On any other day the intense chase through the woodlands to the mysterious house would have tired Bilbo completely. But now, as the rest of the company slept peacefully on the straw covered floor Bilbo was wide awake. The bear that had chased them for the last leg of the journey was undoubtedly this "Beorn" Gandalf spoke of. A skin changer, a human skin changer. Bilbo had no idea other races had skin changers, his mind was buzzing like the large bees he'd seen floating past his windows. Was this Beorn friend or foe? Why did he chase them? Where was he now?

The last question was answered when he heard heavy footsteps approaching the house, not the shaking, lumbering steps of a bear, but that of a very tired man. Swallowing his fear Bilbo silently jumped to his feet and made his way to the door, easily flipping the latch and slipping outside before the other skin changer could enter.

And with that he came face to face with the biggest man the Hobbit had ever seen.

This was clearly a skin changer who spent more time than not in his animal form. His large body was hairy and coated in dust and grime in places. Bilbo did his best to appear as though he wasn't staring, especially seeing as the man wasn't clothed, having just shifted.

"Hello." He spoke up, the word coming out meeker than he anticipated, "My name is Bilbo Baggins."

Beorn snorted and Bilbo felt his confidence drop. He didn't know what else to say, how did one start a conversation with such a being?

"Beorn." He rumbled, "Not a Dwarf I see."

"Uh, no I'm a Hobbit and uh…" Bilbo stammered, he knew his sense of smell was greater as a wolf than a bears but did Beorn really not realise what he was?

"I'm also uh, well a skin changer."

That seemed abrupt, apparently Beorn agreed because he knelt down and stared. Bilbo flinched back as the Skin changer glared at him for a few moments before inhaling deeply through his nose.

"You do smell different…" He growled, "But I've not met a Hobbit before. There are no more skin changers, Azog took them all."

"The pale orc?" Bilbo squeaked, "Why would he want skin changers?"

"For entertainment." Beorn hissed.

"Well, there are skin changers, at least there are among my people." Bilbo said softly, realising quickly he had touched a nerve, "Not a great deal but a few hundred. Though, no bears I'm afraid, but plenty of rabbits, ponies and badgers, even a few otters and ferrets."

Beorn looked at him with steely eyes. Clearly he thought this was some sort of cruel joke at his expense. Bilbo could feel cool sweat forming on the back of his neck, the last thing he wanted was for Beorn to turn into that great bear again and rip him limb for limb.

"A-and my clan, my family I mean, we're, well I'm a wolf." He finally stammered out, "I haven't really shifted in years but, well I could, if I wanted to I mean. I just, well you see I've not met another skin changer in so long and I was curious is all."

This was such a bad idea, he could feel Beorn glowering at him as he stared at his feet awkwardly.

"Do it."

Huh?

Bilbo looked up again and blinked in surprise.

"If you truly are a skin changer, then show me."

"Oh-okay!"

Nervously Bilbo disrobed. It was quite normal for skin changers to be naked after all, before and after shifting but it had been quite some time and the air was hardly warm this time of night. Though, he had to admit, his heart was pounding with excitement. It had been so long since he shifted, the wolf inside of his was itching to run free again, like when he was a pup, chasing his mother through the forests of at Bree on his way to visit relatives.

The change was quick, it lasted but a few seconds but to describe the sensation was near impossible. One would expect muscles and bones extending and changing shape along with the internal shift or organ and sudden growth of fur would hurt and in a way it did. The skin burned and itched slightly but that lasted only a few choice seconds before Bilbo felt as at home on four paws as he had on two feet.

On instinct he shook his long fur out, revelling in his senses growing stronger. His sense of smell and hearing were always above those of a normal Hobbit but now they had more than doubled in strength.

Beorn looked at him with a mixture of anger and wonder, Bilbo hoped the rage part wasn't aimed at him. Sensing the bear's shock he stayed still and allowed him to run his fingers through his long fur. He stood a little taller now, the same size as the pony he'd ridden so far on this journey with at the very least. He was still a lot shorter than the beast of a man that was Beorn, but it did make looking him in the eye a lot easier.

"I never dreamed I would see one of my kind again." Beorn whispered.

"I'm not a bear." Bilbo reminded him, only just remembering to speak with his mind not his mouth.

A Hobbit's mouth was built for words, a wolf's was not. Luckily Skin changers possessed the innate ability to project their thoughts when in animal form.

"You are close enough." Beorn chuckled, shifting. Bilbo did his best not to cower, as a bear, Beorn was even more colossal.

Suddenly all the pent up energy he'd been holding back seemed to bubble to the surface and Bilbo found himself taking off into Beorn's compound. Tail wagging and barking for Beorn to try and catch him. It had been a long time since he'd played Hide and Hunt or play fought with anybody, suddenly he was dying to.

He had no hope of beating Beorn in a fight, that much was obvious, but he had the speed advantage. If wolves could laugh Bilbo would be as he dashed about the bears legs. Jumped on his back and swiped playfully at his ears.

"Is that the best you've got?" Bilbo teased, nipping at the bear's paws only to find himself gently thrown in the air before he landed with a thud in a juniper bush. Beorn rumbled.

"Care to try again?"

Bilbo whipped his tail between his legs in a sign of compliance.

"No, no, you win."

Bilbo sneezed as the leaves ticked his nose, he was trying his best not to completely ruin Beorn's garden but the bush ended up with half its twigs in his fur anyway.

"Sorry." He whined, picking the sticks out with the help of Beorn's claws.

Beorn just yawned before heading back to the house in the middle of the compound. Bilbo felt a little guilty, realising the other skin changer was probably tired from hunting, and no doubt fighting, orcs. But their short bout of rough housing had his blood pumping, he couldn't shift back now, he'd never sleep.

Lacking any better ideas he wandered the compound, noting the sweet smell of honey coming from the large bee hives not far away by the river. He hoped he'd get the chance to taste some of the honey those bees made before they left, it smelt divine. Busy day dreaming about toast and crumpets Bilbo made his way to the river and lowered his muzzle to drink, only then did he realise he could smell something else besides the honey.

There was a dwarf nearby.

Next chapter I shall finally give a detailed description of what Bilbo's wolf form looks like! Who do you think has come outside? Who's the first Dwarf to see Bilbo as a wolf?