Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, I just obsess about it all day.

For Isilhen Daegol, who wanted a Hero!Pippin fic. :)
 
 
 

#10: Pippin the Bullroarer

Pippin: 9, Merry: 17, Everard: 19, Ferdibrand: 16, Freddy: 19 
Afteryule 1399 SR
 

Winter was thick over the Shire, and it was the worst one in record. The wind blew fierce and biting cold, so cold it cut straight through to the bone and froze you from within. Snow was on the ground in heaps and mounds. The rivers were frozen solid, down to the very riverbed, and strange things were being reported. It started with wild birds and small game animals dwindling in number, then livestock started disappearing. Then, during the weak sunlight hours of Trewsday morning past, the first sighting was made: the wolves had returned to the Shire and they would not be so easily gotten rid of this time around.

Farmers brought their livestock into hastily-built shelters, parents kept their children close. It was the only way to ensure safety to those vulnerable to danger. Unfortunately, everyone was vulnerable, the old, the young, the strong, the weak. The Thain sent out the call for everyone to be on their guard and stay inside, and everyone readily listened. Everyone, that is, but for one small group of reckless teens, thinking themselves invisible. They slipped unnoticed out of the Smials to take a stroll to the frozen solid river.

They failed to notice the faint howl on the faraway wind, but I did not. I heard them with my heightened senses and I knew danger was nearing. I took up my crossbow and followed their tracks quietly and stealthily through the snow. I had to find them. No one could stand against the deadly wolves and live to tell the tale. If I did not find them, they very well may never be seen again. This I could not allow, for I cared for them all and among them was the one whom I loved the most. I had to ensure their safety. I alone could rescue them from this formdab… formimina… terrible danger, for I am Pippin the Bullroarer.

~*~

“However did you manage to lose him?” Everard Took asked, clearly impressed.

“It was nothing,” Merry gloated. “I have more than enough experience getting rid of annoying Tooks, no offense to current company intended.”

“None taken,” Ferdibrand laughed. “But how did you do it? Do you know magic?”

Merry laughed now. “No of course not, but I do know Pippin’s stomach. A big heaping plate of warm and gooey sugar biscuits was all it took to distract him. He didn’t even notice me leaving.”

“Oh, well that’s wonderful then,” Freddy said dryly. “Give that monster chocolate. You’ve delivered us from the pipsqueak only to turn the whole Smials against us. Way to go.”

“No plan is flawless,” Merry said, unconcerned. “It’s a minor setback.”

“A setback that is going to cause the Thain to kick you out on your bum when we get back,” Everard pointed out with a chuckle. Everyone knew that Pippin was not allowed to have sweets. It was just common sense, a natural law of existence, like how the sun always rose in the east.

Merry only shrugged and continued trudging through the snow. Freddy, Ferdi and Everard followed in silence, concentrating on their next step, until they were standing on the riverbank. They stared out at the ice and Ferdi shook his head in bemusement.

“Are you certain this is going to work?” he asked. “I never heard of this ice fishing before. Won’t the fish be frozen?”

“The ice is only on the top,” Merry said. “The water is still flowing and the fish still swimming underneath. All we have to do is saw through the ice, making a big enough hole to pull our prizes through, and then we fish. Easy as pie.”

“My feet are cold,” Ferdi complained next. Merry handed him a pair of soft leather boots, stuffed with hay. “You want us to cover our feet?” he asked incredulously. These Brandybucks were one ridiculous notion after another.

“Just put them on, unless you want your feet to freeze to the ice, and then you’ll just have to stay there until it melts, won’t you?” Merry said.

He sat on the snow-covered ground and slipped on his boots, then made his way onto the ice while the others struggled clumsily with their own footwear. He found a perfect location and pulled out his saw and began cutting the hole. By the time his friends joined him, he had the hole finished and the lines ready. Everard and Freddy set the crates they had carried from the barn around the hole to serve as seats, and they all settled down to enjoy an afternoon of fishing.

~*~

I found them! My finely honed tracking skills came through again. My cousins were safe for now, but they soon would not be. I heard the wolves closer now, but my cousins were still unaware of the danger they were in. They foolishly went out onto the ice, and just as I expected, they immediately became stuck on the slippery surface. They called out for help, but that only attracted the wolves to them. The howling turned to barking and yapping, and now the teens realized their predic… their predtic… their danger. Their pleas for help redoubled and I knew that I must act quickly or all of them would be lost.

I clutched my crossbow and centered myself, preparing for the battle ahead. There would be much bloodshed, but the wolves would realize their defeat and flee to the distant hills. Of course, a tracking party would have to be sent out to finish the job, but that could wait until the teens were safely inside once more.

I stepped out of my hidden lookout and charged for the river just as the first of the deadly, large wolves stepped into the clearing. More followed after and they were faster than I thought they would be. I suddenly feared I might not be able to reach the river in time. No! That could not be! I must do something!

I pumped my legs faster, ignoring the burning in my lungs as they call out for air. I reached the river just as the lead wolf did. The wolf took no heed of me and that was its mistake.

“Die, wolf! Die!” I shouted fiercely and jumped upon the beast.

~*~

“This is rather peaceful,” Ferdi admitted after a few minutes. The boots, as cumbersome as they were, did keep his feet warm and the soles were notched so that they did not slip on the ice.

The friends smiled contentedly at each other and enjoyed the silence of the icy world around them. An occasional gust of wind blew through, bringing the colder air with it, but for the most part, they were comfortable and warm in their jackets and gloves.

Then Freddy’s brow crinkled in concern. “Did you hear something?”

“What?” asked Everard, unnecessarily.

Just then, a small bundle of excited Took energy burst through the nearby bushes and leaped onto the river. “Die, wolf! Die!” he cried and swung a rolling pin about with all his might.

After getting over their initial fright, the teens looked down at Pippin with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. Merry just shook his head. He should have known better.

“Pippin, what are you doing?” he asked his dear little cousin.

Pippin was lying on his back, fighting off an imaginary foe of some sort, a wolf Merry supposed. “I’m rescuing you,” he explained between what he no doubt thought to be deadly punches but looked more like comical pantomime. “The wolves have come back and they were going to eat you.”

“Well, thank goodness you got here in time,” Everard said, humoring his cousin. “We were nearly done for.”

“This is just great,” Freddy said. “You wound him up on sweets and now he’s here. What are we going to do?”

“That’s easy. Just let him fight the wolves off while we fish,” Merry said. “Just, don’t engage anymore. He’ll try to drag you into the game.”

“If you say so,” Ferdi said uncertainly. They sat back down and picked up their lines, keeping a casual watch on their tiny intruder. So much for an afternoon of peace and quiet.

~*~

They were pleased to see me and praised my perfect timing. They wisely huddled away from the action and let me do my work. The other wolves held their position on the riverbank. This was their code. If their leader won the battle, they would attack full force and I would have no hope of beating them all back. If I won, they would leave and never return.

I realized that I was Merry’s last hope and this strengthened my resolve. I rammed my crossbow in the pack leader’s furry face, knocking out several sharp, canine teeth. The wolf fell away with a yelp and I saw my chance. I stood up, aimed and shot with deadly accuracy. The wolf yelped and fell to a heap on the ice, setting the other wolves to yelping and howling mournfully. I turned on them with a menacing growl and they ran away with their tales tucked between their legs.

“And don’t ever come back!” I shouted triumphantly. I won, I rescued my Merry and his friends! But of course, that was only to be expected, because I am Pippin, the Bullroarer.

~*~

“Look at the way he’s dressed Merry,” Everard said as Pippin shouted in triumph. “He didn’t even put on a jacket. We need to get him back to the Smials.”

“No, you stay here,” Merry said with a sigh. “I’ll take him back.” He stood up and went over to his cousin. He squatted down and tried not to laugh at Pippin’s victorious smile. “You’re a lifesaver, Pip. I’m mightily impressed.”

“Really?”

“Of course, it’s not everyday someone risks their life to save mine. I am forever in your debt.”

“Your gratitude is reward enough,” Pippin said proudly, puffing out his chest.

Merry laughed. “That may be so, but I’ll have to see you get something for your bravery all the same. Now, I expect that extra energy will start wearing off now that the threat is gone and you’re going to start feeling the cold. You know better than to come out in the snow without the proper clothing, Pip.”

“But I had to save you,” Pippin explained. “You saw how close that was. That wolf was about to rip your head off. If I had stopped to dress up, I would have been too late. It’s a small sacrifice to make for you, Merry.”

“That may be so, but you could get sick,” Merry said. He could just imagine the lecture he would get from Aunt Tina if Pippin took sick from this, not to mention what his own mother would have to say.

Merry took off his jacket and draped it around Pippin’s shoulders. Pippin was small enough that the jacket reached all the way down to his ankles. Merry next removed his scarf and wrapped it around Pippin’s neck. “There, that should keep you warm. Now let’s get you back inside.”

Merry reached down and picked up his cousin. Only Pippin didn’t come. What he did instead was let out an ear-shattering scream.

“That hurt, Merry!” Pippin shouted angrily, his eyes watering from the pain. He smacked Merry on the chest.

Merry looked down at Pippin in confusion and shock, his heart racing from the scream. The others looked on with concern, no longer interested in fishing. None of them had ever heard Pippin scream like that before. What was going on?

“Merry,” Pippin said, a note of panic in his voice. “I can’t move my feet.”

The blood drained from Merry’s face and his friends quickly stood up in alarm. They realized immediately what had happened. The snow on Pippin’s feet had melted and glued him to the ice. He couldn’t move an inch.

“Merry, they’re cold,” Pippin said.

“I know they are, Pip,” Merry said and knelt next to his cousin. He forced himself to remain calm and his mind raced for a solution. “You’re going to have to be brave for me now Pip. Can you do that?”

Pippin nodded uncertainly.

“Of course he can,” Everard said in light tones. “He defeated a whole pack of wolves just now. He can do anything.”

Pippin nodded again, remembering the wolves. He had defeated them very swiftly and effortlessly. He could do this too, whatever ‘this’ was. He could be strong for his Merry, who was scared about something. He sniffled and stood up straight and smiled bravely.

“Did we bring a bucket?” Merry asked.

Freddy nodded. You always bring a bucket when you go fishing.

“Good. Fill the bucket with water,” Merry instructed. “We just need to wet his feet again and that should melt the ice. I hope.”

“This water is freezing, Merry,” Ferdi said worriedly. He was afraid the water might freeze upon hitting the ice and then Pippin would be even more stuck than he was right now.

“I know, but it’s still warmer than the ice and it will melt it. Pippin can take it, can’t you Pip?” Merry said with a smile to his little cousin.

“I’m the Bullroarer,” Pippin said weakly.

Freddy brought the bucket, filled to the rim with icy water. Merry took it and carefully poured the water little by little around Pippin’s feet. Everard stood behind Pippin and as Merry poured, he pulled up on Pippin’s feet, gently and slowly. The plan worked and after a couple of minutes, they had Pippin free from the ice. Everard handed the small, shivering bundle to Merry, and Pippin instantly clung himself to his older cousin.

Merry raced up to the Smials while the others stayed behind to clean up. He no longer cared what lectures he would receive. He had to get Pippin inside, warmed up, and looked over by the healer.

~*~

It was all part of my plan. Really, it was. Now Merry was with me, sitting by my bed, which Mum said I had to stay in for the rest of the day. This must be my reward for beating off the wolves, much deserved rest and my Mer-bear here to play with me. Er, I mean, to keep me company, because the Bullroarer doesn’t play.

“Pippin, the hobbit icicle,” Merry said with a smile.

“I’m the Bullroarer,” I said indign… indiditn… proudly.

“That you most certainly are,” Merry said and ruffled my hair. “My valiant protector.”

“I’ll always protect you Merry,” I said. “What does valiant mean?”

“It means you’re brave,” Merry said. He tucked the blankets around me again, taking special care with my feet. He had been doing that all afternoon and it was getting annoying, but I let him do it because he’s my Merry and I knew he liked to feel useful.

Then I remembered why I had went to look for him in the first place, how I had noticed he was gone. I reached into my breeches pocket and held out a crumbling biscuit. “I saved you one,” I said.

Merry must really like biscuits to cry like that. I guess Aunt Esme never lets him have sweets either.
 
 

End of this ficlet.

 
 
 
 
GF 12/12/04