Gandalf had taken over for Thorin by riding at the head of the Dwarvish company with Thorin and Dwalin riding behind him. Raven and Bilbo rode at the end of the group, Balin and Ori in front of she and Bilbo; the rest of the company riding between Balin, Ori, Thorin and Dwalin.
Raven and Bilbo conversed quietly since they were at the back. One of the conversations Bilbo and Raven had went something like this:
"I'm glad that you joined the company when you did," Bilbo began, "the majority of the Dwarves don't think I should even be on this venture - all except for Balin, Bofur, Ori, and I think Fili and Kili, too, but the rest of the Dwarves have made their scrutiny known. So I'm glad I'm not the only one to bear their scrutiny day in and day out."
"Indeed," Raven began, "one of the things I have learned my whole life, is never to judge someone based on looks or who they are, but judge based on actions." Raven, like a sister, put a comforting hand on Bilbo's shoulder.
"Awe, how cute," Fili and Kili teased when they happened to look back and see Raven and Bilbo.
Raven and Bilbo laughed when the twins accused them of already being in love. "We're not in love," Raven told the twins pointedly.
While the Dwarves started throwing small bags of money through the air - clearly a bet had been made, Raven, again, looked to Bilbo. "There are more to Hobbits than meets the eye, which means there is more to you than meets the eye, so don't take the word of these Pig headed Dwarves to heart."
"Did she just call us Pig headed?!" asked some of the Dwarves while some of the other Dwarves laughed as Raven flashed Bilbo a smile.
"You're not worried that something will happen to you?" Bilbo asked, concern in his eyes. The sweet, kind nature was one of the things Raven loved about the Hobbits and her smile grew as a result of Bilbo's sweet kind nature.
"Nah. Danger is second nature to me since my whole life has been revolved around the dangers that come."
Bilbo let the worried look on his face speak loud since he was not convinced, which earned him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder.
"I will protect you, Bilbo," Raven assured the Hobbit.
After a second of silence, Bilbo says, "I don't believe you and I have met."
"No we haven't. Gandalf told me all about you guys, that's how I know about Hobbits, and he gave me a way to help me remember each Dwarf."
Interest piqued, Bilbo asks, "Gandalf did? What did he say?"
"It's fairly easy. Just link them to something to remember them by." Raven saw that the conversation was loud enough for the company to hear because Balin, Ori, Bofur and Fili and Kili looked back for a second to let her know they were listening - even Gandalf, with a twinkle in his eye and a smile. Raven continued, pointing to each Dwarf while she spoke. "Balin is your average sweet grandpa, Ori is a sweet potato, Oin has a horn to help him listen, Gloin has his cool beard, Dori is your mother bear, Nori's hair is oddly shaped, Bombur is the cook, Bifur has the axe imbedded in his head, Bofur always wears his hat, Fili and Kili are pranksters on top of being Thorin's nephews, Dwalin's looks as if he can kill you in five seconds," all Dwarves burst into laughter or let out snickers when Raven concluded, "Thorin is King Under the Mountain of Erebor on top of always being grumpy and having a stick up his rear end."
All the Dwarves' laughter grew to howls of laughter and when Raven saw Thorin's blue eyes meet hers, Raven smiled and shrugged. In Thorin's blue eyes, Raven read: watch it. Raven's smile grew wider. "And I agree." Raven now met Bilbo's gaze. The laughter increased until all of the Dwarves saw Thorin's stern look.
The rest of the day is passed by with story telling between Raven and Bilbo, Bilbo enjoying the company of his new friend and began to feel more relaxed.
When evening falls and the sun sets, Thorin decides to set up camp. Thorin leads the company to the top of a rock formation and a fire is soon going. While everyone is sitting around the fire, a howl pierced the quiet night, startling Bilbo while Raven and Fili and Kili look up at the sound; alert.
"What was that?" Bilbo asks out of fear.
"Orcs," Raven and Kili answer in unison.
"Orcs?" Bilbo asks, darting back over to be next to Raven from saying hi to his pony Myrtle.
Thorin sits up when he sees the commotion.
"Throat cutters," Fili explains. "There are dozens of them down there."
"They attack in the night; quick and quietly with no screams," Kili adds, "just lots of blood." Bilbo turns even paler and Fili and Kili chuckle at the sight of Bilbo.
"You think that's funny?" Thorin snaps, giving his nephews a disapproving look. "You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?" Fili and Kili both looking guilty for upsetting their uncle.
"We didn't mean anything by it," Kili tells his uncle while Thorin passes right in front of him.
"No you didn't," Thorin added, "you know nothing of the world," while walking away to stand near the edge of the rock formation, hands clasped behind his back.
"Don't mind him lads," Balin spoke up, moving to stand by Gandalf. "Thorin has more cause than most, to hate Orcs." Bilbo gave his full attention; curious.
"After the Dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient Dwarf kingdom of Moria." Balin gave a heavy sigh. "But our enemy had gotten there first. Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs, led by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler."
Raven, being used to enemies as evil as Azog, only looked to Thorin's back, and saw him tense.
Balin continued, "the giant Gundabad Orc, had sworn, to wipe out the line of Durin. He began…by beheading the King." Raven bowed her head, the whole battle in her mind as if she were at the battle herself.
Balin went on, "Thrain, Thorin's farher, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we do not know. We were leaderless, in minority, and death was upon us." A smile crossed Balin's face. "That is when, I saw him." Balin turns to look at Thorin. "A young Dwarf Prince, facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone, against this terrible foe, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. But he ended up grabbing an abandoned sword and cut off the Defiler's hand. Azog the Defiler, learned that day, that the line of Durin, would not be so easily broken. He rallied the Dwarves against the Orcs and thus the battle was won."
Balin gave another heavy sigh. "But there was no feast, no song that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. And I thought to myself then: there is one I could follow. There is one, I could call King." Balin finishes and Raven sees Thorin turn around with a gentle look on his face, that is soon replaced with seriousness when he sees all of the Dwarves standing and watching him, walking back to camp after growing serious.
"And the Pale Orc?" Bilbo asks Balin, "what happened to him?"
"He slunk back into the hole from whence he came," Thorin says as he walks by, "that filth died of his wounds long ago."
Raven saw the unconvinced look on Balin's face. "Get some sleep," Balin tells everyone instead, and soon, Bilbo and the Dwarves make their bedrolls. Soon the night air is filled by many snores from sound-asleep-Dwarves. Raven however, due to not sleeping at all anymore, gets to her feet; noticing Thorin standing near the rock formation's edge, Thorin's attention suddenly shooting in Raven's direction. Do Dwarves have a keen sense of hearing too, Raven wondered while Thorin's blue eyes stared into hers. Thorin turned around, his back now facing her. Raven stood and silent as a leaf, carefully made her way over to Thorin without stirring any Dwarves.
Thorin glanced over at Raven when she approached and stood beside him, looking at the forest. Thorin noticed her long purple hair flowing down around her face and shoulders like a soft curtain; framing her face. Thorin saw that Raven wasn't much shorter than him. Thorin would only have to bend his head slightly to look down at her. Thorin turned his gaze back to the vast forest, spread further than the eye could see when Raven stands beside him; keeping her attention on the forest.
"I'm sorry Thorin," Raven spoke softly, "no one should have to go through what you went through," feeling Thorin look over at her.
"I don't need your pity," Thorin muttered, making Raven look up at him.
"That's not pity, that's sadness," Raven told him gently, locking her purple eyes with his blue ones. Thorin's face is blank, before turning his gaze back to the forest. Thorin didn't want to see the beauty and sadness mix together in those purple eyes of hers, especially when the silver light of the moon shown just right to where the beauty gripped his heart when showed.
"He's not dead. He's missing," Thorin told Raven matter-of-factly. But Raven could also detect anger by Thorin's heartbeat when she slightly tilted her head to one side. Thorin must've noticed because Raven saw him raise an eyebrow.
"What are you doing?" asked Thorin.
"Listening to your heartbeat." Raven added, "the heart reflects the emotions a person feels by the number of beats. Your heart have one strong thud when you felt anger.
"A person's heart also gives strong thuds when reflecting a person's lie," Raven continued explaining when she saw shock on Thorin's face.
"You can hear my heartbeat?" asked Thorin. "Yes. Listening to heartbeats is one of my skills," Raven explained. "I've never heard of someone being able to do that before." Thorin's eyebrows furrowed. "Until now." Thorin asked, "how are you able to hear someone's heartbeat - let alone mine?" Raven smiled. "That's a conversation for another time."
"Did you ever go looking for your father?" Raven asked after a minute of silence. Changing the subject.
"I did. Found no sign of him. I met Gandalf in Bree and he wanted to help me reclaim my homeland." Raven heard emotion in Thorin's voice. The Dwarf King was always passionate when it came to his family and his home, it seemed.
"Family," Raven began, "is the only real wealth." She saw Thorin give a slight nod, his blue eyes filled with agreement. Raven was surprised when Thorin asked, "do you have any family?" Raven nodded. "Lord Elrond, and Aria, my apprentice and sister."
So Fairen was right, Thorin thought. This is the Elf King's adopted daughter - one adopted daughter, apparently. Thorin decided not to press anymore questions. Thorin saw Raven tilt her head to the side again. What was she listening for now? He wondered, but didn't ask. Thorin was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that the woman standing next to him, possessed the ability to listen to heartbeats.
Raven saw that the time was growing later into the night. "I can keep watch, Thorin. Go get some sleep." She saw Thorin look back at her, his blue eyes catching the moonlight and Raven discreetly sucked in a breath through her nose. Good grief this Dwarf was handsome. Raven saw her thoughts reflect on Thorin's face about her for a second before he nodded. "Wake me if you need sleep," Thorin said instead. Apparently he had gently grabbed Raven's arm absentmindedly, because when Thorin saw his hand on her arm, he removed it; walking away.
"Goodnight, Thorin," Raven told Thorin and the Dwarf only gave a slight nod in return. Raven smiled because she had felt the atmosphere around them lessen with tension, turning her attention back to the forest after watching Thorin crawl under the blankets of his own bedroll.
