Sorry for taking so long to update but here it is! Thank you for the follows and everyone who reads my story! So I had to fix this chapter and put in that Bifur spoke in Khuzdul cause he does. I decided to just say that he does instead of using actual Khuzdul then putting the translation on the bottom.


Anathwen had to quicken her stride to keep up with the eager Bilbo. Bilbo sprinted through the fields , his backpack swaying from side to side and his contract flapping in his hand. Anathwen trailed after the hobbit as they jumped over walls and pushed through crowds.

"Where are you going Master baggins?" An old hobbit called out to Bilbo as the child clutched his child's hand. Bilbo did not stop running but shouted to the elder hobbit, "We are going on an adventure."

Anathwen held back to laugh at the young hobbit. Bilbo jumped a final wall, nearly tripping over it due to his small stature and Anathwen quickly followed with a leap. They ceased sprinting once they reached the outside of the woods. Bilbo stopped panting as he clutched his knees.

"Hurry Bilbo," Anathwen called as she took the hobbit's free hand. "I can hear them up ahead," she pulled Bilbo along for another half mile.

"Wait!" Bilbo called as the line of ponies and single horse appeared insight. "I signed it." Bilbo tried to take deep breaths to steady his heart.

The line of horses stopped when Thorin raised a fist into the air. Heads turned towards Bilbo and smiled. Gandalf was in the front leading the line, turned to give Bilbo and her a smile as well.

"I... signed... the... contract," Bilbo said again between his heaving. He lifted the contract to Balin who gave Thorin a nod.

"Welcome Master Baggins and Miss Anathwen to the company of Thorin Oakenshield," there was laughter and a light cheering from the group of dwarves.

"Give the hobbit a pony," Thorin barked and Bilbo, despite his protest got heaved up on the back of a pony. The light brown pony Bilbo received was the packing pony. If Bilbo looked uncomfortable when dwarves raided his house, this experiences was worse for him. He saddled the pony with wide legs, his feet dangling as the stirrup was not raised to reach them. His face was contorted as he tightly grasped the reins, to the point his knuckles turned white. The pony neighed at him but Bilbo just sat there. "We don't have a pony for you," Thorin turned around to face her. "You were an unexpected addition." Anathwen saw another packing pony but did not argue with the King.

"That is alright," Anathwen looked around and Kili winked at her while Fili flashed her a smile. She was still mad at them. She didn't know why but even looking at the prince boys made anger begin to rise within her. She rolled her eyes and made her way towards Bofur. "May I ride with you?" She looked up with pleading eyes and the dwarf in the hat blushed.

"Of course lass," he took her hand and helped her onto the back of his pony. She wrapped her amrs around the dwarf. There wasn't much room for the two of them on such a small creature but somehow they made it work. She glanced back and saw the hurt expression of Kili and Fili. She stuck her tongue out at them to which they returned the gesture.

"Let us continue," Thorin clicked his tongue and pulled the reins and the trail of ponies began to move.

"So Mister Bofur," Anathwen gave herself a smile at remembering his name correctly. It was a hard group to remember since everybody had similar names. Bofur stood out and she made the connection with his hat."What do you like to do?" She leaned in against Bofur's coat to hear the dwarf.

"I can tell you a good story," Bofur responded with a beaming smile.

She forgot Bifur could only speak in Khuzdul until he spoke. She remembered Kili telling her it was something to do with the ax that was sticking out of his head.

"He is also a good singer," Bifur said with a hearty laugh. Anathwen turned to Bifur and gave him a smile. The dwarf once black hair was now spotting grey. His beard appeared to be more grey than black. He was not holding the reins of his pony but had them tied as he carved away at a piece of wood with an knife.

"What are you doing?" Anathwen tried to lean to the side of the pony to get a look.

"Whittling," Bifur said as he used the knife to cut at the wood piece, taking away long, thin strips.

She turned her attention back to Bofur. "You must sing for me," she said as she leaned in on his coat. "I do enjoy a nice song." She could hear the heartbeat of Bofur race at the request.

"Awh," Bofur cleared his throat, "I suppose I will for you sometime, if you will accompany me?" The dwarf questioned.

Anathwen lightly laughed at the request. She sang far too much for someone who lacked any singing skills.

"You wouldn't want that!" Kili pipped up from the back of the line. "I have heard her voice and it sounds awful." Kili received a blow from his brother nearly knocking the dwarf off the pony.

"Forgive my brother Anathwen, he does not know how to talk to a lady," Fili gave her a charming smile.

"There is nothing to be apologetic about," Anathwen watched as Kili readjusted in his seat and tried to hit Fili from his pony. "For Kili is honest in his words, I fear Mister Bofur, that I lack any musical skill."

"What about an instrument?" The young Ori spoke up from his pony as he was scribbling in a leather bound book. He would look up at her before and stare long before turning back to the page.

"I can play a harp," Anathwen shrugged her shoulders. "My father taught me."

All of the dwarves grew quite. Anathwen did not understand for the immediate silence. A harp was a retubale instrument and being her father was elvish was the instrument he taught her to play.

A harp was elvish. No dwarf would play a harp. Anathwen tightened her clutch on Bofur and buried her face into the back of his coat. Bofur understood her embarrassment and She hoped Thorin wasn't listening.

"Ah I believe I had won a bet!" Gandalf cut through the tension. Some dwarves instantly had wide smiles while others grudgingly dug into their pockets for gold.

"I am sorry a bet?" Bilbo spoke for the first time.

"Come on Nori pay up!" A dwarf shouted and Nori grudgingly shoved his hand into his coat and pulled out a coin sack tossing it.

"We bet to see if you would come Master Baggins," Fili took his gold pouch and tossed it across the ponies to Gloin. Gloin then took out gold and tossed it to another dwarf. Anathwen turned her attention to Gandalf who looked sternly in her direction. She gave him a nod before turning back to the road. Thorin didn't seem to care if she played a harp. He was busy discussing plans with Dwalin. Dwalin occasionally shot a glare towards her from his spot next to the King.

"Some didn't believe you would come," Gandalf looked down at Bilbo and Anathwen could see the hobbit frown slightly.

"What about you Gandalf?" The hobbit questioned and Gandalf grumbled under his breath before catching the sack of gold. "Never doubt you." The words of the wizard seemed to boast Bilbo's moral and the hobbit straightened his posture on the pony.

The rest of the ride continued on in mostly silence with the occasional Fili, Kili argument. Bilbo sneezed complaining about being allergic to the horse hair and well, nature. He patted his red coat and his face fell.

"Wait!" He called, "Wait! We need to go back I forgot my handkerchief!"

Bofur complained to himself as he ripped off a piece of his shirt and tossed the dirty cloth to Bilbo. The cloth was crusted and caked with dirt. "There you go," Bofur beamed at Bilbo and the other dwarves laughed. Bilbo held up the dirty cloth with disgust.

"Ride on!" Shouted Thorin and the line moved once again.

Anathwen watched as Bilbo hesitantly tried to lift the rag to his nose but his face contorted when he smelt the fabric. Anathwen scooted back on the pony and pulled her bag into her lap. She locked her legs around Bofur to secure her spot.

"What are you doing Lass?" Bofur exclaimed as she rummaged through her bag.

"Getting Bilbo something proper to wipe his nose on," she unrolled the food from the cloth and brushed off the crumbs from the loaf. The cloth was clean, with only the smell of bread. Anathwen clutched the cloth and put her pack back on back of the pony.

"I already gave him some of my shirt," Bofur seemed confused.

"A shirt you have not washed in days, perhaps weeks, I would like our burglar to make it to the mountain without dying the first day," she winked at Bofur and tossed the cloth behind her to Bilbo. Bilbo barely caught the cloth and looked over at her. "For your nose Master Baggins." She smiled at Bilbo before turning back to wrap her arms around Bofur.

"Thank you," Bilbo said in a low voice and blew his nose into the cloth.

~0.o.0~

Besides sleeping there wasn't much to do. She spent the day looking at the birds or listening to the quite whispers of others. The green pastures rolled by and Gandalf eventually made his way up the path to lead the line once again. They rode through the forest and up mountains. They stopped on several occasions for a few minutes to let the horses drink from close streams and have a light snack. On their last stop Kili walked to unmounted his pony and walked over to Bofur and her. Bofur was explaining the old kingdom and the jobs he did.

"Alright my turn," Kili smiled up at her holding out his hand for her to take.

"You turn for what?" Anathwen questioned and took Kili's hand as he helped her to dismount the pony.

"You are going to ride with me," he said as a statement then a request.

"Oh I am?" Anathwen questioned as he pulled her over to his pony and Kili mounted. He proceeded to grab Anathwen's hand and pull her onto the pony after him. They began the journey once again. The sun was beginning to set and Thorin announced they will stop soon to camp.

"I am giving Bofur a break," he mocked at her and Anathwen slapped his arm. She looked at Kili's face, he was like a puppy. Always so happy and hyper. His brother was the opposite. Fili held himself high and was the one in charger of watching after Kili.

"I thought you wanted Anathwen to ride with you so she would put her arms around you?" Fili raised an eyebrow to his brother and tried to keep a straight face as Kili went a bright shade of pink.

Anathwen bit her lip but wrapped her arms around Kili. "Thank you Kili, for looking after my safety. I would surely fall if I didn't." She gave him a little squeeze and Kili's face lit up.

She fell asleep against Kili's back, nuzzling her face into the fur lining of his coat.

"Anathwen?" Kili whispered to her. "Wake up we are making camp," Anathwen rubbed her eyed as she tried to look around. Dwarves were dismounting their ponies and pulling off bags of stuff. Kili dismounted then helped her. She wobbled slightly, clutching his arms tighter. Her legs were sore as it had been quite sometime since she last rode this long. She stroked the pony's face, whispering encouraging words to the pony in elvish. Kili rolled out his bed next to Fili. Fili was next to Bilbo and Bilbo was next to Anathwen.

"Fili, Kili you are on watch first!" Thorin called as a lite supper was pasted around. Soon everyone was dozing off around the fire. She laid on her bed roll and stared up at the clear sky. Gandalf sat next to the tree, looking out at the rolling trees below. He puffed on his pipe. Thorin was off leaning against a rock by himself, his eyes were closed and his heart beat slow. Anathwen was sure the King was sleeping.

Bilbo tossed and turned in his bed. The noise was too much for the more hobbit. He sat up and huffed at the snoring of the other dwarves. He stood from his bed and walked over to the edge to look over.

Anathwen looked up from her spot to see Fili and Kili smoking from their pipes. She propped herself up on her shoulder and stared at the two princes.

"Like some?" Kili offered his pipe towards Anathwen and she held out her hand taking the pipe. She took a drag, filling her lungs with the sweet smoke, before handing it back to Kili.

There was howls in the distances. The howls belonged to wargs. She hated wargs and the orcs that rode them. They were the reason her mother died. Tore her to pieces for nothing. She sucked in a breath as Kili responded sith bright-eyes.

"Orcs!"