Awakening Shadows

Chapter 1: The Path into the Woods

35 years later...

I sat alone on a tree branch, with only the sound of wind. I thought of leaving one day, just to get away from it all. I've never gone anywhere besides Bree, but I want to see mountains and open plains. But with my mother and father around, I can't leave. They love me too much to let me leave, although some day they will leave this earth and I'll be able to go wherever I want too. But I don't want that day to come soon, even though I want to explore Middle Earth. I turned my head to the dirt path that led into the woods, I've always wanted to see where the path led but then again I never get to leave this place.

I climbed down the tree carefully after I heard my mother call my name, I almost slipped but I caught myself before I could hit the ground. Once I reached the ground my hands where dirty from climbing the tree, but I didn't mind it. I walked towards the small house that I grew up in, it was bigger when I was a little young hobbit. But as I grew up I realized it's a very small house. The wooden roof and the wooden porch It was an old house so when you walked on the porch the wood would creek and squeak, once you stepped on it. I walked inside to find my mother cooking in the kitchen, she loved to cook and she was great at it. She turned around and faced me as I wiped my feet on the door mat.

"Make sure you wash your hands before you come and eat." my mother said, I nodded my head then went to the bucket of water that sat outside. As I washed my hands off I thought of my father Elemor he was in Bree, possibly meeting with an old friend or selling his crops. He was usually in Bree, or working outside. After I scrubbed off the dirt from my hands I went back inside to my mother, she had a plate of food set out of the table then a glass of water beside it waiting for me.

"Thank you mother." I said then sat down to eat. "Where is father?" I asked curiously. Even though I knew he was in Bree, my mother looked up at me then swallowed the food that was in her mouth, "He went to Bree to sell the cow." my eyes widened as I looked at my mother, "Why is he selling the cow?" I asked concerned. My mother acted like it was no big deal, as she quietly ate her food. "We no longer need her, also we need the money for different things." she explained. I still wasn't very sure if that was a good idea, but I trusted my mother and her decisions.

I decided to change the subject, "I have been needing to ask you something." I said while taking a bite of warm bread, "What is it dear?" I swallowed my bread and looked at my mother, "Well, you know that dirt path that leads into the woods? I was wondering where it leads to, I thought you would know since you've lived here longer than I have of course." I said, my mother looked at me and stopped eating. "You want to know where it leads?" she asked and acted strange about it, "Yes, I was wandering because I was wanting to explore it. Since I never go anywhere." I watched my mothers facial expressions, she looked confused but then she looked like she did not want to tell me where it led to.
"Well, you see. Me and your father have ventured there once and it's just a dead end, nothing more." she said then went back to eating.

I narrowed my eyes then took a small sip of my water.

Nothing more you say?

"You wouldn't mind if I go see for myself would you?" I asked, my mothers head rose and she looked me in the eye.

"There's nothing to see, why do you still want to go?" she said quickly, she acted like she was hiding something.

"I never go anywhere, so why can't I just go check it out? I'll come back before night." I was starting to beg my mother, I wanted to go so badly.

Soon enough my mother finally gave in, "Fine! Go if you want to, I can do nothing to stop you." a big smile spread across my face, I'm really going somewhere! I stood from my seat and grabbed my sword that my father gave me, "Hurry back Prisca," my mother told me, she waved her hand at me. "and stay safe please! Don't get into any trouble!" she finished. I waved my hand and smiled back, then walked out the door.

I came to the entrance to the woods, I stood and looked up at the tall trees. First adventure here I come. I took in a deep breath then walked on the dirt path.

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As I walked I noticed the sun light fade, the trees covered it. It was darker than before, only sun rays shone through the trees. I only heard the birds chirp from the tree branches and bugs flew around the air buzzing and making strange noises.

It's quite lonely here.

"This path wouldn't just be here by accident, It has to lead somewhere." I said aloud to myself.

The sound of crunching leaves filled my ears as I walked through the woods, I wondered when I would reach the end of the path. If there really was an end.

Suddenly I heard a branch snap, there was a cry of alarm followed by the sound of leaves rustling and more branches snapping. "Ouch!" exclaimed a strange voice that I had never heard before. "Who goes there? I have a sword and I will use it if I have to!" I said so I pointed my sword at the bush.
A moment of silence followed after that.

Then leaves started to rustle and I backed away slowly. To my surprise a hobbit popped out of the bush. I put my  sword down slowly as I studied the hobbit."Who are you?" I asked in a curious voice. "Esmerelda, and you are?" she said while pulling leaves and twigs out of her hair. I put my sword back in my sheath then answered the hobbit."Prisca, What are you doing out here?" Esmerelda threw a cluster of leaves onto the ground in annoyance before answering. "Well you see, I was just trying to get a lovely red apple from that tree," she paused to bend down and retrieve the apple from off the ground, "but then I slipped and fell, into a bush, and I'm guessing you saw me." said Esmerelda. She stepped out from the bush and began walking on the path, leaving me behind. I stood in silence for a moment before calling out to her from behind. "Wait!" I ran up to her and walked by her side. "Where did you come from?"

"Let's not go there shall we?" suggested Esmerelda taking a bite of her apple. "I didn't mean it like that! I meant, where do you live?" I said sighing in exasperation. Are other hobbits like this? I wondered.

"Oh! Well, I live a little ways outside of the Shire, I was bored so I came here." Esmerelda explained taking another bite of (in her mind) a hard won treat. "The Shire? Where is that?" I asked  in confusion. "You don't know where the Shire is and you're a hobbit? What is this world coming to?" Esmerelda shook her head in exasperation. Suddenly her eyes lit up as an idea came to her. "Say, why don't you come to my place and I'll show you around the Shire? Want to?" she asked while eyeing another apple tree.

"I would but, I barely know you, and I have to go back home before night. Maybe tomorrow." I replied . I had never encountered another hobbit before, and at the moment going to a place inhabited by even more of them was not something I fancied at the time. Especially if they were anything like Esmerelda. The said hobbit however, was not about to take "no" for an answer. As we walked through the woods I studied Esmerelda, she had long brown curly hair that went a little ways below her shoulders. Her eyes were green, she did not wear a dress nor anything fancy. I liked her style, even though she was a little messy from when she had fallen out of the tree. "You look like your old enough to make your own decisions!" exclaimed Esmerelda as she tossed her apple core away and started for the new apple tree. "Yes I am, but I told my family-" I got interrupted by Esmerelda and I saw  her reach for another apple in disbelief.

"Meet me at this apple tree tomorrow at twelve o' clock sharp! Goodbye my friend!" Esmerelda scrunched up her face in determination as the apple became inches from her grasp. I was in disbelief for a moment, did she even here what I said? She was definitely a strange hobbit. I shook my head and smiled and let out a small laugh. "Alright." I said slowly as I backed away, "see you then." I turned around and began the walk home. Behind me I could hear another cry of alarm, as I winced at the sound of loud thump that followed afterwards. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

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Let me know what you think about the changes! I decided to do POV with the characters. I'm really excited to see how the rest of this story turns out! Comment what you think! :)