YAY! A review!
(authoress does the happy review dance)
Man, I was beginning to lose faith here! Just for you Mel Baggins, here's a big new chapter!
Disclaimer: Does not own Lord of the Rings
Claimer: Owns Ranhaudh and the plot
. .
Six days later, Bilbo was debating whether to let Ranhaudh sleep on or not. Already he had given the wolf an extra day - wanting to get all the description of the crossing of the Misty Mountains done at once - and now Bilbo was more than willing to move on. But Ranhaudh slept so deeply, and Bilbo knew for a fact he had seen Ranhaudh sleep very little before, and felt sorry for the tired beast.
"I believe I shall stretch my legs," Bilbo told himself as he walked off, "Some air will help me think, I think."
Bilbo had not gone far when he spotted something. Dropping, Bilbo became as good as invisible behind a hillock and watched as the thing came closer.
'Why, I do believe it is a person,' Bilbo thought to himself in astonishment as he came closer, 'Why, it is a man! And a familiar one! I do believe it is that man I saw in Rivendell! Now, what was his name again?'
Moving behind the man, Bilbo thought very hard before coming up with his answer.
"Aha!" Bilbo said.
Luckily Bilbo had not gotten up to say this, for the man turned round and pulled out a throwing dagger at the sound. Bilbo was able to move in time to avoid being accidentally skewered, and jumped up in a fit of anger.
"Well, I have never in all my days received such a rude welcoming!" Bilbo spluttered, "Even the dragon was more polite! Were you brought up with no manners at all?!"
"Please accept my apologies," the man said as he kneeled to be at eye level with Bilbo, "You startled me, Master Hobbit." .
"Hmph! And here I was thinking you'd seen me all along, Dunadain," Bilbo said, "Er, that is your name, correct? I couldn't recall straight off, so I was following you until I did figure it out." .
"That is it," Dunadain said, "And therefore you must be the one called Bilbo Baggins. Finding a Hobbit, and one as well-known as yourself, was the last thing I expected to do in the Brown Lands."
"I'm on holiday," Bilbo said cheerfully, "But what are you doing here, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Hunting," Dunadain said, "Master Baggins, I don't suppose you've seen any orcs or the like? Anything at all?"
"Nothing besides yourself," Bilbo said, " And as far as I know, the only thing to the south is men. I shan't distract you from your hunting then, Dunadain."
"I hope to hear how your holiday went sometime, Bilbo," Dunadain answered.
Bilbo headed back to where he'd left all his things and Ranhaudh. But first Bilbo dropped out of sight again, just to make certain he'd actually snuck up on a Ranger. He had. The ability of Hobbits to avoid the attentions of the Big Folk paid in great stead when one wanted to get away, even when dealing with dwarves who were nearly the same size. .Upon reaching the campsite, Bilbo was disturbed to find Ranhaudh gone. He didn't see the wolf anywhere, but recalling the great speed of Ranhaudh Bilbo could only think of one thing. . .
"He must have gone back to that river we crossed eight days ago, to get a drink of water," Bilbo mused aloud as he sat down on top of the little hill near the campsite, "I wonder when - oof!"
Bilbo's 'oof' had been when the 'hill' moved underneath him. What he had thought a small hill covered in grass was in fact Ranhaudh. Bilbo had not been able to tell, coming in at a different direction then he had left in.
Ranhaudh rolled onto his back, and opened his eyes, blinking at the Hobbit he had just displaced.
"Oh dear, sorry," Ranhaudh said, "I suppose - hwoooaaawwwnn! - you must not have seen me. Have you had a nice time whilst I was asleep?"
"I did," Bilbo said, "And I gave you a sixth day of rest in the bargain."
"I've noticed," Ranhaudh said as he got up and stretched, "That's awfully decent of you, My Good Little Hobbit. Shall we set off now?" . .
Ranhaudh was more than willing to let Bilbo ride him again, and after packing up camp they headed off again, this time at a much slower pace then before. They still reached the River Running that afternoon. After fording the river, Ranhaudh ran alongside of it.
"I can smell dwarves in it," Ranhaudh explained.
"And I do believe the river goes past the Mountain," Bilbo concurred.
Soon, however, the Lonely Mountain was in plain view and they left the river. One last night of camping out in the now verdant plain that had been called the Desolation of Smaug, and the next day they were at the feet of the mountain itself.
Ranhaudh took a nap by the falls while Bilbo went to the front door. The dwarf that greeted him was young - for a dwarf at least - and was not the least bit impressed with what he saw. .
"Who are you, and what do you want here," he growled.
"You may tell whoever is in charge that Baggins the (retired) Burglar is here," Bilbo said, "Hmph! Young upstart!"
The dwarf was not interested in being called a 'young upstart' by some little half-man with furry feet, and was in the process of pulling free his axe when a bellow came from behind him.
"Gimli, hold it!" .
An older dwarf slapped the young one's hand from his axe. This one Bilbo recognized.
"Ah, Gloin!" Bilbo said happily, "I hardly recognized you under that big white beard!"
"Burglar Baggins!" Gloin said with a hefty slap on the back for Bilbo, "You should have sent word you were coming! We would have prepared something!"
"I'm on holiday," Bilbo explained.
"I see you've met my son, Gimli!" Gloin continued as he indicated the younger dwarf, "Gimli, this is Bilbo Baggins the Burglar!"
"Oh, the Burglar!" Gimli exclaimed, "I'm sorry. I guess I'm still a little off-temper since I lost that necklace to Dwain last night."
"C'mon, come in!" Gloin said.
"Oh, wait, my traveling companion is taking a nap," Bilbo said, "I should go and wake him." ."Another Hobbit, then?" Gloin asked as he and Gimli followed Bilbo back down the way to the falls.
"No, but someone I met in the Shire," Bilbo said as he approached the slumbering pile of fur that was Ranhaudh.
Both dwarves leapt back as Ranhaudh raised his head and yawned.
"It's a wolf!"
"Hello to the dwarf and his son," Ranhaudh said as he tipped his head, "And good afternoon, as I believe it is now, Bilbo!"
"Well well," Gloin said once he'd gotten over his surprise, "You certainly make unusual friends, Bilbo Baggins. Tell you truly, for a moment I was worried you had brought us another Bombur!"
"No, we went around the Wood this time," Bilbo said, causing Gloin to roar with laughter as he and Gimli ushered them in.
The Lonely Mountain was much nicer inside then it had been when Bilbo had been here last. The reek of dragon was gone (Although Ranhaudh did snort at something a few times) and the halls were filled with dwarf-folk. King Dain himself came to greet the travelers when he heard the news.
"Bilbo Baggins! So, what do you think of our mountain now?" Dain son of Nain said as he greeted the Hobbit, who was becoming a little flustered with all the fuss.
"It's so much nicer without the dragon, I should say," Bilbo settled for at last, and Dain beamed.
"And who is this you're with?" Dain said, turning to Ranhaudh.
"This is a friend of mine," Bilbo said proudly.
"It's nice to meet you, King-under-the-mountain," Ranhaudh said with a polite bow, "I am Ranhaudh, son of the Hunter, and am at your service."
"A friend of the Burglar is a friend of ours," Dain said with a grin.
That night there was a feast. Many younger dwarves crowded round Bilbo, eager to hear his tales. They had heard their father's and uncle's and so-on's versions more than once, and were very curious to hear the Hobbit's personal experience.
Ranhaudh, on the other hand, joined some other dwarves in the serious business of eating. When Bilbo himself had a chance to get some food, he joined the ones watching as Ranhaudh devoured what was rumored to be his sixth roasted ox and his hundredth bowl of wine. The fact that it was his fifth and second-hundredth, respectively, did not change opinions much.
'He barely ate anything while we were traveling, no wonder he's starving now,' Bilbo decided as a new batch of dwarves came up to hear the story of the goblins and the wargs and eagles.
(authoress does the happy review dance)
Man, I was beginning to lose faith here! Just for you Mel Baggins, here's a big new chapter!
Disclaimer: Does not own Lord of the Rings
Claimer: Owns Ranhaudh and the plot
. .
Six days later, Bilbo was debating whether to let Ranhaudh sleep on or not. Already he had given the wolf an extra day - wanting to get all the description of the crossing of the Misty Mountains done at once - and now Bilbo was more than willing to move on. But Ranhaudh slept so deeply, and Bilbo knew for a fact he had seen Ranhaudh sleep very little before, and felt sorry for the tired beast.
"I believe I shall stretch my legs," Bilbo told himself as he walked off, "Some air will help me think, I think."
Bilbo had not gone far when he spotted something. Dropping, Bilbo became as good as invisible behind a hillock and watched as the thing came closer.
'Why, I do believe it is a person,' Bilbo thought to himself in astonishment as he came closer, 'Why, it is a man! And a familiar one! I do believe it is that man I saw in Rivendell! Now, what was his name again?'
Moving behind the man, Bilbo thought very hard before coming up with his answer.
"Aha!" Bilbo said.
Luckily Bilbo had not gotten up to say this, for the man turned round and pulled out a throwing dagger at the sound. Bilbo was able to move in time to avoid being accidentally skewered, and jumped up in a fit of anger.
"Well, I have never in all my days received such a rude welcoming!" Bilbo spluttered, "Even the dragon was more polite! Were you brought up with no manners at all?!"
"Please accept my apologies," the man said as he kneeled to be at eye level with Bilbo, "You startled me, Master Hobbit." .
"Hmph! And here I was thinking you'd seen me all along, Dunadain," Bilbo said, "Er, that is your name, correct? I couldn't recall straight off, so I was following you until I did figure it out." .
"That is it," Dunadain said, "And therefore you must be the one called Bilbo Baggins. Finding a Hobbit, and one as well-known as yourself, was the last thing I expected to do in the Brown Lands."
"I'm on holiday," Bilbo said cheerfully, "But what are you doing here, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Hunting," Dunadain said, "Master Baggins, I don't suppose you've seen any orcs or the like? Anything at all?"
"Nothing besides yourself," Bilbo said, " And as far as I know, the only thing to the south is men. I shan't distract you from your hunting then, Dunadain."
"I hope to hear how your holiday went sometime, Bilbo," Dunadain answered.
Bilbo headed back to where he'd left all his things and Ranhaudh. But first Bilbo dropped out of sight again, just to make certain he'd actually snuck up on a Ranger. He had. The ability of Hobbits to avoid the attentions of the Big Folk paid in great stead when one wanted to get away, even when dealing with dwarves who were nearly the same size. .Upon reaching the campsite, Bilbo was disturbed to find Ranhaudh gone. He didn't see the wolf anywhere, but recalling the great speed of Ranhaudh Bilbo could only think of one thing. . .
"He must have gone back to that river we crossed eight days ago, to get a drink of water," Bilbo mused aloud as he sat down on top of the little hill near the campsite, "I wonder when - oof!"
Bilbo's 'oof' had been when the 'hill' moved underneath him. What he had thought a small hill covered in grass was in fact Ranhaudh. Bilbo had not been able to tell, coming in at a different direction then he had left in.
Ranhaudh rolled onto his back, and opened his eyes, blinking at the Hobbit he had just displaced.
"Oh dear, sorry," Ranhaudh said, "I suppose - hwoooaaawwwnn! - you must not have seen me. Have you had a nice time whilst I was asleep?"
"I did," Bilbo said, "And I gave you a sixth day of rest in the bargain."
"I've noticed," Ranhaudh said as he got up and stretched, "That's awfully decent of you, My Good Little Hobbit. Shall we set off now?" . .
Ranhaudh was more than willing to let Bilbo ride him again, and after packing up camp they headed off again, this time at a much slower pace then before. They still reached the River Running that afternoon. After fording the river, Ranhaudh ran alongside of it.
"I can smell dwarves in it," Ranhaudh explained.
"And I do believe the river goes past the Mountain," Bilbo concurred.
Soon, however, the Lonely Mountain was in plain view and they left the river. One last night of camping out in the now verdant plain that had been called the Desolation of Smaug, and the next day they were at the feet of the mountain itself.
Ranhaudh took a nap by the falls while Bilbo went to the front door. The dwarf that greeted him was young - for a dwarf at least - and was not the least bit impressed with what he saw. .
"Who are you, and what do you want here," he growled.
"You may tell whoever is in charge that Baggins the (retired) Burglar is here," Bilbo said, "Hmph! Young upstart!"
The dwarf was not interested in being called a 'young upstart' by some little half-man with furry feet, and was in the process of pulling free his axe when a bellow came from behind him.
"Gimli, hold it!" .
An older dwarf slapped the young one's hand from his axe. This one Bilbo recognized.
"Ah, Gloin!" Bilbo said happily, "I hardly recognized you under that big white beard!"
"Burglar Baggins!" Gloin said with a hefty slap on the back for Bilbo, "You should have sent word you were coming! We would have prepared something!"
"I'm on holiday," Bilbo explained.
"I see you've met my son, Gimli!" Gloin continued as he indicated the younger dwarf, "Gimli, this is Bilbo Baggins the Burglar!"
"Oh, the Burglar!" Gimli exclaimed, "I'm sorry. I guess I'm still a little off-temper since I lost that necklace to Dwain last night."
"C'mon, come in!" Gloin said.
"Oh, wait, my traveling companion is taking a nap," Bilbo said, "I should go and wake him." ."Another Hobbit, then?" Gloin asked as he and Gimli followed Bilbo back down the way to the falls.
"No, but someone I met in the Shire," Bilbo said as he approached the slumbering pile of fur that was Ranhaudh.
Both dwarves leapt back as Ranhaudh raised his head and yawned.
"It's a wolf!"
"Hello to the dwarf and his son," Ranhaudh said as he tipped his head, "And good afternoon, as I believe it is now, Bilbo!"
"Well well," Gloin said once he'd gotten over his surprise, "You certainly make unusual friends, Bilbo Baggins. Tell you truly, for a moment I was worried you had brought us another Bombur!"
"No, we went around the Wood this time," Bilbo said, causing Gloin to roar with laughter as he and Gimli ushered them in.
The Lonely Mountain was much nicer inside then it had been when Bilbo had been here last. The reek of dragon was gone (Although Ranhaudh did snort at something a few times) and the halls were filled with dwarf-folk. King Dain himself came to greet the travelers when he heard the news.
"Bilbo Baggins! So, what do you think of our mountain now?" Dain son of Nain said as he greeted the Hobbit, who was becoming a little flustered with all the fuss.
"It's so much nicer without the dragon, I should say," Bilbo settled for at last, and Dain beamed.
"And who is this you're with?" Dain said, turning to Ranhaudh.
"This is a friend of mine," Bilbo said proudly.
"It's nice to meet you, King-under-the-mountain," Ranhaudh said with a polite bow, "I am Ranhaudh, son of the Hunter, and am at your service."
"A friend of the Burglar is a friend of ours," Dain said with a grin.
That night there was a feast. Many younger dwarves crowded round Bilbo, eager to hear his tales. They had heard their father's and uncle's and so-on's versions more than once, and were very curious to hear the Hobbit's personal experience.
Ranhaudh, on the other hand, joined some other dwarves in the serious business of eating. When Bilbo himself had a chance to get some food, he joined the ones watching as Ranhaudh devoured what was rumored to be his sixth roasted ox and his hundredth bowl of wine. The fact that it was his fifth and second-hundredth, respectively, did not change opinions much.
'He barely ate anything while we were traveling, no wonder he's starving now,' Bilbo decided as a new batch of dwarves came up to hear the story of the goblins and the wargs and eagles.