Pixie Dust
They camp a few miles out of Breeland, and the moment his feet touched the ground, he is filled with an energy that had his ears twitching and his wings a constant flutter. It was a kind of energy unlike anything he's ever felt in the Shire.
Wild and untamed.
Not knowing what to do with it, Bilbo released the energy, pouring it into the ground causing seedlings buried underneath to grow into flowers and greenery, much to the awe and delight of the Dwarves. Especially Ori, who piled Bilbo with questions after questions, to which the Hobbit patiently answered.
"So Hobbits make things grow?"
"Not exactly, with our hands and some magic we help seedlings mature, protect them from damage, and heal them should they be in need of it."
"Are all Hobbits so small?"
"Yes, though my Great-Gran Uncle Bandobras Took was well over seven inches tall!"
"Do you all have wings?"
"Yes, though I've heard stories of Hobbits who have fins and live in the rivers, streams and sea"
"Do all Hobbits glow?"
"Yes, we can control how bright we want it, we've quickly learnt that the Big Folk that should met us have trouble seeing us sometimes because apparently we're too bright"
"So aside from the Men in Bree, and Gandalf, who else knows about your kind?"
"Rangers and Elves"
"Why do Hobbits glow?"
"Because the earth is happy"
Ori frowned at the answer, clearly not understanding how the earth being happy tied to Hobbits glowing, Bilbo was about to explain when Gandalf spoke.
"Bilbo's glow is an unusual coloring if I'm not mistaken" said the Wizard.
Bilbo looks at him, noticing that the other Dwarves had been listening in on their conversation, then nodded.
"Yes" he answered, explaining further after Ori's prompting, "Hobbit's glow come in many colors, but there has never been a white one"
"Do you know why?"
"No" said Bilbo.
Ori asks more questions, and only stopped when Dori forced him to bed after he started yawning between his words, Bilbo watched Dori fuss over his brother before flying over to Gandalf who had first watch tonight, he landed on the wizard's waiting palm.
"You know something" Bilbo says quietly as not to disturb the others.
"I know many things, my dear Bilbo" Gandalf smiled.
"About my coloring, you know what it means, don't you"
"Indeed I do"
"Well?" Bilbo then urged when the Wizard doesn't say anything more.
"Well what?"
Bilbo gave a little growl, and his wings flutter with annoyance, Gandalf chuckled, "No need to get upset my friend, I will tell you. You're coloring as it were, means you are simply, unique"
"Unique?"
Gandalf nodded, "One of the kind, if you prefer that saying"
"….Mother and Father used to say the same thing, they'd say I was unique"
"Then you know I am right"
~.~
With his pack safely tucked in Gandalf's robes, Bilbo spent much of the day either flying between the Dwarves talking to them, or on top of Gandalf's hat, legs dangling over the edge. The nights were spent pretty much the same, someone would gather woods while the others set up camp. Bilbo helped Bombur with dinner, bringing back herbs he'd find and adding them to the stew that give it that extra "kick" as his mother would say. The Hobbit would stay up with whoever was on first watch, the two of them talking quietly to each other, his most enjoyable night was surprisingly with Dwalin who told him the story of how he took down a camp of bandits with his two hammers Grasper and Keeper, other times he would talk to the Ponies.
It was nice.
It also didn't last long.
"It's going to rain today"
Bofur who was packing up his things, paused and looked up at the sky, he sees nothing not even clouds. Just a clear bright sky, he looked down at Bilbo who is looking up at the sky.
"Don't see anything" said the Dwarf.
"Later, late morning I think" the Hobbit said sniffing the air.
Bofur looks at Nori with a raised brow, the thief shrugged.
"If you say so"
Late morning rolls in, and as the first drops of rain fall, Bofur and Nori watch Bilbo hide in Thorin's coat with a look of disbelief.
Rain falls down heavily on them, soaking them through their coats, at some point Dori complained to Gandalf, asking the wizard to do something about the rain. To which Gandalf replied that the rain will rain until it's done, and if he wanted to change the weather then he should find himself another wizard.
"What about Bilbo?" asked Bofur, voice loud to carry over the rain.
"What about Bilbo?" inquired Gandalf.
"He was able to tell when it was going to rain" said Nori, "can he stop it?"
All of the Dwarves eyes trail to Thorin's coat where the Hobbit was hiding, they're expressions a mixture of surprise and curiosity, even Thorin looked as though he was going to reach inside and pull out their Burglar to ask him.
"Hobbits have a sense of the weather that's true, it helps them with their gardening but that's it. They cannot control it"
Gandalf says nothing about the sighs of disappointment or the dropping shoulders.
Thankfully the rain lets up by the evening, once everyone is settled Ori asked Bilbo more questions to which he answered until Nori drags him away to eat the dinner yet to touch, with the young Dwarf occupied, Bilbo made his way over to Bifur. The Dwarf is working on what looks to be another toy, upon seeing him, the toymaker paused long enough to reach into a pocket and pulled out a rather small mushroom. Bilbo squealed happily at the gift, the Wild around him pulsed happily with him.
"Thank you!" said Bilbo as he took the mushroom, he gives it a sniff and his wings flutter happily at the smell.
Bifur nodded with a smile before going back to his unfinished creation, Bilbo bounced over to the fire picking up a small twig along the way. Thorin watched as the Hobbit flopped down as close as possible to the fire, sticks the mushroom on the twig and started to roast it. Curious he moved closer.
"Thorin, look at what Bifur gave me!" Bilbo exclaimed happily waving the mushroom at the Dwarf, he wasn't sure how the Dwarf knew of Hobbits' fondness for mushrooms, perhaps one of relatives had told the toymaker or maybe he had overheard him telling Ori about it, either way the Hobbit was very happy.
"I see it" said Thorin, amused about the other's excitement.
"I'm not even sure how he found one so small" Bilbo sighed happily as he put the mushroom back in the fire to cook, watching it careful, wouldn't due to burn this wonderful treat, "the ones in Hobbiton are huge, not that any Hobbits are complaining mind you, but sometimes it would be nice if they matured to Hobbit sizes, if only to save us the trouble of heavy pulling. Those roots are strong"
"Hobbits eat fungus then?" Thorin inquired, surprise laced in his voice, "you race is not poisoned by them?"
"Of course we're poisoned by them, but only if we're mad enough to eat the poisonous ones" said Bilbo as he check the mushroom to see if it is ready with an experience eye, making a pleased sound when he found it to be so.
Thorin watched with just a hint of disgust as the Hobbit devours the mushroom with very happy noises, shaking his head he left the little burglar to him meal, his attention grabbed by his nephew who have tumbled into a wrestling match that was quickly being encouraged by the rest of the company.
~.~
"We'll camp here for the night" Thorin announced, as he dismounted his pony, "Fili, Kili, look after the ponies"
Gandalf also dismount and headed over to what used to be a farmhouse, "A farmer and his family used to live here" he murmured to himself
"Oin, Gloin, get a fire going" Thorin ordered as he goes to stand by the wizard.
"I think" Gandalf then said to Thorin, "it would be wiser to move on, we could make for the Hidden Valley"
"I have told you before" Thorin glared, "I will not go near that place"
"Why not? The Elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice"
"I do not need their advice" Thorin sneered.
Gandalf opened his mouth to continue pleading his case, when Ori called for the wizard gaining their attention.
"Something is wrong with Bilbo!"
Both Thorin and Gandalf go over to the circle of crouched Dwarves, who move for them, in the middle is Bilbo. Standing still as stone, his wings stood erect and eyes were opened but distant, it looked as though he was hardly breathing which was worrying to the Company.
"It's alright" Gandalf reassured Thorin and the Company, "Bilbo is fine, merely in Sight at the moment"
"And what does that mean?" asked Dwalin, unnerved at how still the Hobbit was.
Gandalf hummed thoughtfully as he stroked his beard, as he tried to think of a way to explain the Sight, Old Took and Belladonna both tried to explain it to him, but he never could understand its complex nature.
"Hmm, the best I can explain it to you is that Bilbo is now one with the land"
"So this is…normal?" Kili asked worriedly.
"Yes"
It took some convincing to get the Dwarves to continue about setting camp, it took even more to convince Fili and Kili, who had been taking the ponies to graze when the commotion started, to go on with their task. Once everything was back to normal (all of the Dwarves kept glancing at Bilbo who had yet to move or even blink), Gandalf tried once again to convince Thorin that Rivendell was they're best option, it ended with him losing his temper and walking off.
That is when Bilbo finally blinked.
The Hobbit looked around, the Dwarves are busy as usual, but Gandalf is nowhere to be seen, frowning he flies over to Balin and Dwalin, both Dwarves are startled when the Hobbit suddenly appeared in their vision.
"Where is Gandalf?" he asked, a hint of urgency in his voice.
"He left" Balin answered, "are you alright?"
"I'm fine" Bilbo said, "why did Gandalf leave? Is he coming back?"
Balin looks unsure, Bilbo makes an almost distressed noise, hands fidgeting. The brothers exchange a look before turning their attention back to the Hobbit who seem to becoming more distressed by the minute.
"Is something wrong?" Balin then asked.
"I'm not sure" said Bilbo, biting his bottom lip, "it wasn't very clear, everything was rushed and—where's Thorin?"
Dwalin tilted his head to what was left of the farmhouse, Bilbo thanked them before flying off to the leader.
"Thorin"
The Dwarven leader turned, and has to tilt his head back as not to get hit by the Hobbit who had rushed over.
"Thorin, what happened to Gandalf?" the Hobbit asked.
"He left" Thorin said before turning away, already sour mood worsening at the mention of the wizard's name
"We need to go after him" Bilbo then insisted flying until he was facing the Dwarf again.
Thorin snorted, and missed the way Bilbo glanced nervously at the dark.
"I think we really should go after him, there's—"
"If you are so worried, then go after him yourself Master Baggins!" Thorin snapped.
Bilbo stopped short at the formal use of his name; he looked at the Dwarf and finally noticed the troubled eyes, and tense body.
"Is…something wrong?"
"Nothing that concerns you"
It didn't of course, but it didn't stop Bilbo from worrying, for both the Dwarf and whatever the Wild was trying to tell him. Which to be honest, could be nothing, after all he couldn't get a clear understanding; but it had to be something. The Wild was being very insisted, looking back at Thorin; Bilbo decided it was best if he left the other alone. He gives Thorin a tentative smile before going back to the camp, perhaps he could talk to one of the others.
~.~
None of the Dwarves saw anything strange or felt anything off, still unsure Bilbo kept an eye out and soon found himself following Ori as the Dwarf went to give dinner to Fili and Kili who were watching the ponies. Upon entering the clearing, Bilbo insistently noticed something wasn't right, Ori noticed it too.
"What's wrong?" the Dwarf asked.
"Remember when we had sixteen ponies?" Kili said.
"Yes?" Ori said slowly.
"We now have fourteen" said Fili
"You lost the ponies!?" Bilbo asked surprised.
"Sssh!" Kili shushed, "not so loud!"
Ori set the two bowls of food down and looked at the ponies.
"Daisy and Bungo are missing" he then said.
Bilbo looked over the clearing, he noticed a tree that looked uprooted, he goes over to it and noticed another uprooted tree and then another.
"Found something" he called as he landed on the trunk, "something uprooted these trees" he said, wings fluttered at the sudden loud and insisted energy that hits him, "something dangerous" he then says to the Dwarves when they came over.
"I think we should tell Thorin" Ori said.
"Uh, no, let's not" Fili said nervously.
"Look, there's light up ahead!"
"Kili, get back here!"
Bilbo watched as Fili and Ori follow the other Dwarf further into the woods, he looked back and can make out their campfire, then where the three youngers had went. Telling himself this was a bad idea, he followed. The further he goes, the louder the energy became, he found Fili, Kili and Ori hiding behind a log.
"What's going on?" he asked as he landed on Kili's shoulder, ears twitching when he heard harsh laughter, eyes making out the light of a fire.
"Trolls" answered Fili.
"That's what the Wild was trying to warn me about!" Bilbo thought as understanding dawned on him.
Ori made a noise that sounded like a squeak, his eyes widen when Kili and Fili start to move closer toward the light, and quickly he scrambled after them. Bilbo clinging to Kili's shoulder, dimming his glow as they go, he grunted when suddenly the Dwarf hide behind a tree, just as something large and smelly walked past them. Under its arms were squealing and whining ponies.
"He's got Myrtle and Minty!" Bilbo whispered, "I think they're going to eat him, we have to do something!"
"Like what?" Kili whispered back.
"I don't know!"
"Maybe you—"
"What am I going to do? Look at me!"
"Ori can go"
Bilbo and Kili look at Fili, while Ori gaped at him.
"What?!" Ori squeaked.
"Mountain Trolls are slow and stupid" Fili reassured as he pushed the Dwarf toward the campsite, "you're small enough"
"Wait a min—"
"They'll never see you"
"Fili no!"
Fili gives a surprised yelped when his braided mustache was tugged sharply, after a quick glance to see if they gained the Trolls attention Fili turns his attention to Bilbo.
"What was that for!?"
"We're not sending Ori in there, we aren't sending anyone!"
"But the ponies—"
"We're telling Thorin"
"But—"
"We're. Telling. Thorin"
Kili and Fili gave each other a look and gulped.
~.~
Thorin predictably was not happy, and the look on his face promised a very long and loud conversation later. As the Dwarves quickly took up arms, Thorin went over to the white glow that was watching them from they're packs, he kneeled and placed his open hand down on the ground. There is a pause before Bilbo climbed into his hand, once Bilbo was settled, Thorin stood.
"This is what you were trying to tell me" the Dwarf said, "earlier, wasn't it?"
"I wasn't sure, the Wild was so…blurry, but insistent" Bilbo admitted.
Thorin nodded; inwardly he was cursing himself for losing his temper and taking it out on not only Gandalf but Bilbo as well. If he hadn't, perhaps he would have been willing to listen to Bilbo's worries and sent out a scouting party, and possibly saved them all this trouble.
"I apologize for my behavior earlier" Thorin then said.
Bilbo looked up at him, he has a feeling that Thorin did not apologize often, and is touched by it, Bilbo smiled and gives a nod.
"Thorin" Dwalin then called, "we're ready"
Thorin nodded before turning back to Bilbo, he kneeled back down and lowered his hand for Bilbo to climb off of.
"Stay" he then said, "we'll be back"
Bilbo then watched them go, worry in his eyes, ignoring the Wild's urges to follow.
~.~
The plan wasn't going well, oh sure it was at the beginning, ambushing the Trolls was good plan and they were winning, until Fili got caught and they were forced to lay down their weapons. Stripped of most of their clothes, half of the Company was thrown in sacks while the others were put on a stake over the fire.
Yep, defiantly not going well.
"Don't bother cooking them" grumbled the first Troll, "let's just sit on them and squish them into jelly"
"That doesn't sound pleasant" Thorin thought.
"They should be sautéed" said another Troll, "and grilled with a sprinkle of sage"
"And now I'm hungry"
"Oh, that does sound nice" said a third.
"Never mind all that" said the first Troll to talk, "we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, and I don't fancy be turned onto stone"
The other two Trolls grumble but agree, and one of them moves to the tied up Dwarves, no doubt to eat one of them whole; when a blur of white emerged from the trees.
"Wait! Wait!"
The Troll stumbled back and blinked blankly at the Hobbit.
"You can't eat them!" said Bilbo.
There are several shouts of the Hobbit's name from the Dwarves, followed by demands for him to quickly fly away, the Hobbit ignored them, instead focused on distracting the Trolls. When the Company hadn't come back, and the energy had become unbearable in its urging for him to follow. Bilbo headed to the campsite, he had dimmed his glow and stayed hidden, listening to the Trolls talk about how they were going to eat the Company. He was just wondering how he was going to save everyone until he heard about what happened at dawn, that's when he came up with an idea.
"Look guys, a talking bug" said the Troll pointing at Bilbo.
"I'm not a bug!" Bilbo huffed, "I'm a Hobbit!"
"What's a Hobbit?" asked the first Troll.
Bilbo flew over to him, "I'm a Hobbit!"
"And wanna mean we can't eat them?" said the second Troll pointing to the sacks of Dwarves.
Bilbo flew over to him, "Because of what you said about the seasoning"
"What about the seasoning?" asked the second Troll, blinking when he got an eye full of Hobbit.
"Well, have you smelt them?"
"Oye!" came an offended voice from the stake.
"You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up" Bilbo continued on, gaining protests from the other Dwarves.
The second Troll instantly looked interested; the third looked blank, while the first one narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" the first one growled.
"Shut-up, and let the bug speak" said the second.
"Not a bug!"
The Troll ignored him, and urged him to continue on about the seasoning, "Right" the Hobbit then said, "uh, the secret to cooking dwarf is uh—to skin the first!"
The Dwarves protest of course, there are also threats in there as well, which get louder when the second Troll asked for his knife. A quick glance at the sky told Bilbo he needed more time, a sudden noise turned the attention to the Trolls, just in time to see one of them pick-up Bombur intent on eating him whole.
"N-Not that one!" Bilbo said quickly, flying in the Troll's face, "he's infected"
"What!?"
"Yes!" the Hobbit quickly blurted running with it, "he got worms in his tubes"
The Troll shrieked and threw Bombur back to the ground.
"In fact they are all infected with parasites, it's terrible business, I wouldn't risk it I really wouldn't"
"Parasites? Did he say "parasites"?"
"We don't have parasites. You have parasites!"
Luckily for them all, Gandalf appeared.
