Hello there,

Oh my goodness, Lads and lass'! I went to see The Hobbit Trilogy yesterday (this morning), and it was perfect, and so worth it! I was so emotional leaving that screen, not to mention my butt was so numb. Any way, this chapter is huge, I got a bit carried away, and some of it was a little hard to write because I wanted to add so much. So I hope that it's ok! Please let me know, feedback is really helpful.

Cheers for the F/F: Boston Rider, Telekinesis Fae Flamingsword, PunkMutantGargoyleChica, Bookbug5675, and Dhalmi93.

Telekinesis Fae Falmingsword – Thank you so much! I hope that this is just as good for you as the other's, it was quite hard to get my head around how to write some of it, so here's hoping its ok. Your review means a lot, thanks again!

Dhamlni93 – Don't worry, I should be updating every four days! I'm hoping this keeps you even more curious! Let me know what you think, I would love to hear back! Thanks for your review!

Boston Rider/strong – Thank you very very much! I hope that this sheds a little more light on Todd for you, I tried to add enough, but not too much at the same time, if that even makes sense ha! Ho hum, anyway, I hope you like it! Thank you again!

I do not own The Hobbit, just little Todd.

Chapter 4 - Of Kings and Vermin

Pain, it blossomed within her side and across her cheek as she awoke. The more aware to her surroundings she became the more the pain intensified and spread through her. She tried to open her eyes but nothing happened for a while. So she lay there, trying to remember what on Middle Earth had happened to her. There was a breeze she noticed so she concentrated on it, its soft tendrils of warmth making her relax her tensed muscles. She stayed like that for a longtime, before voices could be heard a distance away from her. She tried to pin her ears towards the noise, but nothing happened.

"She is weak Mithrandir, she needs to wake and eat!" Came a voice, regal and soft. "Only then will her wounds heal at their usual pace"

"Weak, yes I can see that!" It was an old voice, carrying slightly, deep. She recognized it and with that spark of realization everything hit her like an arrow to the forehead.

There was a dirty and dark image of the Trolls, and her cage of bones, the feeling of hunger flood through her stomach. The family, oh that poor poor family, her heart knotted and she could feel the familiar sting of tears under her eyelids. Her mind flew next to the Dwarves and the Wandering Wizard freeing her only to be dragged into a hunt. She remembered the decision to become a distraction as thanks for saving her, then running, lots and lots of running. She could remember her chest burning and her paws stinging with every step she took. The Hobbit, he was safe she remembered, the dwarf with the floppy hat too, both two of the first to dive down into the cave.

A dark blade flashed in her memory, she had rushed to the aid of that young dwarf, Ori she thought the others had shouted. He had courageously shot a rock at a Warg with some slingshot, for he was obviously not a fighter. She had leapt into action and first took out the Warg, her teeth sinking into its throat, clamping down and suffocating it. Then she had faced its rider. This Orc had a blade so long that it was inevitable. She had lunged for it, knocking it down, yet it still managed to swing its blade around, catching her snout with the tip. It kicked her off, giving it time to stand again. She snarled and charged, yet this time the Orc managed to dodge her advance and slash its blade across her side and down her back leg. As if to remind her, her side and cheek started to burn. She was just about to get her head run through, the Orc stood over her with a menacing grin, when a horn sounded and an arrow ripped through the Orcs skull, her world falling black around her thereafter.

Her eyes opened wide, green orbs taking in everything around her. She went to shift slightly to turn her head, yet she felt her movements shift a way she was not expecting. Her brows knitted together as she realized that the feel of a blanket against her feeling odd and foreign, too crisp as such, not like how it would normally feel against fur. Looking down she realized that instead of being the large red fox, under the cover, she was now a small and pale woman. Her other half, her reflection if you may. Sighing she stretched out, her short slender legs shook a little with the action. All this being starved in a trolls cave and running from Wargs and Orcs had really taken its toll. She was starving and weak, the main reason for her transformation she had guessed.

The room she was in was bright. The brightest she had ever seen. The grand tall walls were creamy with arched windows that looked out on green shimmering trees and beautiful cascading waterfalls. Curtains fluttered and floated in a warm welcoming breeze that felt amazing on her new skin. She smiled then, a feeling very strange to her, having not used to smiling that much in her other skin. Movement caught her eye again, a grand door was closing and the tall grey wizard was eyeing her carefully and gently.

"Ahh welcome back to us, young Todd" Gandalf said, making his way over to her bedside. She shifted to sit up and wrapped the blanket tighter around her body, the movement making her wince slightly. Realizing she was completely naked under the blanket she felt heat rush to her cheeks. The thought of having her fur as a coat and shield against eyes was a very welcoming thought.

"Gandalf." She muttered, her voice a little unsure, she hadn't spoken in a long while. "Where… are we?"

She glanced around them for the owner of the other voice yet found the room empty. They must have left when that door closed, she thought. Gandalf came to a halt and sat in a chair next to her, his eyes were soft and welcoming. A sight that she hadn't seen in a long while, welcoming eyes. The normal reaction when someone realized she had a second skin was that of shock, realization and then hatred, distrust and anger. This reaction was extremely rare for her.

"We are in the last homely home of the East" He replied, shifting back as he waved his hand around.

"Imladris?" She breathed.

"Indeed" He chuckled at her awe stricken face. "The Elves here have cleaned and treated your wounds, they are also washing and mending the clothes that they fished from your pack."

"I must thank them then" Todd nodded; she lifted a hand to tuck her wild red curls behind her ears. "Yet first, I have a good few questions for you, Wandering Wizard"

"As have I for you, but now is not the time" Gandalf started, standing and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder pointing to her bag at the end of her bed. "Your pack is here, dinner is being served soon, get ready and I shall wait outside to accompany you!"

"As you wish, I won't argue, I haven't eaten in days" She smiled solemnly to Gandalf as he got up and moved out of the room.

Todd stood slowly, her wounds pulling and stinging, but not as painful as she had thought they would be. She noticed then also that her right leg also had a bandage to it, above her knee. She had taken a few scrapes for these Dwarves, she hoped that if they were still here and she met them, that they would remember that. She huffed then and dug through her bag. Pulling out her spare tight black hunting trousers and her long dark brown dress tunic. She quickly shoved on her white undershirt and undergarments before dressing. She left her feet bare, as she always did. Slowly she gingerly made her way to the door then, catching her reflection in a mirror she stopped and gazed for a little while.

It had been about three years since she donned her human form. She was short, extremely short, yet that was due to her Fathers heritage. Her eyes were large and a light green, freckles were dusted underneath them. She had a slender body, but not sickly, for she was strong for a girl her height. It was her hair that she sighed at the most. It was a large mass of long red curls with slightly white tips, just like her tail. It fell down to the small of her back, and fell in her face more often than not. So she took to using a piece of string to tie a few front strands into a knot at the back of her head.

Outside she met with Gandalf. He greeted her yet another smile, offering her his arm to help her on her way. Slowly, they wandered to where there was a loud commotion occurring. Nearing the doorway she spotted the company all eating and laughing, and shouting around with each other. Her back instantly straightened and she halted, the sudden motion making her wince again.

Her mind crashed down and all the hope of them remembering what she had done for them rush away from her like a leaf caught in the currents of flood waters. How would they ever accept her, they would be just as prejudice and angry as all the rest. She could see it now, the furious glares, the venomous sneers and the outright rejection. She could feel her heart sinking, before it had even begun. Her heart beat rose, as her brow intensified into a worried frown.

"Gandalf" She whispered, the Wizard looked back to her, eyebrows raised. "I cannot go in there"

"Why ever not?"

"I just can't, I should eat somewhere else" Todd stuttered. She wasn't ready for this, not to mention the fact that once they knew who and what she was, they would not be happy. Her Father had taught her that Dwarves were stubborn and angry beings when the wanted to be. Which didn't help her case at all, being around people was so much easier in her second skin, for to them she was an animal, with only the wild nature as a guide.

"Do not be so silly, they may be unwelcoming at first, but there are dwarves in their with hearts of gold, just you wait and see!" He spoke with a stern voice then. "You saved more than one of them today, they will see reason!"

He carried on walking then, his entrance gaining a few eyes. She hesitated, cursing and screaming at herself within her head, and then she followed quietly in behind him, her eyes trained on the back of his grey cloak. He paused when he came to an opening at the Companies table and motioned for her sit down. Todd lifted her eyes then to pear at the spot. It was between the floppy hated Dwarf and the young dark haired one. Their eyes were on her then, like a hawk to its prey and she had to take a large deep breath before she sat down gingerly and apologized immediately, with out thinking.

Gandalf patted her shoulder and then left. The table had fallen into an awkward silence, each dwarf looking between them, then back to Todd. The floppy hated dwarf cleared his throat and turned in his seat towards her. She watched him as he assessed her, much like a predator does its prey, she probably looked like a deer in torchlight to him.

"Bofur, at your service" He smiled, wrinkles appearing in the corners.

"Uhm Todd…" she muttered, so quiet he had to lean in to hear her properly. "…At yours"

"Todd, its nice to meet you lass." He smiled again. She noticed that his eyes crinkled in the corners of his eyes when he smiled, crows feet her mother had called them. They were meant for people are happy and who bring happiness.

"Here, let me get you some food" Bofur insisted, grabbing a handful of salad and dropping it on her plate. Smiling to him politely with thanks, she grabbed her folk and began to eat. She kept her eyes down for most her meal, just glad to be able to eat something. Her stomach had only started to really knot in hunger, when she spotted the food on the table. After a few moments of her eating and the others chatting idly around her, the tone changed, she could hear a few hushed voices speaking in Khuzdul at the top end of the table. Questions and speculations as to who 'the strange girl' was. She spared a glance up and noticed that Bofur was watching her, his brows drawn together in thought.

'Were you hungry?" He started, seeing that she had finished her plate of food in record time, putting even some of the dwarves to shame. "You basically inhaled that salad, lass"

"I was starving" She answered, not sure how familiar she should be around them. Joking would not be the polite thing to do in her case. "I hadn't eaten in a few days."

"How come, don't you live here?" Came a voice from her other side. The young dark haired archer from earlier. She hesitated, deciding that she would tell them the truth, but try not to let slip what she was.

"No, I only got here today!" She said quietly in reply. "I ran into…trouble on the road and found myself here."

"Ahh at least its not just us then, ey lads?" Bofur joked, a few others smiling with him. "What happened?"

"Oh I… uhm" She stuttered, her eyes falling a little, trying to figure out what to say, she didn't want to lie, it was not who she was, but at the same time she didn't want these dwarves to hate her.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't wish to" The dark haired archer chipped in, seeing her discomfort. "Although, you will have to answer me this…"

She looked to him then, her eyes concentrating for his question. "What are you?"

Todd looked to him then, a little shocked at the abrupt and sudden question. She was hoping to at least of eaten more before this question arose, so she could just leave before they ever got the chance to ask. He must of realized and looked to everyone else who nodded their interest also. She had unknowingly gained the attention of the whole company; her cheeks immediately flushed bright pink. Blushing was something that she never missed as a fox.

"Well I can't help but notice your feet are like ours, and your height is similar to both us and Bilbo, but your not like our little Hobbit friend!" He elaborated. Taking a deep breath, Todd got ready, steeling herself almost. She wasn't going to lie about who she was, lies and deception were what tarnished her, she would not be who people thought she was.

"Reb…Rebhane and…" she basically whispered. Yet the hated dwarf had heard and the look on his face was one of shook and disbelief.

"What?" Bofur cut over her last words.

"A what now?" The burly looking bald dwarf from earlier piped up from across the table. Her heart jumped into her throat then, she was hoping that she could finish her sentence, but now they were shooting right to it.

"She said Rebhane" Bofur reiterated, his voice blank, his eyes wide, the humour in them gone completely. She tried to chip in to finish her sentence but at the sight of the dwarves shook, disgust and then anger, she realized it wouldn't make a difference. The whole table erupted, shouting at each other and at her in turn. She closed her eyes shut tight and fought the urge to cover her ears like a child. Yet words like Vermin, pest, dog, sly and wicked flew around her. She looked up when she felt the table shift. The burly bald dwarf had stood and was pointing furiously between her and the table that Gandalf had moved to sit at.

"How dare you let this creature sit at our table!" He shouted. The whole of the top table, by now had turned and was watching the angry dwarves with confusion.

"You would be wise to hold your tongue Master Dwalin" Gandalf replied sternly standing, his eyes falling on Todd, her whole face had paled and her shoulders were hunched with fear and anxiety.

"Hold my tongue?" He shouted. "We know the legends and tales! They are Vermin, liars and untrustworthy!"

"I do think you are being childish" Gandalf interjected. Todd felt anger rise in her from the rubbish old tale. She knew of the tales and legends that he spoke of, they had been embellished and twisted with time. They made her out to be an evil fell beast that lurks and preys on the weak. She was not what they thought she was, her Mother was not what they thought either. They were good people, she was a good person. Why people relied on stereotypes before personalities was beyond her. Anger bubbled inside her, her eyes narrowing and her hands balling into fists. Why was it always the same? She screamed internally.

"Enough!" She shouted then, the words flying from her mouth before she could think to stop. She stood up but winced and crouched over slightly to ease the pain in her side, the burly dwarf looking her up and down. "I'm no pest you ignorant Dwarf, I have mislead and harmed no one!"

"How can I believe the word of a Rebhane?" He growled back.

"I helped you did I not? Did I not lead the Wargs and riders away and even kill or you?" She snapped back. "Did I not risk my own life for the safety of yours?"

"That was you?" A young dark haired dwarf spluttered, his eyes wide. "That was the trouble you ran into?"

She rolled her dress tunic up then, revealing a slither of her stomach above her trousers and the bottom of her bandaged side, she pointed then to the gash on her face. A few dwarves looked down then, contemplating her words and injuries. Yet most were still glowering at her. This was why she never helped; this is why she hid away most of the time. Judgment like this was degrading and mortifying.

"I'm not so different to you than you think!" She snapped then sat back down, scowling at her empty plate.

The top table settled down, as with the rest of the company. They began whispering to each other in Khuzdul about her. She could hear them, and they probably knew that. The few she was sat closest to though kept quiet, until Bofur spoke up again, obviously trying his best to diffuse the situation.

"You were that big fox then?" He said, she looked to him and nodded. He smiled again, why did he smile so much? She thought. Todd nodded to him, her green eyes searching his with confusion at his smile.

Here, let us introduce a few of us!" Bofur sparked up. He looked to the end of the table away from the grumbles and whispering. He waved to everyone, who was looking a bit nervous and reserved. They all looked to each other, before nodding.

"Kili, at your service" The young dark haired archer started, then he pointed to another young blond haired dwarf behind him, who regarded her from under furrowed brows, obviously not as up for introductions. "This here is my brother Fili"

"Bombur, I'm Bofur's Brother, the better looking one at that too!" He was a rather rotund ginger dwarf, his features just as pleasant and happy as his brothers. Todd couldn't help but gaze at the massive braid that hung in a hoop from behind each ear.

"I'm Ori!" The youngest dwarf furthest up the table added quickly and shyly.

"Its nice to meet you all" Todd said calmly, nodding to each dwarf. "I'm sorry for this, the wizard seemed to think sitting me here was a good idea."

"Why?" Kili asked, leaning over and pilling some more salad leaves on her plate. "You were hungry were you not?"

"I should have eaten somewhere else, I didn't want to offend you all." She replied, looking back down to her plate. Her hands reaching up to pull at some of her wild red waves. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"

"Well, you helped us today, that's enough for me." Bofur added, his brother Bombur nodded.

"Why did you help us?" Ori asked. A grey haired dwarf with intricate braids nudged him then, in annoyance. He hushed Ori and pulled his attention away. Todd looked back to Bofur then, who urged her to answer.

"You freed me from the Trolls cage!" She stated. "They were going to kill and eat me that day, so you saved my life."

"That seems fair" Kili nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, we would have been dead if it weren't for you"

"It's the least I could of done!" Todd nodded back to Kili.

"Thank you!" Fili said from next to him, his face placid and polite.

Your welcome, where are you all heading anyway?" She asked. "I mean, I have never heard of dwarves travelling to this part of the world before?"

She was desperate for some answers, like why they were in this part of the world? Where they were heading? Why did they have the wizard and the hobbit with them? Yet she settled first for the basic question. They probably wouldn't tell her anyway being the 'untrustworthy' creature that they thought she was. She was just surprised that they were still talking to her, let alone thanking her.

Bofur, Fili and Kili all shared a look with each other then. A silent conversation was had between them, which consisted of mainly the two young brothers shrugging at each other and Bofur shaking his head. What on Earth were they up to? She thought, her interest had really piqued at this point but she didn't want to intrude, if it was not her place to know. She wanted to find out earlier this morning, but she thought she cold just ask the Wizard, she never expected to actually be here sat with them in her second skin.

"Look, you don't have to tell me!" She sighed. "If it's a big secret then your not obliged to share with someone like me"

"Its not our place to!" Bofur countered, he nodded his head towards the table that Gandalf had moved to sit on. "Our leader is the one who you should ask."

She watched then, the top table, whilst starting to eat her second portion of salad, and noticed that there were another two Dwarves on the top table, along with the Hobbit. Gandalf was talking animatedly with a regal looking Elf and the Hobbit was conversing with the elder white haired Dwarf. Her eyes moved along then and locked eyes with the other Dwarf. She recognized him straight away as the leader. She remembered him bossing the rest of the company around. Then she remembered a name, Thorin.

"Thorin" She muttered. Her eyes widened then, as he regarded her with a stern and furious glare. It couldn't be? She thought, is this em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"the/em Thorin, Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain? She broke eye contact then and turned to Bofur, who had noticed their leaders gaze. "Is that the King of carven stone?"

"The one and only" He replied, a fake chuckle leaving his lips, obviously not trusting her sudden realization. "How did you know, lass?"

"His name was called this morning a few times, and I just remembered it!" She countered. Something in her head clicked then. The regal heir, the direction in which they were traveling, it all seemed to click. "You're travelling east yes?"

"We are." Kili responded, sharing a look with his Brother.

"Past the Misty Mountains and towards a solitary peak?"

"Hush, don't be too loud" Bombur urged her peering at the surrounding Elves. Fili and Kili looked to her, their kind eyes turning into glares.

They were heading back to the Lonely Mountain, she concluded. Yet why on Earth would they be doing that? A dragon slept there, with power beyond anything within Middle Earth. A Company of this size would never be able to kill a dragon. What were they thinking? Her mind was racing over the new information. Her Father had taught her all he knew on the Desolation of Smaug, he had been there after all. He had told her of the dragons greed at the gold that the Dwarves had treasured down deep in the glistening halls. So many had lost their lives that day, Dwarves and Men both massacred in the firestorm. The only way they would ever be able to kill that worm would be with an army, but Dwarvish politics was a strange thing to behold. They would need the heart of the mountain to gain the allegiance of the other Dwarf….kingdoms… Her mind jumped ahead again.

"The Arkenstone…" She breathed, her eyes flying up to Fili and Kili, only to find Thorin stood directly behind them staring furiously into her eyes. He placed one hand on the hilt of his blade as he regarded her.

"What do you know of the Arkenstone?" He sneered.

"It's the… uh, the heart of the Mountain, lost within Erebor's deep halls" She stuttered, her Kings gaze putting a great deal of unease and fear upon her. He was obviously not happy with her realization and if looks could kill, she would have been buried six feet down.

"Now now Thorin, let us not jump to conclusions!" Gandalf said, coming up to intervene. "There are ears about!" He then muttered low for only the King to hear. Gesturing back to the top table, where the regal Elven Lord was watching intently.

"You, come with me!" Thorin pointed to Todd and she stood immediately. "I have questions!"

Todd followed the King as he made his way out of the open room and into a deserted hallway, Gandalf also followed, along with the Hobbit. She caught eyes with the Shireling and he smiled to her, he took a strong dislike to the sadness and unease in her eyes. Thorin halted then and turned around, his face thunderous, Todd took a visible step back, only to bump into Gandalf who placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The Hobbit moved to stand next to her and she couldn't help but reach out and steady herself on his sleeve. Her side was throbbing now and this stress was not helping.

"Gandalf tells me you are a Rebhane" He almost spat that last word at her.

"I am" She replied, holding her eyes unwavering to make herself seem stronger than she was actually feeling.

"You know who I am and what the Arkenstone is?"

"I do"

"How?" His voice rose slightly, was he really that angry with her? She thought he would have been, yet the fierce fury in his gaze was nothing like she had ever seen before. Her grip tightened on the Hobbits sleeve. His glanced to her apologetically.

"My Father told me the tales, the desolation all those years ago. A lost homeland by the siege of a Dragon!" She started, taking a deep breath before continuing. "How the Arkenstone was lost in the Halls and with it the hope of uniting the seven dwarf Kingdoms"

"How did he know so much?" Thorin asked then, his voice accusing. He eyed her up and down, until his eye spotted a braid, tucked behind her ear, the bead almost hidden in the wild curls.

"Because dear King, My Father was a Dwarf of Erebor himself." She announced, her eyes glaring back up at him. Gandalf and Bilbo let their shock show. A massive grin spreading across the Wizards face.

"Ah my dear, why did you never say?" He started, gaining the shocked Kings attention. "We could do with someone like you."

"She is a half-breed Gandalf, do not dare!"

"It was merely just a thought!" Gandalf snapped back. "Not a bad one either at that."

"I do not want you around my men, do you hear me?" Thorin barked turning to her, his eyes scathing. "You will never speak of us, or my Mountain again"

"I am not the vicious creature you think I am, my King!" She spoke with a voice as hard as stone, her tolerance of their treatment towards her warring thin, her snarky sly tongue awakening. "I hold no ill will towards you or your men, you saved me, and in turn I helped you, can you not judge me on what I have done, against what I have not?"

"I do not trust you" His eyes were boring into hers. Her fists clenched, she felt a snarl rising in her throat, her lips parted, baring her sharp fangs.

"You can not see the wood for the trees, I have done nothing to gain your distrust." She snapped.

Her King glared at her then, his eyes raking her up and down, before he stormed off back to the chattering of the Company. Once he had left she deflated, her grip on the Hobbits sleeve loosening. Gandalf sighed also. His old grey eyes looked down to her now pale withdrawn face with sadness and a little touch of guilt.

"I apologise, Todd" He offered.

"Its ok, I expected it really." Todd words we soft, the Hobbit completely confused at her demeanor.

"You are treated like this often?" He asked. Gandalf shooting him a look for his lack of tact.

"I do, more than an Age ago a few of my race fell under the influence of a dark power, they were used and… abused shall I say." Her words were dark and gloomy, as if the weight of their betrayal to her race was breaking her back. "Ever since, we have all been tarnished by the stains of their brush."

The Hobbit regarded her, and then placed a hand over her own that was still clamped on his sleeve. Smiling softly to him she let go and stepped away from the pair. She had had enough rejection for one evening; she wasn't about to go back into the fray, just for some salad leaves and few bread rolls.

"I bid you goodnight now, thank you once again for saving me from those trolls."

With that she left, wandering the halls until she found her way back to the healing room. Her pack was still at the end of the bed, yet now there was a pile of her freshly mended and cleaned clothes next to them. She closed the door behind her and made her way sluggishly over to the bed. Undressing till she was only in her undershirt, she slipped back into bed, ignoring the pulling of her wounds.

Her heart had slowed and her head was clearing from the mess that had occurred just merely moments ago. Her emotions were burning deep within though. Rejection, frustration and something else, something that she couldn't quite place her finger on. Yet she knew that it had started the second Bofur had decided to talk to her again, even after finding out who she really. His happy and warm eyes with their crows feet appeared in her mind before becoming blurry again, the fierce glare of her King appearing instead. Her King, she thought. That was who he was to her, her Father's heritage was just as important to her as her Mothers. If even a little more. Her mother had never spoken much about her heritage, saying it was too painful, or just to hopeless. Yet the way her Father spoke of his, his old home, his old friends and the life he used to have. She smiled sweetly at the memory of them both.

She remembered a time when he had told her stories of Erebor. How he had worked as a jeweller along side his Father and Brother. They had made the finest jewellery in the whole kingdom. He had said many a time that he wanted nothing more than to take herself and her Mother back there, back when it was a homely place, and not ruined by the greed and destruction of that witless worm.

That night she slept fitfully. Between bittersweet memories and thoughts of her family, to that of the company. She wandered if they would ever accomplish what they were obviously out to achieve, and whether she would then ever get to go and see her Fathers Erebor. Yet she figured they would never let her anywhere close to the lonely mountain, let alone to see within in. /span/p