Happy Independence Day to all! Hope you have a safe and happy 4th!
Yawning widely once more, Asta had to physically force herself not to permit her canines to elongate, though she yearned to. She rose then, thanking Bofur and Bifur for their time once more, before quietly making her way to Bilba's side. The hobbit saw her coming, and turned from her conversation with Ori to give the werewolf her full attention. "Asta! I really am sorry for all the hullabaloo earlier. I didn't think it through at all, but when I saw you running I just wanted to stop you and let you know it was safe."
Asta nodded calmly, then bowed slightly to Ori. "Master Ori, may I borrow Miss Baggins for a moment? I do hope I'm not interrupting anything?" The youngest of the Company blushed slightly and shook his head, replying quickly, "Oh not at all, miss. Certainly you may borrow Bilba. I mean, Miss Baggins. I..." here he trailed off and ducked his head shyly. The werewolf smiled gently at him, feeling herself mildly more at ease around this youngling than any of the other dwarves she had come into contact with so far.
After the human and hobbit had gone out of earshot of the dwarves, but were still within sight of the camp, Asta spoke. "Bilba, I know that there is little time before one of your dwarves comes looking for you, but I would ask you to tell me the truth as you know it. Why did their alpha insist that I return to this camp with all of you? What do they hope to gain from me?"
Bilba shook her head fervently. "No, no you have this all wrong! Thorin has not brought you here for selfish reasons. His honor simply does not allow him to leave an unarmed and defenseless woman alone in the wilds." Sensing the girl about to argue, the hobbit held up a hand to forestall it. "I know better than most that you are far from unarmed or defenseless, but he does not. All he knows is that he found a frightened woman alone in the forests near to a place where a creature powerful enough to tear apart three mountain trolls was roaming, and he would not leave you here."
She continued, "Doubtless, he will insist that you remain with the company until we reach the next settlement with humans or elves, and leave you in their care. He would do no less, fearing the danger of the creature that still roams free. While we speak of it, please tell me that that 'creature' was you? Or someone, perhaps something that you know?"
Asta nodded in confirmation, only partially paying attention to the question. It would seem that the dwarrows remained unaware of her 'condition'. They had no ill intent, nor hidden agendas. At least, none that Bilba knew of. The hobbit's heartbeat had remained steady, and she did not smell of anxiety or fear, so Asta was certain that she had not lied.
Accepting that she would not be 'allowed' to leave the dwarves until they believed her to be safe, she followed the hobbit back into the camp, and then curled up on the ground near to Bilba's bedroll. She gazed into the still-flickering fire, her eyes reflecting the light back, as most of the dwarrows around them settled in for the night themselves.
The sound of heavy footsteps warned the werewolf of the approaching dwarf long before she turned her head to confirm it with her eyes. Bofur strolled toward her, with her previously-missing bedroll and clothing tucked under his arm. "Hello again lass!" he exclaimed cheerfully, "I couldn't help but notice that ye were planning to sleep on the bare ground, and since these were yours to start with, perhaps ye should make use of them again?" She smiled thankfully at him, accepting the bundle with a nod, and then followed him with her gaze as he headed back toward his brother and cousin on the opposite side of the fire.
Fíli and Kíli were on watch by now, the brothers speaking quietly, and grinning over at the fussy white-haired one, Dori, every few minutes. Asta watched them sleepily, wondering if their mischievous air and mannerisms had anything to do with the several minutes the blond had been missing earlier in the evening. They certainly smelled of excitement and anticipation, and sure enough, not a minute later, the older dwarrow leapt to his feet with a yell, and jumped around a couple times. Soon, a harmless garden snake slithered out from his bedroll and disappeared into the brush.
The brothers keeled over with laughter, leaning on each other in an attempt to stay upright. Raising her head slightly, the werewolf cocked her head in curiosity. She knew them to be fierce warriors in their own right, having seen how expertly they wielded their weapons, and feeling a phantom pain where the arrow wound from Kíli's bow would have been. How did they change from dangerous, mature fighters to seemingly innocent and immature pranksters so easily?
She felt vaguely uneasy then, wondering if their mischievous actions were a ploy, for some unknown sinister purpose. There was genuine lighthearted joy in their eyes, however, and she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps they were simply young both at heart and in body, and the fierce warriors were but a mask they put on when it became necessary. She then looked around at all the dwarves in a new light, wondering who they were inside, beyond what their harsh circumstances had forced them to be.
Even their gruff, intimidating king must have a story, a reason he was always so concerned and protective of his men beyond that which would be a natural reaction of an alpha to a threat against his pack. Or, that of a leader concerned with the safety of his men. She knew that if she were to conceal her true nature, she must become accustomed to speaking as they did. Still, it was difficult to see the world fully from either side, human or wolf. The two seemed to mesh together and thus caused her to interact in many situations more like an animal than most humans would.
Although the ever-present fear of discovery remained with her, logically she knew that her condition was so rare that for most it was merely a legend; tales to tell small children of the horrible monsters that walked disguised as Men. Asta, having been raised in Gondor, and lived in the West, did not know if the Dwarves and Elves had similar legends. She had asked Bilba, once, and been told that hobbits had stories, but did not believe them to have any base in truth. Thus, the werewolf was hopeful that the chances of the dwarves finding out her secret were slim.
She watched in sleepy contentment as the silver-haired Dori berated Fíli and Kíli for their prank, even as his younger brothers chuckled at him. All the other dwarves appeared to be sleeping, most snoring loudly. Seemingly content with his lecture, Dori then turned and told off Nori and Ori for laughing at him, before settling in to sleep as well.
With all but the brothers on watch asleep, Asta was surprised to find herself restless. Her wolf roused within her, and an urgent need arose to make certain that everyone in the group was safe for the night. Her instincts startled her. When had she begun to recognize the dwarves as pack? Bilba, perhaps, could be considered a pack-mate, so maybe her wolf had decided that since Bilba was pack to Asta, and the dwarves were clearly pack to Bilba, she needed to ensure that all of her pack were safely settled in for the night.
Allowing her animal instincts to take hold of her, she rose silently to her feet. Pacing to the outskirts of the camp, she stopped for a moment when she heard movement behind her. Turning, she found the older brother, Fíli, standing nearby with an eyebrow raised in query. "Going somewhere?" he asked softly.
She bowed slightly, knowing that as kin to the alpha, Fíli and Kíli would be high in the ranks of this pack. "I need to relieve myself, Master Dwarf. You have my word I will return before a quarter of an hour has passed." The blond warrior nodded, accepting her excuse, and returned to his brother's side. The werewolf continued into the woods, and then doubled back, walking a circle around the camp, just out of sight of the two on watch. She stepped silently, making herself completely undetectable, even to the sharp sight and hearing of the young dwarves.
As she traveled around the group, she counted them in her head, cataloguing them as safe and together. Her wolf rumbled happily within her, glad that this temporary pack of hers was safe. However, once she had made a full circle, she realized that her count was one dwarf short. There were ten sleeping dwarrows in various locations, one sleeping hobbit right where Asta had left her, and the young brothers on watch. One dwarrow was missing, and when she realized who it was the werewolf tensed up. Where was the alpha?
