[Birdland]

Durshag stood the four halflings in front of a tall, blank cliff face, and picking up a piece of sea-coal, he faced his audience, gesturing for them to sit down. Then turning towards the cliff face, he began to sketch figures on the rock wall.

Sam had to stifle a snort of laughter, for the attitude of the spiny-backed "cousin" suddenly reminded him of ol' Mr. Puddifoot, the teacher he had had in his first years of schooling, before Mr. Bilbo had taken over his "edecation". But then he became facinated by the drawings that Durshag was rendering on the cliff face. They were very simple, some might be merely described as stick figures, but there was a vibrancy and flow to them. Sam doubted that Durshag had ever "learned his letters", but the pictures conveyed a sense of a story. In his own way, Durshag was "writing".

Durshag turned, and gestured towards three subtly differnt figures. "Three clans. You see? Herfoos. Feyloheen. Sturs. You know?"

"Yes!" said Child excitedly. "Harfoot, Fallohide, and Stoors. Is that what you mean, Durshag?"

"Yesyes," agreed Durshag, "but you say it funny. Long, long ago, when all were young, the Sturs lived by a great flowing water, far, far where the land was everywhere. Sturs loved the water. Lived there many, many ages."

"That's right," said Child. "Stoors lived by the River Anduin."

"Sturs lived IN the water you call riverandooan. Love the water, which is life to all. Some would go farther and farther, following where the water went. Until it showed them where all water flowed. Here was the beginning of the Hobrim. Sturs became Hobrim. You see?"

"Now wait a minute there, Durshag!" sputtered Sam. "Are you trying to tell us that a passel of Stoors came down this River Anduin to the sea, and became these, what you call Hobrims?"

"I suppose it could be possible that some Stoors migrated to the South, and eventually found the sea, Sam." said Frodo thoughtfully. "The Stoors were always more comfortable with water and boats then were the Harfoot and Fallohide. Many of the Stoors that originally came to Eriador when the Shire was founded actually returned to The Gladden Fields. I suppose it is possible that some of the Stoor clans never left for the Western Lands at all."

"But how did they wind up looking like THAT, Mr. Frodo?"

"Sea-change." stated Durshag. "The more my people loved the sea, the more she loves them back. She gave the gifts that let the Sturs become the Hobrim." Durshag looked at Sam with puzzlement. "What is wrong with how we look? Not so different. Same height. Same feet", and the Hobrim plopped one of his large, webbed feet beside Sam's. They were remarkably the same, though all trace of hair had long disappeared from Durshag appendages.

"So where are the rest of your people, Durshag?" asked Rose. It didn't seem right that this Hobrim would be the only one. Rose looked around as if she expected Durshag to produce a whole family of "cousins" from the walls of the cave at any minute.

"Gone." sighed Durshag. "A great evil came to the friendly waters. Great ships, great men fighting. My people had to leave the waters close to the land. Go farther and farther into the deep sea. Scattered! Lost! Some go this way. Some that. Wherever waves and currents take us."

"But the old story say: when the Hobrim seem to be lost, that is the time the land halflings and the sea halflings will meet again. You are the Land Halflings. YOU are the Hobbits! You will help to find the Hobrim, and bring them home again!" Durshag plopped down crosslegged in front of the startled hobbits, and expectant grin on his face. It was as if he expected Sam, Frod, Child, and Rose to produce the "cousins", as well.

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Pio looked Levanto expectantly. "So what can you tell us about this "Hobrim", Levanto?"

Nothing at all, I'm afraid. As I said, they really are not a people that we have paid much attention to in the past. They live in the shallow seas around the Bay of Befalas, and have lived there for many, many centuries. They do not, or never had, ventured out into the open ocean. What this particular one is doing here, I have no idea."

"However;" he assured the disappointed Elf and dolphin. "I can show you where he is, and I assume where your halfling friends are as well. There is a great sea mounain near here. It is riddled with caves, some of which are close enough to the surface that they are actually somewhat dry, and have air. This is where this hobrim is living. Come. I'll show you the entrance. Perhaps you can get the little nixie to answer your questions himself."

Levanto whirled and swam swiftly away. The rescuers following close behind.

(O.C.C. - Whew! Talk about your convoluted story lines. I hope the rest of you like where this is going. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] - Birdie)