Riding across the green land, the Company managed to avoid the advancing Orc pack and came to a stop as they approached a glooming-looking forest. Its ancient trees stood tall but withered as if a sickness lay upon it. No birds chirped, no insects buzzed and no wind stirred the leaves. It was just silent and still. Kelsey felt an overpowering presence around her; twisting up her body like vines. Clenching her fists, she dismounted the pony too quickly and fell to the damp grass with a thud. Bell-like laughter filled the silence as Adrianna was helped down by Kili and trotted over to Kelsey.

"Not very graceful are we, Kelsey?" she sneered, before slamming her foot into a nearby muddy puddle causing its contents to splash all over Kelsey who grimaced. "Oh dear I am so sorry about that."

Kelsey leapt to her feet, wanting to charge at the smirking blonde who had walked off but was stopped by Fili who tightly grabbed her shoulders.

"She isn't worth it, Kels," he stated, holding back this new found strength in her "Let us get to Laketown and then you will never see her again."

"But Fili," argued Kelsey as she glanced over to the beaming Kili as Adrianna placed a light kiss on his cheek. "She's done something to Kili, our Kili. And it hurts to see him acting like a lovesick puppy towards her, a woman who he has just met."

"Kelsey, you are in love with him, aren't you?" questioned Fili. Kelsey looked back at Fili, tears threatening to spill from her green-blue eyes. He quickly engulfed her in a warm hug, comforting the trembling girl. It surprised him to see how much this was affecting her. "I promise you, we will get him back."

"Fili, sometimes I wish I could go home. To forget about all of this. Being a Star Guardian, being on this journey, being with him," cried Kelsey, instantly feeling guilty. "Oh I sound so selfish."

Fili leaned back and gently placed his big hands on either side of her face, giving a small kiss on her forehead in a brotherly way.

"Kelsey, there is nothing wrong about that. Even I wish I was back home in the Blue Mountains in the comfort of my brother and my ma; but it seems this is the path we both have to take. Its up to us to decide if we want to retreat or to fight."

"Have you ever been told that you give good advice?" smiled Kelsey as she wiped away her tears.

"A few times," laughed Fili, giving her another hug. "Come on, I think Gandalf wants us to release the ponies."

"This forest feels...sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?" asked Bilbo, as Kelsey walked over to him, her bag sitting high on her back.

"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south," claimed Gandalf, as he follows a path further into the shadows of the trees. Kelsey's necklace began to hum against her chest and as she glanced down to look at the glowing, purple stone, she didn't notice the object that Bilbo had pulled out of his pocket which was causing the amethyst to react to its dark power. Suddenly Gandalf shouted at Nori and Kelsey looked back up to see that Nori had begun to unsaddle Gandalf's horse,

"Not my horse! I need it." He strides forward as the Company looks up from preparing their packs and murmured in surprise.

"You're not leaving us?" questioned Bilbo.

"I would not do this unless I had to," stated Gandalf, peering down at the dejected Hobbit. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire."

"I was going to tell you; I...found something in the Goblin tunnels," said Bilbo, reaching up to his pocket subconsciously.

"Found what?"

"My courage," he replied, deciding to not tell Gandalf about the golden ring in his pocket. Gandalf peered at him curiously and suspiciously before smiling.

"Good. Well, that's good. You will need it."

Turning, he walks over to his horse, speaking to Thorin as he passes.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me," said Gandalf, climbing onto his horse. "This is not the Greenwood of Old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" asked Bilbo to Kelsey. Kelsey didn't like the sound of Mirkwood and it really made her hairs stand up.

"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." And with that, the wizard raced off, leaving the Company in the rain which had just started.

"Come on, we must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day," ordered Thorin as he lifts his axe up and marched towards the diseased forest. "This is our one chance to find the hidden door."

Walking towards the forest, Kelsey passed a frowning Adrianna who seemed annoyed. Noticing a nearby puddle, Kelsey grinned and jumped in it, splashing the muddy water all over Adrianna's grey dress. She screeched and leapt back.

"Oh I am so sorry," smirked Kelsey, strutting towards Fili who gave her a high five.

A few hours had past and Kelsey was already feeling the forest's effects. She felt light-headed and disoriented; she kept reaching out for Kili who was nearby constantly but he would be pulled away by Adrianna.

"Air. I need air."

"My head, it's spinning."

Suddenly Kelsey crashed into Gloin who was in front of her who had stopped abruptly. Nori announced that the path had disappeared and the dwarves began to frantically search for it. Kelsey plonked herself on a large root and massaged her temples. Voices were whispering in her head to give up, to give in to the darkness. Adrianna's voice suddenly whispered. He's mine. You are useless. Unworthy. Unappreciated. Homeless. Abandoned. The Darkness will destroy all light.

"No!" shouted Kelsey pushing Adrianna, who was standing right next to her, to the cold ground. She whimpered as she held herself, watching as the dwarves all swarm around the two girls. Adrianna fake cried to Kili, dramatic holding onto him for dear life, her claw-like fingers digging into his arms.

"She hates me! I didn't do anything to her and she hit me," screeched Adrianna, her innocent facade kicking in. All Kelsey could do was gape at how Kili and the dwarves reacted to her accusation. They clearly didn't see the golden haired woman standing over Kelsey with the biggest sneer before Kelsey had lashed. Unfortunately Fili didn't back her up as he was slowly succumbing to the darkness that surrounds the forest.

Then, a strange clicking sound was heard behind Kelsey and as she turned, all she remembered seeing was hundreds of black, beady eyes before a sharp pain to her neck caused her to slip into a dreamless sleep.

Please review of what you think of this story so far and the next chapter should be out in the next day or so.