Title: Sneaky Snakes And Broken Bones
Author: Anso the Hobbit
Beta: Marigold
Characters: The Fellowship, Fermund (OC)
Timeline: Ithilien, SR 1419
Summary: On a walk with Beregond Pippin discovers a beautiful bit of woodlands just outside the camp site in Ithilien and he and Merry go exploring…
Note: Written for Marigold`s Challenge 18 where the starter was a “mystery starter” with these clues: Pippin falling and Merry breaking his leg when saving someone from harm. Enjoy! :)
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PART ONE: A Walk In The Woods

The soft sound of the breeze in the trees and the bustle of camp life and smells of food cooking not too far away woke Merry. He stretched and sat up, looking around the tent. He was alone and Beregond`s voice from somewhere outside told him that Pippin probably was close by too, as Beregond had whisked him away when Merry had come off duty and wanted a nap. Though he had some light duties, Pippin still spent a good deal of time in bed, but Beregond and his other friends always spent some time with him each day, just talking, or perhaps taking short walks.

Merry stretched a bit more, and smiled lazily. He`d had a lovely dream about picking strawberries with Frodo in Bag End`s garden and stuffing little Pippin with the lovely berries until they thought he would burst. He`d go sit with Frodo and Sam later but right now Merry needed a cup of tea and a walk. Merry`s duty this day had been to help review the condition of Rohan`s horses that had been injured in the battle as they soon were going back to Minas Tirith, and he`d been perching on a high chair in Éomer’s tent all day. He was looking at how the light shone on the tent to try to judge the time when the flap opened and Pippin entered.

“Hullo Merry,” Pippin said cheerfully, coming to sit down on his own cot, across from Merry.

Merry yawned. “Hullo Pip. Did you have a nice talk with Beregond?”

“Yes! He took me to see a lovely bit of forest on the other side of the stream,” Pippin said enthusiastically. “Ithilien reminds me so much of the Shire, Merry, even if it is so much further south.”

“Yes it is lovely.” Merry stood and put their little kettle on to make tea. “Maybe you can show me where it is. I think I napped too long and I`ve been sitting still all day so I need to move about a bit. Do you think you can manage?” Merry looked searchingly at Pippin. His cousin seemed happy and well and although he limped and favoured his right arm, he looked much better than he had not too long ago.

“Yes. I could easily manage some more walking. Beregond and I didn`t really enter the forest, we just sat down by the stream and talked. I`d like to explore it.

“That`s settled then,” Merry said. “Now, where is your mug?”

*****

“I forgot we could cross the stream here,” Merry said as they came to the softly rippling stream that was just on the edge of the plain where the camp was.

“Yes. And it`s not even deep, so if we miss the stones we can always wade over.” Pippin bent to roll up his breeches just in case.

“Well, that`s convenient,” Merry said and gingerly put his foot upon the first stepping stone that made a nice little walkway to the other side of the stream. He was a little worried if Pippin would manage with his injuries or if his own injured arm would make it difficult for him to keep his balance on the slippery stones, but the crossing went perfectly and soon they entered the lush forest on the other side.

“Oh, look!” Pippin exclaimed, stopping to look around him. The forest was beautiful and pristine, the sounds of the camp had been left behind, and both hobbits revelled in the silence. They went on and had been walking for a few minutes when they saw a lovely sight. A small glade appeared between the trees, covered in wildflowers.

“I wonder what all these flowers are,” Merry said, going into the glade. He started picking some of them to study more closely and ask Strider or Faramir about. Maybe Sam would know some of them too. Some flowers were of course familiar, and it was interesting to see them growing in this place so far from home. “This is definitely a place Sam will want to see. I wonder if any of them have any medicinal uses?”

“I don`t know.” Pippin sat down on a rock perfectly shaped for a hobbit to use as a resting place almost in the centre of the meadow and watched Merry pick flowers. Flowers were pretty, Pippin thought, but they were best enjoyed in a garden or the forest or sometimes in a vase on a lovely laid table. He could never understand Sam and Merry`s interest for them beyond them being pleasant to look at. Growing up with lasses had made Pippin see colours and decorations in a different light than some lads, but to take plants home to study for hours and write about them, was something he`d never understood. Though, of course, he was grateful for the uses they had, with the numerous tonics and teas he had been dosed with over the years. Despite his injuries and his need to rest, Pippin soon became bored with watching Merry pick flowers. He had a good-sized bouquet now, of many different types of blossoms. It was good to see Merry so interested in something besides how Pippin was feeling, or Frodo and Sam, and so Pippin tried very hard to be still until Merry was finished with his inventory of the flowers, but it was difficult.

“I`m sorry,” Merry said, contrite after hearing Pippin fidget on the rock behind him. “I`m done now. Let`s move on.”

Pippin stood up from the rock and together they walked out on the path again. The way was lined with tall, old trees on each side, winding downwards and soon getting narrower and looking unused. Roots were sticking up from the ground here and there and small stones were strewn about, making the hobbits walk single file, watching their step carefully.

Merry walked behind Pippin, seriously pondering if they should return to the camp. Pippin‘s limp was worse and he looked to be having trouble picking his way along the path. A noticeable falter in his cousin’s step made up Merry’s mind. “Pip,” Merry said decisively, “I think we should turn and go back. This path doesn`t look to have been used much.”

Pippin turned to answer, and lost his balance. He slipped and stumbled over his own feet, falling down. Merry was there in an instant, reaching out to help Pippin to his feet, taking a firm hold of Pippin`s arm. Unfortunately he let go too soon as Pippin stood and the sudden lack of support had Pippin sprawling on the ground again, the momentum of the fall sending him rolling down a steep slope.

“Pippin!” Merry shouted, springing down the hill after him. A large stone blocked his way, but he had built up too much speed and though he tried to slow so that he could go around it, he toppled over the rock instead and came to a jerking halt as his foot caught in a root, the flowers he had picked scattering about wildly. He stumbled to his feet but stood stock still as Pippin lay tense on the ground, not moving. At first Merry thought he was injured, but then there was a hissing sound and now Merry saw what Pippin was staring at through the high grass.

“It`s a snake,” Pippin whispered. “Merry, I`m scared.” Warrior though he might be, Pippin suddenly felt like a little lad again, faced with this slithering, hissing, and threatening creature he`d never seen before. Coming a bit more to his senses, Pippin very slowly reached for his sword, but the snake rose into the air, its head weaving from side to side in agitation. It hissed more fiercely, the split tongue going quickly in and out of its mouth.

“I know you’re scared, Pip. But don`t move.” Merry tried to stay calm and looked closely at the snake. It didn`t look like the grass snakes of the Shire and not like the adder which was the only dangerous snake Merry knew of. Merry had never met an adder close up, but he was sure this was a totally different kind of snake, much larger than he knew an adder to be, and much more aggressive. And possibly more poisonous as well. Pippin was still weak from his injuries, and Merry didn’t know if there was an antidote to its poison. And they were far enough from the camp that Merry did not know if he could get Pippin there in time, should he be bitten. He had to keep Pippin safe at all costs. Seeing that the snake wasn’t aware of him yet, Merry reached for his own sword and used all of his hobbit stealth to cautiously creep around behind it.

The ground was rocky and old trees with their roots above ground surrounded him, but Merry couldn`t risk taking his eyes from the snake and suddenly stumbled. In a flash the snake whirled, hissing and rising up higher, above the grass, swiftly flying at Merry. Merry threw himself to the side reflexively, slashing at the snake even as it twisted in the air to follow his movement. The snake struck him hard in the chest and Merry staggered, trying to keep from stumbling, but didn`t see the large root just beside him, catching his foot and twisting and falling down hard on his back, the body of the snake landing heavily upon him.

“Merry!” Pippin was on his feet in a flash despite the painful tumble and the healing injuries he still suffered from. His only thought was for his cousin and he ran to Merry ignoring the growing pain in his leg, and the throbbing ache in his ribs. He eyed the snake warily but it did not move and he saw that Merry had managed to sever the head, and he grabbed it and hurled it away from them. Then he threw himself down at his cousin’s side. Merry was awfully pale and his face was scrunched up in pain. He lay at an awkward angle, sprawled on his back, arms out to each side and one leg hooked in a root under him. Pippin stroked his face to get his attention and as Merry`s eyes opened tears leaked down his face and into his hair.

“Did I get it? Is it dead now?” Merry managed between clenched teeth.

“Yes.” Pippin stroked Merry’s curls soothingly.

“Good. Because I don`t think I can move.”

“What?” Pippin said, but already knew something was terribly wrong by the way Merry was lying. “Merry?”

“My foot. It’s stuck. And I’ve broken something, my ankle I think,” Merry managed. He tried to sit up but the white-hot pain was too much and he slumped back, closing his eyes and trying to stay conscious. “Help…help me get free. Then we’ll worry about what to do next.” Merry closed his eyes for a moment, the pain almost too much. “Can you lift me?”

Pippin nodded determinedly. His injuries hurt after the fall but he would lift Merry if that was what needed to be done. “Of course, Merry.”

“All right. Lift my shoulders and try to move me sideways so that my leg comes free…. ” Merry looked Pippin in the eye and nodded firmly, before closing his eyes again.

“But that will hurt you!” Pippin said. He wanted to try to go for help but couldn`t let Merry lie here in the forest unprotected and without being able to protect himself.

“I know, but it`s our only choice. We’re too far for anyone to hear us calling. It’s too tight and close around my ankle to use a sword to cut through it, and we can`t wait for someone to find us,” Merry said. He knew he was going to faint as soon as the leg was moved, and that was probably for the best. “When you`ve moved me, find something to splint it with. Don’t try to pull it straight, just splint it as it is.”

Seeing the determination in Merry`s eyes Pippin reached down and hugged him, trying to give as much comfort as possible before easing his left arm under Merry`s shoulders. The slight movement made Merry gasp and go even paler and Pippin blinked away the tears that threatened to fall as he lifted Merry up into a semi-sitting position.

“Good!” Merry managed, but now the pain was too much and he slumped senseless in Pippin`s arms.

“Merry!” Pippin cried openly now and he carefully hugged his cousin very tight to his chest, his tears dampening Merry`s hair. He gathered himself and with his free hand dried his tears on his sleeve and looked about. The root that trapped Merry`s foot was bent so that closer to the tree the root was higher from the ground and Pippin thought that if he moved Merry there, he`d be able to bend the leg and slide Merry free. But Pippin knew that moving Merry could be dangerous, no matter how gentle and cautious he was. He looked at the sky. They had left not long after tea and it would soon be dark. Someone should miss them soon.

Pippin filled his lungs with air and screamed as loud as he possibly could “HELP!” Because of all the trees and vegetation the cry didn`t reach far and after several desperate tries Pippin whispered more to himself than to the still unconscious Merry, “I`m so sorry. Please, someone come find us.” He could find the way back he knew, but he couldn`t let Merry lie here alone. What if wild animals were around or more of the dangerous snakes? If he could be swift he might risk it, but he knew from the pain he felt in his own leg that he would not be able to do more than hobble.

Pippin lay Merry down with great gentleness and went to kneel on his other side. He grasped Merry`s tunic and jerkin and after several tries, ignoring the increasing pain in his own arm and ribs, managed to pull him free. He pulled Merry completely away from the tree and squelched a sob when he saw exactly how bad the break was. Merry`s foot lay in a frighteningly awkward angle, and he was bleeding where the skin was cut and broken. For a moment Pippin was afraid that bone was protruding because that would have Merry bedridden for months, but as he peered closer he could see that the bleeding was caused by cuts Merry had sustained in his rush down the hill after Pippin. Pippin took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and gently tried to wipe away the blood and the dirt and grass, relieved that Merry wasn`t bleeding overly much and that the break probably was clean. Pippin found some fallen branches he could use as a splint and took off his surcoat and mail to rip pieces of his under tunic to bind the splint to Merry`s leg.

After carefully splinting his cousin’s leg Pippin looked Merry over again. Merry hadn`t said anything about being hurt other places, but to be sure Pippin started to feel down his cousin`s body, trying not to remember the similarity to when he`d found Merry walking the streets of Minas Tirith, dazed and numb. The memory hit him hard though, when he felt Merry`s right hand. It was cold. Pippin then took some bits and pieces of fallen wood he found and made a small fire to try and keep Merry warm, and hoped that perhaps someone would see the flame and soon find them. Pippin stood and removed his cloak and laid it over Merry before sitting down again and taking Merry`s head in his lap, stroking his hair and face, occasionally rubbing the cold hand, singing softly. Now and again he cried out for help but no one came and the sky became deep blue before night fell.

The pain and aches in his own body kept him awake. Merry never stirred.

TBC