Curls bounced in and around my face. I was running through everything in my direct path. A small settlement west of The Shire was growing tinier behind me as I leapt over fences and through old fishing creeks to get to the next forest. Behind the first of the tall redwoods, I sat down to begin picking the twigs and assorted air-born objects from my brownish tunic. Half way up a cedar bush next to me, I heard a stirring. Looking up, I realized what it was before my eyes reached the spot. "Hello Traech," I said resting my sight on a round, shorthaired, beige cat. She had followed me from my home in Ambarton, a very very small portion of Needlehole. Needlehole was a tiny Hobbit village right at the limits of The Shire. My family was back there and they would be waking soon to learn I had left the house. I had to leave and I couldn't let anyone know where I'd go incase they dared to follow. But when asked, I told Traech, and she obviously couldn't resist a good adventure. Cleaning more twigs from herself, she began climbing down to join me on the dark path towards my plan for where to camp out for the night. Far enough away from any of my usual spots, but it was getting very late so I didn't feel the need to walk too far. Resting down my under-used bow and quiver full of arrows, my hat: complete with feather and my cape over the heap of needles and other tree related oddments. Sleep was needed; it was likely to be a long walk to Gondor.

Violently shaking and dancing wildly around in circles, I managed to get most of the dirt, bark, and needles out of my hair. Sitting to catch my balance, I pulled myself closer to the blackberry bush on my right, and scanned the area with my insatiably wandering eyes. I suddenly remembered that the name of this forest was Bindbole. I had been told that once I think. I didn't know many of the places in Middle Earth, wasn't really my top priority. Traech was gone, but all my things still lay in the neat little disorder. The sun was still pretty low in the sky so I could tell it wasn't all that late in the day. Time to move however, a nice start to the day filling my hat with blackberries for the trip. An hour down the path that I was slowly making myself, I put my empty hat back on my head and Traech hopped out of a tree rolling down in front of me. She told me where she had been and I in turn told her all about the berries. What great companions we made, no one else could hear her speak but that was all right by me. I was pretty sure that no one could hear me speak at times. Traech interrupted my thoughts again, "Lilandai, where are we going?" she put on her annoying, Voice-of-Reason tone.

"We'll be going to a few places I bet. I'm not sure how easy this will be but I have to find him. And when I do... I'll put good use to my weapons." I answered, satisfied with my response and hoping that Traech was too. I wasn't usually one to feel or display my rage, but there was definitely something that told me what I must do. A tune started playing in my head so I started making up words and skipping down the path, Traech dancing along behind me. I picked up a nearby stick and started tapping the quickly passing trees.

"Whack whack whack, he's down like a potato sack, He won't be standing for a while, my face: a great big smile. Well well well, throw him down a well..."

I sang for at least an hour, jumping from patch to patch of sunshine coming through the blotchy clouds. A cheery day is really a short one so I sang for an hour with Traech bouncing along behind. The blotches became fewer and further between. I slowed my hopping as I became more tired. Traech saw me and I think she asked if we could stop. We had just crossed our third stream and I was definitely feeling the wear of walking. Not losing another ounce of energy in my step I put my head higher, buttoned another button on my cape and said to Traech that we should reach another private place before we were to set up camp. Within a short time of saying that I sat down on a rock in a clearing and found myself unloading my things again. Sun was setting and I had made quite a lot of progress for the day. I took out the compass that my brother, Chim, had given me. I pretended that the arrow pointing to my left meant something to me, and gave Traech an assuring look. "We shall arrive before midday tomorrow!" I said to myself more than to Traech.

The officiality of my tone made me feel much better as I lay down on my cape. As the warm wind carried the scent of the chives I lay in, I shivered a little and I felt my fingers grip tighter around my hat. I was certain that hours had passed and Traech had left to hunt again. Starring up at the stars, a grin crept across my face, remembering my home and how my mother and father would be waiting with Chim when I returned.