Wow it's been a while since I updated this, I was stuck. A thank you to ravenblack121, you encouraged me to look back at this story and push a chapter out. Hopefully I'll be able to add more soon.

Enjoy!

Chapter 13:

Bilbo dangled from the wet cliff wall. The rain made it hard to focus but he had grown claws that dug into the rock. His other hand clenched Ori's.

Bella's face appeared above him. She grabbed his arm, supporting both his and Ori's weight. Shapeshifters were unusually strong, but she could not keep this up for long.

Dwalin saw their predicament and rushed to help. He pulled Bella up, Ori and Bilbo trying to grip the rock wall with their feet to prevent slipping. Bofur helped them up, and when they were all steady (as well as they could be) they gasped in relief.

Bilbo had fallen during the battle between the rock giants and Ori, trying to grab him, had slipped and fallen as well. They had both nearly gone off the cliff. Bilbo could fly and probably have saved or, but that did not make it any less terrifying.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar." Dwalin said.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He has no place amongst us." Thorin growled. For once, Bilbo beat Bella to a reply.

"Excuse me? I have been lost? I have left the Shire more time than you can count, I have fought a dragon, and I did not come along to help you reclaim your home just too constantly listen to your damn criticisms! When are you going to pull your head out of your arse?! If not for me, Ori would be dead! Bella saved you from the trolls! You all would have died on that field with the wargs without us!" He took a deep breath and glared at the shocked dwarf. "We aren't here for you. We are here for everyone else in the company but you. And next time you're in trouble, Thorin Oakenshield, we might not be there either."

"There's a cave ahead." Dwalin said in the ensuring silence. Without a word the company moved towards it. Thorin noticed how his company spoke softly to the twins, thanking them. Nori grabbed them in a tight hug before turning to his brothers and Dori gasped out thanks from where he was fussing over his youngest brother. Ori, still slightly shell-shocked, bore it well, but Thorin saw him watching Bella as Bilbo shoved her dislocated shoulder back in place, carefully watched by Oin. Dwalin gave them a respectful nod as Bella comforted Fili and Kili, who still clung to each other tightly. Bifur clapped them both on the shoulders, grunting something intelligible. Balin passed Bilbo his extra blanket and the two hobbits nestled together near the Ri's and fell asleep. Those two had integrated themselves into the company, and he had been too blind to see it.

Then they were falling.

Bilbo had been attacked by a goblin before he could shift. He tumbled down the mountain, Bella's cries echoing in his mind. He managed to partly shift, his fingers becoming great claws which slid across stone before finally gripping a ledge. He dropped down to the cave floor but slipped on something rubbery and hit his head..

He had landed among large mushrooms, something that normally would have delighted him but currently brought no pleasure and had caused his slip. He sent his thoughts towards Bella.

Sister.

Oh thank the Valar I was worried, where are you?

Deeper in the Misty mountains than you are I imagine, I hit my head. Things are moving around a bit at the moment.

Don't try flying…wait a bit then try to come up. I'm currently a spider on Bofur's hat and-oh my the Goblin king really can't sing.

Be careful. I'll be up as soon as possible. Flying was more dangerous than simply moving with a hurt head, and shifting the twins had found made headaches worse.

"Is it juicy? We don't know what that is, Gollum, Gollum."

Bilbo jerked upright and regretted it instantly as nausea swept through his stomach and pain through is head.

"It's alive precious!" The thing before him jumped back. Bilbo's gaze, automatically sharpened in the gloom, saw something small and bright leap from a pouch on the thing's loincloth.

"It doesn't want to be eaten." Bilbo said, slowly drawing Sting back into its sheath and forming claws on his hidden hand. The creature growled, and leapt at him.

He swiped the air; the strange being fell to the ground with an ear-rending screech, four red cuts across its large head. Bilbo dove away, becoming a bat but striking the ground. One foot picked up something and he was flying away haphazardly through the gloom.

Bella was incredibly grateful when the Goblin King stopped singing. She had heard many terrible sounds over her travels, screeching fauntlings being one, but that this noise was formed into music shot it to the number one place.

"Start with the youngest!" Like hell you will.

She moved before Thorin could. A black mamba leapt from Bofur's hat, falling to the ground before the dwarf, dodging spears and goblin feet before finally sinking venomous fangs into the king's foot.

A howl. Like lightening she reared back, struck again and again, trying to land as many hits as she could.

There was a brilliant flash of light and Bella gave a hiss of pain, covering her eyes with a fold of her tail. Gandalf.

Then they were running.

A loud "Bella!" from Bofur warned her when, back in her hobbit shape, a goblin would have skewered her had it not been for his warning. Her hands stuck in their dragon shape, forced there by sheer will, she would be trampled as a land animal or tumble off a bridge, and in the chaos wings did not seem like a good idea. She saw the goblin king fall, dead trying to chase them, before they were on a set of bridges dropping down, deeper into the Misty Mountains.

"Well that could have been worse."

Bella gasped, struggled to breath, in the goblin king, having fallen from his ledge, landed on top of them.

"You've got to be joking!"

"Thanks for that Bofur." She said when there was breath in her lungs. Bilbo!

I smell you, keep running, I'll be there soon.

"Goblins!" Bofur shouted a warning and through the mountains they went, out to the evening sun.

Bella laughed when they paused, spinning around in the light. For all she knew forms well suited to caves and the underground, she loved the sun and the fresh wind on her face.

"Where is Bilbo! Where is our hobbit?"

"Well one's here." Bella said dryly. Gandalf had the decency to look sheepish. "Bilbo's almost here."

To the dwarves' shock not a minute after Bella's words there was Bilbo, running towards them. Bella grinned, and embraced her twin. Words of relief came from the others.

"Why did you come back?" Ah Thorin. So annoying.

Well I like him. Bella nearly choked on air at her twin's response. Bilbo raised an eyebrow at Thorin.

"You should never have doubted I would. I know where home is, Thorin. It's with my twin, wherever she may be." Bella smiled, blinking away a tear. "But you don't have that. Your home was taken from you. And no matter what the trials, I will help you take it back if I can."

There was a pause as they all absorbed his words. Thorin nodded slowly. An orc's horn blew.

I chose a Black mamba for Bella because, aside from the fact that they're well known, they're about the fith most venomous snake in the world with a neurotoxin that can kill up to 20 adults with a single bite. They are also the fastest land snakes.