[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman stepped back, startled, as a rabbit darted out from the leaves at the foot of the trees. Feeling slightly foolish, she laughed softly to herself and rolled her eyes, turning back to Felarof, who was watching her as if with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, yes, all right," Aman said witheringly. "but just remember it was you who shyed away."

The meara tossed his head haughtily. Was not.

Aman laughed and, taking up her place by the horse's head, began to lead him back to the stables of the Green Dragon. But before she had taken three steps, she couldn't resist the temptation to turn back and look once more at those trees around the verge. There seemed to be something different in the formation of them - as if one of them had sprung up during the night. She peered hard at it's branches, then shook her head, turning back to the Inn. "Don't be daft, Aman," she murmured to herself. "Trees don't just get up and move..."

As the Innkeeper made her way back to the Inn, talking softly to Felarof and to the newcomers to the Inn as she passed them, she shook off the feeling of being watched; and did not notice how the branches of that tree shook, as if from a sudden breeze; as if they were laughing...