The sun was set high in the sky and birds were singing in the trees, it was peaceful. The leaves were still holding onto small droplets of rainwater from the day before.

A dark colored pony was grazing on the fresh dewy grass, its owner sitting under a nearby tree. Fayre was twiddling with a small dagger. She had to sharpen it, it was getting dull. She put the dagger back into its sheath, watching her pony graze away.

"Don't you ever stop eating?" She pondered out loud. The pony snorted and seemed to eat even faster now after her words. Fayre smiled and turned to the saddle which lay besides her, with her bow and quiver. She touched the leather straps.

"I do not have anymore leather to expand the saddle, you know." She continued, imagining her pony answering her. That's not my problem.

For anyone passing by her, she must have sounded to have some screws loose. But talking to her pony kept her sane. Considering that it could go weeks, sometimes even months, for her to come across other people. Deep down she knew that she was lonely.

She heard a chirping sound nearby, followed by a series of clacking noises. Fayre recognized the noise and grabbed her bow and an arrow. She moved towards where the sound had come from, careful to not make too much noise.

Peeked through some bushes and saw a large brown pheasant, pecking at the ground, looking for food. It chirped again and looked around itself, still unaware of her presence.

Fayres face was getting wet from the bush she was leaning against. She moved her bow and arrow between the leaves, aiming at the birds neck.

Taking a breath and making sure her aim was right, she drew the bowstring back and released. The poor bird had no time to react when the arrow hit the mark, its wings flapping. Fayre jumped out from the bush, drawing her dagger, and ended the birds suffering.

She got no enjoyment from killing live beings. But her food supply was running low, and big birds like this one was hard to come by. Removing the arrow, she put it back in the quiver, and took the bird back to her pony.

She dropped her weapon down and started rummaging through her small pack. Taking out a leather string. She tied this around the birds limp neck. Satisfied she turned towards her still grazing pony.

"I guess we better find shelter for the night, huh?" She walked up to the pony and stroked its long mane. Collecting the reins she led the pony back to her supplies.

She started to collect the few items she had. Leather strips, a small pouch with her gold, and some new undergarments. She did not carry much, relying more on what she could forage as she traveled. Her pony groaned a bit as she put on the saddle, and she tied the pheasant to the saddle bag with the quiver of arrows.

She tightened her cloak around her neck and placed her small backpack on. With her bow around her torso she mounted her pony and kicked it to move forwards.

Fayre let the reins hang low. Trusting her pony to move forwards anyways as she began to comb her fingers through her tangled hair. She pulled out a few strands of blonde hair and cursed her thick mane. But she managed to collect her hair and she fished out a leather strip from her pocket and tied it into a low ponytail.

They had ridden for some hours when she came across an old ruin of a house.

"Whoa." Her pony stopped at her command, taking the opportunity to munch on the grass below them.

Fayre eyed the ruin up and down, it seemed to have been this way for a long time, the wooden roof decayed.

"I guess this will do." She dismounted her pony and led the still grazing mare to the back of the ruin. Having never had any problem with her pony running away from her, she removed the bridle as well as the saddle.

Fayre placed all her belongings at the grass next to the ruin, removing her cloak to use as a seat. Sitting down she gave a silent yawn, now feeling the tiredness in her body. She watched her pony roll around in the grass as she nodded off.

Fayre awoke as she heard voices. Still hazed from sleeping she told herself that she was just imagining it. Talking to her horse that much must have made her hear things.

"I have told you already, I will not go near that place." She heard a deep voice say. Fayre opened her eyes halfway and frowned, what was her pony saying.

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Her eyes shot open, this was no dream. She saw her pony look up as well, ears perked and alert.

"I do not need their advice." She moved around to the sound of the voices and peeked through the cracks of the wooden ruins. She saw a black fur cloak and heavy boots.

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us." She saw a man cloaked in grey, with a pointy hat and a long staff in hand. Much taller than any man she had seen before.

"Help? A dragon attack Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing." Fayre listened to the conversation, she had heard about the dragon attack in her youth. "You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

The man in grey leaned on his staff, and looked in her direction. She moved away, holding her breath because she was sure the man saw her.

"You are nether of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep."

She heard them both walk away, her shoulder sagging with relief.

"I've had enough of dwarfs for one day!" She heard some one yell and then she heard whinnying from horses. Her pony must have heard as well as she whinnied back and started to trot around to the front end of the ruin.

"No, no, no!" Fayre hissed as she made a move to grab her pony, but it was faster than her dodging her attempt to grab its mane with ease. Last she saw was its dark rump rounding the corner.

"What's this?" She heard.

"Must be a wild pony."

"No, it's too fat."

Fayre rounded the corner as well, determined to get her pony back. She stopped in her tracks as she saw a large group of men, staring at her. Feeling less confident as she was seconds before she straightened up. And crossed her arms.

"Pardon me." Her voice came out squeaky. She cleared her throat. "She's mine." She gave a curt nod towards her runaway pony.

When no one responded she made a move to go and get her pony.

"Who are you?" The voice was deep and demanding. There was a slight threat under his voice. Turning her head she saw a dark haired male. She recognized the fur cloak and boots from her spying earlier. Fayre swallowed hard, but tried to look unfazed.

"My name is Fayre. I was looking for shelter for the night, but, but i'll be on my way." She knew she was babbling, a nervous habit. The dark haired male kept her gaze for a bit longer, Fayre did not dare to look away. Then he turned and looked at one of the white haired males in the group. Said male shrugged, but nodded, a silent agreement.

"No worries lass." The white haired male said. "You are welcome to stay."

Smoke was flowing up into the sky from the new fire, a stew with her pheasant in was bobbling over the heat. She had given the bird as a thanks for letting her stay. The dwarfs were grateful, not having had any luck finding meat themselves.

One of the dwarfs had sat besides her for a while, asking her questions. Ori, one of the younger dwarfs. He seemed curious. He had asked her about her skills as a hunter. He then introduced her to the group of dwarfs, and the one hobbit. He asked her to repeat her name, which she did.

Fayre sat on a nearby stump looking over the dwarfs, trying to remember all the names they had presented. Ori, Dori, Nori, Bifur Bofur, Bombur, Dwalin, Balin, Glóin, Óin. She pursed her lips. Fíli and Kíli with the ponies. Bilbo Baggins the hobbit and Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the company. She glanced over to where he sat, away from the others, gazing out into forest. He had not spoke a word since he demanded to know who she was. But she caught him sending her suspicious glances from time to time.

She went over the names again in her head.

"He's been a long time." She heard Bilbo said.

"Who?" Bofur asked, serving up stew to the hungry dwarfs.

"Gandalf." Fayre assumed that was the tall man she had seen earlier.

"He's a wizard! He does as he chooses." She frowned, she had never met a wizard. "Here, do us a favor, take this to the lads." Bofur handed Bilbo two bowls of the stew and ushered him off to the ponies.

Fayre slipped away unnoticed, following Bilbo into the forest. She walked up next to him and he jumped, he did not hear her come up. Walking besides the hobbit, she noted that she was one head taller than him.

"I've never seen a hobbit so far away from the shire." She said, looking at him through the corner of her eye.

"Oh, well, yes. I wanted to go on an adventure." He didn't sound so sure.

Fayre didn't ask anymore as they came up where Fíli and Kíli were standing. Bilbo made a move to hand them the stew but they did not take it.

"What's the matter?"

Kíli turned his head in Fayres and Bilbos direction. "We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies."

Fíli turned as well. "Only we've encountered a slight problem."

"We had seventeen."

"Now there's fifteen."

They all looked over the remaining ponies. Fayre spotted her dark mare with the dwarfs ponies, looking up at her arrival.

"Well, that's not good. That is not good at all. Shouldn't we tell Thorin?" Bilbo said, soups still in his hands.

"Uhh, no. Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it." Fíli said, facing Bilbo. Bilbo started to look around, as did Fayre.

"You don't need a burglar to see all these uprooted trees." Fayre said, bending down and touched the ground. Feeling an indent that could only be a large footprint in the dirt.

"Something very big, and quite dangerous." Bilbo said.

"Hey! There's a light. Over here! Stay down." Fíli whispered and started to run towards the small light in the distance. Fayre and the rest following the blonde dwarf into the woods.

They stopped to hide behind an old log. Fayre noted that the light was actually a big fire, and she heard loud laughter.

"What is it?" Bilbo asked, still holding on to the two bowls of stew.

"Trolls." Fíli and Kíli started to run towards the fire. Bilbo and Fayre shared a look before they too followed the dwarfs. They did not run far, until they both were dragged down into a bush by Fíli and Kíli. Fayre heard heavy footsteps not far away from them, and she glanced up from behind the bush. A huge troll came walking out from the trees. It was carrying two ponies under each arm. She recognized her own dark mare, whinnying at the poor treatment it was getting.

"They got my pony." She hissed.

"And Myrtle! I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something." Bilbo put down the bowls of stew, that he had carried all the way.

"Yes, you should." Kíli said, taking one of the bowls. "Mountain trolls are slow at stupid, and you're so small."

"N-n-no-" Bilbo stuttered. They couldn't be serious to send the small, unarmed, hobbit alone into a pack of trolls?

"They'll never see you." Kíli tried to persuade him.

"No, no, no.."

"It's perfectly safe! We'll be right behind you." Kíli pushed Bilbo forward.

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl." Fíli pushed Bilbo now as well. The hobbit stumbled forwards, mumbling out Fílis instructions to himself.

"Alright, let's go get backup." Kíli whispered, pulling Fayre by the arm. Dragging her back towards camp.

"But you said we would be right behind Bilbo!" Fayre hissed, moving her arm out from Kíli's grasp. For all that they knew Bilbo could be squished into a pulp by now.

"Good point. Why don't you go back and keep an eye on him?" Fayre turned back and didn't see the halfling anywhere.

"But I only got a small dagger..." She turned back and Fíli and Kíli was gone. Standing alone in the dark, she was tempted to follow the dwarfs back to camp and get her bow. But if Bilbo couldn't manage to get the ponies, she could at least try to distract the trolls long enough for him to get away. Hopefully.

Fayre sheathed her dagger, turning the blunt blade around in her hands. It was better than no weapon at all. She then turned to sneak back to the troll camp.

As she got closer she could hear the scrambling of pots and loud talking.

"Grab him!"

"It's too quick!"

That was enough to set her legs into action as she made a full sprint into the camp.

"Gotcha!" Bilbo was being held by his small legs upsides down in the air by one of the trolls. Fayre dashed into a pair of bushes, she had to get behind. It would be foolish to do a frontal attack, with them being four times as big as her.

The troll held Bilbo closer. "Are there any more of you little fellas hiding where you shouldn't?"

"Nope."

"He's lying."

"No i'm not!"

Fayre managed to get around the occupied trolls, and crawled up on a small boulder behind them. Holding her dagger with both hands she lurched forward with a battle cry. Her dagger connected with one of the trolls back, lodging itself into its shoulder blade. The troll howled in pain.

"Get it off! Get it off!" It screamed, turning around trying to grab her. The dagger was stuck and she was holding on for dear life as the troll swung back and forth. In all the ruckus the troll bumped into Bilbo, who fell to the ground.

Fayre felt her hands slipping from the hilt and she tried to get a better hold. The troll did a final turn and she lost her grip from her dagger, and she flew into a nearby tree. She felt the air leave her lungs as she fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

She flinched when she felt a cold hand touch her shoulder, and looked up to see Bilbo. In the background she saw one of the trolls move to grab him again. With all the might she had left in her battered body she tried to push Bilbo out of the way.

She didn't need to as all the dwarfs came charging through the bushes, weapons at hand. Feeling dizzy she closed her eyes, hearing the sound of metal hitting flesh and yelling. The fall must have knocked her head a bit, because she was sure that she lost consciousness for some seconds. She woke to feel herself dragged away by Bilbo.

"No." She managed to get out. Bilbo stopped and looked to her, confused.

Fayre coughed. "Get the ponies first."

Bilbo nodded and ventured into the battle, dodging incoming blows from the trolls. She laid there for a little while, calming her breaths. She then made a move to stand, leaning on the tree she had collided into. The fighting had come to a stop. Believing the trolls were dead she looked up only to see Bilbo being held from his arms and legs. The dwarfs had gathered in front of her, looking up at the poor hobbit.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off." One by one they dropped their swords and axes to the ground.

I accidentally posted an old chapter of this story instead of the new one I had written. Too bad it took me two days before I even noticed. Hopefully it will not happen again.