An Adventure of Hobbit Proportions RPG

[Valier]

Bunny was crestfallen. She hated to have more delays, but the thought of a pint and perhaps a bit of bacon cheered her up quickly. She smiled to herself and before she gave it much thought she blurted out quite loudly. "Oh yes I suppose you do need a cart and pony...seeing as your age must be VERY great. but I suppose, we should stop off at the Inn. A pint will do us good for our adventure" Bunny smiled, she wasn't about to give up all control of this journey yet.

Bunny thought the cart and pony may be good for the start, but what would happen when they reached the other side of the river? there wasn't a road that she planned on following. How in the world would the cart stay righted? Bunny didn't know if she really was OK with the new additions, she was sure they would just slow them down after the bridge was crossed. Perhaps they may just stay at the Inn, once they find out our direction....Well nothing to do for it now, Bunny thought.

"Alright lets all help get the cart ready, my tummy is growling something fierce", Bunny rubbed her middle to emphasize.

[Gwathagor]

Though Brown had passed by the home of Gaffer Hugo and his clan many times on his trips through Brandy Hall, he had not met any of the inhabitants. Certainly he had traded "good day" and "hullo" with Rudy and even the gaffer himself on occasion, but he was best acquainted with Snatch. The terrier had often chased him down the lane or barked at him along the fence. Brown often tried to feed him bits of biscuits or meat, but had rarely got more than cordially territorial glares or growls in return. Snatch was never aggressive, just very, very official, as if he was saying, "I'm sorry sir, but I don't believe we've had the pleasure. Be on your way." Nevertheless, to Brown, Snatch became one of the familiar sights (and certainly sounds!) of Brandy Hall.

When they had walked out that morning (the girls chatting away in front, Brown following in the rear), he had no idea it was the Chubbs they were going to see. Snatch's ferocious barking, followed by the creature himself, careening around the corner, was a surprise.

He decided to let Bunny and Tansy handle these new people, so he stood back by the gate, shifting his weight uneasily from leg to leg and keeping an eye on the sun and wind, while Snatch circled him and a safe distance, growling. It was a good day for traveling, and the roots of his curly brown hair told him that it was likely to stay that way.

It occurred to him to try to size up the Chubbs, so he watched while Bunny and Gaffer Hugo negotiated. He had picked up their names by listening to Tansy and Bunny's conversation, and quickly managed to attach names to faces. The old fellow was surely Gaffer Hugo, and those two were clearly Mira and Peony (it didn't matter much to him which was which, as long as they stayed close together), and that other must be Rudy.

That fellow, thought Brown, Looks as if he had his bacon cut too thin and then burnt.

Though he was uncertain about Rudy and the dog, Brown had already taken a liking to Gaffer Hugo, disarmed by the old gentlehobbit's easy and amiable manner.

[littlemanpoet]

It was not long before Gaffer Hugo and Rudy had Mosy and the cart all situated and ready to go. As it turned out, the other hobbits seemed not to have been aware of the passage of time, for they were making new acquaintances and renewing old ones, amid plenty of laughter. Bunny was so busy in chatter that she did not even notice that the pony and cart were ready.

Even Snatch seemed to have decided to do some socializing, for he was wagging his entire rear end, intent with a huge smile on his face, with a slightly rough looking gentlehobbit Hugo swore he'd seen around before but did not know well. The hobbit had a stick and he was waving it about, grinning, with Snatch ready to give chase once it was thrown.

Hugo grinned. He could tell a dog lover right off, and this lad was such a one. The stick was thrown. Snatch raced after it and tackled it with his whole body, and pranced back to its original owner with the prize in his mouth. When the hobbit reached down for it, Snatch clamped down hard on the stick and growled good naturedly, his tail wagging furiously.

Hugo stopped Mosy and walked over to the hobbit and his dog. "Hullo there! I see you've met Snatch! And he's met you and likes you, and that's a good sign. I'm Gaffer Hugo Chubb." Hugo extended his hand in greeting.

[Gwathagor]

Brown took it, and smiled.

"Brown Barrabury. I'm from Woodhall over thataway." Here he gestured southwest with his hand. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Chubb - and Snatch, too, of course."

Brown had relinquished the stick to Snatch, who dropped it my Brown's feet and sat between Brown and Hugo, looking from one to the other, and seeming to have lost all interest in the stick he worked so hard for. Brown knelt down to help the dog with an itch he seemed to have behind his ear. He looked up at Hugo.

"You aren't planning on bringing him with us, I hope? It's rather rough territory when you get past the North Bounds, and a small dog might have difficulty keeping up. Though, I daresay he's a tough little creature. Seems quite ferocious when you first meet him."

Brown laughed. He found that he felt quite at ease, which he rarely did around new people.

[littlemanpoet]

Gaffer Hugo chuckled. "Oh, aye, he's a ferocious one all right, to strangers at least. But o' course he's friendly as anything to folks as knows dogs, which it's clear you do. An' truth be told, he's been hankerin' for a bit of adventure for some time, now; so he'll come. Matter of fact, he's no doubt in better shape for bein' in the wild than I!

"Anyways, let's all pile into the cart, there's room enough for all."

With that Gaffer Hugo climbed the makeshift steps he'd had installed to make it easier for his old bones to get up into a cart a few feet off the ground. He sat down in the driver's seat, picked up the reins, then hollared and yodeled at the still jabbering lasses.

"Now I thought sure I heard one of you sayin' as you wanted to be off right quick, and here you stand talkin' while the sun rises! Come on up! There's room for all!"

Snatch was first up, climbing the makeshift steps fast as his four short legs could manage it, and onto Gaffer Hugo's lap, his tongue hanging out in a big smile, his eyes bright and happy, eager for the adventure to begin.

"Come on up, Brown! There's enough room on the front seat for both you an' Rudy! We can get acquainted while the lasses yack in back!" Hugo laughed at his rhyme as well as the prettily offended scowls on the faces of his granddaughtes and their friends as they daintily (and not so daintily in the case of Bunny) climbed into the cart.

[Boromir88]

Rudy had been very silent all day, it was no secret he didn't like this adventure. It wasn't that he was some grumpy, lonely adult that despised hobbit children, on the contrary, he was fascinated by the imagination of the younger hobbits. Mira could put a smile on his face in an instant.

Rudy just didn't want to have to handle the hobbits when their adventure ends in disappointment, and he knew that is what will happen. He remembers the youthful days of excitement, adventure, and danger, but those days are long passed. He has come of age, and he knows when they finally realize there is no such thing as Entwives they will be devastated and who would have to deal with them on the return trip home? He would.

Nevertheless, Rudy got in the cart and took a seat next to his Gaffer. "Well, I'm ready for this adventure." Rudy forced out a smile, to try to look excited about the adventure, but it wasn't going to fool anyone.

[littlemanpoet]

With every hobbit in the cart, Brown, Rudy and Gaffer Hugo (and Snatch) in the front seat, good-byes were said to Melilot, and well wishes made to be passed on to Lizzy by way of Melilot. Hugo gave the reins a hearty flick and a "Hyah, Mosy!" and they were off.

The countryside moved by quickly, for Mosy seemed to feel the excitement of the whole party of hobbits and gave it a good trot. Gaffer Hugo, Rudy, and Brown talked about many things, including the lay of the land north of the Road, and so got pretty well acquainted, and rather pleased with the suddenly blooming friendship.

It was not long before they reached the Great East Road and the Stonebow bridge, and the Stonebow Inn, just in time for second breakfast or first lunch depending on a hobbit's preference.

Everyone tumbled out and made their way to the front door while Gaffer Hugo waited. Then he flicked the reins to move Mosy toward the stable where he met the local ostler, quite a friendly chap who loved dogs no less. Hugo and Burt Boffin got to talking and the Gaffer almost forgot about food, then realized the others were probably waiting for him. In his hurry to get down from the cart he tripped and fell to the cobbled stones with a wrench of his right foot.

It hurt something fierce, but he kept his tongue between his lips. It would not do to go complaining about bodily ailments when they'd barely started.

"You all right there, Master Chubb?" asked Burt.

"I'll be fine, you jus' go see to Mosy." His words came out more irritable than he meant them to.

"Yes sir, Master Chubb!" Burt left him alone, leading Mosy to a manger of hay inside the stable.

Bother it, such a fall at a most inconvenient time! he murmured to himself. He got to his knees, then placed his sure foot beneath him. He rose on one leg, and gingerly tested his right foot .... ow! nope. He sat back down on the cobbles and decided to wait until the pain went away before he tried again.