Fell Winter --

[rabidsamfan]

March, yet

"There are wolves and there are Wolves," said Uncle Isumbras as he passed around the stock of fireworks. "And we think these are the lesser sort, driven into the Shire by weather all the worse beyond the Brandywine and lack of prey. Keep close to the village. Light and noise should frighten them. Fire certainly will, so keep your torches close to hand. That should keep you safe enough while we hunt them."

"And if they're not the lesser sort?" the miller asked, and the Hobbiton folk crowded closer yet to hear the answer.

"Then we won't be the hunters."

Rising April

It wasn't till the first rain came and the snow began to rot that the hunters had any luck. They brought the carcass to the village, and Bungo opened the last barrel of apples to mark the occasion. Bilbo helped hand them around and then went back to the shed to take another look. He'd imagined wolves as large foxes, but foxes were sleek, comfortable creatures next to this scraggly giant. Its matted fur was more yellow than white, and its ribs showed.

How terrible a thing, Bilbo thought, to be hunted down for no worse crime than being hungry.

Comments

[b-briarwood.livejournal.com]

You've done it again! This first one sent shivers down my spine. The second actually made me feel sorry for the wolves. :(

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I kept contrasting the Wargs in The Hobbit with what I actually know about real wolves...

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

WOw, the first one gave me real chills and the second one made me all sad...I just love this series!

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm not sure there's anything more to say, but if inspiration takes me I'll see what I can do. Bunnies cheerfully accepted...

[elasg.livejournal.com]

OH, these are excellent! Thank you!

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome.

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

*bows deeply to the Queen of the Last Sentences*

Amazing. Very, very good - and it shows something about Bilbo's character: a deep understanding and compassion we see later in The Hobbit when he meets - and spares - Gollum.

Maybe I'm still a little bit tired and therefore slightly confused, but shouldn't it be: "...so keep your torches close to hand"?

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

You're not tired and confused, I am... Either that or I've been blessed by Movable Type again. I swear there are times that the words *change* between the time I write them and the time I post.

Thanks. Fixed now.

And I'm very glad you liked the drabbles. *sleepy grin*

[elycia.livejournal.com]

How terrible a thing, Bilbo thought, to be hunted down for no worse crime than being hungry.

WOW. What a brilliant glimpse into the merciful nature that will save Gollum--and ultimately, by extension, all of Middle-earth.

And I love Isumbras, too.

Wonderful. Just wonderful!!!!!! Thanks so much!

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Yessss *jumps in air and pumps arm*

Ahem. I mean, yes, of course, that's what I see in Bilbo too, as part of his nature right from the beginning. And I had great fun deciding which Took to make spokesman!

Thanks.

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

"Then we won't be the hunters."

What a terrible thought. *swallows hard*
But, you know, the second one made me pity the wolves.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Read the bit with the Wargs in The Hobbit again, sometime.

*brrr*

Thanks!

[danachan.livejournal.com]

I do like these. And how you write Bilbo...

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Thank you. It's great fun flipping through The Hobbit and trying to think of what Bilbo was like when he was young. He must have made an impression on Gandalf somehow -- either directly or through the Old Took...

Still thinking on that one...

[dreamflower]

These are absolutely wonderful! I love attempts to contrast the facts of The Hobbit with the facts in LotR and with real life. It's quite clear that though Wargs are a type of wolf, not all wolves were Wargs. I suppose that Wargs were to wolves what Orcs were to Elves--some of Morgoth's brood.

And the second one? How perfect! We see exactly why Gandalf chose Bilbo--for after all, it was the compassion of hobbits that drew his attention in the first place.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Yes, I definitely think of the Wargs as being skewed from natural wolves. Not that history and myth haven't made wolves into monsters without intervention! But still it was fun to take what I knew and pull it together if I could.

And I'm very smug about people catching the significance of the second drabble.

Thanks!

[mariole.livejournal.com]

How nice to see an RBS drabble on my return. Loved the wolves theme. Cheers!

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Glad to have you back!

(Wonders what you think of the wolves now that you've read your way back through...)

[elanor1013.livejournal.com]

I love this whole series. Sorry I haven't commented more. It's so unusual to see young Bilbo too.

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous! Love Bilbo's uncles... especially Isumbras (is that Ferumbras' ancestor? Too late to look it up *yawn*).

The second one... the last line made me think of the Dwarves, imprisoned by the Elves when they were hungry. (And at a little more of a stretch, the Dwarves were hungry when they approached the Trolls' fire, weren't they?)

And now I feel sorry for a wolf, of all things. (And Bilbo's pity was early to bloom.)

You asked for it, you got it.

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

But it's not a Toyota. (Hope I didn't get my jingles mixed up just now.)

The first chapter of the Winter piece.

http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=3806