[Susan Delgado]

Fin was watching all this with amusement. To think, it was all over one little Atan! He shook his head at the follies of his kind. If they wanted to fight for her affections, let them; it was no business of his. He rose and stretched. Thaurbar gave him a questioning look, but he only shook his head; he wasn't doing anything noteworthy, just stretching legs tired by a day on horseback. He sighed. He couldn't wait for this mission to be over, so he could return to his comfortable bed and comfortable ruitine and Luinlathomë. He missed her terribly, her and the child that had not been born. Well, wishing wouldn't get him any closer to home; he'd just have to muddle through and hope the mission went quickly.

He went to check the horses. It was a bit farther into the verge of the Forest than was safe, but they'd been restless tonight, agitated. He approached the riding beasts first. They crowded around him, seeking what comfort he could give them. He spoke to them softly for a moment, then began to move on toward the pack beasts. He paused. He'd counted the right number of riding animals, but he'd forgotten about Thaurbar. There should be one more here. He counted again, carfully,in case their milling had thrown off his count, but he had counted correctly. Findorfin's horse was missing. He counted the pack horses, but they were all accounted for. Where would Findorfin's horse have gone? It was an Elvish steed and, though not tied confiningly as the Men would do, it would not have wandered away.

As he approached the campfire, he was suddenly appaled at the amount of noise they were making. This was a dangerous place, didn't they know that? Their clamour would bring everything with ears to investigate. He stood on the other side of the fire, watching them. They ignored him stannding there, they ignored his polite requests for quiet. Finally, he threw a sizable stick onto the blaze, causing sparks to flair, and thatt finally got their attention. They looked up at him, their expressions mixtures of annoyance and curiosity.

"Fin's horse is gone."

"What?!"
"How?"
"What are you talking about?"

"Go look for yourselves. Quietly."

They did, and returned much chastened. They let on that now one of the pack horses was gone too.

"What are we going to do?"

"Move on tonight. In the morning, when there's light and less danger, we'll return and see what we can see."

"No!" Findorfin was enraged. That was his horse that was gone! He'd raised it from when it was born. He wanted to stay and find it tonight. After much debate, the others convinced him that wasn't the right plan of action, but he relented with ill grace.

They moved a mile down the road, kept the horses right in the camp, and posted guards. When they awoke, there were no more horses missing, but the damage was bad enough.