AN: The start of things.

I own nothing but my ideas.

The lore and deep knowledge of the Took clan was passed down from Mother to Daughter. So since she had no daughter Belladonna taught her only child Bilbo all the things that she knew. She told him tales of time out of memory. Back when what is now Hobbiton was a forest thicker, denser and wilder than the Greenwood. When the Hobbits first arrived building holes under the tree roots. Bilbo grew to love all manner of stories, tales and songs. His mother would also tell of her own adventures, and that of her brothers and cousins. When she was younger Belladonna Took on a dare traveled into the Old Wood. She became so lost and confused that she ended up coming out on the other side. During her travels to find someone that could point her way home she somehow ended up in the foot hills of the Blue Mountains and then at the Grey Havens. She told Bilbo all about the wonder and terror of the sea. Bilbo thought it sounded amazing but he was scared of water and even more of boats so had no desire to see it himself.

Belladonna also taught her son to cook, sew and knit. And he took to food like a a fish to the water. Soon he could put her to shame, and her cooking was what attracted Bungo to her. She told Bilbo that he should never feed someone for free unless he had invited them himself. Bilbo was much like his father though and had little use for money, so whenever a guest would pop by unexpected, or more likely an expected guest would bring a tag along, he would have them 'pay' with a tale or song. After they would leave he would record what he heard in a leather bound book with heavy parchment.

With all the tales and teachings Bilbo grew to love adventure. He would often go looking for trouble in the Shire. Sometimes he would even find it. As he got older Bilbo would even visit his cousins in Buckland and even head to Bree form time to time. Not that the other hobbits in the Shire knew that. He had made friends with two of the Rangers that often passed through. He would trade the knowledge of the deep times for their knowledge of runes and maps, which he loved more than anything. He loved to catch Arathorn in Bree for he was very kind and would talk and laugh with the hobbit for hours. He would write down stories and lessons in Bilbo's books for him to read, and in most cases translate, while the ranger was away.

Belladonna and her husband, Bungo, died in the Fell Winter of TA 2911 when Bilbo was only 21. He had killed 2 of the wolves with his hatchet before he could get back into Bag End. Bilbo spent the remaining years till his coming of age at 33 perfecting all the lessons his parents had taught him. He could carve and shape pots like his father showed him, and grow nearly anything. He liked to grow herbs the best they reminded him of all his favorite people. They could be used to cook like his mother showed him and to heal like Arathorn taught. Another blow to the young hobbit came when he was 43. That was the year his good friend, his only close friend, Arathorn died. He didn't learn of the man's death till 2 years after it occurred.

Among the cooking and sewing lessons and all the long tales Belladonna Baggins taught her son one thing that was more queer than all the others. Took's, at least those of Old Took's line, when properly trained have a bit of the sight. Most can't rightly tell the future but they could tell somethings. Such as, the weather or if company was coming. And that was about all Bilbo could do.

One night at the beginning of March, of his 50 th year, Bilbo woke with a queer feeling. Like there was a party happening that he hadn't prepared for.

An: More back ground and next chapter will introduce the company.

BTW This will be slash, and there will be changes in POV.