looked up, right as his brother entered the hall, smiling widely.

"How's the food?" Mordru asked, curious, "We made it especially for you."

"What are you—" Parker belched. He collapsed on the bed, dazed. He was awake, but something was wrong. His brother led him outdoors, where he saw thatched roofs and dragonoids of all shapes, sizes, and colors looking at him, judging him. He needed to snap out of this trance!

What was that? A guillotine? What? No! This was not what he wanted!

He shoved Mordru back, forcing him to the ground. The moment his brother was down, Parker sped towards the town square. Rats! It was blocked by dragonoid soldiers! He made a beeline for an alleyway, covered with crates and chicken feed. He stumbled across one of the crates, landing on the earth with a bruised and blistered leg. Just as he became fully awake, he was dragged by one of the soldiers, forcing him in chains.

He looked up at his brother, as he approached with an uncanny smile.

"Well brother, you seem to be in a predicament," Mordru said, pleased. "I must say, I was about to execute you immediately after you betrayed everyone—"

"I've been saving everyone," Parker said, flat out. "It's something you haven't learned yet."

"Right. Well, I'm going to do something better. You're confined to the healer's hall until I call you. Then we'll see what the crowd thinks." Mordru said. He walked away, but not before adding, "Oh, and you might want to do something about that leg." He walked away, laughing.

"Ow!" Parker winced. His leg screamed in pain, nearly bleeding. He hardly paid attention, when he was brought back to the healer's hall, chained to the bed. He looked up, right as the guards stood in front of his bed, while other soldiers stayed by the doors. He looked on at Lily, as she tended to his wound, bandaged it, and doing her best to keep him well. He sighed, wondering then what he did wrong.

*.*.*

References:

Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee are from J.R.R. Tolkien's book trilogy, The Lord of the Rings.