Hello all,

First I own nothing of The Hobbit, it all belongs to the master of Fantasy JRR Tolkien. The only thing I own is the OC character for this story. Next I must state that this is a Rated T story, but it will become an M rating, so be warned. I of course will let you know when the rating will become an M for those that wish to avoid reading beyond the T rating.

Also at the end of each chapter is the 'Author's Notes, if I feel I need to explain why I wrote something, I will explain there.

That aside please read on..

On the North-south road by Dunland...

The woods were ever so silent as the sun shown down through the trees, it was midday and as the wizard moved he groaned. He felt his age upon him but now was not the time to rest and relax as he considered giving up and heading straight for the Shire. He grumbled as he moved, the rumours had been wrong; it was the only explanation for lack of finding who he sought. He again considered what he had heard. 'They say a ranger took down the bandits that attacked a traveller on the road by Dunland.' 'I heard that rumour too, so quick and vicious was she that one moment the bandits stood and the next they were dead.'

The rumours went on and on stating a ranger of the north worked alone rather than in a group in safe guarding the road. However the more he heard the more he recognised who she was, an old friend and a mystery wrapped in one. Long ago he first met her in Imladris and was introduced to her by Lord Elrond, even then he felt it a growing darkness. Even as he moved through the woods he sensed it, however evil was not in this ranger's heart.

'Exactly why she must be helped before she can be used for darker purposes. Without aid she is too dangerous.' Gandalf thought, knowing the enemy needed no more powerful weapons in their arsenal. As it stood Smaug was too great and terrible a weapon on his own. Pulled out of his own thoughts, Gandalf took in his surroundings carefully and realised he was being watched. He looked up and around to the trees spotting no one in particular. "I know you are there."

"Travelling alone is dangerous, sir. There are bandits in these woods who would take advantage." The soft silky voice came from the trees, but where? He could not pinpoint.

"And are you one of them?" He asked carefully.

"No I hunt them to keep the roads clear and traveller's safe from harm. Still it is dangerous nonetheless." The sweet voice said, and Gandalf breathed a sigh of relief, for all the frightening tales of his old friend it appeared evil was not yet one of her traits. Still the darkness there had grown in strength and he could feel it, but with his intervention perhaps that darkness would not consume her.

"Actually I came in search of an old friend, a ranger. She prefers her solitude. An Veirra Stormshadow?" Gandalf asked. There was a long pause that made him wonder if she had left.

"Perhaps I am." The voice replied amused.

"Then how would you like to share in an adventure?"

The edges of the Shire weeks later...

The trees were sparser here and so hard to hide and perch in, could this place not have more trees? Again Veirra sighed wondering how Gandalf talked her into this in the first place. At least she did not have to do much right then, Gandalf had gone and spoken to the hobbit earlier in the day and soon evening would come. Then he returned to tell her the meeting would take place at Bilbo Baggins' home. "You are welcome to join us." He offered.

"Nice of you to offer, but you agreed I would not have to join the company. I am to watch at distance and move on my own." Veirra replied calmly much to the wizard's annoyance. It had been the only way to get her to come along was if she remained 'independent' from the company and equally unknown. Still Gandalf grumbled about it. However on the other hand Thorin had only agreed to allow Gandalf to choose the fourteenth member of the company not a fifteenth member. Perhaps for now it was for the best that she keep her distance. "I am going to look for those meeting at the house, keep watch."

Nodding Veirra kept her eyes on Hobbiton as the wizard moved off. The Hobbits moved about their daily lives with no care in the world, it looked nice even peaceful. A spark of envy came to her as she had once considered a 'normal' life. Marriage, children, the whole thing; but really who would have her? No one, shaking her head the day quickly sped towards evening and many settled into their Hobbit Holes. Eventually she saw the first burly dwarf arrive and she shuddered at seeing him and could be glad that she was not attending the meeting. He was bald and had tattoos. Next a white haired dwarf arrived though judging by his demeanour as he passed by she guessed he was a nicer dwarf. One could often tell a personality by merely observing a person. For example the first dwarf had a more aggressive walk to him, which led Veirra to believe he was bossy, irritable, and prone to violence. While the second walked at a more calm and measured step, obviously knowledgeable and more level headed. A negotiator at heart, good hot headed dwarves were the worst.

Now things were vastly getting interesting as a pair of dwarves arrived both much younger, one a handsome blond, the other a handsome dark haired. As they moved they were apparently teasing one another as they playfully shoved each other off the dirt path. Obviously brothers by their actions, though the blond seemed more mature by the way he moved at times. The dark haired one was fun to watch as he playfully laughed with his brother, in a word 'reckless' came to mind as Veirra gauged him, and a 'charmer' again she was glad she was not going to this meeting. Soon followed Gandalf and a larger group of dwarves as they passed right by her tree not realising her even there save for Gandalf. The wizard stopped to look up at her offering one last time that she join them, but carefully Veirra shook her head and the wizard sighed at her refusal. 'How many?' He mouthed the words up to her and she answered by holding up four fingers. The grey wizard nodded, then looked down.

"Oi! Gandalf you coming?" A dwarf with a funny hat asked.

"Of course master dwarf just stopped a moment to catch my breathe." Gandalf answered then promptly followed the remaining dwarves to the Hobbit hole. They were one short! Veirra counted twelve dwarves not thirteen.

Half an hour later was when Veirra took out an apple to eat on when she spotted him, the regal and powerful way he moved made her shudder as she counted her blessings that she would not be at this meeting. This one intimidated her more then the first, but soon that uncertainty was replaced by amusement. First the dwarf lord headed in the wrong direction on entering Hobbiton, then came back to the forest edge and consulted his map, then headed off to the left some, then back. It was laughable watching a powerful dwarf lord lost and only a stones throw away from his intended destination. If this kept up she doubted the company would make it past Bree! Finally the dwarf got his bearings and almost walked right past the door of Bilbo's home, it was by chance he saw the mark on the door and realised he was there.

"I have never seen a directionally challenged dwarf lord." Veirra chuckled as she took a bite of her apple and the dwarf knocked and was let in. Now all were accounted for and Veirra decided to eavesdrop on the meeting. She ate half her apple before stretching then she dropped down from her tree branch to land on her feet. Giving a soft whistle to call her horse Violet over she gave the remainder of her apple up. "There is your half, now go back to your hiding spot." Violet gently took the apple into her mouth then disappeared back into the shadows. Cautiously Veirra moved from the tree line and moved down hill towards Hobbiton and Bilbo Baggins home. Peeking into the window Veirra watched careful not to be seen or heard as they spoke. "Fine give him the contract."

One of the dwarves handed the Hobbit a contract and she faintly heard him mumbling as he read it over. "Incineration?"

"Oh Aye he will melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." The dwarf with the funny hat said, causing the hobbit to go pale.

"You alright laddie?" The old white haired dwarf asked.

"Yeah, I feel a bit faint." Bilbo breathed trying to calm down. Now the weird hatted one started in.

"Think furnace with wings."

"I...need air..." Bilbo said trying to calm down with one dwarf pointing out the greatest danger of this quest. "Flash of light searing pain then puff your nothing more then a pile of ash."

Bibo seemed to straighten for a moment and for a second Veirra thought he was okay. "Nope" Bilbo said then fainted there and then. Gandalf groaned as he eyed the weird hatted dwarf. Veirra clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling. 'That is how you scare someone off from your quest.' She thought shaking her head amused. They eventually got Bilbo into a chair with some relaxing tea and Gandalf lectured him about sitting idle for too long. Unfortunately it seemed the Hobbit was not going to go with them on this quest. Not surprising for Veirra as she listened in as she heard the apparent leader talking to the white haired dwarf. "It appears we have lost our burglar. Probably for the best the odds were always staked against us. After all what are we? Merchants, miners, Tinkers, Toy makers. Hardly the stuff of legend."

The deep voice of the leader made Veirra shudder, but instead his voice was gentle. "There are a few warriors amongst us."

"Old Warriors." The white haired dwarf corrected.

"I would take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them they answered. Loyalty, Honour, a willing heart. I can ask for no more." The words struck her, so the dwarves of the Iron Hills refused to aid their own. Veirra shook her head as her blood red hair brushed her cheek. They were kin and yet they refused aid. 'Should that surprise you? Every race has those that would sooner stab you in the back as to look at you! Every race holds traitors from the highest of elves to the lowest of Goblins, it should be no surprise.' Veirra scolded herself as the pair continued talking. Still it must hurt the great dwarf lord to have his own kin refuse him, a sting of betrayal. She shivered as she was reminded how evil and cruel any and all races could be. As it stood Veirra had a very low view of the many races of Middle Earth. The Elves on one hand could be wise and immortal, but it also paved the way for them to be judgemental and act like they were infallible. The Dwarves on one hand could be the greatest warriors and craftsmen, but also greedy. This was not to say her people were much better, no her people could be kind and caring but also cruel and selfish. This was why she stayed away and travelled alone, she had seen the worst that each race had to offer and wanted nothing to do with them.

Shaking her head she came out of her thoughts or was more or less saved from them as the strong voice of the leader singing calmed her. It made her feel calm yet strong and she closed her eyes to hear the song and ignore all else around her. She recognised the song easily the dwarves of Erebor sung it to keep hope alive among their people. Being a ranger meant knowing the world and all people in it. Still his voice had shattered through her thoughts and brought her back, and never had she heard the song sung so beautifully. When the song reached its end, Veirra sorely wished they would sing it again. However they soon readied for bed and so Veirra decided to go find a safe place to sleep unnoticed. Returning to the tree line outside of Hobbiton where she had been before she scaled the tree and got as comfortable as she could. Her back pressed to the thick oak of the tree and soon she dosed off. Being a ranger she was a light sleeper, and knew better then to move in the night lest she fall from the tree. Luckily this tree had nice thick branches jutting out and so falling was a little harder to do.

When next she opened her eyes it was early morning and she heard someone approach. "You could have joined us you know."

Veirra opened one eye to look down to the grey wizard then stretched causing bones to pop. "You know me Gandalf I don't like crowds."

"I brought you breakfast." He called up, and she finally noticed the yellow bundle in his hand. Knowing he wanted her to come down she sighed before dropping down. Then he handed her the bundle.

"Thanks Gandalf." Sitting down on a nearby tree log she unwrapped the yellow cloth to reveal a sweet cake. Taking it up she ate while Gandalf sat nearby thinking. "I am surprised there is any food left after last night."

"I hid it before Fili and Kili could eat them all." Gandalf replied.

"Are they up and ready to go?"

"Yes they have just gotten up and are preparing to leave." Gandalf replied.

"And the Hobbit? From what I overheard it sounds like he is not coming." Veirra replied receiving a surprised look from Gandalf.

"No he thus far has refused, but he will come. He just needs more time." The wise wizard replied as he looked on at Hobbiton. "Most the dwarves are betting that he stays home."

"And you are betting he will come?" Receiving a nod, Veirra smirked, "Count me in then, double your bet. This will be a good means for the dwarves to learn a cardinal rule."

"Cardinal rule?" Gandalf asked confused as she handed him a pouch of coins.

"Yes, never bet against a wizard, never deny a hobbit elevenses, never challenge a dwarf to a drinking contest, never enter an archery contest with an elf, and never let a man cook." Veirra stated getting Gandalf laughing.

"Oh very well my dear. I can not argue with those rules." Gandalf replied. Gandalf continued to smoke on his pipe mumbling at times before he finally stood.

"Be ready to follow." He said before heading back to prepare his horse. Getting up she moved back further yet into the woods and found her own horse, Violet. The horse was grazing on the grass and reacted when Veirra drew near. Speaking softly in Sindarin the horse immediately calmed and so she prepared to ride.

Following and keeping out of sight, it turned out that the wizard had been right and had won a fair amount of coin for the bets place on whether or not the Hobbit would show up. Still it was amusing to watch when she had almost caught up to them. Discreetly Gandalf dropped her pouch of money with the extra she had won from the bet onto the ground knowing she would get it. Sure enough while the group moved on some ways ahead she collected the money she won. "Never bet against a wizard." She laughed as she stowed her pouch away.

Thus the journey began...

Author's Note:

There you go the first of many chapters. I hope thus far you like Veirra and the chapter.

Also I feel I must state this. In my previous story I wrote which was a How to train your dragon/Brave cross over, a rude reviewer only read 7 chapters when there was 14 and made assumptions about my story WITHOUT reading it fully. I have no problems with good or bad reviews, so feel free to review how you like. Be it per chapter or when I finish writing and complete this story. I like good and bad reviews especially if someone has ideas or suggestions.

However I draw the line at those that read only half the story and say that it is terrible and the characters are OOC, especially if they do not have the decency to read all of the story. If one can not stand to read the whole story they have no business writing a review and discouraging the writers.

That aside please feel free to review away.