An Adventure of Hobbit Proportions RPG

[Gwathagor]

"I can't believe he'd be trying to harm a big group like us."

"Well, of course, it IS unlikely," replied Brown. "But I've heard of hobbits going bad - turning burglar, or worse. I've even met a couple of rascally types myself. Once, when I was on the road to Long Cleeve, I was set upon by a couple of..."

His voiced trailed off as he noticed the worried looks on the girls' faces. He leaned back and tried to look nonchalant as he studied the rafters. Assuming his best careless expression and shrugging, he said, "But there was no harm done, and we're certainly in no danger. As you say, Miss Peony, we're a large group - and you mustn't forget Snatch." Here his tone changed to one of mock seriousness. "He's quite the ferocious little beast, aren't you, Snatch? Anyway, I daresay I could handle two or three rascals, should any come our way. Set 'em to the rightabouts."

He broke off, grinning and chuckling at the prospect of a good fight.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

The young hobbit looked very nervous and even more confused after Bunny performed her tumble. Then Rudy appeared and started to talk to Bunny. During his speech, the stranger's eyes switched from Bunny to Rudy nervously, and it could be told from his expression that his brain is racking. But if the hobbit had any thought of quietly leaving while they were engaged in talk, it was soon dashed. Rudy turned towards him and spoke.

"Hello, sir." he said addressing the hobbit. "You may call me Rudy, and what should I call you?"

The tweenager's face was once again red as if he just came out of warm bath.

"He-hello," he stammered. He had "My name is Mi-Michael." He blushed even more, his face now resembling a dead ripe tomato. "Michael Smallburrow. It's - it's not that I have been following you, miss... sir... I... only remembered I have to visit my friend who lives here..."

He quickly turned away and quaffed off his cup. This way, Bunny and Rudy could not see his teeth was rattling. And what they definitely could not see was the lone traveler's inner struggle: he did not know what to say, how to act now that he was discovered. Of course he had been following them. But what in the Shire did he think? He did not know clearly himself. He was curious, yes, after he heard, back there on the road... and then... but what now? What to do now? His temptation was to just leave it be, forget the group... talk himself out of it and disappear... if only he could... he knew well that that they won't belive him, sure they won't, sure they won't... and now he was already in it...

And then, there was the opposite urge. But he was not courageous enough to tell them, it didn't even cross his mind. Now he wished he did not lie a moment ago. He had no friend at Budgeford whom he should visit. But any possibility of continuing the discussion was ruined now. They will simply say "Ah, so you are just visiting your friend, sorry then", and go away. Why, why did he lie? He will never see them again. And besides that, he felt guilty of lying. He did not lie often, but in situations like that it happened before he could have enough time to think...

And what should he tell them now? He could no longer pretend to be drinking from an empty cup. Please, he thought, let them say something!

[littlemanpoet]

Snatch sniffed fear and trouble, and it came from that hobbit over there. The one with the heat in his face. When Rudy went got up and went over to him, Snatch came up behind. He quieted his mutterings while Rudy barked at the heated hobbit the odd tonguish way hobbits had.

When the heated up hobbit answered Rudy, his wimperings were a bad sign. A real bad sign. Fear! Fear! Fear! This hobbit was trouble!

Snatch set his ears back and his tail high, his four legs wide apart, and bared his teeth. He gave warning the best he knew how, with a long drawn out and sinister growl. He knew it was one of his best.

[Valier]

Bunny was not at all satisfied with the strangers reply. His expression was startled and his face was too flush to be not falsifying something. With a dissatisfied "hum" Bunny eyed the hobbit up and down, then reached and scratched Snatch on the head and said "good boy"! Looking Rudy in the eye she signaled for him to follow her back to the table. With another puff and a bit of a snarl from Snatch Rudy motioned for him to follow them as well.

Back at the table Bunny said almost in a whisper"He cannot be trusted I fear" , with a smile still on her face. " Our surroundings we must be more aware of too. So mind your tone and volume" I think we should slightly alter our route North, so as we can find out if Mr. Micheal is indeed up to no good. Thank goodness for Snatch! I am sure he will alert us on the road if Micheal or anyone else for that matter comes near."
"Let us not linger 'ere too long. My belly is full and I feel rested enough. Is everyone else almost ready to go?"

[littlemanpoet]

Gaffer Hugo was proud of Snatch. Smart dog! And hearing Bunny favor his pet made him feel warm all over. He decided that he rather liked his granddaughter's friend, even if she was prone to trip on her own hairy feet and get into other scrapes.

When Hugo heard Bunny's question he smirked. "Go? This early? Why, I haven't even had my third helping of bacon yet! What's the rush, Bunny?"

[Thinlómien]

"And I haven't finished my cup of tea," Tansy added, but smiled at her young friend. "Look, Bunny, I don't think we should be so worried about that guy." She screwed up her eyes a bit. After her eyesight had got worse in her tweens, she had learned to pay attention to people's postures and ways of moving if they were too far away for her to make out their exact facial expression.

Tansy looked at her younger friend and smiled. "I think he looks just a bit nervous and frightened, poor boy. I have no idea why he was following us - if he even was, I didn't notice it but I take your word for it - but I doubt his reasons are sinister. I'm inclined to agree with Peony - that lad would be very silly if he was planning to attack us in any way, one against seven hobbits, a dog and a pony." She couldn't help grinning at her own words when she added the pony to the list. She felt silly but she hadn't been on such a careless mood for a while. And for sure, the stranger was nothing she would worry about.

She took a sip of tea. It was good tea with nice touch of nettle and raspberry. She decided to make a fair share of raspberry tea when she got home, she had forgotten how good it was. And nettle too. Nettle soup would be excellent.

"But how can we know he's alone?" Brown asked, interrupting her musings.
"We cannot," Tansy replied calmly, flashing a smile at him, "but if we have to continue on this topic, I'd rather talk with him than about him. I say we either finish our breakfast and continue as if nothing had happened, or - if he really troubles you so much - invite him to our table and ask him some questions. But let's not frighten him any more than we have this far. He seems like a sensitive case." A mischevious glint came to her eyes. "Maybe Brown could even offer him a pint?"

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

After the two hobbits departed from his table, Michael's senses calmed a little. He returned to the rest of his breakfast, however leering at the travelers' table, unobtrusively if possible. He was open-eared, trying to catch something the people in the group may be saying. What are they going to do? A sudden horrible thought now hit Michael. They sure did not believe him. Sure they didn't, of course, he was never good at lying and he knew it. Why, why he had to lie... the feeling of alarm that left him just a while ago had returned with renewed strength. What now? And what are they-

But suddenly, Michael's ear caught a few words from the other table. The green-gray-eyed lady said it. "...invite him to our table..." Michael could not believe his ears. Would he really be that lucky?

But at that moment, the piece he was just chewing got stuck in his throat, and he choked. He reached for his cup, but alas, it was already empty. The loud sound of his coughing filled the whole room, as he attempted to catch his breath and get rid of the piece he swallowed the wrong way.

[littlemanpoet]

"Summat needs to give our friend over yonder a pat on the back, I'm thinking," Gaffer Hugo drawled. "Poor lad's like to catch his death from first breakfast to hear him. Sorry way to die." He grinned as he stuffed one more rasher of bacon in his mouth and chewed happily.

The hobbit seemed to have gotten his wind back with no help, but the wheezing and hacking made Hugo want to leave. So he got up.

"Ow!"

And sat back down again. "Confounded ankle! Rudy, Brown, can you give me a hand up? Sorry to be such a bother."

His ankle was not getting any better. Of course, bouncing on a pony was probably no good for it; nor was being a hundred and more years old, for that matter. But there it was, and it wasn't about to change, so he knew he'd best live with it. One thing for sure, he was not about to be told he couldn't come on this adventure just because of a bum ankle; and if anyhobbit even considered passing such words by his or her lips, that hobbit was going to get an earful, no danger.

[littlemanpoet]

Brown and Rudy helped Gaffer Hugo up, helped him negotiate around the tables, and through the front door and into the courtyard. Snatch pranced along with. Mosy was waiting there, packs on his back, standing next to a platform. It was a gorgeous day! The sun was already halfway up the sky and there was not a cloud to be seen. A pleasant breeze soughed through,

Rudy and Brown helped Hugo up to the platform, then stood on it to help hoist him onto Mosy's back.

"Ready, one, two, three, up you go!" cried Rudy.

Gaffer helped with his one leg, and up he began, but suddenly a hand grabbed his chest somewhere inside and squeezed for all it was worth, and Hugo grimaced. His arms fell to his chest and he moaned. Brown and Rudy did not let him go as he sank to a sitting position on the platform. The hand in his chest just kept squeezing harder.

So this is it, then, Hugo thought to himself, I s'pose I was in for it sooner or later. Good-bye Rudy, good-bye Mira, good-bye Brown and Snatch and Mosy, good-bye all the rest of you.

Gaffer Hugo knew no more.

[Boromir88]

"Gaffer! Wake up! Wake up! You can't go...not yet, not yet! I can't do it by myself, Gaffer." Rudy fell to his knees and began to sob. Snatch had laid his head on Hugo's lap.

Rudy heard a voice call his name, it was Mira's. She must have noticed him and Brown carry the Gaffer out of the inn. Rudy looked up at Brown, "Get Mira inside! Keep her inside the inn, until I figure what to do," he was wiping the tears from his eyes, trying to gather himself, it wasn't working. Before Brown even had the chance to do what Rudy asked, Mira had rushed past both of them and hopped onto the platform, next to the Gaffer's body.

She started shaking him, and was whispering something, but amidst her cries Rudy couldn't comprehend it.

"Mira," she didn't look at Rudy "our Gaffer's...gone"
No response.
"I think it's time we head back home, back to pa. It's what-"
"No!" she cried "Gaffer's going to wake up...we're going to find the Entwives, with Bunny, and Tansy, and Peony, and everyone...all three of us."
"Mira..."
"No! He's going to wake up."

Rudy turned back to Brown, "I have to go inside. I have to tell the others we're going home. We can't go on. You understand?" Rudy was looking for some kind of reaffirmation, from Brown, that he was making the right choice. But Rudy didn't have to tell the others, for they were already outside.

[Thinlómien]

When they came out, Tansy could instantly say everything was not alright. Brown's face was serious, Rudy was paler than Tansy had ever seen him and Mira was crying. Gaffer Hugo was laying on the ground, unmoving. It was not difficult to guess what had happened.

Tansy took a few quick steps to where Mira was sobbing by her gaffer's side. She wrapped her arms around the girl and hugged her tight. That, of course, made the girl cry even more. Tansy stroked her hair and let her cry. She knew there were no words to make it better.

After a while, Mira pulled away from her and wiped her face with her sleeve. She looked up at her brother. "I don't want to go home now. We have to find the Entwives. Gaffer Hugo would have wanted us to. We have to find them, for him."

Tansy looked from one sibling to another. She could see both sides of the argument, all too clearly. Weren't these the exact same two sides, the responsible child and the adventurer, that had always been fighting in her own heart? She took a deep breath. Suddenly, she knew.

"You only must go home if you are truly needed there right now." She said this to Mira, resting her hand on the girl's shoulder, but she let her eyes travel to Rudy by the end of her sentence.

[Gwathagor]

Brown looked around at the scared, pale faces of the other hobbits, who now stood in a circle around Gaffer Hugo's lifeless form. Of course the expedition could not go on. They had just been out to have some fun before, but real life had taken a hand. Rudy and Mira would have to see to Hugo's burial, break the news to the family, and so on. And the others would likely be disheartened by the tragedy, which had cast a sudden dark pall over their merry adventure - which of them would wish to continue given the circumstances? It hardly seemed right.

Snatch wiggled his way through the legs of the observers and bounced up to Gaffer Hugo. Ordinarily he would have wanted to romp, but he immediately sensed that something was amiss. Snatch approached, sniffed Hugo's feet, and stepped back. Nothing happened. He barked sharply, and still Gaffer Hugo did not move. Snatch leapt up on the platform, sniffed Hugo carefully, and began to lick his face, whining softly all the while. The solemn band watched silently, and Mira cried on Rudy's shoulder.

Brown felt suddenly that he was intruding upon this mourning family, and, without a word, walked slowly back into the inn. They wouldn't be leaving for a while yet, he knew.

Sitting down at his bench again, he began to think. And, as he thought, he realized that there was no reason he couldn't continue north on his own, even if the others had no will to go on.

[Kitanna]

The stranger appeared to be struggling with his food. Peony wasn't inclined to see the poor fellow choke on his food, it would be a waste of food and of life. She jumped from her seat and hurried to his side. Her brother, Nick, was often the culprit of eating too fast and so Peony knew how to handle this.

"Come on, now," Peony gave his back a good hard smack and whatever he'd been eating made its way back up and onto his plate. "There now. Best to chew your food next time, friend." She smiled and patted his back. Color was returning to his cheeks, that was always a good sign.

"Thank you," he rasped.

Peony turned and it seemed her group had left. She was a bit hurt they had simply left her behind. She gave the stranger one more friendly smile before heading out herself. It'd be no good being left here, having to go home before the adventure even began.

Outside her mood changed almost immediately. Gaffer Hugo was just lying there. Rudy and Mira were crying and she felt her own eyes tearing up. But he couldn't be dead, right? He had been alive minutes before.

"You only must go home if you are truly needed there right now." Tansy said, putting her hand on Mira's shoulder.

"But how can we go on without Gaffer?" Peony choked back a loud and unseemly sob. "He wanted to be as much a part of this as the rest of us."

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

After receiving the not-at-all-gentle smack to his back from the rich-haired lass from the group, Michael finally caught his breath. His color was still changing, from regaining the lost air as well as from the embarassment he felt for causing such a commotion. As his saviour patted him rather friendly on the back, Michael managed to produce a faint "thank you" from his throat, along with the last piece of breakfast that remained there. He wanted to say more, the thoughts rushed inside him, but engulfed in total chaos and still not fast enough. Before he could come up with anything to say, the hobbit lass turned away with a smile and left the room.

Michael spent a short time trying to calm himself down, both from the struggle for breath and from all the other events that happened during the breakfast. He wasn't very succesful. However, suddenly one thought struck him with unexpected power, and chased away all the other thoughts: the travelers are gone! Alarmed even more than before, Michael jumped off from the table. However, at the very same moment, the figure of that other young male hobbit appeared in the doorway. Michael stood like frozen, as the guest walked slowly towards him, then stepped aside and sat back at the group's table. Michael gave out a quiet sigh of relief, and as it seemed that the travelers are not leaving yet, he picked up his empty cup and went to the back of the room. When he was returning a minute later with a mug of fresh milk, the hobbit was still sitting there.

Now it is the time to think of something, Michael thought as he sat down to his table. Are they going to invite me to their table, after all? Would it be possible for me to be so lucky? But right now, it seemed as if everybody had disappeared somewhere, except for that hobbit who was just sitting not that far from Michael's table. Perhaps this one - now that he is alone here - would be good to talk to? But how can I talk to them when I have lied to them before? And what should I say anyway? Such thoughts were rushing through the young tramp's head.

You could lie, something whispered to him suddenly. You could lie once again and tell them that you may accompany them and show them the way where they need it... They won't realise. The Shire sure looks all the same in the Northfarthing, where they are heading, too. You can make up something.

Childish fool, something else told him. Also, something pressed his chest, as he thought about lying again. He felt miserable. But was there any other way? He felt as if he were pulled against his own will. With clenched fists and teeth, he got up from the table, and with a few steps, he stood next to the now lone traveler's seat.

"Excuse me, sir," Michael realised his own voice is trembling more than usual, but that could not stop him from speaking. He felt like an observer, whatever was happening did not come from him.
"I have been talking with your friend, Rudy, and... miss Bunny... And now I remembered," that was the first lie – he certainly did not remember, but had his mind on it all the time, "that I overheard you talking about the North Moors." The pace of Michael's speech was increasing and increasing, while his sight was dimming and red and black wheels started to appear in front of his eyes. "And I thought if perhaps you could use somebody else to accompany you, somebody who has the knowledge of the places. I do." And that was the end. Michael felt as if he were just drowned into a hot, boiling water and he was not far from collapsing right on the floor. He felt his heart somewhere in his stomach, and he felt the sweat from his palms soaking the hems of his vest, as he clasped them. That was the end. He could not think any more. He could not do anything more. The only thing that could happen was... that something would happen.

[Valier]

Bunny exited the out-house at the back of the Inn. She felt much better and thought she might have just one more pint before they left.
Such a shame that already the old Gaffer was showing signs of his age, she thought. She knew they should never have let him come. Now that he was needing assistence to even get around (which she was sure Rudy and Brown would grow tired of quick), thier trip would be alot less fun.

As Bunny rounded the corner to the front of the Inn, fully engrossed in her own thoughts, she was snapped back quick when she saw what was playing out before her. There on the ground lay the old Gaffer, Rudy stood pale as a ghost beside his cring sister and a symathetic Tansy and Peony.

Bunny's face blanched, she had indeed been thinking just moments before that they should leave Hugo behind. She had never wanted anything like this to happen and she felt ashamed at her thoughts.

"My goodness!" Bunny exclaimed as she hurried to the small huddled group. "What happened?"
Rudy cleared his throat, "He just well....died. He just fell over just like that and...." his voiced trailed off. Mira began to cry louder and Snatch began to howl.

Bunny was at a loss for words. She did not know what to do. Would they all want to go home now? Should they even continue? Was it right? She knew there would be a funeral, and that meant many, many Hobbits attending (as it was at most Hobbit passings)
She had no intentions of sticking around for that, she knew her Family would surely find out that their young daughter Bella had indeed been in Budgeford, when she was supposed to be in Buckland with Tansy. She was ashamed that that was the first thing that came to her mind. She felt very sorry for their loss and was saddened that she hadn't been nicer to the Gaffer. She did not want to seem uncaring but there was no way that she would stay here any longer then she needed. She would carry on even if she had to go alone.

Bunny noticed then, that Brown was not with them. He had probably gone back into the Inn, she thought maybe she should join him, seeing as she was not directly related to the mourning family.
But everyone seemed to not know what to do, so Bunny piped up slowly, "I think we should move his body. Then figure out what to do after we've done that. Tansy or Peony do think you could bring Mira inside and get her a drink? I'm sure the rest of us can move him."

[Gwathagor]

"As a matter of fact," said Brown cautiously, "It's not my decision. You'll want to talk to Bunny, who I suppose is more or less in charge right now - at any rate, this whole thing was her idea."

Brown wasn't sure what to make of this curious fellow, who looked as if he was asking to have his leg amputated: pale as a sheet and sweating bullets, he could hardly put two words together without sounding pained, much less even look Brown in the eye. Brown lost all idea of the hobbit being a rascal out to rob them or such mischief; he was far too...awkward. And frightened. That much was obvious.

"I may as well tell you," Brown continued in a concerned tone, trying to be forthright without sounding stuck-up, "That I know the North Moors as well as any hobbit who hasn't lived there. I'm - I'm not certain that we need any help finding our way..."

The hobbit's shoulders drooped visibly. Why did we want to come with them so badly? And why was he so afraid to ask? Brown was at a loss and he didn't want to be responsible for this.

"Why don't you go talk to Bunny? I think she's outside."

Brown pointed the hobbit toward the door.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Michael's mind was in such state that he could not even think about what the hobbit had told him. He was afraid, but after being sent to ask Bunny, he just nodded and, feeling the sweat all over himself, he more stumbled than walked towards the door.

Almost outside, finally the words of the hobbit caught up with his confused mind. "I may as well tell you that I know the North Moors as well as any hobbit who hasn't lived there. I'm not certain that we need any help finding our way..." Michael stopped.

I'm not certain that we need any help finding our way...

The thoughts came once again flowing through his head: They don't need any help. They can do well without me. Why should I go and ask that Bunny? What if she just says plain "no"? That would be even more embarassing than everything that already happened... Michael's teeth was rattling. Better not go there, he thought. Better just run away, quietly creep away, these people will forget me and I will never meet them again...

But at that moment another thought came to his mind. Never. That will mean losing the chance to go with them, and after all, this chance is close now... Are you really willing to throw it away? a quiet voice asked inside his head. Now that you have followed them all the way up here? And if you throw away your chance like that, how will you know if they wouldn't, after all, have taken you with them?

And then suddenly, from the knot of Michael's thoughts another one came up.

***

The day was cold and the autumn leaves were falling down, slowly, covering the road from Bywater to Frogmorton in a many-coloured carpet. Mist was climbing out of the fields on both sides of the road, and the silhouette of a round, long-legged hobbit treading the path was at times lost in the haze. The traveler was wrapped in a warm coat, but the feather behind his hat trembled in the chill air.

A young hobbit, also wrapped in a thick, bright yellow cloak, suddenly appeared out of the field at one side of the road and almost ran into the lone traveler. Only at the last moment he noticed somebody standing in front of him, gave out a loud shriek and stumbling, he fell on the ground. An empty basket flew from his hand and rolled away into the mist.

The long-legged hobbit stopped, and reaching his arm, he helped the youngster to get up. As he lifted him, suddenly a glimpse of smile appeared on what could have been seen of his face.
"Mishka! Good to see you, laddie."
The youngster's eyes widened, gazing at the long-legged hobbit. "U - uncle Richard! It's you?"
"No, I am the Mad Baggins coming to haunt you. Of course it is me. How did you end up here?"
Mishka cleared the dust and leaves off the front of his coat and looked over for his basket. "I was - um - going to visit grandpa, to Frogmorton."
"Ah, were you? I will be going there too. Even though I have also some official... hmm... business there."
"A Shiriff business?"
Uncle Richard smiled. "Yes, a Shiriff business," he said, looking directly into young Michael's eyes. "Look, Mishka, I don't know whether you look at me the same way your father does, but I am not ashamed to be a Shiriff. Now when I have finally become one, I am happy of it, because it is something I always wanted to do. I may have decided to back away from that when the family did not approve, but instead I went, and I do not pity it."

***

Michael took a deep breath, and picking all the courage he could find inside him, he stepped through the door. What he saw, however, was something he did not quite expect.

[Boromir88]

"You only must go home if you are truly needed there right now." She said this to Mira, resting her hand on the girl's shoulder, but she let her eyes travel to Rudy by the end of her sentence.

Rudy didn't have a response, he couldn't hold Tansy's gaze, and turned away. It wasn't because he was trying to be rude, he just didn't have an answer; he didn't have the slightest clue about what to do.

"I think we should move his body. Then figure out what to do after we've done that. Tansy or Peony do think you could bring Mira inside and get her a drink? I'm sure the rest of us can move him."

Rudy might have thought Bunny was queer for a hobbit, but at this moment that's not what he was thinking: Praise the Vala for this young hobbit. Rudy was quick to agree with Bunny's idea "Go inside with Tansy, Mira. I'll be in shortly." Mira and Tansy made there way back toward the inn. Rudy looked at Peony and Bunny, "Well, let's do it."

The three hobbits decided to lay Hugo back down on the ground. They did it with relatively little trouble, although Rudy let the Gaffer's head smack off the platform as they were lowering him. Bunny and Peony pretended they didn't notice. But, before long, Hugo was back down on the grass.

He thanked the other two hobbits for their help and said "Obviously, we can't leave him lie here, forever, but it will have to do until I figure out what I'm going to do."

Rudy wanted to get away from the Gaffer's body, and they all headed back towards the inn. Rudy didn't pay any heed to the hobbit, Michael, who was standing at the door; he went straight to the table Mira and Tansy were at. Mira's eyes were red, but she wasn't crying anymore. Tansy got up to leave, but Rudy said she didn't have to, and asked her to stay if she liked. He thought the more friends and family around the better. How was he going to break it to Mira that they couldn't continue the adventure? Lo and behold! to Rudy's surprise he didn't have to.

"I'm not in the mood for adventure anymore, Rudy. I want to go home."

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Shocked by the scene presented before him in the courtyard, Michael stopped at the door. The travelers were crowded around the motionless body of that old Hobbit, the one with the dog. The dog, however, did not seem to be happy and running around anymore. It was not clear to Michael what happened, but the outcome was obvious and the tweenager saw that this was not the best situation to go and ask Bunny about the journey. His newly found courage had faded again, and only a tiny spark of it remained in his heart. How came? Perplexed, he followed with his eyes the deed of moving the old Hobbit's body. Then, the travelers turned and headed inside. They passed him by, unattentive to his presence; one by one they were disappearing inside the inn. He stood motionless like a statue carved next to the doorway; until at the last moment a clash from the outside world roused his senses. Bunny, who was the last in the line, stumbled - who knows how she managed to do that on the flat ground - and she fell. Instinctively, Michael reached out his arms to catch her. Not fast enough, but he at least awoke from his frozen state and helped her to get up. Her friends have already disappeared inside.

"Thank you," she said. "Oh, this was so clumsy, sorry, I nearly crushed into you..."
Michael hesitated again. For a moment he had this uneasy feeling of talking to others, but then, pieces of recent events returned to his mind: his decision to go, and to ask Bunny... and now here she was, right in front of him.

"I - it's okay," he stammered, looking into her eyes. "Uh - erm - I am sorry whatever happened to your, err..." He stopped. He started to feel worse and worse. He had no idea what to say on such occassions, what worse, he had no idea what the dead Hobbit was in relation to Bunny. He was once again starting to sweat. Fortunately, Bunny finished for him.

"He is..." now she stopped for a while, too. An expression of something like a shock appeared on her face, as if she now realised the tiny difference of what she just said and what the truth was.

"He was my friends' grandfather," she corrected herself. "He was going with us..." and once again she stopped, too, apparently realising that she does not want to elaborate about her and her friends' plans to this stranger after all.

Now, said the strange voice in Michael's head.

"I - I was -" he started. Bunny gave him a puzzled look. "The... guy inside..." Michael continued, with not much better result. "He... he told me I should ask you if I could go with you," he finished in a trembling voice. "Erm... I mean, I told him... I know the North Moors... I have been to... There... If you needed any more... help..."

For who knows how many a time in the day, Michael Smallburrow felt like fainting in the next moment.

[Thinlómien]

"I'm not in the mood for adventure anymore, Rudy. I want to go home," Mira said. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her voice sounded nothing like it usually did.
"That's alright," Rudy said, patting her shoulder.
Tansy thought he sounded relieved.

She pursed up her lips and didn't say anything. Instead, she turned at the passing waiter.
"Would you bring us three beers?"
"Of course, miss", the young man replied cheerfully, flashing a grin.
Tansy winked at him, then turned back to Rudy and Mira.
"I'll pay," she added, smiling faintly at her friends. Neither of them returned the smile.

"I understand you want to go home," she said after a while. She stretched her legs under the table and took a deep breath. She wondered where she had put her pipe. "But from a totally selfish point of view, I will be sad to see you go. This adveture won't be the same without you." She made a small pause. She was aware of sounding stupid. How could an adventure so cruelly tainted with death ever be the same? She wondered how she had managed to say the right things before. "You must do what you think is right. And you think this is the best thing to do? Then you do it. Your family..."

She was interrupted by a broad-faced middle-aged Hobbit striding to their table. "Good heavens! Rudy? Is it you? And is this little Mira? She has grown so much! Now tell me, who's this friend of yours - have you finally found a girl, Rudy? - and what are you doing in Whitfurrows? You ought to have told me and Hyacinth you're coming! Why didn't you make a call on us earlier? Oh, silly me, you probably just arrived, that's why you're in an Inn, of course. But you do know you could have come straight to us, of course. But goodness, you do look pale. What has happened?"

[Valier]

The day had started out great. The weather was beginning to pick up and with a full stomach (mostly with ale) Bunny had thought that today was finally the day they would start out on their grand adventure. The Gaffer's sudden death, had soured that plan and darkened the day to almost unbearable levels.

Bunny didn't even give her offer to help Rudy move the Gaffer's body another thought until she had her hands on the dead Hobbit's feet. Bunny had never even seen a dead body let alone touched one (her Gaffer and Gammer had both passed when she was just a toddler) Her face paled as she felt the weight of the corpse as they hefted his body onto a newly sprouted patch of grass beside the Inn. After straightening is clothes and giving Snatch a few good scratches they headed back inside to the waiting grieving group of travellers.

As she followed Rudy, Bunny was in a state of shock. "Bunny Took" she thought to herself "You have just touched a dead body!". Never had she thought she would fathom doing anything of the sort, but being the one to volunteer for the job is what surprised her. Head down she plodded along not picking up her feet as she should. As she reached the steps Bunny stumbled and fell hard almost crushing someone who stood like a statue beside the door. That someone was now helping her up. She looked into the eyes of the strange Hobbit from inside.
[
I]"Thank you," [/I]she said. "Oh, this was so clumsy, sorry, I nearly crushed into you..."
"I - it's okay," he stammered, looking into her eyes. "Uh - erm - I am sorry whatever happened to your, err..." He stopped.

"He is..." Bunny started and then realized with horror what tense she had just used
."He was my friends' grandfather," she corrected herself. "He was going with us..." and once again she stopped, she was unsure how much of their plan to share with this stranger.

"I - I was -" he started. Bunny gave him a puzzled look. "The... guy inside..." Michael continued. "He... he told me I should ask you if I could go with you," he finished in a trembling voice. "Erm... I mean, I told him... I know the North Moors... I have been to... There... If you needed any more... help..."

Bunny started to feel worse and worse. Her knees were sore from falling and her head was already reeling from the situation she just went through, but this was just too much. Micheal looked about to faint and Bunny thought she might join him.
He was asking to go with them. But was there even a them anymore? Her head spun. She was almost sure that Brown would still continue, and she hoped that Tansy and Peopny still had the heart to go on. But what about Mira and Rudy? Maybe having another boy around to keep Brown company in case Rudy decided to go home, wasn't a bad idea. But they did not know this Hobbit and he seemed nervous. Was this just because he really wanted to go, as she did? or did he have other plans in mind?.

Bunny sat down upon the steps with a little thud.
"Well Mr....Micheal was it? Why don't you have a seat here beside me and lets chat you an' I." Bunny's eyes began to well up with tears no matter how hard she tried to not let them. This was all just to much for poor Bunny to handle. Her knees ached, her stomach was now in knots and there was a dead body not ten feet from where she now sat.
She laughed nervously as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve as Micheal sat down beside her. "So you have been to the North Moors before have you? Ever seen anything out of the ordinary?" She tried to not let her eyes wander to the still shape on the grass. Bunny looked into Micheals eyes to see if even a glint of hope was there, that perhaps her dreams were not so outlandish, that maybe, someone had seen or heard of the wives.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

It could not have been said that Bunny's response, and following question, would calm Michael. Quite the opposite, as the dialogue went, he felt his face is getting redder and redder, and he felt sweat all over his body. Good the Hobbit lass decided to sit down, because Michael did not feel standing very firm now. He sat down too, and as Bunny posed her question, he started to lie. Immediately. He did not know how he managed to do it, but he replied to her without much hesitation. Had he stopped to think, he would probably have reconsidered and not lied at all. He was never comfortable with lying. But had he stopped to think, he would surely have also lost all the courage. Now, he just spoke.

"I have been to the North Moors," he said quickly. It was again as if some different voice was speaking through him. "I have been there once, and I saw... yes, something... I was there at night. I have seen strange things, I - I have been on... on a hill and... I think I saw a silhouette of something big down in the valley, much, much bigger than a Hobbit, which... I thought it was moving... but I would not follow it, I-I did not see it closer..."

He didn't look at Bunny, he looked away, but realised that it could seem like he is afraid to look into her eyes. He turned to her, and tried to look as normal as possible, although inside him there was complete chaos. He hoped he did it well.

[Kitanna]

Only once in her life had Peony touched a dead body. When her father had died she had clasped his hands in hers. It had been an unsettling experience then and it was an unsettling experience now. Now it was her gaffer who had left this world. It hardly seemed fair that the old hobbit should leave the world when the adventure was under way.

Tansy, Mira, and Rudy had all occupied one table, but Peony went off on her own to sit and contemplate. Somehow it didn't seem right to continue on with the Gaffer. He was excited as any to travel. And it most certainly didn't seem right to have Mira go on alone. But going back now to deliver the news to her mother would break Melilot's heart.

Peony put her head face down on the table. If she stayed long enough in that spot she might become part of the table. Then she wouldn't have to worry about either returning home or continuing on with a guilty conscience.

[Boromir88]

This was Rudy's perfect chance, to get Mira to leave this silly adventure, and go back home. He should be rejoicing, but for some queer reason, he wasn't. He wasn't happy at all. It seemed to Rudy that Mira was only saying what she thought Rudy wanted to hear. He could see that she still longed for an adventure, but had a deceased gaffer and a over-protective brother pulling her in the opposite direction.

Rudy felt a light whack on the back of his head. "Good heavens Rudy! What has gotten into you? Don't you know how to welcome your relatives? Why every spring you and Mira would come up with the gaffer and visit. You couldn't wait because Hyacinth would make you all the bacon you could imagine. She knew how much you loved it. I know it's been a while since you've been up - how long has it been, dear?" He said turning to Hyacinth, but didn't wait for an answer. "Why it's been almost thirteen years, and I sure hope you haven't forgotten us. Remember when your gaffer - "

"Fredegar, how could I possibly ever forget you or Hyacinth?" Rudy intended this as a compliment, but Mira chuckled, because she knew Rudy literally did mean it was impossible to forget Fredegar and Hyacinth Chubb, if you had met them. "Pardon my rudeness for not welcoming you, and introducing you to my fellow hobbits. As you've probably guessed, this is Mira, and that is her friend, Tansy. We've all had a lot on our minds recently, I hope you forgive my poor manners. Speaking of the gaffer, we have to talk, but let's do it outside. Mira, stay here with Tansy."

Mira nodded, even though she probably didn't want to stay, just sitting there. Rudy got up from the table and headed out of the inn with the Chubbs. It wasn't more than a few minutes, before the three hobbits came back into the inn. Mira lifted her head off the table, and the previously jolly Chubbs, now had sorrow looks on their faces.

Rudy sat down across from Mira, and looked directly into her eyes. "What do you want to do, Mira? It's ok, you can tell me the truth."

Mira let out a huge sigh, as if she finally dropped a ton of weight she had been carrying. "I don't want to go home. I want to go on an adventure, with my friends, but how can we now?"

Rudy smiled, he was finally able to get the truth out of Mira, that's all he really ever asks from her. "You know the Gaffer wouldn't want us to be held back, because of him. I bet you, if he could speak to us now he would say: Mira! You can come see me anytime you want, because I aint gunna be doin' much movin' anymore. An adventure! That's somethin' every hobbit should do, but sadly very few ever get the chance to do!."

"He wouldn't have have said it like that!" Mira laughed for what seemed like the first time in a long time. "You're forgetting where he ends with: Whaddya say we make game out of it, eh?" Mira sunk back down, as if all her excitement and joy deflated again. "Still, what are we going to do? It hardly seems right leaving him here."

"Don't you worry about it, Mira, dear." Fredegar quickly jumped in. "Rudy has explained everything to us. My wife and I will take the gaffer back to his home, and give him a proper funeral. He will be missed by many, he was a kind soul. He will be waiting for your return and all the details of your adventure."

"That settles it! You're going to search for the Entwives, whether you want to or not!" Rudy tried to say it sternly, but couldn't keep a straight face. "Now, someone needs to let Bunny know the plan." Before Rudy could finish, Mira went racing off to find Bunny.

[Gwathagor]

Mira's hurry caught Brown's attention. He had been lost in his thoughts at the counter, taking advantage of the hiatus to have another ale. He was, after all, essentially a idealist. (Some foolish individuals might have termed him a pragmatist, but he saw no necessary contradiction between the terms.) A hobbit may have died, but ale was still ale, and was thus worth drinking, regardless of the circumstances.

He turned to look, and saw Rudy shaking hands with two hobbits he didn't recognize. They appeared to have decided something. Mira was talking to Bunny now, and seemed as excited as someone can who has just had a death in the family. He felt sorry for her. To be torn between the emotions of excitement and sorrow - and then possibly wracked by guilt because of it? - was something he hardly envied. And she was an awfully nice hobbit lass...

Brown turned away and concentrated on his ale with an admirable, almost single-minded diligence. Hopefully they would be on the move soon. In his mind he reviewed the road they would take and soon enough found his imagination drawn, inevitably, to the stark, windswept beauty of the North Moors. A tingle of deep-seated joy ran up his spine.

[Valier]

Bunny's eyes widen a little as Micheal described what he had seen in the North Moors. Something in the way he said it made Bunny uncomfortable, was he lying? she was almost certain of it.
Bunny, having been the only girl in a family of mischievous boys, was use to telling when a lad was hiding something from her.
But for what purpose Micheal had to lie was beyond Bunny. Was he making fun of her and her dreams of discovery?
Was he just wanting to go with them so if they didn't find entwives he could rub it in their faces? or was he really just fibbing because he wanted to sound like he had something to contribute, hoping despaeratly for adventure himself?

Bunny was thrown off guard and was unsure how to answer his question of him accompanying them.
They sat in a momentary silence, Bunny shifted on the step. The day was lengthening and the sun was beginning to set.
What should she say? Bunny was torn.
"Ummm well I think my belly is grumbling a bit, why don't we finish our chat inside?" Bunny stood up smoothing her dress, she was going to try and avoid answering Micheal for a bit if she could.
"Let's see what my companions are doing... we shall see what they think of you join..... Offfff!!! As Bunny went to open the door, an excited Mira pushed the door open from the other side.
"Oh Bunny! I'm so sorry! I just came to tell you, that I do still want to come. We have some relatives here and they have agreed to take our Gaffer home....to be buried." Mira's voice broke.

"Our Gaffer would have wanted us to continue and I don't plan on letting him down." Mira smiled and the excited tone came back into her voice." Are we going to leave soon?"

"umm well yes Mira I think we can." Bunny smiled at the young lass, taking her arm in hers. "Mr Micheal here seems to want to come with us.... What do you think Mira? Should we let him? "
Bunny winked at Mira, threw a look back at Micheal and started heading towards the table occupied by Tansy and Rudy and their relatives.

As Bunny approached the table Mira introduced her to Mr and Mrs Chubb. Bunny curtseyed as proper and said her how-do-you-do's before taking a seat beside Tansy. Mira looked from Micheal to the table of her family. "And this here....she motioned him forward, is Micheal....not sure of his last name. But Bunny has told me he wants to come with us and I Think he should!" I thought we should give him a chance at adventure too. Mira winked at Bunny, who smiled.

Bunny was relieved! she was dreading having to make the decision if Micheal could come or not, looks like Mira did it for her.

Bunny scanned the room as Micheal took a seat near Mira and looked quite pale. Bunny smiled inwardly. We shall see how Mr. Micheals lies play out for good or bad. Makes it a little more exciting Bunny decided.
Bunny saw Brown sitting alone drinking ale and Peony not far off at a table by herself with her head down.
Mr and Mrs Chubb rose and embraced Rudy and Mira in turn "Don't worry dears we shall handle things from here" Mrs Chubb said as she kissed their cheeks. Bunny rose after they left leaving Mira and Rudy and Micheal alone.

She approached Brown directly first. "Brown could you join us at our table? I'm having a round sent over for a toast to the Gaffer." Brown nodded and headed over to the table. Bunny went to Peony and laid her hand softly on her shoulder. "Dear?.. come have one last ale with us for the Gaffer." Peony nodded also and rose to go with Bunny.


They all sat a little uncomfortable and quiet around the table that was now crowded with frothing ale mugs. Bunny rose first raising her mug, but was a little unsure what to say."To the Gaffer!" was all she could manage. "Here here!!" followed Rudy as he rose. Everyone rose, toasted and drank deeply.

Bunny was torn yet again. should she wait to say something of their trip? The day was running out and Bunny was tired. She would have to say something without being untactful and soon. She sat and leaned forward in her chair.
"Well since we are all here, I should say that I am deeply sorry about the Gaffer's untimely death. Bunny bowed her head. " I am leaving in the morning to start my adventure..... It seems you all still want to join me. I will understand if any of you choose to not come. Bunny looked up and met eyes with each Hobbit. She was nervous with them all staring back at her, but she was supposed to be the "leader" of this adventure. Even though as the days wore on she felt less and less like leading.
" I think I shall take my leave for the night and head off to bed. Goodnight everyone, We shall meet here when the sun rises." Bunny curtseyed and headed off to her room, even though she was sure she would never sleep.

[Thinlómien]

Tansy too wished the others goodnight and left. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep and she wanted to let her thoughts buzz around in her head and reach some sort of order if they wished to do so, so she headed out of the inn to the fields and forest-paths.

Walking had always been something special to her, a way of distancing herself from everyday worries and seeing something new. It was something as close to an adventure as she could get in her life. Now that she was on an adventure, and had been walking all day, she still wanted to go for a walk to sort things out. She smiled at the way her strange self worked.

Sun had set while they had been inside and now the moon was rising. The sky was clear and there was no wind. Tansy looked at the stars, recalling the old story her grandmother had told her and her sister when they had been small. She had said that dead people go to the sky and become stars. Tansy hadn't believed in the story even back then, nor had she ever bothered herself with thoughts of death, but now she found herself wondering if one of the stars on the sky was shining there for the first time tonight.

She shrugged, as if to banish the silly thought. Why was she so affected with the Gaffer's death? People she knew had died before him. The gaffer had been a rather random acquiantance and Tansy had lost three grandparents and an aunt, and had almost lost her brother.

Besides she had even always known the Gaffer would die. To phrase the thought into words even just in her mind felt treacherous, but she could not deny the truth in it. Tansy hadn't been too happy to hear that Mira, who was still more a child than an adult, was to join their expedition, but when gaffer Hugo too had decided to come, she had secretly thought the adventure would be ruined. It would be easy enough to go on an adventure with a mere girl, but an old man to look after? And old man for whom the adventure would prove hard if not fatal? She had been afraid she'd end up looking after everyone and playing the nanny, just like home.

Now she was ashamed for those thoughts. She knew Hugo's death hadn't been caused by her wishing he would not be on the adventure, but she felt guilty nevertheless. Her guilt was only reinforced when she recalled another thought. She had been even slightly envious of the gaffer's position as the oldest of the adventurers. If he hadn't come, she would have been the oldest, the one who was supposed to be the wisest. Bitterly she thought she now had that position, being six years older than Rudy who was the second eldest. What wisdom had she ever had to offer to anyone?

She hoped Bunny at least knew what she was doing. Tansy had faith in her young friend, but she knew Bunny was sometimes too idealistic, rash, unthoughtful or impractical to succeed in things or act rationally. (Rationality on an adveture? She rebuked herself for being silly.) She wondered if Bunny had any idea about what she was going to do with the young guy, Michael. Tansy didn't think he would be dangerous and could understand his desire for adventure, but she was a little doubtful. She doubted the newcomer's capacity to handle any kind of tight situations an adventure could involve, and she also doubted the others would accept him to their group.

She took a deep breath and told herself to stop. She was once again worrying about other people's business, or about useless things. She had come on this adventure relax, to give up her duties, responsibilities and sorrows, and here she was creating new ones all the time.

She decided walking was doing no good to her. She turned around and started her way back to the inn. She resolved to sleep well despite everything.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

That evening, Michael disappeared quietly to his lonely room in the very back of the inn, but he did not go to sleep immediately. Actually, he wanted to, but the memories of the events of the past day - so rich on events that it was even unpleasant - kept buzzing in his head, and he had to sort them out. He was not a person who would put much emphasis on rational reflection of things, and certainly not that he would do it intentionally, like sitting down and telling himself: "And now, Mishka, you will think". No, but the chaos in which his brain was all the day was perhaps too much for him.

What he felt, as he was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands, in the silent darkness, was a mixture of guilt, startle of what had happened, and fear of the unknown future. Just how did it come to this? Michael Smallburrow was not happy, he was unhappy and deeply worried. When he overheard the group talking back there on the road, he felt intrigued by the idea of an adventure, of seeing something - what more, in the North! The North! That's where Michael always wanted to go. When it had snowed in Hobbitton, young Mishka always ran out of the door, not caring about the exhortation of his mother to take a warm coat and at least some cap. He always spent hours in the snowdrifts, and returned home late evening and then remained in bed with cold for the rest of the week - which did not bother him, because all the snow outside melted overnight. But here, Michael expected that in the northern parts of the Shire, there would have to be whole fields of snow. At least what he heard, there was supposed to be plenty of snow in the north. That was his first reason to follow the hobbit company. Of course, he also overheard the few words about the Entwives - although he was not too sure what is the party intending to do with them. Michael, personally, knew about the Ents and Entwives just from a goodnight story his grandmother liked to tell to his younger sister, Gilly. Only during the later talk he overheard in the inn, he gathered that the company wants to search for the Entwives. That was also what brought Michael to his lie about seeing "something" in the North Moors.

Michael's heart hurt again. He felt guilty of lying, and what more, he felt trapped in the web of lies he already created. He lied about the North Moors - but how could he have known that the one hobbit, Brown, had already been there? But now he cannot confess that he lied - he must go on pretending that he had been there. In North Moors, there are surely many places that look alike to places where he had been already. He will make up something and pretend that he had been there.

But still, there was already no turning back for him - that was the worst. Most of all, Michael was afraid now. If he could take it all back, he would rather just go away, forget the company and the North Moors - but he could not, not anymore, when they were counting on him, and when he had already told so many lies. He just had to go on and hope the lies he made will not get him into a tight spot.

As he lay down, he could not fall asleep for a long while, still thinking about what tomorrow will bring, and feeling guilty, guilty about lying to the company, lying to Brown, and lying to Bunny. Only very late, when the darkness outside had already deepened and midnight had already passed, Michael Smallburrow fell into an unsettled sleep.

[Boromir88]

Rudy couldn't fall asleep at all. After he had put Mira to bed, he simply laid down, stared up at the ceilling, wide awake. He didn't know when he finally started to doze off, but it didn't seem long before Mira was shaking him.

"Rudy!" she yelled. "Rudy! Come on you big lazy head. Get up!"

Rudy was very groggy and mumbled some unrecognizable phrase, but Mira understood it as "I want to go back to sleep."

"You want to sleep!?" She realized Rudy wasn't fully aware yet, and wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to scold her older brother. She probably wouldn't get too many more chances. "You do realize it's almost second breakfast!? We're all ready to go, they've been waiting on you downstairs. I've been trying to shake you up for almost fifteen minutes! I was about to fill a sack full of rocks and drop it on your head. I'd be surprised if they just hadn't left by now. I would have left you here if I was in charge."

Rudy got the hint and got up. He saw Mira running around the room throwing his stuff in his backpack and muttering "Such a slob!" At least she's excited to leave, he thought.

Rudy and Mira went downstairs, everyone was waiting on them to leave. Rudy went to say "Sorry for the wait" but he didn't finish, he was still groggy.

"Well we're ready!" Mira exclaimed, giving a small death glare towards her older brother.

[Kitanna]

Peony had been up most of the night thinking about Gaffer Hugo and the rest of her family. It had been a long night and she was pleased it was over. She had stumbled to get some breakfast and ate absently mindedly. She hoped the others had slept better than her.

One by one her companions rolled in and despite everything, breakfast was pleasant and enjoyable. Filled with the laughter and good humor of hobbit adventurers. Peony shoveled bacon and potatoes into her mouth and talked excitedly about the day's journey. Bunny was radiating joy at being able to continue on their way. The events of the night before were melting away. That was what Gaffer Hugo would have wanted.

Rudy came in last, Mira leading her groggy brother along. ""Sorry for the wait," he said, clearly still drowsy.

"Well we're ready!" Peony smiled. She was happy to see Mira in such good spirits.

"I've had my fill of breakfast and now I itch for adventure." Peony finished the last of her toast.

[Gwathagor]

Brown had woken early and finished breakfast before most of his companions were awake. Now, as they ate breakfast, he waited by the door and rummaged through his pack one last time, making sure he had not forgotten anything. It seemed he hadn't. He had his staff, his short sword, his cooking gear, his wool blanket, extra clothes, rope, pipe and tobacco, and some basic food items.

It had been sometime since he had been out roaming with other hobbits, and now, as he waited, anxious to leave, he recalled why he had begun to stick to himself: company meant sitting. Rather than fidget, he pulled out the book he had found two days ago in the ruined farmhouse and thumped it down on the windowsill to read. He had gone through earlier and marked the correspondences that dealt with the topic of Entwives, and now he settled down to read them more thoroughly. They were, after all, supposed to be looking for Entwives, and he reckoned that anything he could learn about them now would be helpful later.

[Boromir88]

The Hobbits had left Budgeford a few hours ago. Mira was up a ways with Bunny, Tansy, and Peony. Rudy was back with Brown and the stranger Michael, they had been pretty silent since leaving the inn. Actually, Rudy thought all of them had been unusually silent, or maybe it was just because he had been out of it all morning. Since the Gaffer's death, he had been re-thinking the whole idea about leaving his father at home, and allowing Mira to come on this silly adventure.

Rudy did not have anything to eat before leaving, since he over-slept. And he had been so deep in thought, his stomach finally alerted him of the fact. He stopped and reached into his bag to pull out a biscuit. He kept digging and digging, but could not find one. Rudy could not believe it, he forgot to grab some biscuits again. He saw some apples, potatoes, and some other different types of food that at the moment did not feel appetizing, even on a hungry stomach.

Now he had really fallen behind the rest of the group, even Brown was getting far ahead of him. Rudy shouted "Hold up!" and the hobbits turned to see him trying to catch up as fast as he could. "Sorry...I got hungry and was just trying to get a biscuit out of my bag, but I couldn't find any."

"We were just talking about stopping to eat." Bunny said with a smile.

The hobbits sat down and they all began searching through their bags. However, Rudy was still bummed about not having any biscuits and didn't feel like eating anything else.

Mira sat by and noticed he wasn't eating anything. "You really are not going to eat anything, because you don't have any biscuits?" Rudy just shrugged "You call me the child. Honestly! Lucky that you have a wonderful and generous sister, who knew you would not remember to get yourself biscuits and who also knew you would be a grouch all day because of it...For you."

Rudy looked up and Mira handed him a biscuit. This was the happiest he had been since leaving their house. It's strange how Rudy's mood can drastically be changed by something as simple as food. He wasted no time in giving Mira a big hug and scarfing down the biscuit. She stopped him, before he could thank her again, "I do have some more, but if I gave them to you now they would be gone before nightfall and you will get grumpy again. So, I'm going to hold on to them, for you."

Rudy was not going to object to that!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Mishka was not perfectly sure whether he was feeling good or bad when they set out. It was a nice day for walking, looking at the fields and grasslands around Budgeford was a splendid sight, but still some kind of confusion resided in the young hobbit's heart. He was walking forwards into the great unknown - not only to places he did not know, but also with people he did not know... or, with people whose reactions he could not anticipate, once they came to the North Moors, or if -Mishka shivered at that thought - his lie was uncovered.

He was also somewhat omitted by the company, it seemed that as they set out, the girls easily started to chatter and forgot about everything else and Brown and Rudy seemed occupied by their own thoughts. Mishka did not dare to approach any of the groups, so he merely trotted around, trying to keep a steady pace. When they stopped for a short break, he sat on a stone not very far, but not in the center of the company, and took out one small apple from his bag. He would have much liked to be involved, on one hand, but he did not dare to push himself among the others, if they seemed to have fun on their own.

[Thinlómien]

"What a wonderful day!" Tansy exclaimed when they were settling on the grass to have their pause. "And it's even more wonderful to sit down for a while, my old legs need some rest."

She merely laughed when Bunny pointed out she was not old. No, she wasn't, but she did feel kind of old today, and she was undoubtedly the oldest of this group now that old Hugo was gone.

They were trying to find nicer topics to discuss, but from the shadows crossing her companions' eyes every now and then, Tansy judged the old man's death was still on everybody's mind, more or less. At least young Mira seemed less troubled for now; that was good.

Tansy stretched. "What did you think fo the waiter boy this morning, girls? I thought he was quite adorable." She flashed a grin at her friends.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the newcomer, Michael, still sit alone on his stone on the edges of the group. She wondered for a moment if she should have started a topic he could have more to say about.

[Valier]

Bunny sat thoughtfully on the grass and munched on an apple."What did you think of the waiter boy this morning, girls? I thought he was quite adorable." Tansy said as she grinned. Bunny nearly choked, "Well I quite agree with you there Tansy...he Was quite adorable, but seems to me like he just might have known it too. Bunny winked as she continued nibbling.

Bunny took a long look at the remaining apple core, then hucked it over her shoulder into a nearby bush. "Well if everyone is quite done, I think we should head off again and try and cover some more ground today, that poor pony looks like if it stands around anymore he may just fall over!" Bunny rose while smoothing her trademark frock and plunked her bag into the small cart behind the pony.

"I think we should just head up this road as long as we can, I think that our next big stop would be Scarry if I'm not mistaken."
Bunny wanted to pretend as long as she could that she knew where they were headed, she was dreading the day when she would be found out, being nothing more than a silly lass with a head full of adventure and not the 'fearless' leader she thought she was protraying to be.

[Kitanna]

The hobbits slipped their bags back over their shoulders and began to head up the road once more. Having eaten the collective spirits of the group had risen considerably. That's good. Peony thought. He'd not want us all weighed down by his death.

Peony walked next to Bunny, Mira and Tansy were talking softly with one another, and as before it seemed all the boys were hanging back a bit. Peony began to whistle, next to her Bunny took to humming the same tune. After they had finished their little song Peony smiled at her friend.

"Perhaps we should have brought along a fiddle or something. Then we could entertain folks across the Shire." The thought made Peony chuckle. She didn't know about anyone else, but her musical talents stopped at whistling. Anything after that sounded like a cat being dragged through something it shouldn't. "As it is we probably already look like a band of traveling performers. What'd ya think, Bunny?"

[Valier]

Bunny chuckled along with Peony. "I bet we do look a little odd, Bunny raised one eyebrow and winked at the girls. "Seeing as it must appear to others that a group of gorgeous lasses are being followed by a group of young ruffians!" Bunny threw a glance back at the following and rather quiet lads and giggled even more. "What are we little defensless lasses to do? Bunny said in mock horror covering her mouth.

Wanting to keep the good mood rolling, Bunny spied a little patch of early blooming flowers growing beside the road and stopped to pick them. " Heres a little thing to make you gorgeous lasses even gorgeouser!" handing each of them a small sprig with a silly smile. "What shall those ruffians do when confronted with this much gorgeousness? Fall over in a swoon I'm sure!!" Bunny was unable to contain her giggles.

Bunny's spirits were picking up after their little tune, she was glad that the Gaffers untimely dead was not putting a damper on their day so far. It also looked like the rain might just hold itself off for at least a little while. Bunny loved the sights and smells..and tastes of spring, but the rain always made her feel a little dreary not to mention traveling in it was always a mess.

[Thinlómien]

Tansy took the offered sprig with delight and enjoyed the smell with her eyes closed. She took a flower and put it to her hair and cocked her head, looking at the guys. "I'm pretty sure they will be dazed with our beauty. Who ever saw such nymphs?" She winked at Rudy who had caught her eye and laughed heartily. She was truly enjoying this trip even more than she had imagined.

Her nimble fingers rummaged through the flowers and she lifted them a tad closer to her face to see them sharply. A happy smile covered her face when she found some tiny green leaves. Baby leaves, she grinned to herself, these will make a wonderful spring tea...

[Mnemosyne]

Mira took the proffered flower, but she did not feel particularly dazzling. Her heart was the lightest it had been since her Gaffer's death, but it was a different kind of light--one that went deeper, like sunshine pouring straight down into a well and glinting off the water. Not that she necessarily put it that way.

Thanking Bunny, she walked back a few paces, to join the lads, and put her hand in Rudy's. The Shire was bright and beautiful and she was on an adventure. Words would just spoil it.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

As the travelers continued in their journey, Mishka fell back to his silent place at the tail of the company. This time, however, he trailed alongside Rudy and Brown. He tried to stay closer to Rudy, as he was still feeling somewhat uneasy in Brown's presence. The Hobbit seemed like an experienced traveler, in some ways he reminded Mishka of uncle Richard, the black sheep of the family who became a Shiriff, but he had more of an impenetrable look. Uncle Richard was jovial, maybe too much so that it was annoying Michael's dad. But Brown, on first sight, was hard to even read.

Mishka did not dare to initiate dialogue with Rudy (less so with Brown) on his own. He kept his gaze fixed forward, where the road merrily ran north in front of them. Suddenly, one of the lasses - it was Mira - slowed down and joined Rudy's side. Mishka stepped aside to make space for her next to her brother. Not that there would not be enough space, but he did not feel comfortable standing too close to others of the company, as he was not sure whether he has been yet accepted fully by the others who, after all, knew each other far better than him. Mishka stepped close to the edge of the road and looked back at Mira. But at that very moment one of his feet got caught in some root and he stumbled and fell. Blushing, he rose back to his feet and brushed the dirt off his yellow shirt and brown breeches. He quickly ran back after the company, who managed to get few more steps forward in that moment, and joined their side, trying to act as if nothing had happened.