Hey guys! Sorry, I know it has been 4 months since the last chapter, but if anybody is still following me, there is now a new chapter. I can again make the promise "I will finish this". Probably you don't buy that anymore, but I will. The thing is that I only write a fanfic of a movie/book when I am in that book/movie-mood. When I'm not in the mood, the chapter is going to be TERRIBLE. Now I wasn't specifically in a Hobbit-mood, but I still managed a short chapter that isn't too bad.

The next day Maddie woke up with Thorin's ring in her hand. She looked at it with a smile. The ring was beautiful in a ruff way, decorated in a language unknown to her. It was probably Dwarvish.

Thorin hadn't needed to give her the ring. But on the other hand she was glad to know that he trusted her and considered her as a close and true friend.

Maddie thought about him in a similar way, as a friend. They had become friends rather quickly after she had saved his life, but all that mattered they were good friends now. He was a good friend now. Yes, Thorin could be rude, pick headed, broody, moody and very stubborn (she was pretty sure he was the most stubborn Dwarf alive, despite if she only knew thirteen of them). Basically a prat like Arthur. He also didn't give his trust qick nor did he make friends easily. But once you saw past his moody and cold outside, you would see an entire other Dwarf. Brave, loyal, kind, someone who cared for his people and friends and loved his family. Sometimes he was even reckless, but he was a good person.

Maddie let go of the ring, stood up and went to the door that separated her from the rest of the company. The Dwarves had insisted that she would a room of her own because she was a girl, even when they had all slept together whilst traveling on the road.

When Maddie entered the other room, she saw that Gandalf and the Dwarves were discussing something. 'What's going on?' she asked.

'The Skin-changer has returned,' Bofur answered. 'He's out in the courtyard chopping wood.'

'Beorn already knows we're here, so I suggest we should go introduce ourselves. Maddie and I will go first,' Gandalf said.

'Why you two?' Bombur asked.

'Because Beorn isn't overly fond of Dwarves,' Gandalf explained.

Maddie nodded. She had her sword and her magic to protect herself if necessary. And human-Beorn couldn't be as frightening as bear-Beorn, right?

When Maddie and Gandalf walked out of the door, Beorn was indeed, as Bofur had said before, chopping wood. In his human form, he was huge. Almost twice the size of Maddie. He had long brown hear and a beard. At the moment, he only wore pants and leather boots. His upper body was unclothed and you could see he was very muscled.

Gandalf cleared his throat to get the Skin-changer's attention.

Beorn stopped chopping and looked up to the Wizard and Warlock. 'Who are you, what are you doing here and what do you want?'

Gandalf was the one who answered. 'My name is Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey.'

Beorn looked unimpressed. 'Never heard of him.'

'But maybe you have heard of my cousin Radagast the Brown.'

Beorn nodded. 'Aye, him I do know. He's a good fellow.' Then his gaze wandered over to Maddie. 'And who is that little bunny?'

Maddie raised her eyebrow. 'Little bunny?' She was sure she heard a few of the Dwarfs snickering behind the door.

'That, my dear mister Beorn, is Maddie. She is a Warlock who has been traveling with me.'

'Fair enough. And what are you doing here?'

'Well, first we were captured by Goblins and then we were followed by Orcs. We wanted to take refuge in your home.'

Beorn raised his eyebrow. 'Orcs and Goblins, you say? That's a tale I would like to hear from you and Little Bunny.'

Again, sniggering was heard from the house. This time, even Beorn couldn't have missed it? 'Do you, by any chance, have other companions as well?' he asked.

Gandalf sighed and signaled for the Dwarves to come out. One by one, the company appeared and Beorn's brows went further up. The last one to leave the house was Thorin. He and Maddie locked their eyes for a moment. There was a look on his face she couldn't decipher. It contained worry, relief, joy, confusion and something else. Something she did not know. Maddie had never seen Thorin look like that before. Maddie broke eye contact and looked back to Beorn.

'Thirteen dwarves?'

'That would be correct,' Gandalf answered the Skin-changer. 'As I said, we were captured by Goblins and are now followed by Orcs. We merely sought out your home for shelter and help.'

Beorn walked towards the group, his axe still in his hand. A few of the Dwarves grew a bit nervous.

'I don't like Dwarves,' Beorn said. 'They are greedy and blind, blind to the lives of the ones they deem lesser than their own…' His eyes studied each of Dwarves faces.

'But Orcs I hate more. Tell me what you need.'

After breakfast, Beorn and Gandalf left the house, and most of the Dwarves went practicing their fighting skills in the courtyard. Maddie was one of the few exceptions. She was sitting on the doorstep of the house while sharpening her Elvish sword. Ori was sitting next to her with a book.

Maddie had just finished sharpening, when Kili and Fili walked towards her. Maddie sighed again. Here we go again, she thought. Beorn had called her Little Bunny this morning and since then, the two princes had picked the name up to tease her with it. Probably this was going to be another teasing-session and Maddie mentally prepared herself for it.

The boys, however, just asked if she wanted to train with them. With a relieved sigh, Maddie replied: 'I'm afraid that I have but little skill with the blade, so I won't be any help in approving your skills as warriors.'

'But we can perhaps help you improve your skill, Little Bunny,' Kili suggested.

Maddie first wanted to decline but then Fili and Kili put on their puppy eyes, so with a defeated sigh she yielded. 'Oke, but only if you stop calling me "Little Bunny" '.

'Oke, Little Bunny.' With a grin the princes turned around and walked back to their spot. Helplessly Maddie looked at Ori before standing up and following them.

First Kili and Fili showed her different positions and different angles which she could use to wound and kill her opponent. Then she engaged in a practice fight with Fili, who was the better swordfighter of the two. Kili was more a archer. As the fight began, she was vaguely aware of the fact that all the Dwarves had quitted their own practice to watch her fight.

During the fight the two gave her advice: Kili looked at her footwork while Fili looked if her angles with her sword were good. Maddie followed their advice, but also kept in mind the advice that Gwaine had once given her. Amongst other things, he had shown her his trick to steal the sword of your opponent. Maddie intended to use that trick to surprise Fili and get a small revenge for his and Kilis teasing. She was just waiting for the perfect opportunity.

And then it presented itself. Fili had just finished a series of attacks so she could practice her defense, and now it was her turn. After three side blows from the left and the right, she circled her sword around that of Fili and then swiped it up. Fili was forced to let go of his sword and Maddie quickly caught it. Now she had two swords, and she both putted them at Fili's neck. She then noticed Fili's surprised look. Of course he hadn't been expecting that move. Kili and the other Dwarves also looked surprised. Thorin had, apart from surprise, again that strange look on his face. Maddie ignored it again.

Maddie lowered the swords and returned Fili's blade to him.

'I thought you said you couldn't fight,' Kili said. He sounded a bit accusing.

Maddie shrugged. 'That's true, but if you recall correctly, I have once told you that my friend Gwaine has taught me a few tricks.'

'Then that Gwaine must be a great swordsman,' Dwalin remarked.

'He is,' Maddie agreed. 'He has even defeated Arthur a few times, who has been champion of Camelot for many a year.'

'Could you teach me how to do it?' Fili asked, genuinely interested.

'Of course,' Maddie replied. 'If you teach how you did that roll to avoid my swing.' Fili agreed and so they both would learn something new.

Thorin walked down the hallway trying to find his nephews. Gandalf and Beorn had returned from their walk and dinner was almost ready.

At the end of the hallway, he walked towards the he didn't know how maniest door. When he opened it, he saw Maddie sitting at a table with two little rabbits on her lap. She still hadn't noticed him, so he cleared his throat.

Maddie looked up with a twinkle in her eyes that made his heart beat faster (he was still trying to figure out why he was having this reaction when he was with Maddie. It wasn't like it happened with the others, so why with her?). 'Do you happen to know where my nephews are? Dinner is almost ready.'

Maddie stayed still for two seconds before bursting in a fit of laughter at his question. Confused, Thorin asked: 'Is there something… funny?'

Maddie tried to compose herself before answering: 'Oh yes, there is something funny.' With a grin she looked back at the two rabbits. Thorin walked closer to have a better look at them. One of the bunnies was blond with long hairs. The other had short hairs and was brown.

Suddenly, it hit Thorin.

Maddie had turned his nephews into bunnies.

Maddie had turned his nephews into bunnies.

'I'm sorry,' Maddie said, 'but they have been teasing me all day. They deserved it.'

Slowly, the twinkle in her eyes disappeared and she started to look worried. Thorin still had a look of shock on his face. Maybe she had gone too far? 'Thorin?'

Thorin stepped out of his state of shock and burst into laughter. He didn't think he had ever laughed so hard in his life.

Maddie had turned his nephews into bunnies. It was just too funny.

Thorin's legs gave away, so he continued to laugh while lying on the ground.

When he finally contained himself a bit , he saw that Maddie was looking at him with big eyes.

'Forgive me,' he said while getting up, 'but that was the funniest thing I've ever seen.

Thank you for outpranking the biggest prankers of the universe.'

Balin, Beorn, Gandalf and the other Dwarves were waiting at the dining table until the four remaining persons would appear.

Finally Maddie and Thorin walked into the room. 'Sorry that we're late,' Maddie apologized.

'Not at all,' Balin said. 'But where are Fili and Kili? And what was that noise we heard?'

Maddie and Thorin shared a glance while grinning.

'Well actually…,' Thorin and Maddie began in unison.

Then they looked down at two cute little bunnies in their hands.

Two days later, after breakfast, Beorn gave the company ponies and food as much as they could carry. Maddie had enchanted her own bag, so it could contain a lot more food, but still felt very light. Beorn also gave advice for when they reached Mirkwood, a large forest that separated them from Erebor. They were to stay on the path and avoid touching the water of a magical river on the way. If anyone would touch it, they would fall asleep and never wake up again.

Fili and Kili were humans again. After the company had had their share of laughter, Maddie had turned the two brothers back, who were blushing really bad. At least they now didn't call Maddie "Little Bunny".

The ride to Mirkwood was but half a day and they had luck on their side, for they hadn't seen any sign of the Orcs.

When they reached Mirkwood, the company started to load off their baggage while Maddie and Gandalf wandered through the Elven Gate and landed on a small, round courtyard surrounded by Elven statues that were covered with most and ivy. At the opposite side of the Elven Gate on the courtyard began the Elven Path which they were meant to follow.

Gandalf walked towards one of the statues and pulled away some ivy. At the same moment Maddie's sight blurred and she saw a great eye, lidless and surrounded by flames.

As quick as the eye had appeared, it disappeared. Maddie looked at Gandalf who now stood beside her. 'Is it the ring?' he asked. Maddie nodded. The night before they had left Beorn, Maddie had talked in private with Gandalf about the ring she had found in the Goblin tunnels. Gandalf had agreed that it contained dark magic and advised her to keep it secret and not to use unless absolutely necessary. Now this ring had shown her a strange eye.

Maddie looked at statue where Gandalf had just pulled some ivy away and she froze. The statue was a female Elf and on her gown was the same eye painted in red paint that Maddie had seen just seconds ago. Gandalf followed her look, his eyes turned wide and he then ran back trough the gate towards the Dwarves, saying: 'Do not unpack my horse yet. I still need it.'

'You are not really leaving us, are you?' Dori asked while Maddie walked through the gate as well.

'I wouldn't do this unless I really had to,' Gandalf said as he climbed on his horse. 'We will meet again at the other side of Mirkwood, at the overlook, at the slopes of Erebor.' His gaze then turned on Maddie.

'Maddie, I hope you'll do your best to make sure these Dwarves make it to the other side. Make sure you don't leave the path and be aware of the river Beorn warned us about.'

Maddie nodded. 'I will do my best.'

The Dwarves and Maddie watched how Gandalf rode off and then started their journey through Mirkwood.