"Tá a ainm Bofur agus tá sé an- chineál." (His name is Bofur and he is very kind.) Kida told Beorn of how she came to love Bofur and of his many charms while the rest of the dwarves got their supply together. "Tá sé faoi chosaint dom, bhí ar cheann de na chéad a glacadh dom, agus bhí ann dom nuair is gá mé leis." (He has protected me, was one of the first to accept me, and was there for me when I needed him.)
"Go deimhin." (Indeed.) Beorn nodded in acceptance, along with a faint smile. "Agus cad é a slí bheatha? A mion?" (And what is his occupation? A minor?)
"A déantóir bréagán." (A toy maker.) Kida grinned and held out the robin Bofur had made her.
"Níl mé iontas." (I am not surprised.) Beorn smiled a little wider. "Bhí tú i gcónaí laige dóibh siúd le bronntanais ealaíne." (You always had a weakness for those with artistic gifts.)
"Déanann sé áthas orm mar sin." (He makes me so happy.) Kida smiled widely.
"B'fhéidir gur chóir dom tosú ag smaoineamh ar áit fosta." (Maybe I should start considering dwarves.) Nerys said off-handedly.
"Áit fosta , nó ríoga amháin go háirithe?" (Dwarves, or one royal in particular?) Kida teased making Nerys blush and shove Kida who shoved her back playfully.
"Cruinnigh do chairde don bhricfeasta ." (Gather your friends for breakfast.) Beorn said interrupting their shoving contest shaking his head at Kida and Nerys's antics.
"Go raibh maith agat Beorn ." (Thank you Beorn.) Kida smiled at him before she went to get the others. Bofur took Kida's hands in his as they talked before giving her a sweet kiss.
"Is he a good man?" Beorn turned from the loving scene to Gandalf who had stepped up next to him.
"One of the best." Gandalf replied with a nod.
"Good, she deserves happiness, you both do." Beorn looked to Nerys softly who's eyes glanced over to Thorin before looking back to Beorn. "It has been a long time since I have seen any of you smile with such freedom." Beorn said placing a hand on Nerys's head ruffling her hair making her smile. "Even Idris has found a family with which she has come to see as her own."
"Really?" Nerys looked to Beorn in interest.
"Aye, in Laketown no less. She comes to visit from time to time and tells me of them." Beorn said as the dwarves gathered round the table. Beorn filled their mugs with milk as he walked around the table while they ate. "So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me why Azog the Defiler is hunting you?"
"You know of Azog? How?" Thorin asked.
"I'm sure Kida and Nerys have told you of our people in the Misty Mountains, we were the first to live there before the orcs came down from the north. The defiler killed most of our families and friends, but some he enslaved." Beorn said the shackle on his wrist clinking. Kida's hand went to her own wrist where scars where shackles once held her were visible. Bofur gently took her hand in his comforting her. Nerys's own hand wondered to the scars round her neck where once hung a heavy metal collar. Looking up she met Thorin's concerned gaze and managed a small smile to assure him she was fine. "Not to work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him. Once, there were many." Beorn said softly, his eyes holding deep sadness. Nerys reached up with her free hand placing it on his which he gripped back gratefully. "Now there are only four."
"Beorn saved Nerys myself and another named Idris, he got us away from the orcs, but our families and other friends had already been slain, we were all that was left." Kida said gripping Bofur's hand tightly.
"We were only cubs, mere children at the time. He took care of us like a father until we could stand on our own two feet." Nerys said with a grateful smile to Beorn as she rubbed his hand in hers.
"You both took care of me as well." Beorn smiled before he took his seat gently releasing her hand. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"
"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Gandalf said with a nod.
"You are running out of time." Beorn noted.
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." Gandalf said.
"A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need." Beorn said solemnly.
"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe." Gandalf said.
"Safe? The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not." Beorn said gaining everyone's attention.
"What do you mean?" Thorin asked sharply.
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn said. Thorin looked shocked as Beorn stood up from the table facing Thorin.
"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." Beorn said, picking up a mouse that had been scampering on the table and held it gently. Thorin was standing with his arms crossed as Beorn approached him. "But orcs I hate more and also because you earned Nerys trust and Kida is in love with the floppy hatted dwarf, so you earned my trust as well. What do you need?"
"Ponies and a horse Beorn, to get us to the borders of Mirkwood." Kida answered right away.
"Very well." Beorn nodded and led them out to where he gathered some ponies along with a horse. The dwarves set about getting them ready while Nerys, Gandalf, and Beorn talked walking through the woods toward them. "You will leave my ponies before you enter the forest."
"You have my word." Gandalf nodded when a flight of birds took wing cawing loudly as they went.
"We're being watched." Nerys's eyes narrowed as they looked around themselves.
"Yes, the orcs will not give up." Beorn agreed. "They will hunt the dwarves until they see them destroyed.
"Ní bheidh mé cead a thabhairt go teacht chun pas a fháil." (I will not allow that to come to pass.) Nerys growled softly and Beorn looked to her, his gaze soft.
"Ní féidir leat a bheith rogha , tread go cúramach beag amháin." (You may not have a choice, tread carefully little one.) Beorn said gently as Nerys nodded although she looked no less determined.
"Why now, why does Azog the defiler crawled from his hole?" Gandalf questioned looking to Beorn.
"There is an alliance between the orcs of Moria and the Sorcerer in Dol Gol Dur." Beorn told them sending a shock of fear through them.
"Are you sure of this?" Gandalf asked searchingly.
"Packs have been seen gathering there." Beorn replied. "Each day more and more come."
"What do you know of the one they call the necromancer?" Nerys asked him.
"I know he is not what he seems." Beorn replied. "Fell things are drawn to his power."
"Gandalf, Nerys." Thorin called out to them. "Time is wasting."
"We're coming." Nerys replied.
"There is more." Beorn said stopping Gandalf and Nerys from walking away. "Not long past word spread that the dead had been seen walking near the high High Fells of Rhudaur."
"The dead." Gandalf echoed.
"Are there are tombs in those mountains?" Beorn said and Gandalf recalled Galadriels words.
"Yes." Gandalf answered after a time. "Yes there are tombs up there."
"I remember a time when great evil ruled these lands, one powerful enough to raise the dead." Beorn said to them as he scanned the trees. "If that enemy has returned to Middle-Earth I would have you tell me."
"Saruman the White says it's not possible." Gandalf replied. "The enemy was destroyed and will never return."
"And what does Gandalf the Grey and Queen Nerys say?" Beorn looked between the two.
"Nothing is impossible." Nerys replied solemnly as Gandalf remained silent, but troubled.
"Go now, why you have the light." Beorn ordered them as caws echoed around them followed by howls. "Your hunters are not far behind."
"Thank you Beorn." Nerys said gratefully.
"Remember, tread carefully Nerys." Beorn replied in concern.
"I will." Nerys nodded as Beorn cast a wary eye to the forest as they rode off fast. Instead of riding on ponies Nerys shifted into her wolf form and Kida into her lion running along with the ponies.