Birdie was walking past the galley, on her way to feed the sea-cows, when she heard:
"It's Mithadan! He's up there kissing Lady Pio! And she's kissed him back!"
Bird stopped short, and edged back down the passageway. So it had happened. Of all the strange changes that had come over Pio since she had accomplished her 'resurrection', this was the one that convinced the changeling that her old companion, her friend that had shared so many adventures, and taught Bird so many things, would never return. Pio had found love at last.
Birdie was happy for her old friend. She had known love once. Given herself to one strange, laughing man who had seemed to want nothing but what the skin-changer could offer in her "human" form. It had not lasted, but what love of Man did? Perhaps the Elf-Kind had all of eternity to work through the "rough patches", but humans only had a few short decades to forgive betrayal and loss of trust. It was not enough.
The Halflings, even those on board the Star, would too soon be making their choices. Pio and Mithadan would find another road together, one that would not include a small, shape-shifting creature. In her heart, Birdie said good-bye to her laughing, reckless friend, and wished her happiness until the end of her days.
She found Ancalimon up on the crow's nest of the 'Star'. It was a place where everyone on the crew retreated at one time or another.
Bird morphed into her jackdaw form and flew up to the battered cup at the top of the mast. It really could use a coat of paint, she noted.
Ancalimon stood with his staff, leaning out over the low rail of the crow's nest as he gazed at endless stars of Arda. The small black and white crow perched beside him and gazed upward as well.
"Hello, Birdland." said the wizard, not taking his gaze from the black, glowing sky.
"Hello, Gandalf...Gandalf? The Hobbrims you spoke of in your tale...the ones who were commanded to wait in case they were needed?...Where are they?"
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