[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Encai m'love, how are you? That cough that's been ailing you... has it cleared up since I've seen you last? I thank you dearly for speaking in my favor, but I'm afraid for you if you do again. You may cause suspicion that I'd hate for you to have. Not on my part, m'dear, never, but these villagers... That Fordim Hedgethistle... he's been pointing his fingers and I wouldn't doubt it, his toes, for as long as we've been standing here, and for less reason than lies in the head of a newt.

I pray you all, do not be so quick to suspect Encaitare... our long friendship may cloud her thoughts, but she is more honorable than even I... not a tricksy bone in her, while I am quite fond of causing a wee bit of mischief. Not that I've done any recently... Except, of course, for a bit of teasing now and then... And I've heard rumors that she who shares my name in the village not far from here played a mighty game with her peers...

I suspect at the time only those who have gone out of their way to give me reason to. Yes, Mister Hedgethistle, I speak of you. While you may be emulating my namesake (and doing a mighty job of it, I should add), I shouldn't wonder if you have an ulterior motive.

Much as I hate to say it, I do not currently mistrust... no, I'll rephrase, since I mistrust him greatly. I do not, at this very second in time, think that Fordim Hedgethistle is a direct threat to us. He is quite bright enough to realize the dangers of the position that he's placed himself in, and... well... Actually, I'm not sure.

Allow me to think aloud, if you please.

Fordim could be doing one of many things.

Let us proceed under the assumption that he secretly is a furry vicious beast: Fordim kept close tabs on the situation in the other village, and has seen the way that minds work. That he has chosen to emulate the most highly suspected, and ironically, nearly longest-lived villager (a very lovely lady, I might add... I'd met her several times) fascinates me. He knows well that her purpose for naming names so early on was to get a jump start on the action. He knows well that a person's reaction well reveals their thoughts, especially under extreme pressure. He knows, most especially, that the lass was pure and innocent as the wind driven snow. As a wolf, he sees this as the safest persona to adopt. The villagers would see that if she was innocent, than so might be he. There would be no long hours of dissecting motives, as hers have already been [at least partially] revealed. Mister Hedgethistle's extreme boldness and, to be quite honest, prickliness, can be seen as innocence. Why on Middle Earth, after all, would a true werewolf be so darned obvious.

Or 'tis even simpler... He's a werewolf and wants us to lynch an innocent. Any innocent will do, but he drew our Innkeeper's name out of a hat, and so that is why he is doing his best to lynch him.

Now we proceed under the idea that Mister Hedgethistle is an innocent, although rather pushy, villager. He could simply not fear for his life, as he knows that he is innocent, and so begins to cry wolf, if you'll pardon the pun, just to see what happens.

Or, even better, he's the seer, and dreamt about the phantom last night. It would certainly explain his um... fervor... in the phantom's guilt. As well as his hastily gathered, and not particularly convincing, bit of evidence.

Frankly, I'm leaning towards him being a werewolf trying to hide in the open, but I'm not positive yet. I certainly don't think he's a seer, because no seer is that stupid.