The Hobbits Flee the Shire

Council at the Fissure

Fiesty saw fear in the eyes of the hobbits of the council as she led them through the hills of the Shire to the western sea. She stopped a ways away from the seething serf and gestured with her hands to the fissure opening up from the sea while the council crowded around her. “This be happinin all over our northern lake. The crowd gave a gasp as a cloud of noxious smoke issued from the fissure. “Yes, stand back. It be poison fumes and it will kill all of us”. Someone in the crowd shouted “Can’t yer stop it Druid Fiesty?” Fiesty answered, “No and neither can the elves or Dwarves in Tailbreamh. It be what killed of the kings lands. It’s issuin from the Shadow Lands.”

Fiesty looked around. “Yer understand that we will have to flee the Shire?” There were groans but even the naysayers on the council realized that they would have to agree.

Fiesty went on “So, yer all get yer kith and kin and put the word out. The only way to outrun this is over the mountains to Bree, and I don’t even know it the mountains will stop it.”

A Message From Fitheach

Earlier in the week Fiesty had received a message from her sister Druid Fitheach Eun that said that the Shadow was eating up her lands and that she is working on sending her elves to shelter and will meet us in Bree in a few days.

When the council arrived back at the village, Fiesty called in Copper, leader of the Hobbit Scouts, and they planned out a supply and support effort for those that fled the Shire.

Fiesty had been uncomfortable for weeks with a feeling of impending doom. Earlier on Fiesty had sent out some of her blackbirds to tell her how the lands were faring. They returned in frantic flight, barely passing on their report before winging their way across the mountains.

The Hobbits packed frantically and were soon streaming over the mountain pass with their goods and cattle. It was a bad day for all the Hobbits; it seemed they may never see their lovely Shire again.

Heading for the Mountain Pass

Later:

Fiesty traveled partway up the mountain with the first of the Hobbits setting out. She took the time to meditate in the mountains and consider what they should do next. Where should they go? Would they ever find a place like the Shire again?

Fiesty Enters The Bear's Cave

 While she was up there she felt the urge to visit her bear friend. The bear’s name was Grr. It was not an unusual name as the bears spoke in growls and grunts. It had been the hardest animal language the Druid had learned and it was still difficult for her. She approached the cave after connecting with the earth spirit and gathering her courage. When she came close she realized the bear was not there. Her connection with the earth spirit showed the cave empty of living beings, yet there was something there. Fiesty walked into the gloomy cave and lit a torch. She moved silently to the back of the cave and saw a small light coming from the back wall. She examined the small spinning light and realized it was an opening. She could not tell where it led. It pulsed with a whirling light. Still connected to the Earth spirit she realized it was an opening to somewhere else. It fascinated her but it was much too small to go through. She sat for a long while contemplating the hole and finally got up to make sure the Hobbits were proceeding at a good pace.

Fiesty Encounters a Small Portal