[Oddwen]

By the time the wizard had finished her tale and had told of the eagles' rescue and of how they all had been brought to the Carrock, the sun had fallen behind the peaks of the Misty Mountains and the shadows were long in Beornómien's garden.

"A very good tale!" said she. "The best I have heard for a long while. If all beggars could tell such a good one, they might find me kinder. You may be making it all up, of course, but you deserve a supper for the story all the same. Let's have something to eat!"

"She made a lot of stuff up!" squeaked Meneltarbo Baggins, but stopped when Valier stuck out her fake bushy eyebrows at him and scowled him into silence.

"The quintessential adventurer's story," said Thorin Anguirelshield stroking his beard. "You have my thousand thanks for allowing us temporary regenerative repose in your naturalistic domicile, notwithstanding the dubious circumstances of our arrival..."

"Oh no, now we'll never get to eat," moaned Bomburlass. "He'll go on for hours!"

"However, there is something of importance that I feel obligated to tell you Beornómien," said Valier. "While we escaped from the goblin's lair, I fear we may have inadvertantly fallen into something far more dangerous."

"Whatever do you mean?" chorused Nari and Eomi.

Valier, in truth, never minded explaining her own cleverness more than once.

"What I mean is that we are getting rather nearer to the dark abode of the Necromancer. And I, as you no doubt probably did not know, I am highly interested in his movements for secret and important reasons of my own, the reasons for which will no doubt become common knowledge sooner than I would like."

"Indeed, you are farther in than you ever hoped to dare," came a very deep voice. The voice came from a very ancient looking dwarf, whose snow-white beard was looped several times across his shoulders. A gasp came from all of Thorin's company, and they fell to their knees.

"Durin the Deathless!" they cried. "It is an omen, by Mahal!"

"We shall see about that," he said wryly. "It is said that the Necromancer has tried to ensnare dwarves before, and failed. He has slain us, and gotten nothing from it but what was already his. But this time, I fear for the Naugrim."

All the people in Beornómien's house felt chills run up and down their spine.

"Werewolves," muttered Valier.

"Yes indeed," nodded Durin. "This is cursed ground. All who stand upon it are suspect."

"Out of the goblin's lair to be caught by wolves to be rescued by eagles only to be turned into wolves!" cried Meneltarbo, and it became a sig line, but of course he didn't know it yet. "Can't we run away, or eat some medicinal plant, or something?!?"

"There is no cure for Werewolfery," said Valier. "At least, none that even Saruman the White can find. The only remedy for it is death. And we dare not flee - this can be spread."

"However," said Beornómien. "I do happen to know that most people have a strong immunity towards it. I doubt all of us will become lupine."

"Then the only thing that we can do is to wait until tonight," said Thorin. "We will set a watch, who will then alert us to signs of...danger. I elect our esteemable burglar, Master Baggins, to take especial notice to unexpected fangs, hair, and murderous intent during the night, and to take appropriate and immediate action forthwith."

"I'll lend you an axe," said Dori88 kindly.

"No need for such doom and gloom then," said Beornomien leaping to her feet. "How about dinner to cheer us all up?"

But the food only cheered Bomburlass up. The rest of them ate in silence.

"So," began Kathin. "Beornómien...you say you can change into a bear?"

Beornómien glared at her. "I didn't say that. Did anyone hear me say that? I never said that."

"Er," said Dwancing Spawn of Fundin. "Valier did say that..."

"I heard her with my own ears," said Glóanna. Voloin nodded his assent.

"I distinctly heard myself say the same thing," said Valier the Grey, as she stroked her fake grey beard.

"Not a bear," muttered Beornómien. "More...aquatic and avian."

Only Thorin, Valier and Durin appeared to know what those two words meant.

"So...you actually turn into..." said a puzzled Bofgrod.

"A large and fierce penguin," growled Beornómen. "So don't mess with me!"

Runi, Dori88 and Orilin snickered very quietly.

Durin stood up majestically, if a bit stiffly.

"My dear friends," he orated. "We will have a very troubling time of it until we find out if any of us have been infected. I counsel a good night's sleep, for even if we dwarves are the hardiest in all of middle-earth, even we need rest."

The others saw the wisdom of this, and dropped off nearly where they were. But Valier, before she went to sleep, spoke to Meneltarbo.

"Good night, my dear hobbit, and be careful! Wake Bifur Felagund at midnight to take his watch, and wake me first if anything happens, and do not do anything foolish!"

Meneltarbo sat cold and uncomortably, thinking of his dear little hobbit hole. How he wished he was curled up in his own featherbed, nibbling on seed-cakes and half a turkey, while his teakettle was just singing. Not for the last time!

And slowly, slowly he dropped off to sleep...

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It is now NIGHT one. Wolves may PM, twins may not.
I do not need a name from the Seer or the Protector at this time. The Hunter may PM me a name any time they wish, up until voting is closed at the end of the Day.
The first DAY will begin in 24 hours.