Hi Hi Hi!

Here's chapter 12! It's a long jam packed on so I hope you enjoy it and it reads well! I was so excited to write this and the next few so here goes…

Cheers for the f/f: ChibiCheshire, anon91, pandawolf91, inperfection & jubes-zcg

I'm going to start replying to reviews privately now so it flows to the story quicker, but I will still say my thanks here too! I like to do thanks here because f/f and reviews really do brighten my day!

Soooo, cheers for the reviews: Dhalmi93, Desert Vulpes Zerda, inperfection & TraumerdeAmore 3

I only own little Todd!

Chapter 12 – Legend

"Everyone up!" Thorin shouted, his hands on his hips as he surveyed the still sleeping Company. After a hard walk through snow the day before, and a cold nights sleep, they weren't so up for waking as he had hoped for. He knew that if they marched strong and true, they would reach far along the narrower pass by nightfall. His hope was to find shelter, a warm unoccupied cave along the way.

His ears filled with the groans and moans of his fellow Dwarves as they slowly woke up. He saw Bofur shake some settled snow from his hat from where he had been sat on watch for the last half of the night. He then watched as Bofur rose and wandered over to help wake both the Foxwoman and the Hobbit.

The Foxwoman, Todd was looking tired. He had heard the Ri brothers mention that she never slept particularly well. This he could tell just by looking at her tired shadowed eyes and un-kept wild red hair. She had moved away from the camp the evening before the last to wash her clothes and freshen herself up, a luxury he had hoped his men would take as well, yet to his utter annoyance they all refused. Apart form that she looked like she had the day they left. Her daggers were constantly attached to her, he wandered if she would ever actually take them off.

Thorin watched as their hat wearing companion shook them both awake and helped them to their feet. The King knew that Bofur was the closest to them both, with his carefree attitude and his need to please and befriend everyone. Yet he wasn't sure if the close relationships he was forming with the Halfling and the half-breed were good news, especially the half-breed.

She had helped them no end so far, and for that he was grateful for. She had provided them with meat for the first few days of journeying from Rivendell. Then she killed two Orcs that were intent on harming not only himself but their scholar Ori. This wasn't the first time that she had saved Ori either. That alone had earnt her the trust of the Ri brothers, he had noticed. The two eldest were starting to dote on her a little. Chatting to her when she was alone and keeping her involved all the time. Her tale of the history of her race was also lying heavily upon him. He too was familiar to that of betrayal. Long years ago some dwarves had fallen under the spell of the darkness. It was swept under the stone of the tallest of mountains, never to be mentioned again, yet everyone had known. He was not so different to them as he had previously believed, but like he had said, he was reserving his judgment.

"Come on Bombur!" Thorin shouted, getting short and annoyed at their slow states. "Breakfast!"

With that everyone jumped to it. Realizing that their King was getting restless, they hurried to eat their breakfast of almost frozen bread and dried meat. They packed everything quickly and put out the remnants of the fire, covering it with fresh snow.

Todd hadn't slept well at all, she had tossed and turned trying to keep warm. She had even taken to stuffing her hands underneath her body whilst sleeping, so now they were tender and tingly still. The cold making it hard to get them back to normal. She was trying to ignore it completely as they shouldered their packs and made for the pass.

It was a long morning, their feet dragging and their bodies frozen, yet the looming grey clouds before them, told her that they had worse weather to face soon. The snow was starting to thin and their footsteps were becoming shallower. The thick snow covered peaks were starting to lower, and with their slight decent came the thin pass. It had appeared from almost nowhere. Todd had been looking ahead as they came to what she thought was the side of a small peek, yet once reaching it they found a single file wide outcrop that they traversed, carefully, round the corner.

Then there it was, spread out in front of them like a snake winding along a tree. It was tiny, thin and tight to the side of the mountains ahead. It was declining, yet parts of it wind up and down in jagged waves. She could see ahead that the snow stopped, but lightning was sounding far in the distance and the clouds were as dark as the night. Rain was coming, she thought, her mouth twisting into a grimace. She paused, her breath taken for a moment as she stared ahead. The dwarves passing her each gave her either a scowl or an encouraging tap on the shoulder. Ori even paused to tap his fingers to her forehead, like she had to his.

"Don't worry!" He spoke. "Its nothing we can't handle!"

"I will take your word for is Master Ori!" She smiled, not all that convincingly though.

She could see that he was nervous and scared too, when he walked away she noticed a slight shake to his frame. She smiled at his attempt to cheer her up never the less. Once she shook herself out she resumed her place within the line of dwarves between Bilbo and Bofur. They walked in silence, Bilbo mumbling and grumbling about being cold every once in a while, through the snow and onto the cold hard rock of the pass. Once the snow had tapered out, Todd took a relieved sigh. It was easier purchase for their feet with the snow gone, hopefully meaning that none of them would slip.

As soon as that thought had occurred to her they had caught the dark clouds up and the rain had started to persist. She couldn't believe their luck, it was ridiculous. It was almost as if the Valar were out to get them. She clutched at her braid and prayed her prayers to the mighty Manwe to spare them of his wind and rain. Yet he did not listen.

"Bilbo, are you alright?" She shouted over her shoulder, against the thrum of rain and claps of thunder. She had been turning to check up on him every so often, yet this time she noticed he had started to slow and his feet were looking like they could slip at any moment.

"Yeah, just can't see where I'm going!" He shouted back, looking to her slightly. She couldn't help but chuckle at the poor Hobbits problem. The wind was blowing the rain straight into his face and the water was making it near impossible for him to open his eyes with out the shelter of a hood. She reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, effectively meaning that she was pulling him in the right direction and stabilizing him too.

"You need to keep your eyes open my friend!" She shouted.

"Easier said than done!"

They walked like that a little while longer until he did indeed slip, she felt his hand try to grab purchase on her shoulder, a startled yell escaping him. Spinning, she turned in time to grab one arm, Dwalin grabbing the other as Bilbo wobbled, face and body looming over the edge. Todd's heart was in her mouth as they both fought to pull him back, his balance being restored. Once he was settled back on the pass, and all three of them Dwalin, Bilbo and herself had taken shaky deep breaths they looked ahead.

Todd muttered her blessings and noticed then a presence holding onto her other hand. She looked down to it, realizing that Bofur must have grabbed her in an attempt to help pull Bilbo back. Both Todd and Bofur looked from their hands then up to each others faces, Todd blushing immediately and Bofur letting go.

"Thank you!" She called to him, hoping he would hear her. He looked like he was about to reply, when a loud shout came from along the pass, ahead of them.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin shouted. Todd nodding her head, shelter was indeed needed. There was no way that they could keep going in this weather. Bilbo was just the first of many slips and trips if the rain kept on. Not every slip and trip would end as well as Bilbo's though, someone was bound to fall, and it was a risk they could not take.

She was about to start on again, her hand reaching to rest on Bofur's shoulder for support when Dwalin started cursing, first under his breath then out loud.

"LOOK OUT!" He screamed, everyone turning to him to see what all the fuss was about, yet his gaze was set to the opposite side of the canyon to them.

Todd tried her best to peer through the clouds and rain to see what had spooked the warrior so, but came up with nothing. She was about to turn and question him, when her words and thoughts failed her. Her heart-stopped beating as from the mist and rain appeared a gigantic lump of mountain. The great piece of rock was soaring through the air, the flashes from the lightning around them illuminating it. Everyone was silent and frozen into place at it soared through the air and into the mountainside above them.

Todd couldn't think, her mind was completely stuck with confusion and awe at what was happening. Before she knew what was happening she was being pushed into the side of the mountain and away from the crumbling remains of the boulder. Rocks the size of small horses rained down around them, bouncing off the side of the mountain and shaking her to her core. Her eyes slammed shut and her arms flew to protect her head as she felt Bofur pull her to shelter.

Somewhere along the line she heard Balin's voice, yet his words were completely lost to her. Once the pounding and hammering of the falling rocks had subsided she unfurled her arms and opened her eyes to sneak a peak at what was happening.

"LOOK!" Balin shouted once more, his words finding her.

"Well bless me!" Bofur stated, moving away from her and towards the edge of the pass. Todd watched, feeling the indescribable need to pull him back to her and away from the danger of the edge. Todd's breaths became shallow and rushed as she followed his gaze and felt her mouth fall open agape as across the range from them, a stone giant unlatched itself from the mountainside. Reaching up she pushed all her soaking red curls from her face, hand lingering on her braid clasp. The mere action and movement of the Giant was shaking the rock they stood on, the air chilling as it stood taller than anything Todd could ever had imagined. "The legends are true… Giants, Stone Giants!"

Todd cracked and launched herself forward then, grabbing Bofur's arm and pulling him back to safety as the giant pulled a massive boulder free from the mountain side and launched it into the air. Its trajectory almost the same as the one before. Todd pulled Bofur closer out of instinct and he turned and took her hand in his as they watched the boulder sail past them and into the face of another Giant as it loomed round the rock face behind them.

"Dear Mahal!" She stuttered. "This is it!"

"Don't you dare!" Bofur sounded, squeezing her hand. "Grab Bilbo's hand Lass!"

She did exactly as she was told. She was strong, strong against Orcs and bandits, yet when faced with something from legend, something as powerful this, she was completely useless, and she hated it. She couldn't kill this with her daggers. She grabbed Bilbo's hand and held it has tight as she could, feeling him squeeze just as tightly back. Rocks started raining down from above and were crumbling down around them, bouncing off the ledge at their feet. Todd took a glance downwards and jumped backwards with a yelp. She pulled both Bilbo and Bofur back with her as the path they were one started crumbling away.

"What on Arda…" Bilbo shouted. The ground beneath them started to shake, and move. Todd thought she must have been going crazy from fear. Yet when the piece of path they were one started separating from the piece that the rest of the company was on, she started to lose faith completely. Ahead of Bofur, Fili and Kili grappled to grab on to each other as the path separated between them.

"Kili!" Fili shouted, desperation and fear rushing through his voice. "Grab my hand!"

Todd watched as they pulled away from them, the faces of the company watching in horror as herself, Bilbo, Ori, Fili, Bombur, Dwalin, Bifur and Bofur grabbed for purchase on their moving path. They were on the knee of a Giant; they were actually on a Stone Giant. Todd's scream pierced the air as another Giant approached, its head flying to smash against the head of the Giant they were riding.

The impact sent them rushing back towards the mountainside. The leg Todd was on slowed as the other leg smashed into the rock face. She watched, through the onslaught of rain and lightning as the rest of the company rushed to safety, taking the opportunity to rush off their leg and back onto the path.

"Look!" She shouted, catching the attention of Bofur, Bilbo, Dwalin and Fili. "They made it off the Giant!"

Her cry was cut short as the giant they were one launched its rocky arm into the body of its adversary, sending it crashing away from them. She scrambled for purchase as her feet slipped, her boots losing grip on the wet rock. She fell flat to her butt, feet skidding from underneath her and over the edge, yet before she had a chance to follow them, the hands hers were clammed in tensed and yanked her up. Once she was balanced she squeezed the hands of Bilbo and Bofur, their actions probably saving her from that death. Yet as she looked from the terrified eyes of Bilbo to the frozen pale horrified face of Bofur, she wasn't sure that any of them were safe from the next death. As the opponent Giant fell, behind it another stepped up, its footfalls echoing around them as its arms raised, ready to throw a boulder towards them.

Todd, now completely locked against the back rock, felt the other lurch forwards as their Giant started to move. Bofur grabbed her tighter, the warmth of his hand making her shift closer to him, needing to be close in their imminent death. Even Bilbo latched onto her in an embrace as they clung on for dear life. Everyone was shouting and screaming for their brothers and their maker as the leg they were on jarred at the impact of the boulder hitting their Giant right in the head. Todd screamed again as the head crumbled and fell, the body starting to fall backward and the legs swinging round as the rock face appeared before them.

Todd watched in horror and utter helplessness as they were swung past their company. Thorin shouting for his nephew. Brothers screaming for their family. Each and every one of them wearing expressions of dismay and pain. Their leg finally stopped swinging, and Todd thought that maybe the jerky movements were coming to an end, maybe they would just fall now, and meet their end at the bottom of the canyon. Her parent's faces flashed though her mind and she chocked back a sob as their leg started to fall forwards.

"No no no no!" Bofur shouted next to her. He pulled her hand to his chest and held it as tight as he could. If he was dying he was going to die with those he cared about, he would meet his maker with his closest friends and his brothers together. And Todd, this strange woman that he couldn't bare to let go of.

Todd closed her eyes as the path swam into focus and continued flying towards them. She felt the wind rushing through her hair, whipping it around her like flames, the rain beating against her face. She heard cries, the cracking of rock, the roaring of Giants, the beating of her heart. Then the rock slammed beneath her and her body was flung into the air. She felt herself tense and her voice scream in terror, yet her mind was floating. She felt as though everything had slowed, everything was moving way too slow. Then it hit her, or she hit it. The impact of her body hitting the stone sent her world into that of pain. Her body had been slammed into an outcrop, before falling down limply onto the path, ending up below Fili and Dwalin.

There was a crush of limbs and bodies as everyone was trying to get up and check each other over. She felt Ori grab at her hand and place his hand over her forehead, looking into her eyes to check her. Once realizing she was fine, just winded he nodded and was completely engulfed in a hug by his brothers.

"Fili!" Thorin screamed as they all scrambled out from under each other.

Todd just lay there, for a good while after Fili and Dwalin had jumped off from her. Fili had offered to help her up but she was staring at the sky above her trembling a little, and Kili had taken his attention away but engulfing him in a tight embrace. She let the rain fall over her and felt her breaths starting to slow and the rush escape her. She was safe. They had made it. They were back on that cursed path. Now all that was left was pain in her temple and an aching in her shoulder.

"Todd?" She heard. Bofur appeared in her vision, he eyes full of what she thought looked like worry, but mostly relief. "Here!"

He offered her his hand and she took it. Pulling her up he noticed her wince and roll her shoulder. He pointed to it, but she shrugged, letting him know that it wasn't too bad. She smiled then and Bofur had to fight the urge to pull her into a tight embrace. They had made it, they survived, and he couldn't have been more relieved to see his family and her alive. Instead, he tapped his fingers to her forehead, like he had seen her do to Ori, hoping she would understand. Her eyes widened and he thought he saw the faintest of blushes appear on her cheeks.

"Where's Bilbo?" She asked, making them both flash their eyes around to search for him. Had he not been with them. Upon realizing that Bilbo was indeed, nowhere to be seen. Todd started breathing harder again. Where had he gone? Had he fallen? He was just right there, her mind was in overdrive.

"Bilbo?" She shouted. She turned her self away from Bofur towards the rest of the company, really trying to peer through them to catch any sight of him.

"There!" She heard Bofur shout, everyone turning to him. "Todd there!"

She rushed forwards, almost shoving poor Bombur back onto his butt. She rushed to where Ori and Bofur were laid flat on the rock ledge, arms grasping at their Hobbit as he clung on for dear life, just out of reach. How could they reach him, her mind was racing for a way to get to him, help pull him up when she saw it. A ledge, or foothold just next to him. Her mind jumped as she went to plop herself down over the edge to reach him, yet a strong arm was thrust in her way.

"Stay!" Her King ordered. Jumping down instead of her, grabbing the Hobbit and hauling him up by the scruff of his neck into the waiting hands of Bofur and Ori, yet slipping himself. Todd moved instantly, her hand locked tight around his as she screamed in pain. His weight pulling at her muscles, tearing almost. Yet she wouldn't let go. Thorin face was searching hers, as if he still didn't trust hr, like she was to let go any second.

He watched, his life completely and utterly in her hands. Her face contorted with pain, but that was not that told him he was going to be saved. Her jaw was set and her eyes were on fire, he could practically see the determination dripping from her, like the persistent rain. He tried to swing his other arm up, only making her shout out in pain again, her strength not enough to pull him up with out help.

"Thorin!" Dwalin shouted as he grabbed Todd by the waist and pulled her and Thorin up and to safety. Once Todd saw that Thorin was up and safe, if only extremely flustered and out of breath, she launched herself at Bilbo and smothered him a great embrace.

"Don't you ever do that again!" She mumbled into his shoulder, as he chuckled, lightly. Still not over the fear and shock of hanging off the side of a mountain. Bofur let out a deep breath and clapped her on the back in relief.

"I thought we lost our burglar!" Dwalin sighed, letting his hands rest on his knees to catch his breath. The Company was all trying to calm each other down. The rain pelting them still and the ever rumbling storm flashing and thundering around them.

"He has been lost, ever since he left his home!" Thorin spat, the cold uncaring persona slipping so easily back into place after his ordeal of hanging from the ledge. Todd turned, releasing Bilbo but leaving a hand protectively on his shoulder. "He should never have come, he has no place amongst us."

"That's not fair!" She shouted back, Thorin turning his icy glare right on her. If looks could kill she would have been buried six feet under. She felt Bilbo pull at her, telling her to leave it, but she couldn't. "He is here to help you, out of his own free will!"

"Don't push me!" Thorin snapped, his voice was dripping venom and his very demeanor was telling her to back down, that he was over an edge she had not realized she had crossed. Taking a threatening step towards her, he bared his teeth. "I could have you thrown over that ledge, to join that worthless vermin you call Mother faster than you could utter the name of your maker!"

Silence. That was what came next. Todd stared at her King, the one she had promised to protect. His words had sliced through her, leaving her trembling and broken. Her face fell, tears threatening to spill as Thorin turned from her and disappeared into a cave with Dwalin right behind him.

After all that she had done, it was still not enough. She had put her life on the line to save him, to help him. Yet to him she was still a piece of trash, not worth the dirt on his royal boots. Her chest heaved, and her heart sank. She felt the others all look from her then back to the cave, following their King. Leaving her stood, with only Bilbo and Bofur. She went to step forward and then paused. She wasn't welcome in there and she knew it.

"Lass?" Bofur urged slightly, knowing not to push her.

"Its fine!" She turned to them, both Hobbit and Dwarf looking to her with worry and she almost cracked, almost. With a fake smile plastered across her face and a gentle shove, she started pushing them towards the shelter of the cave. "Go and get dry, you silly fools!"

"Are you ok?" Bilbo asked, his eyes searching hers for any sign of how she was feeling after Thorin's disgusting and unwarranted threat towards her.

"Its not me you should be worried about Bilbo, you almost fell from a mountain side, go and rest!" She deflected.

"But…" Bofur started.

"Please" She crumpled a little. Her emerald eyes pleading with them to leave her, let her alone. So they did, they left her. Let her sit alone, in the rain, sobbing quietly as the Company settled down in their bedrolls in the comfort of a dry and safe cave. Todd was crestfallen; all she wanted was to be away from them, away from her Kings anger and resentment. Even after she had risked her life, caused herself pain, to save him. He still treated her like the vermin he thought she was. It pained her, caused her mind to sink back and let the itching creep in. Almost as if it were taunting her for feeling like she was beginning to belong.

AN: PHOAR! That was so much fun to write, I had literally been jumping up and down in excitement for it to come around. I hope that it was written well and that it flowed so that it could be understood. I would find myself getting a bit too ahead at some points. I went over it as much as I could haha

I've been gaining a bit more attention through this fic and it really does make me very happy! So thank you ever so much for reading, please review, follow or favorite, it would make my day!

Over and out my little chicken nuggets x