Stepping back a few weeks for our Dwarrow. Flashback starts and ends in italics.

Chapter 6

The Fell Winter Part 2

Black Eyes and Spies

As the snow started to settle in around the mountain, Dwalin watched the flakes create great mounds in the small Dwarrow city. The season had started much earlier this year, bringing with it much snow, freezing winds and ice to settle in quickly. He'd only just made it back to the mountain himself, dragging a protesting Thorin behind him. Normally, they'd spend another month outside, working to raise the funds needed for food to last the winder. Yet, something told him they needed to return early.

Now, the few who were making it back spoke of how bad it was on the outside. Strong flowing rivers were starting to freeze over, and many dwarrow were choosing to bunk down in the towns they'd gotten snowed into.

It was the warning from a small girl that made him take notice of the weather, something he'd admit he rarely did. Warnings that he'd normally have ignored (and honestly at the time he had thought it had been no more than a very active imagination). Yet eight years later, he definitely was beginning to think otherwise.

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He was half laughing to himself. Thorin's One was a little spitfire and he already looking forward to when his best friend and king was ruled over by the little lass. Apparently, one of the lads had taken affront to him being at Bag End and the lass had decked him. From what he'd seen, the lad would be sporting a shiner for a good week or two and had gone running off to his mother.

Bilbo on the other hand, had stood in the garden with a look of unrestrained fury written all over her features. Both hands scrunched up in fists and half looking like she wanted to go after him and give him a matching set.

Of course, what the lad had said, didn't even phase the Dwarf in question. It was nothing more than he'd heard hundreds of times in countless villages. It didn't even register as cruel. Yet the little las was more than ready to go to battle for his honor, which warmed his heart in ways it hadn't been touched in years.

Apparently the lasses parents hadn't seen what had happened, so Dwalin quickly wiped his hands off and made his way outside to check on her. By the time he made it to the garden, Bilbo was sitting on the bench on the side of the house and was looking down at her hand, which was looking a bit out of shape.

"Let me look at that lass," it was a testament to how much she wasn't paying attention when she jumped. He hadn't exactly been quiet.

"I'm sorry Master Dwalin," she looked so contrite, "Benny knows better."

Kneeling in front of her, he took her hand in his own, gently flexing her fingers to make sure they were alright, "It's alright little mistress, nothing that hasn't been said before."

"But they shouldn't!" wincing when he tried to move her thumb, "Ow."

"Nothing broken at least," he grunted. "People say and thing what they wish lassie, after a while you just stop listening." Turning her hand over to assess it better, her thumb sitting slightly out of place, but not as bad as it could have been. "You dislocated it. Easy enough to fix. Will hurt a might though."

She pouted up at him, "Shouldn't have to get used to it."

"Aye, on that we both agree." He let go of her hand for a moment to dig through his pockets, always carrying a spare bandage or two on him. It was easier to quickly bandage up and get back to work than having to stop and find something. "Was a solid hit you landed there lassie, but next time remember to keep your thumb tucked outside," holding his own hand up and showing her how to do it, "like this. Otherwise, you do damage to yourself as well."

"I'm sorry Master Dwalin, I tried to remember." She made an attempt to copy him and winced, "Ow." The scowl Bilbo gave her hand almost made him laugh out loud.

"Here lassie, lets fix that right up. May be a few days before you can use it again though." Putting the bandage on the bench beside her, Dwalin too her hand in his again, "Do you go punching the lads often?"

Giving him a mulish look, "Only when they're stupid."

"All the time then, I'd say." That got a giggle out of her, followed by a yelp as he set the joint back into place while she was distracted. "Sorry lass, it would have hurt more if you were expecting it."

Surprisingly, she just nodded and let him continued working, "Doesn't look like you get much trouble here."

Shaking her head, "Sometimes, when the big snows come through and the river freezes, we have lots of trouble."

"Happen often?"

"No," she flexed her hand around the bandage, "but it's scary. I dream of it sometimes."

"Haven't seen a hard winter in many years that I recall, at least not up by the mountains." He was trying to remember if he'd heard of one in recent memory.

"We'll have one soon. When the crops don't grow well and the snow comes early. Then the river will freeze and the wolves will come." Bilbo wasn't looking at him anymore, but out over the Shire, her eyes were glazed. "Everyone will be hungry and need shelter from the storms." Shaking her head a bit and looking back at him, "Please make sure your safe Master Dwalin. Both you and Master Thorin. Please!"

"Aye little miss, we'll be safe, even if I have to drag him home by his beard."

"She'd laughed, giving him a hug and run off to play.

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Although what she'd said bothered him, when the now had come late that year, he'd forgotten all about it. Until now.

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Dwalin knew that if he went to his king with his fears, he'd probably over react and try to take their army and march on the Shire to save his lass. When it was probably nothing more than a passing dream. No, instead he was going to have to go about this another way. Not that he liked going about it this way, but it was safer. At least there was a pretext in place for sending the spy. And although he didn't trust him. He at least respected the work he did.

Now, if he could just find the little bastard. This was the fourth tavern he'd been in that night alone. Since he was trying to go unnoticed, he was gritting his teeth at the underhanded deals he'd seen going on and had been unable to do anything about. Where ever that spiked headed fool was hiding, he better show himself soon. Thorin was going to start asking questions if he went out for a third night.

"I've heard you've been looking for me." He was going to kill him, it took everything not to jump.

"You do that on purpose."

"Have to have my fun somehow, "A cloaked Dwarf walked out of the shadows, as if he'd always been there. "You never come looking for me."

"Need a job done." He all but growled out.

"A braided eyebrow quirked upwards, "Finally found something you couldn't beat into submission?"

Dwalin wasn't sure just how many times he repeated to himself that he couldn't kill the son of Hori. "I need you to look into something for the blacksmith."

The hooded figure took a step back into the shadows, before heading towards the back of the tavern, expecting the guard to follow him. Entering into a backroom. "Come into my den stud, I'll show you a good time." Wiggling his eyebrows.

Pushing him against the wall, slamming the door behind him, "I'm not playing this game."

"You're the one who wants to keep this quiet big boy."

"I am not your big boy!"

He snorted, "Touchy aren't you?" He shrugged Dwalin off, "So this job, it's out of town then?"

A curt nod, "Ever hear from a Hobbit?"

"No, but I did hear from the blacksmith that I might."

"I need you to go there and check in."

"Right this moment? Or can it wait till the roads are clear?" He took a seat in one of the chairs, "The weather's getting rather nasty out there."

"Now. I think the lass may be a seer and if she is, we'll need time to get there behind you." He took a seat across from him.

"What am I looking for?"

"Said something about being attacked by wolves and the river freezing. From the way she said it, it's going to get bad."

Getting a bit more comfortable and dropping his hood, red hair standing tall, "And if it is?"

"Send word and we'll march. Keep her alive without them knowing we sent you."

"Peddling my wears then."

"Say you got trapped by the weather, and are working your way back to us. Would probably be the best way. Her folks are the good kind."

"Guessing she's One of a kind then."

"A blacksmith's dream."

He snorted, "I was right, Dori owes me five gold." Eyeing across the room, "You'll watch over them right?"

"Both eyes, your sisters will be safe."

"Damn well better be guard, they're all I've got." Pulling out a dagger, he started cleaning the dirt from under his nails, "It will take a few days to get my gear together if I'm to be actually working. I'll send word when I get there."

"See that you do." With that he got up and stormed out of the room.

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The mountain was hit by two back to back storms over the next few days. It was over a month before Nori could leave and then what would normally take a little over week of travel took almost four. As it stood, he didn't arrive until near the end of Solmath.

He found himself on the heels of the orcs.

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LightInTheAttic on Archive of Our Own, has agreed to be my proof reader starting this chapter. Thank you so much LightInTheAttic.

Next chapter may be a little bit late, it's causing me problems. I've discovered how pants I am at writing fight scenes. The following chapter is almost finished but I envision a midnight writing session for for the next one. Hopefully my Nori muse will be accommodating.