"You do that. I don't think I'd trust anything they told me." Rory made a face. "But let me know if you get anything good."

"I'll let you know everything I find out," Vena said, nodding. She wasn't surprised that Rory didn't want to go, although she couldn't quite put her finger on why it didn't surprise her.

Rory settled in for a day at home woodworking and carving, and let Vera go off on her own adventure. She'd come back in one piece, after all.

As soon as she was dressed, Vena headed out into the forest again, trying to retrace their path from before. She was much faster through the trees now that she didn't have to keep pace with Rory, and her footfalls softened until they were nearly silent.

The Shire was still there, Hobbits still bustling about going about their lives. Legoland was one of those on watch today, having perched himself in a tree for the day.

Vena found her way back easily, climbing up a tree as she got to the edge of the village so she could observe for a while. Something about the village and its people were achingly familiar in a way she couldn't place, but not quite the same feeling of 'home' that she found herself searching for.

"What is this place?" she murmured to herself as she watched.

It didn't take long for Legolas to notice that someone else was up in the trees with him, and he shifted to get a better look. But he didn't immediately go chase her away. Instead he observed her for a little bit, watching from a safe distance.

Be a got the sense that she was being watched fairly quickly. She glanced around, trying to spot whoever was watching her, and happened to see someone a few trees away. She gasped and ducked down a bit into the foliage.

Legolas's lips quirked at that. No, she wasn't doing a very effective job of hiding, certainly. But that was alright, he'd let her keep the illusion that she was for now. He just continued to watch her for a while.

The prickle on the back of her neck didn't abate, so Vena risked a glance up again. She saw him watching her, and hunched down a little, but didn't outright tun tail and run yet. Something about him seemed so familiar, in the same way as the village but more intimately, as if she should know exactly who he was. It was driving her nuts.

Legolas saw her looking and smirked. And then, just because he could, he tipped his head to her in acknowledgement. There. Let her make of that what she would.

Vena ducked down again with a small 'eep' and scurried back down the tree. Nope, this was not a thing that was going to happen. She could come back and observe the weird village another day.

Legolas chuckled at that and watched her go. He did discretely follow her part-way back out, just to see which direction she was going. But he didn't follow far. Not this time.

Vena dashed through the woods like a deer, back towards home. She definitely needed to tell Rory about this one.

She didn't look back until she as home and through the door of the house. As soon as the door was closed behind her, she sighed and just stood there, leaning against the wall and decompressing a bit.

"Back already?" Rory called from in the kitchen where she was working some dough. "That was faster than I expected."

"I didn't stay long," Vena said. "Someone saw me, so I didn't really want to stick around." She went into the kitchen and pulled out a chair, plopping down on it.

"Someone saw you?" Rory blinked at her. "Seriously? You hide better than a mouse in a storm."

"Yeah, right off the bat, I think," Vena said. She was quiet for a second. "I got up into a tree, so I could see better, and next thing I know, I swear I can feel someone watching me, you know, like when the hairs on the back of your neck stand up? So I look around and there's that guy from before, the blonde one? He's a few trees away, watching me. I tried to hide better, but I don't think it worked, so I high-tailed it out of there."

Rory frowned at that. "Now why would the blonde guy be sitting in a tree outside the town?" she murmured. "Rather than in it?" She shook her head. "Ah, this whole thing makes no sense."

"No idea," Vena said, shaking her head. "I sort of want to go back again, but I don't know if I should."

Rory was quiet for a moment. "Not today," she said. "Next time I'll go with you. If nothing else, I make a great distraction." She grinned.

"Maybe," Vena said. "We'll see." She was quiet for a moment. "Argh, now I want to go shoot something. Thank god that competition is in a few days."

Rory snickered. "Just a few more days," she agreed. "You can make it until then."

"Yeah," Vena said, nodding. She stood up. "Doesn't mean I can't practice in the back yard for now. I'll make sure to clean up afterwards so you can use the targets for your knives if you like."

"Go on," Rory told her, waving her off. "I doubt I'll be out much today. Today is turning into a baking day."