The first light of day came quickly, washing the small campsite in golden hues as the sunlight filtered through the treetops surrounding them. Riswynn crouched near the fire, watching as the embers glowed a soft red against the darkness of charcoaled wood. She turned and looked out across the forest, inhaling deeply it smell of rain, the ground moist beneath her fingertips, she frowned praying it would remain dry for the day.
She stood rolling her shoulders walking across camp to check the ponies before waking the others. The ponies whinnied tossing their heads as she approached, nearing Kili's pony she retrieved her bow and a few arrows and quietly snuck away from camp. She slowed her breathing as she crested a large mossy hill, remaining low as she stalked straining her ears for the sound of fauna around her. She could hear the sweet melody of songbirds and the buzzing of insects around her. She inhaled and scanned the area; she could smell something in the distance it was only about fifty yards from her now. She crouched as low as she was able, drawing the long bow and preparing an arrow. Her eyes were blazing like the sun in the dim light of the morning, her breath coming in shallow quiet little puffs, muscles coiled, fingers twitching on the taunt bow string waiting for the creature it show itself. Suddenly a large, majestic head cut through the underbrush, the wide sweeping antlers and large dark eyes. The flicker of the bucks' ears, the stomping of its front leg and the swish of its white tail, it was smelling her as well, keenly aware of the danger looming out of sight. She fired watching the arrow sail through the air and impact into the buck's tender flesh. It bleated in shock and terror the arrow embedding deep into the flesh, it jumped and sprang taking a large final leap before crashing into the soft long grass. She blew out a breath from clenched teeth and approached the beast as it failed staring at her with large brown eyes, she felt a darkness stir in her gut, the scent of its blood was intoxicating and driving her mad with hunger. She crouched digging her dagger into its hard, stopping its struggle. She pulled the dagger from the carcass, staring at the crimson that flowed from the fatal wound that coated her hands causing her to shudder in delight. She made quick work gutting the animal, leaving its entrails for the wolves before pulling the large buck over her shoulders with a grunt. Its warm blood trickled down her neck and taggled her pale hair, but her stomach growled in protest reminding her this was a good meal not to be taken lightly. She hoped everyone would enjoy her efforts, venison was a treat and would make a hearty stew for the others. The strain on her muscles was of little concern, the buck was large, but her mind was distracted by the smell of its meat, the scent of its irony blood the warmth of its flesh on her skin, she could feel the burning at the back of her mind, and she shook her head to clear it. She chewed her lip and increased her pace, her hands firmly around the legs as she jogged back to camp. She walked past the ponies, grunting as she made her way through the maze of sleeping Dwarrow, stopping at the fire with a surprised smile as Bilbo looked up to see her approach.
"Master Baggins" she said happily tossing the carcass beside the fire, before flopping down herself. She watched his tired face, his eyes dull and dim and his curly hair unkept, he rolled his shoulders and she found herself smirking as his bones cracked from sleeping on the hard ground.
Bilbo looked at her alarmed, she was covered in blood, she just carried a full size buck on her shoulders as if it was nothing more than a small child. She caught his stare and gave him a quizzical look, he gave her a sheepish smile "Good Morning, have you went hunting"
"Aye, found this feller off a ways thought he would make a good breakfast" she shrugged poking at the fire, before throwing on a few more logs. She gestured toward the fire "Mind helping me cook him up before we head off?"
"I've never skinned a deer before" he said nervously looking at the hollowed out deer carcass. She sniffed scratching her cheek "Not a problem lad, I can just cut his haunt off be enough to cook up for now, Bombur cant properly prepare him later"
Bilbo just nodded watching as the dam produced a long slender dagger from her person and began slicing through the meat of the hind leg. He frowned and held back a gag as she snapped the bone holding the leg together with an audible crack, seemingly unaffected by the brutality in which she butchered the meat. She moved the large piece of meat and fillet the skins, stretching them out on the grass before chopping the meat into smaller sections.
She found the repetitive actions relaxing, her dagger was sharp enough to slide through the meat with ease, the metal glinting in the morning light. Her keen eyes and deft hands made quick work of the haunch placing the small cut sections in the deer skin she turned and handed the bundle to the little Hobbit "There you are Bilbo, cut and ready" she said raising a brow in confusion at his appalled face.
"Something the matter?" she asked dropping the bundle at his feet, brandishing her danger looking around the campfire for danger.
Bilbo cleared his throat and shook his head "Uh no, no everything's fine" he unwrapped the bloodied bundle and frowned wondering how to prepare something like this.
She watched him expectantly a smile on her face as he stood and gathered up a large fry pan, tossing in a few chunks of meat and a heaping of lard. "Smells fine Master Baggins, I'm sure the lads will devour anything you make"
He waved his hands nodding his head as he grabbed a few vegetables and began to chop them up and toss them into the pan. He looked up every now and then to watch the dwarrowdam, she had a content look on her face, her glowing eyes watching the sizziling meat, dried blood on her cheek and down her neck, her once golden hair was coated with a layer of congealed blood, he grimaced not understanding how she could remain so content when so filthy.
"Perhaps you should go wash up before the others awaken" he said politely.
She chuckled and looked down at herself "Aye I reckon you are right Bilbo; I need to wash off the blood" she stood and bowed her head turning on her heel walking away from camp.
"Something smells good" Kili groaned sitting up, his hair sticking up at odd angles.
Bilbo snorted in amusement as the young Dwarrow, met his eye with a lazy smirk "Master Baggins you've prepared breakfast" Kili shouted happily, rolling out of his bedroll sauntering over to taste the food. Bilbo smacked him with a large wooden spoon "Keep your paws off, its not finished"
"My you're worse than Bombur" Fili chuckled sitting down beside his brother.
Soon all the dwarves were awake, their noses leading to the smell of fresh food, Bombur rushing to the fire to be the first to get his portion. Bilbo squeaked in alarm as he was almost trampled by the round dwarf, moving out of the way in the Knick of time, a frown on his face as he stood and brushed himself off.
"Well please help yourselves" he muttered sarcastically as the Dwarrow assaulted his cooking pan and fought over rations.
"This is mighty fine Mr. Bilbo, what is it?" Bofur asked his mouth full a smile on his face.
Bilbo twitched his nose slowly approaching the fire to get two small bowls "Its venison, Riswynn shot a buck this morning and helped me prepare it"
"Riswynn made this, I thought she said she couldn't cook" Kili asked confused.
Bilbo sat down and sighed placing a bowl in front of his lap the other cradled in his hand "Well she didn't make it, she just prepared the meat.
"And where is she now Master Baggins?" Thorin grunted, his blue eyes narrowed "I haven't seen her since last night, who switched watches with her"
Everyone shrugged and Bilbo licked his lips "Well she stayed awake all night, she only came back this morning with the deer before leaving again"
"And why would she leave again" Dwalin growled in annoyance, gripping his bowl tightly.
"To wash of course Master Dwarf" she said cheekily, as she pushed past his shoulder to sit beside the hobbit.
Bilbo smiled at her and offered a bowl, and she nodded her head in thanks, bringing it to her nose she inhaled happily and took a bite, chewing the tender meat slowly she sighed.
She opened her eyes and smirked at her companions who were watching her closely "What's the matter lads?" she said.
"You are soaking wet" Dori grunted, frowning at her wet attire.
She shrugged "Didn't have time to wash properly, there is a small stream downhill from here, I could hear you up here devouring my food thought to myself I better hurry if I want some"
"You could hear us from down there" Ori said surprised pointing toward the forest and down the steep slope.
"Aye, I just jumped in the stream to get the blood off and rushed back" she said with a shrug finishing her meal.
"Why didn't you wake anyone for watch" Thorin asked harshly.
She sighed and looked at him blinking her large eyes "You all looked so tired, didn't think it right"
"Well I for one am grateful I hate night watch" Fili said happily trying to lighten the sour mood that had befallen camp.
She smiled and him "I'm glad to be of service"
"Aye and thank you lass for the deer" Balin said most grateful as he finished his meal and stood up his old bones cracking.
"Of course, Balin, happy to help, Bombur I left the carcass for you to handle, I am no cook myself and I know in your talented hands it will turn into something delicious, he was a sizeable buck I'm sure to feed us for several days" the red headed dwarf smiled through a mouthful of food, his beard splattered with tiny fragments of it.
"Everyone get ready to move out, we have wasted enough daylight" Thorin said ushering everyone to their feet and to their belongings. He gathered his things and slung them over his shoulder stalking toward his pony, he could hear footsteps behind him and he resisted the urge to grunt in annoyance. He could tell it was the dwarrowdam, her footsteps were remarkably light and she had an air about her whenever she was near, she smelt of campfire smoke and pine.
"Thorin, might I have a word" she said softly.
He tossed his pack on the back of the pony fastening the straps tightly his mouth a firm line as he ignored the dam. She stepped up beside the beast and pat its thick neck, he watched her from the corner of his eye, she was soaked, her long blonde hair plastered to her neck and backside, the curls sticking to her face, her clothing fared no better, the thick tunic clung to her figure and he clenched his teeth. She turned and smiled at him, her eyes sparkling as she cocked her head to lean it against the pony.
"What" he grunted, she unnerved him so unlike all dwarrowdam he knew. She was beautiful to look at, hair so golden it shone like the sun, eyes like pure gold, full lips and tiny button nose, she had the smallest wisps of facial hair, weaved into the twin plaits she wore on the sides of her head, several gems and iron beads in her tangled mop. She made his heart pound, and he couldn't think straight with her staring at him, he refused to acknowledge the obvious tension between them whenever she looked at him.
She smiled brightly at his attitude, he was sullen and moody, quick to temper much like herself but he was also her leader and she was afraid she might have offended him with leaving camp without his knowledge and taking it upon herself to stand guard all night "Thorin, I apologize for my behavior, I believe we have gotten off terribly thus far and I would like to make amends, I will inform you if and when I need to leave camp and leave duties in your hands, it was wrong of me to make that decision in the first place, this is your company not mine"
He was alarmed that she apologized at all, something about it made his stomach churn, it felt wrong, she didn't have to be sorry for anything, she was a skilled hunter and provided for everyone when he didn't. he bit the inside of his cheek and nodded once his raven hair falling forward with the swift action "Apology accepted, please choose someone to ride with, I fear riding with my nephews you will get no rest if you plan on sleeping while we travel"
She laughed and the sound warmed his heart "No that's fine Thorin, I quiet like their company, they make me laugh, although they can be a little forward, but that is no surprise coming from young Dwarrow"
He grunted and rolled his eyes; he knew what his nephews were like, and they better not pester the dam to much "They best leave you alone" he muttered.
She slapped him on the shoulder playfully surprising him "Why Thorin are you jealous" she teased, and he snorted at the ridiculous notion.
She smirked and bowed her head "I'll take my leave now"
He nodded his head watching her go, her hips swaying as she walked, her long hair bouncing off her ample backside as she moved. He frowned she should be wearing a thicker tunic.