Dinner was had in the usual dwarven fashion, when it was over and the dishes cleared, everyone vacated the dining room and made themselves comfortable in the sitting room.

'I need to find out who this last member is, I'm pretty confident it's who I think' Bilbo thought to himself. He took the tankard of ale from Thorin and drank. ' If it is him, I need to make sure I'm well enough prepared.'

Finishing the last drop from his tankard, bilbo stood to get more. 'Maybe I should wait until they are a little drunk before I ask? No it takes too much ale, they won't get drunk on what I have, not when they are all sharing.' After drinking another tankard of ale Bilbo turned to face all the dwarrow.

"Who is your companion we are waiting for" he raised his voice, drowning out the sound of the dwarrow. "Is it another dwarf?"

"He is the wizard Gandalf. You know him, do you not?" Dori spoke up, from the back of the room.

"Unfortunately yes, I have done a few jobs for him before. Never as easy as he likes to make out." Bilbo left it at that, walking into the only empty corner in the room to think over things.

The rest of the evening was quiet for a dwarven gathering, one by one they all trickled off to their rooms. Leaving only three still awake.

Balin,Dwalin and Thorin sat in silence for a while, gathering their thoughts while sipping on their tankards of ale.

"Do ya think he's playing us?" Dwaling quietly asked, not looking up from the table.

"Bilbo? Of course not, he seems a very trustworthy hobbit" Thorin shot back, eyes flashing in anger.

"Calm m'boy, he means Tharkûn." Balin had a small smile on his face, but you could see the worry underneath. " I am beginning to wonder myself, if he is being entirely truthful."

Thorin nodded his head in agreement. "We only travelled here early to see Gandalf's burglar, it seemed slightly concerning that he was able to find one so quickly."

"He's 'ad it all planned out." Dwalin sighed, shaking his head, partly in anger at Gandalf and partly in anger at himself for not seeing it.

"We must still make this journey, Erebor is our home, we cannot fail."

Dwalin and Balin nodded their heads in agreement, they would make sure they did not fail.

Conversation slowly turned to other topics, soon enough they all retired to their beds.

The next morning, for the first time in a long time, Thorin woke late. He wandered down to the dining room and found on the table. a plate full of cold meats, bread and cheese. Left next to the plate, was a piece of parchment, written on it, with the most beautiful writing he had seen, was his name. Quickly eating the food, not really giving himself time to enjoy it, he rushed off in search of Bilbo.

He looked throughout the surprisingly large Smial, even finding himself lost a few times, but found no trace of Bilbo. Finally after what seemed like hours of searching he decided to ask a member of his company.

Walking out towards the round green door, he stopped the first dwarrow he saw, Gloin.

"Ah Gloin, I could do with some help of a sort."

Gloin stopped and looked at Thorin, slightly confused.

"Of course Thorin, is it some gold you need ?" Gloin had been put in charge of the company's gold, as a banker when Erebor was still their home, he was more than capable of keeping watch over their money and keeping track of who used it and what on. Due to that, it was the most common reason he was stopped and asked for help by a member of their group.

"Not today, no, I am wishing to know if you had seen our host, Bilbo."

"Aye I have, he wandered off into the square, he received a letter in the post today and rushed off, must have been important." Gloin stroked his beard in thought.

"Thank you Gloin, I am going for a walk myself, I wanted to see what the blacksmith's forge is like here, it might be of use to us."

As Thorin walked off, and out of the Smial, Gloin looked at him in surprise.

"Yes brother, you guessed right. I was surprised myself when I realised." Oin walked up next to Gloin, smiling.

"I am happy he has found his one, I never would have thought it would be here though, and a hobbit as well."

Oin began walking towards the sitting room, stopping just outside the doorway

"Ahh but no ordinary hobbit"

"Right as always brother" Gloin shook his head, a smile on his face " it will make for an interesting journey" he muttered under his breath, turning and following his brother.

Thorin wandered down the curved lane, following the signs pointing towards the centre of the village. As he began to get close he saw children running, their mothers close behind them. Homes became less frequent, shops taking their places.

Walking into the village square, he stopped, looking around at the crowded area. Market stalls were everywhere, each one surrounded by hobbits. It was so busy he could barely make out what each stall was selling.

'Is there a market on every day here or am I just unlucky?' Thorin thought to himself.

He began slowly walking through the square, keeping a sharp eye out, making sure not to miss Bilbo if he was there.

Weaving in and around crowded areas, he soon found himself on the opposite side of the square.

Feeling lost and unsure what to do, Thorin stood and looked back at the market.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a sign on a building

'Blacksmiths. I'm surprised they have one. I thought I might have to travel to Bree'

Postponing his search for Bilbo, he made his way to the blacksmiths.

Pushing open the door he walked in. It was a small room, a wall to wall counter blocking a doorway into the back.

'I guess that's where the forge is' Thorin waited for a moment, wondering if anyone was going to appear from the back.

"Hello, I wish to speak to the owner" He finally called.

The sound of rustling and what seemed to be a chair scraping of the ground came from the back room.

"Comin', sorry I didn't realise there was someone 'ere." a voice called. A male hobbit quickly rushed through the door. He was old, with grey curly hair and a worn, weathered face. He looked up at Thorin and smiled.

"A Dwarf, you've traveled far to end up 'ere. You're 'ere in the Shire for a reason. We don't get outsiders 'ere unless they wantin' somethin', or someone."

"I was hoping that I would be able to use your forge for a few days. Make some repairs to some items of mine and my company."

"Well I ain't busy, use it as long as ye like"

Thorin nodded in thanks and walked out of the blacksmiths.

"Mister Baggins is down with 'em 'ere Bounders, if you be looking fer 'im. Keep on down the lane on the left. Big ol' wooden place. Can't miss it"

Thorin nodded again, shutting the door behind him.