The first month since Bilbo's departure went slowly. Very slowly. Thorin missed the youngest Durin padding along beside him when he walked through the halls and he could tell the rest of their family could feel his absence as well.
When Thorin gave lessons in metal work to Fili and Kili they found themselves glancing at the empty space between them where Bilbo usually sat.
Thorin had always been the strong silent type but now it seemed he spent the entirety of his time brooding. He wondered if Bilbo was safe, if he was happy.
He never admitted it aloud but he was worried, there were all sorts of monsters in the lands of Middle Earth and Bilbo was so small...
Lately he'd been having terrible nightmares about the Dwarfling, falling down crevices, being attacked by Goblins or torn apart by wolves. The wolves were the worst.
"You can't always be there to protect them." Dis had once told him and it was true.
He worried about his nephews and son constantly but at least Fili and Kili were strong. While Bilbo was just as loyal, brave and dedicated, he lacked physical strength.
Thorin prayed he came home and he came home safely.
-oOo-
After the fight in the marketplace the other Hobbit youths didn't bother him anymore, which in a way, was worse. Nobody but Hamfast would even talk to him, the others just watched him with wide, frightened eyes and whispered behind their hands.
Bilbo would have been completely miserable were it not for the Gamgees. Daisy was kind to him and taught him to cook while her husband taught him about carving wood and gardening. And Hamfast, he was fast becoming Bilbo's best friend.
Having grown up with his brothers Bilbo had never felt the need for other friends. The other Dwarfs, well most of them, didn't mind the Hobbit. In fact aside from Gimli he got on with most of them fine but since he had Fili and Kili, never really bothered with other friends until now.
It had taken some time but Hamfast had realized Bilbo was never going to accept being fully Hobbit. So rather than change his mind, he simply went along with it, referring to his friend as a Dwarf and even asking him about his home.
Finally, three weeks after the fight int he market, the two of them were fishing at the river when Bilbo blurted it out.
"I'm going back to the Blue Mountains early."
Hamfast just hummed.
"I thought you would, how are you going to convince Gandalf?"
"I'm not going to." Bilbo sighed, "I'm running away."
"You're going to get back to the mountains all by yourself?" Hamfast gaped, "You can't you'll be killed!"
"I can do it." Bilbo grinned, "But I will kinda miss this place, not the people, but all the green and stuff. Oh and you and your family of course!"
"There's no changing your mind is there?" Hamfast grinned, "In that case, I'll help you."
The two smiled and Bilbo reeled in a small carp, unfortunately for him, he fumbled it and the fish plopped back into the river much to Hamfast's amusement. The happy moment was spoiled when the sound of laughed echoed up from the land edge of the pier where the two were sitting.
It was Thatcher and some other Hobbit's their own age, they had been laughing until they noticed Bilbo looking at them.
"What're you staring at?" Thatcher sneered.
"Nothing impressive." Bilbo deadpanned.
"Why you-!"
Thatcher never did finish that insult.
The Hobbit ran onto the small floating dock too quickly, making it drip into the water ever so slightly putting Thatcher off balance and causing him to slip on the wet wood. With a cry the Hobbit went tumbling into the water of the river with a loud splash. Bilbo couldn't help but chuckle but quickly stopped when he saw the pale faces of the other adolescents.
"Oh no Thatcher!" One of them cried, "What do we do!?"
"Can't he swim?" Bilbo exclaimed.
"No of course not!" Hamfast yelled, "Hobbit's can't swim! Our feet as too big we sink!"
Bilbo gaped for a few minutes and then without even thinking, dove straight into the river causing all the others to gasp. He was lucky, the river wasn't too deep, with a few strong kicks he'd reached Thatcher, who was already unconscious and began to drag him back to the surface.
Breaking into the air with a gasp.
"Here." he coughed, "Somebody take Thatcher."
The other Hobbit, now conscious again due to the air rushing into his lungs, we soon spluttering and coughing on the safety of the riverbank.
"You...You can swim!" Thatcher gaped, "How?"
"I learnt years ago." Bilbo replied airily, "All Dwarfs learn to swim when they are babies."
"But you're not-"
"Maybe you shouldn't believe everything people say to you." Bilbo interrupted, "Clearly it's not a matter of can't, Hobbit's simply won't swim."
The other Hobbit's just stared.
-oOo-
He made a break for it that very night. He'd secretly backed his backpack in the afternoon and now he and Hamfast were pretending to sleep until the very early hours of the morning. Finally, when the sky was at it's darkest Hamfast crept to the window and unlocked it as Bilbo clambered out and his friend handed him his bag.
"I snuck you enough bread, dry meat and fruit to last you until you reach the next town." Hamfast whispered, "There is also some coin for you to buy more but it wont be enough for the whole trip."
"I'll figure something out." Bilbo assured him, "Thank you Hamfast."
"One last thing." Hamfast hushed, handing him something small and dropping it into his palm.
It was a bead, a simple, plain brown wooden bead that the Hobbit had no doubt carved himself.
"I wanted to get you a going away gift." Hamfast smiled, "You told me beads were common gifts among friends."
"Thank you." Bilbo breathed, "Some how I'll return the favor one day."
Then he slipped off into the night.
-oOo-
Getting out of Hobbiton was simple enough, the forest was thin and held very few real threats and there was a village every few miles. Bilbo made use of this, buying long lasting food for when civilizations became sparser and sleeping in barns and stables to save his coin.
He didn't mind all that much, Thorin had taken he and his brothers camping many times and then they simply slept on mats under the stars.
At first he was worried Gandalf might come after him but after a few days that feeling passed. Clearly the wizard understood now and was letting him go. The first two weeks of travel was light and actually quite enjoyable, after that the trek became harder.
He realized now he should of bought a map in one of the towns he'd passed through, he knew only basic landmarks to show if he was going in the right direction and he was sure he should of passed out of the forest by now.
"Maybe I'm just slower than I thought." he muttered.
After another three days he had to face the fact that he was lost.
Lost in a forest of all places, one of the most dangerous, magical forests in all of Middle Earth. And his supplies were running out.
Huddling under a tree to try and keep warm Bilbo felt tears sting his eyes. He was only a few days away from home and he was lost in this stupid forest. This would never have happened if he were like Thorin. He'd never get himself lost like a pathetic puppy.
"I just want to be home." He sniffed, speaking to himself, to the forest, to anybody really.
He wanted Thorin to come and take him home.
Through his misery and the roar of the wind he became aware of a growling sound. He glanced and noticed the sounds owner and instantly froze.
Only a few yards away was the most terrifying creature Bilbo had ever seen in his life. It reminded him of a wolf, but it was much bigger than that, big enough to ride, with huge rotting teeth and claws big enough to be daggers and pale, scared skin and fur.
He'd heard stories about the huge beasts orcs rode on but he didn't realize wild ones roamed the forest. A wrag. A giant, hungry looking wrag was looking right at him, moving toward him.
And Bilbo was too frightened to move a muscle.
The beast came charging toward him and Bilbo tried to will his legs to work but they refused.
'Move!' he screamed at himself mentally, 'Move! hurry and move!'
Suddenly his body came alive again, just in tim to dive out of the way of the wrag and squeeze between the roots of a large tree into a small empty animal den. The wrag clawed and bit at the thick roots he'd slipped under, tearing them up easily it would only be a matter of seconds before he was able to reach the defenseless Hobbit inside.
T'wang!
The wrag gave a shriek as an arrow pieced it's eye, followed by another three in it's side. Bilbo watched, shaking, as the creature fell back and collapsed, dead. Then there were voices and the sound of hooves on the ground and shapes appeared in front of his hiding place.
"What do you suppose it was hunting?"
"I believe we need only look under these roots."
Then there was a face.
Smooth features, shining hair, pointed ears so similar to his own and bright eyes.
An elf.
"Well well, what is a little one such as yourself doing wandering the forest alone?"
Bilbo scrambled out of the hole and looked up at the elves. Thorin had told them how the elves abandoned them at Erebor, but he lacked the hatred his father had. However, that didn't mean he trusted them.
"I am Elrond, this is my hunting party, we have had many wrags in this area lately. Controlling them has become quite the hassle. However, you are the first halfling we've seen."
"My name is Bilbo Thorinson." Bilbo replied stiffly, "And I would of handle that wrag myself...if I had a sword...or something."
"A dwarf name?" Elrond questioned.
"Yes." Bilbo snapped, "Now, if you really want to help point me in the direction of the Blue Mountains."
"You certainly have a Dwarfs manners." Elrond raised an eyebrow, "The Blue Mountain is to the west, perhaps we should escort you to the village at the base."
Bilbo was tempted to say no, but he just wanted to be home and he would get there quicker riding on the back of a horse than on his own two feet.
"Okay."
-oOo-
Bilbo was so grateful to see his mountain home he didn't even remember to be rude to Elrond. He thanked him quickly and ran straight through the village without stopping, up the mountain path toward where his brother played when they were younger. He was only a few hours walk from the entrance to the Dwarf kingdom but he ran the entire way, uphill. Where the energy came from he didn't know, but he didn't stop or slow at all until he was before the great stone doors.
"Who goes there?" Called the gatekeeper.
"It's me Dwalin!" Bilbo called, "It's Bilbo Thorinson! I'm home!"
The great doors opened and the Hobbit rushed inside, it was so good to be home.
"It's good ta see ya lad." Dwalin smiled, "Bout time you got back, it's not been the same without ya."
"Bilbo!"
"Bili!"
Bilbo had never been so happy to hear their voices.
"Fili! Kili!"
The two elder brothers scooped him up so his feet weren't even touching the floor, he was slightly crushed but it was wonderful.
"I missed you both so much." He sighed, the exhausting run up the mountain finally catching up with him.
"How are you here? You're early? Where's Gandalf?" Kili asked, still not releasing him.
"I ran away, I got here on my own." Bilbo replied, opting not to mention the finer details just yet.
"You got here all on your own?" Fili gaped, "That's amazing! you don't even have a weapon!"
Finally they placed him back on the floor only for him to sway slightly and end up leaning on Fili anyway.
"Are you alright?" He asked quickly.
"Fine. Tired." Bilbo yawned, "I just ran all the way up the mountain."
"The whole way?"
Bilbo just nodded, leaning against his brother more as he rested his eyes for a moment.
"Bilbo!"
Bilbo's eyes shot open. Dwalin must have gone to fetch him because there was Thorin. He'd obviously just come from the forge because his hands were coated in a thin layer of soot but Bilbo didn't care. With a final bolt of energy he flung himself into his fathers arms, his hands tangled in the long black hair but he didn't care.
"Thorin..."He crocked happily.
"It's good to see you home." Thorin breathed, letting him go and giving him a rare smile.
Bilbo did his best to return it but the exhaustion was really catching up to him now. Evidently Thorin saw this and scooped him up, carrying him like he did when he was younger.
"Sleep now, we can talk later."
So he did.
Bilbo's home!
I'm going to start on the Quest for Erebor soon, if you have anything you think I should add before then just PM me :)
