[Child of the 7th Age]

As Child paced down the hall, she came upon the trampled remnents of a sea-lilly band and a card with wobbly letters. She quickly scooped these into her hand and desposited them inside her cabin so none of the other hobbits would stumble onto the discards.

Child clambered up onto deck with her supplies and belongings. Bird stood by the rail, humming a strange tune. She looked a bit more cheerful than she had the last day or two, but still not her normal self.

Child walked up and wished Bird good luck on her flight. She wanted to say something else, but was uncertain how to begin. Then she decided to plunge ahead. In a situation like this, there was simply no reason to hold back.

"Bird, I know you're worrying about lots of things that I can't possibly imagine or understand. But I know one thing that concerns you is Kali, and whether or not he will find his family. You have to believe that I also care about this deeply."

"We'll probably go in and rescue the hobbits quickly. But, just in case, it doesn't work like that, my people may have to survive for a while in a difficult situation. I will do everything that I can to make their survival possible. For, unless the hobbits live on, Kali will have no kin to return to in this age or in any other."

Child turned away quickly and walked to the stern of the boat, looking up into the starless night. She watched her friends assemble on deck, a strange mixture of different races, both male and female, yet with one common goal.

[ July 31, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]