The company spent the rest of the night camped on the rock where the eagles had left them. They were exhausted, and even though Gandalf would have rather that they made their way down into the forest below, he could see that they desperately needed some rest.
'We will move again at first light, but for now you can sleep. I'll keep watch,' and no sooner had the wizard said those words than snores could be heard from most of the dwarves.
Thorin looked a little unsettled at not leaving one dwarf on watch, but Gandalf gave him a reassuring smile, and soon he too was asleep. Katy and Sarah once again found themselves lying close to Kili and Fili – it was a habit both they and the two young dwarves were no longer surprised at, and soon they too drifted off. Bilbo was the last one awake, and Gandalf noticed how he kept checking the contents of his pocket before allowing himself to go to sleep.
It seemed as if just minutes had passed by for Katy and Sarah before Gandalf was rousing them awake.
'Just five more minutes, mum, please…' muttered Sarah, pressing herself into Kili's side. It was only when Kili got up himself that Sarah reluctantly sat up.
'Well a great pillow you turned out to be,' she grumbled, as the dwarf pulled her onto her feet.
He beamed at her.
'I believe you were the one wrapping your arms around me this time,' he said, making her blush.
She looked over at Katy, hoping to move the embarrassment onto her, and she found her friend pulling her hands through her hair.
'Bedhead?' Sarah laughed.
'I think I got some goblin in my hair,' Katy replied, pulling a face.
Sarah wrinkled her nose.
'Lovely. The sooner we get you a shower and Fili to put some braids in your hair the better!' she said loudly.
The dwarf in question glanced over and gave a shy smile to Katy.
'See,' Sarah hissed, 'he so wants to braid your hair! Then we'll be matching!'
She twirled her finger around her own braid, grinning.
'Please just drop it,' Katy sighed, and gave her friend a look that told her she was serious.
'I'm sorry, are you ok?' Sarah said softly.
Katy forced a smile onto her face.
'Yeah. Just all that talk of home last night got to me a bit, and for the first time since we got here I dreamt of our home. It wasn't anything big, just mum and dad bickering in front of the telly. But it was as if I was back there, and it felt so safe,' she explained, and Sarah gave her a hug.
'And then I woke up next to Fili and I realised that maybe I had a reason for wanting to stay here a bit longer. And that made me feel a bit guilty,' she finished.
'Ah, if only they weren't so sweet and cute, it would make our lives so much simpler! Tell you what, we'll try and have a chat with Gandalf at some point, see where he is in the whole trying to get us home thing,' said Sarah, trying to cheer her friend up.
Katy nodded and smiled, determined not to let her bad mood last.
She didn't have much longer to think about home, as the wizard soon led the company down from the rock. It was as if large steps had been cut into the sides, and the whole company had to jump down onto the level below.
'Did someone make these steps?!' asked Sarah, as she accidently landed on Dori.
'I think that is a question for later, my dear,' Gandalf smiled, as Sarah apologised to the dwarf.
After what seemed like hours of climbing, the company finally reached the bottom, and were thankful when they could sit in the shade of the trees. As they rested, a few of them thought they heard the rush of water, and sure enough, a river ran close to the trees.
'Now I think we can spare a few minutes while we clean ourselves up,' Gandalf said, and the girls didn't need to be told twice.
They rushed off towards the stream, while the wizard shouted at them not to stray too far. Kili and Fili made to follow them, but Balin held them back.
'Give them a moment of privacy, laddies. Why don't we all pick a spot a wee bit away from them? Gandalf will make sure they don't fall into trouble.'
The young dwarves hesitated a moment, before following the other dwarves and Bilbo to the river.
When Katy and Sarah reached the edge of the water, they flung off their clothes and jumped in wearing just their underwear. Katy dunked her head under the water straight away, and let out a yelp at the coolness of the water.
'Oh my god that feels fantastic!' she said, grinning at Sarah, as she too dipped her head under the water.
'Someone has cheered up!'
Katy laughed.
'It's amazing what some clean water can do for you!'
She pointed at her friend's hair.
'Careful, that braid will come out. That might be the equivalent of dumping someone here,' said Katy.
Sarah held the braid in her hand.
'And we wouldn't want him to think that!' she grinned.
She saw her friend look at the braid for a moment longer.
'You so want one too,' Sarah said, and Katy turned away from her, smiling.
'Well if you keep dropping enough hints then I might not have to wait much longer!'
Sarah was silent for a moment.
'He does like you, you know. You can see it in the way he watches you, it's like he's afraid you'll run off or something,' she said eventually.
Katy shrugged, but said nothing.
'Come on, you know I'm right. He's just a bit shyer than his brother. A bit more reserved,' her friend said.
'Ah, I don't even know why I care so much! It's crazy!' Katy said, and Sarah laughed.
'You know what it's like? Princes William and Harry. The younger one gets to be a bit more carefree, a bit less pressure on his shoulders. No one really cares who he dates. But Prince William? Well he's the heir to the throne, he's got to make sure he's dating the right girl, so that daddy, or in this case uncle, approves!' she said.
'Are you saying I'm not as good as Kate Middleton?!' Katy said, splashing water in Sarah's face.
'Nooo, I wouldn't dare! I'm just saying he can't jump into these things,' she replied, laughing.
'Who's Kate Middleton?'
The girls suddenly stopped laughing, and turned around to see Kili and Fili standing on the bank of the river.
'Ehh, just a friend of ours from back home,' Sarah said quickly.
The young dwarves nodded, and the girls couldn't help but notice that they were both still soaking wet from their own baths in the river. Fully dressed, but soaking wet. Damn those hot dwarves, they both thought.
'So what do you pair of Mr Darcy's want, then?' Sarah asked, and she and Katy swam over to the bank, careful to keep only their heads above the water.
'Gandalf wanted to know if you were almost finished washing,' said Kili.
'He's wanting us to start moving again,' added Fili.
'And what did you call us?' said Kili, clearly confused.
Katy and Sarah grinned at each other.
'Nothing! Could you turn around so we can put on our clothes?' Katy said sweetly.
'Oh! Of course!' both dwarves chimed, and they hurriedly spun around, eyes on the ground.
Giggling, the two girls climbed out of the river and squeezed the water out of their hair, before pulling on their clothes.
'Decent!' shouted Sarah, and the dwarves peered back at the girls.
'Actually, could you redo my braid? It's started to fall out with all the goblins and orcs chasing us,' said Sarah to Kili, who nodded.
Smiling, the dwarf took the piece of hair, and carefully re-braided it.
Katy started slowly walking back in the direction of the rest of the company with Fili.
'Did you get all the goblin out your hair?' he asked her.
She laughed.
'Yeah, I think so. I really needed that wash.'
Fili smiled at her, and there was a moment when Katy was convinced that he was about to ask if he could braid her hair. But before either of them had a chance to say anything, the silence was broken by Ori.
'Excuse me, I hope I'm not interrupting, but Mr Gandalf is wondering what is keeping you?' he said politely.
Katy sighed.
'Sorry, Ori, it took a bit longer getting the goblin out of my hair than I expected,' she said, and both she and Fili followed Ori back to the group, with Sarah and Kili close behind them. Kili had rebraided her friend's hair, and she even spotted them holding hands, only letting go once they had rejoined the rest of the company. Those two just get cuter and cuter, Katy thought.
'Ah, good, now that we've all had a chance to clean up a bit, I think it's high time that we were on out way,' Gandalf said.
The wizard went on to explain that the eagles had taken them from their planned route, and that they would have to go through Mirkwood Forest to get back on track. Sarah was about to ask Kili what Mirkwood Forest was like, but from the look on his and the rest of the dwarves faces, the question probably wasn't going to have an answer that she would like. Maybe leave that for a bit later, she thought. What she heard Gandalf say next didn't make her feel any better.
'I am needed elsewhere, so I will be leaving your company shortly,' he said, and Katy, Sarah and Bilbo couldn't stop themselves from groaning out loud.
'Now, then! I always meant to see you all safe over the mountains, and now by good management and good luck I have done it. But this is not my adventure,' the wizard said, as Bilbo looked like he might cry. 'I may look in on it again before it is all over, but in the meanwhile I have some other pressing business to attend to,'
The two girls must have looked upset as well, as Gandalf turned to them with a smile.
'Don't worry, my dears, I haven't forgotten my promise to you. I intend to leave you in a day or two, but I will speak to you fully before then, but first things first, I will take you to Beorn.'
There was a moment's silence after the wizard finished talking, until Sarah pipped up.
'Are we meant to know who that is? Is he another wizard?' she asked.
Gandalf gave a little chuckle.
'No, Beorn is not a wizard, but he is a very great person. He can get very angry, though he is very kind if humoured. Beorn is a skin-changer,' he explained.
'A skin what now?' asked Katy, still puzzled.
'Sometimes he is a large man, and at other times he is a huge black bear,' Gandalf replied.
Katy and Sarah were pleased to see that the wizard's explanation was just as surprising to the dwarves and hobbit as it was to them.
'So he can turn into a bear?' Bilbo clarified.
Gandalf nodded.
'Of course he does, why am I not surprised!' Sarah muttered to Katy.
'But remember what I said, he can become angry when provoked, so treat him with respect,'
'This place just gets weirder and weirder,' said Sarah, turning to Katy, who nodded in agreement.
Gandalf started to lead the company through the trees, and he told them it wouldn't be long until they came to Beorn's home. Even though they were all still wet from bathing in the river, the sun was slowing drying them, and after the last couple of days, it was a pleasant walk. Before long, they started to see beehives in the trees and bees buzzing about, and Gandalf soon halted the group.
'We're approaching Beorn's home. Now, I think it would be best if we approached him in small numbers, so I will go ahead with Bilbo, and you will follow me in pairs a few minutes apart. We don't want to startle him,'
The girls became a little apprehensive at the wizard's words.
'He's not going to have a problem, with us being here, is he?' asked Sarah.
Gandalf shook his head.
'No, but I would rather not greet him as one large group. Let him get used to us a couple at a time, eh?' he said, smiling.
The wizard walked off with Bilbo in tow, and after a minute or two Dori and Ori started after them. The dwarves continued this way until just Kili, Fili and Bombur were left with the girls.
'Come on, Katy, I think it's our turn,' said Sarah, grabbing her friend's wrist.
Katy looked surprised, and started to point at Fili as Sarah dragged her in the direction of Beorn's house.
'I thought we would go with Kili and Fili?'
Sarah smirked.
'Beorn might as well get used to us together. Plus, we don't want to give those hot dwarves the idea that we rely on them for everything.'
'Good point. I'm still a bit scared of what Beorn will be like though,' Katy replied.
'Oh god, yeah, me too!' Sarah said, grinning at her.
They walked the rest of the way in silence, and before long came across a huge wooden building. The girls saw Gandalf, Bilbo and the dwarves standing in front of it, next to a large, dark haired man.
'And that must be Beorn,' whispered Katy.
The man himself turned to look at the girls, and they slowed down to a stop near him.
'Ah, let me introduce Sarah and Katy, two young women who are part of this company,' said Gandalf, and Beorn nodded at smile.
Sarah and Katy smiled shyly at him, and waved. They weren't sure if they should say anything, but before they did, KIli and Fili approached, and were introduced by Gandalf. Bombur followed shortly after them, and Beorn surveyed the whole company as Gandalf explained what had happened to them.
'We had rather a bad time with the goblins in the mountains.'
Beorn looked concerned.
'Goblins are such nasty creatures, you did well to escape. Come now, I will see that you are well fed and rested before you continue on your journey tomorrow,' replied Beorn.
The dwarves, Bilbo and the girls murmured their thanks, before following Gandalf and Beorn into his home. The place was huge. In the centre of the living area was a long wooden table, and it was being set for dinner by ponies and dogs. Before she could stop herself, Sarah burst out laughing.
'That is so cool! Ok, of all the things I have seen in Middle Earth, that is by far the best!' she exclaimed, before turning quickly to Kili. 'Apart from you, of course, Kili!'
The dwarf grinned at her.
Beorn looked a bit startled at her outburst, and suddenly Sarah remembered what Gandalf said about him getting very angry. Hope he's not too sensitive about his ponies, she thought.
As it turned out, he wasn't.
'I'm glad you find my lodgings to your satisfaction, my dear! Come now, let's have something to eat!' Beorn said loudly.
As the dwarves, Bilbo, and the girls slowly shuffled around the table, Boern's animals began bringing in plates laden with food, and the whole company was soon reminded of how hungry they all were.
Gandalf told their host some more of their run in with the goblins ('A very good tale! The best I have heard for a long while!' according to Beorn), and the skin-changer then started to talk about Mirkwood Forest.
Sarah and Katy only had to hear the words 'dark and dangerous' leave his mouth when they decided that they had heard enough, and tried to start a new conversation topic with some of the dwarves.
'Have you ever been to Mirkwood Forest?' Katy asked Fili, who was, as always, sitting right next to her.
The dwarf shook his head.
'We haven't really been very far from the Blue Mountains, where Thorin settled our people after Erebor was lost. Our mother wasn't exactly thrilled at us joining our uncle on the quest, but luckily Thorin saw that we could be of use,' he said, and both he and Kili looked quite proud.
'Yep, I'd agree that you've had some uses!' said Sarah cheekily, and Kili blushed slightly.
'So I'm guessing you're as terrified as Mirkwood as we are then?' asked Katy.
'Well, I wouldn't say that I'm particurly looking forward to it, but we did know that this quest wouldn't be easy,' replied Fili.
'So that's a yes to being terrified,' said Katy, rolling her eyes slightly, as the dwarves around her and Fili laughed.
Once dinner ended, Beorn called on his dogs and ponies to clear the table, and the company retired to the corner of the room filled with soft chairs next to a roaring fire. The dwarves started telling their own stories, but before Sarah and Katy could get caught up in any of them, Gandalf beckoned them away.
'How are you doing, my dears?' he asked.
'We're alright, thanks. Beorn seems like a nice guy, and I think I'll sleep like a log tonight,' said Sarah, and Katy smiled in agreement.
'I'm glad. Now, I wanted to speak to you both quickly about why you have found yourselves in Middle Earth. I consulted with both Elrond and Galadrial before I left Rivendell, and we may have figured it out,' Gandalf said.
'Who's Galadrial?' asked Katy, wondering if it was another wizard.
'She's a very powerful and wise elf, and it was she who has heard of some whisperings of strangers from another world,' the wizard replied.
'Strangers? Us, does she mean us? You mean people have heard about us?' Sarah said, her head spinning.
'As I said, she is very wise. From the best of our knowledge, it would appear that you have a purpose to being here. It was no accident that you came to Middle Earth, and it is our understanding that you will return once you have fulfilled that purpose and are no longer needed here,' Gandalf said.
Both Katy and Sarah took a couple of minutes to think about what he said before speaking.
'What do you mean, no longer needed? What purpose do we have?' asked Katy.
'That, I'm afraid, we do not know. But I will continue to look for answers, that I can promise you,' said Gandalf, trying to sound reassuring.
'I just can't believe that we might actually have a reason for being here,' said Sarah.
'Please do not worry too much, my dears. You have found yourselves as part of this company, and you shall remain as so until we know more. Now, I suggest that you get some rest,' said Gandalf, and smiling at the two girls, he left the room.
Sarah turned to Katy.
'Well, who would have guessed that. We have a purpose, an actual purpose to being here!' she said, grinning.
'I know, weird or what? I mean I guess it's quite good in a way, it must mean that there's a way for us to go home? That we aren't stuck here?' said Katy, and Sarah nodded in agreement.
'I guess so. The whole thing blows my mind. I still think that I'm going to wake up one morning, and it will all be a dream,' said Sarah.
'That morning we first woke up here seems so long ago, doesn't it? I haven't really thought about how long we've been here. Or how long that we've been missing from home,' said Katy, and she suddenly started to look a bit worried.
'Hey, come on. It's ok. Let's concentrate on the positives. If there's a reason we're here, that mean's there's a way for us to leave. It's just a case of when, it would seem,' Sarah said.
Katy gave her friend a small smile.
'Yeah, you're right. It's just been a really weird day,' she said, as she noticed Kili and Fili approaching them.
'We, erm, don't mean to interrupt, but Beorn has set up beds for us all in the next room,' said Kili.
The two girls smiled at him.
'Thanks, I could really do with a bed right now!' Sarah said, and the two dwarves led them next door, where 16 camp beds had been placed. Gandalf, it appeared, would be sleeping elsewhere.
There wasn't much space between the beds, and the girls slowly climbed over to where four empty beds were tightly packed together. Once again, it came as no surprise that the dwarf brothers had kept the girls' beds right next to their own.
Most of the other dwarves were asleep, and Bilbo was once again checking his pocket carefully before settling down himself.
Kili gave Sarah a quick peck on the cheek before whispering goodnight, and the two of them were soon asleep. Fili turned to Katy.
'Sweet dreams,' he said quietly, and he reached out and squeezed her hand.
'Night,' she said, and she stifled a yawn. Katy watched as Fili closed his eyes, and she was soon listening to a chorus of snores from all around her. As tired as she was, she just couldn't get to sleep. She had far too many thoughts in her head, most of them about what Gandalf had told them earlier, and some about Fili, and try as hard as she could, she was unable to will herself to sleep.
All around her, the dwarves, Bilbo and Sarah slept, and she found herself smiling slightly when she realised she could distinguish each dwarf with the sound they made as they snored. But after a while, amusement became frustration – the snoring seemed to grow louder, and didn't help her in trying to get some sleep herself.
This is ridiculous, Katy thought, as she pulled herself up off the camp bed. She stood for a moment, her eyes finding a path between her sleeping companions. Trying not to wake any of them, she tiptoed around the camp beds and towards the door leading to the main living area. Katy was about to open the door when she heard it – a slight scratching sound. She turned around, thinking she had woken one of the dwarves. But no, they were all still asleep. Great, first I can't sleep, and now I'm hearing things, she thought, and she slowly opened the door. One in the hall, Katy crept along to where they had all eaten earlier. For a second she wondered if she would run into Beorn, but the large room was empty. Sighing, she made her way over to one of the large armchairs. She wasn't sure if she would be able to sleep here, but it was at least worth a shot. Curling her feet up around her and snuggling into the cushions, Katy closed her eyes. A bit of piece and quiet, and now for some much needed sleep before those dwarves get hungry again, she thought. She could feel herself drifting off when she heard it again. No, this time it was different. Not scratching, but, growling?
Keeping her eyes firming closed, she told herself to calm down. This house is in the middle of a forest, of course there's going to be some animals near, she told herself, trying to be reassuring. Just as long as they are friendly and small and stay outside, she added. She thought it was working, until after a particularly loud growl, she jumped up in the chair, eyes wide open and senses fully awake, and found herself face to face with Fili.
'What the hell are you doing?! Were you growling at me? Cos I think I get the braiding, but growling is just weird,' she hissed.
The dwarf looked just as startled as she did.
'Growling? What? No, I saw you weren't in your bed, so I wanted to see if you were ok,' Fili whispered.
Katy tried her very best not to roll her eyes. If there was ever anything Fili was great at, it was seeing if she was ok. The dwarf seemed to be doing nothing but checking up on her. Sweet of him, yes, but also a little bit tiring.
'I'm fine, really. I just couldn't sleep. Maybe its because I'm on a camp bed rather than the cold hard earth,' she joked, trying to lighten the mood. Fili didn't return her smile.
'Are you sure that's all it is? You've been a bit quiet for most of the evening,' the dwarf said.
Katy tried to give him a reassuring grin.
'Honestly, just tired. I was almost asleep until I heard that growling. Are you sure it wasn't you?'
Fili looked confused.
'I definitely didn't growl. And I don't believe you,' he said, staring at her.
After a minute of silence, Katy looked away from him.
'Fine. Ok. You're right. I've just been thinking about what Gandalf told Sarah and I. Apparently we can't go back home until we're no longer needed or something,' she explained.
Fili looked even more confused.
'What do you mean, no longer needed?'
Katy shrugged.
'That's exactly what I said. I didn't even realise we were needed. I just thought we were lost,' she said quietly.
The two of them were silent again. Fili didn't know what to say that would make the girl feel better.
'Everyone wants to feel needed, though, don't they? Maybe it's a good thing,' he said, giving her a small smile.
Katy gave a small smile back.
'Yeah I guess. But I'm kind of needed elsewhere, too,'
'Back home, you mean?' the dwarf asked.
She nodded.
'I was counting the days earlier, trying to work out how long Sarah and I have been here, and I realised that it's my mum's birthday tomorrow. And she needs me,' she explained.
Now Fili knew what to say to her even less.
'I'm sorry, I don't mean to put all this on you, you've got a quest to focus on,' she said, trying to give the dwarf a convincing smile.
Fili didn't say anything, and instead pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her.
'Don't be sorry. We'll find out what it is that needs to happen to get you home. I promise,' he whispered in her ear.
'Ok, now you are going to make me cry, being all sweet like that,' Katy said, choking up a little.
'But thank you. That means a lot. And before you ask, I'm still glad we came with you and didn't stay with the elves. It's just sometimes it hits home how far we are from, well, home,' she continued.
'Believe me, I know how much home can mean,' Fili replied.
The girl and the dwarf were silent for a bit, until they both realised how close they were to one another, and that Fili arms were still around Katy.
Flustered, they both stood up, not quite making eye contact.
'I should try and get some sleep now. The growling seems to have stopped,' Katy said, much to Fili's amusement.
'I'm still convinced you made that up, but yeah, you should get some sleep,' he said, as they both slowly made their way back to where the rest of their companions slept.
Katy stopped just as she reached the door, and turned to the dwarf.
'Thank you, again. You have the knack of saying just what I need to hear,' she said, giving him a shy smile.
'No problem at all,' he whispered back.
Katy continued to stand there, and Fili looked at her expectantly.
'Maybe you could, I mean, if you still want to, maybe…put a braid in my hair? It's starting to get a bit messy and a little frizzy, and it's probably only going to get worse….' She tailed off, looking at the ground.
'Of course,' Fili replied, and Katy looked up to find him beaming at her.
'Thanks,' she muttered, feeling her face grow hot. Fili grinned even more at her.
She moved towards the door and much to her embarrassment, stumbled into it. The door swung open, and before she knew it, she was on the floor.
'WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING LASS?' bellowed Dwalin, whose bed Katy had nearly fell on. Katy found herself being helped up by Fili, who was trying his best not to laugh.
'You didn't think to try and catch me?' she hissed at him.
'Oh no, there was no way I was getting to you in time!' he laughed, only to be smacked round the head by Dwalin.
'Oi, what was that for?!'
'Get to bed, the pair of you. We've got a big day tomorrow,' Dwalin muttered, before closing his eyes again and almost immediately starting to snore loudly.
'How does he do that?!' Katy asked.
Fili just shook his head, still giggling.
The two of them carefully made their way over to their camp beds, not wanting to wake any other dwarves up. But it would seem that they already had.
'What were you two up to at this hour for?' whispered Kili as they passed by his camp bed. He was wearing the biggest of grins.
Katy rolled her eyes.
'I couldn't sleep and Fili was, well, being Fili and seeing if I was alright,' she explained.
'Ahh, he's good like that, isn't he!' Kili said, grinning at his brother. Now it was his turn to get a smack round the head.
'Leave it, brother. And go back to sleep,' Fili hissed at him.
Shrugging his shoulders at them, Kili shifted around in his camp bed and was soon snoring away.
Climbing quietly into their own beds, Katy turned to Fili.
'Thanks, again. And, erm, goodnight?' she whispered to the dwarf.
'Goodnight,' he whispered back.
She wasn't sure if it was her chat with Fili, or Dwalin reminding them that they had a big day tomorrow, but Katy found herself drifting off to sleep not long after her head hit the pillow. Soon she was fast asleep, and completely unaware of the dwarf next to her carefully braiding a piece of her hair.