Chapter 2 – An Unexpected Flashback

"Wait!" the dwarves heard. Thorin looked and saw that Bilbo was getting closer to them. He had the contract in hand as he came closer to the group. "I signed it."

He showed it to Balin. Thorin couldn't be anywhere annoyed, but also perplexed at the same time. He had hoped that the Hobbit would stay home so he wouldn't get hurt. However, now Bilbo would get hurt. When Balin said that everything was in order, and the other dwarves cheered. Thorin grew annoyed, but he ordered something.

"Give him one of the ponies," Thorin said. When the hobbit began protesting saying he would rather walk all the way to Erebor, Thorin looked back at him as if he were crazy. The Halfling wanted to walk all the way there? They would never move on if the Hobbit (now Burglar) and Bilbo would surely die of exhaustion. Oakenshield signaled Fíli and Kíli to do something about it.

When Bilbo came with the contract in hand, he waited for the dwarf's judgement. After a while, the dwarf smiled at young Bilbo Baggins and looked at the contract and Bilbo's signature. He saw that Gandalf was smiling when he saw Bilbo there, but Thorin had an unreadable expression Bilbo couldn't understand. He just couldn't resist after seeing the contract when he woke up yesterday morning.

"Everything appears to be in order," Balin said. He announced to the company. "Welcome Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

When the dwarfs cheered, Bilbo smiled and pet the white pony Balin was on with a small pat on the horse's muzzle. Thorin then told them to give Bilbo one of the ponies. However, the hobbit heard the resentment in Thorin's voice when he was ordered to give Bilbo a pony. He began giving excuses on to why he shouldn't have a pony.

It was the first night on this journey. Quickly Bilbo set up his bedroll and only was this close to falling asleep, but the younger dwarves of the two, Fili and Kili they were named woke him up. He glared at them.

"Support to disturb you, Mr. Baggins, but you're going to bed without even a taste of dinner?" Kíli asked.

"No, I am good, Young Master Dwarves," Bilbo said. In truth, he had eaten throughout the day while traveling. But he wasn't really all that hungry. He was perfectly fine.

"Alright," Fili said. "well leave you to your rest."

Thorin watched the hobbit from afar, where he saw that Bilbo was stressed about something. Thorin barely knew the Hobbit and only having known him for two days. However, he also noticed that Bilbo had no warmth. All there is was the dying fire. Thorin also wondered why the Hobbit chose to skip dinner.

"Did you even pack a warm coat for this journey, Master Baggins?" Thorin asked him. Bilbo shook his head.

"No," Bilbo answered.

"Go to bed, Mr. Baggins," Thorin told him, pointing the hobbit in the right direction.

"I'm warm enough," Bilbo snapped at Thorin but the dwarf saw Bilbo shiver. "And last I checked you're not my mother, or my father."

"Yes, but I'm also the leader of this company," Thorin said, "and you'll do as I tell you, burglar."

"I'm fine, trust my suggestion," Bilbo said.

The dwarf raised his eye brow.

"First you had suggested walking on to Erebor, and you've also refused dinner. Now you say that you'd rather be cold for the night? Nice try, Mr. Baggins."

Thorin forced the extra fur he had onto Bilbo's shoulders.

"Um, thanks, I guess," Bilbo said. "Good night."

"Goodnight, Mr. Baggins," Thorin responded before going to bed. Thorin was still giving Bilbo a disappointed look. This hobbit was going to be rather difficult for them both.

It was late into the night and Thorin Oakenshield and fallen asleep while on watch. As Bilbo was sleeping the furs had come off of him, Thorin looked at the little hobbit and placed them back over the Hobbit. However, watching the Hobbit, the dwarf king immediately fell asleep. Bilbo a while later could not sleep because of Bombur's constant snoring, so he went over to Myrtle and fed her an apple. All was well and quiet when Bilbo heard the screeches in the night. Fili and Kili were the only dwarves up, and they explained to Bilbo it was orcs. The Hobbit froze: the word Orcs made him stumble upon that sentence.

Thorin woke at Bilbo's explanation at Orcs being near. He was on high alert, only to find his nephews were only joking with Master Baggins. Enough was enough for Thorin. He looked to the younger dwarves and decided it was time to step into the situation so Fili and Kili would leave their burglar alone.

"You think that's funny?" Thorin asked them, coming over to Bilbo's side (almost. "That a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

"We didn't mean anything by it, Uncle," Kili said to Thorin softly.

"No you don't, none of you know anything of the world," Thorin said, looking at Kili and FIli and Bilbo, but mostly at the dwarf duo. He walked away wordlessly to the edge of the cliff.

What was his deal? Bilbo wondered. Balin came over to the trio.

"Don't mind him, lads," Balin said. "Thorin has more cause to hate orcs."

Bilbo had to admit, after hearing Balin's story of Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo's view of the dwarf king changed. Not to mention the fact that Thorin had been able to single handedly defeated Azog and also managed to lead his entire army and save his people at the same time. Maybe he was right to lead this quest of Erebor, despite the fact the King's doubts of Bilbo in the past and in the near future. Maybe Thorin wasn't the pompous dwarf he met in Bag End and was a completely different person. The hobbit walked over to the dwarf king and offered the furs back.

"Keep it," Thorin said, "for now at least, Master Baggins."

Bilbo nodded and went back to bed, with Thorin's furs around his shoulder and the long night waiting to come

Next: Troll problems and what happens after the Troll incident. Starts with Gandalf's argument to Thorin Oakenshield and the aftermath of the trolls (two parts)