Frodo ficlet
This ficlet is for shirebound, an absolute sweetie, and inspired by a certain wriggly dog and staring at ocean waves for the past week and a half. I've borrowed (without permission--I hope Shirebound will forgive me) a certain pup. Whether that is the original Scamp or a well-loved descendant, I will leave it to the reader to decide.
"Go out in the waves, Scamp!"
A streak of light brown fur shot out and down the beach. Tiny explosions of sand followed each paw that propelled the pup forward.
Frodo laughed delightedly. Scamp barked as he hit the water. Sea foam surged around his quivering body as he eagerly swam forward. Paws churned through the surf.
Frodo walked slowly down to the water. When his toes touched a wavelet that had spread a little higher up the shore than its fellows, he hesitated.
Scamp whined just a little, but Frodo could see the tip of his tail wagging fiercely back and forth as the pup paddled towards him.
It had been a long time since Frodo last swam. The Brandywine was long ago and far away. The shore upon which he now stood was beautiful, as were all places on Tol Eressea, but the waves that rolled and thundered spoke of deep and timeless things and touched old fears within him.
Scamp whined again as he trotted out of the water and Frodo knelt. There was something cradled carefully between Scamp's jaws. Frodo gently put his hand to Scamp's mouth and the little dog let go.
A shell lay in Frodo's palm. Its corkscrew whorls spread out into curving smooth spines, the tips rounded by the Sea. Rich orange and brown gleamed on the wet surface.
Frodo turned it over and around. "Beautiful," he breathed. He laid his hand softly on the top of Scamp's head. "There are wondrous things too, in the ocean."
He set the shell down carefully on the sand. It shone in the sun.
Scamp bounded away once more, but this time he stopped where the water covered only his legs. He looked at Frodo and barked--a small, eager sound. Then he scampered a little further into the water and looked back. He barked again.
Frodo ran forward. Soon the water was up to his chest and Scamp splashed around him. And when Frodo held out his arms, Scamp swam into them, happily quivering.
And then they swam together in the ocean.
"Go out in the waves, Scamp!"
A streak of light brown fur shot out and down the beach. Tiny explosions of sand followed each paw that propelled the pup forward.
Frodo laughed delightedly. Scamp barked as he hit the water. Sea foam surged around his quivering body as he eagerly swam forward. Paws churned through the surf.
Frodo walked slowly down to the water. When his toes touched a wavelet that had spread a little higher up the shore than its fellows, he hesitated.
Scamp whined just a little, but Frodo could see the tip of his tail wagging fiercely back and forth as the pup paddled towards him.
It had been a long time since Frodo last swam. The Brandywine was long ago and far away. The shore upon which he now stood was beautiful, as were all places on Tol Eressea, but the waves that rolled and thundered spoke of deep and timeless things and touched old fears within him.
Scamp whined again as he trotted out of the water and Frodo knelt. There was something cradled carefully between Scamp's jaws. Frodo gently put his hand to Scamp's mouth and the little dog let go.
A shell lay in Frodo's palm. Its corkscrew whorls spread out into curving smooth spines, the tips rounded by the Sea. Rich orange and brown gleamed on the wet surface.
Frodo turned it over and around. "Beautiful," he breathed. He laid his hand softly on the top of Scamp's head. "There are wondrous things too, in the ocean."
He set the shell down carefully on the sand. It shone in the sun.
Scamp bounded away once more, but this time he stopped where the water covered only his legs. He looked at Frodo and barked--a small, eager sound. Then he scampered a little further into the water and looked back. He barked again.
Frodo ran forward. Soon the water was up to his chest and Scamp splashed around him. And when Frodo held out his arms, Scamp swam into them, happily quivering.
And then they swam together in the ocean.