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Sondo raised his eyebrows skeptically. He could not help but take a rather cynical approach to Sam's seemingly heartfelt offer - he had known the other hobbit too long. It seemed that it would take a lot more than a raft tip to change Sam's attitude, but if it was so, Sondo supposed he ought to have dumped Sam in the river a long time ago.
He shrugged in response, though Sam didn't see it because of his steady gaze at his feet. "Listen, Sam," said Sondo. "If this is about the raft, forget about it, okay? It's done with, and everyone's fine." Sam peeked at Sondo's face before returning his sight downward and answering, "I just want to help out."
Sondo took a deep breath. "Well, there's not a whole lot to be done right now. Tonight I suppose you could help cook the turtles that Bingo and Sassy caught earlier, if you want. I'm sure there'll be something you can do."
"I'm not much of a cook," mumbled Sam. "But I'll try, if that's what you think." This amused Sondo somewhat, since Sam was always the one who ate the most, but it also annoyed him that Sam was acting so... servant-like.
"Lighten up, Sam!" exclaimed Sondo. In some ways he found dealing with the grumpy Sam easier than the too-courteous one. "Just do what you can. If all you do is be friendly to everyone, that'll help some. It's an adventure, Sam; you're supposed to have fun!"
"Well, all right," answered Sam, not seeming entirely convinced. Sondo just sighed; some hobbits were beyond his comprehension.
The rest of the afternoon continued mostly without mishap. He had been worried for a few moments when the raft encountered some mini-rapids caused by a few sharp boulders at the bottom of the river and a slight drop in the landscape. The raft weathered the rougher water surprisingly well, and after having some experience earlier at manipulating the raft around rocks, the hobbits were well-prepared to deal with it. The slight increase of speed just before hand was exhilarating, and excitement erased any fear that they might not make it through, which they did without a hitch. Soon after this light started to fade and the lads began to look for a place to stop for the night.
Now that they had the long wooden poles, they did not need to worry about lassoing a tree or oddly-shaped rock which made maneuvering the raft to shore much easier. A likely spot was found in a grassy dell between two steep hills. They unloaded their supplies and started a fire, which was harder than it had been the previous night since this more hilly region was only sparsely wooded. They also tried to avoid using fresh branches because they smoked more. Then they began the cheerful task of cooking turtle stew. After several very similar meals, it seemed a feast. Two lads who were more skilled at recognizing tasty herbs brought back seasoning for the stew while others helped prepare the actual turtles. Sam seemed happy to be actually aiding in the process. Every time Sondo had seen him before, he had appeared to be trying very hard to enjoy himself, a purpose defeating itself in the effort it took. Sassy was fitting in better, now that the lads had gotten used to her presence.
When they finally sat down to enjoy their collaborative project of delicious turtle stew, everyone was tired but jovial. Sondo tried to savor each mouthful but found that his portion of the stew was gone only too quickly. It filled him to the brim, but had more been offered he would have taken it in a heartbeat. The others felt much the same way, resulting in another wash of praise for Bingo's, and more reluctantly, Sassy's, catches. When they finally settled down for the night, Sondo's last musings were of how thoroughly pleased he was with the way all had gone throughout the day and hopes for many more days like it. Little did he know, all was about to change.
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