"Here Kitty, Kitty!"

“Here kitty,” Pippin said, bending down and peering under a large bush. “Here kitty, kitty, cat.”

Merry frowned and looked over at Frodo. “What is he doing?”

Frodo shrugged. “I can’t seem to convince him that there isn’t a kitten in those bushes. He keeps going over there, bending down and calling for it. I think it’s a game.” Frodo smiled at Merry who had just come out of the Bag End kitchen with a bit of jam from his lunch still on his face. Frodo had finished eating first and had volunteered to take a rather fussy Pippin out into the garden to run off some energy.

Pippin enjoyed his meals like all hobbits, but he simply couldn’t sit still any longer than was necessary. The active three-year-old had wanted to go out the minute he’d filled up his corners. In order to allow the older folks and Merry to finish their lunches, Frodo had taken the little scamp outside. “He’s been doing that for some time now.”

“Could there be a kitten in those bushes?” Merry asked, brushing crumbs off of his shirt and looking over at the little lad who had squatted next to a large clump of bushes and was wiggling his fingers at the bushes and calling a cat.

“No, we don’t have a cat, Merry,” Frodo said. “I have no idea what he thinks is in there.” Frodo chuckled and watched Pippin waving at the bush. The tiny hobbit was persistant, but he’d been no trouble at all to watch. He hardly moved from his spot near the bushes. Once in a while he would grin over at Frodo and point to the bushes and then he would began to call the kitty again.

Merry didn’t seem to be amused by it. He moved a bit closer to the small hobbit lad and said, “What are you doing, Pip Squeak?’

Pippin turned to Merry and grinned, sitting down on his bottom in the grass and stretching out his legs in front of him. “Merry, get the kitty,” Pippin instructed and pointed to the bush.

“Come here, Pip,” Merry said. “Frodo says there isn’t any cat in those bushes. Come over here before you find something like poison ivy.”

“Kitty cat!” Pippin crowed and wiggled his little toes. He then turned his attention back to his search for the elusive cat. “Ki-tee, here cat!”

“Bite your tongue, Merry,” Frodo said. “If the Gaffer heard anyone say we had poison ivy in our garden after all of his hard work, he’d bust a seam for sure.”

“I think there’s something in there, Frodo,” Merry said, nervously. “Did you look for Pip’s kitty?” He watched the three-year-old lean closer to the bush and giggle.

“No, Merry,” Frodo said. “If there were a cat in those bushes, I’m am very sure that it would have come out by now. At least he’s entertained. There is nothing wrong with allowing little ones to play at pretend. I don’t see why everyone says that Peregrin is such a handful. I’ve had no trouble with him at all.”

Frodo was obviously very satisfied with his child-minding skills at this moment and Merry hated to disappoint his older cousin, but he was very sure that Pippin was about to get into something. “Maybe one of us should look for Pip's kitty,” Merry said. “You know, just to make sure that he isn’t trying to coax a snake out of there or something?”

Frodo laughed. “Fine Master Brandybuck, you get Pippin and I shall look for the kitty.”

Merry walked over and scooped up his tiny cousin who began to squirm and wail at the top of his lungs. “Down! Down! Go get Kitty! Pergun’s kitty! Down Merry!”

“This is a lovely idea, Meriadoc,” Frodo grumbled as he crawled to the bush on his hands and knees to peer under it. “I hope this eases your mind because it’s causing quite a stir for no reason.” He continued to poke around under the bush.

“Hush, Pip,” Merry said. “Frodo is just looking for your silly cat.”

“My kitty!” Pippin yowled. “I get my kitty!” He struggled to free himself from Merry’s grip and kicked his tiny feet against Merry’s chest. “Down, Merry! Bobo come get my kitty!” Now Pippin was calling from Bilbo to come to his aide. Pippin loved his cousin Bilbo but, as yet, was unable to say his older relative’s name and so much to Merry and Frodo’s amusement, Pippin called him Bobo. “Help, Bobo! Fro is taking my kitty! Bobo!”

“Oh, evermore, Merry,” Frodo chuckled. “Will you do something?”

“Why does everyone think I can do something?” Merry demanded. “This little pest is not mine you know.” Merry continued to hold fast to the wiggling child.

‘No, but you seemed to be the one who was worried about this k-“ Frodo stopped speaking and began to back up slowly. Very slowly.

“Frodo, what is it?” Merry frowned. “Is there a cat in there?”

“Pip’s cat!” Pippin yelled. “Bad Fro, Bobo get my cat!”

Merry snickered.”Bilbo is in the smial, loud mouth.”

“Take Pip inside now, Merry,” Frodo whispered.

“What? Why?” Merry asked.

“Now, Meriadoc,” Frodo hissed. “I’ve found Pippin’s cat and it’s a-“ there was a hissing sound and Frodo groaned and began whipping his eyes. “Skunk.” He said, sickly.

“Eeew that smells awful, Frodo,” Merry said, backing up. “Did it get on you?”

“Yes, Merry and since it was your idea that I crawl under those bushes looking for that kitty, I suggest that you take that child and go into the smial now, before I decide to give you a great big hug!” Frodo was sitting on the grass making a terrible face.

“Kitty?” Pippin chirped, still reaching in Frodo’s direction. “Pooh! Kitty go pooh?”

“Get Bobo, Merry,” Frodo sighed. “Tell him that Pippin’s kitty has sprayed his favorite cousin and we may need a great deal of water out here.”

Giggling, Merry backed toward the door with Pippin in his arms. The little hobbit was holding his nose and crowing, “Pooh! Pooh! Pooh!”

The End