"Is he a great wizard, or is he more like... you?', the hobbit asked Gandalf regarding the wizard's cousin Radagast.
"Tactless.', I muttered as I shamelessly eavesdropped on the conversation. "Hobbits are absolutely tactless."
Bilbo sent me a wry look, looking like a drowned rat with the way his hair had slicked down his forehead in the cold rain.
Ignoring his annoyed glare, I shivered, rubbing my arms to ward off the chill that was slowly seeping through the warm clothes Balin had insisted on purchasing. Without so much as a word, Fili gave me a knowing look and shrugged out of his oilskin cloak, handing it to me with a small grin.
"But you'll get cold!', I protested, pushing the covering back towards him.
"Aye, but it will take me much longer to become chilled. Dwarves are hardy folk, squirt.', he winked, gently shoving the article into my arms.
It was not the first time Fili or Kili had called me that dreaded nickname; though since he had pressed me into accepting the extra warmth, I grudgingly let it slip.
Dori had continued to shout a few rather colorful curses at the torrents of precipitation until Thorin turned in the saddle to glare coldly at him, tilting his head in my direction as a warning. After that the gray-bearned dwarf cursed in his own language, thank whatever gods exist here. My mother would not be happy if I added any of *those* words to my vocabulary.
"What is this place called?', I inquired curiously as I nervously eyed the forest around me.
"It is the Old Forest, my dear.', Gandalf called from up ahead. "On the borders of Buckland."
I noticed Bilbo fidgeting at the mention of the forest. Gandalf took note of the nervous movement, his eyes gaining a familiar twinkle.
"No need to worry, Master Baggins! We shall not stray from the path while I am leading you!"
"Bilbo?', I whispered. "What is he talking about?"
He mumbled something in response, making me lean forward in order to catch what he said.
"Did— did you just say the trees move?!"
The curly-headed hobbit flushed uncomfortably as he ducked his head, staring at Myrtle's mane.
"Do trees actually move?!', I squeaked.
"It is only a tale, lass.', Balin chuckled.
"I'm afraid you are partially mistaken, Balin.', said Gandalf. "Though it is not the trees who move— it is the tree spirits... the Huorns. Be on your guard; many of them have become black hearted and withered with anger."
"How comforting.', Ori's other brother, Nori, sniffed disdainfully. "I do hope you are not trying to frighten us, Gandalf. I do not believe these 'Huorns' are—"
A branch suddenly seemed to appear out of nowhere, slapping the sardonic dwarf across the forehead.
"That was simply a coincidence!', he protested, though the shrillness in his voice made one think that he was trying to convince himself and not the company.
"Of course!', I moaned. "There's wizards, dwarves, and dragons here, so why shouldn't there be trees that move on their own?"
"Do you not have these things in the future?', Kili gawked. "Not even dwarves?!"
"I'm not even sure I am from the future anymore, Kili!', I huffed. "Everything here is completely different! Even the stars are different!"
"The stars are different...?', Thorin addressed Gandalf quietly that night as the company settled down for the night. The rain had finally ceased several hours earlier, causing many of the dwarves to thank their lucky stars that they would sleep on the slightly moist ground instead of in a lake of rainwater.
"Hm.', Gandalf hummed, continuing to stare at the campfire as it danced and leapt about.
"That was what Collie said, was it not?"
Gandalf raised an eyebrow as he lit his pipe, remaining silent while Thorin gave him a hard stare.
"What did she mean? Gandalf?"
The wizard finally gave in with a sigh.
"She was right.', murmured Gandalf. "The stars are unfamiliar to her."
"But why? The stars have always been the same... why would they change in the future?', the exiled dwarf king pressed.
"Because she is not from the future!"
"I thought you said—"
"I did!', snapped Gandalf. "But it appears I was mistaken!"
"But you are a wizard!', Thorin muttered.
"And wizards can make mistakes just as any other being can!"
Thorin narrowed his eyes irritably.
"Very well then.', he sneered, moving away from the wizard and his cryptic personality. With an exasperated sigh, Thorin realized that he had once more endangered the quest with his hot headed temper; Gandalf's wise council was coveted by many in Arda, and he was fortunate that the wizard had agreed to lend his help on this adventure.
With a loud huff, he propped himself against the rock, letting his eyes slowly drift shut in frustration, only to open them several minutes later when he heard his nephews teasing their cousin. He shook his head, a small smile forming on his lips— Collie and his sister-sons got along quite well. But soon the conversation between them took a nosedive, and Thorin clenched his fists in anger at his nephews behavior: not only had they brought up the sensitive subjects of orcs, but they had also dragged an innocent Collie into the mess.
"Keep it a secret, Myrtle.', I heard the other beardless member of our company whisper none too quietly, followed by the tell-tale sound of a pony munching through some type of produce.
"Feed Itchy an apple too!', I called to the hobbit, making the poor fellow shift on his feet guiltily.
"Itchy?', Fili laughed. "What kind of name is that?"
"It was my first day of riding!', I pouted. "I just named her what I felt."
"But 'Itchy'?', he snickered.
"Well you named your's Daisy!"
"Do you honestly think I would name my pony such after such a femine thing? I am manlier than that, cousin! The hobbits we bought the ponies from are the ones who named her after a flower, and were she not so stubborn I would change her address in a heartbeat! But she will not answer to anything else!"
I laughed, opening my mouth to make another jab at the name when a loud noise echoed from several miles away.
"What was that?!', Bilbo spluttered as he scrambled closer to everyone else as the howling screech tore through the air.
"Orcs.', Kili whispered spookily, his dark brown eyes darting around.
"Orcs?', the hobbit yelped, making my uncle jump out of his reverie.
"Throat cutters', Fili elaborated, taking his pipe out from in-between his lips. "They'll be dozens of them out there. Lone-lands are crawling with them."
I rolled my eyes, immediately recognizing their tone— and why wouldn't I? Dan and Colby had used it on me more times than I could count, trying to scare me with their ridiculous ghost stories.
"They strike in the wee hours of the night while everyone is asleep... no one has ever had the chance to scream. They're quick and quiet... no noise, just lot's of blood.', Kili finished, his lips twitching as he and his brother chuckled lowly to themselves.
"Stop it!', I hissed.
Fili shot me an unimpressed look.
"A little bit of fear would do Mister Boggins some good, Collie. Or do you believe that orcs are something that should not be feared? They wouldn't be above having a bit of... shall we say fun, should they find a pretty lass like—"
Already knowing where this conversation was going, I turned a slight shade of green. I lived in a small town where the crime rate was abnormally low, but that did not mean I was ignorant of the things Fili was alluding to.
"ENOUGH!', Throin roared, leaping to his feet and stalking towards us. "So you think a night raid by orcs is funny? That the violation of innocent souls is something to be joked about?"
"We didn't mean anything by it.', Kili muttered sullenly, dropping his eyes.
"No, no you didn't.', seethed Thorin. "You know nothing of the world."
While I knew he was not speaking to me, his words still seemed to hit me hard. What did I truly know of Middle Earth? Nothing! I was as ignorant as... well, Bilbo! Even more, actually!
Upon seeing my tense expression Thorin's steely blue eyes softened. With a gruff— and slightly apologetic nod— in my direction, he turned and stomped away.
"Don't take it so hard, laddie.', Balin sighed as he stood slowly, his joints creaking in protest as he came to give Fili and Kili a pat on the shoulder. "Though I do agree that you took the last bit a wee too far.', he tacked on with a wink in my direction.
The elderly dwarf's eyes crinkled, studying my uncle as Thorin paced outside of the camp.
"Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." Balin spat the last word with so much disgust that even Dwalin looked at his brother slightly askance.
"After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain... the mighty King Thror tried to retake the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria."
I listened quietly as Balin told the tragic tale. When he got to the part of King Thror's beheading, I could not help the shiver that ran down my spine. It was no wonder that my uncle held such blatant hate towards the foul race Balin had painted a picture of.
"Azog.', Balin growled. "Curse his vile name! The Gundabad orc, the most loathsome of his kind, was the one who committed such a heinous crime! He had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin... beginning with the beheading of Thror. Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He disappeared without a trace— taken prisoner or killed, we did not know."
Balin's eyes were misty as they roved our faces, finally stopping at mine.
"It was thought that Frerin, too, had been cut down: indeed, I saw him fall with my own eyes, though it appears that by some miracle he did not pass into the world beyond." A smile curved his lips before he returned to the story, allowing his eyes to move from face to face again.
"Nonetheless, we were a broken people; a mighty clan of dwarves brought low. Death, defeat, and desolation were upon us. But in that moment... I saw him. A young dwarf prince— standing against such a terrible foe. Though he stood alone, with his armor rent and wielding nothing but an oaken branch for a shield, Azog learned that day that the line of Durin would not be easily broken. Our forces were rallied and we drove the orcs back into the halls they had desecrated. Our enemy had been defeated... but there was to be no feast, no celebration that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. In the aftermath of that terrible war, I saw him. Thorin...', Balin breathed. "And I thought to myself that there was still one... one whom I could call king."
The tears that had started to gather in Balin's eyes multiplied, his voice cracking slightly as he finished his story. The dwarves had all risen to their feet in awed respect for their leader, and I followed their example, still processing the information that I had been fed. Could the battle that had taken place before the gates of Moria be the 'sacrifices of my ancestors' that Gandalf had spoken of on our first meeting?
"But...', Blbo hesitated, cutting off my thoughts. "If Azog had sworn to wipe out Durin's folk... that means Collie!"
I jumped as the hobbit yelped beside me. Though we were still far from friends (though only because we did not know one another well) the small hobbit had been an amiable companion over the past few days.
"Aye.', Balin nodded solemnly. "As it also means Fili and Kili."
"But— but what happened to the pale orc? Surely he is still not out there!', Bilbo continued to protest, grabbing my hand in a sudden show of affection.
"NO!', Thorin snarled as he rounded about to stare at the halfling. "That filth slunk back into the hole from whence he came! He died of his wounds long ago!"
I shrunk back, still lost in the utter amazement of the great deeds my newly found family had accomplished.
"Get some sleep!', my uncle ordered. "We leave early tomorrow."
"Collie!', Gandalf called as I began to unpack my bedroll. "Take the first watch with Thorin!"
I gawked at the old man. The dwarves had refused my offer to take watch the other night, so why the heck was Gandalf telling me to do so when he obviously knew they were not going to allow it?
Much to my surprise, Thorin gave me a look that clearly called for me to obey the wizard. With a inaudible huff of confusion, I stood to my feet and followed the grumpy looking dwarf.
A/N: For the most part this will follow the movie, but I will not be including Tauriel in this fic. I know, how horrible of me, right? It just doesn't feel... right. Don't get me wrong, I love the red headed elf, but not when I am writing about her— too tricky. And I know some of you may have noticed that some of the scenes appear to be scrambled and do not follow the exact lines of the Hobbit trilogy. But no worries! It is completely intentional! I do not like to repeat line for line out of the movies. Writing would get boring really fast!
And many thanks to...
Me And Not You 1001 & Piper and Snippy