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A Fate Worse Than Thorns by Dreamflower

Jul 27, 2018 08:00

Author: Dreamflower
Title: A Fate Worse Than Thorns
Rating: G
Theme: "Where Have You Been?"
Elements: 333
Author's Notes: N/A
Summary: Merry and Pippin are late for lunch, with a tale of a narrow escape.
Word Count: 333

A Fate Worse than Thorns

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month: 2018 july, july, challenge: where have you been, 2018, annual challenge: fixed-length ficlet

Comments 15

shirebound July 27 2018, 18:47:49 UTC

And then suddenly we saw a horrible sight...

They certainly did! There's a lot to enjoy in this little story.

dreamflower02 July 27 2018, 20:59:54 UTC

*grin* Thanks, sweetie! I am glad you enjoyed it!

shirebound July 27 2018, 18:47:55 UTC

And then suddenly we saw a horrible sight...

They certainly did! There's a lot to enjoy in this little story.

silver_trails July 27 2018, 20:08:28 UTC

That's so funny!

dreamflower02 July 27 2018, 21:02:36 UTC

In one of my very early stories, I briefly mentioned that M&P hid in a thornbush to escape the S.-B.s, so I decided to expand on it a little.

And I could always imagine hobbit parents teaching their little ones how to hide safely--it's an important survival skill when you are that small.

silver_trails July 27 2018, 21:24:35 UTC

Indeed, being that small in a world full of possible predators, big men among them… Or horrible persons. :)

dreamflower02 July 30 2018, 11:18:18 UTC

Years ago I remember reading a story in which little Merry runs away from Brandy Hall to try and go to Frodo after Frodo moves to Bag End. The poor little guy was almost taken by a hawk (or an owl?) anyway he was just that much too large for it to hang on to when he struggled and it dropped him. I don't recall the rest of the story, but it was a very impressive bit of writing. I wish I could recall the author, because I'd love to read it again.

But when you think about it, if most adult hobbits are no larger than three feet, the kids have to be TINY. I once had Sam talking to Pippin about something the latter had done as a child and he said that at the time Pip "was no bigger than a squirrel."

Thread 5

blslarner July 28 2018, 03:32:05 UTC

Poor lads! And to leave those delicious berries behind as became needful. Hopefully they were able to return to fetch them.

And it's not just Bilbo who found ways to avoid the S-Bs! Heh!

dreamflower02 July 28 2018, 05:08:17 UTC

Well originally they did at the end, but that part fell victim to the need to cut words, alas!

Well, even in canon, Merry hid from them--it was how he saw Bilbo's Ring for the first time!

zedille July 28 2018, 05:42:59 UTC

This made me laugh! The buildup of Frodo's concern about the dangerous wildlife that Merry & Pippin might have encountered, followed with the reveal of the much more Shire-typical (though probably equally perilous!) Sackville-Bagginses was perfectly handled. Hopefully they can go back for the berries another time!

dreamflower02 July 30 2018, 11:20:46 UTC

Originally it ended with Frodo saying that they'd go back after lunch to fetch them--it fell victim to the word cutting, always a peril of fixed-length ficletting!