LOTR: Shire Dragons - Pippin Took FF

Chapter 15

Frodo leapt to his feet, and quickly ran his fingers through his long black curls.

"Is it? It's got to be, it can't be anything else, I mean just look at it." he breathed to himself, pacing back and forth on the hill. He glanced back over his shoulder to where he'd seen the shadowy creature. It was gone. Frodo held his breath, thought, and then ran. The others had to know what he's seen. 

The wind tore at his hair and made his eyes water, but Frodo kept running. However, he felt his feet stop and he came abruptly to a halt.

"what about Aiwendil?" he mouthed. That thing was still out there somewhere and Aiwendil had no idea. Again, Frodo thought. He kept trying to decide what was best to do: Go find the elf, or go to the others and see if they can help. Eventually, Frodo decided it would be best if he got help, for what chance would an Elf and a hobbit stand against such a creature. Once more, Frodo silently took off into the night.

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Mean while, Mallyra and Lothiri had just returned into the light of the campfire, the hobbit still processing what she'd been told only a few minutes before hand. Her face didn't resemble her inner emotions, as on her face was a small smile. Inside however, Mallyra felt her stomach and heart sinking lower by the second. She couldn't tell Pippin how she felt until she was sure his life wasn't at risk because of her. She quickly sat down in a small patch of grass which was a lot taller than the rest, simply so she could run the grass through her fingers in an attempt to hide her now growing nervousness. Merry noticed what she was doing almost immediately, and thought it was curious. He walked over to the young hobbit, and quietly sat down beside her. Mallyra hadn't noticed, and so nearly jumped out of her skin when Merry touched her shoulder.

"Are you okay Mallyra?" he asked, he himself jumping a little at her reaction. Mallyra shrugged a little, avoiding looking at him. Merry sighed hard, and then lent against the log behind them both. "Fine then, don't tell me. But if you don't tell someone, it's gonna eat away at you until you do!" he said, a sly tone creeping into his voice. Mallyra's shoulders twitched a little as she weighed out her options. Eventually, she turned and glanced around at Merry. His pale face was slightly darker than usual as it was hidden from the fire light by her shadow, but his blonde hair glowed gently in the flickering orange flames. The look on his face was slightly more mischievous than normal, as a smirk tugged at his lips.

"You can't tell him.. please?" she said softly, nodding her head towards Pippin, who was crouched down next to Sam, peering over his shoulder into a steaming stew pot. Merry looked almost straight away, and then frowned hard.

"what's wrong? Did Lothiri say something to you?" He asked, sitting forward from the log, his face no longer shrouded by Mallyra's shadow. She looked up at him slowly, and then went to speak. But as she breathed out, Frodo stumbled through the bushes to the left of them, making her let out a small squeal instead. 

"I.. Saw.. Something.. out there.." he panted, grasping for breath as he doubled over. Lothiri, Sam and Merry were almost instantly by his side, the elf crouched down by him.

"Frodo, what did you see?" she asked, looking hard at him. Frodo went to speak, and then lifted his hand to indicate he needed another breath. After another moment, he stood upright and then looked solemnly up at her. 

"I'm not entirely sure.. but from what I saw, I'm pretty sure it was a dragon." he said softly, watching as each of his friend's faces dropped. The elf however, shot her head backwards and looked around quickly.

"Where's Aiwendil, Frodo? You were with him weren't you?" she said, a tone of panic in her voice. Frodo looked down at the floor, feeling ashamed of himself for leaving the elf alone with what could possibly be the most dangerous creature he'd ever encounter. A silence fell over them all, but it didn't last, as there was another rustling in the the surrounding trees. To the party's relief, a blonde haired figure appeared from the darkened horizon.