Chapter Ten: (Wayward Travelers)
There was a grunt followed by a sound of frustration as Harry was once again tapped with the stick -hard- against his ribs that if they didn't bruise, would still be sore for the rest of the day. The boy had lost count how many times he'd been 'killed' without getting a single hit of his own. Oh, he was getting better at trading blows, parrying, ducking, and sidestepping which had his opponent telling him to quit dancing about. Náli had graciously decided to be Harry's sparring partner while Flói watched and corrected the boy's atrocious fighting stances. The older dwarf did counter Náli's complaint with, "The lad isn't a Dwarf. He'd not be able to take a heavy blow. He has to use that agility of his to his advantage."
That wasn't to say that the Dwarves were in any way slow. The aches and healing bruises on Harry's body were proof of that. The boy was thankful that Flói hadn't heeded his complaints about fighting with real weapons. Well, Harry had a real blade, but Náli was armed with only a heavy stick that he drubbed him with. When the boy had questioned about possibly hurting Náli accidentally, both the Dwarves had laughed and Flói had stated, "Lad, if you can put a single scratch on him I'll convince the rest to stop trying to give you boots."
With that kind of a promise, Harry had gone all out only to keep getting bested without landing a single hit on his very much experienced partner. That didn't mean that the boy hadn't tried to improvise by taking advantage of his lighter thinner frame. It had started the comments about how Harry was dancing about. They had caused the boy to get angry at first which was likely part of the reason they were said, causing a distraction which resulted in a new spot to ache that hadn't already been hit by his opponent. Padfoot whom would always come to these sessions sat on the sidelines watching intently. He would growl or abort his movement to get up from his seated position whenever the boy took a hit. It caused both Dwarves a bit of their own distraction at first until they got used to him and realized that the wolf wasn't going to attack.
"That's enough for today," Flói stated as Harry doubled over, bracing his arms on his knees as he panted trying to catch his breath. He watched the boy drop to the ground letting go of his weapons and his wolf immediately going over whining and licking at his face. The boy put up a half hearted attempt to shove the licking face away from his own and flopped to lay in a comfortable sprawl.
"How do you fare today young one?" Náli asked with a grin.
"I can't feel my arms," Harry half whined, half stated with a bit of exaggeration. His trusty stone knives had been replaced with Dwarven iron crafted daggers during his training. They were a lot heavier than he was used to coupled with the constant exercise caused his muscles to burn slightly. Padfoot it seemed was taking advantage of this by giving a quick lick to his boy's ear and then placing his furry head onto Harry's chest. Harry could only move his own head aside and give the wolf a frown. "No belly rubs for you."
The dwaves and Padfoot snorted. The more Flói got to know the unusual duo the more he found them amusing. As did the rest of the colony he was sure. They kept themselves busy helping where they could and not intruding where they shouldn't. They had the sense that there were some things that weren't theirs to learn and seemed to respect that, taking what was offered. The dwarves were more than happy to expound their tales to a new audience who didn't seem to ever grow bored of listening to them. Flói knew the duo intrigued Balin.
With a groan and a shove at the wolf's head, Harry sat up and sighed. Stretching his sore muscles he was both relieved the training was over for the day and happy that what came next was more relaxing. After his training he was usually give some time to himself which he was thankful for. Sometimes he and Padfoot would explore and other times, they would just sit and rest together. There had been one day that they had gone to one of the caverns and had immediately halted. A shiver had gone down Harry's back and he'd automatically reached for the comfort of the wolf's furry shoulder and clench his hand in the fur. He didn't like the sense of that direction, his gut giving a twisting sensation and was more than grateful when Padfoot had agreed with him, turning away from that hall. That didn't mean that all their wanderings had been for naught. They had found some interesting rocks that Harry had been able to keep. They had looked ordinary except when broken open were milky white inside and the boy took a fancy to them.
Frár showed Harry how to knock the external flakes off the rock and to polish it so he was left with a smooth pale white stone. A few other rocks were made into a handful of smooth beads that the boy adored and carefully added to his keepsakes. He had idly toyed with the idea of trying to adorn Padfoot with them as the wolf slept, but thought twice about it knowing how much he'd get paid back for that little trick. It was still very tempting. Naturally, that urge was given into and the boy's deft fingers carded through the fur pausing every once in a while with baited breath before continuing. Once the wolf had realized what Harry had done, he chased the boy throughout the halls. Harry's laughter rang throughout the halls causing the Dwarves to smile and enjoy the sound as well as the sight of the boy running from the wolf whose ruff and mane were threaded with white beads that stood out starkly against the black fur. Soon enough there were sounds of Harry's pleading as Padfoot had him firmly pinned and licked at the boy's face and hair.
Part of his day he was able to sit with Ori and learn how to play a flute. Balin had tried to teach him to play the viol but Padfoot had hunkered down putting his paws atop his head to try and flatten his ears as much as he could and give a whine or howl. Each time Harry put bow to string, the wolf would make howling noises to drown out the sounds emitted from the musical instrument. They were pitched to let all know that the wolf found Harry's playing atrocious and painful. It seemed that as a beginner, it sounded as if Harry were torturing some kind of animal. Balin had said that it would take practice but Harry had objected saying that he was sure that Padfoot wouldn't allow him that time. The wolf had seemed to agree by making threatening snapping motion with his jaws toward the stringed instrument. During these flute lessons, Padfoot after giving a whine and a baleful glare would get up and leave the two to it, finding somewhere deeper in the mountain to be where the sound didn't carry or were drowned out. Harry supposed that the wolf didn't find it as objectionable as the viol and if he did say so himself, the boy believed he had a better knack for the flute. An additional bonus was that it was much more convenient to tote around.
Today, Balin was with Ori when Harry showed up for his lesson. Padfoot and decided after a few sour notes a couple lessons in that he would rather not accompany the boy and head directly into the tunnels. Blinking at the deviation to his routine, Harry was curious why the the Lord of Moria was visiting Ori. The dwarf had proclaimed himself thus after setting up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul. He and most of the dwarves were usually busy securing and searching the mountain. They appeared to have found treasure but while curious, Harry didn't question them about it. That seemed to earn him the right to learn a bit about what they had found and thus learned a bit a history of their race.
During their stay with the Dwarves Harry had heard many many tales and stories and told some of his own, few that they were. He did enjoy telling them about his first successful hunt and all the mishaps before that while learning and that he had been quite sure that Padfoot had laughed at him during those times. During the telling of the story Padfoot had lolled his tongue indicating that yes, he did find amusement in the boy's early failure. Still, Harry was quite proud of himself and even had a feather that he kept as a treasure from that experience. It was the feather and his other treasures and keepsakes that had stirred Balin's interest and questions wanting Harry and Padfoot's stories. The boy had been looking over his treasures and trying to decide what he wanted to do with some of the stone flecks he'd kept when making his knives. He hadn't liked being weaponless and wondered if he could somehow make a small knife about the length of his little finger he could hide upon himself. That way he would still be able to reach it and cut his bonds if he were ever tied up again.
"What have you got there?" Balin had asked.
"Memories and treasures." Harry's reply had been a bit hesitant as he glanced at the old dwarf as he tried to best express and explain himself. Keepsakes to remember and others he was sure would come in handy, he just wasn't sure what for quite yet.
"I see," had been all that Balin had said but then asked for Harry to participate in the stories by telling the meaning and story behind each item. The dwarf hadn't said anything about them but had gazed strangely at him before seeming to shake it off and returned to how he'd been before so Harry put the whole thing aside. The boy had been more focused on the dwarf's knowledge on the rangers or rather Men folk when Balin had gotten the story behind the arrow among the keepsakes. "Men can be tricky," he stated. "Just as much elves."
"Elves?" It seemed that these elves weren't liked in a lot of places! Or at least to those peoples that were sensible like the Drughu and the Dwarves.
"Aye. You see lad," Balin had started as if he was going to enlighten Harry with another story but then seemed to pause and after an undecipherable expression changed the subject completely distracting him.
After a brief conversation to Ori about a message to be sent to their kin giving them an update, Balin had Harry take a walk with him. Doing so, the boy tried to focus on the dwarf and his curiosity as he so often did in order to ignore just how high the the halls were in some areas. They made him feel exceptionally small and uncomfortable even if he knew it was in order to allow light to bounce and shine in the normally dark mountain home. The pillars were beautifully crafted and Harry was sure that if he were a dwarf, he would find no objection to the place, but as he wasn't, he disliked it greatly. He and Padfoot would sometimes leave the mine in order to get some fresh air. Harry greatly missed the wind on his face and in his hair. He would envy the times that Padfoot would go and hunt and feel badly about feeling that way.
"Where do you plan on going next?"
"Huh?" Harry hadn't been expecting that and glanced over.
The dwarf gave him a knowing look. "I've seen your expression when your wolf leaves and you have to stay behind. You've also the look of one when they are set on a journey."
Harry felt a bit abashed as he asked, "That obvious?" He hadn't meant it to be. That itch and unsettled feeling that had caused him to leave the Drughu had begun to creep up on him. The boy had tried to push it aside because he really was enjoying his time with the Dwarves as was Padfoot. All the same he knew that he would have to find a way to extricate himself from the mountain people, but hadn't figure out a polite way to do so. It seemed that he might not have to.
"Only to those that have a wandering spirit. And something tells me that you are meant elsewhere."
Giving the dwarf an inquisitive glance, Harry wasn't disappointed when the other continued. "Your wolf is far too intelligent. More so than any warg or wild wolf I have ever come across or heard about. I've not seen either of your ilk before."
"Erm." The boy wasn't quite sure how he was to respond to that statement so decided that he should probably keep his mouth shut.
Balin just gave Harry a small smile and patted the boy on the shoulder. "I've given instruction to the others to prepare you a bag whenever you decide to go, lad. No hard feelings. You are always welcome back here if you choose to do so."
Relief warred with hurt, confusion, and eagerness to be off. As if either seeing or sensing his conflicting emotions, the dwarf once again gave him a pat and wandered off allowing him to be alone with his thoughts. He knew that the dwarves were all happy being here, Balin had even told him about how he had lost his own home of Erebor when he was but a child of seven. Harry believed it had been these memories of home that had spurred part of the dwarf's reason for trying to take the mountain back a hundred and seventy-one years later.
"Sense anything, Padfoot?" Harry asked curiously as he came upon the wolf near one of the tunnels and placed a hand along the canine's shoulder. Padfoot butted his head against the boy's chest causing him to laugh and pet him. "Come on, I got something to tell you."
After telling Padfoot what Balin had said confessed, "I don't want to seem ungrateful, but he was right. I've been itching to leave and you have too haven't you?" When the wolf pressed into his side he continued, "Think we should head out tomorrow? I don't want to go out onto the mountain after dark."
Padfoot made a sound of confirmation, and so the duo made preparations to leave. It was a bit difficult to say goodbye to Ori, Flói, Balin, and even Náli and a few others. They did make their goodbyes though keeping it brief making it easier on Harry who already felt it hard to swallow and his stomach churned a bit. Náli of all people had surprised him by gifting him one of the practice daggers he'd been using. "I'll not have you dying due to lack of a proper weapon." Harry had been offended the first time Náli had taken one look at his stone weapons and laughed. According to the dwarf he'd be in a right pickle if his knives broke and said they were toys. And now the dwarf was giving him a 'real' knife that he could depend on not to shatter.
After that the boy had to flee so the Dwarves wouldn't see the moisture gathering in his eyes refusing to let the tears fall and fought them back. He didn't think they would appreciate them so scrubbed his eyes with his arm and leapt atop Padfoot. As soon as they were clear of the mine and into the open air, Harry couldn't help but revel in the feel of actual sunlight upon his skin. He shut his eyes and basked with his head tilted up towards the sky while Padfoot sure footed ambled his way along the rocky terrain. They were soon down the mountain but the wolf wanted to show his boy the pool he had drank from and took Harry there. By the time they got there, Harry had collected himself and was curious about the wolf's actions. He followed Padfoot's lead though and when indicated slipped off him and approached the water. Kneeling, he gazed at it and stared in wonder when he didn't see himself reflected back in it. He did almost fall in though trying to whip around to stare up at the sky in wonder after seeing the stars in the pool but not in the actual sky. Padfoot's teeth on his shirt was the only thing keeping him from falling backwards into the water. While Harry gave a heartfelt and embarrassed, "Thanks for that." Padfoot huffed.
While they weren't sure where they wanted to go, they did know they wanted to be away from the mountain and the goblins that clambered about it at night, so they began a leisurely pace eastwards. The duo enjoyed their journey through the vales and land counting it a blessing for their lack of encounters with other peoples. After their stay with the Dwarves and accruing some friends among them, coming into contact with anyone else even those they were looking forward to such as more Drughu, would be painful. They didn't want to have to say goodbye again. It was time for them to travel again just the two of them and enjoy their journey as they had before when they first started on their trip. They had followed the river northwards once they came upon it. It was bet by another smaller river that seemed to lead back towards the mountains. There were marshlands and old ruins of houses on both sides of the larger river that they could see. The duo were ever cautious but believed that it was abandoned and that only animals lived in the area.
Not wanting to go back towards the mountains just yet it meant if they wanted to go any further they would have to attempt a crossing. Padfoot had Harry stay put while he ventured out and tested the waters depth and strength of it's current. He came back after giving a full body shake to rid himself of excess water. After a brief tug on the boy's sleeved arm, Harry got the gist. They were going to go swimming. Harry had to remove the Dwarven belt and knife before he untied the braided clothe belt and pulling his tunic over his head he folded it and placed it in his satchel which he then handed over to Padfoot who took the strap into his teeth. The knife belt then was replaced at his waist not wanting to go without a weapon and didn't think it would weigh him down that much. Shivering already with the anticipation, Harry breathed in deep before letting it out mustering up his courage. He waded into the water overjoyed with the fact that it wasn't the middle of winter. It seemed that while they'd been with the Dwarves the early spring had given way to either late in the season or the beginnings of summer. That didn't stop the quick breaths that came as the water went further and further up his body until he was forced to bend forward removing his feet from the bottom of the river. He wasn't the best swimmer but he didn't have to resort to doggy paddling or having to cling onto Padfoot in order to cross.
Once on firmer ground, Harry shook himself much like Padfoot to rid himself of the water. The boy stayed by the bank while Padfoot explored to be entirely sure they were alone. While the wolf was gone, Harry pulled his shirt out of his satchel and tried to wring as much water out of it as he could before tossing it over a branch limb. He hesitated a moment before he removed his trousers and gave it the same treatment that his shirt had. Crouching down in order to be hidden, he stayed put as his gaze continued to roam and breathed a bit easier when he saw the form of Padfoot approaching. Seeing the relaxed gait of his friend, tension left Harry's body that he hadn't been aware of as he stood.
"Is it as old as it looks?" he asked staring at some of the run down houses he see but hadn't approached. Just as with the city that was built where the river and road connected, Harry was curious about what had happened to the people. It had to be Men since he'd learned from Ori and the others that Dwarves lived in Mountains. Those Hobbit things lived in burrows in hillsides. So it had to be Men like the Rangers that had lived in places like that city and here. Except, the houses here didn't seem as if they would accommodate those that were as tall as the Rangers.
After exploring a little bit and claiming a section for themselves to make camp, Harry went back to the water and made a fish trap. He also went about and collected some plants he knew were edible and guessed at after sniffing them and taking a tiny bite out of the plants. He was sure the berries would have been edible if it were a bit later in the season, but as he wasn't sure he didn't want to test it and get sick. He knew he was pushing his luck as it was. Harry knew that he could eat what provisions that the Dwarves had helped him pack, but he wanted those to last as long as possible.
He wasn't sure he wanted to stay very long in the swampland but it would offer them shelter and rest. No one would be able to sneak up on them without Padfoot becoming aware of intruders at the very least. They would be able to take their time to decide where they wanted to wander and if they wanted to stay close to the mountain just in case they wanted to go back for the winter.
It only took a few days before Harry and Padfoot both agreed that they couldn't stay there any longer and headed toward the large forest they had spied. With Harry astride the wolf they made their way there and stopped just at the threshold. Tilting his head as he stared at the forest with a contemplative expression, Harry's fingers unconsciously twisted into the wolf's fur gripping it a bit tighter. He wasn't sure if he wanted the forest to be uninhibited, to find another clan of Drughu there, or something completely different. "Well, we won't know just staying here, will we?" he murmured but it wasn't soft enough to escape Padfoot's notice. He whined questioningly which strangely reassured Harry in a way as he loosed his grip. With a bit more confidence and a smile he stated, "Alright. Let's see what this forest holds for us."
A.N. - You guys also rock so much! Seeing how many people are reading this is just amazing and makes me so happy. Thank you so much for giving my fic a shot and continue reading it since you find something in it. And to everyone who leaves a review I do read them! I try to reply to each one but for those of you that I can't, know I do read them and they really do make my day! :D