[Encaitare]

Caity had been looking about for possible dance partners, but most of the lads her age were either already thus occupied, or partaking of the delicious cake. She had been hoping that maybe there would be someone standing upon the rim of the dancers as though he wanted to join in. She twirled a bit of hair about her finger as the song ended.

The next one, I'll ask someone, she thought. She then chided herself, Yes, but that's what you said the last song as well.

She was just about to get really irritated at her hesitance when two people approached her. One was a hobbit who Caity recognized as Ginger, and the other was a lad she did not know. Ginger was pulling him along by the hand; the dark-haired boy looked a tiny bit nervous.

"Hello; it's Caity Brandybuck, right?" said Ginger. Caity replied in assent. "Well," the other girl continued, "I don't think we've been properly introduced, so I'm Ginger Gamwich. This is my friend, Minto Chubb."

"Good evening," said Minto politely.

"Good evening," Caity returned. "It's a lovely party, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes," said Ginger. "Just look at Miz Zimzi there; doesn't she look beautiful?" Caity and Minto said that they agreed. Then there was a moment of rather awkward silence, which Ginger finally broke. "Oh, I think I see Ferdy over there. It was nice to finally make your acquaintance, Caity!" With that, she was off, heading in the direction of a hobbit holding a piece of cake.

"So, er... do you know the couple?" said Minto, trying to make conversation.

"Actually, not at all," responded Caity with a wry smile. "I only came because I heard that the band needed an extra member."

"I heard your song before," Minto told her. "It was very pretty."

Caity blushed, then realized that she was blushing, which probably only caused her cheeks to redden more. "Thank you, that's so kind of you to say."

As a new song began, Minto asked, "Would you like to dance?" Caity happily accepted and they stepped into the group of dancers and swept along as the band played and sang:

In the woods there grew a tree
A fine, fine tree was he

On that tree there was a limb
And on that limb there was a branch
On that branch there was a nest
And in that nest there was an egg

In that egg there was a bird
And from that bird a feather came
Of that feather was a bed
On that bed there was a girl

And with that girl there was a man
And from the twain there was a boy
From that boy there was a man
And for that man there was a grave
On that grave there grew a tree