Apologies for the extremely long wait, that's even if anyone has been waiting for this new chapter, I hope that you guys haven't forgotten it! Its been such a long time, and I'm embarrassed its been this long. I'm trying my best to get this going again,I've written the next three chapters, I've just really struggled to find inspiration over the Beorn period, but I think I'm over it now, and looking forward to getting Todd to Mirkwood.

Thanks so much for your patience, and I hope that you enjoy!

I only own little Todd.

Chapter 29 – Wild Eyes

Todd had almost worn herself out running and leaping through the long grass outside of their sanctuary, the bears walled house. They had gotten half way back to the house before she had decided to run loops around the very dizzying Dori and Balin, up to a point where Balin was moaning that he would have to sit down soon or he would fall onto his behind. His proclamation had made Todd slow down with a snort and come to a stop. She padded up to Balin and nuzzled into the old Dwarrows side making him chuckle as he tried to swat her away, so she turned to Dori to do the same, making the normally quite proud and pointed dwarrow stumble with laughter.

That's when she heard it and she froze, ears immediately pinned behind her. Both Dori and Balin made a few more steps before looking to her, seeing her stance before they themselves turned to the tree line behind them with alert and trained eyes.

She had heard what she thought was heavy breathing, but now she wasn't so sure. Then it appeared again, a deep rumbling breath, yet not as large as the bear from before when it was chasing them. Then she heard the footsteps making their way closer and closer to the tree line, the crackle of dried leaves under heavy foot, the deep dull lungful's, the way the birds alerted each other to the presence of another. Staying stock still she tried to locate its scent in the air, but all she could smell was the freshly cut grass, and the soft accents of the Company, the wind wasn't in her favour at all. It was blowing towards the oncoming hazard, so there was no way for her to gain a sense of what it was by smell.

She decided then, in that split second that it was best to get back to the house. She didn't want to take the chance of meeting someone set to do them harm. She needed to protect Dori and Balin, that was her job, that was why she was here, and she must not forget it. Although she was certain it wasn't an orc, the sound of breathing was deep yes, but not the guttural gurgling and spluttering that orcs usually came with, she was not going to take that risk however.

She sprang into action, gently taking Balin's arm in her jaw before pulling him into a run, then looping round and nudging Dori up the behind to get him moving, she had them running the small distance back up and into the house.

They burst back through the main doors, that Thorin had left open a jar for them, making poor Ori who was closest jump out of his skin. Todd pounded in last, and immediately had her head pushing the door shut, Dori throwing the log back in place to bar the door shut. The Company had all by this time jumped to their feet, half sharpened and cleaned weapons in their hands, shouting in alarm but ready for anything.

"What is going on?" Thorin barked, shoving his way towards Todd, Dori and Balin with Gandalf on his tail. The two dwarrows now panted, Todd's head pressed against the door, ears pinned to the direction of the garden, listening for anything.

"Reckon Todd heard something, then she started pulling and pushing us back here." Balin panted, as Thorin clasped a hand to his shoulder, the Kings way of showing that he cared. His eyes turned to the large fox before him.

"Well?" He asked, Todds eyes moving up to meet his. "Was it the Bear?.. or was it, that filth?"

Todd shook her head, and regretted the fact that she not couldn't communicate properly with her King. She leaned over towards Gandalf and placed her head against his hand. Focusing on what she wanted to say. Gandalf merely hummed as she listened.

"She heard something large, not quite a Bear, but definitely not an Orc!" He surmised. He then turned down to Todd and smiled. "I believe you were right to bring these dwarrows back here, instead of facing him, for that was our host you heard, and surprising him is never the way forward."

"Why on Middle Earth have you put us in this position, Wizard?" Thorin bit, obviously frustrated that once again, Gandalf had lead them somewhere they didn't want to be, in danger of something so unforeseen.

Todd let her ears pick up the sound of their host approaching, she huffed to silence everyone, and listened as their host moved heavily through the gate, and towards the door, before pausing, then heading off around the side of the house. She followed the noise, and made her own way through the house. Before coming to a window. The Company followed her all the way, watching as their friend, now Fox again, sniffed at the air and let her ears swivel towards every noise with varying degrees of worry and trepidation.

Todd jumped her front paws up to the windowsill near a back door and peered out the warped and rippling glass, to see a giant man, the largest man that she had ever seen, lumbering around a large wooden stump. She felt a few of the company come up behind her to take a good look too. In stunned silence they watched the huge man, wild untamed hair flowing from his head down his back, grab a log before picking up the biggest axe she had ever seen, swinging it around and up over his shoulder before slamming it down with an almighty thud, through the log, splitting it right in two.

"It seems it is time to meet our host!" The wise Istari sounded from behind them all. Inviting the nervous and shocked eyes of the Company, including Todd's to swivel to him in disbelief.

There was no way any one of them wanted to go and meet this man, he was tall to Gandalf let alone to thirteen Dwarrows, one Rebhane and a Hobbit.

Gandalf started muttering to himself them, about the best way to go about it. Every one watched him with bated breath, completely waiting on him to set the rules of how this would go down, seen as he was the only one that knew anything about their host, who was now murderously chopping wood outside.

Todd really didn't want to have to meet this huge man. Now that she was close enough, she could smell this pure untamed wildness within him, and it was unbearably close to the surface, it was nothing that she had ever experienced before. He was not like herself and that much she could tell already. Whilst in her first skin she is still able to think and rationalise like how she would in her second skin, therefore meaning that her instincts were there, but she could control them and use them, where as she could tell his were too powerful for him to manipulate. There was always that intelligence to her, but she could feel the bare and basic instincts hiding beneath his skin. Yet she was just so unsure, she had no idea what to think at all.

"Todd, I think its best of you greet Beorn in your second skin… hmm, yes I think its best!" Gandalf then called to her. She pushed down from the window, and padded through the company towards him. Not before pausing to nuzzle at Bofur's hand as she passed. The hatted dwarrow softened at her touch at first, and let his hand run through her fur, a soft smile playing on his lips, yet when she looked to him, she could see something in his eyes, just like what she saw before after his discussion with Thorin earlier that day. He pulled his hand away then, and she dipped her head and she then carried through to Gandalf. "I do apologise little fox, but its best not to over load our host, we do not know how he will react to these Dwarves, let alone you!"

"I understand that you need privacy, but hiding round the corner and trusting the Company is as good as you've got now little one… go on now!"

"Lassie!" She heard Balin call, as he made his way to her, her bag in his grasp. "You'll be needing that!"

She nuzzled his hand in thanks, before taking the bag from him gently in her jaw then set to padding down from the window and round back through the house. The livestock now moved out of her way, the goats skittering around the corner and as far from her as possible. She kept moving till she reached the piles of hay where they had all slept the night before, she found a spot that was completely out of sight, behind a pillar of sorts.

Every part of her was screaming not to do it, what if one of the Company members saw her shifting, saw her naked self before she had a chance to throw her clothes on. Yet what really got to her was the fact that she had only just been able to shift to her first skin, now she was already having to revert back to her second one. She wasn't happy really, she wanted to be able to stay like this for a while. At least she knew that her senses would have had the chance to catch up, they always stayed heightened in her second skin longer, once she shifted back.

With one last double check around the area, to make sure that the company couldn't see her, she sucked in a deep breath, she let her head fill with thoughts of her second skin. She imagined the shift vibrating in her base of her skull, and from there she let it sizzle through to the rest of her body. Her back tale dropped beneath her legs, as she whined a little. She could feel the first few shifts occurring, her tendons and muscles started to twist and shrink. Her sharp canines shrunk back to flatter teeth, he ears melting back to softly pointed ears. Her bones then cracked and split as she fell onto her belly, her breathing coming out in gasps as the shift took over her.

Once done she scrambled to her feet and threw her borrowed and adjusted clothes onto her body. The loose shirt first, then the trousers second so she could tuck the shirt in, she buttoned it up so that only the base of her neck could be seen, her long chained necklaced tucked in. She tied the make shift fabric belt into a knot around her waist so as to not lose her trousers, then she merely rolled the long sleeved up, and ran a hand through her messy red curls, fingers pausing as she felt her Fathers braid bead.

Sighing she pulled her bag up in to her arms, and moved back round the large wooden beam. She let her bare feet pad through the room till she spotted Bilbo stirring around another corner, she moved over to him and leaned down as she placed her bag beside him, before resting her hand on his shoulder.

"I say we leg it out the front door, while he ain't looking…" Nori suggested as Todd reappeared with the Company Bilbo joining her from the opposite side, after he had been peering out the window, watching the huge man swinging his massive axe down on a piece of log, splitting it right in half. "I don't like how our Lass has to change just to meet him!"

"I run from no one, beast or neigh" Dwalin sneered with him, rolling his shoulder. Todd snorting at how Nori has stood up for her, her head nodding in agreement, she had been accepted now by this Company and that was enough to empower her to have more confidence in who she was.

"There is no point in arguing!" Gandalf interjected from where he had been counting the group to make sure the whole Company was present. "We will not pass through the wilder land without Beorn's help, we'll be hunted down before we even make it to the forest!" He explained. The Company sighing, knowing that he was correct, they didn't want to be caught up by the wargs and their riders again, they didn't think they would make it a second time. Gandalf started counting the company as he leaned away from the window.

"Ah Bilbo, there you are... now this will require a great deal of handling… the last person to startle him was torn to shreds!" He reasoned, pausing as he went for what Todd felt was just to add affect. He had made the whole Company extremely nervous. Todd looked to the others with great unease, Todd felt anxiety growing within her, in anticipation of how this man would react to them, whether they would see the wrong end of his wild tendencies. She let her eyes land on Bofur, who was in turn looking to her. His eyes were soaking her in as if he hadn't seen her in an age, like he was shocked. She looked down at her appearance, and when she didn't see anything a miss, she looked back to him but he had averted his eyes already. Another loud thud sounded from outside.

"I shall go first... and uh" Gandalf turned back to them from the doorway, eyeing them all. "… and Bilbo and Todd, you come with me"

"Is this a good idea?" Bilbo asked as he made his way over to them after getting the nod from their King, Todd right behind him, her hands coming up to start pulling at her hair, her new nervous habit. She wished then that she had Bofur's hat on, but she knew she couldn't hide behind the hat for ever, so she swallowed and sucked in a deep breath before continuing, the itch in the back of her head, rolled over as if to greet her nerves.

"Yes, now the rest of you just wait here, and don't come out till I give you the signal…" Gandalf explained as the rest of the Company started bristling again, ready to get it over and done with. Bofur moved himself up to the window and peered out of it, nodding his head.

"Right, the signal" He breathed, turning back to Gandalf. Todd found herself smiling at the bamboozled look upon his face, the floppy hat she missed sat back where it belonged. Something inside her shifted a little at that thought. She had been so happy and grateful when he had given it to her, and in all fairness, she had enjoyed wearing it for more reasons than just covering her hair. It was his, and it made her feel special in a way.

"Don't make any sudden movements… or loud noises, and don't over crowd him!" Todd shook herself and tried her best to keep up and remember all the Wizards tips, and from glancing around at the rest of the Company she knew that they were too. This wasn't going to end well, she could just tell. Gandalf turned to leave, and as he did she felt Bilbo grab her hand and held it tight, they looked to each other, offering nervy smiles.

"… oh and Bombur, you count as two so, you should come out alone!"

Todd tutted, she thought Gandalf had been quite rude, yet one look to Bombur had her trying to hide a grin as he was nodding away, agreeing with the wizard.

So they set off again, making their way through the doorway and out down the stone porch steps, Todd behind Gandalf, with Bilbo behind her trying to hide behind them both. Gandalf paused at the bottom of the step to take a breath and run a hand through his grey hair. Todd, with her left over heightened senses, could smell the unease flowing from him, and it did nothing to calm her own nerves. She tuned out to Bilbo's soft whisperings to the Istari, for she could really smell the great man now, and he smelt completely wild. She could sense the strong and unyielding bear within, and it scared her that it sat so untamed just below the guise of this strong large man. She knew that she was an animal first, but she was always in control, she still had the same thought process, she felt like that was not the case as such for Beorn. Her hand started pulling at her wild red curls a little harder. Her other hand, moving to the hilt of her left dagger.

"Good Morning…" Gandalf tried. Yet the great man just simply ignored and swung his axe around and slammed it down through another piece of wood. Todd came to a stop behind Gandalf, herself and Bilbo opting to letting the wise wizard take the brunt of the first greeting.

"Good Morning!" This time he was loud enough, for the great man swung his axe one last time before pausing and casting an eye to them over his shoulder, axe still firmly in hand. Todd took a chance and peered around Gandalf's elbow, her hand still clasped in Bilbo's, but the hobbit pulled her back to him and they both eyed each other, Todd with a nervous grin, and Bilbo with his usual look of utter bewilderment.

"Who are you?" His voice was low, very low and had an earthly grumble to it, like thunder over the hill.

"I am Gandalf, Gandalf the grey" He tried politely, bowing his head a little. With that, Beorn fully turned to face them, bringing the axe around the rest before him, blade on the ground at his feet.

"Never heard of him" He replied gruffly, taking no time for pleasantries. Todd shifted a little, eyes glancing back to Bilbo from Gandalf's back, she caught him eyeing something from within his pocket, something gold and shinny, at the flash of the light reflecting from the object she got the sharpest pain in her head, making her go completely blank for a few second. Her hand tightened its grip on her Hobbit making Bilbo drop it back and look to her. Todd gasped a little as an image of a fierce and fiery eye assaulted her mind, a loud broken voice chanted something to her, its very presence making her loose warmth. Yet as soon as it had appeared, she blinked and it was gone.

"Ah well, maybe you have heard of my colleague, his name is Radaghast, Radaghast the Brown, he resides on the southern borders of Mirkwood…"

"Who are you?" He then said, wild eyes darting to Todd, she sucked in a breath and stood herself up, not realising that she had fallen back onto her bottom, appearing to the giant man from behind the wizard. Bilbo was just staring at her from his hiding spot with wide and confused eyes.

She took a deep breath and dusted herself off, before trying to splutter out a response. Gandalf eyed her with annoyance before stepping in to regain the situation.

"This is Todd, daughter of Balgiar!" Gandalf supplied as Todd bowed her head, her red curls forming a curtain around her. Lifting her head back up she let her emerald eyes soak in the man before her.

He was so much taller than she was, he was much taller than Gandalf, and that was saying something. His strong physique showed signs of fights and battles maybe long since past. His eyes were large and brown, that had a hint of the wild in them that she could sense from before, she could see it in how he assessed them before him with eyes that darted over every part of her in seconds. His eye brows were unkempt and long, so much so that they basically flowed straight into the tangled mess of hair that they had seen running down his spine. He had a crudely made pair of woven brown trousers on, and bare feet that were thrice the size of hers.

"Puny daughter of man, why are you with the wizard?" Beorn rumbled, his left hand running down the handle of his axe.

"I'm no daughter of man, I'm a half-breed" She spoke, voice wavering over the first few words, before she found herself. Her hand absently scratching at the back of her head in an attempt to stem the itch inside her head that had appeared after that experience she had just had. "Half Dwarrow on my Fathers side, and Rebhane from my Mother!"

He eyed her even more then, a piercing stare that made her feel like he was seeing right into her soul. Then she spotted his nose twitch. He was trying to assess her scent, much like she had done previously to him.

"She is a rather brave little Lass, especially when coming across those Gobl…"

"What do you want?" He cut in, leaving Gandalf mumbling the end of his sentence. Todd was shocked to see the great wandering wizard so flummoxed, if they were in any other scenario she would have found it funny.

"Ah well simply to say thank you for your hospitality, you may have noticed that we took refuge here in your lodgings last night!" Gandalf happily said as he turned and gestured with a sweeping notion towards the stone home behind them. A motion that had blown Bilbo's cover completely. Beorn's eyes went a little wider as he moved his right hand over the hilt of his axe.

"Who is this little fellow?"

"Ah this is Mr. Baggins, of the Shire" Gandalf supplied, wrapping an arm around Bilbo's shoulders and pulling him forward a little so he was now stood next to Todd. The look on his face was something between a smile and a grimace as he never lost eye contact with Beorn.

"He's not a full Dwarve is he?" He asked, with a hint of anger behind it, which when he shifted his hold on the axe, had Todd nervous. Enough to make Todd step forward in front of Bilbo, lip snarling a little. Beorn noticed and let his axe fall back to the ground before him. Eyes on Todd now, assessing her reaction. She turned to Bilbo and grabbed his hand again, trying to show Beorn that he was no danger to her, and therefore no danger to him. "Oh noo no no… He is a Hobbit, great family and unimpeachable reputation" Gandalf laughed, trying to defuse the tension. It worked for Beorn seemed to relax further then.

"A halfling, a Rebhane and a Wizard, how come you here?" He asked. Todd noticing he chose to disregard her Dwarvish side completely, did he really hate them that much, she wondered, worried for the Company back in the house.

"Ahh well, the fact is, we've had a bad time of it as of late…" The wizard began. "… from Goblins in the mountains!"

"What did you go near Goblins for? Stupid thing to do!" Beorn admonished then, his eyes wandering back to Todd. At the mention of the Goblin's her eyes fell straight to the floor, hands coming to pull at her hair. She felt Bilbo place his hand on her back in comfort. The itch swelling a little as she let the images of that foul Goblin King enter her mind. Then a memory, fresh memory of the eye resurfaced, and she shook herself, trying to get rid of it all.

"You are absolutely right!" Gandalf made a show of agreeing, quite actively shaking his arm as he went. " It was terrible…"

That was when all of them heard footsteps coming from behind them, turning Todd spotted Dwalin, then Balin making their way down the stairs to stand up by the house, a safe enough distance away. Todd immediately looked back to Beorn as he picked up his axe, pure agitation on his brow.

"Dwalin, and Balin!" The gruff warrior said, pointing to himself then his Brother, both then bowing.

"Oh ah well, I must confess that several of our group are, in fact, dwarves!" Gandalf admitted then, putting on his best smile, in a weak show of making it seem as though it was ok.

"You call two, 'several'?" Beorn growled.

"It has to be said, kind host, that there are more than two dwarrows here…" Gandalf hushed Todd before he began counting on his hands how many more, completely flustered. Not realising that him counting on his fingers looked like a 'sign'. So there came the sound of two more boots down the steps behind them. Turning, they all saw Gloin and Oin pause and bow together.

"Oh oh, well here are some more of our happy troop!" Gandalf tried to sound happy himself, but anyone could see he was nervous.

"and do you call six a 'troop'?" Beorn was losing his patience now, Todd and Bilbo could tell for they took a few steps backwards. "What are you, a traveling circus?"

Gandalf gave up then and simply just shrugged, leading to more of the company filing down the stairs. In the end the whole plan went completely to pot, and before long Gandalf was stood looking sheepish, Todd and Bilbo were staring to the giant man with wide eyes, and the whole company bar Thorin stood behind them, trying to look as polite and friendly as they could.

Beorn growled under his breath as he soaked in the image of all those dwarrows before him. Todd kept her gaze tight on him, watching for any shift behind those huge wild brown eyes. Any whiff of him shifting and attacking her Company she would be there to block his path, not that she thought she could do much against such a huge man, but she had taken on more for them. She was more than willing to do it again. She tensed her muscles and rolled her shoulders a little. The notion made the giant mans eyes flit to her. Once again he was assessing her, and he must have seen the look in her eyes, the resolve she had against protecting them for he stopped growling.

It was then that Thorin strode out onto the porch, not making any attempt to come down the stairs to greet Beorn in person. He leaned against the porch post and looked out to them, as if daring him to make a move. Her King was like that and she admired it greatly. The way he was himself, unapologetically. That was why he was King, and that was why this Company, of brave souls and warm hearts had banded together to help him reclaim his homeland. It was why the wondering Istari was investing so much of his time to help them get to the lonely mountain, it was why Bilbo was so completely invested in the Company even leaving his homely hearth behind him, and it was why Todd would lay her life in the line to protect them all.