Hello there,
Here is the next installment, I'm hoping the last chapter didn't put you off; it was a pretty solemn one. Anyhooo, I hope you enjoy this, please let me know too, I would love to hear from you!
Cheers for the f/f – JoeyBear1424, nbowles
I do not own The Hobbit, only my Todd.
Cheers!
Chapter 2 – Torches and Hope
By the fifth day, she was too weak to hide from the sticks they hit her with, and too tired to bother growling at them in protest of their gruesome language. Bert, who she had realized was the cook, kept sitting closer and closer to her cage too. His eyes would wonder over her in ways that made her stomach churn. She watched him with a slanted scowl as he dumped himself down in front her, his breath pouring into the cage, foul and decay clinging to her nose.
"You know how I like to gut my meals?" He started, his grimy voice filling her ears. Even if she wanted to ignore him, there was no blocking out his vile words.
"I use this ere knife!" He sneered, pulling out the bluntest blade that she had ever seen. It looked like a shard of pure rust. She couldn't tell if there was any metal under the crusty orange mess, it certainly wouldn't cut anything well. The faint smudges of dried blood caught her eye and the thought of being torn open by such a thing made her body shudder. "Pretty aint it?"
She let a snarl leave her lips then, the sounds resonating from her chest and echoing slightly around the cave. The other two trolls turned and glared at her. Bert merely snorted and turned to them, waving his rust ridden knife around.
"Looks like the fox hates ma new filleting knife" He chuckled grimly. New? She thought, if that was the new knife, she didn't even want to consider what Berts old one looked like.
With that Bert dropped his knife and turned back to her, grabbing one of the many thick sticks littered on the cave floor. He waved it around a little, letting her know that she was about to be beaten again. The two others chuckled menacingly as she visible braced for the pain, yet they jumped up and hushed themselves as if they had heard something.
"You hear that Tom?" William said.
The fox listened then, deciding that what they were hearing was the distinct yet muffled sound of hooves. Horses were nearby, their hooves pattering in a slight formation, which also meant riders. She didn't really know whether to be glad or not. Riders meant either more people for the trolls to kill and eat, or people to maybe, just maybe, help get her out of here.
The trolls left her then, waiting with baited breath at the edge of the cave entrance for the exact moment that the sun set, letting them burst free, ready to take advantage of the food that had wandered so close to their dwelling. The fox just watched them leave, her ears and eyes pricking to catch any of the slightest insinuation of what of going on out there.
Nothing happened for an extremely long time, and the fox had started to give up, her eyes drifting closed as she rested her head on her front paws. The temptation to sleep a little was weighing heavily down on her. Yet eventually she drifted off. A faint sound of shouting and fighting drifted to her ears, but not soon enough for she was fast asleep.
Next thing she knew voices were breaking the silence. She immediately woke from her slumber, shifting back into a crouched position, ready to face the trolls when they reentered their cave. Yet she realized then it was far too bright for the trolls to just be returning. The voices also, were much lighter than that of the burly rumble that the trolls spoke through.
"Blimey, what's that stench!" A voice moaned as figures came into view at the entrance to the cave. First to enter was a tall grey figure, clad in long robes and a pointy hat. Then following him were many shorter more stoat and well built figures. The second figure particularly gained her attention due to his floppy eared hat.
"It's a troll hoard…" the tall grey figure countered the first, his voice a littler exasperated. "… be careful what you touch!" He warned them all.
The fox watched carefully from the shadows of her bone cage, as the figures all bundled into the cave, exploring evidently, yet coughing and gagging at the stench all at the same time. She couldn't blame them though, she had been stuck in here days with the putrid smell, and it never got any better.
One figure, with a regal stature came furthest into the cave, wielding a torch. He waved it around, shinning light on all the foul things that these trolls have been keeping here, as their treasure or something, the fox really didn't know. She watched as his eyes darted to a collection of swords sticking out from the ground. His called the grey figure over and they chatted about them, seemingly pleased they had come across them. The fox couldn't argue either, by the looks of it, they were sharper than any of the knives Bert had pulled on her.
It wasn't until the figure was right upon the cage, with the light of his torch fully illuminating her, did they finally notice her. Once they were closer too, the fox realized that these stocky figures were in fact dwarves. She clamed her nerves slightly, dwarves were known for many things but harming the life that belonged to the earth was not one of them. Of course they hunted, but only out of necessity. Never once had she heard of Dwarves murdering her kind, not for sport like some of the cities of men did further South.
"Gandalf!" The torch wielding dwarf shouted, gaining the tall grey figures attention.
"Ah, my goodness!" He replied, coming over, along with the floppy hated dwarf. "Poor thing, we must let her out!"
Her? How did he know? She thought, as he set to fiddling with the bones surrounding her. She watched intently as the hated dwarf then tried to help too, both deciding that they needed some weapons to smash their way through. So indeed they did, she pressed herself as far back against the backbones without touching then, whilst a burly bald headed dwarf came down to have his hand at it. Finally they broke through and they jumped back, obviously expecting her to leap out and run off into the distance. Yet that was not her plan at all.
These people had saved her and was going to make sure that they knew how thankful she was, an how much in their debt she was for getting her out before the trolls came back to fillet her with the rusty knife.
"That's one huge fox…" The burly bald dwarf muttered, the fox huffing as a retort.
So instead of bursting for the exit, she slowly made her way out of the cage and came to sit before them, nodding her head at each of them. This earned her a great few funny looks. Least of which from the tall grey man with the pointy hat. Then after she had acknowledged her saviors she trotted to the back of the cage where Tom had thrown her leathery old pack. She grabbed it and trotted back to the figures, then she pulled the leather strap over her head with her teeth before stepping through so that it was secured with one front leg.
"Did you just see what I just saw?" The hated dwarf stuttered, staring at her funny, this eyes showing his confusion at the strange way the fox was acting.
"I think we best be leaving now" The grey figure said as he started to usher the other dwarves away from their newly buried plunder. "It isn't wise to dwell in these kinds of places"
"Indeed" Said another, his voice holding authority. "Bofur, Gloin, Nori… come on!"
The fox watched a while as they started to leave, she took a step to follow when she realized the Grey figure was watching her intently. His eyes glistened with questioning as he gazed upon her, almost as if he was seeing straight through her. It was at that point she realized, this was no ordinary old man, he had the bearing of the Istari. Her interest piqued immediately, she trotted over to him and nudged his hand. He regarded her, before he spotted something below her. He leaned down and uncovered a small blade, a child's sized weapon. She watched as he eyed it for a few moments, and then picked it up along with the other larger one he had obviously acquired for himself. Then as he left the cave she followed, right on his heel, much to the wizards amusement.
She followed him mainly due to the storied of old, her Father and Mother had taught her before they were… separated. She remembered tales of adventure, war, reclamation and above all, her favorite tales of his great lights in the sky. For the wandering, grey wizard was the most magical of them all. She knew he wasn't the most powerful, that was the white wizard, the one that leads them in a way.
Once outside the fox realized that there were many dwarves, and even a Shireling. She smiled, as best she could, her mouth agape and panting in a soft way. She had never seen such a sight. This company was obviously heading somewhere, if their large packs and bountiful amounts of weapons were anything to go by.
The Wandering Wizard made his way over to the Hobbit, who was sat a little further ahead of the huddle of dwarves. As he made his way there, she followed right behind, her tail swishing in the cold breeze, a most welcomed feeling.
"Here, this is about your size" The wizard motioned for the Hobbit to take the small blade. The fox moving around to sit by his side as they exchange took place.
The hobbit looked from the wizard to the sword and then to the fox, his eyes widening at the size of her.
"Mother of Arda, what on earth is that?" He stuttered, taking a tentative step back. The fox let a frown work across her sloe eyes, huffing at his response to her presence.
"This dear Bilbo is a fox" The wizard spoke calmly. "A fox of which hides many a secret, I reckon"
He glanced down at her then, noting the nod of her head slightly at his accusation. She watched as he inclined his hand out to her, his face gentle and questioning. She realized then that he wanted to touch, or pet her maybe. She granted him that by meeting her head to his hand. Yet upon touch her mind widened and she felt another presence within her head.
Now, let me see here.
She blinked rapidly, realizing he was in her head and searching through her thoughts. It was an intrusion; yet she felt the need to let him see what she had just been thought. There were walls built within her mind, walls that she had built over years and years of solitude, not even the wizard could peer over though. Years of pain, suffering and hurt, from one reason to another, trapped behind impenetrable walls of steel. Yet he pulled away, a smile dancing across his features. He had seen enough.
My name is Gandalf, young Rebhane. What shall I call you?
Todd is my name. She replied within her head, feeling extremely stupid doing so. Her eyes never left the wizard Gandalf once. I wish to thank you with all my heart for saving me.
You are most welcome. He countered. You have been through a lot, I'm sorry.
Todd felt her eyes prick with tears at the though of the family. Their terrified faces and screams filled her mind until Gandalf sighed and she felt them fade, as if he was pulling the images away from her. She shook her head and used her paw to wipe a tear away.
What brings you this far south young one? Gandalf asked then, pulling her out her reverie.
Darkness is shifting up North Gandalf, it stirred beneath me and ratted me out like smoke to a honey bee. Todd replied.
I thought as much, tables are turning, yet to where I do not know… yet. He replied thoughtfully.
"I can't take this" The Hobbit spoke up then, interrupting the moment for not having realized there was a moment to interrupt. His held the small sword that actually complimented his size perfectly, back to the wizard. Todd saw in his eyes that he was wary of the weapon.
"The blade is of Elvish make, which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby." The wizard reiterated. Yet the hobbit shifted uneasily on his feet.
" I have never used a sword in my life" He almost sighed. Todd huffed and then let her attention wander back to the dwarves. She trotted away from Gandalf and further up the way. The first dew dwarves she came across her young, younger than the ones that entered the cave. She slowly peered at them from behind a rock. They were jesting with each other. Then she peered further around the rock, catching the floppy hated dwarf from earlier. He was sat rummaging through a bag sat between one other rather rotund ginger dwarf and a wild black and white haired dwarf. She watched him, how his eyes smiled whilst chatting away with them.
She moved then, appeared around the rock and made her way over to him, slowing only when other dwarves started noticing her and began scrambling for their weapons, pointing them towards her. Yet she continued moving slowly, till she came to the foot of the hated dwarf. Who was watching her now with wide eyes, his hands frozen on the straps of his pack. She bowed her head low and kept her eyes trained on his as a way of showing him she meant no harm. He seemed to take it too, he visibly relaxed.
With a swish of her large red and white tale, she sat her hind legs down right next to the hated dwarf. There was something about him that stuck with her, he looked like he wouldn't hurt her. It had to be his eyes, they were soft and gentle looking. The crows feet in the corners making it looked like he had been laughing for a lifetime. Plus his scent, of pine, earth and soft smoke clung to him like a comforting blanket. That was until a loud cracking of undergrowth caught her attention then, and the attention of the whole group.
"Something's coming!" The leader shouted, making everything jump up and to attention, weapons raised and ready. The hated dwarf jumped up also, yet he still kept an eye on the fox that was now stood right next to his leg, ears pinned towards the ever growing noise.
"Thieves, Fire, Murder" Shouted an almost crazed voice. Then from the bushes to the companies right burst a sleigh, pulled by huge rabbits. The likes of which were being controlled by a man, clad in rough brown earthy garments. His beard was all misshapen and his hair sported what looked like bird poo, down one side of his head. The company regarded him with varying looks of distrust shock and confusion. This man didn't look very harmful.
"Radagast!" Gandalf started, a few of the dwarves and the Hobbit sighing in relief. The fox thought that they must of heard of him before, because she knew she sure hadn't. "Radagast the Brown, what are you doing here?"
"What's with that fox?" Came another younger voice closer to the Rebhane. She turned her head to see the two young dwarves looking right at her, so she huffed and trotted over to the Hobbit again. They watched her as she went, before looking to each other, their gazes frowning.
She came to a stop by his feet and much like with the hated dwarf she bowed her head to show she meant no harm before sitting down and this time curling herself around his hairy feet. Once settled comfortably she swished her tail against his leg, making him chuckle. She liked this Hobbit, he seemed kind and friendly and a lot less threatening than the Dwarves. It had been so long since she was in the company of such a friendly face. An image of the Farmer flashed through her head again and she whined lowly, letting her tail fall back to the ground.
The wizards had excused themselves to talk with privacy and so the dwarves set to sitting around and chatting idly about their run in with trolls. She sat in the middle of them all, her head resting on her front paws. A few glances were sent her way, but she paid them no heed. It didn't seem like they were going to harm her. So far they only saw her as a harmless fox. To which she was, in a sense. The air was pretty tense when the wizards returned though; it looked as though they had been discussing dark matters. Todds mind flew over her past experiences with the darkness in the north, and wandered if that was what they were discussing, she was going to have to ask the wizard, that was for sure.
