Chapter Three Summary: Out in Archet's wilderness, Frodo teaches Bertha how to hunt for wild game. Bertha meets a White Wolf, and is greeted by some old friends in Archet's Hunting Lodge.

Now, we get to explore Archet's woodland area with Frodo and Bertha. Enjoy. :)

Chapter Three:

Exploring Archet

Frodo and Bertha clambered out of the Village of Archet. They arrived in the woods of Archet, where lush green grass and green leafy trees, as well as green leafy bushes, scoured the area. Rock formations could be seen amongst the landscape, as well as fences in place down the road.

There were two farmlands in Archet. One of them was a sheep farm, where the people of Archet would get their wool for clothing, while the farmland a few yards away housed horses and other livestock.

The first time Bertha witnessed this wilderness, she couldn't believe there were stone ruins garnishing this area. Bertha looked, stunned and afraid of seeing wolves out on Archet's fields. She hesitated, keen on staying out of the wolves' way.

She looked at Frodo, watching him smile at her, entertained by her. She did not think it was funny!

"We're not fighting the wolves, are we?" Bertha asked, curious. "I mean, they're not evil, right?"

Frodo smirked. He looked at her, saying, "Well," He raised an eyebrow at her, saying to her, "the Wargs fight for Sauron, and the wolves are just nature's animals. Such is the way of things. They only attack when threatened. If you're not a threat, then I don't think you have anything to worry about." He sighed, depressed a little bit. He patted her back, telling her, "Don't worry, Bertha. We're leaving these wolves alone." He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her. "Don't worry. I think you'll be okay. I know you will." He gently rubbed his nose against hers, kissing her nose, before moving away from her.

He smiled, pointing out to her, "There's a White Wolf around here somewhere. I'm determined to find her, if you are. Don't worry, Bertha. You'll be safe with me."

He gestured, telling her, "Come on. We're hunting boar. It'll be your first test. Have you hunted boar before? I'm sure you'd be willing enough to hunt them, right?"

Bertha asked Frodo, in interest, "Frodo, what do you hunt, when you're out camping? What's your game animal?"

Frodo smirked, laughing. He wrapped an arm around her, telling her, "I hunt boar, squirrel, and coneys. Deer are something else. No, I have yet to hunt deer. Deer are a little harder for a hobbit to hunt. I mean, I'm sure it can be done, but who knows?"

Bertha looked at him now, saying to him, "I'd love to hunt boar!" She smiled widely, leaving him exhilarated.

"Um…" Frodo turned his attention to the wolves. The wolves were staring right at him and Bertha. Some wolves even moved out of the way for them to pass. The wolves snickered, as Bertha threw a knife at a boar piglet. The fierce blow sent the boar piglet squirming. Bertha wasn't sure if she had the boar piglet until she ran towards it.

She gulped in shock, unsure what to do. The boar piglet was suffering, squealing for someone to help him. Frodo moved fast on the boar piglet, ending its suffering with Bertha's knife. Frodo gave her the knife, just as they left the Village of Archet. Bertha knew it was a hunting knife, something Frodo wanted her to keep, should they go out hunting.

"Use this knife when we're out hunting, Bertha. And we'll be hunting game animals very soon," Frodo said, leaving Bertha to nod as she took the knife from him.

That moment seemed so long ago, even as Bertha approached Frodo now. Frodo sighed, finding his bag and getting to work cutting up the boar meat from the dead boar's body. He worked quickly to cut the meat up in sections. He turned to Bertha, telling her, "Not bad. Your hunting skills could use some work. You managed to slice this boar piglet's leg, leaving him sprawling on the grassy ground."

Bertha gulped, sighing, "So, I did poorly?"

"It wasn't bad for your first time," but even Frodo had to admit it was a poor shot. Frodo was lucky to find the knife and finish the boar off. He sighed, adding, "We can take the boar's head as a trophy. How would you like to have boar head to stick up on your house's walls?"

Bertha looked at him, wondering where this side to Frodo came from. He was a hunter, right? Was that why he knew which game animals were and which animals to leave alone? It was no wonder the wolves left them alone, for they must have known Frodo was a friend. They seemed about one of the animals who were sacred. They deserved respect.

Bertha smirked. Frodo grabbed up all the meat, placing it in the bag, before swinging it around his shoulders. It wasn't enough. Bertha took her knife and swung it at a second boar piglet. This time, she didn't look as the knife as it struck the boar piglet, killing it immediately.

Frodo chuckled, rushing over to the second boar piglet. "Man! My, my Bertha. That was lucky. If I were you, I'd be careful with that arm. Those kinds of kills only happen rarely. You were lucky not to have attacked anyone! Next time, watch your hunts!"

Bertha chuckled guiltily, watching Frodo quarter the second boar piglet. The moment Frodo was done, he put the meat and the second boar head into the bag, Frodo hoisted the bag over his shoulders. Two boar piglets were enough to last them a while. Frodo nodded, making his way over to a place in the forests capable of setting up a campfire. When the campfire was ready, Frodo got to work cooking up the meat, making sure to use his magic to heat up the fire and cook the meat as quickly as possible.

Bertha stared at Frodo, as she took a seat next to him. She was surprised the meat cooked so fast. She looked at him now, asking him, "You have magic? I thought hobbits didn't use magic."

"Um… it's a little complicated," Frodo said, pointing out to her. He smirked, admitting, "Let's just say I gained some magic. My travels have led me here, to this moment. I just happen to be passing through, giving you enough meat to continue on your way." He smirked, stretching forth his hands at all the meat. The boar meat was cooked to perfection, before Frodo placed the meat in Bertha's sack. He got up, wandering off in search of more food.

"Wait. Where are you going?! Frodo?!" Bertha asked, just as Frodo doused the campfire with blue sparks protruding from his hands. Bertha looked at him now, cautious. "Frodo?"

Frodo shook his head. "Bertha, follow the path. There's a cat waiting for you. She's an Oriental Cat. She's rough, but she means well. Look after her, while I'm gone. Thank you." Frodo dashed away, leaving Bertha alone with her sack of cooked meat.

.

Bertha ran across the wilderness of Archet. To her surprise, she was met by a female Oriental Cat by the river. The woods were shady in this part of Archet; it made for good cover. Bertha hesitated going towards the cat, but she did it, wondering what this cat's business was with her.

The Oriental Cat shrugged and smiled, giddy at her for starting this adventure. "I see you've hunted some boar piglets! Very good. You'll need lots of meat, lots of food, during your travels." She hugged Bertha, rubbing her paws together afterwards, "Now, look over here. We have some brigands causing trouble. Should you survive, I rather doubt it, you'll be handing the plans over to me and Jane, a Dalmatian who is apparently hanging out around the hunting lodge. The brigands stole that satchel from us, and now we need it back. Now, I know it sounds hard, but you have got to get in there and get those plans. Can you do it?"

"Um… I think so. I'm not much of a warrior. I'm a rogue. A hobbit rogue. Isn't that enough?" Bertha asked, leaving the cat shaking her head.

"Oh, you're hopeless! Do you not think I haven't thought this through?" the Oriental Cat said, instructing Bertha further. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go!"

"Ehh!" Bertha propelled forward, even as the Oriental Cat wandered off. Bertha hissed, wondering why everyone was leaving her. Bertha returned her gaze to the ruins. It was a ruined fortress. Bertha heard the name before: these brigands were the Blackwolds and it seemed as though there were other hobbits, Men, and Women, fighting against the Blackwolds.

Bertha sighed. She had a plan, as she did not want to fight these brigands. She regretted her decision to fight the boar piglets, just for the sake of gaining meat. She wasn't a butcher. She didn't want to be. She just wanted to be herself. She didn't want to have to do the dirty work.

So, why couldn't Frodo and this Oriental Cat see that? She understood if that was what they were used to doing, but she couldn't see it. She looked up in shock at the wolves as they careened into the Blackwolds.

One wolf, with a snowy white coat, gestured for her to follow. It was here, inside the ruined fortress, that Bertha found the plans she needed: an elaborate plan, set up for her already. Bertha sighed, taking the satchel with her, before mounting on the white wolf's back. All at once, the white wolf fought against the brigands. She tore her way out of the fortress, leaving the Blackwold Headquarters behind.

.

Bertha arrived at Archet's Hunting Lodge. It was here the white wolf dropped her off, allowing Bertha to move off her back as they bowed to each other. The moment the white wolf was gone, Bertha was met by a Dalmatian and a white standard-coated unicorn, who took the plans from her.

"Well, everything's in order. Right. We can begin this Plan!" the Dalmatian, a female Dalmatian, said, intrigued by her. The Dalmatian introduced herself now, bowing before Bertha, "I'm sorry. My name is Jane. Welcome to Archet's Hunting Lodge."

Bertha told Jane, "Frodo Baggins and that Oriental Cat ditched me. Why would they do that?"

Jane huffed, sighing. She admitted, "Frodo and Sera need time, before they can accept you. I know it's hard, but me and Syrena, that unicorn over there, are your support system, one of your many support systems."

"Don't worry," Syrena the Unicorn stated, calmly, "We won't hurt you or flee from you."

"Well, we do flee, but we come back," Jane said, excited to meet Bertha.

"Right," Bertha inhaled, exhaling a moment later. "Do I need to do anything else?"

Jane shook her head. "No, you don't. We're almost ready. Archet will be in flames. If you truly feel like you want to become a rogue, the best thing you can do is to defend yourself. Surely, you can do that. We'll need you soon enough. Archet doesn't have long to last." She added, pausing, "Jon Brackenbrook is almost ready to retake Archet. If you're ready, we'll help him out."

Bertha hated this. Her support system was actually asking her to fight! She didn't know what to do. But even she had to admit that these heroes were more capable of facing the enemy than she ever was. What had happened to them to make them become so cross with her?

She turned to Jane, telling her, "I'm ready. When do we go?"

Jane smiled, admitting, "Soon Bertha. Soon."

Thanks for reading. More chapters to come. :)