[*Varda*]

Poppy had kept very much to herself since the realisation that she would have to face Maladil alone. All along the journey she had felt everyone’s eyes upon her, until she felt like a mouse about to walk openly into the jaws of a cat, waiting to pounce.

And then, of course, there was Holly’s plan. Poppy sat by the campfire thoughtfully. She may as well help out, providing she survived the impending encounter with Maladil.

Poppy shuddered. What was she doing? This was clearly no place for a young hobbit like her, Tookish blood running through her or not. For a moment she rued that day adventure and boiled and bubbled up in her heart, and she had decided impulsively to come along. The excitement had simmered down again, and Poppy looked to the road ahead, resigned.

“Well, no point predicting the future before it happens!” she said to herselfr. “Look at Mr Bilbo, he went off on great adventures…he disappeared, that’s true, but he was still hale and hearty when he went.” With some hope renewed, Poppy listened to the music around the campfire.

Poppy looked curiously at the strange items Gandalf was giving out to everyone. Everyone but her, she noted. Strange thin rods…thick heads. Poppy wanted to know what these were for, but on questioning Gandalf further, received no answer but a mysterious ‘maybe later.’ This did not satisfy Poppy’s curiosity in the slightest, and she wanted to know why she did not receive one.

Realising she was to receive no answers from the cryptic wizard, Poppy settled down by the fire again, and let the music drift over her, washing away her worries and fears, for now at least. Blowing some smoke up into the dark night sky, she jumped slightly as she saw a mass of wings and fluttering next to Holly, before realising it must be Bird. Poppy laughed slightly, she would never get used to all this changing.