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Eggs By the Fire, A Ranger and the Hobbit Tale by Cairistiona	10 Review(s)
Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/15/2013
Love the interchange between the two of them! Heh! Now--who is the newcomer? Author Reply: Thank you! They're fun to write, I must admit. g

Darkover	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/13/2013
Dear Cairistiona: I do remember Ferdinand Took, and it is nice to see him again! You have a gift for writing both Strider and OCs. Ferdinand may be atypical in his love for travel and adventure, but he sounds and acts like a hobbit. You have done a good job of writing both descriptions and dialogue in this tale, and as I said, your characterization is well done as always. I liked the remark about feeling something in his "foot hair." Very hobbity, and makes as much sense as one of the Big Folk feeling something in our bones! Glad that Strider got something decent to eat--happily, even a traveling hobbit comes equipped with both food and the means to cook it. I look forward to reading the concluding chapter. Thank you for writing and posting this. Sincerely, Darkover Author Reply: Thanks, Darkover! So glad you're enjoying this. Ferdinand is definitely a creature both of his environment and his ancestry... call him "nature AND nurture", I suppose. And I've often wondered if Hobbits foot hair prickles like the hairs on the back of our necks! I guess that's where that phrase came from.

MP brennan	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/13/2013
This was a lot of fun. Ferdinand was once again delightful. His reaction to the dried venison was priceless, and his commentary on the state of affairs in the Shire was surprisingly thoughtful. Hope to see more soon! Author Reply: Thank you! So glad you're enjoying Ferdinand's return. g And I admit, that's pretty much how I react to any kind of jerky. It looks like tree bark. :P

MikoNoNyte	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/13/2013
I am Sooooo glad you linked to this. I love your Took! I've never been a hobbit fan, get bored too much with them as a rule but this one looks like a right good adventurer. Favorite line so far (from chapter 1) "banished the orcs on the edge of his blade" I just bet he did. I'm tagging this to my Calibre to update it. Now, to go find out more about Ferdinand! Author Reply: Thank you, Miko! Glad you enjoyed this. I like hobbits, though like you, I can get bored with them... not enough adventure! So I stick with the Fallohidish ones. :)

Nath	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/13/2013
heh It seems Aragorn's night for having people sneak up on him... Author Reply: He must reeeeally be tired!

Imbecamiel	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/12/2013
I love Ferdinand's speculation regarding orcs' swimming abilities - or lack thereof. g No... I really can't picture them swimming much either, though I kinda imagine they could keep themselves afloat in a flailing sort of way for short distances. (Hey, if even my parakeet could learn to swim a bit in an emergency...) Oh, this is just lovely. So warm and cozy and familiar, for all it takes place way out in wild and dangerous places... It makes me want to hug Aragorn, and Ferdinand, and all the hobbits, and this story, and you. Except, you know, sick and all, so I guess I'll keep my germs to myself and send love and admiration long-distance. g Eep, though. I've no idea who the mystery visitor could be this time around... unless it's Tom Bombadil? Looking forward to reading the rest! Author Reply: Thank you! I was trying for that feeling of security in the wilderness (though once out of the Barrow Downs, it's not too wild, at least compared with other Wilds in Middle-earth). But yes, don't hug Aragorn... he doesn't need a cold on top of everything else! (I do hope you're feeling better by now.)

eiluj	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/12/2013
I'm afraid I'd forgotten about Ferdinand. What a pity: I'll have to read that story again.... I liked Ferdinand's description of how the Bucklanders differ from other Shire hobbits. And of course Saradoc's far-sightedness. "He says he feels in his foot hair that something's stirring out there in the world that might not be friendly to hobbits" -- This is undoubtedly one of the best allusions to foot hair in fanficdom. So who does the deep, rich voice belong to? And what's this "one more chapter" business? There could well be many, many more travellers happening by -- people we'd be quite happy to see! A couple of places where I was confused: "Running from wights, or my imagine more likely" -- Imagination? Something else? "Oh my. Orcs along the Withywindle! Now that is sore news. I wonder what they were doing here. You know, I was just in Buckland and of course, that's on the other side of the Brandywine so not likely to appeal to orcs. I don't think they swim, do they? No, I've never heard that they do" -- I'm not quite sure what's going on here. Buckland is, of course, on the east side of the Brandywine, the same side of the Brandywine where Aragorn and Ferdinand are at the moment. If orcs don't swim, they wouldn't want to go to the west side of the Brandywine (the Shire proper). But as I say, they don't have to cross the Brandywine to get to Buckland (only the Old Forest and the Hay -- and the Old Forest would make hash of them). Author Reply: First off, thanks for pointing out the errors. The first is of course a typo (now fixed), and the second was a case of my writing faster than my brain could keep up (also fixed). Thinking too much of Buckland there when I should have typed "East Farthing". Suffice to say that Ferdinand was wandering sometime fairly recently on the west side of the Brandywine and then crossed and met Aragorn by chance on the north side of the Withywindle. And no, of course you and I and Aragorn know orcs wouldn't cross, but Ferdinand is thinking out loud... he's not that familiar with orcs, despite his vast-for-a-hobbit experience. Anyway, both are adjusted and hopefully work now. I'm glad you liked the "feel it in his foot hair" line. It did seem a very hobbity thing to say. :) No answers to your question of who the voice belongs to... well, except that in the next chapter it will be revealed. And yes, there's no end of possibilities of travellers, but as they say, those would be beyond the scope of this particular story. But I've more plans for chance meetings for Aragorn, so someday you'll read about some of those impromptu get-togethers. Thanks again for the heads-up on the errors. I appreciate it.

Kate	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/12/2013
I did a little squeal yesterday when I saw a new story from one of my favourite authors! As usual, this was a great little read, I love how you write our hardy ranger and your OC's are always so believable! Looking forward to chapter 3...my guess is Tom Bombadil! Kate x Author Reply: Thank you, Kate! I'm so glad you enjoy my stories and my OC's. They're so fun to write and share. As for who the mystery voice belongs to... you'll just have to wait and see. g

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/12/2013
Poor Strider, I know how painful a thumb injury can be! I'm just delighted at Ferdinand's nonstop chatter. This is probably more conversation that Strider has had in many a month. Mmmmm, I'm glad to know he'll be sharing a good meal with a good friend. And what a treat for someone to call him "young Strider". :) Author Reply: Thank you! I like to think that Aragorn's looks often got him called "young man" by those who were older by the standards of their own race. I can just picture a gleam of amusement in his eyes when someone assumes they're far older than he is.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/12/2013
grin I do so love Ferdinand's hobbity conversation and banter with Aragorn! What fun! And a great bit of description of Buckland and Bucklanders. OK, so this story must be taking place in SR 1313 (Because Old Rory died in SR 1308)? Just a few years before the Quest. Hmm...who's the voice? Gildor? Tom Bombadil? Gandalf? I guess I'll have to wait till the next chapter to find out if any of my wild flailing guesses are correct! Author Reply: Hee hee... I have a long-standing policy that I do not answer questions, no matter how much the reader is flailing. g I'm fascinated by the Buckland hobbits; they're so different from most of the rest. Aragorn likely wouldn't use SR, so, since this and my other tales are from his POV (or the POV of other Dunedain like Halbarad), I have at the start of the story TA 3012. I'll let you do the exact math (I hates math, preciousssss), but yes, a few years before the quest. The references to Old Rory's death are deliberately a little vague, because I didn't know his exact date of death, only the year. So I'm assuming 4-5 years, or, as Ferdinand says, "about five years ago". :)

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