We were safe and sound and away from danger. I heard muffled voices all around me, but I still couldn't see a thing.

Merry gently lowered me down on to a patch of soft grass on the forest floor near an old oak tree.

"She should be comfortable there." I heard him say.

"Pip, why don't you keep watch for a while. I will look after Brianna."

"B-B-But, Merry." Pippin stammered.

"Everything will be fine." Merry reassured.
"You trust me, don't you?"

"Well...I...I guess. Alright, I'll go keep watch." answered Pippin, in a worried voice. The young hobbit walked a couple paces away and kept a sharp eye out for any sign of danger.

After Pippin had left, Merry sat down beside me. He firmly grasped onto my left hand. "You're safe here. Nothing can hurt you." he murmured.

A few minutes later, I woke up in a panic. My heart was pounding through my chest, sweat was beading down my forehead and I was freezing to death. I let out a loud gasp.

"Wh...wh...where....where.....where....am..." I stuttered in fear. Merry noticed that I was shaking violently. He shuffled closer to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me closer to him for warmth.

"Where....where...." I gazed up at Merry with wide fearful eyes.

"Shhh." Merry soothed. "Shhh."

"I thought....I thought I was...d-d-dead, Merry." I whimpered.

"Shh. Shh. You're alright, Bri. You're alright." Merry whispered softly in my ear.

"What h-h-happened?" I shivered.

"You were knocked out cold. Pippin and I had no idea when you were going to wake back up. Here, let me take a look at you. Let's see here...."

Merry brushed my hair out of the way and examined my forehead. There was a large blackish-blue bruise on my temple. "Y-You have a bruise." He told me, anxiously.

"H-How bad is it?" I asked, nervously.

Merry paused for a moment and swallowed hard. "It's....It's...very bad."

"Merry. It hurts." I blubbered. "My body hurts." Tears were streaming down my cold, pale cheeks like waterfalls. Merry shook his head and pulled me even closer to his warm body. He rocked me back and forth just like how a parent would rock their child back and forth after they've had a frightening nightmare.

"W-What happened to me, Merry?"

"I don't think I should say."

"Why not?"

Merry's eyes were full of sorrow. "I'm...I'm sorry." He cradled me tightly in his arms.

After our quick embrace, Pippin had come back. He rushed up to me and gave me a big hug. "You're alive! You're alive!" He cheered.

"Careful, Pip!" Warned Merry. "She's still sore!" Don't rattle her around like that!" warned Merry.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Pippin scratched at his curls, nonchalantly.

"Did you see anything, Pip?" Asked Merry.

"There's something coming, Merry." Said Pippin, in a fearful voice. "It's headed in our direction."

"Then, what are we waiting around here for?" Said Merry, whose heart was beating as fast as a jack rabbit. "We've got to get outta 'ere! Quick!"

"Where am I going to hide?" I said, pitifully.

"I have an idea! She can hide behind this oak tree!" suggested Pippin.

"Good idea, Pip." said Merry. "Can you help me lift her up?"

"Sure, Merry." Pippin nodded his head, confidently.

Merry placed a hand underneath my left arm and my left leg and Pippin placed a hand underneath my right arm and my right leg.

"You got her, Pip?" asked Merry. "Alright now! Ready? 1....2....3....lift!" As the two hobbits carefully lifted me off of the ground, I felt a sharp pain in my legs.

"Aghhh!! It hurts so much!" I cried out in agony.

"Easy, now, Bri. Easy, now." consoled Pippin. Pippin looked up at his cousin, eagerly. "Merry, you grab a hold of her head while I lift her legs up."

"Pippin! I don't think this a good idea!" I said, anxiously.

"Alright then. Ready, Pippin?" Said Merry. "1..2....3! Lift!"

All of a sudden, I let out a loud, blood curdling scream.

"Aghhhhh!"

"Shh. Shh. Shh." Pippin soothed. "We're almost there. We're almost there." Merry and Pippin were taking small, careful steps to make sure that they weren't causing me any more pain.

When we made it behind the old oak tree, Merry and Pippin had gently lowered me down onto the ground.

"There we are. Safe and Sound." Pippin grinned.

"Um, Pippin. I think you should hide." Merry advised.

"Why?"