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Knowing that Bingo was not angry with him lifted a huge weight off Reggie's shoulders. They walked back to the small camp, where the others greeted the returned hobbit. He felt so glad to be back... and what was that he smelled? Unless his eyes were deceiving him, Sassy was cooking some coneys. What a fine breakfast that would make! His empty stomach rumbled greedily as he inhaled the aroma.
Soon enough the sun was beginning to rise, providing thin but welcome light. As a few birds first started chirping, Sam and Sassy announced that the coneys were ready. Each of them was happy to accept his serving.
"Thanks, Sassy," Reggie said to the lass as she handed him a nice piece of roasted meat on a napkin. She had not paid any attention to his return, but now she smiled at his appreciation.
They sat in a circle and ate in silence for a while, but eventually a topic was brought up which Reggie had known would be inevitable. One of the hobbits asked about Falco.
"Yes, did you make it to Sarn Ford alright?" Bingo inquired. Most of the others waited curiously, although it seemed to Reggie that Sondo was trying to act like he was not interested whatsoever.
"Well, er..." he began, "...we never really made it to Sarn Ford. I kind of gave Falco the slip." Everyone looked surprised, and he hurried to get the rest out. "Not too long after leaving, I started thinking I might want to go back because I felt really bad about what I did. And Falco knew it, too, but there was no way he was going to turn back... so I slipped off in the middle of the night, while he was asleep."
He waited for their responses; he hoped that they didn't think he was some sort of double-crosser.
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