So here it is, the last chapter of this part of the journey. I hope you enjoyed it and hopefully I'll see you in the near future. I'm planning to write the second part of the journey, but A levels are quite stressful as well as work, so I see how everything goes. I just want to say I've enjoyed writing this and reading people's reviews, which has inspired me and helped me through this.

All the credit goes to JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson, the only thing I own is my OC Bo.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)


To hunt or to be hunted – the rules of the wild. The wild isn't a place for the gentle folk. Only the strongest and bravest stand a chance in the wild, the knowledge of weapons, the use of surroundings and the opponent's weakness. Sounds exciting to read, or to write, but being placed in the wild- made to survive, is another story on its own. There's always two side of the story, like two sides of a coin; that will never change. Yet the path one follows can change many times in just one life time, however will the ending be the same?

Pain. The ongoing story in Bo's life, made itself known, as Bo's eyes fluttered open. The fresh smell of grass clung on to her hair in her nose; desperate to not to be forgotten. Closing her eyes again, the rest of her senses flooded back. She tasted blood in her mouth, yet she couldn't tell if it was animal, or creatures on two legs. Opening her eyes again, they were sheltered from the sun, by masses of grey clouds- a strong barrier in the sky, the ongoing war up there; none could not defeat the clouds, not even the soldiers for the Queen. Resting her eyes to stare in front of her, Bo realized she was lying in a forest- she was surrounded by tall, slender trees. The leafs were lime green, telling Bo it was summer, nature's time of full bloom and when animals were most active, both at day and night. Though the leafs looked fragile, they protected those who were underneath them, a true promise until autumn arrived; a long friendship held by a truce.

Moving her eyes to stare at ground, she saw a lake which flowed beside her, she noticed how dry her throat was. She tried to stand up, but a fresh shot of pain ran through her body, making her yelp! Collapsed back onto the ground, Bo let out a sigh to say she gave in. What would her family say if they saw her now? Would they give her sympathy, or be disappointed? Was she really a monster, which everyone said she was? What would they say if they saw her now? Would anyone lift a hand to help? Making movement to try to stand again, put the questions back of her mind. Yet again she collapsed back onto the ground, with a snarl! Tiredness, anger, hunger and confusion intertwined within, how did she get there?

Hearing trigs snap under pressure, made her lift her head up and look around her, however hearing nothing more, but her heavy breath, she turned her head to the left and was struck by confusion and pain. The lake was no longer flowing beside her, it was replaced by a log, and moss grew largely on it; making itself at home. The smooth sound of the lake was replaced by the crackling of the fire, as wood underneath burned in its wake- light smoke rose above it, to enter the now clear night sky. However a figure sat on the log before her, it's back to her, it seemed it was staring into the flames of the fire. As it was quiet, Bo stared at the figure and noticed it had board shoulders and it was tall, its clothes was in place- not teared anywhere, grey, straw like hair flowed behind the figure, under its hat.

However the silence was broken by a soft voice: "My dear, Bo, you have lost yourself. You've waste time fighting others and those who call you friend, although you are too blind to see the truth. You've wasted energy on all that, so you haven't got much to fight the real cause." The figure turned its head slightly, so Bo could see his soft grey, blue eyes, she sensed by them he was worried. "By this form, I now see the monster you can be. The thing we all feared. I had always slept with one eye open, scared if you would change unnoticed and would attack! It seems silly. You may think I'm an old fool of thinking of such things, folk may think I should trust you by now, but I cannot I say I do. I'm afraid of not just war, but of you Bo. I'm worried most of the time as I'm thinking about you, wondering what will happen if you do leave me, would you be better off?" The old man's voice held worry when he spoke, as well as rushed, making Bo lost at times. She still laid there, it seemed gravity had pulled her down and sucked everything else away. The old man turned his head again to stare back at the fire. "I didn't tell you all about what is brewing, or about the company because I was afraid what your reaction would be, sometimes you storm off but you then come back realizing I knew best, however this time I couldn't tell if I knew what was best or not, I put everyone in great danger, but more importantly I put them in danger of you."

Bo frowned in confusion, she didn't understand what the old man was saying. Who was he? How did he know her? Why was he talking to her like he knew her? The added questions made Bo quit trying to stand again and collapse, darkness she sensed was growing near, fighting the war with the fire; it seemed darkness can defeat light…

Bo opened her eyes with panic as she heard a wail of pain, desperation and lost! The scene had changed again, but this time it look familiar. She lifted her head and sniffed the air, her heart started to race as she could smell fire, as well as Orcs! She tried to stand, forgetting about the pain from the wound, she then fell back down without trying to make no noise. Screams of terror echoed around her. Her senses wavered. Tears stained her fur as they fell. Smell of fear and meat mixed together. However darkness again took over her.

….

Snarls from the Wargs filled Bo's ears. Fear and fire intertwined together filling her nose, weakening the smell of meat. A hard grip she felt on her body, but it was weaker than the pain she felt in her side, telling her she was injured! Quickly all what happened flooded back, but opening her eyes, Bo was struck by confusion, she couldn't remember climbing up a tree- well she knew she couldn't climb a tree for starters, but quickly she remembered the hard grip someone had on her, suggesting to her someone was holding her close and tight; afraid to
let go. Letting her eyes adjust, Bo looked down, but before she realized what was going on, she heard something snap and felt something rumble, which led her to fall forward to face the great fall! The tree that Bo was being held in had collapsed- only being held by its roots! Facing the great fall, Bo's eyes grew big showing her fear! Her eye sight went crazy, as well as her heart!

"Mister Gandalf!" Bo heard someone yell.

Bo slowly turned her head to the right and saw two dwarves holding on with their life's- one was quickly losing his hold on a branch, while the other one, which looked a lot younger than the other one, was holding on to his foot. This was a scene of destruction! Quickly Bo was between the tree and an arm, as the one who was holding her leaned over and saved the dwarves from falling to their death, by stretching his staff so the older dwarf could hold on it the other end, as he lost his grip! Bo took this time to look up and stared at the same grey, blue eyes she met in her dream! Quickly she allowed her eyes to see the rest of the face and it was the same man. The eyes held the same sadness and worry, which she saw in her dream, it seemed the eyes are like mirrors of the heart, it doesn't matter how hard you try; the eyes always find a way to portray, when the face doesn't.

Bo could feel her heart race within its cage. Her eyes trained on the old man, who was called Gandalf, why did the name ring a bell? She could sense fear coming from him, but she was unsure if it was fear of her, yet the words he said in her dream echoed in her mind. Why did he care about her so much, she was a no body. A lone wolf, her pack dead and gone and never to be returned. When she howled to the moon, though it sounded like one voice, but to Bo she spoke for them all, her heart echoing her pack's hatred for the Orcs and their love for one of each other. Heartache it brought her, but now she was the leader of her own pack; the pack only included her. The Wargs and Bo looked similar, but Bo was stronger, but she was nothing compared to a pack of Wargs…quickly Bo heard more barks, which brought her back to what was happening.

"Help!" Bo heard one of dwarves yell.

Bo turned her gaze and stared at the great fall, which looked like how she was going to die, but what if she changed it? Bo knew the old man was struggling to hold the dwarves, and she was only making things difficult. However her ears were filled with a sorrow yell from another dwarf, before she heard a familiar roar, digging in the back of her mind she placed the roar with its owner's face; the Pale Orc. Anger built within, which pushed the pain of her injury aside. Fire was growing strong still. Fear was trapped in the air. Bo pushed herself up onto her paws, yet her injury was still great, making her back legs collapse.

"Bo, what do you think you are doing?" She heard Gandalf ask with fright.

However Bo didn't answer as she knew the man wouldn't understand her, or understand her actions. She was a fighter, she wasn't born in the wild, but she was brought up by its ways and grew to its harsh customs. Was it better to burn, then to fade away? Ignoring the pain, Bo shook her head to clear her mind and clenched her teeth to hold on to the pain, but she got her back legs to work. Turning to face the scene, she saw how things truly were. Nearby trees were set a light, more dwarves were in the trees to get away from the Wargs, which crowded around the trunks of the trees; snapping their jaws, their eyes showing how hungry they were and desperate to have a dwarf.

"Thorin!" She heard a different dwarf shout, making her stare on the ground and through the destruction she spotted a dwarf in a Warg's jaw! But her eyes narrowed when she spotted who rode the Warg, her enemy.

She jumped over Gandalf and landed safely on the trunk of the tree and she ran down to the ground. She let out a snarl, which gained a crowd of Wargs, but she didn't care. The Pale Orc was going to pay tonight! On the ground she carried on running, but she was stopped by a few Wargs, they snapped their jaws at her ankles and neck, yet she was too quick, she both dodged them and locked her jaw around their necks or ankles, drawing blood from the veins, or she attacked them straight on. However there was too many to kill! She had finished one and three more would join, they had an upper hand of being fitter and not injured, but Bo didn't let it all show. As she finished another Warg she swallowed the blood, which she draw from its neck, it filled her hunger, yet it wasn't enough! Before she had the time to turn around to face another Warg, she was pushed and held against a tree trunk, the Warg pushed the knife deeper in Bo's side, making her yelp in pain! Pain shot through her, but Bo carried on fighting, she weren't going to die by a Warg. She was determined to her kill her enemy, even if that meant that was the last thing she did.

Yet every time Bo made a move to attack the Warg which held her, the Warg pushed her harder making her yelp or snarl in pain! By the third time, she was growing tired and she felt darkness taking over her again, but before she could give up the Warg dropped on the floor as he had been struck in the head by an axe! She looked to the right and saw an old dwarf standing still, his caring eyes fixed on hers, quickly he smiled to let her know he was on her side. The smile, she saw it before and the eyes- in fact she saw the dwarf before, but the ongoing question was where?

Bo just bowed her head to the dwarf to show her thanks, but it didn't take the pain away. She watched the scene in front of her and saw a lot of dwarves in battle with the Orcs and Wargs.

"Looks like the odds are against us, lass." The old dwarf stated. "But what we have is courage."

Bo lowered her eyes and stared at the dwarf, he had a smile upon his face, but not of kindness but like one had a brilliant plan. Bo raised her eyebrows in confusion, but she didn't say anything. It seemed there were folks crazier than her, but since that night of the attack from the Orcs, she had lost the sense of everything, lost touch of the world, she became the lone wolf. Moving her eyes back onto the scene, flashbacks from the attack projected in front of her, making her stumble backwards with fright!

"Bo?" She heard the dwarf call in confusion.

But Bo just shook her head as she felt darkness trying to overcome her. She had to fight! She needed to kill! But who was on her side, if there were sides at all? Once she was part of a pack, but now that seemed like another story all together. A young pup surrounded by grown wolves, she was protected and cared for, she used to play with the other pups until their mothers called them home. Freedom. That was what freedom felt like. What kind of life was she leading? Not one her pack would want, but what would they do if they were the only ones left? A huge burden was created upon her shoulders that night, she was alone, but she carried the pack with her each and every day by memories. Revenge she believed was the right choice. Revenge for the whole pack. To hunt and to kill like how they killed her kind.

Quickly Bo raised her head and stared at the moon, which was set high in the sky, her eyes reflected the light and it portrayed her hatred for the Orcs and the heartache she had for the loss of her freedom and the pack she called family. Hearing Wargs bark and weapons clashing together, Bo let out a howl to speak her feelings, after, she lowered her head and body, while bearing her teeth; it was time to fight!

Bo turned her head and gestured the dwarf to climb onto her back, he heisted before climbing. As he was on, Bo ran straight on and entered the battle again, this time she was prepared and the dwarf hit the Wargs with his axe; aiming at their heads. However finishing another Warg, Bo was hit off her paws, making the dwarf fall down with her, instead of being crushed by Bo, he rolled away just in time. However Bo laid on the floor in pain, she tried getting up, but three Wargs circled around her, their eyes narrowed upon her, she sensed their hunger and excitement to kill her. Pain was upon her making her stay on the ground.

Bo raised her eyes as the Wargs stopped circling around her and watched as the Pale Orc upon his Warg entered the group, she saw his eyes light with hunger and the knowledge of having the upper hand. He stopped just in front of her, letting his Warg stare into Bo's eyes and see her fear.

"Shame all these years you've ran away from your past, and you have ended with the same fate as your pack." The Pale Orc stated. "Shows your kind of creatures are useless and petty…I don't need those types in this world." He slowly turned to the three Wargs, which circled around her before and spoke the words she had been dreading: "Kill her."

Bo watched as the Pale Orc walked away, leaving her to be attacked by the Wargs, but she still had fight in her. Eyeing the Wargs, she knew she weren't going down without a fight. One Warg sprinted towards her, but before it could enter his teeth into her, she lifted her paws and lifted him up the air to kick him aside. One down. Moving her eyes back on the other two, Bo quickly drew up strength and tried to stand back onto her paws, but the pain was too much, making her collapse back down.

Back on the ground, Bo quickly twisted her body in pain and lifted one of her front paws and swiped at the charging Warg, she just hacked him under his left eye, but it wasn't enough. After a snarl, the Warg crashed his paws upon her, scratching at her face and biting at her neck, yet Bo had enough strength to push the Warg off her and clamp her jaws upon his neck, making him wail in pain. Two down. Bo heard herself pant, however her surroundings were fading in and out, as well as the noises was echoing. Unfortunately it meant her reflexes were slower, so she didn't see the third Warg, until he was upon her, he was stronger and faster, he scratched and bit, but Bo still fought back.

A high pitch howl echoed around the battle scene, making Gandalf look up from Dori and Ori and down to the ground with fright and guilt! He could feel his heart race within its cage, as he heard Balin yell with desperation and lost, answering Gandalf's questions. His small amount of hope fluttered away with his encouragement. He had truly led them all to their end! However hearing Dori's fear exclaimed in the air, Gandalf looked down on the side, just before Dori's hands let go of his staff, making the two of them fall, he leaned over with worry, but before the two dwarves could fall all the way down, Gandalf saw a swift movement below and saw them land on something. In confusion, Gandalf leaned back and watched what was happening in front of him. Eagles he saw. The eagles brought back his hope! He watched as they picked up the dwarves and attacked the Wargs and the Orcs.

Back on the ground, Balin was kneeling beside the now limp body of Bo's, after fighting the Warg who attacked her. He stared with shock, tears trickled down his cheeks and landed on Bo's fur as he leaned against her, warmth he felt still from her body, but how long will that last? Everything became a blur. He leaned back and stared at Bo's side, where the knife was embedded, he rested his hand upon the area, but within seconds his hand was covered in blood! He wanted to yank it out, but he knew she would lose more blood if he did that. However before he could manage anything, Balin felt something heavy upon his shoulders, he stared confused as he felt himself being dragged away from Bo!

"No! Wait! Let me go!" He shouted. He struggled in the hold, but he didn't give up. "I won't leave her!" Balin was quickly in the air and was let go to land on another eagle. "I won't leave my friend behind!" He said to the eagle.

Gandalf quickly landed on an Eagle, as the roots of the tree he was still on gave away, he jumped to clear it, and the eagle soared over the ground, before picking up Bo in its talons. Within seconds, all the company was in the air and was flying to safety; somewhere the Orcs couldn't find them.

After a great distance the Eagles descended and placed the company onto top of a rock. One by one they landed on solid ground, Thorin was placed and they all ran towards him as he was still unconscious. However Bo was placed gently upon the rock, Gandalf knelt down beside her and stared at the knife, which was still in her side. He felt a hand upon his shoulder, which made him turn his head and saw Balin standing next to him; expressing what he felt within.

Slowly they left Bo to aid Thorin and he slowly woke up, but he was in pain of his injuries. Dwalin and Kili helped Thorin up, but he shrugged them off as he stood and approached Bilbo, it seemed he was angry, even Gandalf was worried what Thorin was going to do, he was ready to protect the hobbit if necessary.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed? Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" He stopped in front of Bilbo and saw how worried and frightened he was. However he wrapped his arms around the hobbit and hugged him. "I've never been so wrong in all my life!" The tension was broken by cheers from the others and slabs on the back, it looked like a happy scene for once, however Balin moved away from the scene and knelt beside Bo once more and stroked her fur, it still felt soft, but large portions of it was mattered with blood. "I am sorry I doubted you." Thorin added.

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior…not even a burglar." Bilbo finally spoke as Thorin broke the hug.

Back to Balin, he felt a hand upon his shoulder, which made him look up. His face portrayed his surprise to see Thorin standing next to him and stared at Bo, Balin could see sorrow in Thorin's eyes as he stared.

"Will she be ok?" Thorin asked.

"I do not know." Balin replied.

Gandalf quickly knelt back down and rested his hand upon Bo's side, blood was still flowing rather quickly in large amounts! Suddenly a large shadow fell upon them, making them all look up from Bo and watched as an eagle landed on the rock beside Bo, his eyes fell upon the lifeless Bo and onto Gandalf, which made Gandalf stand back up and walk to the bird.

Stone cold, Bo felt upon her naked skin. Pain in her side. Both jerked her awake with panic, however as she sat up, she let out a groan of pain as something sharp embedded in her side. She looked down and saw her clothes were shredded, telling her she had turned into the monster she hated, however moving her eyes to the side, she saw a sharp knife sticking out of her side. Confusion took hold of her. Quickly warmth wrapped itself around her, as if welcoming her back to the world. She looked up and saw it was Gandalf, he had wrapped his blanket around her and he smiled, but she could see worry and guilt within his eyes.

"You must rest, my dear, Bo." He stated softly. "You've had quite a battle."

"W-w-what happened?" She stuttered.

"I will tell you later." He replied, but his voice held a promise.

She turned her head slightly and saw Balin and the company standing around, she saw how pleased they were to see her awake, it seemed she had been gone for a while. They all looked tired and had minor injuries. However turning her head to the left, Bo's eyes grew big with surprise as there stood an eagle, great in size and great in power, they both stared at each other for a few seconds, but the eagle moved one talon in front of the other and lowered his head. A bow. He then moved away in silence and flew away, making Bo's eyes follow him, to stare at an outline of a single, solitary mountain.

"Gandalf…it is that…what I think it is?" Bo asked, before Gandalf wrapped his arms around her, as if to protect her from everything.

"Yes, that is the lonely mountain, Bo." He replied, before looking at the horizon to stare at the mountain. "The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth."

"Our home." Thorin simply stated.

A bird they heard cheeped and watched it fly towards their home.

"A raven!" Oin exclaimed excitingly. "The birds are returning to the mountain."

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf corrected the dwarf.

"But we'll take it as a sign- a good omen." Thorin added.

"You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us." Bilbo agreed.

Gandalf smiled, but lowering his eyes again, his smile dropped, seeing Bo fall back into unconscious. It seemed for now darkness had the upper hand over one part, but how long will the darkness be happy to have that part, when will it crave for more? Gandalf didn't know, nor did the rest of the company, but at least they could enjoy this moment of seeing their home once again, although it was in the distance. However for Bo, peace was finally with her, no Orcs was going to attack her, not while the company was around. It seemed they grew close as a group after a major event; group of the dammed, you may call them. A group full of promises made by each other and devotion to Thorin and to fight for their home, promises of staying together and not letting each other down. How long will it last?