[Mänwe]

He’d blown it, there was only so much pressure you could apply, even to Hobbit’s whom Limaris had found over the year upon the borders of the Shire to be natural gossipers. Perhaps Inn Keepers were different, wary that any secrets or tales they might ply to customers would be spread, and their names as the “root” of the rumours and so compromise his or her credibility.

Dick tapped his pipe out while answering rather defensively. And while Limaris may be too judgmental most of the time and often incorrectly, he was sure that it seemed as if the Inn Keeper was hiding something. For while he as sure that Dick would have mentioned a very unsavoury character something had occurred.

That small glimmer of hope lit in his heart like that of a flickering candle almost but not quite extinguished, and he fought to maintain a calm and relaxed appearance as Dick turned having walked just a few paces,

“I wouldn’t normally go talking about it, for fear of spreading discomfort among the guests, but I think you could manage not to spread the tale. This morning, we were attacked.”

The words seemed to come slowly from his mouth, again a rush of implications flit through his mind, leaning slightly forward and showing a direct and interested stare he conveyed the air of an apologetic and distressed friend, while inside he was reeling. He could at times become over “excited” and worried over a situation, and it was something he had been told frequently, again by the Captain of the company, in comparison to the rest of the company he knew he was more like an excited child that a calm and collected Ranger of the north.

The mention of wolves sent more thoughts running through his mind. And as Dick excused himself he quickly answered.

”Of course, please, attend to him.”

With that he sat slowly back in his chair, taking the last of his ale he began to ponder. The company had not come across any wolves on their patrol, though it was likely that the animals had travelled some distance in the search for food. If Limaris surmised that it was the time of year that they were rearing cubs. Yet the factor of them attacking the Inn in was worrying, whether they were after the horses and were simply defending themselves when the Hobbits tried to prevent them, or it was a deliberate attack on Hobbits, he did not know he had been unable to extract any more details from the Hobbit.

However his mission parameter were clear, he was to find out any information pertaining to unusual events with a particular look out for violence within the Shire. He told himself not to dwell on it too much, he would not be the one who gave the orders he was merely the messenger. Still it was appearing more and more likely that the end of field leave would be cancelled.

There were no wolves near Linhir his birthplace, yet there were much the same as any wild animal, attacking really in desperation, which supported the view that they had cubs that needed feeding, or that they were dominated by some will greater that their own, and had been “commanded” or “provoked” into attacking the Inn.

Another factor came into the equation which supported the view that it was the horses they were after; Dick had said that they were in the stables; they had not simply randomly attacked any Hobbit in Stock but had made straight for the stables, and taken “refuge”.

Why they should seek refuge in their stables was bemusing, perhaps leaving their cubs unattended, it did not make sense, especially when Dick had said they had “attacked” the Inn, there was either something else to the story or the Hobbit really had misunderstood the incident.

That or something darker was at work. Perhaps there was taking refuge, desperate enough to fight the Hobbits only when they were discovered and to abandon their cubs, then it hit Limaris much like the impact of a training sword, perhaps they were fleeing from something.

These were the thoughts that clouded judgment; still surely there was no harm in exploring all possible angles. He was in no way skilled or ranked enough to impress any of his thoughts on his superiors. He would have to find out more. Talk to other who had been present or seen the events of the “attack”.

The dwarf was still nagging him, he seemed to have travelled a great distance. He may well have heard of something, not of the Shire but from other parts, he may not have come directly to Stock. Limaris resolved that the dwarf would have to be approached. But how too, he seemed to be rather gruff and closed, and he had entered in full armour with axe in plain view.

It would not do to simply walk over and start an interrogation, the noise the dwarf’s voice had reached across the entire Inn conveying slight impatience. However the Hobbit who had been serving him seemed to have calmed him. So the question still remained; how to approach a tired fully armoured dwarf, enter into conversation and seamlessly probe him for knowledge of his travels while extracting any rumours without arising suspicion?

Limaris perhaps rashly, decided to create another character, an armourer, and someone who knew a fine piece of work when he saw it, befitting really seeing as the dwarf had entered with a shining coat of mithril and that his father was an armourer also, blanching at the fortune the dwarf was wearing in plain view was astonishing, especially as it was a full coat of mail. Summing up the courage he stood and approached taking advantage of Dick’s distraction.

His idea didn’t bode well; already the dwarf had appeared enraged by something the young Hobbit had said. Pausing he swallowed slowly and sat at another table, he’d wait till the dwarf had calmed and there was room for another at the table as it were.