[Nogrod]

The Shire had been buzzing like a beehive all the day as the preparations for the tenth anniversary of the Battle of Bywater were taking place. There was no idle Baggins, Sackville-Baggins, Furryface, Proudfoot, Sandyman, Greenholm, Harrybelly, Briarpatch, Burrows, Shortbrush, Twofoot, Greenhand, Hornblower, Furryfoot, Woodyend, Took, River or a Shrewthwacker to be seen. Everyone was mending, bending, lending, repairing, faring, painting, hammering, screwing, carrying, following, crafting, planning, scanning, ramming, packing, folding, unfolding, whistling or just plain looking busy.

It would be a real party even on the Hobbit scale for it was a party commemorating the decennary of the freeing of the Shire or as it was called in the Red Book of Westmarch “The scouring of the Shire”.

All the pipeweed and ale that could be gathered from around the Shire had been stored to the newly renovated Green Dragon for the festivities and the few smaller fireworks by Gandalf found from a drawer in the Bag End were ready at the Party Field right beside the great mallorn. The flags had been hoisted and the festival stages put up. The stony roads had been polished and the grass cut, every garden was in a top shape and every window was cleaned. The mathoms were brought up from the cellars...

In the end the hobbits went to sleep waiting eagerly for the morning. So eagerly they waited for the festivities that many of them didn’t manage to fall asleep at first. But it was not only eagerness towards the jubilations that kept some of the hobbits awake...

Curious things were on the air.


~*~


The air was heavy to breathe and the darkness felt too animated even if it was basically quiet save the chirping of the crickets. A hobbit changed sides restlessly in his bed turning the sweat-stained pillow over.

Why can’t I just sleep?

The full moon stared through the window making the shadows stronger. The hobbit could see the room when he slightly opened his eyes. Everything seemed soft and fuzzy but at the same time all the things apeared to be more vivid. Like all the things in the moonlit room were dim and bright at the same time and those in the dark shadows were full of colour. It was a weird sight. And then there was the odd feeling all around his body.

What is this tingling? What’s going on?

The hobbit felt itchy and scratchy all over and finally gave in to his desire.

I have to scratch my back...

There his hand met the thick pelage.

The ex-hobbit rose up to sit in his bed shaking all over.

What is this?

Then he heard the inner voice calling him.

And he rose up.

After he had marvelled himself from the moonlit mirror for a moment he headed to the door and stepped outside silently as a shadow. He’d need to meet some others. The voice in his head told him so and that was what he had to do. That was what he now wished to do. That was now what he was.

So he was not the only one who had this kind of an experience that night.

They all met beside the mallorn when the moonlight was dimmed by the clouds.


~*~


A gentle breeze ran through Hobbitton. The four werewolves who had gathered around the mallorn sensed it clearly and shivered. That was a bad omen to them.

---
A hobbit in a cosy hobbithole stood up violently from his bed and hardly managed not to scream. There had been something in the room. Or was it a thing at all? It had been an eerie presence which had disturbed him when he had just been falling asleep... There was something terrible in the Shire. He knew that now. Something evil. But the breeze was not evil.

He had been just thinking about a certain neighbour at the time and now he saw clearly. Like he was seeing through the mind of that other Hobbit. He laid back down slowly wondering what this all was about.

---
Another hobbit was deep in sleep when he awoke to the faint breeze. He felt something calling him, calling him to arm himself and if in need to call for the sky to help him. But it was not this night... not this night.

He was totally baffled. And as it felt futile to try and sleep anymore with all the questions going to and fro in his mind he rose up and made himself a cup of tea to think and rethink what was going on.


~*~

Night1 has fallen.

Wolves feel free to get your team working. Seer let me know your choice.
Others, sleep well until the morning...

See you in 24 hours!