Written by request for Grey Wonderer, a tribble (300 word fixed-length-ficlet) about Rusty Cotton--

(For those who don't know, Rusty Cotton is my OFC, who has appeared in a few of my stories, including this: Whatever Happened to Rusty Cotton?" This tribble fills in a little gap.

Fredegar Bolger looked over the recruit who stood eagerly before him, ready to strike a blow against the Pimple and his Ruffians. He gestured to one of his lieutenants. “Tom!” he called.

Tom Cotton sauntered over. “Yes, Captain Freddy?”

“We’ve a likely young buck who wants to join our little band.”

Tom turned and looked closely, then his eyes widened. “What, for mercy’s sake are you doing here?” he exclaimed angrily.

Freddy turned to Tom. “You know this lad?”

“That’s no lad. It’s a lass. My cousin Ruby Cotton!”

“Rusty!” she said. “And I’m here to do my part!”

“You are supposed to be in Gamwich with Aunt Jasper!”

“You think I’m going to stay there while these bullies overrun the Shire?”

Freddy watched the two cousins, both red in the face, shouting at one another, and shook his head. Now that he attended more closely, he could see that in spite of the lad’s clothing and the hat, that it was indeed a lass.

“Your parents would skin me if I let you come into this! It’s dangerous!”

“You think I don’t know that?” The lass put her hands on her hips and thrust her face right into her cousin’s. “I don’t care! The whole Shire is dangerous right now! The difference is I can do something!”

“That’s enough!” Freddy’s sharp tone silenced them. “You forget that it is not a decision that either of you have a final say in! I am the one in charge here!”

Both Cottons turned warily to him.

Freddy stared at the lass. He’d seen that determined expression before. And suddenly he remembered Pippin, firmly dealing himself into the Conspiracy.

She’d be part of it, or she’d do something rash on her own.

“You’re in,” he said. “But you will follow my orders.”