[piosenniel]

Olo was already in the stable when Bird and Holly entered. He stood in a dark corner and leaned on his pitchfork, having just mucked out the stalls for Midnight and Peri, and watched the two women step from the bright morning sun into the shadows of the stable. Their heads were bent close together, their voices low, so that he could not make out the words.

Holly was doing most of the talking, her hands punctuating sentences, emphasizing important points with their gesturings. Miss Bird looked unconvinced by the Hobbit's argument, and mildly irritated by something out in the yard, as her eyes strayed often toward it, and a frown crossed her face.

Peri whickered loudly, drawing Holly's attention. Pulling a wizened apple from her vest pocket, she held it out to the pony, scratching him absentmindedly between the ears as she continued her conversation with Bird.

' . . . and besides, if I understood correctly, there is more than enough treasure at the castle. The high and mighty Elves won't give a fig if a Hobbit and one small, insignificant woman wander about the castle and its grounds doing pen and ink studies of the architecture and landscape.' She paused for a moment, and a small smile played about her lips. Her eyes narrowed and a feral gleam flared in them briefly. Bird arched her brows, waiting for the Hobbit to go on.

'In fact,' she continued, 'I've been wondering where I might use this stock of old vellum I picked up.' She rifled through the contents of one of Peri's side packs and pulled out a ragged sheet of aged vellum from a small portfolio case. She held the dilapidated piece of kidskin up in the pale light filtering through the stable slats.

'Old vellum, eh?' remarked the unimpressed Bird. 'What's so great about that? Looks like the mice have been nibbling on it, if you ask me.'

'Yes,' smiled the Hobbit. 'Just the sort of nibblings an old map might have, don't you think? Just the sort of minor diversion two old grifters might use should they want to assure that others will not be looking in the same places they are. No need to be greedy, just find a little something to get us by for a while.'

'Grifters?' came the questioning voice from the shadows. Olo stepped out into the light and looked from one to the other. 'Maps? Just what are you two talking about? It sounds dangerous. I would advise you not to do it.'

Bird and Holly looked at one another. 'And that,' said Bird, shaking her head, 'is what you get for befriending the stable hand!'

[ November 15, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]