Chapter 1: The Unexpected Meeting
Foreword: Once upon a time I figured I'd never write a story that included the Tolkien-verse though not because I have any kind of dislike for it – actually I enjoy it a lot. Just didn't think I'd write fan fiction of it... until some time after I started playing FFXIV:ARR, which after many mmos was the first since WoW to really deeply charm me, when an idea started to take shape. That said, onto the story itself: Basically it will run its course somewhat according to the movie trilogy, along with a few tidbits from the book. In terms of FFXIV's time-line it will until a certain point take place several decades prior to the events of Heavensward. And eventually, if we get that far, I plan to extend this story into the LotR trilogy.
Oh, and exclaimer alert: Neither franchise belongs to me, or I wouldn't be a part-time worker at a food-store.
Note: The first portion of this story, the Hobbit arc, may follow the movies/books' established plot-line, but the LOTR arc in large part does not.
And without ado: Enjoy!
Bilbo remembered he fell, and indeed a long way he had fallen alongside the goblin that made an almost successful but ill-fated ambush. It was only by the graces that he woke before it, thanks in large part to the patch of black mushroom he inadvertently landed into while the despicable creature just across of him had little choice but let a floor of granite suffice.
Unfortunately, gratitude had to wait as a shrill throaty gulp and hiss came from nearby, an ugly being that was much too thin with a maniacal expression who whooped and hooted in glee at what it had found.
"Yes... yeeees!" the creature cackled as it circled the downed goblin that chose this exact time to have a return, albeit a slow one, to its senses. Too little at the moment to even bother the creature as it finished appraising what it much to Bilbo's distaste sized up to be a meal and doubled up to cough a coarse, "Gollum, gollum!"
Gollum was as good a name as it could be, Bilbo supposed.
He dared not move and watched from the thrice-praised mushroom patch that kept him hidden as Gollum seized the goblin's feet and hauled it away, an effort paused only as the meal-to-be woke up and tried to apply a proper measure of chaotic resistance until Gollum hopped and in return applied a rock against skull.
Rendered unconscious once again, the goblin had little choice but be hauled off to its grim fate. Bilbo on the other hand decided not to care what happened to it. Far as he was concerned, every moment Gollum was occupied with its grisly meal was another moment he could use to find a way out and back to the others.
"Nasty goblinses." Gollum hissed, and creepily retaliated onto itself; "Better than old bones, precious. Better than... nothing."
Once the ugly and the uglier were out of the picture for at least the moment, Bilbo picked himself out of the blessed mushroom patch and pulled out his sword that with great immediacy lit the space with its ghostly blue light, indicative of the nearby goblin, and stalked forth with great caution with a baggage made of a thousand thoughts and ideas of what to do and where to go. An effort ended momentarily as he noticed a shine of gold at the edge of his vision and found a splendorous ring he went and picked up to examine, briefly enthralled by this tiny thing of beauty in this grim and dark place.
He was reminded amidst this moment of admiration by the scale of his predicament as Gollum whimpered loudly in the distance, and clamored about how little meat the goblin had on it – then chastised itself in all promptness.
Bilbo grimaced at the continued cacophony as he followed the very short tunnel to where it ended up, a large underground lake where Gollum currently toiled to skin its captive. The creature was too close yet for the hobbit's comfort, and he found himself stock still as he tried to figure a way to sneak past it.
It seemed however that the problem would fix itself in an astonishing display as a stone came from the dark distance and with notable accuracy struck the middle of Gollum's head hard enough to smash it into the rocky ground, cutting its loud groans short.
"Can you ever be silent?!" a clearly feminine voice cried out irritably, evidently more than a bit familiar but ultimately fed up with the creature's noisy tendencies.
"Gollum, gollum." the creature, clearly hard-headed, groaned as it picked itself groggily up and glared into the distance, "Still hears me she does, precious! Wicked she is!"
It was far too beautiful a voice to have come from a goblin or any other other monster that might occur under the mountain. Bilbo therefore dared himself to look out of the tunnel at wherever the voice had come from and stood for a moment awestruck at what he discovered. And indeed, the being who stood at the lake's rocky beach was a female who stood better than five feet tall. At first he thought she was of the race of Men, but she was more slender, more nubile, with fair skin and pointy fur-covered ears that stabbed out of her short brown hair fashioned into downward-angling spikes. Most notable feature however was the long brown tail that extended from her posterior, currently swishing in agitation.
"Of course I hear you." she snapped at it, arms folded across her ample chest, the brown leather and cloth-made clothes worn by her made to be tight-fitting yet comfortable, "It is only by the Twelve's grace alone the whole mountain hasn't come rushing down on you yet."
He had never seen such a being before, but decided that right now she was his best chance to get out of this murky pit. She must have come down from somewhere. "Uh, hello..." he found himself utter with strange calm and meekness and leaned out of his lackluster hiding spot.
Both of the others instantly blinked at him. Gollum glared most intensely, obviously interested in this decidedly more meaty treat that just invited itself in to this cavern. Bilbo felt withered under that gaze at the same time as he was astonished by the female's slitted eyes that seemed like those of a cat rather than anything unpleasant that shared the same characteristic. More than the slitted pupils were the unevenly colored irises, colored green and teal respectively.
"It would seem," she smiled dazzlingly, "fate has finally seen it fit to give me company that is at the very least passably handsome, if one rather on the short side."
Bilbo grimaced, "Um..."
"Oh don't mind me. If it was not for what happened, I could have been at an establishment with a fair lad of great mast to keep me warm for the night. Instead I ended up stuck here with that." she gestured at Gollum with distaste.
Aside from what she not so subtly implied, the other implication of her words made his heart drop through the ground. Quite a bit before it truly fell off the world however, she made a metaphorical grab for it and continued. "Anyway, did you come here through that blasted aetheryte too?"
He quirked an eyebrow, "Aether-what now?"
The female drooped, "Guess you didn't."
"But... what is it?" Bilbo asked.
"... It's really strange to meet someone who doesn't know." she admitted awkwardly, "Alright. I'll act the teacher. Where I am from, every town over a certain size got a big crystal in the middle. Strictly controlled and cost a fair amount of Gil to access, but there is no faster way to travel. Come, I'll show you."
Though uncertain about the topic, wild as it sounded – convenient if true as it is – he followed her from a small distance behind across the cavern, each moment spent staring at her swishing tail – totally not at her well-sculpted rear – until he just around an eventual bend came to look, no, gawk upon a huge crystal glowing a brilliant blue as if with the radiance with both the sea and stars that protruded from the rough granite wall... next to which llay a pickaxe and a war axe.
"This," she came to pat a hand on the crystal, "is an aetheryte - and what an odd place it is to find one. A while ago I was just in the process of moving back to my home town, me and a some bloke. Poor guy. Something happened and we ended up here instead of there."
"And where... is that guy?"
She sighed sadly and patted a hand on the wall where she had obviously and furiously tried to crack open with her pickaxe. "Popped into a pocket beyond this wall. Suffocated before I could bring him out. And I stopped trying to make sure that thing over there won't eat his body while I'm not looking."
"I understand..." Bilbo grimly nodded after he tried to imagine the fate that man must have suffered, and shuddered at the thought. "So about this... aetheryte. You use that to travel?"
With a shrug and a motion to rest hands on hips she turned to him, "That's right."
"And why haven't you then used it again? I mean, instead of staying here... maybe come back with a group to get your friend out and back."
"Would have, but the forsaken thing is not responding. So I'm stuck here in Twelve knows where until this thing starts to function properly or I find another one that will."
"Unfortunately," Bilbo shook his head apologetically, "I have never seen a crystal like this in my life... but maybe my dwarven companions, or Gandalf, knows."
Her cat-like eyes lit up a bit, "And where may these crystal-savvy folks be?"
"I... kind of got separated from them. We were ambushed by goblins on our way across this mountain. If they managed to get away from those things... they are probably on their way out." he tore his gaze from her and looked down, "Sorry, it's a long shot."
"Better than nothing." the young woman shrugged as she went and holstered her tool and weapon, "A much better lead than any other these last few days." before she grabbed at a protruding part of the crystal and with effort broke off a piece she immediately stowed away in a pocket.
"Optimism long live." he tiredly sighed, "I still don't know the way up any more than I did a while ago."
"No... but one here might."
Bilbo blinked in confusion as she walked past to the shore and plucked a rock she quickly came to balance on her palm, "Gollum!"
"What?!" shouted the creature from as far away as it could get with its disgusting meal.
"If you don't want another stone on your head, and want not to see more of me, lead us to the mountain exit!"
A moment of silence followed by a score of angry mutters was the answer. It however was stifled as though scalded when the woman raised the rock-proffered hand. "She forces us, precious! To go up to the nasty goblinses!" Gollum clamored, "Just do it. Sooner we get rid of, better it will be!" - "Yes! Yes!"
The female turned to him, sporting a little smirk, "Problem solved, mister..."
"Bilbo Baggins."
"Good name, Bilbo." she replied with a smile, "My name is H'anigi Tohl."
OoOoO
Gollum had few virtues to his name, and muttered to himself incessantly with a vocabulary that would have made a drunken Lominsian blush. Language aside he was an adequate ticket to the outside world.
At the very least he did not carry that odd trinket anymore.
Very clearly it was a useful item, capable of rendering its user invisible. Accordingly it was by the grace of Thal that it sucks in aether so noticeably as to alert her anytime he tried to ambush her, or she would have died long before Bilbo came along and somehow managed to appropriate it without the creature's notice. Gollum probably still thinks it is in his loincloth, and she was not at all inclined to inform it of that loss. Even now, H'anigi could sense its very vague presence practically hang in the air behind her from where it was nestled in the pocket Bilbo had used to stow it away. It struck her as odd that neither Gollum nor Bilbo noticed that particular aspect of it, but chose not to comment.
Instead she focused on the climb up the winding tunnels that riddled the mountain, probably a match for the underground networks that the kobolds are so fond of digging – though in this case with much less emphasis on mining the whole mountain into rubble. To ensure pure discomfort in the traverse of these tunnels no expense was saved, so it was a rough going accompanied by a tense unease that permeated the air, given over so generously by a distant rumble of an enraged goblin populace that cursed and howled at the caverns around them.
"For them to be so angry..." H'anigi worded in a whisper.
"Something must have happened." she heard Bilbo guess with some hopeful relief, "Maybe Thorin and the others did manage to slip away!"
"Possibility is there. Gollum, how much further?"
"We are here..." Gollum grunted, "Exit is over there. Yes it is, precious."
H'anigi rolled her eyes at the little piece of eccentricity, born from being all alone for Gods knows how long. On that part at least she pitied him. Miqo'te are no strangers to solitude, but the creature who huddled himself against the wall and gestured to and past a corner up ahead had gone far beyond that and into complete seclusion. However long it has lasted, it damaged something deep inside of him. Whatever caused him to go that far she was not eager to find out.
With only a wary glance directed at him, she stepped past the cowering being and nearly winced as she leaned past the corner to take her first look at sunlight in two days. It was glorious to a religious extent, and certainly to a Seeker of the Sun it surely was.
Once her eyes grew adjusted to the sharp light she notice a little bit of a particular problem about their point of egress. Blocking the way was a batch of six goblin guardsmen. Heavily armed and dressed in heavy armor, ready and alert for anything. H'anigi withdrew and looked to her new comrade, and a notable lack of Gollum's presence. "Where did he go?"
The man she saw as a very growth-stunted midlander with exceptional leg-growth threw up his arms. A man unfortunate with his lack of boots yet with the mental fortitude not to complain about it, "Ran off the moment you looked away from him."
And sooner or later he would try to put on the trinket to make his trip back easier, but upon the failure to find it would make a racket, connect the dots, and charge back with all caution tossed to the void.
Time was precious.
"How bad is it?" Bilbo asked apprehensively.
"Six guardsmen and we'll be home free." H'anigi sighed and rubbed her temples grudgingly at the thoughts that occurred to her, "As to how... I got a plan. Please do as I say."
OoOoO
Bilbo had absolutely no idea how she managed to find out about the ring in his possession that according to H'anigi was Gollum's, but the curtly uncovered plan was pretty sound to his ears and carried relatively low risk to him compared to the part she would irrevocably play.
To his light surprise, when he finally slipped on the ring the world seemed to fade into a ghostly landscape filled with shadows that licked hungrily against what pockets of light existed. He was left for a moment to stare into the distance, a steady gaze that was idly drawn away to a single mysterious point that seemed as though it jerked and pulled at him. An oddity Bilbo went on to ignore as he stepped around the corner and walked with enforced calm toward the group of armed guards, the gaunt shapes clad in heavy armor that completely enveloped them in blackness in this shadow world.
And once close enough, he stepped to the wall and drew the brightly glowing sword of his.
Consequently, as if summoned by his arrival into position, H'anigi crossed into the open... her axe hefted in one hand, then held in both hands as she lowered her stance in plain view of the goblins who in shrill, shrieking, anticipation instantly plowed toward her as one.
Bilbo waited for them to pass, then slipped in behind with his sword brandished, and resolutely stabbed it deeply into the closest creature's back. He was still apprehensive about the killing of others, but willed himself to do it for the simple reason that his comrade in this was a woman... no offense intended.
Impaled on the glowing blade, the goblin dropped without a word. Bilbo winced at how his weapon clung to the creature's flesh till he managed to pull it back out and launched himself to the next, who he likewise ran the blade through. This time his victim cried out in agony, and required another quick stab to put down.
He was about to take on the third one, when its head abruptly parted from the neck. It was then that he noticed all the other goblins were already dead... H'anigi standing over them no worse from the wear, her axe stained dark with blood, "Phew... easier than I thought." she whistled and commented.
Bilbo pulled the ring off to put it back in his pocket, and kept his words to himself except to tell her, "We should leave, fast. More will probably come soon."
As though expecting that to come true quite imminently, H'anigi looked down the passage behind before she muttered her agreement and they fled for the sparsely forested land beyond. Bilbo almost had to catch himself from gasping in surprised relief at the sweet fresh outside air that almost eagerly rushed into his lungs. Finding his companions however quickly proved to be much less an arduous task than he imagined as someone bellowed angrily further down the valley in a voice that was most recognizably Thorin's.
"Would that be...?" he heard the woman question curiously as she followed his gaze to a patch of the forest where a large group of dwarves and wizard argued amongst themselves – though most were rather much like spectators to Gandalf and Thorin.
"It's them." Bilbo returned, unable to properly contain his relief as they neared, "It's..." he was on his way to repeat only to stop and slow down as he looked back to find her furrow her delicate brows as though confused. "What's the matter?"
OoOoO
When Bilbo mentioned his companions, H'anigi half-expected to see a group of lalafell judging by the 'dwarven' description – the diminutive beings have been called worse names in the past. Instead the midlander had led her to a collection of beings that despite the moniker almost towered over him, a particularly scraggy bunch with an excess abundance of facial hair. A few seemed handsome enough in a rugged way, but quite a few among the rest looked like they have seen too many autumns.
Slowly she pulled enough of herself out of thought to offer a reply to the worried Bilbo, "Um, nothing. I just don't think I have really met their like before..."
"Likewise with me and very soon very possibly them about you. Except for Gandalf I would imagine." Bilbo seemed to process that for a moment, "Speaking of unfamiliar sights, dwarves do tend to be slow to trust – tough history and that – and double that for what is unknown. You should probably hang back while I go and clear a few things up before we make introductions."
H'anigi belatedly agreed once she contemplated the matter. If they are indeed slow to accept strangers, the appearance of one even alongside a comrade right after a likely most hectic time with the uglier denizens of the mountain would make matters worse. Best then to take just one thing at a time. "Fair enough, but I'll try to keep as near as I can. Pray be as swift as you may."
"Not too close I hope," Bilbo nodded and went on ahead, "Would be bad if they loosed an arrow on you for rustling a bush nearer than comfortable."
"Oh nothing to worry about." the miqo'te smiled in a little chipper manner as she watched then articulated an arm to grab and heft her pickaxe – more a meditative act than a martial one that softened her steps as she followed the hairy-legged midlander through the foliage from a further distance.
OoOoO
Bilbo resisted the urge to look back as H'anigi practically melted into the background, so complete in her soundlessness. It provided for an interesting perspective on how the tall people feel about how easily nearby hobbits can seem to vanish when properly inclined. He was rather surprised some other race out there could do similarly.
Topic of interest notwithstanding, he shook it off as the distance between him and the arguing companions he had tried to leave behind up in the mountains shrank. At first he intended to holler, instead he hit upon the idea to don his new found ring and pop out amongst them. Give them a surprise and lend credence to his so far informed ability as a burglar. Mirthful at his own cleverness he put it on and reemerged into the bizarre shadowed realm he for all its oddity was quick to grow accustomed to and largely ignored any faint discomfort in favor of the 'prank' he had in mind. Like that, he rapidly approached the center of commotion.
Nori, Dori, Bofur, Glòin, Dwalin, Balin, Òin, Bombur, Bifur, Ori, Thorin, Fili, and Kili. Good... they are all here! Bilbo smiled as he looked from each and the next, relieved to see the company by and far unmolested. Not that it was much of a surprise, as every one of them are far more stout than he could ever hope to be. His onward march was brought to a stop however as he fell upon a tree just as the argument between dwarf and wizard was set into a corner.
"I'll tell you what happened." Thorin growled at Gandalf, with venom laced across every letter of every word, "Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it. He has thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since he stepped out of his door."
The disappointment that came from their leader took Bilbo aback. A suitably justified one as the point did indeed ring true. Bag End was ever close to mind and heart from the very beginning. Yet another truth also rang true. He still had a home to return to, the dwarves didn't. Little choice did they have but to go forward.
"We will not be seeing our Hobbit again." the dwarf continued and sank a wave of gloomy mood over the group, "He is long gone."
For a moment Bilbo let himself sag against the tree and let the Took side of his heritage chastise the Baggins side that yearned enough for home that he was willing to forsake and abandon his new if hard-gained friends. Shame burned strongly in him for his decision, and as the more settled state of mind yielded and the adventurous mindset came to the fore and kindled a desire to at least help these folk. And with that was happy to prove Thorin wrong as he pulled free the ring and deposited it away as he strode out of the little hiding spot.
"No. He isn't." Bilbo simply stated as he emerged, and felt a small tinge of satisfaction at the wide eyes with which the dwarves greeted him in a surprised silence cut short as Gandalf strode onward with a smile.
"Bilbo Baggins." he gladly said, "I have never been so glad to see anyone in my life." with every implication that he sorely meant it.
"Bilbo." Kili was next to express, "We'd given you up!"
The dark-haired dwarf's brother Fili furrowed his brows in disbelief that was a far greater deal kinder than some certain few, "How did you get past the goblins?"
Dwalin continued the train of thought with a grim, "How indeed."
"Well, what does it matter?" Gandalf shrugged it off after a long meaningful look to the hobbit who chuckled in response to the much older dwarf with a mind to move on to introducing the new friend he made in the mountain depths. "He's back."
"It matters." Thorin ground out, "I want to know..." and let that hang in the air before he ventured on to the question the man felt had to be asked, "Why did you come back?"
So it came to that. Bilbo lagged for a moment to compound his prior thoughts before he made his empathic reply, "Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have. And you're right, I always think of Bag End. I miss my books, my armchair and my garden." he paused for a second, "See, that's where I belong. That's home... And that's why I came back. Because... you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."
What followed, a general change in the atmosphere. It was difficult to properly describe what played across the group in response to his reason for coming back. They never counted him for much, merely looking onto him to fill the fourteenth spot so they would not hit the unlucky number and friendly if only out of principle or matter of course. In an instant it was like they all saw him with a new light. To say it straight out: Ice had been broken. Gandalf merely smiled and seemed impressed.
Now finally though, Bilbo felt like he was being glared to the back of his head and decided with a raised hand to offer an answer to Fili's question. It would however seem introductions had no choice but to wait even further as he was crassly interrupted by loud howls that chilled him to his very bones before he could speak as movement made by great wargs, loathsome beasts with the bulk of horses, filled the mountainside and bore down on them.
"From the frying pan." Thorin hissed.
"And into the fire." Gandfalf grimly finished, "Run!"
All notion of staying in one spot was abandoned in an instant, and as one the company ran at full tilt. Bilbo inevitably lagged behind, less from ability to run than concern for H'anigi who was still up there. Until urgency compelled him to join in the hasteful attempt to escape the dozens of fangs that snapped and howled at their collective heels.
OoOoO
Drawn from the training of being a prospector inherent in the kind of miner that sought out uncharted veins in the wilderness, H'anigi had watched the meet between midlander and 'dwarves' in meditative passiveness that buried deep down any excitement that monsters and the like would have grown alerted to. A skill that came to be handy as a howl pierced the air and a flock of vast wolves suddenly plowed past the area she stood in. The miqo'te almost lost her concentration and praised Llymaen for being downwind – the vile smell of those beasts ridden by even uglier ones a mercy compared to the prospect of facing a sharp-toothed maw the size of a window.
Much more unfortunate it was an implication for the fellowship further down as they bid a rapid retreat, slayed a couple of riderless wolves, and climbed as one up a number of trees that was subsequently felled by the intensive onslaught that followed, and the weight of those beasts leveraged against the comparatively meager trunks. H'anigi watched in silent horror as Bilbo and the others frantically jumped from tree to fallen tree while the ugly creatures of the ridden beasts laughed cruelly at their predicament until the final one at the very edge of a cliff from where they retaliated through the lighting and tossing of acorn that set the dry foliage ablaze.
It discouraged the lot, but did not diminish the severity of the situation in the least... especially as the final tree gave away and tilted past the tall cliff's edge. Miraculously at the very least, its roots still caught hold to its homely soil and held fast. A small mercy. At least two very nearly fell away, but the creature that apparently led the savage pack, one of very distinct pale flesh with cruel hooks for an arm, ignored them in favor of a lone one with dark beard and strong countenance who stood onto the trunk and stomped across with fire in his eyes that burned stronger than the sea of flames that licked the area between them. And transfixed by this one, the creature grinned in bated anticipation, welcoming the challenge.
Even if it had no plan to have it be an even fight.
Before her time working as a miner, she was a pirate in Limsa Lominsa, and in that life of piracy she left behind there was little to no room for idealism and purity. Pragmatism was what ruled the day, brought spoils in, and enabled them to survive long enough to enjoy it. Still H'anigi winced as the creature prompted his beast with a kick to its sides to barrel the dwarf down. And the opponent just barely managed to get up before the creature bowled him over with a massive mace.
H'anigi watched with shock as Bilbo, unable to take the sight for any longer, climbed onto the hanging trunk and walked toward the action. "Bilbo," she whispered her disbelief, "what are you doing?" He never struck her to be much of a warrior, but the kind of guy who would look perfectly within his element next to a field of vegetables. Instead the slight being interposed himself between the riders and the fallen dwarf, killing the creature chosen with the final execution in the process.
With that, the spell broke. Furious at the hairy-legged midlander for putting himself in such danger and even more so at the creatures switched to the axe and let that anger fuel her svelte body. Old legends spoke of the Warriors of Abalathia's Spine, who harnessed their inner beasts to unleash unbridled savagery on the battlefield. The first mate of the Captain she once served were interested to see if he could unleash that potential in the crew's assortment of marauders – who carried a similar tradition of wielding great battle axes. Even if he lacked any specific lore on how this was achieved, the result of that harsh training he put them through was most telling.
H'anigi herself got further than most. Hesitation melted away in favor of a strong lust for battle, and an almost narcotic emptiness delicious in its wholesomeness spread itself through every inch of her before it was in turn filled with every intent and desire to butcher with abandon.
In the end, it was this part of her, this beast that had slaughtered her victims till the axe was stained black, she had to tame before any homecoming. For some reason she had no desire to show this part of her to Bilbo, but there was nothing for it.
Killing intent rolled off of her in waves in such intensity that the riderless beasts that now kept themselves well beyond the fire scattered in a moment of startled fright. One of them was too slow, and with a solid grip on both the lower and upper part of her axe's grip she swung the weapon across its chin and shoulder, splitting its flesh wide open. The beast let out a high-pitched whine in agony and fled its pained self deeper into the woods.
By that time, Bilbo was joined by every other dwarf and a desperate brawl broke out between the stompers and riders where the latter still held the advantage. One that the miqo'te hoped to leverage as she brought herself to one of the ridden beasts and cleaved the rider's leg off at the knee. It wailed in shock and fell off while the beast bolted, and turned around just in time to see her fury-drenched glare before she sank her axe deep into its skull.
It fell dead, and its imminently headless rider joined it immediately after. And finally it occurred to the other creatures that there are more enemies here than those before them. Close to Bilbo, the pale one had the presence of mind to scan the area behind and found her racing for him at an almost shocking speed that neither man nor dwarf could replicate. Her kind evolved as hunters, with powerful leg muscles, sleek body, long tail for greater balance and keen senses with excellent coordination - so to produce great a speed was simply a matter of course.
H'anigi crossed the distance faster than the dwarf had, and was reasonably confident she could have taken the monster down before it occurred to her that the situation had gotten a whole lot more chaotic as many of the wolves and creatures were picked off the ground and thrown away. Several dwarves were missing and more vanished by the second, picked up by massive birds. She watched in befuddlement as one of those grabbed Bilbo and carried him away.
Desperately, thinking the midlander had fallen victim as was natural, H'anigi was about to bury her axe into the snarling pale one's wolf's head when she found herself abruptly wrapped up by a set of talons and was cleanly hoist off the ground with no preamble. Only deeply ingrained reflexes kept the axe in hand as the miqo'te forgot her fury and flailed momentarily in shock and fright of being so far parted from the ground.
After that, H'anigi simply froze as the eagle that carried her flew as the very last to leave the cliff behind. All the others already far ahead, herself picked as though an afterthought. Caught between her past excitement and the current fright, she soon nodded off with the wind ringing in her ears.
OoOoO
Relief was abundant across the eyrie they were released from the eagles' grasp as Thorin finally stirred from near-death under Gandalf's care and was helped to his feet. Still, he quickly shook off those who held him to confront an almost conspicuously lone-standing Bilbo Baggins. "You!" he grunted hoarsely, tone soaked in ample disbelief. Bilbo on his side simply stood silent while Gandalf watched idly from the sideline. "What were you doing... You know you could have gotten yourself killed... Did I not say you would be just a burden... That you would not survive in the wild... That you had no place amongst us?"
Bilbo remained silent, with downcast eyes. So he reacted with nothing short of surprise when Thorin abruptly embraced him:
"I have never been so wrong in all my life!"
Now it was Bilbo's turn to react with disbelief – if wordlessly – and was in no small amount relieved, something entirely contagious as the rest merrily laughed and clapped shoulders. Gandalf looked even further pleased by how the conflict had been entirely resolved.
Thorin released him shortly after and stepped back, "I am sorry I doubted you."
"Oh no," he found himself say, "I doubted myself too. I'm no hero, no warrior," and with a look to the wizard added, "not even a burglar."
That was about all that needed to be said, before the dwarf in satisfaction looked into the distance and ascended the slight slope of this rock formation they had been placed on by the orbiting eagles. All the rest shortly followed him to where they could clearly stare into the horizon that was broken by the sharp edge of a distant mountain.
"Erebor." Gandalf helpfully introduced, "The Lonely Mountain. Last great dwarf kingdom of the middle-earth."
"Our home." Thorin breathed airily.
For a moment they savored the sight before the quiet was broken by Balin who pointed out as birds small birds swooped past, toward the lonely mountain, "Ravens! The birds are returning to the mountain!"
Gandalf followed it up by calling it a 'Thrush', but Bilbo's mind was someplace else entirely as Balin's thoughts nagged at him before it occurred to him. Something really important that was swept aside when the orcs struck. Lost with all that happened after. At this time a few of the dwarves noted how the eagles loitered expectantly.
So it was when Bilbo silently excused himself and pushed through the crowd to look the way they came... and found another eagle on approach, with a recognizable womanly figure held in its claws, whose hand in turn held onto the drawn bronze war axe – somehow still in her grip despite being unconscious.
A person that earned a few curious glances from the turning dwarves as the eagle briefly lowered itself not far away and put her down. "Hm?" Dori could be heard grumbling in confusion, a notion agreed upon as many wondered where she had come from. And what she was doing here. Whether they noticed the cat-like attributes of hers Bilbo paid no attention to as he ran to the woman and sat on his knees to wrap an arm underneath her neck to prop and hold her up. "H'anigi." he gently shook her, "H'anigi... are you alright?"
A low hiss left her lips as she slowly came to, then lightly started with the realization that she was no longer held by talons as though thinking she had been sent into a free-fall before the waking dream ended and the woman found in boundless relief that underneath her was good and solid ground. H'anigi focused on Bilbo and smiled, her tail flicking to the side, "... If I never get to fly again... it will be too soon."
"H'anigi..." he breathed.
"Don't be glad." she hissed softly, "I still got to reprimand you... for going into danger like that."
Bilbo mirthfully grinned, "Ah. Sorry about that... Did I..."
To continue any further on the chatter however was rendered difficult to say the least as an impossibly stern voice laced with alarm called out to him. "Bilbo." and he half-turned to get a lump in his throat at the sight of a bristling Gandalf who stared through him, at the woman he held.
With a creeping and disbelieving sensation that not even the ancient wizard had seen the likes of her, Bilbo raised his free hand. "Wait. Wait, Gandalf. She's a friend..."
"Step aside Bilbo." Gandalf said, a suggestion delivered like an order. The dwarves too stared at her like she shouldn't even be. Bilbo ignored the rest in favor of the wizard who looked every ounce his age as he muttered something lyrical of a language that his ears could not hope to comprehend. "Now."
Author notes: And there you have it. Quite a lot of stories out there with Miqo'te protagonists, but I could not think of any other I'd like to rather use – must be something about the character I use in the game being Miqo'te. Also the gear she uses is the Iron War Axe and the Toadskin set, but no gloves.
Also on the subject of aetherytes. How there can be an aetheryte in Middle-Earth? An answer to that will have to wait as the story progress. Suffice it to say there will be some artistic license involved.