Elfo and Bilbo overhear the whispering between Hooflepoof and Jamna. Elfo pretends to remain asleep, but Bilbo decides to follow them. Jamna leads Hooflepoof out of the tent and about 60 feet down the edge of the road, finding a concealed place just to the side. Bilbo follows along, hiding near enough to hear them talking.

"I think we're safe here," says Jamna, "but we should stay aware."

"Should we trade shifts?" asks Hooflepoof.

"Maybe later. Right now, we need to be ready. Your friends might be in danger."

She explains to Hooflepoof that she has been traveling with one of the cultist wagons, disguised as an ordinary traveler, but secretly trying to figure out what they are doing. She overheard that one of the cultists recognized Hooflepoof from Greenest, and had been watching him. "Did you meet the actors?" she asks.

"What actors?" says Hooflepoof. "The guards with fake weapons, with Noohar?"

"Yeah, what a joke. I think they are just actors, but the cultists hired them to assassinate you. They were supposed to join the caravan as an entertainment troupe, but I think they spotted the opportunity when Noohar was looking for guards, and thought that hiring on would be the best way to get close enough to kill you by surprise. But then you weren't traveling with the cart, and Noohar discovered what useless guards they were and fired them. The cultists got impatient and decided to attack you themselves, tonight."

"Are they after anyone else, or just me?"

"The best I could tell, they only recognized you. But if I know the cultists, they won't hesitate to kill anyone that is in their way, so I'm concerned for your friends."

"I have a Cloak of Invisibility. I can go warn them. Maybe you should stay here and keep watch. If we get in a fight with them, are you a warrior?"

"Not bad. I have Gnome Cunning, I'm pretty good with a shortsword, and I'm a 4th-level spellcaster. But I don't want to blow my cover, so I would only fight secretly, but I'll help you if I can. We're on the same side... well, basically."

Hooflepoof dons his clock and sneaks invisibly back to the tents, keeping an eye out for anything happening in the night, but sees nothing suspicious. He sneaks into one of the tents, and quietly shakes Elbolin awake. "Warn the others," he whispers, "the cultists know who I am and may ambush the tents tonight to kill me. Be prepared."

"Thanks, I'll tell the others," says Elbolin, "you can count on it."

Elbolin quietly wakes Karat, Gourbain, and Nars, who are sleeping in the same tent. Elfo is already awake. Elbolin tells them all what is going on, and then sneaks over to the other tent, Noohar's, where Black Barry is sleeping because of his role as Noohar's bodyguard, and tells him.

"We should all get together," whispers Barry.