A/N: I have written several LoTR fics, but have never put them on the site. I just wrote this, because I got in the mood after being in Lost Mode for so long. I decided to re-read the trilogy for the third time! Currently, I'm on FoTR. So many memories. I'm glad I'm coming back to Lord of the Ringism. Lostism is still in my blood, though. LoTR and Lost all the way, but its time for some variety!

This takes place in Bree, the chapter called Strider in FoTR. Shame on those of you who haven't read the books, because this scene wasn't in the movie. If you're too lazy to read the books, go get the cartoon LoTR, they have this scene and the cartoon isn't too shabby at all. Anyway, Lord of the Ringers enjoy!

"Don't understand how Gandalf can make those shapes…" Merry mumbled to himself as he blew out another ring of smoke from his wooden pipe. A few walls away from him, he could hear laughing and dancing and singing going on in the main room of the Prancing Pony. Why did he feel so odd tonight? Usually he'd be right out there with the crowd, dancing and socializing. Tonight, though, he felt confused and tired.

There was an especially loud cheer, and for a brief moment he wondered what for. He supposed his friends were entertaining the group of Bree people.

He hated sitting still like this, listening to fun going on around him and wishing he were right there in the middle of it. Stuffy? Why in the world had he said that it would be too stuffy?Since when had crowded rooms bothered Meriadoc Brandybuck?

Instead of just sitting there in the middle of the tiny room, he decided to go out for a breath of air and perhaps a small stroll. He put out his pipe and pulled on a jacket. He decided not to go out the main door, as he might get caught up in all the drinking and excitement, and Pippin would probably pull him into the zone. So, he went out the backdoor unnoticed.

It was dark out, and it would have been black as pitch if the street lamps weren't turned on like they were. He walked out to a darker patch of the small town to look up at the stars and make out the constellations. He loved to do that, but he found he wasn't in the mood this evening. What was getting into him? It was like a big, black, ugly demon over taking his soul and making him feel horrible. Maybe it was just this little journey. Maybe it was too overwhelming. Maybe? It was. He couldn't wait till they got to Rivendell. There, the Elves would look out for them.

He suddenly shivered, but he didn't feel like it was from the cold. He wrapped his arms around his body tightly and bit his lip, looking around as if expecting someone to jump out at him. Like Pippin or Frodo, just trying to scare him like they used to do when they had nothing to worry about.

The lamplight across the street caught Merry's attention. Not because of the small moths and bugs fluttering around and running in to it, but because of a dark shape that seemed to stick out in the darkness itself. The young Hobbit kept his brown eyes fixed on the shape, as it seemed to move. He didn't know how to react. He tried to look like an intimate object.

Then the shape simply lurked away.

But Merry was curious.

He quietly followed, trying to figure out what was getting in to him. This certainly wasn't like him at all.

Without really realizing it, Merry followed the black shape all the way to the edge of town. When he came to the last house, he noticed what he had done and took the time to be angry at himself. He took a deep breath and looked around the corner of the last, two-story house. There was nothing. All this way for nothing.

He supposed it was time to be getting back to the Inn now. He dusted off his shirt and decided once he got back, he'd join in on the fun. He turned around and walked back around the house. He suddenly felt cold again.

He only turned around halfway before stumbling to the ground, and remembering nothing.

When Merry finally did come to, he remembered he had had a horrible dream. But he couldn't remember the details. Presently, someone was screaming at something beyond him and pulling the small Hobbit to his feet. He looked up to see Nob.

"I thought I had fallen into deep water…" Merry said softly, dazed, before running back toward the Inn with all his might, Nob yelling at him.

The Black Riders had come back.

A/N: Please review, my people!