Tol-in-Gaurhoth revisited (aka Werewolf 2)

[Nimrodel_9]

Rather late, Nimrodel sidled through the crowd to get a look. She gave a small squeak and quickly pulled back at the gruesome sight. She covered her eyes and moved away from the terrible scene. Poor Oddwen! Her presence would truly be missed! She had heard about what had happened and thought Oddwen's death had been exaggerated. Just regular wolves she had thought. Who would do something like this?! Then she heard the whisper of werewolves. She squeaked again. "Werewolves?! But I thought they were just tales to scare children!" She sat down on an overturned barrel and held her head in her hands.

[Holbytlass]

I wonder where the grumpy old one and the 'innocent' young one are?

[Anguirel]

Perhaps they're afraid. Perhaps e'en now they're at boarding up yon doors and windows. Who are ye to cast aspersions on your fellow womenfolk, Mistress? Did ye catch any sound last night?

[Holbytlass]

Originally Posted by Anguirel

Perhaps they're afraid. Perhaps e'en now they're at boarding up yon doors and windows. Who are ye to cast aspersions on your fellow womenfolk, Mistress? Did ye catch any sound last night?

They should be afraid, as all of us are; but I'm not casting suspicion (if that is what you mean by aspersions). I truly am wondering where they are. The 'innocent' part I used because that is what she calls herself.
I'm glad Encaitare came, we old ladies will do our best to bestow wisdom on this matter. Maybe not smarts (as in my case), but slow-thinking wisdom.
And as for, Ainaserkewen, I hope she does show up. So we know she is allright.
As for noise, I heard none.

[Encaitare]

I didn' hear nothin' neither last night. Me poor ol' ears ain't what they used te be. But now as I'm observin' ye all an' hearin' all yer stories, I'm wonderin' why Mr. Hedgethistle was so quick te accuse... an' te think of eatin' chicken at a time like this! Now, I ain't accusin' ye, lad, I won't have none of that till I think it's a good an' proper time, but still! In my day we had a little more tact that that!

An', Mr. Anguirel, I resent what ye said -- scared an' stayin' at home, my foot! But ye may be right in one respect. 'Twouldn't hurt us to lock the windows an' doors tonight in case the wolves come back -- if wolves it was.

[Son of Númenor]

After careful consideration, I've decided that we shouldn't be considering who's accusing who, but who's defending who. Now Fea has considerable reason to defend The Phantom -- werewolf or no -- as he's her husband and that's what a spouse should do; but Encaitare defending Fea seems strange, for insooth none of us should be defending anyone based solely on character. Evil wears many faces, as they say. That Enca would go out of her way to defend one person -- a person who has not even been directly accused, I believe -- to whom she has no familial relation, seems suspect.

[Holbytlass]

Originally Posted by Son of Númenor

...but Encaitare defending Fea seems strange, for insooth none of us should be defending anyone based solely on character.

I'm going to stick my neck out a little on this one. SoN, I think you do right in reminding us all not to base our defending someone on character alone. But I think Enca's defence of Fea is not suspect (at this time) but just Enca being a product of her time. When women were women and men were MEN. And she might not have known that when a person transforms into a werewolf they become very strong, even women.
I'm sure your own dear mother might have sayings or ideals that do not happen at this time. How is she doing?

[Son of Númenor]

She is not well.

A word of advice, if I may: Don't stick your neck out too far with werewolves about.

I am anxious to here more from The Barrow-Wight, and from Eomer of the Rohirrim. The latter has been awfully silent, a trait I have not known him for before.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Encai m'love, how are you? That cough that's been ailing you... has it cleared up since I've seen you last? I thank you dearly for speaking in my favor, but I'm afraid for you if you do again. You may cause suspicion that I'd hate for you to have. Not on my part, m'dear, never, but these villagers... That Fordim Hedgethistle... he's been pointing his fingers and I wouldn't doubt it, his toes, for as long as we've been standing here, and for less reason than lies in the head of a newt.

I pray you all, do not be so quick to suspect Encaitare... our long friendship may cloud her thoughts, but she is more honorable than even I... not a tricksy bone in her, while I am quite fond of causing a wee bit of mischief. Not that I've done any recently... Except, of course, for a bit of teasing now and then... And I've heard rumors that she who shares my name in the village not far from here played a mighty game with her peers...

I suspect at the time only those who have gone out of their way to give me reason to. Yes, Mister Hedgethistle, I speak of you. While you may be emulating my namesake (and doing a mighty job of it, I should add), I shouldn't wonder if you have an ulterior motive.

Much as I hate to say it, I do not currently mistrust... no, I'll rephrase, since I mistrust him greatly. I do not, at this very second in time, think that Fordim Hedgethistle is a direct threat to us. He is quite bright enough to realize the dangers of the position that he's placed himself in, and... well... Actually, I'm not sure.

Allow me to think aloud, if you please.

Fordim could be doing one of many things.

Let us proceed under the assumption that he secretly is a furry vicious beast: Fordim kept close tabs on the situation in the other village, and has seen the way that minds work. That he has chosen to emulate the most highly suspected, and ironically, nearly longest-lived villager (a very lovely lady, I might add... I'd met her several times) fascinates me. He knows well that her purpose for naming names so early on was to get a jump start on the action. He knows well that a person's reaction well reveals their thoughts, especially under extreme pressure. He knows, most especially, that the lass was pure and innocent as the wind driven snow. As a wolf, he sees this as the safest persona to adopt. The villagers would see that if she was innocent, than so might be he. There would be no long hours of dissecting motives, as hers have already been [at least partially] revealed. Mister Hedgethistle's extreme boldness and, to be quite honest, prickliness, can be seen as innocence. Why on Middle Earth, after all, would a true werewolf be so darned obvious.

Or 'tis even simpler... He's a werewolf and wants us to lynch an innocent. Any innocent will do, but he drew our Innkeeper's name out of a hat, and so that is why he is doing his best to lynch him.

Now we proceed under the idea that Mister Hedgethistle is an innocent, although rather pushy, villager. He could simply not fear for his life, as he knows that he is innocent, and so begins to cry wolf, if you'll pardon the pun, just to see what happens.

Or, even better, he's the seer, and dreamt about the phantom last night. It would certainly explain his um... fervor... in the phantom's guilt. As well as his hastily gathered, and not particularly convincing, bit of evidence.

Frankly, I'm leaning towards him being a werewolf trying to hide in the open, but I'm not positive yet. I certainly don't think he's a seer, because no seer is that stupid.