Dreamcatcher

Pippin sat quietly in a secluded corner of the Gondorian castle. His eyes seemed distant, though he winced at every thought of the events earlier that day. He could not imagine what fear the dead soldiers had, but only the loneliness he felt. He was alone. To be alone was something rarely witnessed in his world. Pippin had always had Merry by his side. Merry....he thought.

Pippin closed his eyes for a moment and began to cry. His cinnamon colored curls bounced foreward as his head rested in his hands. How he wished he had never left the Shire. Everything that had happened was almost too great for him to bear. Then, Pippin felt a masculine hand on his hunched shoulder. He quickly wiped his face as he met eyes with the young captain of Gondor.

"My lord," Pippin whispered. "I did not think...I thought everyone was asleep."

"No one will find sleep here tonight," Faramir duly noted.

Pippin sniffled slightly as Faramir crouched next to the hobbit. His golden eyes stared at Pippin.

"Do not cry, young master," Faramir said. "There will be time later for that."

"This is too much for me," Pippin told. "I'm too small of a creature for this."

Faramir patted Pippin's back. "Small or not, you have great heart."

"Lord Denethor didn't seem to think so highly of me," Pippin recalled.

Faramir stood and stared at the pale yellow of the midnight moon. His lean body was silhouetted against the castle wall. He shook his head and sighed.

"My father never thought too highly of anyone but himself."

Pippin looked down again for a moment.

"What good am I when I couldn't even keep enough sense to be able to stay with Merry?"

Faramir knelt before Pippin and placed his hands on his shoulders.

"Do not ever think you are no good, Pippin Took. It was you who saved me from an uncertain death," Faramir said sternly. "You are like my dreamcatcher in that sense."

Pippin smiled and his eyes lit up.

"Good night, young hobbit. I take me leave."

Pippin watched Faramir's lingering shadow as he began to leave. Pippin openly gazed at the pale yellow full moon. He sang lightly:

"Home is behind, the world ahead.
And there are many paths to tread.
Through shadow, to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Mist and shadow, cloud and shade.
All shall fade, all shall fade"

Then, Faramir left, humming Pippin's tune.