Sorry for another short chapter, I'm trying my best to get longer ones out but I'm doing what I can. Thank you everyone for reading and adding this story to you favorites and follows.

Chapter 4 - The Weight of a Sausage and Knowledge

This time it was Thorin who swore. He rose to his feet quickly to pursue the Wizard who was once standing in the doorway, only to be met with the same absence Eryn had witnessed. Once he realized there was no Wizard to admonish, he turned on Eryn with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw.

"What is the meaning of this?" He said with a biting vehemence that made a shiver run up Eryns spine. It was so calm but chilling she couldn't help but look away, she had never seen anything like it. She didn't know why she chose to chicken out now of all times, she wanted to make a good impression, and right now she was doing very poorly. She took a breath and squared off; she would not be a coward now.

"I'm Eryn." She started without thinking but was quickly interrupted.

"We know who you are lass, you made quite a scene earlier." An older dwarf with a long white beard said.

"I do not need the additional trouble of the company of a woman." Thorin informed.

"But Gandalf said I would be joining you." When Eryn said this his face grew red. "I take it that was assumed?"

"Don't be intimidated by Thorin, he's a bit outspoken today." The older dwarf said.

"As is the Wizard. He assumes too much." Thorin seethed.

"Well, you know what they say about assuming." Eryn said without thinking, a few heads turned now, once trying to look uninterested, now fully invested.

"What do they say?" A young voice asked, Eryn identified it as the young-looking dwarf with dark hair. Kili she assumed, but she would sort that out later.

"It makes an ass out of you and me." Eryn's joke fell flat. Thorin looked at her so perplexed that it seemed to have made him even more upset. He turned on his heels and walked briskly down the corridor where Gandalf retreated, grumbling something in a language Eryn could not understand.

Once he left there were a few specks of laughter here and there, a young dwarf with a humorous bowl cut appreciated her joke the most; as for the others, Eryn intended to spell out for them later.

"Why don't you have a seat?" the older dwarf said giving a rosy grin, holding out a hand gesturing for her to come sit by the fire. Eryn sat down beside a very broad dwarf, his head was shaven, aside from the long hair he had growing along the sides of his head and his impressive beard. The tattoos on his skull were very detailed, fine lines and sharp edges. His mouth was pressed into a hard line and his eyes were sharp as he stared at her. Eryn noted that his eyes were very bright, despite their intensity, she could tell that he was youthful and saw a glimmer of mischief under the quizzical brow. Eryn smiled at him; his brow deepened.

"Now, now brother." Ballin said. "Let's not scare the girl."

"Dwalin." He grunted. "At your service." He extended a hand much to Eryns surprise and she took it.

"Well! If it isn't the cursing dame herself." A dwarf with a winged hat said to Ballins left. "I thought you disappeared." he was roasting a sausage over the fire, next to him was another dwarf with a salt and pepper beard, holding a whole head of lettuce over the fire. He was so intent on what he was doing Eryn didn't dare say anything, though upon further observation of his physical state, she noticed that he had an axe buried deep into his skull. Eryns eyes grew wide.

"Don't mind him." Bofur said. "He's only taken an axe to the skull is all. Hasn't damaged him too badly, he's just occasionally feisty and poor conversation." he informed further. Eryn nodded to him, but he was so intent on his lettuce, he hardly noticed he was being spoken about.

The smell of the food caused Eryns stomach to protest loudly and she covered her stomach, embarrassed. Ballin noticed and held a long fork out to her and nodded toward the Dwarf with the funny hat. "Bofur, would you please hand the lass some food?" Eryn took the skewer and plate that was handed to her, thanking them.

She looked around and saw many others doing various tasks, a younger dwarf was lounging on a bench ottoman, smoking a pipe. To her left was a dwarf with black hair that reminded her of a six pointed star, he was hanging socks on a makeshift laundry line, while another, much larger dwarf was sitting on a desk not intended for anyone to sit on, let alone someone of his caliber. Further back on the patio was a makeshift dormitory, with bed rolls thrown all over the place, some were occupied, while others lounged on them talking to one another.

The chatter of the Dwarves increased as the food was passed around, the shouting grew, and the laughter was merrier by the second. Eryn participated in small talk, ate a few sausages offered to her and was nibbling on a piece of bread when she heard a loud creaking from the desk to her right. She looked over to see the large dwarf happily eating his plate of food with no regard for his current predicament. She also wasn't the only one who noticed.

Bofur, noticed. He looked at the happy Dwarf enjoying his meal, then looked at the sausage he had just removed from the fire. "Bombur! He yelled as he tossed the freshly cooked sausage to the portly Dwarf seated on the desk.

Bombur caught it, took one greedy look at the sausage in his hand, heard a dreadful creak and down he went. Food went flying. Everyone laughed, including Eryn.

This was a very special sight to Eryn, it was a literary moment that she always wanted to be a part of. Not necessarily the exact circumstances, but being here with the dwarves themselves, it was something she had wanted so desperately as a child. She's not sure why she wanted to be a part of the group of misfit dwarves, but somehow, she wanted to relate to them. Their laughter was contagious, and she enjoyed just observing the relationships displayed before her, it didn't last too long though, someone had been speaking to her, but she was too lost in thought to notice.

"Lass?" Dwalin said raising his eyebrows.

Eryn snapped out of her observations and turned towards him. "Hm?" she asked, to which he sighed deeply.

"Where did you come from?" he asked again

"Oh. Well... I'm from Michigan. Detroit to be exact, well, not exactly Detroit, just outside of the city." The company around the campfire looked at her confused, even the star-haired dwarf turned to look quizzically at her. She didn't think about her answer, she just answered naturally, of course they don't know what she's talking about.

"What's a Michigan?" Bofur asked scratching his nose.

"It's the state that I'm from." Eryn tried but she realized this was going to be much harder than she expected. "I'm from a place similar to this one, just very different."

"How so?" Dwalin asked skeptically.

"We don't have Elves, Hobbits or Dwarves, only Man. It's a very different place." They all looked around at each other, deep concern on their faces.

"No Dwarves?!" The star-haired Dwarf exclaimed.

"No Hobbits? No Elves?" Bofur followed. "Well, we could do without the Elves." He also muttered.

"That's a lot to take in, lass." Ballin said. "I would imagine your world is very different." He nodded.

"More than I could ever explain." Eryn admitted, then without warning a deep pang hit her stomach. She missed home already. Her Grandfather must be worried sick. "I can't wait to get home." She mumbled as she rested her chin on her knees tucked close to her chest. "I want to come with you." she said firmly.

"I don't think you're coming with us." Dwalin said with a grunt.

"But I-" Eryn began, but was cut off.

"The Wizard is the one who offered, not I, and seeing as this is my quest, he does not decide who accompanies us." Thorin's voice called from the doorway again, apparently, he was back with a vengeance.

"How am I getting home then?" She asked, the concern thick in her voice. Ballin, along with a few others looked at her troubled and conflicted.

"It is no concern of mine. I will not have a woman in my company, you'll only get in the way." Thorin bit once again.

Something in Eryn changed at this moment, what it was she didn't know, but it was a very familiar feeling or intention of preservation. It was a feeling she had felt only a few times prior to this, but the circumstances were very different.

"The only thing that will get in the way Thorin Oakenshield, is your arrogance." She clamped her mouth shut; she was just as surprised as he was at her sudden outburst. "I just want to get home, is that too much to ask?" she looked up at him, her jaw clenched.

"You don't know what you're asking, dear." Ballin said, his mouth pressed into a hard line.

"You have no idea." Eryn began, her voice shaking, much to her embarrassment. She only got choked up when she was angry. It wasn't fair.

For the first time in her life, she felt the overwhelming burden of knowledge. She was the only one who knew, the only one who knew the terrible fate that would take the lives of not only one, but three people. She couldn't live with herself if she just stood by and let it happen, she had to say something. Even though she desperately wanted to get home, she couldn't leave them to die; not if she could do something about it. She needed to find a way to instill her knowledge to them as invaluable, maybe it would convince them that they actually did need her.

"I know exactly what I'm asking. I know where you're going and what you will find." She tried to sound a bit cryptic without blowing the whole thing out of the water. She didn't intend to sound so dramatic, but it had the effect she was hoping for, many of the company exchanged glances of worry and curiosity. Dwarves did like to dig.

"Do not pretend to know anything about me or my kin, woman." Was all Thorin could say to try and defuse the questions that were rising in everyone's mind; it didn't work.

"I don't have to pretend." Eryn said as she stood, that was a lousy comeback, but she wasn't exactly a verbal Eris and needed to remove herself from the situation to think of a strategy. She obviously didn't have one and wanted to speak with Gandalf first before she made any irreversible statements; there were things that she couldn't change.

She brushed off her jeans, thanked them for the meal and decided to leave them to discuss her comment. Hopefully this would cause the right questions to rise and she could plead her case. There was no way they would believe her at first. So perhaps slow nudges in the right direction would be the best course for action for now.

Sure enough, as she turned to leave, Ballin was asking Thorin his thoughts and his thoughts were not kind.