Brockenborings – a small, serene village in the northern Shire – was the first place where the mercenaries found tracks of their prey. Brockenborings lied just outside the eastern edge of Bindbole Wood at the south-western corner of Greenfields, and pretty much all traffic from Oatbarton to the southern Shire had to go through there. If the dwarf was traveling towards the Blue Mountains, as Hellrien believed, it was probable he had stopped by in Brockenborings, because it was the first place where he could buy food and supplies after the long, harsh winter up in Evendim, as he hadn’t done so in Oatbarton. The dwarf had probably avoided that town because he worried that the news from Dwaling had already reached Oatbarton by the time he did, but not yet Brockenborings if he moved fast. Besides, Oatbarton was probably the last town he could buy everything he needed for his journey before Michel Delving, which was not on his route. The other towns and villages on the route – Overhill, Hobbiton, Waymeet – were smaller in size and Hellrien doubted that they sold everything a traveler would need for a long journey. In any case Hellrien was certain that the dwarf was moving in the direction of Ered Luin. Hellrien based her assumption on simple reasoning. The news of the murder of Filiburt Proudfoot had spread throughout the Shire like wildfire and reached Bree pretty fast too. The dwarf must have realized that there would be people looking for him in those regions.
But likely not in Ered Luin. A dwarf would have better chances to escape there than anywhere else, even better if he was a Dourhand, as Hellrien speculated. The mountain ridge north and west of the region was long and littered with Dourhand strongholds and encampments.
Blue Mountains would attract someone like this murderous dwarf.
The mercenaries spent a night in the Plough and Stars inn and tavern, and began asking questions after breakfast. The first hint was given by Halson Tubwort, the tavern keep. Yes, a giant dwarf had stopped by town. How unfortunate that the hobbits hadn’t heard of what happened to poor Filiburt when he did, or else they would have done something. The dwarf bought a lot of supplies from Serlo Brockhouse, and plenty of arrows from Bolgo Redsmith. When? Hmmm… a week ago? Ten days? Halson couldn’t remember exactly. Where did he go from here? West… he took the road to Overhill and Hobbiton.
Hellrien believed him. Days were all alike in a small rural village like Brockenborings. The passing of time was not important enough for most hobbits to keep track of days, only seasons mattered. And the dwarf was apparently heading west, just like she thought he would.
