She drifted off to sleep, but was woken some time later. The fire was burning low, and the rest of the company was fast asleep, judging by the soft snoring. At first she wasn't sure why she had woke, until she heard a growling and scuffling noise from outside. It was as if some animal was trying to get in. Bonnie thought wildly of Ursa changing into her bear form, smelling all the tasty dwarves and trying to get in to kill them.

She squinted about the dark room, searching for Gandalf. Before she could find his large shape where he lay, she spotted Thorin who was lying faced towards her, with his back to the fire. She crept out from the woolen blankets and over to him, carefully stepping around Bifur and Bombur. "Thorin," Bonnie breathed, laying a hand on his arm.

He woke swiftly, almost hitting her as he sat up. "Bonnabell," he muttered as his eyes focused, "it's you."

"I didn't mean to alarm you, but I think there is something outside." She looked over her shoulder towards the wall. The scuffling and snuffling continued.

Thorin was quiet for a moment. "I'm sure it's just one of Ursa's great horses. Or perhaps a sheep. It's late, and you should be resting."

"But what if it's Ursa? What if she's forgotten us in her bear form and is trying to get in to eat all of us?"

He rolled his eyes. "I see you've been listening to Bofur. Sometimes I think she spouts even more nonsense than my niece and nephew. If it worries you so much, perhaps you should steal outside and have a look. I'm sure a great bear wouldn't notice such a small burglar." There was shadow of a smirk in his beard.

Bonnie sniffed. "I think I will," she said. She felt like she needed to prove herself after her behavior at dinner, so she stood up and quietly padded away. By the time she got to one of the great bolted doors, her knees were knocking together. She was confident that a bear wouldn't see her or even hear her, but it could certainly smell her.

Before she could lift the heavy latch on the door, a hand fell onto her shoulder. She spun around and bumped directly into Gandalf. He put a finger to his lips and said, "Don't be afraid, Bonnabell, but I think we might witness a great deal more than you bargained for." With a gleam in his eye, he opened the door.

To her dismay, there was not one but dozens of bears roaming out on the lawn. Large bears, small bears, ordinary bears, and gigantic bears. There were a few near the house, but most were around a huge bonfire, their great shapes flickering and dancing in the firelight. Bonnie's hand flew to her mouth, suppressing a gasp.

"A bear meeting," Gandalf said. "Ursa must have called them."

"But why are they here?" she whispered from behind her hand.

"It's difficult to say. I think she has called them to take care of our little Warg problem. There are few things Ursa hates more than goblins and their wargs." They both watched the bears for some time, until they all started moving away from the fire and into the darkness.

"Where are they going now?"

"I shall follow them," Gandalf said, walking out into the night. "I will be back by morning if all goes well. I think you can rest easy now, Bonnabell."

"Be careful," she whispered, though she was sure Gandalf could handle himself against bears. She latched the door and walked back to the sleeping dwarves. Thorin propped himself up on an elbow and beckoned to her.

"Gandalf has gone to follow them," she said before he could ask. "Ursa and the other bears. It looked like all the bears in the Misty Mountains, all dancing around a fire. He thinks they've gone off to kill the wargs, and…and the Pale Orc."

Thorin's face fell back into a scowl. "I can't believe I was such a fool," he muttered. "To think he was long dead. Of course he would find me out here. Somehow I don't think even a company of bears could defeat him, it would be too lucky. Luck hasn't been with my line since before my grandfather, it seems."

Bonnie didn't know what to say so she just laid a hand on his. He didn't acknowledge it except to stroke it with his thumb silently. Bonnie's eyes were drooping again now that the excitement of the night had died down and the bears had gone.

"But you should sleep," Thorin said, watching her. He pulled his hand away.

"So should you," she said sternly. "Those wounds aren't going to heal themselves without sleep, you know."

"Oh come, they've already mostly healed," he said. "Just scratches. I don't even need these infernal bandages anymore."

"Well, perhaps I should stay over here with you. Just…in case."

Thorin smiled. "Yes. In case any bears come back." He made room next to the fire, and she lay down. He tossed his blanket over her, and she felt like there was some force between them, something electric and palpable that made her want to press close to him. She rolled over to face the fire, trying to ignore it. To her surprise he put his arm round her waist and pulled her against him, sending her heart into her throat. She was certain he could feel it pounding. "Goodnight," he said in her ear, so quietly she almost didn't catch it, but she could feel the vibration of his voice deep in his chest. He kissed her neck very softly, his beard scratchy against her skin.

Bonnie lay wide-eyed for a long time, staring at the fire. She was longing for more to happen, but it seemed that Thorin was quite at ease where he was and had fallen asleep.

When Bonnie woke again much later, Thorin had gone. It was full morning, and Bofur was waking her. "Get up, lazybones," she said, "or there'll be no breakfast for you."

She jumped up. "Breakfast? Where is breakfast?"

"Mostly inside us," called the other dwarves who were moving about through the hall. "But the rest is out on the verandah."

"We've been looking for Ursa all morning, but she's nowhere to be found," Bofur said, accompanying Bonnie to the verandah. "Neither is Gandalf." They both sat down on the large wooden bench. In front of it was a low table set with large platters of food, mostly gone.

Bonnie loaded up her plate with what was left of the pastries and marmalade and said, "Perhaps she is still a bear and forgot where she lived, and now Gandalf has to find her and bring her back." For some reason, she didn't think she should tell the others about the bear meeting she had witnessed.

Fili sniggered. "Well, hopefully neither of them maul each other on accident, we need to know the way through the forest."

Thorin appeared from the hall, clapping a hand on Fili's shoulder threateningly. "I know the way through the forest," he said, his face back in its usual scowl. "Although Ursa had mentioned a different way she thinks is better, and I'm sure Gandalf is more inclined to trust her."

"So we're going through the forest?" Bonnie said, alarmed. Even in the Shire she had heard things about Mirkwood, and none of them good.

"There's no faster way," Thorin said. "And I can't risk us arriving late to the mountain."

"So here you are all still!" a thundering voice interrupted. Ursa herself strode into view. She clapped a huge hand on Bonnie's shoulder, causing her knees to buckle. "Not eaten by wargs or goblins yet, I see!" She poked Bonnie's stomach most disrespectfully and chortled, "Little bunny getting fat on bread and honey!" Bonnie shrank away, scowling.

"You are most jolly this morning," Balin said merrily, sipping tea from his seat across the table.

"Indeed, and I shall tell you why, master dwarf," she said, sitting at the low table herself. "I've been over the river and back up into the mountains. I found the burnt glade from your tale, and a good deal more than that. I caught a warg and his rider. I forced some news from him, and it seems there are still goblins sending patrols to look for you. And I have a guess that there is yet more wickedness than this afoot. Soon a great raid may come down to find you, or take vengeance on the men and creatures that live here. I have hurried home as fast as I could to see that you were safe, and offer you any help that I can."

"What did you do with the goblin and the warg you found?" asked Bonnie suddenly.

"Come and see!" she said, and she took them around the house. A goblin's head was stuck outside the gate and a warg-skin was nailed to a tree just beyond. Ursa was a fierce enemy indeed, Bonnie thought, turning her eyes away.

Once Gandalf returned, he thought it wise to tell Ursa their entire story and their purpose. Here she became grave and her face darkened. She promised ponies for each of them for their journey through the forest, and food to last for weeks. She told them of the streams and springs that ran alongside the road. "But the way through Mirkwood is dark and dangerous," she said. "Water is not easy to find there, but I will provide you with skins for carrying it. I have also some bows and arrows to hunt with, but I doubt you'll find anything wholesome in there to eat. There is one stream, I know, that is black and strong and crosses your path. You should neither drink nor bathe in it, for I have heard it carries enchantment and drowsiness and forgetfulness. And you must not stray from the path, whatever you do.

"That is all the advice I can give you. You must depend on your own luck and courage and the food I send with you. At the gate of the forest I must ask you to send back my ponies. But I wish you all speed, and my house is always open if you come back this way again."