Birdie had wakened from a sound sleep to find a Ranger using her as a backrest. Normally sleeping in Ent form was the safest way to spend the night in these parts. Or any parts, for that matter. It was also an amazingly restful sleep, considering it was spent standing up.
But these things would happen. A lonely traveler would camp under her canopy, or a wild forest creature would snuggle down between her roots. It mattered little to Birdie. She would remain quiet, perhaps catch a bit of interesting "road-talk" from the travelers, and then go back to sleep until the intruders had woke and gone their way.
But this was not some stray refugee or peddler. This was a Ranger! And surrounding the ranger were Elves, and Men, Horses and...and...what in Arda was that thing! All looked very well fed and well armed.
"Plague and fire follow them!" thought Birdie to herself. It was not a curse, just a simple statement of fact. Birdie spent most of her time avoiding well-armed bands of any stripe these days, as did most of the common-folk of Middle Earth. To be surrounded by these warriors made her freeze in fear. Warriors drew more warriors. It was as certain as carrion drawing flies.
Suddenly, the fire went out, and the air grew chill with menace. The Elf on watch stiffened and drew her sword.
"Oh, I knew it! I knew it!" Thought Birdie frantically. "Now how do I get out of this?"
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