[Tevildo]

Padding forward on dainty velvet pads, Tifil (Bridhon) Miaugion, otherwise known as Tevildo (Vaardo) Meoita, slipped underneath two of the long-leggeds and gently squeezed inside the door. The place did not look much different than it had before. He could smell the enticing odors that were coming from the kitchen, and a hound or two was hanging around the Common Room along with the tabby that belonged to Cook.

Having no wish to tangle with Cook, Tevildo cut a wide path around the dozing cat that was curled up contentedly before the hearth. Another dog was halfway through a bowl of stew. The cat flung the canine a contemptuous look, but was careful not to interfere or cause any further trouble. He could not see his friend Mushroom anywhere. The grey tabby was undoubtedly home at Bag-end. And the offending table, which he was still certain had once spoken to him, had been unceremoniously removed from the entry hall and placed in an unknown location.

His own circumstances had altered. As he had done a dozen times before, Tevildo had elected to shift "owners". He had dumped Allie and Heather Brandybuck, two hobbits from Buckland with whom he had lived for some time, and instead exchanged them for an Elf, a road wanderer and scout from Lindon who went by the name of Turon. Tevildo had hurried ahead of his master, but he expected that the latter should be coming along the road and arriving at the Inn sometime before the next morning. Both he and the Elf had encountered a run of bad luck in the depths of the great forest far to the east.

His own reason for rushing ahead on the road was the stable of the Dragon. Cook and the Innkeeper kept the inside of the Inn immaculate, free of all mice and other vermin. Outside, however, was different. Tevildo had found many a fat mouse sneaking inside the stable through the chinks in the boards. These would be his for the taking later tonight.

Meanwhile, perhaps he would try to panhandle a bowl of milk. If that hound had managed to beg a bowl of stew off of Cook, surely he could turn up a bit of milk either from the Inn staff or one of the patrons sitting and having their dinner. Tevildo began to make the rounds of the Common Room, going from table to table while looking as appealing as he could. In view of his silky long white coat and soft little purr, this was not too difficult. For all his normal fierceness, he now looked exactly like a puffy furball who was used to spending his afternoons on the lap of a fine lady.