DISCLAIMER: Middle-earth and all its peoples belong to the Tolkien Estate. I own none of them. Some of them, however, seem to own me.

ANY TIME I WANT TO…

As the small stone skittered past his ankle, Boromir rolled his eyes. Yes, here came Pippin darting past him, to kick it once again. He had been doing this for at least the last quarter of a mile. The game, while amusing to watch at first, was becoming tiresome.

The youngest hobbit did not actually seem to be getting much amusement from the activity any longer--the kicks were becoming a bit vicious, and the other hobbits, already cross with him after an earlier spat, were running out of patience.

In fact, it all came to a head at once.

Frodo and Merry simultaneously yelled “Pippin!” The usually even-tempered Sam took two steps to the side and kicked Pippin’s stone extra hard, so that it vanished into the distance. Pippin then yelled “Sam, you spoiled it!” Sam gave him a rather nasty grin and said rather smugly, “Oh, did I? Sorry, Mr. Pippin.” Gimli made a sound somewhere between a growl and a roar, and Aragorn turned and yelled “Enough!”

There was a sudden silence.

Gandalf turned and looked back. In a tight and dangerous tone of voice, he said “We are supposed to be traveling quietly and secretly.” Suddenly, he raised his eyes to Legolas and Boromir, who were standing together quietly to one side. “And what are you two smirking at?”

Boromir took a deep breath, and shook his head.

Legolas calmly and meekly said “Nothing, Mithrandir, I promise you.”

Temporarily subdued, the company moved on. But it was obvious that seven of the company were still very much out of sorts.

Boromir looked at Legolas. “How long do you think this will last?”

The Elf sighed. “A few days more, I’m sure, until it is out of their systems. I anticipate at least one more quarrel when they find out Sam still has a bit put aside for emergencies.”

The Gondorian looked at his companions ahead. He was certainly glad that he had never taken up the strange habit of smoking pipe-weed, if this is what happened when one ran out.