The sound of steel was something Thorin was accustomed to, yet he and his company were not in the midst of battle. It was a common relief that they weren't when mostly they were, especially because of a certain hobbit. He laid his eyes upon said hobbit and, for once, knew that his Halfling had not caused the battle he was hearing
"I wonder..." Balin's words were cut off, but his question was answered by the howl of wargs, singing with the cries of orcs. Thorin's eyes met his and, once again, he saw the fierceness in the King's eyes. However, those steel gray-blue eyes widened when a feminine war cry rose to the sky in a threatening menace, cursing the orcs and the sound of pain erupted from the wargs.
Thorin bolted from his hiding spot, and with the others tailing behind him, they rushed to the sound of battle. However, his trudge was halted as he stumbled upon a warg, its' foreleg cleaved off with blood soaking on his side. The familiar sound of bile rose from Bilbo as they spotted several orcs sliced open on the forest floor, some lay with arrows sticking out of their throats. Others, he noticed, looked as though they were chewed on.
What caught the group's main attention was the glinting armor stuck to the form of a woman. Thorin knew it was a woman, not because of the voice, but because of the fallen helm. That helm was knocked aside, releasing a tangled flow of black waves of hair and sharp feminine features. This woman stood over an orc, the tip of her sword at his throat even as he cursed at her in his black language.
"My name you say? It will be the last name you will ever spill from your foul tongue. Takai is my name you piece of filth!" As the last word was spilt, Takai raised her sword and swung, as if playing a game of golf, removing the orc's head from his shoulders.
When Thorin saw it was the end for the orc, he stepped out from the shadows and came up behind Takai. However, he almost wishes he didn't, for she nearly removed his head as well. The edge of the blade rested against his neck and his hands came up in a sign of surrender. Though, like he thought, it was 'almost'. Deep blue eyes glared at him from underneath thick lashes, small locks of black hair rested against her caramel colored skin, making her look feral.
"Stand down, or I will remove his head." Despite the threatening tone, her voice was smooth as velvet and Thorin locked his knees to prevent himself from falling. A low, throaty growl removed him of his stupor as he watched a large black wolf begin to circle behind him. A chorus of growls rose up behind him before he shot a look at the woman before him. "Lay down your arms or I will regret hesitating from removing his head." At once, the sound of steel dropped to the ground.
"Who are you?" Thorin questioned and in turn, the woman's blue eyes met his once more. He saw a spark of humor even though her features were grim.
"My fellow dwarf, you forget your place." She spoke, barely taking a glance at the large group behind him before returning her gaze to the dwarf in front of her. "In good faith." She muttered, lowering the broadsword and sheathing it at her hip.
"Good faith." Thorin repeated, shifting his shoulders as he brought himself to his full height. He didn't have to turn to know that his company was surrounded by several wolves. He only assumed several based on the different tones of growls.
"Good faith." Takai's voice dripped with sarcasm as she looked over the dwarf before her. Raising her brows, she sidestepped away and began to circle; taking notice of the sword and axe he carried. "Who are you?"
Immediately when she left his line of sight, Thorin stiffened. Yet, he didn't hesitate to answer her question. "I am Thorin-."
"King under the Mountain." Takai finished as she stood in front of him again. With a whistle, the wolves back up and came to stand behind her in a half circle. A touch of humor rested on her lips. "Out hunting orcs and me find myself almost beheading a king. My father would have kittens." Her last sentence came out as a whisper as she looked up at Thorin, taking in the silver streaks that didn't match with a young face.
Thorin watched her, finding the humor in her blue eyes and finding himself that he could relax. "And you are?" He questioned, folding his arms over his chest. Even as he asked, he looked her over more carefully. He was barely a shade taller than her, making him think that she was a dwarf, yet there was not even a hint of a beard on her golden skin. Black hair was a contrast to her blue eyes. Then he saw a hint of an ear poking out from behind the dark waves. Elf. He thought bitterly.
"Takai." She spoke up, thought a sharp narrow of her eyes told Thorin that she knew he saw her ears. Instead of hiding them, she lifted her chin. "Typical dwarf, glaring at every sign of an elf. As if it was the elves fault the dwarves couldn't protect their own home from a worm." She growled out her words, moving to the side as she stooped down to pick up her fallen helm. As she stood, pity crept into her heart as she stared at the bedraggled group. Dirt marred their faces and unkempt hair. When she spotted a small figure, her heart went out to the fear which he tried to boldly hide behind the determination. She remembered seeing dirt marring Thorin's features as well.
'Their packs are empty of food, young one.' Takai glanced to the side to see the black wolf, silver making a path from his muzzle to his tail; yet flecks of silver was spotted across his form. With a sigh, she glanced at Thorin.
"If you seek shelter and food, I offer my home to you." Takai tilted her head, motioning in the direction of her home. A quick smile played upon her lips as a chorus of 'Yes!', 'I'm starving!', and the faint exhausted sigh 'I'm exhausted'. Even she saw the humor in Thorin's eyes. "It seems you are outnumbered."
"It seems so. Also, it may be unwise to decline your offer based on our current position." Thorin shot a glance at his fellow company. He took each one in and found Bilbo to be the most exhausted, obviously not accustomed to traveling. He almost wanted to ask Takai to escort the hobbit home, as he still held his doubts after leaving Rivendell. Turning his attention back to Takai, he motioned her onward. "After you, my lady."
Takai simply nodded, placing a hand on the side of the wolf and moved away from Thorin. With a motion with her free hand, the ten wolves that had surrounded the dwarves ran off ahead. The noiseless sounds of chatter and footfalls were loud behind her and she looked behind her. Wary folk, as they should be. She thought and spotted the smaller figure among them, looking as if he didn't belong but still stayed close with the group. "Little one, come here." She looked ahead, not bothering to see if the Halfling would meet with her up front.
"Yes?" Bilbo's voice hesitated as he met up with the female dwarf, or at least he thought she was a dwarf.
"Do not fear me, little one. I only wished to see if you were what I thought you were." Takia looked down at the hobbit with a smile as he stared up at her with a scrutinizing look.
"And that is?" Bilbo inquired thought he didn't bother denying that he feared her. Seeing her amidst in the form of bloodlust before almost removing Thorin's head did, in fact, worry him. Yet, it was those large wolves that he feared.
"A hobbit." Takai stated simply. "It has been many years since I've seen a hobbit travel this far. You are the first, however, that I've seen travel with a group of stubborn dwarves." Takai arched a brow in curiosity.
"I don't suppose that hobbit was a Took?" Bilbo asked warily.
"As a matter of fact, it was. Bella Took, aye. Course, I didn't see her much after she settled down with, oh what was that lad's name? Bungo, aye. Bungo Baggins. Last I heard, Bella had a son named-."
"Bilbo." Bilbo whispered as shock took over. The dwarf beside him looked younger than he, but knew the dwarves had longer lives. Thorin had to be at least in his nineties, possibly older. No silver marked Takai though, not even wrinkles. Yet she was old enough to know his mother. Well enough that his own mother kept contact with this woman. He glanced up at Takai and saw her curious blue eyes on him. "I'm Bilbo."
"Well bless me." Takai muttered, she didn't say a word as she knew Belladonna's fate in the sorrow of his eyes. "She was a good woman, as I'm sure you are. With no less of spunk if you're travelling with dwarves."
Bilbo warmed at the smile Takai gave him and quickly look at the ground at his feet. He doubted that he had that spunk. Especially Thorin. After the encounter with the trolls, he was wishing once more that he was at Bag End. Constantly feeling like a burden to those around him. Though, he soon realized that he was staring ahead, a hand resting beneath his chin.
"Do not let them discourage you. Dwarves are stubborn, prideful beings." Takai whispered before dropping her hand. She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Thorin as he watched her. Her eyes went to Bilbo as he cleared his throat to speak.
"You speak of dwarves as if you were an elf." Bilbo stated, jaw slightly dropping when Takai moved her hair behind her pointed ear. "You-?" He stuttered as she smiled humorously.
"Mmm. My father was a dwarf. My mother was human and elf. I do not have the bulk of a dwarf, but I have the height." Takai shrugged, glancing at Bilbo before peering into the forest around them. Dusk was falling quickly around them, but she knew they were less than a mile off from her home.
"She is quite small for an elf, Thorin." Balin whispered, taking a noticed glance at his younger brother, Dwalin, who grunted in agreement.
"She even has no beard, Balin. So she couldn't be a dwarf." Thorin stated, but as he watched her, he couldn't help but maybe doubt his words. Takai moved with the surety of a dwarven warrior, but even wearing leather boots wrapped in fur –like his- she moved with the silence of an elf. If you covered her ears and added a beard, she might look like a dwarf. Though there was a lack of bulk to her. Maybe that's why she was quiet, she was smaller. That had to be the reason.
"But what dwarf would go astride with wargs?" Dwalin mused as he stared at the heavily muscled wolf that walked with familiarity beside Takai. He watched Thorin nod in agreement before pausing a few feet behind the trio before him. With a narrow of his eyes, his eyes adjusted to the dark and caught sight of a stone cabin. The sound of a rushing stream was soothing, watching the black wolf wander off in that direction.
"There should be plenty of food and ale in the pantry." Takai glanced over her shoulder as she sauntered up the porch steps and stopped at the door. After listening for just a moment, making sure there were no surprises on the other side. Her wolves would have warned her if there was an intruder, but one can never be too careful. With a curt nod, she opened the wooden door and stepped inside. "Make yourselves at home."
Bilbo was the second one to enter what at first seemed like a small cabin. In fact, he was terribly wrong. The wood floors beneath his feet gave him a sense of his own home. Soft, fur rugs lay across the floors, each one leading into a different room. Both elven and dwarven fixtures were strewn down hallways; whether it was a design in a piece of furniture or a figurine resting upon a shelf, it was there. The dwarves, he noticed, had no problem finding the kitchen. Takai, was long gone.
Thorin gave the cabin a good once over. What caught his attention was the weaponry hanging from the walls along with medals with the symbol of the Iron Mountains. He paused placing his hands behind his back, finding empty hooks pinned to the wall. The sound of his company faded to the back of his mind when he spotted the symbol of Erebor marked on a ring that rested on a shelf below the medals that hung on the wall.
"I see you have found my father's war shrine." Takai quietly stated, smiling weakly when Thorin spun around. Raising a brow, she hid the amusement when his jaw slackened and shoulders slumped. He must have seen the weaponry in her arms because he stepped aside.
"It is quite impressive." Thorin glanced at the wall, watching her place up a large war bow upon the stone wall, right beside a large two sided war axe.
"Is it?" Takai questioned, placing her sword by the ring before placing a dozen knives in their rightful spots upon the wall.
"He must have been a great warrior." Thorin spoke softly, watching her faint pause before resuming her task. Without the armor, she looked smaller beside him. Thus, despite her small figure, he saw muscle shift when she moved and he couldn't stop as his gaze moved down to see the muscles shift in her legs.
"He was the best." Takai forced the words out, making her tone sharp to only force the lump in her throat down. "But even the best fall."
"And may I ask where?" Thorin figured he was pushing her, but he had heard the pride in Takai's sharp tone. He watched her face, hoping to see a sign of emotion, but it was closed off. Then she snapped.
"Erebor." Takai snapped facing Thorin.