Hey everyone! This is the start for Movie 2 now! Teehee!
It has been an uncountable amount of weeks since they encountered Azog, the sight of Erebor from the Carrocks they stood from and the ride of the eagles but it has been clear for the past couple of weeks that something was happening, they had not much time to rest but constantly on the run from the packs that were chasing after them, and one of those were Azog along with many of many wargs that seemed that no matter if they fought with them, more kept coming.
Bilbo stared of the edge of the cliff as morning had dawned on them, he was scouting the area as he witness the pack of said wargs jumping and howling over rocks but what he was focused on was not the beasts, but the riders on top of them, and a pale orc was the center of the hobbit's attention; for it was Azog who sniffed the air and looked in the direction of said hobbit who quickly hid himself behind the rock, obscuring his view but caring not for if he had gotten caught, then the view would be meaningless.
He heard the pack retreating into the distance but a menacing growl had got him to turn and hide himself even further.
A loud thundering growl that echoed like thunder and an earthquake roared loudly, catching the hobbit off guard to see this new threat.
As he planted his back on the cold stone and looked towards his side, he noticed a beast on four legs gazing in the distance.
It looked similar to that of a bear but even bigger, its frontal paws dug into stone as it snarled and howled in the distance, the echoes of its voice caught in the air and blew along the forest.
Bilbo, thinking that this was the perfect time to escape, had done so; quickly scurrying down the edges of the cliff to meet back up with the company who was eagerly waiting for his results on his scouting mission.
The hobbit scurried down the valley and soon caught sight of the dwarven company.
As soon as Bilbo was in sight, Thorin just went along and started the conversation.
"How close is the pack?" the voice deep and low spoke as he allowed Bilbo passage into the middle of the now forming circle.
Bilbo who was huffing and puffing looked at the leader. "Too close, a couple of leagues and no more, but that's not the worst of it" the hobbit said only to have set eyes on the wizard.
"Have the wargs picked up our scent?" The bald headed dwarf asked while clutching tightly on his war hammer.
"Not yet but they will in any moment" the hobbit answered. "But we do have another problem"
"Did they see you" Gandalf added in while stepping closer to Bilbo. "They saw you?" he asked
"No, that's not it at all" Bilbo groaned.
Gandalf smirked while winking. "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse, proven to be a burglar"
The dwarves began to chatter with Gandalf, agreeing as some smiles appearing on their faces; they were impressed of his stealth.
Thorin walked away, thinking of other matters within his head but the girl to the side, who was sitting on a boulder chatted quietly to the adviser that took form of a duck; who was plopped on her head and others except for this girl could see it.
"Will you just listen!" the hobbit shouted at the group who silenced all at once and turned their confused gazes back to him.
"I'm trying to tell you that there is something else out there" he pointed back at to where he came from.
The company exhaled in exasperation, another danger to their lives.
Thorin especially looked disbelief, it was as if faith were against them this time.
"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf said with eyes widen and no expression in his voice.
Bilbo who answered with a "yes" then looked at the wizard with another odd look, that of surprise.
"Ye—Yes, but bigger" the hobbit stuttered while looking at Tsaiya who shrugged her arms; she was not going to be in this conversation and was eager to go underway, they had been dillydallying for far too long and it was bound that the pack would catch up to them in any moment.
"Much bigger" the hobbit added in while turning to Bofur who was quite nearby.
"You knew of this beast?" the dwarf said while eyeing the wizard who turned on his heel and walked from the group, a few steps while trying to think of a solution.
"I say we double back" Bofur suggested only to be shot down by Thorin.
"And be run down by a pack of orcs?"
The company then began to panic and different suggestions and babbles formed between them, conflicting with one another,
"There is a house" the wizard's old voice cut through the conversation as he turned and continued. "It is not far from here, where we might take refuge; if we journey now we will be able to make to it about noon" he said.
"Whose house?" Thorin growled under his breath as he glared at Gandalf. "Are they friend or foe?"
"Neither" Gandalf breathed out, as if it was the last thing he had wanted to say. "He will help us or, he will kill us"
Everyone turned to each other, worried of this host that could possibly be the end of them even before they were to even venture close to the kingdom of the dwarves.
"What choice do we have?"
Before anyone could even respond, the howl and roar of a creature was heard very close to where they were located at; startling the group.
"None" the wizard commented while they all ran as fast as they could; down the rock path of the mountain.
They ran as fast and far as they could once again; journeying without staying too long in one area to only rest and recuperate for a few brief moments and never staying for more than an hour.
They repeated this tactic as they crossed down the mountain and entered a vast greenery of plains where rivers flowers and trees were abundant though their beauty was only equal to the Shire, it was not a perfect hiding place; it wasn't even an ideal hiding place!
Though they ran across of it, pass the flowers and trees and vast rivers and even forests; only to hear the howl of the creature even closer to them.
They were panicked and frightened, even Thorin who had the composure of a very proud and fearless dwarf had the feeling of fear within his eyes; though they were for his companions and not for himself; but this fear was justified, not only were they running from a creature but hordes of orcs and goblins that were after Thorin's head as well as their leader Azog was trailing after them and was not far behind.
Running past a certain forest, they heard the screams of the beast once more ever so closer that it seemed that he was in closing distance towards them.
"This way! Quickly!" The wizard shouted once more while leading them deeper into the forest.
Bombur had been stuck in place of such a scream, scared and frightened.
Though it was Thorin who pulled the dwarf by his beard and told him to hurry.
"Run!" Thorin shouted to his companions who ran even faster.
Tsaiya was tired beyond compare, though the legions of orcs that were after them had put her on edge, though her spirit was recuperating from the previous battles in Goblin Town, she still felt weaker than the time she took the tests many weeks and possibly a month or two ago.
Havanna tried his hard to train her with little rest she could but the look of pure exhaustion was not helping her, the situation of her trainings at all and he vowed to himself that the first chance they would get to rest for more than a few hours, he would let her rest in peace for she deserved it more than most of the group.
Tsaiya panted, still fighting the urge to just sit down and let them come for her; running directly behind Gandalf was quite beneficial for she concluded that he knew everything and everywhere they were going to head too.
When they cleared the forest and noticed an enormous house in the clearing situated in a vast dry field situated under trees and a rock wall, she felt the desperation to fight and eliminate the threat so she could smoothly rest and regain her strength.
As they all ran towards the house, she noticed Bombur who despite being the biggest of the group, ran far faster than all of them.
Their cries of trying to run faster filled her ears and she had already lost control of her temper once again.
"Enough of this!" she screamed while bringing her hands together and summoning an explosive ball of light within her grasp, she stopped dead in her tracks for only the cries of dismay of the dwarves who were wondering what was she doing.
"This nonsense has got to stop!" she yelled in irritation while flying it towards the opening in which they ran from.
The shimmering ball flew quite the distance and then exploded as it struck trees and dirt; light emanating from the area and a smug look on her face as if she had delivered a final blow towards the creature.
Only for it to jump from said area and landed at the same clearing, roaring even louder, the roar was directed to her.
Eyes widening and Havanna's reminder of her to "book it" and so she did, running with Bilbo as they moved passed the walk doors of the wall circling around the house.
"Come on! Get inside!" the wizard ushered them in as they passed an enormous tree and flowers as they witnessed enormous bees that felt as if you should get stung by them it would mean either excruciating pain as well as certain death or possibly the combination of the two.
They made it towards the door and they tried to budge it open, slamming themselves against it while knocking as well as pounding against the door.
"Open the door!" Gandalf shouted as the beast began to draw near.
Tsaiya was one of the few who was trying to unlock the door, but simply couldn't for she had not seen such a door as this one, turned and looked at the beast that was quickly approaching.
Stepping forward to the group she rose her hands up and pointed at the rock doors for them to only close directly in the face of the beast, buying them even more time.
Thorin squeezed himself past the group and unlocked the door and all who was near began pouring in, clamoring each other with screams and shouts as the dwarves made it within the house.
Tsaiya as well as Gandalf tread quickly within for them to only see the rock door to be flung open and the beast was now running directly towards them.
"Close the doors!" The wizard screamed as the dwarves began to push the enormous doors closed.
The face of the monster like bear slamming into the door as its head began to snap and growl at the dwarves who were pushing against it, trying to force the door close.
Tsaiya already gasping for breath for such a long run and the magic she used.
Bilbo Gandalf as well as Tsaiya breathed in air as the dwarves continued to use their strength against the creature and with enough force along with some miniscule of magic from the girl, they managed to close the door on the creature; only for it to slam itself against said door and snarl at the group within.
The dwarves sighed loudly in relief for doing such a feat before slamming the log stopped on the lock as a matter of extra precaution.
"What in the world was that?" Ori grunted while turning to look at the wizard along with Tsaiya, he believed they had the answer for it but for the girl who only shrugged at it looked at Gandalf who now had all eyes on him, waiting for an answer.
"That is our host" the wizard spoke.
Everyone gaze of look of confusion as well as one that pretty much summed up to "You got to be joking?" kind of face.
Gandalf had a smirk on his face while looking around.
"His name is Beorn, a skin changer" the wizard spoke while stepping away.
Tsaiya looked around the area, the house seemed enormous and full of barrels and wheat. When she got her breath she noticed animals within the house as well; bulls as well as cows with long horns that were sharp at the touch looked at them as they continued to chew on the grass within their feeding trays.
Tsaiya stepped above the stables and looked around to that of which looked to be the dining room.
There was enormous benches that possibly could fit seven of her on single bench, luckily enough it would fit the company as well.
"Sometimes he's a huge black bear and sometimes he's a great strong man" the wizard explained while petting a nearby cow who which Tsaiya had been petting another. "The bear is unpredictable but the man can be reason with, however, he is not over fond of dwarves" the wizard said while looking at the dwarves as if they were pests.
To which they were, as of the moment they were snooping around within another's home without said owner's permission.
Ori had his ear beside the door and when the creature growled once more the scribe turned around and looked at the group.
"He's leaving" the dwarf whispered.
His older brother quickly ran up to him and roughly pulled him away. "Come away from there! It's not natural. None of it." he told his brother.
He looked towards Gandalf. "It's obvious that he's under some sort of dark spell"
Gandalf looked irritably at the dwarf before raising his voice. "Don't be a fool, he's under no enchantment but his own"
The wizard spoke as he took off his hat while stepping unto the platform that led to the dining table.
"Now get some sleep, all of you; especially you Tsaiya, for I know you been getting cranky and irritable for days on end" the wizard pointed to the girl who smiled sheepishly at the wizard while sitting next to Bilbo who situated himself quite near.
"You'll be quite safe here tonight" he said out loud but few words that Tsaiya could hear coming from the wizard's mouth. "I hope" she caught it.
It was a very good rest however to sit around and not to worry about orc packs chasing after you; for Tsaiya she had changed into a duck once again one night but luckily enough she had heeded Gandalf's warnings and changed within the woods nearby and slept near the company but far from their eyes and as morning had come she had transformed back and continued to journey with them.
It was still broad daylight while some dwarves along with Gandalf had gone to sleep and get some rest, though Tsaiya no matter how she could try to adjust herself to sleep, could not do such a thing and Bilbo obviously felt the same.
"Tsaiya, I was meaning to ask of you since Rivendell, if you are a duck, in what purpose as to why did the Valar brought you here?" the hobbit whispered.
The girl blinked to the question and then softened her look and answered the best she could without hinting anything.
"I was brought here from them to do a specific thing that will come along the journey perhaps or later on in the future, but all I know is that I am here as of now, and I don't regret anything of meeting everyone and all too" she smiled.
"Ah, so if the quest is finished and all and you haven't returned home, do you know where you will be staying" the hobbit asked while turning to look at her, his hazel eyes gazed upon her.
She shook her head, her hair in a tight brain that curled down her back wobbled; "No, I haven't thought that far actually; but it's alright though" she honestly said.
"Well, you could stay with me if you want" the hobbit said while blushing slightly.
Tsaiya knew that he had trouble showing his emotions, along with another person in the group, well a lot of dwarves in the group.
"Thank you Bilbo, I would love too" she smiled while pulling him close for a hug.
"Awe isn't that cute"
The two looked to see Kili staring amusingly at the two.
Bilbo rolled his eyes at the mischievous dwarf who had graced them with his presence.
"Kili" Tsaiya whispered, trying hard to not to wake up the nearby dwarves.
"Tsaiya" the dwarf greeted with one of his signature smile that secretly burned her stomach and chest whenever she saw such a thing.
"What were you guys talking about here?" the dwarf wondered while quickly jumping over the railing and landing directly next to Tsaiya who was quickly blushing of the body contact that was near her.
She was already stuttering and muttering nonsensical words trying to figure out what to say to him and he seemed to enjoy her nervousness and laughed.
"She was about to tell a story" Bilbo interrupted saving her from the embarrassment but to no avail since she had already shamed herself from just stuttering and muttering.
Even Havanna was laughing so loudly that she was glad that he could not be seen or even heard from them.
"A story? How come you haven't told of any stories to us around the campfires in the beginning of the journey?" Kili said while plucking the wheat that traveled within Tsaiya's hair.
"Because we were too busy trying to stay alive of course" Tsaiya commented back.
Kili chuckled but then sat up, eager to hear the story that Tsaiya was going to tell.
"You want it now?" she exclaimed to which he nodded.
Just like a child, she thought while sitting up, I guess it won't hurt to just tell a tale from a book I read.
She nodded while adjusting herself easily.
"Alright, I shall tell you one of my favorite tales; a story about seven dwarves and a maiden whose beauty was envied by a jealous queen"
Kili's face turned excited at the sound of dwarves within the tale she was going to speak of, and luckily they were similar; miners who enjoyed finding jewels along with the dwarves in her company; and as such she started to tell the tale.