Disclaimer: I do not own anything. The characters in this story are those or J.R.R Tolkien. All rights reserved. I am merely inserting a character of my own into the story. Please note that while this story will follow the lines of the movieverse, several things will be changed to suit my needs of this fanfiction. Once more, this is a fanfiction. I own nothing but Miss Aydan. I just decided to play with them a bit.

Chapter Fourteen
The Great Bear

It was four days before I met back up with the group. They had just sent Bilbo out scouting, probably because of how long it took me to get back. I had been cut off from my way back by Beorn, the skin-changer and a pack of Orcs. I hadn't met him, but I had heard many things about him and hadn't wanted to upset the unreasonable bear or get caught by the Orcs.

I leaped over a large boulder and landed in the midst of the dwarves who all started. The corners of my lips twitched but I did not smile as I looked to them. Bilbo had just reentered their ranks and was informing them of the orcs not being seeing him. The dwarves were chatting happily and Bilbo had to yell over them to get them to silence.

"I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there." Bilbo said and I stepped forward, looking to Gandalf.

"What form was it?" The grey wizard questioned and I spoke.

"It is that of a giant bear." My voice was full of meaning and I ignored the feel of eyes boring into the back of my head. I had to distance myself from the handsome dwarf and so far I had done good job. Four days away from the company had hardened me once more. They hadn't run into trouble while I was gone either so no harm, no foul.

The sound of a terrifying roar pierced the air. "There is a house nearby." Gandalf said with urgency.

"Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither." Gandalf responded to Thorin's question, looking at him with a bleak face. "He will either help us or kill us."

"What choice do we have?" Thorin questioned again.

I shook my head and turned my gaze to Thorin as a deafening roar echoed around us. "None."

It was with those words that we all took off at a run. My leg smarted as it slammed against the ground at the fast pace we had set. Once more I was in the back for if Beorn would attack us, and he would, this is where he would be coming from. Fili and Kili were in front with Gandalf and Thorin was just a dwarf a head of me. A ferocious roar echoed through the trees and I was surprised to see Bombur sprinting past the others as we neared Beorn's home. For a tubby dwarf he was quite fast.

The deafening roar sounded again and we all picked up the pace across the plains land toward the house. I was glad we weren't abruptly changing direction otherwise I would have collapsed, quickly. My leg still wasn't totally up to par. "To the house! Quickly!" Gandalf called as we neared the gate. I looked over my shoulder and fear shuddered through me as another deafening roar sounded and trees snapped. The great bear burst through the trees behind us. Fear and fascination coursed through me at the sight of the giant bear. Beorn was really as terrifying and incredible as I had heard. Still, I didn't want to be eaten by the large bear so I pushed myself faster, though speed never had been my forte, a single thought running through my mind. What if I didn't get to see Kili again?

We reached the door and I turned my head, watching behind us as the bear advanced. "Open the door!" I called. "Now!" It seemed fear had turned the dwarves stupid as they couldn't lift the latch the open the door. Thankfully, it was Thorin to the rescue and he undid the latch and let us is. Gandalf ran in before me and I just barely got inside before teeth were where I just was. I assisted the dwarves in slamming the bear's maw in the door, pushing Kili away from the opening. It had been the thought of him that had kept me going during our long dash.

After a few frightening moments we finally got the door shut and latched. I let out a sigh of relief and turned and pressed my back to the door, sliding down to the floor, my hands shaking. "What is that?" Ori asked and I let my head fall against the door, a humorless chuckle leaving my lips. Several gazes turned down to me but I just nodded to Gandalf as he answered, fearing my voice wouldn't work.

"That is our host." He said and I chuckled again at the shock registering on the dwarves faces. "His name is Beorn and he's a skin-changer." The dwarves dispersed from the door as Gandalf entered the cottage more. "Some times he's a huge black bear. Sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, the man can be reasoned with." I pushed myself to my feet once my hands had stopped shaking and moved further in as Gandalf continued. "However, he is not overfond of dwarves."

"He's leaving." Ori said with his ear pressed to the door. Dori pulled him away quickly.

"Come away from there!" He hissed. "It's not natural. None of it. It's obvious he's under some dark spell."

I scoffed and turned away. No wonder he hates dwarves. So intolerant. I missed what Gandalf said as I walked around the house of huge furniture, trying to keep my gaze from Kili. The danger we had just been in had set my heart back to the softness before my leave. I couldn't get Kili off of my mind. "All right, get some sleep, all of you. You will be safe here tonight." He gave me a knowing look and I frowned. Sure I was tired but would I risk sleeping? Yes. I needed the sleep to keep doing a good job. I nodded and moved to the hay the dwarves decided to take up as a bed.

My gaze looked around for a good spot to sleep and I frowned as I noticed the only spot was next to Kili. Heaving a sigh, I walked over and sat down next to the dark haired archer, pulling off my weapons before laying back. "What happened to you?" I heard the dwarf ask me.

I was silent for a moment before I answered. "I was scouting ahead. My path back was blocked by the orcs and Beorn. Took me longer to get back as I had to go around." I let my head fall to the side as I looked to him, trying to ignore the fluttering of my heart.

"You know of Beorn then?"

I nodded in response. "I've heard of the great skin-changer through my travels. I haven't met him until now though." Why was I engaging in this? I was supposed to be distancing myself. I frowned and rolled onto my side so my back faced the young dwarf. I listened as he spoke in hushed tones to his brother. Nothing too interesting, just talking of our travels but my name came up several times. Their voices dropped further when they talked of me and I could just barely make out the words.

"It's in bad taste to talk of someone when their back is turned." I called out in hushed tones over my shoulder. The two hushed and I smirked before closing my eyes and falling into a fitful sleep. The people I'd killed, the ones killed because of me, my near deaths haunted my nightmares. I sat with a sharp gasp and could feel sweat beading on my brow, the nightmares still plaguing my sleep addled mind. It took me a moment to come out of the fog of sleep and focus my gaze. Worried dark eyes stared at me and I frowned down to Kili. He looked like he was about to speak before the door to the cottage shut with a click. I evened my breathing and turned my gaze away from the dark haired archer.

My eyes locked on the tall skin-changer and I was silent. He gave me a cursory glance before walking off without a word. I glanced back down to Kili to see he'd closed his eyes and gone back to sleep once more. A soft sigh left my lips as I laid myself back down, my eyes staring at nothing on the ceiling. Sleep would not be coming to me again. My nightmares had successful driven away all thoughts of sleep and now my mind was thinking of Kili. I couldn't get my mind off him no matter how hard I tried. Even if my nightmares hadn't driven away my thoughts of sleep, my thoughts of Kili were keeping my mind far too active for me to sleep.