[Birdland]

Volondil approached in the gloom of the stable as the laughing Halflings retreated into the sunshine. He walked towards the strange, small woman slowly, as if he were trying to invade the space of a woodland creature, ready to bolt.

Birdie didn't bolt, but she did put the comforting warmth of Peri between her and the Ranger. A handsome man, but she had seen his like before. The troubles of Middle Earth surrounded him like a shroud. He was part and parcel of it, sworn to cause against an ancient enemy, bound to a path whose end was known to only a few. Except Death of course. Death knew the end of all paths.

"So you have decided to accompany your friends on this "mad quest" then?" said Volondil with a small smile.

"Ha! Not I. I want no part of this mission." Bird stuck her chin out, but her fingers fumbled with the thick hair of Peri's mane.

Volondil frowned "But your friend seems to think you are coming with her. Surely you don't plan to desert her." The Ranger admired the woman's sense of self-preservation; it was a skill best-practiced in these hard times, but he didn't like to think of her as backing out on a promise.

"I made no promises." Bird blurted out, as if she could read the Ranger's thoughts. "She knows how I feel about all this. Holly will be fine, with so many noble folk surrounding her. I'm away."

"And I say you should not be taking off on the road by yourself now. It is perilous. And I would have you stay here..." Volondil caught himself at the last minute, and added, weakly, "where it is safe."

"I'll be fine. I'll travel by daylight, and cut across country." said Bird, picking up a very small pack, hardly large enough to carry the things necessary for the usual traveler.

"You have no horse?" questioned Volondil

Bird laughed, "Nay, I don't need one of those bothersome beasts. The burden they bring is hardly worth the burden they bear." This was such an outlandish statement that the Ranger hardly knew how to reply, though his face said all that was necessary. Bird looked down, caught in the lie, and started to stroke Peri's nose in apology.

"I had a horse once. He died." She didn't look up, and she continued to stroke the good pony.

"It's hard to lose a noble friend, I know." said Volondil gently. "I've felt that grief myself."

"Well, I won't. Not again." Then she shrugged and laughed. "Shank's mare is good enough for me. And now, good Ranger, I bid you adieu. May you find your fortune at Castle Maladil."

"I go not for fortune, but for duty. Surely you know that much about a Ranger's life." said Volondil angrily, as the woman brushed past him and made her way to the stable door.

Bird stopped, and slowly turned. It seemed that she was ever saying the wrong thing around this young man, and having to explain herself, instead of exiting with a laugh and a flippant reply. It made her very uncomfortable.

"I know." she said, then asked quietly, "You'll look after Holly and Olo? When you can?"

"Of course, though I would rather they did not take this journey, and I wonder that Gandalf would even allow it."

"Well, a Wizard always has his reasons, though he seldom explains them. Good-bye, Volondil. Perhaps we'll meet again." Then she turned and was gone, walking away from the crowd gathered in the courtyard. Volondil sighed, partly in exasperation, partly in resignation.

Bird turned away from the swelling crowd of people around Gandalf, quickly ducking around to the back of the stables. Looking to see if anyone watched, she then quickly buried her pack in a shallow hole and covered it with straw and dirt, saying a small blessing on her few worldly possessions, that they might lie there safely until she returned. Half her silver pennies remained in her pocket. Then, checking again for unfriendly eyes, she raised her arms.

A small black and white crow flew over the roof of the stables, and landed in the branches of the oak tree that shaded the courtyard. It watched the proceedings of the meeting with curiosity, and kept its shiny black eyes on the forms of the Hobbits. And every once in awhile, it would follow the movements of Volondil the Ranger.