Well, here is the next chapter. Enjoy.
Silence reigned the table while the two late-comers ate. Murtagh would have bet anything that it was not like this when the rest of the dwarves had dinner. One testament to that idea was the frazzled-looking hobbit. The other was the empty food pantry. The third testament was Dove's growl every time a Dwarf got to close to her father's plate.
One of the Dwarves spoke up, "Is Dain with us?"
Thorin swallowed before answering, "He will not come."
There was a collective sigh the Dwarves. Murtagh noticed that they all looked glum. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.
"So we have failed then. We number neither the best, nor the brightest," the white-haired dwarf spoke. Instantly, there was an uproar.
"Well, I am not scared! We should give Smaug a taste of dwarvish iron!" A young Dwarf cried. Murtagh had heard of him before; his name was Ori. He studied the dwarf as Ori was dragged back into his chair. The rest of the company stood and started arguing amongst themselves.
Murtagh stood. The loud shouting was getting on his nerves. It hurt his sensitive hearing. Dove, as soon as he had stood, covered her ears. She had known him for long enough to know when things were going to get loud.
"Silence!" He shouted. His voice was loud enough to be heard across a battlefield, so the Dwarves heard his command. It silenced them instantly. Another smirk crossed Dove's features.
A feral growl rippled from Murtagh's chest. Once he made sure that each and every dwarf was looking, the small creature continued, "Are you children? Fighting amongst ourselves is the surest way to fail. The signs have been fore-told! Are my kin and I nothing to you? We are by your side every step of the way. We lost our home when you lost yours."
The bald dwarf spoke bitingly, "You and your kin? You are nothing but a short elf."
Murtagh growled again, slamming his fist on the table. This time it was more menacing. "I am not an elf. Thorin should have told you that! I am a shifter. The rest of MY company is waiting for me outside of Bree." The male lifted his chin and glared at Dwalin, daring the Dwarf to speak again. If looks could kill, the Dwarf would be dead many times over. Dwalin decided against speaking up again. Dwalin dropped back to his seat, followed by the rest of the Dwarves. Fear flashed through Ori's eyes. A bubble of guilt for scaring the dwarf stabbed Murtagh before he brushed it off and sat down.
Murtagh noticed all of the current company studying him with interest. Dove now just looked bored. He lifted his chin and stared the rest of them down. Gandalf chose that moment to reveal a map.
"Bilbo, if you could be so kind and get us a candle, that would be much appreciated," Gandalf slid a piece of worn paper of his robes as the Hobbit scurried to get a candle. By the time the Hobbit returned, Murtagh, Dove, Gandalf and the Dwarves were leaning over the map that was now smoothed out on the table. Bilbo, his curiosity piqued, copied everyone else to the study the map. It showed a large mountain.
"Erebor," Bilbo mouthed, the name sending a thrill of excitement through the Hobbit's veins. Murtagh was only half listening while Gandalf talked of a door and a key, that, apparently, the wizard had as well. Murtagh was lost in the memories of the past. He remembered Erebor, but so much had happened since he had lived in the mountain. Dove touched Murtagh's arm, making the Shifter jump slightly.
Blinking the male looked around himself owlishly. He heard a thump behind him. The Shifter looked at where the sound had come from. It was the Hobbit; he had fainted. Dove quickly dropped at Bilbo's side, silently casting incantations to ease the Hobbit's nerves. Murtagh followed his daughter much more slowly; he did not enjoy lowering himself to the Hobbit's level.
"Wake up!" Dove whispered in the Hobbit's ear. It was in a different language, but the Hobbit seemed to understand the meaning. Only Murtagh could really hear the words. Seconds after the words were spoken, Bilbo's eyes snapped open and both Shifters backed away. Slowly the Hobbit made his way to his armchair.
A couple of hours later, during which time Murtagh and Dove learned the names of all of the Dwarves, Bilbo left and went to bed.
"It looks like we lost our burglar," Balin, the white-haired Dwarf, finally pronounced. Murtagh's sixth sense told him otherwise, but he did not voice his denial. Balin left the contract on the table and the company left together. Murtagh and Dove untied their horses, but they did not mount. Instead, they walked with the Dwarves. The hairy men seemed to appreciate this sentiment.