Okay I am so so so sorry this has taken so long! Please forgive me for being the slowest updated in the world. I'm going to try my hardest to get back into a Hobbity mood! So do me a huge favor and give me some reviews to motivate me! Thanks for sticken around!
I do not own the Hobbit or any of J.R.R Tolkien's work! I only own my OC and this fanfic so let's keep it this way!
Skylar was awoken abruptly by a hand shaking her shoulder," Skylar wake up!"
Her eyes opened and she looked up groggily at Thorin," Wha-? What's going on?"
"Come on, it's time, the orcs are catching onto us," He explained, pulling her up.
"Okay, okay, let me gather my things," She told him, getting onto her knees and rolling her bedroll up.
After making sure all her things were either inside or strapped onto her pack, she stood and looked around at the dwarves who were just finishing getting ready. Skylar jogged over to where they were grouped together," We ready?"
Everyone agreed and they started down the path. They passed the stream where she had bathed just a few hours before. Words couldn't express how glad she was to be clean.
The howls of wargs could be heard around them and everyone stopped for a moment and looked around.
"Where are they?!" Dwalin demanded.
"It doesn't matter, just keep moving!" Thorin called out before grasping her sleeve and tugging her along," Come on! Move!"
She let out a disgruntled sound as the oldest Dürin drug her down along the path, the rest of the company following closely.
Gandalf was just ahead of them, where he turned abruptly," This way, quickly!"
They all followed the gray wizard through the winding rock paths, then down a narrow path that lead down into the open. Everyone halted and was silent for a moment before the howls of the wargs resumed.
"We need to find where they're at, or how close they are," Thorin stated.
"I'll go," Bilbo squeaked out," I'll be quick and quiet."
Thorin considered it for a moment," Alright, go quickly Bilbo, and be careful!"
Everyone watched as the hobbit scurried back up the path they had came down. Skylar turned away when Bilbo slipped out of her view and leaned back against the rock, then closed her eyes and sighed. She opened her eyes when someone nudged her arm. It was Dori.
"Hmm, what?" She mumbled out, still feeling rather tired, but she knew they'd rest again at Beorn's.
Dori had Ori shoved protectively behind him," We never got the chance to thank you."
"Thank me? For what?" Skylar asked, mildly confused.
"For holding onto us on that tree, without you we would've fallen for sure," Dori replied.
"Oh, no problem Dori, that's not something you have to thank me for," She told him with a slight shake of her head, then she patted his shoulder," I mean, we're all friends now right? That's what friends do for each other."
Dori opened his mouth to continue but a loud roar echoed around them and Skylar tensed. She knew what it was, but the initial sound still startled her.
"What was that?" Ori asked uneasily.
"Probably just the wargs," Dwalin stated from his side.
"Wargs don't make that sound," Skylar told him, knowing that he fully knew that.
Not a moment later Bilbo came running back down the path, breathing heavily.
"How far are they?" Thorin asked.
"Twenty leagues, no more," Bilbo panted out," But there's something else."
"Did they see you? They saw you," Gandalf sputtered.
"No, that's not it," Bilbo assured them.
"See, quiet as a mouse," Gandalf boasted to the company who all made hums of agreeance.
They were all ignoring Bilbo until the hobbit called out to the group," Listen! I'm trying to tell you that there is something else out there!"
"What did it look like? Like a bear?" Gandalf questioned grimly.
"Ye-yes," Bilbo got out, his eyes narrowed at the wizard.
"There is a house, it is isn't far from here, we could take refuge there," Gandalf explained and all the dwarves grew weary.
"Who's house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin demanded.
"Neither. He will either help us, or kill us," The wizard stated.
"What choice do we have?" Dwalin asked the group.
The wargs sounded out again and everyone paled, then Gandalf spoke again," None. Run!"
Skylar sighed before she took off running again, 'I'm getting real sick of Gandalf telling us to run, he'll be gone soon though, probably not a good thing,' She thought. They ran for what felt like forever until the loud roar from behind them caused Skylar to ignore her fatigue and run faster as the house was in sight now.
Her eyes widened when she saw Bombur go sprinting past her, that was probably a once in a lifetime image. They finally arrived to the house and Skylar facepalmed when most the dwarves just ran into the door then started banging on it. When Skylar looked behind them she saw Beorn, in his bear form, charging at them," Guys! The door opened now would be great!"
Thorin was thankfully smarted than his kin and pushed through them to open the door, allowing everyone to stampede inside. Skylar ran inside and whipped around to see the dwarves slammed to door onto Beorn's muzzle. Everyone relaxed and slowly started to disperse as Gandalf had instructed earlier, his words hadn't reached Skylar.
She walked over to a spot she found a decent enough to sleep on and tossed her bag down before collapsing on the ground, head resting on her bag. Her eyes opened when she felt another's presence and when she opened her eyes she saw Thorin next to her.
"We were going to have something to eat before getting some rest, if you're hungry," Thorin told her," But, if you'd rather sleep I wouldn't blame you, you look exhausted."
"I am exhausted, I haven't been on an adventure like this before, with orcs and goblins and giant bears," She said gesturing to the door," I didn't have orcs where I'm from Thorin, or goblins or any dangers like that. The only thing we fight is ourselves."
Thorin had his brows drawn tightly," What do you mean you didn't have orcs? Orcs are everywhere."
Skylar shook her head," Not where I'm from Thorin, and please don't ask me where I'm from. The only thing I'll tell you is that it's a long ways away, in a land you haven't heard of."
"If there are no orcs there, then why did you leave?" He asked, clearly confused.
"I didn't leave purposely Thorin, I didn't have a choice," She told him," Anyways, you woke me up a bit more so I suppose I'll ease some of the hunger pain in my stomach."
Thorin gave her nod but didn't say anything else as he stood and led her to where the dwarves were munching on bread and cheese before getting some rest. Skylar grabbed a piece of bread and couple slices of cheese before eating that in record time and eating one more piece of cheese and bread.
She hadn't realized how hungry she was and probably could've eaten way more but wanted to leave some for the others. A glass of ale was passed to her. Well, a huge mug of ale actually. And it was filled to the brim. What were these dwarves trying to do to her.
Skylar sighed and began drinking it, it was take her a bit before she was done. After about ten minutes she had finally downed the mug and she was a mixture of tipsy and exhausted. She stood and wobbled over to where the other mugs were and she set hers down there before stumbling towards her area.
Her eyes averted over to where most of the dwarves still sat for moment. She decided to wait for a moment before continuing to walk, it didn't seem like a good idea. The chair she had occupied seemed miles away so she plopped down on the floor and leaned back against the leg of the table.
To her side was Dwalin, who looked down at her with a confused face," What're you doin' lass?"
"Jus' restin'" She told him.
He chuckled," Why don't you go on over to bed."
"Nah, I'm jus' hangin' out right now," Skylar said blinking her eyes to trying to focus on Dwalin.
Dwalin sighed," Alright then."
She looked down at the ground and blinked slowly several times and smiled slightly as she heard the dwarves laughing and talking. That was the sound that she fell asleep to.
Dwalin went to stand to head to bed but remembered that Skylar was on the floor next to him. When he looked down he saw that she had fallen asleep, her head resting against his leg.
He chuckled, over the whole quest so far he had come to feel a sort of sibling protection over her. Why, he didn't know, but he was glad that most the time she didn't need him to protect her. Skylar was a strong fighter, and skilled, considering how short of a time she'd been fighting.
She was becoming part of this group easily and was surprised to see a human fit in so well with dwarves. Dwalin sighed before reaching down and nudging her shoulder," Skylar, come on, you need to go to bed."
Skylar mumbled something that he didn't catch so he just grumbled before he pushed her over gently before kneeling down and hoisting her up and walking over to where her bag was lying.
He set her down gently and smiled before heading over to his own area. Positioned strategically by Ori.
Skylar woke up the next morning and stretched before she stood and looked around. How did she get to her bed? She yawned and started walking towards the dining area where Beorn was with the dwarves.
She took a seat as Beorn was pouring milk into the dwarves giant mugs. He was filling up hers as he spoke," So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"
Thorin froze and paled slightly at the skin-changers words," You know of Azog. How?"
"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the orcs came down from the north," Beorn explained," The Defiler killed most of my family. But some he enslaved."
Skylar swallowed her mouthful of bread thickly and noticed the cuff on his wrist," Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."
Bilbo piped up then with curiosity in his voice," There are others like you?"
Beorn finished filling up Ori's mug and looked up nostalgically," Once there were many."
"And now?" Bilbo questioned more.
"Now there is only one," He replied solemnly.
Everyone seemed to shift uncomfortably before Beorn continued talking," You need to reach the mountain, before the last days of autumn?"
"Before Durins Day falls, yes," Gandalf answered.
Skylar couldn't keep her lips from curling slightly into a smile when Thorin got this exasperated look on his face. She cleared her throat and finished her milk and focused on the conversation going on.
"You are running out of time," Beorn stated.
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood," Gandalf told him.
"A darkness, lies upon that forest," Beorn informed him," Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dolguldur. I would not venture there. Except in great need."
"We will take the Elven road, their path is still safe," Gandalf said.
Beorn looked at Gandalf with a dumbfounded look," Safe? The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin, they're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."
Skylar glanced over at Thorin who she had noticed had begun walking away from the table," What do you mean?"
"These lands are crawling with orcs, their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive," He told Thorin.
Skylar swallowed thickly as the skin-changer stood suddenly," I don't like dwarves, they're greedy, and blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."
She watched him with eyebrows raised as she always expected him to crush the small white mouse in his hand. But he didn't.
"But orcs I hate more," Beorn growled out," What do you need?"