Hi hi hi

I want to start by saying a mahusive sorry, this is very very late! BUT my dissertation project was handed in yesterday morning; therefore I have my life back! I shall be posting this and the next chapter as soon as possible!

I'm really not sure about this chapter, it was pushed to the side so many times for uni work, I just couldn't get into it, so sorry just in case ha

Cheers once again for the f/f: Aeglos3, Chiei1987, Kiwisaurus, Lightning-in-the-dark, Manzanablanca, jazica, RozaLove, 131pocoloco, Yuilhan, SparrowShadewing, Vinter, Reagan Greenleaf and BlueBopBecka.

Cheers for the wonderful Reviews: my cheeky guest, inperfection, shishiwastaken, Chiei1987, Lucy, cionnfhaoladh and the lovely Dhamli93

I only own little Todd.

Chapter 16 – Tirelessly, Relentlessly

Gandalf stood, his eyes tight and his brow slanted in concern towards the outstretched valley before him. The sun was rising low over the peaks of the Valley of Imladris and the clouds were streaked a beautiful calming hue of pink and orange. The whole view settled his heart, but his mind was another thing altogether. He had done his part for Thorin, and let them slip away whist the Council convened. They should be heading towards those peaks now, straining his eyes he tried his best to see them, but his weary eyes could not see their path.

The council had not gone well, he wasn't expecting the arrival of his most esteemed leader and friend Saruman, they had always had a differing view on how much input they should have upon the unfolding of Middle Earth. Not even the evidence of the Morgal blade could sway the White Wizard. Elrond and Galadriel though had seen reason, and Gandalf could tell that the matter troubled them as much as it did him. Elrond's calm and frosty persona had taken on a worried and tight expression, where as the Lady Galadriel had taken to peering out to the distance more than usual, her ethereal gaze set upon something far away.

As Gandalf stood in the encroaching morning lost in the thoughts of the darkness, he felt her approach from behind, a warm wash of warmth pulling at him. Then her delicate perfectly crafted hand appeared on his shoulder.

"Mithrandir." She breathed, her voice like velvet.

"My Lady" He bowed his head slightly, moving to stand next to her as she too looked out over the beautiful scene.

"You will follow them." She stated, her hair fluttering in the breeze as he settled his eyes on her. Her eyes bearing into his, reading him, learning all that he planning.

"Yes." There was no use in lying to the Lady of Lothlorian, she saw all.

"You are right to help Thorin Oakenshield, but I fear that this quest has set in motion forces that we do not yet understand!" She reasoned, worry woven in her words. Gandalf sighed lightly, he too was aware of the dangers their quest was to bring, it had been playing on his mind heavily. "For instance, the Rebhane!"

"Todd?" He asked, not expecting this turn of conversation.

"Yes, I saw her yesterday sat with the scholarly Dwarf." She spoke, Gandalf smiling lightly, he knew what they had been up to and he saw it as such a step forward. "There is a darkness in her, clinging to her"

"What do you mean?" Gandalf let his brows fall in worry.

"I remember them, Fox's as black as the night, teeth like blades and eyes that devoured light, the fallen ones… It is a weakness they all carry, most run from it, others succumb to it, its something she can not escape, but face."

"Is she strong enough?" Gandalf asked. He knew that Todd was what the Company needed; they needed someone selfless and caring to sway them, to soften them. They also needed her strength; she was strong enough to protect them, strong enough to protect Bilbo, his Hobbit. That prospect meant more to him than he could ever choose words for. As if reading his muddled thoughts she placed a gentle hand on his, looking with a soft smile to him.

"That is for her to decide… but" Galadriel paused, turning to let the golden rays of the first light wash over her. Gandalf moved with her, and they stood like statues basking in the light of the sun, the wizard waiting patiently for the beauties verdict. "… I believe that companionship is what will save her, the presence of those around her that care and love her, if she is to loose that, I fear what may become of her!"

"I see" Gandalf muttered, his mind racing ahead.

"Do not worry Mithrandir, look to her eyes or hair, the darker they become the stronger a hold the darkness has upon her"

Gandalf nodded, that was easy enough to look out for, yet he wandered if he should worry. He knew that a few of the Company had already taken a liking to her, little Ori was very taken with her. It was only a matter of time before they accepted her for her personality rather than the past of her forefathers. He saw in her eyes that she was a kind soul; there was no hate in her, and nothing that could warrant the disdain she was currently receiving. It would change, he knew it.

"Why let her join you?" Galadriel spoke up. "Why not let them part ways now?"

"I could not put my finger on it, until now… She gives me confidence, a belief that good can overcome any darkness, and she deserves the companionship they will give her. Their home is as much hers as it is theirs!" He concluded wistfully, his eyes softening at an image that had blessed him in his sleep, not two nights earlier. It was an image of a restored Erebor, Dwarves and their Dwarrodams filling the halls with their babes, a beautiful shinning light of a home in the East. A strong beacon of hope, and a stand against the evil that wanted to take over it.

"Mithrandir, the riddle of the Morgul Blade must be answered, something moves in the shadows, unseen. Its hidden from our sight, and it will not show itself, not yet. I can feel it, Todd can feel it, itching to be released. It grows in strength, you must be careful…

Bofur had had enough. He was at his wits end and his nerves were shot to bits. He needed to get down from this infernal tree and help her. Help Todd. He had watched helpless from the branches as she was battered once again, collapsing to the ground, he could see her back wounds glistening in the flickering orange light. All in the name of saving them, again, hadn't she saved them enough he thought? He really did wish that she would just stay out of harms way, he found that he really couldn't stand to see her get hurt. Something within him snapped almost, like a deep instinct to act, to fight to keep her safe.

Enough was enough; she needed saving this time, not them. He tightened his grip on his cousin Bifur's arm then. Looking to him he nodded, his cousin seeing his plan before he had finished thinking it himself. Letting go he took to climbing down. As he passed his friends they all looked to him in varying degrees of confusion. Yet when he had finally reached the lower branches they erupted into calling him back. Saying he was being stupid, and to save himself. Completely ignoring them he reached the bottom and rushed straight to Todd's side.

Looking around him he saw the Warg's passing the other side of the flames, watching and waiting for their moment to strike. He shuffled closer down onto his knees and lifted her head into his arms, pulling her head onto his lap effectively. He felt her stiffen, then fall relaxed again as her chest heaved with every breath.

"Bofur!" he heard Gandalf call from above him. He flashed his head back to meet the wizard's eyes. "You need to cover her!"

Bofur nodded his head, shaking off his jacket and laying it down over her, over where he though it would be best to cover in case. He had overheard Gandalf mentioning to Thorin that the reason she had shifted skin back at Rivendell was because she was weak from starving in the troll cave and running so far, if that made her shift, her wounds now definitely would. His mind raced as he pictured her shifting before him, he was too busy running away like a coward when she had just moments before. Yet her being indecent was not the biggest of his worries right now. Her breathing was shallow and he had no idea what to do now that he was by her side. He looked to the fox, helplessly and scared. Her beautiful fur was matted and soaked in her own blood, and that of the foul putrid black blood of the Warg's.

Looking down to her he spotted her eyes on him, wide open and glistening slightly. He tried a smile, a bark from a Warg shattering his attempt and making him jump a little.

"Hey there!" He muttered to her. She shifted her head a little further into his touch, his fingers ghosting over her in tender strokes. "Were ok, just you wait and see!" He lied.

Her eyes clouded for a while, before a large shudder erupted beneath them. The whole ground started creaking and rumbling. Bofurs eyes flew around then, spotting the roots from the tree they were before, the tree with all the company in, start protruding from the ground, rising and rising before he realised.

They were falling again. All he could do was watch, his grip on Todd's fur tightening, as the tree slowly fell through the air finally coming to a stop directly over the cliff. His cry died in his throat when he spotted Bombur and Bifur still holding on tightly. The others were all obscured from his vision, the tree shielding them from his view, but he prayed to the highest Mahal above that they were still all there, still holding on.

He saw no way out of this one, they were cornered, backs against nothing but a fall to their deaths, facing down an enemy they surely couldn't overcome. He was about to reach behind him for his mattock, ready to stand one last time to protect his Todd, only to freeze when Todd shuddered violently. Her whole body launched into a spasm's at such an intense rate that he thought he could hear cracking.

He lifted her head and moved so he was kneeling directly over her, trying to hold her head still enough so that she did not hurt herself anymore. He realised after a split second that the cracking he could hear was her, it was her bones, slicing and cracking back to shape. Her whole body twisting and contorting. The sight was something he had never ever seen in his entire life on Middle Earth, words completely escaped him. As she shrunk, snapped and cracked back into her second skin, he couldn't help but feel like he should look away, like he shouldn't be seeing her like this, but with her modesty covered, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

It was magical but terrifying all at the same time. Her red fur seemed to burn away from her, revealing her frighteningly pale skin, freckles dusting her arms and her legs. Her ears bent over themselves, twisting back into their dwarf like pointed ones, her nose and jaw snapping back into shape, covered by her wild long red curls. Bofur, lost in his thoughts, and trapped motionless by what he had just seen, couldn't help but realise how magnificent she looked in both skins.

She stirred, from under his coat, her eyes flicking open again, a small groan escaping her lips.

"Bofur" She mumbled, catching his eye.

"Aye, its ok little Todd!" He said reaching out to push her hair from her face. Her eyes watching every move, then flashing to behind him.

"Thorin" She coughed, wincing but pointing never the less, Bofur's eyes followed her finger as Thorin rushed past them, emerging from behind them through the flames and rushing straight at the pale orc. His sword in one hand, oaken shield in the other, rushing into a battle that he was sure to loose. Bofur jolted as if to follow, freezing when he felt Todd shiver again. Looking to her, he stroked his big hand across her head, letting her hair fall through his fingers. He was torn, torn between following his King, and helping his Todd. Completely torn.

"THORIN!" Dwalin shouted from his precarious position in the tree. The company watched in horror as their leader was thrown to the ground, crying out in pain. The White Warg had leapt onto him from a height, knocking him flat to the ground. Bofur didn't know what to do, he was the closest, he needed to help, but if he left Todd there is no telling what could happen to her now that she was changed and weak.

"Go!" She said, her voice hard and her eyes wide as they stared to where Thorin had rushed. "He needs you!"

Thorin's cry of pain could be heard through the air then, calling every dwarf into action. Kili, Fili and the others were all scrambling, trying to desperately to right themselves up on the tree trunk so they could get to Thorin. With a last push from Todd's wide and encroaching eyes he took her head in his hands and pulled her forehead up to his.

"Stay put!" He ordered before rushing back to help the others to their feet. Todd shivered at the loss of his body heat, but his actions had filled her with something she couldn't quite place. He had come to her, her mind jumped. He had risked his safety and come down to her side

Todd watched through blurry vision, as Bilbo was the first to his feet. Grabbing at his sword he rushed forwards, not waiting for any of the other dwarves. He was being so brave, and all she wanted to do was to be able to move, to get up, and to fight along side them. It wasn't long before the most of the company had righted themselves and were rushing to join Bilbo. Battles cries at their throats and their weapons raised, Todd tried her best to shift herself up. Slowly she made it to her knees, the coat around her that Bofur had given her slipped and she grabbed it before she was bare before the world. Slowly she twisted her body into the coat properly, tying it closed around her waist. The fabric was warm and it hung on her like a dress. The wounds on her back rubbed against it though causing her to wince and falter a little, falling back into her backside from her knees.

"Thorin!" She heard Kili shout.

Looking up she spotted him, lying on the ground, Bilbo stood before him with his sword at the ready. He wasn't moving; he was still on the ground. Todd's heart picked up, was he? Her mind was racing, as her vision went from clear to blurry and back again. Her body was tirelessly, relentlessly trying to start the healing process, but every time it tried, she would knock it back again. This time, she was hindering her quick healing by moving to stand. Once on her feet she started shuffling herself towards Bilbo and Thorin.

With her bare feet, bare legs from the knee down, Bofur's large coat, she stood out like a sore thumb. She was white like a sheet, against the dark flickering flames. With every step her legs were wobbling, threatening to topple her back down to the ground.

She had just managed to navigate some flames when she spotted them in the distance, far over the Misty Mountains. Giant great shadows in the sky, wings stretching as far as she could even comprehend. They looked like birds, but were way too large to even be considered just a 'large bird'. She stumbled forwards, with her head cocked to the side, watching them, confused beyond belief at what she was seeing. They were heading straight towards them, and they were gaining on them, fast.

Todd freaked a little then, not only were they being attacked by a pack of Warg's and their riders, they were about to be picked off and eaten by giant birds. She pushed her feet to move faster, stumbling and tripping all the way over to Thorin. Once at his side she fell to her knees, her back erupting with pain once again. Chaos was erupting around her. The company were slicing and hacking their way at anything threatening to come within a close enough range. Bilbo was still stood sword at the ready before them, an orc bearing down on him.

"Thorin?" She called, lightly pushing at his shoulder. His eyes were closed, like he was sleeping, blood trickling down from a cut on his hairline, a huge bruise forming around his eye. He wasn't even stirring. With worry taking over her, she leant down, her head against his chest, she waited for a few seconds before she felt it, a slow and shuddering rise. He was still alive.

"Thorin, you need to wake up!" She called, shaking him again. Looking up she heard a screech, the giant birds were seconds away, and the more she looked the more she realised they were eagles, massive giant eagles. "Thorin, the eagles coming, what do we do?"

She needed him to wake up, she couldn't have her King dying not even halfway to the Mountain, and she wouldn't have it. Pulling his shield from his arm to make him more comfortable, she started shaking him a little more violently then, calling his name out, eyes flashing around them to make sure they weren't about to be attacked again. Desperation filled her as she heard the Company shouting and fighting behind her. Everything was in such a state of chaos, and what could she do? She wasn't a wizard; she couldn't magic them away from here, away from harm and danger.

"Bilbo?" She called. Turning around to face him, yet as she turned she came face to face with a set of gigantic calloused claws. She froze, time slowing down as the eagles eyes narrowed down on her crouching form, fiery red hair splayed out behind her with the gust caused by its wings. Todd couldn't help the almighty shriek that escaped her as her body was yanked from the ground, the claws constricted around her middle, pain rushing through every inch of her.

The eagle lifted back into the air, rushing over Thorin, leaving him behind unconscious on the rock. Todd screamed again as the air rushed around her, her body a tangled mess through talons and claws.

It swooped back round, Todd letting her eyes befall the sight. The tree the company were in, and still were in was hanging diagonally over the cliff face. Gandalf holding on to Dori and Ori with his staff. Beyond the tree, the company were alls till fighting yet now, they had help. Eagles were swooping down and grabbing Warg's and their riders up, flinging them over the side of the cliff, letting them plummet to their demise. Some eagles were even grabbing Dwarves and holding them much like how she was being held.

She even spotted Bilbo being picked up and then dropped onto another eagles back. They were saving them, or taking them away to be eaten she really wasn't sure, but in that moment, they were safe from the goblins, that were now rushing down the side of the mountain to join in. Safe from the Warg's and their riders. Safe from that ghostly horrid figure that was screaming at them, brandishing its foul mutated arm in their direction.

Thorin was the last to be retrieved, an eagle glided down over the burning hillside, gently picking him up to lay within the claws, safe now as the eagle soared into the air, high away from danger. Todd smiled and took a deep breath; Thorins shield still firmly clutched under one arm. The eagles swirled around in a tight formation, each one carrying a member of the Company. Todd caught sight of Bofur and called to him, he was sat on one with Bombur. After calling for her to hang tight, the Eagles then proceeded to lead off away from the burning hillside and into the night.

Todd couldn't help but let herself relax, as much as could be possible whilst being help within giant eagle claws. Bofur's coat was all the protection she had from the chilling night, pulling it tight around her she drifted off into a pain induced, shivering fitful sleep.

AN: This was so hard to write, it was starting to get all a bit too much haha I hope that it is ok though. Todd by nature of her being has quick healing, that much had been shown of her slice wounds from the first encounter with Warg's before Rivendell. She healed within three or four days. So my theory here was that, yes she had these massive whip wounds, but her body was constantly trying to kick start healing by shutting her down, but her need to protect everyone gets in the way. She needs a good sleep.

Hehe my best mate from Uni has just starting reading this too, which makes me nervous, she is the best chicken nugget ever!

Any way, I really hope this was ok and I'm just uber sorry it's so late! I'm a horrid being ha

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Till next time my chicken nuggets! xx