For Dwimordene's birthday. Beta by RiverOtter.
“What has it got in its pocketses? Well, now we knows, doesn’t we, Preciouss?” Gollum muttered to himself as he sought the one he was certain held his treasure. “Thief! Where is Baggins?”
Suddenly he heard a cry of surprise and pain; and although he could not see the one with whom he’d shared riddles in the dark, he had a good idea as to where he might be. He ran toward where it sounded as if a creature might have tripped over a fallen stone, and found himself stumbling over an unseen body.
“So, we has you at last, has we?” Gollum said, wrapping his hands about the neck he might not see but could certainly feel. “Thief! False!”
Some hours later, his stomach full, he murmured, “Ah--much sweeter meat than orcses! Must try this again, perhapsss. Yes, we likes Hobbitses very much.”
He sat back, then pulled the leather pouch he wore fastened to his rope belt loose, untying the coarse gut that usually held it closed. “Here,” he said as he picked up a now-visible object and examined it. “You’re a tricksy one, aren’t you, my Precious? But look--you have a finger now, all your own for when I can’t wear you.”
He smiled as he dropped Ring and finger into the bag....