[Child of the 7th Age]

Child's post:

As Cami watched Pio disappear around the corner, she hoisted the sleeping Holly into her arms, nestling the toddler's drooping head in the hollow of her shoulder; then she went to search for her sons. Maura had already rounded up the boys and shepherded them along the walkway to the outer hedge encircling the back garden where they stood waiting for their mother. As Cami approached her family, she leaned over and kissed each of the boys on top of their curly heads, saying how very proud and happy she'd felt that afternoon.

After extending thanks to Samwise and Rose, the members of the new Took family waved their goodbyes to the remaining guests and headed towards home. Before they'd gotten more than a few steps from Bag-end, Frodo came running to join them, hastily explaining that Bilbo had already left with the pony cart about an hour earlier. The nine hobbits walked together towards the Dragon, with the boys playing tag along the side of the road and the adults chuckling good naturedly over the childrens' hijinks.

As they approached the final bend, Maura offered to stay with the boys in the stables to help them settle in for the night. "Take Holly home," he urged his wife. "Both of you look exhausted. I'll be there in a little while."

Cami nodded wearily and was about to head off when she felt Frodo's hand gently tug at her sleeve. "Can't be too careful with all these strange happenings. Let me walk with you. Just in case." Cami stretched and yawned, weary beyond all thinking. She had intended to decline Frodo's kind offer when a strange presentiment slipped into her mind and forced her to silence.

Maura leaned down and whispered something in Cami's ear. She looked over and affectionately hugged him, whispering that he should hurry home. With these final words of parting, Cami made her way behind the Inn to where the lonely path wound down from the rear courtyard through a tangled grove of beech trees. The two hobbits chased away the dark shadows by playfully discussing what a lovely view Cami's burrow commanded, and how others might want to copy their example by refurbishing some of the deserted holes that bordered the pond.

They had just rounded the corner by the last beech tree and stepped onto the pathway that led directly to the Took's back door when Cami flinched in horror, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at the scene of destruction that was spread out before them. Almost instinctively, she gasped and buried her face in Frodo's shoulder, before recovering and running forward to find out what had happened.

The family's few belongings and pieces of furniture had been hurled out the front door and strewn over the muddy banks of the pond, many of them spilling down into the water. Books, broken crockery, ripped breeches, and gutted matresses lay haphazardly discarded in crumpled piles. Cami curled her fingers tight, clenching her fists close to her body until the knuckles stood out like pale white hills. "Who did this?" she demanded of Frodo.

"I don't know but I'm going to find out," the hobbit muttered angrily under his breath, immediately beginning to scavange the area for any clues the vandals had left behind. He disappeared around the back of tne burrow next door. Clutching Holly tightly to her chest, Cami sprinted up close behind him, peering over his shoulder to see what he was looking at.

Frodo whirled around to confront her, and pushed her back several paces. His face looked taut and strained "No, get away. You don't want to see this." Wrenching loose from his grip, she pushed his hand off her shoulder and struggled around towards her left until she could clearly see what he was trying to shield from her view. On the lower branches of the great beech, suspended from a knotted rope, hung the lifeless body of a black kitten, a small creature that Cami had been feeding every night when he came meowing to her back door. Its head drooped at a crooked angle; streaks of blood ran down its fur. Tied to the rope close to the cat's body was a single sheet of vellum yanked from one of Cami's books. On it, inscribed in blood red letters was a single name in large block print: "Frodo Baggins"

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Mithadan's Post:

Mithadan and Ferny crossed the fields at a trot, keeping to cover where possible. At least an hour had passed since the children had been snatched by Stoat and other mischief had been done as well which might be noticed at any time. They were not far from the Bywater Bridge when they spied a solitary figure trudging along the road up to Bag End. Ferny spurred his horse forward and they swiftly caught up to the Hobbit who, at the last minute, noticed their approach and stepped warily off to the side of the road.

"He'll do!" cried Ferny. "Go on Mithy!"

Mithadan leapt from his horse and ran towards the Hobbit. With a cry, his quarry turned and ran, dodging behind a hedge where Mithadan, with a leap, caught him by his legs. The Hobbit kicked and squirmed. "Let me go!" came a familiar voice.

Mithadan caught him up in a tight hug and covered his mouth as tightly as he could without harming him. "Sam's son, isn't it?" whispered the Man. "Thrash about and act as if I'm hurting you. I'm sorry about this." Mithadan lifted Frodo-Lad and, still holding him, crashed into the hedge causing a bit of a racket. Then he threw himself down on the ground and rolled on top of the lad feigning blows to his face and head.

As Ferny came up, Mithadan lifted the lad from the turf and, with a kick to his back, straightened him before the "Boss". Frodo wriggled and whimpered, but a cuff to the side of the head (which actually struck Mithadan's own arm) silenced him. Then Mithadan drew his sword and held it across the lad's throat as he waited for Ferny to speak.

[ June 30, 2003: Message edited by: Mithadan ]

[ July 01, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]