Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter. I hope you like this one.

Let's get to it.


Chapter 13- Beorn's House

Steve feels something rubbing against his face. He shakes his head a bit, still half asleep, then slowly opens his eyes. His eyes quickly snap open as he sees one of those bird-sized bees resting on his face. He sips up straight, but the bee simply lifts off and flies lazily away.

Steve looks around. Most of the Company are waking up, and Bucky and T'Challa are both wide awake and talking with Gandalf.

Steve stands up and walks over to Gandalf. "Hey. What's going on?" he asks.

"Nothing, Steve. Beorn is outside right now. I was just waiting for the Company to all wake up before attempting to speak to him," Gandalf responds.

Steve nods in understanding, and joins the them in just some idle conversation.

It's not long before the rest of the Company is all awake. The dwarves and Bilbo gather up all their stuff before gathering with Gandalf and the three Avengers. The discussion quickly turns towards what to do. Some of the dwarves are in favor of a quick escape to avoid being noticed, while others are against that idea.

"Well, I say we should leg it," Nori votes.

Dwalin grabs Nori by the shoulder and says angrily, "I'm not running from anyone. Beast or no."

Kili looks at the three Avengers. "Do you think you three could stop him if he tried anything?"

"Maybe, but no guarantees, Kili," Steve responds.

"There is no point in arguing, nor is there need to attack Beorn. We cannot pass through the Wilderlands without Beorn's help. We'll be hunted down before we ever get to the forest," Gandalf says.

Everyone is quiet for a moment before Gandalf begins to walk towards the door, saying, "This will require some delicate handling. We must tread very carefully. The last person to have startled him was torn to shreds."

Right then, they can hear the thud of Beorn's axe. The Company looks among themselves nervously. Gandalf looks to Steve and says, "Steve, you, Bucky, and T'Challa will come with me. And Bilbo, you too. But stay behind us."

Gandalf then looks around at the dwarves and says, "Now, the rest of you, wait in here and don't come out until I give the signal."

"Right, wait for the signal," Bofur says from his position at the window.

"No sudden movements or loud noises, and don't overcrowd him. And only come out in pairs," Gandalf advises. He starts to walk out, then turns back and says, "Actually. You count as two. So, you should come out alone."

Bombur nods. Gandalf looks around and says, "Remember, wait for the signal."

The dwarves nod, and Gandalf leads the three Avengers and Bilbo out. As they walk out, Bofur thinks of something and asks, "What signal would that be?" But Gandalf is already out of earshot.

Outside, Steve and T'Challa walk on either side of Gandalf, while Bucky walks behind them with Bilbo. As they approach Beorn, Steve glances at Gandalf and comments, "You look nervous?"

Right then, Beorn's axe hits the stump again. Gandalf looks over between Steve and Beorn a few times before saying, "Nervous? Nonsense." Steve smiles a bit.

The group stops a respectful distance from Beorn. The man is extremely tall, standing well over their heads, and has very long hair that runs down his back. They can see, even from behind him, that he also has a large beard.

"Good morning," Gandalf says. However, Beorn seemingly doesn't hear him, and cops another log.

"Good morning!" Gandalf repeats, a little louder this time.

Beorn stops what he's doing and rests his axe on the ground. Turning his head just the tiniest bit, so that he's still facing away from them, yet can see them out of the corner of his eye, he asks suspiciously in a deep voice, "Who are you?"

"I am Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey," Gandalf answers before inclining his head in Beorn's direction.

Beorn turns around to face them, immediately locking eyes with Gandalf. He stares at the wizard for a moment before saying, "Never heard of him."

Gandalf nervously waits for a second before replying, "I'm a Wizard. Perhaps you've heard of my colleague, Radagast the Brown. He resides in the southern borders of Mirkwood."

Beorn doesn't respond to this. Rather, his attention is directed towards the three Avengers. Sensing an opportunity to hopefully make a good impression, Steve takes a tiny step forward and bows to Beorn, resisting the urge to salute him as a sign of peace.

"Lord Beorn. I am Steve Rogers. A companion of Gandalf, and the Avenger known as Captain America," he says respectfully, hoping the use of the honorific "Lord" will flatter Beorn.

Bucky steps up next to Steve and says, "My name is Bucky Barnes. I am known as the Winter Soldier."

T'Challa respectfully inclines his head as he says, "And I am King T'Challa of Wakanda. Also known as the Black Panther."

Beorn's eyebrows raise ever so slightly. After a few moments, he asks, "What are three men, one of them a king, doing travelling with a Wizard in these parts?"

"We have all been taken from our homelands. We are assisting Gandalf on his journey as we seek a way back to our homes," Steve explains.

Beorn seems to understand. He looks back at Gandalf, and right then notices Bilbo peaking out from behind Gandalf. His eyes fix on the Hobbit, and he asks, "Who is this little fellow?"

T'Challa, sensing Beorn's apprehension, acts quickly and says, "His name is Bilbo Baggins. He is a Hobbit from the Shire. I know of your ill feelings towards Dwarves, and I assure you he is not a dwarf."

Beorn seems pacified by T'Challa's words. He then looks at Gandalf and asks, "What are you doing in these lands? And why have you come here?"

"Well, we've had a bit of a rough go of it with Goblins in the mountains," Gandalf explains.

"What did you go near goblins for? Stupid thing to do," Beorn comments.

"You are right. Although, we did not go near them by choice," Steve says.

Suddenly, from behind them, they hear, "There it is. Go, go." Steve says a bit and glances back to see Dwalin and Balin walk outside.

Beorn looks surprised and tense at their sudden appearance, raising his axe into a better position to use it. To diffuse the situation, Gandalf quickly says, "Oh, and I forgot to mention, several of our Company are in fact Dwarves."

"Do you call two 'several'?" Beorn asks suspiciously.

Gandalf looks as though he is thinking about that. Then, they hear Bofur whispering again, and Oin and Gloin walk out and bow to Beorn. Beorn looks at them suspiciously.

"Oh, and here are some more of our happy gang," Gandalf says.

"And do you call nine a gang?" Beorn asks, still suspicious.

Gandalf makes a nervous gesture, which is again misunderstood, and Ori and Dori are sent out. Dori says, "Dori and Ori at your service."

"I don't want your service," Beorn says.

At this point, T'Challa is thinking that Beorn just seems to be growing more agitated. So, hoping to appease him a bit, he steps forward and asks, "Lord Beorn. We have some more friends of ours inside your home. May I call them all out?"

Beorn looks at T'Challa a bit suspiciously, but nods after a moment. T'Challa turns to the house and says, "Everyone, come on out."

There is a scuffling, and then Fili and Kili come out, followed by Nori, Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur.

Beorn waits for a moment, then asks suspiciously, "Is that it? Are there any more?"

It is then that Thorin walks out onto the porch. He leans against one of the pillars and looks right at Beorn. Beorn looks back at him, and to the surprise of most of the Company, has a look of recognition on his face, and says, "Ahh."

He is quiet for a few more moments before he says, "I see. Please go to the dining room. I have some things I must do. I shall come to speak to you shortly."

The Company nods, and slowly begin to file back inside. Gandalf and the three Avengers wait until Bilbo and the dwarves are all inside. They watch as Beorn walks off before they finally re-enter the house.

The Company waits in the dining room for Beorn to return. It's about an hour before Beorn comes into the dining room. The dwarves and Bilbo all gather around the table as Beorn serves them a breakfast of produce from his property.

As Beorn is pouring milk for the company, he turns to the dwarf that ne took special note of earlier. He looks right at Thorin, the one dwarf not sitting at the table, and says, "So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

"You know of Azog? How?" Thorin asks.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the North. The Defiler killed most of my family," Beorn says, clutching the milk jug a bit tighter. As he says this, Steve notices some shackles on his wrists.

Beorn continues his story. "But some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand. But for sport. Caging skin changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him," he says.

"There are others like you?" Bilbo asks as Beorn pours more milk.

Beorn looks at the Hobbit for a moment as he responds, "Once there were many."

"And now?" Bilbo asks.

"Now there is only one," Beorn responds sadly. The Company is quiet, all of them feeling pity for Beorn.

Beorn takes a seat and looks at Gandalf. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn," he says.

"Before Durin's Day falls, yes," Gandalf responds.

"You are running out of time," Beorn points out.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood," Gandalf says.

Beorn looks a little concerned. "A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. I would not venture there except in great need," he says in warning.

"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe," Gandalf says confidently.

"Safe?" Beorn asks a little sarcastically, "The Wood-elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

"What do you mean?" Thorin asks.

Beorn looks at the dwarf king and says, "These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. Even with your Avengers friends, you will never reach the forest alive."

The dwarves look among each other, concerned. The three Avengers do the same thing, feeling verous as to why Beorn assumes that. As they are doing this, Beorn stands up and walks towards Thorin a bit, saying, "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy. And blind. Blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." As he says this, he picks up a white mouse that Bofur brushed off his arm.

The dwarves and Avengers all watch hesitantly as Beorn approaches Thorin. Thorin stands his ground and stares up at the massive skin-changer. Beorn is quiet and still for a few moments before saying fiercely, "But Orcs I hate more!" He looks right at Thorin and asks, "What do you need?"


Beorn is true to his word. His help for the Company is more than they expected. He provides them with ponies, and horses for Gandalf and the three Avengers, to get to Mirkwood, as well as plenty of food from his property, including honey, bread, nuts, and fruit, as well as new waterskins. He had also provided the dwarves with several sets of bows and arrows, though he warned them against using them for hunting, as they would be needed should they run into any Giant Spiders. The mention of being attacked by massive spiders is high they would be needed should they run into any Giant Spiders. The mention of being attacked by massive spiders is high unnverving not only to the dwarves but also to the three Avengers.

Later that day, as the dwarves are saddling up their ponies, along with Steve and Bucky, T'Challa and Gandalf are having a private word with Beorn.

"You will leave my ponies before you enter the forest," Beorn instructs them.

"You have our word," Gandalf responds.

A flapping of wings and accompanying bird cries draw their attention. The three look around before Gandalf says simply, "We're being watched."

"Yes. The Orcs will not give up. They will hunt the Dwarves until they see them destroyed," Beorn says.

"Why now? What has made the Defiler crawl from his hole?" Gandalf asks Beorn for his opinion.

"There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the sorcerer in Dol Guldur," Beorn responds.

"Are you sure, Beorn?" T'Challa asks, highly concerned by this.

"Packs have been seen gathering there. Each day more and more come," Beorn responds as some screeches can be heard in the distance.

"What do you know of this sorcerer? The one they call the Necromancer?" Gandalf asks.

"I know he is not what he seems. Fell things are drawn to his power. Azog pays homage to him. And it is not only him. I have heard rumors of a mysterious servant of this Necromancer, one who intimidates even Azog. The Captain of Dol Guldur is his title," Beorn responds.

Both Gandalf and T'Challa look at Beorn with both curiosity and concern, this being the first of this Captain they have heard of. "Who is this Captain?" T'Challa asks.

"None know. There is but rumor of him. Yet his power is great. Enough so that even Azog obeys him," Beorn responds.

"Gandalf! T'Challa!" The two turn towards the sound of Thorin's voice. The dwarf-king is sitting on his pony, looking towards them. "Time is wasting," he calls.

"We must go," T'Challa says as he and Gandalf begin walking towards the Company.

They only make it a few steps before Beorn says, "There is more. Not long past, word spread that…the dead had been seen walking near the High Fells of Rhudaur."

T'Challa and Gandalf both stop, and a chill runs down T'Challa's spine. He remembers that name, from the Council back in Rivendell. He remembers Galadriel's tale of the burial of the Witch-King of Angmar, and that the High Fells of Rhudaur was the location of his tomb.

"The dead?" Gandalf asks for clarification.

"Is it true? Are there tombs in those mountains?" Beorn asks.

T'Challa and Gandalf are both quiet, thinking back to Galadriel's words. T'Challa is the first to answer. "Yes. There are tombs in those mountains."

Beorn is quiet for a moment before saying, "I remember a time when a great evil ruled these lands. One powerful enough to raise the dead. If that enemy has returned to Middle-Earth, I would have you tell me."

"Saruman the White says it's not possible. That the Enemy was destroyed and will never return," Gandalf responds.

"And what does Gandalf the Grey say?" Beorn asks. Gandalf has no response. T'Challa is also quiet, thinking over all of this. Some of the recent happenings are making him very uneasy.

More bird calls interrupt their thoughts. Beorn turns to them and says, "Go, now. While you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind."

Gandalf and T'Challa return to the Company, mount their horses, and ride off with the rest of the Company. As they ride, T'Challa reflects on the discussion with Beorn, and worrying about the Necromancer and the mysterious Captain of Dol Guldur.


And, I'll end there.

I know that it wasn't to different from the movie, but this chapter was alright. Next chapter should be better.

Well, that's it for now. Leave a review, and stay tuned for the next chapter.