The Golden Perch Inn

[mormegil]

Kuric paced the room furiously kicking any object in his way. He had already torn the bed apart and tipped over the night stand in search of his precious ring. With constant stream of mutters curses he searched on, hoping beyond all hope that his ring would be found in his room or that some clue would point to where it had gone. "Naw, it could be missing," Kuric spoke to himself, "The necklace is still here." He thought perhaps he had left it in the wash room and he made a quick dash in that direction but on his way he vividly remembered removing it and placing it next to the necklace.

This recollection sent a fresh wave of fury through him and he charged off to his room, so infuriated he was, that he punched the nearest wall with his spiked glove driving the spikes deep into the timber.

"It's okay lad," he told himself "ye'll figure it out, stop and think for a moment." He promptly cooled himself every so slightly and afforded him a moment of clear thought.

Upon hearing somebody at his door he barked "Come in!" Hoping that somebody was coming to tell him his ring had been found. The door slowly opened and a very nervous and reticent Tollers appeared. Kuric could hear the tenseness on his voice when he asked, Master Dwarf, so sorry to bother you, but something else has gone missing. Five children....the ones who live just across from you....their mother says they've been gone all day, and I'm trying to help find them. I've been up and down every floor with no luck. You wouldn't have seen them by any chance?" Before Kuric had a chance to explain that right now he didn't care that a couple hobbit children were missing, Tollers spoke again, “You know maybe the same person who stole your Ring has also made off with these children...."

Kuric instantly made the connection and his heart was somewhat softened at the thought. While he had a gruff exterior he truly cared for the welfare of kids. He thought of the poor hobbit children in the clutches of some ruffians and became even more determine. "Lad, this may be worse than we thought." He said caringly. "We had best sound the alarm and search for them."

[Tevildo]

The lost children....

The children sat cross legged on the ground. Their shoulders touched as they huddled in a tight circle and tried not to notice the heavy black shadows that played around their heads. For the past half hour, Tom had told stories to keep the little ones from becoming too frightened. But even he had reached the end of his patience and fortitude.

"I'm tired, Daisy. I'm so tired. Tired and scared. I wish I'd never seen that ring or torque or taken the key from the bar. I wouldn't even mind running into the Dwarf. Just as long as we make it out of here."

Daisy leaned over and took her brother's hand in an unusual show of affection, "It's alright. We'll get out. I know it. Rest now. Just for a minute. The others have fallen asleep." Lilly's head hung heavy against her shoulder, as her own eyelids fluttered up and down. A moment more and she could not keep them open. There was silence in the twisted halls as all the children slept.

************

Tollers

"Good! Good!" Tollers nodded his head approvingly in response to what the Dwarf said. "Let's go outside and ring the alarm bell in the yard. I've already told Master Dick what's happening, so he'll be able to direct the search inside the Inn. Then you and I can concentrate on the outside."

Tollers grabbed the Dwarf's sleeve and indicated to Kuric that he should follow him out the front door. For the next hour, the two of them scoured the surrounding yard and garden as well as the stable and the shed where tools and old furniture were kept. Despite their best effort, they came up with nothing. Nor was their any indication that the Innkeeper was having any luck inside the Perch. The sun was dipping down in the sky. In just a little while, the moon would rise and darkness would descend on the Shire. If the children were going to be found, they would need to do it very soon.

Tired and frustrated, Tollers stopped for a moment and threw his body down on the ground just outside the chute that led down to the Inn's cellar. He mumbled something to Kuric about needing to rest. That was when he saw it. It was still light enough that he could make out a small leather pouch caught on a nail on the door that led to the cellar. He yanked the bag down and looked inside and then waved it in the air. "Look here. This was stuck on a nail. Right there at the entrance to the cellar. And look what's here....all sorts of things a lass might want!" There was a green ball, a skirt for a doll, and two small candles, along with an assortment of marbles and rings and other children's treasures. Tollers stood up but Kuric had already beaten him over to the door and was trying to pull the trap up.

[Dunwen]

Riding through Stock, the young hobbit gawked openly at the village's houses, turning her gaze from one side to the other. Of course Periwinkle knew that hobbits in the Marish often lived in houses, Man-style. And many hobbits had barns -- her own family did, in fact. But an entire town of houses was a strange and exotic sight. Some rose to amazing heights! Fascinated, she craned her neck to look up at windows that must be at least 12 feet off the ground. Despite being a well-bred young hobbit lady, she bounced, just a tiny bit, in her saddle (making her pony, a sturdy little bay, toss its head in annoyance).

What a good idea it had been to come to Stock! She had never been away from the Tookland before, but she'd heard her Dad mention the Golden Perch Inn and its famous ale often enough. Now that she had reached Stock, however, she had to find the Inn. The one drawback to being on the road, Periwinkle had discovered, was that one missed regular meals. Why, she had eaten only one breakfast and her lunch all day! Granted, she had stopped for a snack at eleven that morning, but a large apple and a muffin washed down only by water from her bottle hardly constituted elevenses. She'd thought to get directions through the town from a kindly-looking farmer working a field on its outskirts, so she chirupped to the pony and continued on her way, eager to get to some hot tea and a warm meal.

Periwinkle Greenhand had missed very few meals in her brief and comfortable life. For one thing, her father had a prosperous farm near Tuckborogh, raising enough most years to feed his family with extra to sell at that town's market. For another, her mother canned, preserved, pickled and dried as much of the farm's harvests as possible, with the help of Periwinkle and her two younger sisters, as if they had to prepare for the Fell Winter every year.

And for a third thing, her mother was a Took by birth. She wasn't a member of the Old Took's immediate family, but the former Agatha Took had gained a small share of the Took fortune and a full share of her own pride. Which was why Peri had risen much earlier than usual to do her chores, then made up a small (by hobbit standards) bundle of food, saddled her pony and headed out of the farmyard down the Stock Road. She wasn't quite running away, having left a letter telling her plans where her Dad would find it. But she was sick to death of Mum's constant attempts to marry her off. Mum had always had an eye on the local lads to see who might be the most advantageous match, but since Peri had come of age last year, it had gotten much worse.

The feisty hobbit normally drove off unwanted suitors with relatively little effort, but Mum's latest favorite, Mungo Sackville, refused to be deterred. Even when Peri purposely cooked him a 'dinner' of tough, over-salted mutton, doughy bread, burnt vegetables and rock-hard cake, he had not stopped his frequent visits. If the stubborn fellow had expressed tender sentiments toward Peri herself, she might have tolerated his company. However, young Mr. Sackville's greatest interest appeared to be the the size of her eventual share of the farm and the fine furnishings in the Greenhand burrow. He also had an irritating habit of complaining about the amount of time Peri spent wandering in the woods and fields near the farm. She herself thought it was a miracle that she hadn't brained him with one of the well-made iron pots in the Greenhand kitchen. The last straw had been when Mistress Greenhand had started pointing out, on a daily basis, that Mungo's holding bordered their own, and that he had a large burrow perfect for raising large family.

"Ha!" said Peri to herself. Mungo and Mum would have a hard time pressuring her to marry when she wasn't there. 'And it's not just that I don't want Mungo,' she thought to herself. 'I don't even know what I do want, and I can't ever get a chance to think about with those two pestering me, and the garden and the chores and everything.' She hoped she'd be able to clear her mind while she visited Stock.

Before her in the fine spring evening was a large building whose sign displayed a large golden fish. She'd found the Inn, and now it was time to find a late tea, followed by an early dinner! Peri turned the pony into the yard, where she could hear several voices. Dismounting, she looked around for someone who could stable the animal.

[mormegil]

With one great heave, Kuric threw the doors open. It was obvious that they had been opened recently as not nearly as much dust flew about as should have. "They're down here, that's fer sure lad."

Kuric began running into the cellar and looked back at Tollers who was waiting hesitatingly at the entrance. He could tell that Tollers was indeed frightened of entering the cellar without a search party.

"No sense in waiting lad, there in trouble down there and we can help them. I don't suppose ye have a weapon, best get one quick, whatever will work, it may be helpful in a pinch"

[Folwren]

The five children sat huddled in a dark corridor not far from the cellar door. It had been impossible for them to see, though, how near they actually were to the opening. But when the door was thrown back, it echoed with a strange, muffled sort of thump down through the earth and Lil lifted her sleepy head and blinked her heavy eyelids.

“Daisy,” Lil whispered. She reached out with her hands, but with the muddled mass of curls and bent over bodies, she could not tell which was her oldest sister. “Tom? Daisy?”

Finally, one of the sleeping hobbits moved and Lil saw the faintest outline of a shadow sit up. “What is it, Lil?” Daisy asked without whispering.

“I thought I heard something.”

There was a tense silence while Daisy and Lil and whoever else happened to be awake sat still and listened until their ears popped. “It was nothing. You’re imagining something. Or you dreamt it.”

But just as she finished saying this, there was another noise, made by someone other than one of the five children. There were voices down the way, muffled a bit, but the words were clear enough. The children did not recognize either voice.

“Come quietly, lad,” said a deep, rough voice, probably not belonging to a hobbit.

“What about a light?” replied the first voice’s companion.

“No time. We’ve got to find them.”

“They’re looking for us!” Lil cried, leaping to her feet. “We’re here, we’re here!” she yelled, cupping her hands in their direction. “Come find us!”

[Tevildo]

"Down here!" Tollers barked back at Kuric as the two rescuers hurried down the dark corridor and pushed their way into the small room where the children were huddled together. Tom and Daisy were the first ones to leap to their feet and come barrelling over to where Tollers was standing.

"Are you alright? No one hurt or anything?" the anxious hobbit queried the children as his eyes flitted across the group. The server at the Inn was a familiar figure to them. Daisy nodded and quickly replied, assuring Tollers that, except for a bump or two, none of the children had been hurt.

All faces turned towards the entry where Kuric was just emerging inside the small room. This face was not so familiar, but they could all see that their other rescuer was a dwarf. There was an awkward silence. The hobbit could not clearly see the children's faces, but he was beginning to have some suspicions as to what had happened in the Inn. "Come on now," he tried to reassure them. "We're not so far from the cellar entrance. Just take hands and follow me. With Tollers at the front, the five little ones in the middle, and Kuric at the rear, the hobbit led the wat back to the cellar door and helped them back up into the Inn courtyard.

[mormegil]

Relief spread over Kuric upon discovering that the children were okay. "I'm glad yer all right," Kuric muttered. Kuric was surprised that Tollers was taking charge at this moment. Apparently he didn't feel that there was any sort of abduction. Kuric, who was more used to the wild and its ways, was somewhat skeptical that everything was truly okay but decided to trust Tollers on this.

While walking through the cellar, his curiosity couldn't take it anymore and not considering the mental state of the children he blurted out, "So how did you lot get down here? Were ya kidnapped? I would suspect as much considering we've got some thieving ruffians about."

[Forest Elf]

Gable looked around. She closed her eyes for a quick second and then leapt over one of the wolves. She quickly ran down the road, knowing that she wouldn’t have much chance out running them. She quickly turned off to the side of the road. She climbed one of the trees and just managed to get on a tree branch barely above the wolves snapping jaws.

She sighed in relief, but knew that she wouldn’t be able to get down for awhile. She looked up at the sky, wondering what would happen next. Then she leaned against the tree looking down at the wolves. They had the tree circled. They were just waiting to see what Gable would do next. She wasn’t too far from the Inn either, but she was too far to be heard unless she screamed loudly, but it would still sound distant. She sighed, there wasn’t much she could do here but sit and wait.

Then she got an idea. She took a branch from off of the tree and threw it into the tall grass several feet away from the tree. Three of the four wolves went off to investigate. Gable quickly balanced herself on the branch, walked to the end of it and jumped. She began to run, being chased by only one of the wolves. The other three took a moment to catch onto what had just happened, but then joined in the chase.

Gable knew that in seconds she would be at the Inn…maybe a little over a minute or two, and knew that she was in hearing range. She looked behind her. The wolves were still chasing after her. She smiled knowing that she’d be able to get help now. She put her arms up into the air and turned a little off of the side of the road. Her hands grabbed onto a tree branch and she swung herself up onto it. Then she caught her breath again and shouted, “Somebody! Help! The wolves are back!” Then she threw small, dead branches down at them until she ran out of things to throw down.

[sallkid]

Hop Deepdelver carefully negotiated the street, constantly on the lookout for pursuers. He shifted his weight under the sack of purloined game birds he was carrying, and silently cursed all gameskeepers everywhere.
He had long been considered an odd hobbit amongst his family and aquaintances, who had always found him a bit tookish, holding council with strange sorts and conversing openly with Rangers and the few Dwarves that passed through the villiage. Occassionally he would come home spewing wildly exagerrated stories involving life and death encounters with wild wolves or bandit chiefs. In fact his long sojourns tended to have a different objective, poaching.

He had learned well from the strange Ranger folk he associated with, learned the ways of woodlore and put them to his own purposes. Until tonight he had remained uncaught, untill tonight when he had been forced to make his escape through gorse bushes and mud.

He came finally to an inn, the Golden Perch, knowing no-one in this town would recognise him he determined to sell his game and make reservations for the night.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Lily and Ruby came up the lane in their little two hobbit cart, their baskets sitting beside them, eating a loaf of bread that their mother made for the journey to Buckland. Ruby said to her older sister Lily, 'Why do we have to stop tonight?' (Since she wanted to see her cousins promptly, and was looking forward to see her family, of which their Mother, Estella had ten brothers and sisters.) and Lily promptly replied 'Because it is getting late'. Lily went to the Inn often since she started going to her Relatives holes to deliver some of her Father and Mothers fine food and gifts which she had been doing since her family moved(with her older sisters of course), which her Mother is and was a Brandybuck so they lived in Buckland until their Father 'Tom' Tunneldweller got a hole of their own that was big enough for the family.

This would be the first time Ruby went with her, Ruby was excited, and she said that her doll 'Esmeralda' was excited too, Ruby looked at her ribboned hair through her looking glass and smiled. Ruby always wore ribbons in her hair and very fancy and colorful dresses. She was excited to go to their relatives holes especially because her cousins were there.

Daisy neighed almost as a sign of relief when they pulled up at The Golden Perch for they had been going for quite a long time. Lily got off the cart and said to Ruby 'Stay here', and went around to the stables, to find someone to house the lasses, the cart, and Daisy their pony.

[sallkid]

Approaching the Inn, Hop had a good viewpoint on the scenario. He watched the two hobbit children pull up thier cart with mild disinterest, he was more worried by the shouting coming from up the lane, Hop had been forced to hide from dogs on his forays, covering his tracks with stinking mud, but wolves (and he was fairly sure the shouting had said something about wolves) he knew little about, other than the stories he had made up himself to exagerate his adventures.

If Hop knew anything about hiding it was that if one did not want to be seen, one should avoid going toward a disturbance. Nevertheless even his heart couldn't stand the sound of someone in trouble, for he was not a heartless hobbit despite his meaness and greed. With a sigh of regret at his own bravery, he unslung his sling, deposited the game in a cranny under a bush and started up the road toward the shouting, running and screaming trying to make himself as big as possible.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Lily went around back to see if she could find the stable hand, but what she found was not a stable hand but another hobbit lass that looked a bit older than Lily with her pony. Lily shrugged and went back to her cart to see what her younger sister was doing (since she was very mischievous). Lily came back to the cart only to find that her younger sister, Ruby was missing...

Ruby in the meantime decided that since Lily was gone she could just leave the cart and pony to sit there since after all she said 'What do you have to worry about in the Shire, eh' and left the cart. She went inside the inn and since she was a little sneaky with herself she decided to go behind the rather disheveled counter to get 'The best beer in the East Farthing' as her Father said, and so she did.

[Dunwen]

In the Golden Perch’s yard, Peri waited for several minutes, but no one appeared to take her pony. She thought she heard voices coming from somewhere, as if people were shouting somewhere outside the building. They were too faint for her to hear what was being said. It struck her as rather odd.

Absent-mindedly stroking the pony’s neck, she considered her choices. Although she was quite capable of caring for Brightheart herself, she wasn’t sure if she should do so here. She knew her Dad wouldn’t care for a stranger in his barn without permission. Still, she’d pushed Brightheart hard today and didn’t want him to stand indefinitely. She noticed a small pony-cart with two hobbits pull into the yard. They would need to find stabling for their animal, too.

Looking about once more, she saw the main door into the Golden Perch. Peri decided that Brightheart shouldn’t have to stand any longer. She tied the patient animal to a sturdy bush by one of the walls and entered the common room hoping to find someone who could help her. Looking about, she was amazed to find several people who were clearly not hobbits sitting at the tables. She even thought some might be elves.

Her heart leaped with excitement at the prospect of actually meeting someone of another race, but she remembered her poor pony and found a friendly hostler to take care of Brightheart. She also told him about the other pony pulling the newcomers’ cart so that he could see to that one as well.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Lily ran into the Inn and found her little sister at a table with a smirk on her face. Ruby then said 'What took you so long?' Lily began to get hot in the face and then dragged her sister out of the door. Lily replied very sternly 'I told you to stay in the cart.' and also said 'What were you up to?' Ruby then decided it was best if she told her, so on she went about taking the ale from behind the counter, and drinking almost a whole mug of it. Lily then said "Next time you will be coming with me' and 'You are not getting any supper tonight.' Ruby was not pleased.

Lily then went and found someone to stable Daisy, and the stable she was in was right next to another pony that belonged to another hobbit lass. Lily found the hobbit lass that had told the person that helped stable their pony and thanked her (she actually was the lass that Ruby had seen in the stable yard, and her name turned out to be Periwinkle and she was from Tuckbourogh). They went inside Lily made Ruby apologize to the innkeeper and pay for the ale. Then they promptly got a room and Ruby stayed in it the rest of the night.

[sallkid]

Hop's senses began to catch up with him just as the first wolf turned. Leaping into a nearby tree he swiftly reached the first branch. "Well this is a to-do" he though to himself, "here we are stuck up these two trees, we shall be very lucky to get eaten swiftly."
He unshouldered his sling and picked a stone out of his pocket, Loading the sling he lobbed the missile at the nearest wolf, it bounced harmlessly off the creatures flank, Hop gave up and let his shouting join that of the other distressed individual.

[Dunwen]

Once Brightheart was settled into one of the inn’s comfortable stalls with water and a full manger, Peri picked up her saddlebags and headed back across the yard to the common room. The sound of her pony contentedly munching oats reminded her that it was time for her to eat, too. On the way, the driver of the cart, a harassed-looking lass named Lily, stopped and thanked her for finding an ostler. They chatted briefly before Lily had to hurry off in search of her younger sister, Ruby, who sounded like a rare handful of trouble.

Opening the round door, she stepped inside. The golden evening light coming in through the windows washed the entire room in a warm glow. At the long counter to the right, several patrons were waiting to order. Peri considered joining them, but chose instead to sit down at a nearby empty table. She saw hobbits moving about the room taking orders and it would be more comfortable to sit and put her bags down. Her discerning nose inhaled several delicious aromas, including apple pie.

To take her mind off her increasing hunger, Peri started to catalogue the large room’s other occupants. There were indeed elves – tall, slender individuals with musical voices. Looking at their beautiful faces, she understood why they were called the ‘Fair Folk’. Others in the room were near as tall as the elves, but not so willowy or handsome. Peri thought they might be Men, but was not sure, never having seen anyone but hobbits in her entire life. It was easy to overlook her own people in her excitement at seeing races she had only heard about in stories before, but she soon noticed some broad, friendly (mostly) hobbit faces seated at some of the tables. It looked like there were a couple of gammers gossiping near the great fireplace opposite the door, and a distressed-looking hobbit woman appeared to have lost track of at least some of her children.

All the while, Peri kept an eye out for any staff that might come within hearing distance.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Lily put Ruby into the room that they acquired and then went out into the common room to have a mug of ale. She sat down at a table had a bite and some beer. Since her and her sister had not had anything to eat since lunch Lily ate a large meal. Lily of course had to pay for what her sister had stolen and had to explain to the staff that Ruby was a trouble maker and if she did it again that they could do whatever they thought was necessary. Since Ruby only had a few snacks along the way to the Inn Lily brought her a meal but not very large because she had stolen food and drink earlier.

Ruby was very mad that Lily had left her in the room so that she could have a bite to eat but Ruby could not. Ruby had a bit of time so she decided to think of ways to get her sister back for making her stay in the room while Lily went out to eat. Ruby decided that the best way was to take Lily's walking stick that their grandpa made for her, and Lily's favourate dress that their Grandma made for her and hide them someplace that Lily couldn't find them like the stables, or the kitchen, or the attic, or the Periwinkle lass that Lily spoke to before they got inside of the Inn. Ruby thought that by the end she could just get the dress and walking stick back and put them back where they were to begin with and Lily would never know it was her.

After Lily had come back in with food for Ruby. Ruby scarfed it down with a glass of water (she wasn't very happy with water), and went to bed thinking about her plan and humming a little song that her mother used to sing to her at bedtime.

[Folwren]

The day had been long - far too long. Dick was wearing out, and still customer’s were arriving. Well, of course they were. It was evening, after all, and evening was always the busiest time of day - it was supposed to be, because that’s when people were coming to the end of their day’s journeying.

There were some new arrivals with ponies that needed taking care of. Dick saw Will going out to tend to the animals and he nodded in approval. His mind went on immediately, though, and five minutes later, he was confronted by two hobbits who owned one of the carts and ponies.

“Hullo,” Dick said, blinking with a little surprise as two hobbit lasses faced him.

“Are you the innkeeper?” asked the older one. She looked rather fierce.

“I am that. How can I help you?”

The older one gave the younger a prod and the girl stepped forward. “I snuck behind your counter and stole some ale,” she mumbled. “I am sorry.”

“Oh. O h dear me,” Dick said. He didn’t know what to think. The thing was unheard of, almost.

“I’m sorry, too,” said the older one in a clearer voice. “Here’s pay for it, also for supper and a room. Ruby here’s something of a trouble maker, sir, and I hope you’ll forgive us both, but if she causes any other trouble and you find anything else missing, you can do whatever you think necessary.”

“Well...yes, well...I hope it doesn’t come to that.” Dick took the offered coins and directed them to a room. “I hope this is comfortable for you. When you’re ready for dinner come back on out to the common room and you’ll be served immediately.”

He padded back up the hall and plunged once more into other business. Before much longer, another hobbit entered. She found a seat and sat back to consider the people around her. Dick meant to go to her immediately and see how he could serve her, but as he crossed the room, his sleeve was caught by someone to his left. He turned at once, and found himself face to face with a much distressed Mrs. Hedgethistle.

“Oh, Mr. Boffin! Have my children been found yet?”

“I don’t know, Mrs. Hedgethistle,” replied Dick, patting the distraught hobbit’s hand gently. “I haven’t heard from the dwarf Kurik or Tollers in quite some time.” She let out a wail of despair and Dick tried to comfort her. “I’m sure they’ll be fine when they find them! Tollers is a sensible lad, and the dwarf is big and strong so nothing will be very dangerous for them. Here, sit down, and I’ll make sure you get something to eat and get a drink.”

Mrs. Hedgethistle collapsed into her chair and Dick hurried on to the newest customer. “Good evening, ma’am, can I get you anything to eat or drink?”

[Folwren]

The Hedgethistle children were found after all, and they were now busy trooping up the cellar stairway, listening to Kuric ask them what had happened and how. “So how did you lot get down here? Were ya kidnapped? I would suspect as much considering we’ve got some thieving ruffians about.”

“Oh,” Daisy began slowly, but Lil, impetuous and recently frightened out of her head, interrupted and blurted out, “No, we weren’t kidnapped, unless you count being taken and lost by your own siblings as being kidnapped. We went down to hide from you! . . . I think. Anyway, we were running away from a dwarf. And I’d rather meet him than be down there any longer!”

Tom uttered a tardy hiss, ordering her fiercely to be quiet, and Daisy hit her arm, but it was too late, and the words were out. Lil stopped short, realizing her error.

“Th-thieving ruffians, did you say?” she squeaked, trying to sound interested.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Lily and Ruby went inside of their room after they had talked to the innkeeper, Dick. After that Ruby plotted some more about her brilliant plan to get back after her sister for locking her into her room because she had some ale, she thought that this was unjust because it was just some beer and they had lots of it. So she decided to sneak out of the room that night after Lily had gone to sleep and look to it after...

Lily went inside of the room after her and Ruby had explained about the incident with the beer behind the counter, and Lily had told him that he could do whatever he needed to if Ruby had ever did something like that again, he then replied that, that would not be necessary. So Lily and Ruby went back to their room for the night (or so she thought) and went to bed...

Lily fell fast asleep quickly since she had been traveling all day long, but Ruby had other plans. Ruby got a small bag then put the dress and Walking stick inside of the bag and thus decided that she'd hide them in Periwinkle's room since Periwinkle didn't know that they belonged to Ruby's big sister. Ruby sneaked out of their room out into the common room and found some things to get into the room. She was nervous because she had never done anything so bad before, Ruby looked around and saw Periwinkle sitting at one of the tables and let out a sigh. Ruby had listened in on the innkeepers and Peri's conversation, thus she found out where the room was, then she went down the hall. She picked the lock until she got in, then Ruby went to the dresser and put the dress into it then proceeded to put the stick on the bed. Ruby went to the door and was about to go out when she heard footsteps in the hallway by the door, she halted...

[Dunwen]

Seated in the cheery common room, Peri’s attention wandered to some elves relaxing around a nearby table. Several minutes passed as she observed them while trying to remain unnoticed herself. She was fascinated by their long, lean appearance, which was accentuated by their flowing cloaks and robes. The muted colors and luxurious-looking cloth looked strange to the hobbit girl, used to the bright colors loved by Shire-folk.

She herself wore a sensible brown serge skirt and a white blouse covered by a dark green bodice covered in embroidery. Her thick brown curls were pulled back and held in place at the nape of her neck with a wide amber ribbon that had started the day tied in a ladylike bow, but which now hung limply down on either side of her ponytail.

So absorbed was she in watching her elven neighbors that she squeaked in startlement when a middle-aged hobbit asked if she wished for something to eat or drink. Peri flushed a little at being caught staring at strangers, but any embarrassment quickly dissipated in the pleasure of ordering her meal.

“Oh yes, please, I would like some supper, sir,” she told the man politely. “I’d like some tea, to be sure, and if you have any bread or biscuits and jam to go with it I’d be most grateful. I’ll also take a helping of whatever your cook prepared for tonight’s meal – something smells wonderful! And,” she finished, looking at him hopefully, “perhaps a piece of apple pie for dessert?” As the busy hobbit began to turn toward another customer, Peri remembered an important question. Quickly she touched his arm, reclaiming his attention. “I’m so sorry, I nearly forgot to ask! I’ll need a room for five days. Who should I talk to about getting one?”

[Folwren]

The young hobbit lass clearly had been on the road for some while. Her order was long and she looked like she meant every word of it. “And,” she said in finishing, “perhaps a piece of apple pie for dessert?”

“Yes, yes,” Dick muttered, repeating her entire order in his head. “Yes, we have pie. She makes it fresh every day. He turned to go on, but she quickly touched his sleeve and he turned towards her again at once.

“I’m so sorry, I nearly forgot to ask! I’ll need a room for five days. Who should I talk to about getting one?”

“That’ll be me, Miss,” Dick said with a smile. “As soon as you’ve eaten dinner, catch my attention again, and I’ll show you to a room.” He nodded and passed onto meet other customer’s needs. . .

[Elfchick7]

After having told Vehil and Fain all that she could remember, Luriniel wished them good fortune in their search. There was nothing more that she could say, so she excused herself and left to check in on her sister.

Seeing that Nienna was still asleep, Luriniel took the chair opposite the bed and reflectively thought on the events of the day. How many things have happened today. Nienna's injury, out meeting Maikaalph's brother...many things. It has been so long since our familiy was stained with the crimes of our father. When shall we find peace? As her mind dwelt on these thoughts, the exhausted Luriniel slowly drifted off to sleep.

[Gwathagor]

As the sun burnt low in the west and was finally extinguished in the sea, the habitual activities of a tired village occupied the inhabitants of Stock. Doors were shut, fires were put out, shutters were closed. The forest dwellers sensed it too, the slowing down of the day, the gentle weariness that follows a long summer day. Nobody saw the elf.

He stood atop the hill that overlooked Stock in the north. Tall, dark, and lonely he stood, surveying the land before him, taking in the village through every sense and faculty.

So this is where we are, he thought.

[Gwathagor]

His cloak was long, and though it was now tattered and stained, it had probably been of a deep royal blue. Blood soaked the hem of his garment and had dried down the side of his right boot. He stood very still, with his sword unsheathed. The only movement in the stillness was the warm wind, which gently blew his long dark hair about his face. He was tense and alert, but as the wind began to blow, he let down his guard. He took a deep breath of the clean Shire air, sighed, and began to sheath his sword.

I am very tired.

The sword was long and scarred, attesting to the ferocity of its bearer and to the many battles it had seen. It was an old weapon, outdated by many standards, but clean and well-cared for despite its nicks and battle-wounds. Though simple, the symmetry of the craftsmanship, the quality of the metal, and the natural curve and balance of the blade spoke of many long hours in the forge. It was kingly, but in no way pretentious or ceremonial, clearly designed for one purpose alone: to kill, swiftly and well. The sword was unadorned save for a thick strand of pure silver that traced its way through the working of the hilt, and about the leather-bound handle of the ancient longsword. The elf carefully and lovingly returned it to its simple leather scabbard, which bore upon it a device of a single white rose, set amidst a field of fiery stars.

Then he knew that he was watched. The slightest breath, the brief minor note in a birdsong, a change in the wind; nothing escaped his trained, wild-wary senses. His instincts told him that there was something behind him in the trees. He turned, swiftly and calmly to face his watcher. The royal sword leapt from its scabbard. At the same moment the moon rolled from behind a cloud, casting silver-blue beams upon the green sward. The sword caught the light of the full moon as a large wolf emerged from the pine grove. Its fangs and its glittering eyes also reflected the moonlight and its black mane rippled in the wind.

"Begone, creature of the cold north! This is not your realm, you may not trouble these little people." There was menace in the elf's voice, menace which the wolf returned with an almost imperceptibly deep growl.

Suddenly, in a single natural, quick motion, the wolf sprang forward, as a mighty howl tore from its throat. The elf's blade flashed up and forward in a similar a movement; an arc: calm, natural, and sure. Cold hate was in his eyes. Time seemed to slow, nearly to a standstill, as the clash of the two wild creatures loomed, and as the quiet moonlit village slept. The two killers from the wild stood locked in a deep and terrible combat upon the brink of humanity and civilization, where neither was accustomed to tred.

Then the clouds drifted back across the moon and the elf's longsword finished its arc, its blade coming to rest buried deep in the grass and soil of the hilltop. The wolf-creature had vanished, and the elf was alone, head down, bent double, both hands upon the grip of his sword. The monster's cry reverberated over all, then abruptly drifted away on the gentle summer wind.

The elf collapsed unconscious upon the green turf beside his sword. He was very tired.

[Dunwen]

In the Golden Perch’s common room, Peri’s order had arrived. After taking a moment to inhale the assorted scents from the meal in front of her, Peri added some sugar to the warm tea. Lifting it to her lips, she sipped blissfully and savored the feel of the liquid heat flowing down her throat. After a few more mouthfuls, she turned her attention to her food.

She had seldom enjoyed a meal more. After a long day traveling from the Tookland, everything tasted delicious. First, she steadily devoured a small plate of fresh-baked biscuits slathered with butter and strawberry jam. She inhaled the accompanying portion of stew. Turning at last to the piquantly spiced slice of apple pie, she happily ate every crumb from tip to flaky crust.

Full for the first time all day, she pushed back from the table, and as Dick had instructed her, found him and paid her dinner and a room for the next few days. An unexpected wave of tiredness overcame her. The idea of curling up in a soft bed sounded extremely attractive, so she picked up her saddlebags and made her way out of the common room. Clutching the key she’d been given, she found her room and unlocked the door.

And found that pesky younger sister of Lily’s inside. Annoyed, Peri snapped, “And just what do you think you’re doing here, miss?” She fixed the younger hobbit with a glare that would have stopped an Orc in its tracks.

[Gwathagor]

The door to the Golden Perch swung open with a bang. A tall, dark elf staggered through the door, stooping low to avoid the low lintel.

"Ale! Quick!", he said, as he stumbled into a chair which was a bit too small for him.

He had regained consciousness only moments before, as the first rays of dawn had crept over the mountains. His battle with the wolf-fiend the night before had left him weak. Indeed, he could not even pull his sword from where he had found it, embedded hilt deep in the ground beside him. Exhausted, he had just enough strength to make his way as quickly as he could down the hill to the inn.

There was something very dark working in the East Farthing.

The warrior elf had followed the trail of the wolves from far in the northern wastelands, traveling with all speed he could muster. And all along the way, he had been hindered by nearly every monster native to those lands, and some that were not. He was returning from a fruitless journey to find the nomadic Lossoth people, whence had come rumors of extraordinary numbers of marauding wolves, when he had come upon the south-bound wolf-trail. These were not ordinary wolves. These were draugring, relatives of the fierce wargs. They dwelt in the north, seldom passing the southern borders of ancient Angmar, and of old their king had been Tugaurath, a maia spirit.

While tracking the wolves, he had guessed that the forces of darkness were being gathered by some evil spirit because of the resistance to his approach. Now his worst fears were confirmed. Surely Tugaurath, the last of the great werewolves had come forth once more at the behest of the Power of the East. All across Middle-earth, monsters and dark creatures were crawling forth from their exiles in deep caverns or distant lands, perceiving that Sauron's power waxed strong.

He leaned heavily upon the thick table-top as a hobbit brought him a beaker of ale. He drained it in a single, long gulp, set it down hard upon the table. Immediately, he felt his strength and clarity of mind returning. The tall elf with the bloodstained cloak looked upon the obliging hobbit who had supplied the ale.

"Blessed hobbit, I am in your debt", he sighed and paused a moment before continuing. "In all Middle-earth, there is nothing quite like the ale brewed by the Shire-folk. Would that I had come on any other errand than that which now drives me; perhaps when this terrible day is done, I will sit and enjoy your ale at my leisure and to my heart's content. But now there is need of haste: your land is in grave danger. Tell me, as quickly as you can, all that you know about the wolves..."

[Forest Elf]

Gable was amazed that she hadn't fallen out of the tree at all that night. And the hobbit seemed to be in a possition that would make it hard to fall out of the tree, considering the way the branches were about him. She looked down, the wolves were still there. She sighed and wondered why no one had come yesternight. She sighed and closed her eyes, the sun had just barely come up. The wolves had to rest sooner or later, or even give up. She was surprised that they were still there and that they were still awake. How can they not rest? Perhaps they were sleeping while I was too.. come to think of it, I don't even remember falling asleep.

Gable carefully stood up on her branch, using the branches above her to keep her balance. The wolves stood also, their tails wagging behind them. They looked up at her with large eyes and they seemed to be smiling. One of the growled deeply in it's throat, just waiting for Gable to slip and land upon the ground. But Gable knew better than to let that happen, despite what the wolves did.

She sat back down after a few minutes and waited until the sun was higher up in the sky, a time when the Inn would surely have some folk awake. She threw back her head and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath of cool morning air and shouted, "Help!" in a single, long, cry. After that the wolves tried leaping up at her, to no use. Then they backed up and ran and then leapt up into the air. They flew higher and were only inches away from the branch, almost catching her feet in their jaws. She screamed and started shouting, "Help!" loud enough to be heard, but also fast enough to get the message along.

She grabbed a branch; still shouting; and began to swing it down at the wolves. She hit a couple of the beasts, but it did nothing to stop then, it only slowed them down a little. She just hoped the hobbit didn't make any sudden movements out of his place in his tree. If he moved down just a few inches, the wolves would get him for sure. She sent up a silent prayer for help while her shouts rang out across the land to the Inn.

[Folwren]

Now this was a strange customer, indeed. He talked like a book, he did, and he looked like one, too, almost. Dick cast his eyes over the dishelved character, caked and stained as he was with mud and who knows what else. All the same, he was an elf, and no elf can look very bad even in the worst circumstances and he had the clear, keen eyes of his race, the strong, clean face and a fair voice.

“Now why would the Shire be in any great danger, sir?” Dick asked. He eyed the elf with doubt. But then he sighed and sat down opposite him. “Since there aren’t many customers yet and since it’s so early, I may as well tell you. . .”

And Dick began, in hobbit fashion, going on whatever rabbit trails presented themselves, to tell the elf warrior what had passed the previous two days. How the wolves were found in his own stable and driven out again by the hobbits there and some of the guests of the inn. And again yesterday, how some were discovered. And although it was not a great deal to tell, Dick took his time about it. At the end, he wound down the story as though it had been a long, epic tale.

“And so, good sir, there you have it. We have been attacked by these wild beasts. Perhaps you are right – perhaps we are in grave danger. Is there any way you can help us? We are not fighting folk, we hobbits, you know.”

[Gwathagor]

The solemn elf nodded slowly as his host, who was evidently the proprietor of the establishment, explained how the wolves had appeared in the East Farthing several days prior. It coincided far too well with the appearance of the wolf trail in the north to be mere coincidence. The hunt was finished, and now the battle would begin; likely today, or perhaps the day after. He only regretted that it had to happen here, in this peaceful country. The wounds will heal quickly, he thought, as he looked away from the hobbit, and out the window across the rolling hills and fields. There is a quiet, merry strength here; it is not obvious, but it is deep. The hobbit had just finished speaking.

"We are not fighting folk, we hobbits, you know.”

The elf stiffened. He became alert, his head high, his eyes unseeing as he concentrated, listening. There it was again. Somebody crying for-.

Before the astonished hobbit, he leapt up, knocking his chair over. "Do you hear it?", he asked, in a voice that was tense and dreadfully in earnest. "A cry for help - that way - north!", facing back towards the door of the inn. "They have come again."

His hand went instinctively to his sword belt, where it found the sheath empty. "My sword!", he cried. The light of battle was in his eyes. He paused and looked back at the hobbit; then in a swift motion he seized the jug of ale from which the hobbit had filled his tankard, emptied it in a long draft, and cast it back upon the table. "Advance payment," he explained. "Come friend, there are enemies to be met!" And he sprang out of the door, his cloak rippling behind him as he rushed like a mad wind for the hill where his sword still quivered hilt deep in the turf, eagerly awaiting its master's hands. This was not a blithe summer breeze. The wrath of this wind carried the foreboding of blood: before it and behind it and with it.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Gentle sound of clacking hooves echoed in the silent air above the Stock Road. Oak and elm trees lining the road quietly whispered in the morning breeze. The early rays of sunlight were shining through the roof of leaves and through tiny holes in Rory's straw hat. The hobbit carter was sitting cross-legged on the rack of his old wooden waggon, while the sorrel pony slowly pulled them towards their destination. It was the first time for the animal to ride through this road, but his owner has been many times through this part of the Shire; either to visit his relatives in Buckland or to deliver a package to some of the hobbits who lived near Brandywine.

Rory Brandybuck was a carter. Carrying goods, news, letters or even hobbit passengers from one part of the South- or Eastfarthing to another was his job. He liked travelling, he liked the smell of fresh air and fresh news in each of the places he visited. Arny Sandburrow, one of the Shiriffs in South Farthing used to say that Rory is more of a Shiriff than him, for he knows about everything that happens between the River and the Downs. Maybe Arny was exaggerating a little bit here, but in the end, he always was. In one thing he was correct, though: Rory Brandybuck of Pincup was the kind of hobbit who sought, listened to and remembered every rumour that he could stumble upon during his journeys. And in turn, whoever appeared in his vicinity had the possibility to hear what the vocal carter experienced, saw, or heard of; for if there was anything from what Rory could not be prevented, it was recounting his rumours to everyone who was around, even if they did not care about his stories at all. And if he had no person to listen to him, the carter spoke at least to his pony, Buttercup. Like now.

"We have a nice day, Buttercup," he said to his companion, who obediently pulled the waggon and obediently listened to his master's voice. "Keep going. This is good weather and a good road." The pony noddled, as if he agreed with the words. The carter did not seem to care. "You know what the Tooks did?" he continued in his semi-monologue. "They paved the road from Tookbank to Waymoot. Well yes, the Thain himself gave quite a lot of money for that. The next time we go to Whitwell, we don't need to worry about getting stuck somewhere in the fields as the last time. But it took them long. This road is better. Even when it gets wet, the water may drain away to the fields. All roads in this part of the Shire are built like that. Well, most of them."

Rory stopped for a moment and listened. It seemed to him as if he heard something far, far away, a sound that did not belong to this place. But maybe he was mistaken.

"It's nothing, Buttercup," he said to the pony, who did not care at all and pulled the waggon. "Well, what was I saying. Never mind. We must be near the Stock now. Andy said one of his cousins will be moving there. That's the one who was supposed to marry that Took who was, wait, the Thain's... hmm... second cousin? Yes, that must be him. Paladin was his name. Well, he is marrying someone else, you see. One of the Banks. Ah, here we are."

The waggon slowly steered into the village. The Stock was still half asleep, though several figures could be recognised moving among and around the low houses. Rory looked around, not willing to drive right through the village. There he saw it - the familiar sign. As if he knew the intentions of his master, the pony turned towards the inn, slowing down; and finally he stopped near the entrance. Rory jumped down from the rack, raising dust as his large hairy feet hit the ground. Not caring about mote embedding on the front of his white shirt, he turned and started unharnessing the pony. He shot a lothing look towards the stables. "There's no need to bother the ostler, Buttercup," he spoke towards the pony. "Go and find your own graze while I have mine. Just don't eat any farmer's cabbage like the last time." With these words, he left the pony and the ladden waggon alone and walked to the door.

"Good morning!" he sang out upon entering. He turned to face the bar and smiled at the innkeeper. "I come a long way," he said. "But I thought that a dip of the best beer in the Eastfarthing could refresh me a little." A coin clinked against the bar. "Belive it or not, but in Deephallow, they once served the Master of Buckland water instead of beer. He was there on a visit, you see. But it was late in the evening and the Master was so tired after the journey that he did not even notice!" Rory smiled once again, showing his pearl-white teeth. "But don't count on that with me. I have a long journey ahead still, and I can tell beer from water." He turned to overlook the room. "How's the business going? I heard that in Woodhall, they had to close their Inn for awhile, because the locals did not have time to visit it for a month! Imagine that! But I hope this is not your case," he said, turning back to the host.

[Forest Elf]

Gable swung the branch down just as a little too early. The wolf’s jaws opened and came around the branch, ripping it out of her grip. She kicked the wolf down to the ground, nearly loosing her balance as she did so. She pulled her foot back up before the other wolves would be able to reach it. She stood on the branch and, in grabbing the branches above her, pulled her feet up off of the branch, and shouted for help a little louder.

She closed her eyes and began praying for help. She knew that the wolves would start leaping once she put her feet back onto the branch. The bark dug into her hands and she knew that she couldn’t keep her grip forever. Even with closed eyes she could still feel the tears in them. She opened them and saw an elf she’d never met before rushing over. She just hoped that he would hurry when she looked down and saw the wolves leaping up at the branch as she placed her foot back on it, to help keep all of the weight off of her hands.

[Gwathagor]

He halted atop the hill. His sword was still there, stuck in the grass. As his hands grasped the hilt of the ancient sword, he breathed deep and relaxed; but only for a moment. Then he turned west, towards the cries for help. There, about a hundred yards away, on the lower slopes of the hill, a pack of four or five wolves circled and leapt about a lone walnut tree. Among the lower branches of the tree, he could distinguish a pair of feet which kicked and swung about, trying to avoid the wolves' snapping jaws. Just then, the figure slipped down, abruptly, nearly falling out of the tree. As it did so, the warrior elf got a better look at the wolves' quarry, which barely managed to pull itself up out of reach of the predators.

An elf! In the Shire, too, he thought in surprise. I have been gone a very long time.

Slowly he pulled the sword out of the dirt. It was still bright and shone with the light of the morning sun. Then, quickly as he had stopped, he began to run again, raising the sword high as he closed in upon the wolves.

The other elf's cries grew increasingly frequent and desperate, as the wolves leapt higher and closer, driven into a frenzy by their lust for blood. They were lean and their fur was matted, but their eyes burned blue with an unnatural fury.

And then, with a great cry in some unknown tongue, he was upon them. The warrior elf and his sword tore through their midst in a whirlwind of fury that surpassed even that of the starving wolves. His first blow severed the head a wolf which had seized in its jaws the branch upon which their prey stood, and hung upon it, pulling it lower. His second blow opened a gaping wound in the side of the largest creature, and a third wolf, which wheeled to face this new foe found itself impaled upon the long, cold, unforgiving steel. Without pausing or losing his momentum, the tall elf with the sword spun, pulled his weapon free, and flattened a fourth wolf to the ground with a high arc that landed between the beast's shoulder blades. The fifth and last wolf sprang at him, and he turned back again, pulling the last reserves of his strength into a mighty blow that caught the monster in mid-air and hurled it into the trunk of the walnut tree, ten feet away. The lifeless corpse fell solidly to the ground, as its blood seeped out over the crushed walnut shells and stained the green grass. The tall elf sheathed his sword and fell to one knee amid the settling dust, breathing heavily.

[Folwren]

Dick responded to the hobbit’s request for beer immediately. He nodded his head quietly as the hobbit went on telling him about ... what? The innkeeper looked up. Who gave the Master of Buckland water instead of beer? An amused grin spread across his face as he turned back to the tap and finished off the mug.

“How’s the business going?” the newcomer asked, turning to look about the empty common room. “I heard that in Woodhall, they had to close their Inn for a while, because the locals did not have time to visit it for a month! Imagine that! But I hope this is not your case.” He turned again to face Dick just as the innkeeper was setting the mug on the counter and picking up the coin.

“Business has been good,” Dick replied. “Lot’s of people passing through Stock nowadays. We have staying in the inn a Dwarf, even! And a couple elves. We have daily customers, too, from Stock. I’m not about to close the ol’ Perch anytime soon.

“Where’re you from, Mr....?”

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

"Brandybuck, Rory," the customer replied, picking up the mug. "I come from Pincup. I suppose you know where that is. A great place. My parents moved there after their marriage, when my mother's grand-uncle died, leaving them that wonderful smial. Yes, my grand-uncle, that must have been a hobbit! Rorimac Banks was his name. I was named after him, you see. My mother was his favourite grand-niece. She always visited him in that big, empty smial when all the relatives moved away... so, he left it to her."

Rory interrupted the recital of his family's history to take a drop from the mug. The cold beer for a moment choked off the stream of his words and sudden silence fell upon the common room.

"Well," the guest said after a while, wiping his lips, "this must be indeed the best beer in the Easfarthing. I have to stop here more often. I am a carter, you see - but usually my business does not lead me to these parts of the Shire." He looked about. "It's good to see that business is going well for you. You said, there is a dwarf and elves in here? Even? Unbelievable, I have to tell that in Willowbottom - they once had a Big Man there, wandering around, but elves! Are they not a little bit... hmm... strange? And where are they, anyway?" Rory suddenly turned and walking through the room to the door on its other end, before the innkeeper could react, he opened them and glanced over the hallway leading deeper into the hill. "Nice," he commented, turning back without closing the door. "In Tuckborough, they have some very beautiful smials. I once visited the Thain himself, had to deliver something to him from the Hornblowers. You won't believe how big, big hallway he has in the smial where he stays during summer. This whole room could fit into it, really."

"But you know," he continued quickly, "maybe you could make this place a little bit more... cosy. Look at that wall, for example," he pointed at the wall opposite to the bar. "It could be decorated with something... and that hallway over there," he pointed towards the opened door, "could be painted yellow and lilac. It would be nice. I could get you someone to do that if you don't have anyone. I know plenty of people." He handed the empty mug to the innkeeper to get it refilled.

[Forest Elf]

Gable watched, dumbfounded. She could still hardly believe that the person she had seen running was an elf. At first she didn't think much about it, but now that he was here, fighting them off, the thought finally went through her head. She put her feet back onto the branch and watched as he fought them off. Then falling to his knee. She blinked and jumped down from in the tree, landing lightly on her feet.

"Thank you sir. If you hadn't of come... then that would've been it for me," Gable said. "Are you alright?" She walked closer until she was a few inches away from him to his right. She knelt down next to him, hoping that he was alright. She could hear his heavy breathing and wondered how much trouble it was for him to of helped her.

[Gwathagor]

He pulled himself to his feet, and then bowed low.

"Lady, I beg your pardon."

The ground about them was strewn with wolf corpses, and the edge of his cloak was stained with their blood, as with the blood of countless other fallen enemies from other days and battles. The elf was still tired, but he stood tall and straight, his hand resting upon the hilt of his sword. If anything, he appeared somewhat stiff, slightly ill at ease in the presence of another person, particularly a young elf maiden. He was not used to society; he was used to defending it. His glance shifted away north momentarily, past the elf girl and towards the forest. He put out a cautionary hand.

"You should not tarry here. I fear that there may be more wolves close by and that these were only the advance guard of a much larger pack. These are not ordinary wolves and their leader is...very dangerous. It is not yet safe"

He paused for a moment, trying to recall all he could of the conventions and pleasantries of society. It had been a very long time.

"You are not hurt, are you? May I assist you in any way?"

[Forest Elf]

Gable blinked with surprise. She noticed that even though he didn't show it, he was tired. She stood and said, "I'm fine, thanks for asking." She looked around, wondering what had happened to the wolf pup she had saved several years ago.

After a little while she asked, "May I ask who, or what the wolves leader is?" She looked at him, waiting for an answer. She was clueless as to what could control wolves.

[Gwathagor]

A shadow passed over the warrior elf's face. He hesitated.

"First," he said, "Let us return to yon house of food and drink, and as we go, you must recount to me your own tale, and how you came to be thus sore beset by wolves. Tell me all," and here he became, were it possible, even more grave and solemn, "And spare no words in the telling, for I have patience enough, and in the thoroughness of your account may lie the unraveling of this riddle. When I have been satisfied regarding my own worries, whether they are true or false, then I shall gladly unfold my own story to you and any others who find pleasure in it...if the length of it does not turn them to stone with boredom."

He laughed, or rather chuckled to himself, and his fair, grave face briefly took on a new aspect as he did so. Less proud and careworn he seemed, but more fierce, as if the smoldering coal within him had leapt up into flame for an instant, dancing and laughing, but hotter than ever; and more volatile. (He laughed as often in battle as he did in feasting.) Then the mask of care and studied gravity fell across his countenance once again; the fire fell back to a coal, burning safe and slow, but inextinguishable.

They were walking back towards the inn, and the elf-maid had just begun to tell what she knew of the curious wolf invasion as the tall elf listened attentively. Suddenly he smote his brow with his right hand, as the left was resting ready upon his scabbard.

"Again, your pardon! My manners are not what they were," he exclaimed, turning to the other. "Once, I did know how to behave in good company; but that was long ago and far away. I am called Gwathagor by most who know me. I have gone by that name long enough, and it will continue to serve. What is your name? And pray carry on your tale."

Perhaps these were only ordinary packs of hungry wolves, forced to move south in search of better hunting. That in itself would be bad enough. But, in truth, he had little hope that when all was told this would prove to be any other than the forays of the Draugring, the Cold-Wolves. He could track them easy enough; more difficult would be the actual battle. He would fight them alone, without hesitation, because he knew that the Shire-folk were not warriors. They were cooks and farmers and brewers. They did not deserve this plague. Nonetheless, the aid of another warrior such as himself would be warmly welcomed. This, in part, was his purpose: to return to the inn and gather one or two others who had enough experienced with weapons to not be a liability. They could then return to the tree and from there follow the wolf-tracks back into the hills, whence they had come, and then...he was not sure. But that would come soon enough. He gave the other elf his full attention.

[Forest Elf]

Gable looked up at him. For some reason she liked his new face better than his first one. His laugh sounded rather nice too, it had been quite some time since she heard another elf's laugh.

She laughed slightly and said, "It is fine. Actually, to be honest, most people around here find me strange. Who wouldn't, most girls don't wear boys' clothes from time to time like I do. And my name is Gable. It's nice to meet you."

She looked up at the sky, remembering previous times. She couldn't help but to remember the rounds of laughter she had with everyone here. She found herself sad when the thought of this all ending soon came to mind. With all the wolves about, she wondered how much longer the Inn would last. Then she shook her head to clear her mind of thought.

She had already told him about the pony. "Where was I?" she asked herself, absent-mindedly. "Ah, yes. I remember I’d just got done telling you about the pony…well; the owner of the pony is still unknown. We’re not even sure if the owner’s alive…” a shadow came over her eyes as the questions filled her mind again. She blinked, interrupting herself.

She sighed softly, inwardly, remembering the past events, “The wolves attacked the barn the next morning. For some odd reason, it seems that they were after the pony…it puzzles me though. Most wolves don’t go around chasing after one certain prey, their options vary…” Her mind trailed off into thought for a few seconds before she shook the questions out of her mind. “Then there was the attack last night with the same wolves you just slain, I still find it hard to believe that I actually slept in that tree… the hobbit!” she said, suddenly hitting her hand with her forehead. “I can’t believe I forgot him there! He’s in the tree next to the one I was in. I should head back and wait for him to wake. It would be awful if he woke suddenly and there was no one there…”

She turned and stopped, suddenly remembering something. She looked over her shoulder at the elven warrior, “You can head over to the Inn, I’m sure that you must be tired. But, now that I think of it, there was also a silver locket; I don’t know if the owner has claimed it yet or not. I found it in the pony’s stable. I don’t know if that’s of any importance to you or not, and those of us at the Inn are unable to open it. It has a small lock on the side of it, which a small key is needed to open.”