[Child of the 7th Age]

Child had made a rapid and drastic decision. Now, hobbit girls do not generally go prancing around in their long tights which they wear underneath their petticoats and skirts. But things were going from bad to worse. It was quite obvious that sacrifices would need to be made.

Child's skirt was already in tatters from the banadages she had made after their last inglorious martial excursion. Well, the petticoat would just have to go.

Child was practically in tears.....her beautiful petticoat with the ruffles and embroidered white flowers!! Oh, well, good thing she was wearing long tights. That is, except for her feet which were quite certainly bare.

Child took off her petticoat, ripped it in half, and gave part of it to Birdland. They both began waving it furiously in the air and yelling, "we surrender" or something like that. Sind managed to keep hold of his dignity a bit more, as any good Elf would do, but Birdland and Child had long ago surrendered thoughts of dignity.

Faramir raised his arm and halted the advance of his menacing troops. He stalked up to Birdland and Child and Sind and glared.

"Halt, in the name of the forces of Gandalf the White, halt."

"We're halting" gasped Child.

Faramir looked Child up and down from one end to another, and then scratched his head. "This is very strange, for you look like a hobbit. All the hobbits I have met
have been fair and courteous and opposed to the Dark Shadow on Middle-earth."

"Oh, that's definitely me....fair, courteous, and opposed to Dark Shadows!! There must be some mistake here. Why did you charge us? Don't you know my third cousin Frodo? He could vouch for me. Look, I have an Elf and a large er,bird with me, and they are good too!"

Faramir looked grave and gazed over the horizon. Birdland, who obviously had a thing for Faramir, was still drooling precipitously from her mouth.

Faramir continued: "I have been told that you repesent the evil forces which will burn down our world, and that you are in league with Sauron. But I find this hard to fathom. You have more the look about you of someone who is extremely confused, rather than truly evil."

"That's definitely me," Child agreed. "I don't go in much for evil, just a certain degree of confusion and ineptitude."

"But a small Hobbit named Rose came here and told us you and your friends would come to destroy our world. However, you don't look like you could accomplish great destruction."

At this point, Birdland began to explain with eloquence and brevity what had happened to poor Rose, how she had been taken over by the REG. She pleaded for Faramir's help in countering the evil REG, and communicating with the Ents. Her plea was courteous, and the fact that her heart was so soft towards Faramir undoubtedly made her speech even more fair.

Sind and Child nodded in agreement with all that she said. Faramir reluctantly acceded.

"Now," Child asked, "how do we get over to Fangorn?"