Smeagol Talks to Fiesty

Smeagol Shade: After following the Drow into the Underdark, he had spent some time creeping about, watching for some sign, some thing he could tell his Druid friend. Finally, when the Drow did not stash the collar, he held Fish up to face him eye to eye and whispered, "Us needs to go now and find Friend Druid and tell her what Us saw." And slowly he crept out of the Underdark and began to make his way toward the Shire, keeping low to the ground and staying mostly in the tall grasses as to avoid contact with anyone.

Smeagol Shade: As he approaches the farm, he spots an armored guard and quickly skitters backward into the trees and then continues his journey following along the river bank, hiding the the thick reeds that grew along the water's edge.

Smeagol Spies the Guard

Smeagol Shade holds Fish up, pointing him in the direction of the Gypsy wagon, "That is where Us got burned by the hot foods," and he circled even further from the campfire remembering the pain, pain he was all too familiar with in his life. "Us....Us should go home, but Us needs to see Friend." And he continued on as bravely as he could.

Smeagol Near the Gypsy Camp

Smeagol Shade: Finally he comes to the bridge leading to the Shire and pushed his body so hard into the small mound of dirt that for a moment he felt safe, secure. He watched as several hobbits passed over the bridge and when they were out of sight, he dropped down like a feral animal and skittered quickly over the bridge, hiding again in the grasses.

Smeagol Crosses the Bridge to the Shire

Fiesty Lotus: The garden is mostly done for the year A few straggling peppers to pick. Fiesty humms as she  takes the last of the crop.

Smeagol Shade: As he mounts a tall hill, belly low to the ground, he holds Fish over his head to look downward, "Does Us see Friend?" And imagining that Fish nodded, he slowly makes the descent toward Fiesty's farm.

Smeagol Shade: "Baaaa," he said to the sheep as he passed them, his heart pounding in his puny chest, hoping they would think him just another part of the herd. And then seeing Fiesty, he crawled toward the well and the fence.

Fiesty Lotus picks the peppers- though they are scrawny.

Fiesty Lotus feels a certain edge to the air.

Smeagol Shade: Hidden behind the fence and certain they are alone, he whispers, "Friend....friend," and then tightens his grip on Fish.

Fiesty Lotus: "Ahh- Smeagol, Hello."

Fiesty Lotus: "You are here. That is good."

Fiesty Lotus drops her basket and goes toward her small friend.

Fiesty Lotus: "How are you?"

Smeagol and Fiesty at the Shire's Farm

Smeagol Shade rolls over on his back and reaches a puny arm, his broken, dirty nails seeming to reach for her, "Friend," he whispers again, now tugging at her skirt, "Us has news.....news about Drow man."

Fiesty Lotus: "Oh - That is important but let me look at you first."

Fiesty Lotus inspects his chest and arms- and then looks at Fish.

Smeagol Shade postures and pokes out his belly, "Rash gone. Friend fixed."

Fiesty Lotus starts , "The fish is pristine."

Fiesty Lotus: "Yes, it is fixed indeed."

Smeagol Shade: "Fish happy rash gone. But, Us needs to tell you about Drow man and collar."

Fiesty Lotus nods.

Fiesty Lotus: "Would you like to come into a safe place and have some tea?"

Smeagol Shade: "Tea? What is tea," he murmurs looking at Fish for a reaction.

Fiesty Lotus: "It is a warm beverage. It keeps you warm."

Smeagol Shade: "Us wants," he said, beaming his best smile through yellow and rotting teeth. "Us wants tea, but not burn."

Fiesty Lotus: "Oh no- I have a very nice place  we can go it isn't far and it is very , uh, secret."

Fiesty Lotus: "No-one goes there."

Smeagol Shade: "Us don't want to be around others. Just Friend."

Fiesty Lotus: "Will you come?"

Smeagol Shade looks at Fish for approval, then back to Fiesty with a nod, "Us come."

Fiesty Lotus: "No- I would love to have you around others."

Smeagol Shade: "No others. Us go if others," he says adamantly.

Fiesty Lotus: I just thought you might like to  have privacy

Smeagol Shade: "Show us."

Fiesty Lotus: "Yes- That is what I mean."

Fiesty Lotus nods, come with me.

Smeagol Shade looks around cautiously and follows.

Smeagol Shade looks wide eyed at the small cottage, "Friend home nice."

Fiesty Lotus: "Now, be careful, the woods are the home of Entwives . They have come to my dark woods to hide from the treekillers. They are dangerous, but I will tell them to guard you."

Fiesty Lotus smiles. "Come inside."

Smeagol Shade: 'Guard...." and he looks at Fish, "Us safe."

Fiesty Lotus begins making tea by filling a pot from the well outside.

Fiesty Lotus puts the pot on the fire and gives her attention to Smeagol.

Smeagol Shade plops down on the floor, his back to the wall, and hugs Fish tight to his chest as he watches her.

Fiesty Lotus: "This hut is for you Smeagol."

Fiesty Lotus: "You can stay here if you like."

Fiesty Gives Smeagol a Home

Fiesty Lotus fusses with the kettle.

Smeagol Shade looks at her, his face sad and then bright as he whispers to Fish, "Us only ever live in cave and rocks. Us can stay here, Friend say...."

Fiesty Lotus: Finally she makes a cup of tea, not too hot and hands it to Smeagol.

Fiesty Lotus: "Blow on the tea if you feel it's too hot."

Fiesty Lotus sits and takes her own cup.

Fiesty Lotus: "Now then - tell me about this Drow."

Smeagol Shade takes the cup, cradling it in his hand. He sniffs at it and then dunks the tip of his finger just into it enough to determine it will not burn. Then he lifts Fish up to it, "Smells good. Us drink." Then unfamiliar with cups, he watches her and lifts it to his mouth, a good portion of it pouring down his chin and chest. "Us likes tea, Friend."

Fiesty Lotus smiles.

Smeagol Shade: "Drow man.... Us sees him in the darkness and him talked about the Drow lady being gone. And he had the neck......" and he pauses and tugs at the chain about his neck. "He had thing the people search for."

Fiesty Lotus: "The collar?"

Fiesty Lotus: "Oh my, that is news indeed."

iesty Lotus: "Tell me - do you remember anything more?"

Smeagol Shade: 'Col......collar thing. the Drow man has. Us followed him into the darkness and watched. But the Drow man kept it in his.....his...." and he pauses. "...kept in the collar around his belly."

Smeagol Shade: "Is all Us knows."

Fiesty Lotus nods, "I thank you Smeagol for bringing me this news. It will help us  and you are so brave to have come all this way."

Smeagol Shade: "Us scared of people but Friend help us so we help Friend."

Fiesty Lotus: "I will help. I have a sister Druid. She would also like to be your friend. Can I bring her to meet you sometime?"

Smeagol Shade: "Us trusts Friend," and  he quickly looks at Fish. "Us meet Friend of Friend."

Fiesty Lotus: "Good. I will leave you to get comfortable here- it is a safe place. There is cheese and some food there.

Smeagol Shade: "U sleep now. And us......"and he looks at the food, his mouth watering, his stomaching rumbling. "Us eat then Us sleep."

Fiesty Lotus "And thanks to your fish friend."

Fiesty Lotus: "Yes, goodnight Smeagol."

Smeagol Shade pays her no mind and rushes to the food, tearing off a small bite and offering it to Fish before he will eat."

Fiesty Lotus trips out the door.

Fiesty Lotus: At a dead run for the Master Druid.