Chapter 2

It was some time before three of the four hobbits emerged.  All eyes turned to them, as they were given a roaring welcome by the Bree-landers.  Athena relaxed slightly. This sudden burst of popularity would make their interest less suspicious, if they would ever get the chance to talk to him alone.

Suddenly, with no apparent provocation, Athena felt a wave of abject terror wash over her. She scanned the room, struggling to discover from who this fear was emulating. But her mind was too clouded with terror. She had to get out of there. Trying her hardest to appear calm, she slowly turned to face Strider.

Before she made any movement or signal, Strider knew that she sensed an evil presence. Her eyes, which were usually such a striking blue that he could pick them out across even the smokiest room, had turned pale. She was nervously chewing on her lip when he saw her tilt her head slightly towards the door, indicating that she had to leave. 'Do not wander far', he thought, knowing full well she was listening.  She then put her hand on her chest as if she was experiencing a mild pain. At this, Strider reached into his pocket and produced a small silver pentagram. It was the one that Athena's father had left her. It was charged to protect the wearer against evil. 'I can look after myself, but I'm not so sure about you', Athena had said to him laughing. It seemed like a life time ago now.

When Athena saw him do this, she made her way for the door.  Outside she felt the fear wash away from her, yet, it still seemed to be behind her, burning the back of her head, as if she was being watched by eyes thick with evil. She took a deep, cleansing breath, and closed her eyes, letting her mind's eye wander back into the Inn. There she saw Strider beckoning Mr 'Underhill' to join him. She saw one of the others, 'Pippin' his name sounded like, surrounded by Bree-landers, and telling a story that, perhaps should not have been told. And then she saw a dark man, a stranger from the south. There was something cold about him, something that filled Athena with dread. Suddenly, he turned and looked at her. She gasped, and her eyes flew open. He knew. He knew she was watching him. But how? The terror flushed over her once more. She pulled her cloak close to her body and made her way down the road, the man ever playing on her mind. 'Who was he?,' she thought to herself. 'Did he know about her and Strider, and about-,' she stopped herself, fearing the answers she might find.

Her mind wandered long, when suddenly she realized that she must have been out there for more than an hour. She had to get back. She had to see what progress Strider had made. She made her way back to the Inn, but with ever stepped she took, she felt the fear welling back. What could be wrong? She had to get back, she needed to know that her companion was safe. She was just about to force herself to take a few more steps, when she saw something lying by the edge of the Road. When she looked closer, she saw that it was a Hobbit, one of Mr Underhill's companions. Mr Brandybuck, if she remembered correctly. He seemed to be asleep. She shook him gently trying to wake him. His eyes slid open slowly; they were cold and troubled, as if he had just witnessed murder. Athena was just about to ask him what had happened when he stood straight up, and bolted for the Inn. Athena pursued him, eager to learn what had caused such terror.