Chapter Nine: Beorn the Skinchanger
Bilbo didn't know what he was thinking charging into a battle with no clear plan and several broken bones. He only knew that Thorin would've died had he not done anything, and that justified his means, he would think. Having seen Ori and Dori falling out of the tree, he had had the wind place them safely on its branches before turning back to his enemies. After killing the orcs with magic and then actually battling them, stepping back was the hardest thing he had ever done. But he could feel the eagle's presence and how drained he was; he was surprised that he was still on his feet. Once allowing the massive bird to him up in it's claws, Bilbo realized just how hurt he was. His breathing was labored from several broken ribs, deep gashes littered his body from his fight with the orcs, had at least 11 other broken bones, and he was fairly certain that his entire body was covered in bruises. Still, flying with the eagles, gliding through the air with the sun warming his face, Bilbo could honestly forget the pain completely. At least he could until he looked at Thorin.
The dwarf king was in bad shape, covered in almost as much blood as Bilbo. Locking eyes with the wizard, the hobbit managed to croak out a conversation with Gandalf making him promise to heal Thorin first before the darkness claimed him for itself. The Eagles soared through the sky over a great distance. Thorin lies unconscious in one Eagle's talons; the others worry about him, none seemed to realize that Bilbo had passed out.
"Thorin!" Fili cried. The Eagles approach a massive rock structure shaped like a bear. The Eagle carrying Thorin gently deposits him and his sword on a flat area on top of the Carrock. Another Eagle lands on the Carrock and Gandalf slides off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin.
"Thorin! Thorin." Thorin does not respond. The wizard places his hand on Thorin's face and whispers a spell. Thorin's eyes flutter open and he gasps for air. He speaks weakly.
"Bilbo?" He coughed out. Gandalf shakes his head but then nods slowly.
"He is alive, Thorin. But badly hurt. I doubt that I have enough left in me to heal him at the moment." The king jumped to his feet, startling the dwarves around him. Fili and Kili grab his arms when he sways.
"Where is he?" He desperately asked the wizard, who looked up into the sky. Soaring down towards them were three eagles. In the middle ones claws was Bilbo. Gently, they lay him down at the peak of the cliff before going back to circling the Carrock. The members of the Company run over to him, Thorin, Fili and Kili kneeling by his side. Brushing a hand over his face, Gandalf was upset to find that the hobbit had a bad fever.
"We need to get him somewhere he can heal, Thorin. There is a person near by who while not the most hospitable of men has been known to take in wary travelers. I've heard stories of him being especially fond of the hobbits when they used to be nomads. I am quite certain that he would allow us to stay there, if only to make sure our hobbit is healed properly." Before Thorin could move to take the hobbit into his arms, Fili scooped him up and turned to face his uncle.
"You are still healing, despite whatever else you may say. Kili and I will carry him." With that they started off down the mountain, along trails, and through forests. They hear howls from behind them and sent Nori, as he is the quietest of dwarves, to investigate.
"How close is the pack?"
"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it." Nori panted out.
"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked the thief.
"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem." Gandalf frowned.
"Did they see you? They saw you!"
"No, that's not it."
"Oh, then we are fine." Nori threw his hands into the air.
"Will you listen- Will you just listen? I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there." The dwarves exchanged worried looks. Gandalf just smiled.
"What form did it take? Like a bear?"
"Ye..." Nori paused and looked curiously at the wizard who motions for him to continue. "Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger."
"You knew about this beast? Why would you bring us here if we have to fight? How can we possibly protect Bilbo if a battle was to break out?" All eyes turned to the hobbit, who was propped up in Kili's arms. His face was pale, and shining with sweat. Oin dabbed at his forehead before shaking his head.
"He won't last much longer out here. We need to get somewhere I can treat him properly, fast." Gandalf turns and walks a few steps away. Bofur stepped forward.
"I say we double back." Thorin frowns and his eyes stay on Bilbo.
"And be run down by a pack of Orcs." The wizard turned back to the dwarves.
"There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."
"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Gandalf chuckled.
"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us." The dwarves looks at each other in dismay. Thorin sighed.
"What choice do we have?" A roar splits the night behind them; it is the bear that Nori had talked about.
"None." Gandalf said solemnly.
The Company runs through plains and across streams. "Come on!" Gandalf yelled over his shoulder. As the group runs through a forest, Azog and his Orcs are racing through the forest too. Azog urges his party on. Both groups stop suddenly when an ear-splitting roar sounds nearby. "This way, quickly!" As the dwarves panic and run, Bombur looks on in shock until he is pulled along.
"Bombur, come on!" Bofur pulls the overweight dwarf forward. As they exit the forest, they spy a house surrounded by a hedge in the middle of a plain.
"To the house! Run!" The Company runs across the plain; Bombur, the fattest dwarf, outruns all the rest of them in his fear. Kili, Fili, and Ori are placed in the middle of the group, since they are holding Bilbo. They run through a gate in the hedge. "Come on, get inside!"
They run to the front door of the house; it is closed. Bombur, who reaches the door first, throws himself against it but falls flat on his back when the door doesn't budge. The rest of the dwarves catch up and begin throwing themselves against the door, trying to open it. Gandalf looks back as a massive bear breaks out from the edge of the forest and runs toward them.
"Open the door!" Gandalf said.
"Quickly!" Thorin cries. The king, pushing through the dwarves pressed against the door, manages to raise the exterior bolt, opening the doors. The entire Company bolts inside the house and they try to slam the door shut, but the bear has already gotten its head in the door. As the bear roars and tries to push the door open, the dwarves yell and strain to close it. Ori pulls out his sword and points it unsteadily at the bear. Gandalf looks on in amusement. The dwarves yell as they press against the door.
"Come on, lads!" Dwalin shouts. With a final heave, the dwarves manage to close the door and drop the bolt across it. They sigh in shock, fear, and tiredness.
"What is that?" Ori breathed, sheathing his sword. Gandalf chuckled. "That...is our host." The dwarves turn to Gandalf in bewilderment. "His
name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer." Oin checks his - newly repaired-
hearing trumpet to make sure he has heard Gandalf correctly "Sometimes he's
huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but
the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of dwarves." The dwarves look at each other in dismay. Ori peaks out a crack in the door.
"He's leaving!" Dori pulls him away from the door.
"Come away from there! We already have one person hurt, we don't need another. It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark spell." Gandalf glared.
"Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own. Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight." The dwarves start spreading out through the house. Gandalf whispers quietly to himself. "I hope." Oin tells the boys to lay Bilbo down on a pile of hay. All he can do for the hobbit at the moment is try and keep his fever down. He needed some medicine. They needed Beorn to help them, or Bilbo would die.
Beorn was much taller than any human, even taller than Gandalf. He addresses Thorin. "So, you are the one they call Oakenshield." Thorin frowned.
"How do you know that?"
"Azog the Defiler is hunting you." Before they can talk more, Oin interrupts, beckoning Thorin over.
"Thorin, his fever is increasing. If we don't do something soon, he will die." The King Under the Mountain jumped when he felt a large hand grab his waist and lift him up to look at their host's angry face.
"What did you do to that hobbit?" Thorin shook his head violently.
"It wasn't us. We were caught by goblins on our way through the Misty Mountains. Damn hobbit always has to be so noble." The dwarf growled out, but everyone could hear the emotion in his voice. Beorn sat him back onto the ground and held his head in his hands.
"First thing to know about hobbits; they are the most noble people you've ever met if you've gained their loyalty. Since he gave you his, I shall give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you to stay in my home. But first allow me to heal the hobbit." More gently than the dwarves thought possible, the skin-changer scooped Bilbo into his hands and carried him into another room, motioning for Oin to follow. The others made to go with them, but Gandalf called them back.
"Let Beorn show Oin how to heal a hobbit without interruptions." At the dwarves confused looks, the wizard elaborated. "Hobbits can't be healed like you and I can. For some odd reason, the normal herbs don't work on them. And the fact that they can heal faster than we do, probably helps - that and the fact most are never wounded enough to actually need life saving medicine." Fili frowned.
"So even if we had had medicine, it wouldn't have helped Bilbo?" Gandalf hummed.
"Hmm, I would suppose not. Perhaps it is fate that brought us here."
"Wish fate didn't have to make Bilbo be tortured to find that out though." Kili grumbled under his breath. The dwarves sat around the table and attempted to eat the breakfast that was laid out for them, but none got very far into it, except Bombur of course. Thorin didn't even try to make it look like he was eating - he didn't touch a thing, only staring at the door the healers had gone through as if he could make it move with his eyes. So it was a great surprise when it burst open and Oin ran out up to Fili.
"I need a knife, quick!" The prince fumbled with the blade. "Hurry up, boy!" Turning to go back into the room, the oldest Oin brother turned back around. "You might want to cover your ears. Bilbo was able to stop himself from screaming in the goblin's cave, but now he is in a dream like state, probably hallucinating about who knows what. You will hear screams, most likely things falling to the ground if he fights back which I think he will; you must not come in!" With that he closed the door behind him. Seconds later, a piercing scream rang through the air, chilling everyone down to their bones. They had never heard Bilbo scream before, let alone cry, but sobs could be heard from the other side of the door that broke even the most stone-hearted dwarf's heart.
"No! Please, not again! Don't hurt them! Hurt me instead, pleeAAHHHHH!" Cries of pain echoed through the house and several dwarves jumped to their feet to run to the door, but Gandalf stopped them once more.
"If you go in there, what do you think that you could do? I doubt Beorn or Oin would want to harm Bilbo so whatever they are doing must be done. So sit down!" They did. Kili, Ori and Fili had silent tears rolling down their cheeks, as did many others, while they listened as their hobbit thought he was being tortured.
Bilbo knew pain. He had been kidnapped, tortured even, plenty of times before. But this was new. He was back in the goblin's tunnels, and he had imagined that Gandalf had shown up and saved them all, but he knew that that hadn't happened. The goblin king had realized that he wasn't getting anywhere with the hobbit and instead dragged Ori up. And then Fili. And Kili. He had slit their throats without a care, smiled at Bilbo, before advancing at him with the same blood-covered knife. As it was dragged across his skin, the blade digging inches into his body, he didn't bother holding back his screams, his sobs. But then the king turned back to his dwarves and pulled Balin, Dwalin, and Bofur forward.
"No! Please, not again! Don't hurt them! Hurt me instead, pleeAAHHHHH!" He had killed them, watched as their bodies tumbled to the ground, before going to back to Bilbo, stabbing him viciously. Suddenly, the goblin morphed into Thorin, who stared hatefully down at him.
"To think I could've ever liked you. You are a worthless piece of trash who got my family killed. I hate you." He and the other dwarves crowded around the hobbit and delivered their own beating onto their burglar. Pulling him up, the dwarf king placed the knife against Bilbo's throat. "You are nothing. You killed your parents. You killed Fili and Kili and Ori. Balin, Dwalin, and Bofur are dead because of you. You only bring destruction with you. How could you think you could possibly ever do what was prophesied of you? You're a murderer who doesn't give a damn of what happens to anyone else besides yourself!" 'That's not true!' Bilbo had wanted to say, but his mouth wasn't working right. Thorin's left hand, that wasn't pressing the knife to the hobbit's throat reached up and grabbed his necklace, yanking it off of him. Spitting on it, he threw it over the chasm, and Bilbo lost it. His magic exploded out, throwing back all of the goblins and dwarves alike.
When the dust settled Bilbo was on his knees and was horrified to see what he had done. Each and everyone of the dwarves - HIS dwarves- were impaled on various spires throughout the cavern. All of them were staring at him accusingly, but Thorin was the worst, his eyes full of betrayal and shock. Tears pouring down his face, Bilbo picked up the knife that the king must have dropped. Before he had decided whether or not to just plunge the blade into his own chest, darkness overtook him and for once he didn't fight back against it.
The dwarves were restless. It had been three days since they had arrived at Beorn's house. A day ago, the two healers had come out of the other room and said that Bilbo's injuries were no longer life threatening. But he was in coma that they didn't know when, or if, he would wake up from it. Gandalf said that it was his magic recuperating itself because he had used to much of it a once. Despite the fact that he was unresponsive, at least 5 of company, most of the time Kili, Fili, Ori, Balin and Thorin, sat with him all day. They would talk to him about anything and everything, but they only ever got screams and pleading in return. No one knew what to do anymore.
Bilbo was running. Tree branches scratched against his face, he never stopped to look behind him, scared of what he would see chasing him. All he knew was that every time he got separated from his dwarves, hundreds of different animals started chasing him. Sometimes they would catch him, other times he could out run them. And there was this voice, that echoed in his head, whispering about a ring, and how it would revive him. The voice felt evil to Bilbo, but no matter what he did he couldn't make it go away. It would taunt him, saying that he wouldn't be able to reach them in time; that they would die because of him. He felt something running at his side and smiled. No matter what was chasing him, there was always a timber wolf by his side. It would protect him and him it. Yet he's never managed to save the other members of his Company before it was too late.
Bursting out of the forest, he skidded across an ice ledge, stumbling around for a few seconds before getting back onto his feet. In the distance he could see the bodies of 12 dwarves. His head fell but then snapped up. 12? There were 13 dwarves! Running forward, Bilbo could just make out the figure of Thorin, fighting against a massive orc. Azog. Before he could move another step forward, something pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. It was a white warg, and it snarled and drooled over Bilbo's face. Just barely, the hobbit could see the still form of his wolf behind it, lying in a pool of blood. Closing his eyes, he felt the giant dog's maw come closer to his face. Hot breath pushed against his skin and he waited for the pain that would come before death. But it never came.
Bilbo opened his eyes and saw blue sky above him. Just as he was wondering what in Yavanna's name had just happened, he felt something grab him roughly from behind. He found himself staring into the blue eyes of Azog, who had a grotesque smile on his face.
"You've lost. They are dead." Bilbo looked over to his left and saw Thorin's body lying on the frozen ground. A gold crown circled his head, and he was dressed in the finest armour, but it was marred by his blood. Wait, a gold crown? Thorin doesn't wear a crown. He turned back to the orc.
"This isn't real," He whispered. "So what is?" Everything around him vanished and he saw himself in a large bed. Kili and Fili sat beside him, staring at his unmoving body. Bilbo was confused. Where were they? How was he seeing himself if he was pretty sure that he was not in a bed?
"You're in a coma." A voice echoed in his head, but not the evil voice from before. This one was warm and feminine, making him feel safe and at home. "The Company has been staying at a friends, Beorn, a skin changers, house. You've been like that for a week." Bilbo gasped.
"So we did escape from the goblins. They're still alive!" The voice laughed.
"Yes, Chosen One, you saved them." The hobbit frowned.
"Then why am I out here and not in my body?"
"Several reasons. One, I needed to talk to you. You almost didn't make it this time. We were able to speed up the amount of time it takes for your magic to build back up but be careful; next time you use that much, it won't end well for anyone." Bilbo nodded. "Two, Do you remember that ring you found in Gollum's tunnels?" The burglar reached into his pocket (He was surprised that he still had clothes on, the other him's chest was bare) and pulled out the gold band. Looking at it more carefully than he had in the mountain, he gasped.
"Is this what I think this is?" He asked incredulously.
"The One Ring." The voice said solemnly.
"But why did Gollum have it?"
"That is a story for another time. Right now I have to explain to you several things." She paused. "Sauron's ring will wake up the more you have it in your possession. It feeds off of your power, but it won't drain you unless you use it for a long period of time. I would suggest keeping it on a chain of some sort - not your necklaces though. When you finish this quest, you must see that ring destroyed in Mordor, before the Necromancer can get his hands on it. It will be many years before you actually go on this quest, but you must not fail or the world of Middle Earth will be lost." Bilbo swallowed nervously. "Do not worry, little hero. When the time comes, you will be ready. But at the moment, it is time for you to return to your body; your friends are worried about you." Before the hobbit could get another word out he felt himself flying forward and entering the body lying on the bed. Keeping his eyes shut, he listened as the princes talked.
"You need to wake up soon, Bilbo. Everyone is really worried." Fili snorted.
"That's an understatement. I doubt that Uncle has gotten more than a couple hours sleep since the goblins." Bilbo's eyes furrowed at that. Thorin wasn't sleeping? That's not good. He heard Fili sigh. "I don't know why they think that talking to him will bring him back. If anything he seems less responsive." The oldest nephew of the king stood up and turned to the door.
"Where are you going?" Kili asked.
"I can't just sit here doing nothing!" As he listened to the princes argue, the hobbit thought about the best way to grab their attention.
"Could you two keep it down? I'm trying to sleep here!" The two dwarves whirled around to stare at their injured friend. Kili crept over to the side of the bed and lifted his hand.
"Bilbo…?" He reached out his hand, as if to touch the hobbit's face.
"Kili, I swear, if you poke me I will bite off your finger." Opening his eyes, Bilbo laughed at the shocked expression on the dwarf's face. He was surprised to find out how hoarse his voice was. Fili and Kili stared with gobsmacked expressions, making the burglar sigh. "Alright, I know I'm not much, but, what? No hug? Where's the party? C'mon, nothing?" Bilbo frowned. "Well, I'm not angry. Just very very disappointed." That snapped the two out of their shock and seconds later he found himself with an armful of dwarf.
"BILBO!" Kili cheered, burying his head into his shoulder. Laughing, the hobbit patted the back of his head before pulling Fili into a hug as well. They stayed that way for a while, the burglar kindly not saying a thing about the way the two dwarves' shoulders shook. When they pulled away, Bilbo reached out and ruffled their hair.
"Now, that's more like it! Just so you know, I missed you guys, too. I much prefer to see you as you two are now, than what you were in my head." He ignored their confused looks and rubbed a hand against his chest. "Although I would love for you guys to stay and chat, would one you mind going to get Oin and our wonderful host? I am in pain right-" He didn't get to finish his thought before the two princes had ran out of the room and returned seconds later with the two healers in tow.
"What hurts?" The skin-changer stepped forward with several containers in his hands. Seeing the way that the hobbit took in shuttering breaths, Beorn gently helped him stand up. Feeling his chest, the large man knew that Bilbo's ribs were still broken, while surprisingly most of his other injuries were almost completely healed. Beorn slowly rubbed a cold blue paste over the hobbit's chest and back that numbed them before he wrapped a thick white bandage around his torso, effectively keeping his ribs from moving. "Take it easy for a couple more days and you should be alright." Bilbo nodded before turning to Oin who was glaring at him.
"How much trouble am I in for not telling you about the way hobbits are healed?" The old dwarf just sighed.
"At the moment, none. But what do you think would have happened if Beorn hadn't known about healing hobbits? Or you had gotten very badly hurt some place far from here?" Bilbo smiled.
"Well, I suppose I would have died. And wouldn't that be unfortunate? I never would have even gotten to face down the old dragon. I was really looking forward to that, too." The two princes stared at each other for several seconds before bursting into laughter.
"It's good to have you back, Bilbo."
"Well, I'm glad to be in the land of the living; it's my favorite place to be, actually." Bilbo teased the two young dwarves before turning back to the skin-changer and bowing his head. "Master Beorn, I can not thank you enough for allowing my friends and I to take refuge in your house during our time of need." Beorn just laughed.
"To be honest, if they had not had a hobbit in their company I may not have allowed them to stay." The hobbit's eyes lit up.
"You're the bear man from the stories! I should have guessed that when I learned that you were a skin-changer!" The large man smiled, clearly happy to have been remembered by the hobbits.
"Yes, now little bunny," Bilbo scowled at that nickname. "Since you are still healing and your ribs are pretty busted, take it easy, remember? No strenuous activities for at least a week, understood?" The hobbit rolled his eyes, winking at the two princes, who were having a hard time holding in their laughter.
"Yes, mother. No overexerting myself." Bilbo walked to the door and pulled it open, only to find himself pinned down to the floor when a body landed on him. Groaning, he used his hands to push the weight slightly off of him so that he could breath. He looked over at the giant innocently. "Does being tackled count as strenuous activity?" Fili and Kili finally lost it and fell to the floor, laughing. Bilbo felt the body above him shake slightly as it chuckled. He looked up and found himself staring into Thorin's blue eyes. He sucked in a breath. "Well, if you would be so kind as to get off of me, it would be most appreciated." The dwarf king's eyes glinted.
"I don't think so. You see I happen to be very comfortable where I am and have no intention of moving." Bilbo sighed and leaned in closer to the man above him. Their lips brushed when he talked.
"Well, then there goes your chance to leave peacefully. Fili, Kili, GO!" Thorin barely had time to act before he was tackled off of the hobbit and to the ground where an impromptu wrestling match broke out between the royal family, much to the amusement and entertainment of the others. Bilbo stumbled over to Balin and fell down into the chair next to him with a groan. The old dwarf smiled.
"You know, I haven't seen him play with his nephews like this since they were wee dwarflings." Balin remarked, sending the hobbit a pointed stare. He just chuckled.
"He is acting like a child for once, isn't he? Thorin needs to let go more often and allow others to take initiative." The dwarf snorted.
"Well, you're one to talk. This is the what? Third time you've managed to get yourself hurt while protecting us with your self-sacrificing acts?" Bilbo smiled boyishly to the man next to him.
"Now, I wouldn't call it self-harm, Balin. I prefer… injured in the line of duty." The two laughed before turning their attention back to the fight going on on the ground. It seemed that Thorin was winning - he was sitting on top of Fili and had Kili in a headlock. That is until a particularly strong gust of wind knocked him over and the younger dwarves piled on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Thorin looked over at Bilbo, his eyes wide with mock anger.
"You cheated! I would've beat them if a gust of wind hadn't blown me onto my back!" Bilbo held his hands up.
"Hey, I set them up to it, I had to at least help them win. And do you realize how ridiculous you sound? A gust of wind blew you over." The company sat in stunned silence, waiting to see how their king would react, when to their surprise, he busted out laughing, a deep belly laugh that Dwalin and Balin hadn't heard since before Smaug attacked Erebor. They stared, shocked, at the hobbit, their heads moving back and forth between Thorin and Bilbo, not really believing that one person could take away years of devastation in just a few months. But Bilbo had done it.
Later that day during dinner, Thorin brought up something Beorn had said that first night at his house. "You know of Azog? How?" Beorn sighed.
"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved." The dwarves can see the remnants of manacles on Beorn's wrist. "Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."
"There are others like you?" Bofur asked.
"Once, there were many."
"And now?" Ori pressed, leaning forward slightly in his chair.
"Now, there is only one." They sat in silence after that, hoping that one of the others would break it. Bilbo did.
"Back home," he began. "There is a legend that Old Took would always tell when I went to visit him. It was about a particularly courageous hobbit who befriended a bear. But the bear hadn't been a normal animal for it had the power to change into a man and vice versa." All eyes turned to Beorn but the hobbit just kept on talking. "The bear-man and hobbit were the best of friends and went on several adventures together, like taking down orc pacs or challenging trolls. The two would look out for each other, knowing when the other needed him. When the hobbit's parents died, he came to live with his friend, for he no longer felt as if the Shire was home. Many years they lived in peace, killing off the occasional foe. One day, the hobbit decided that it was time that they went on another journey. They traveled around the world, facing many enemies and making many friends. Eventually, they crossed paths with someone they couldn't beat. It was a hoard of giants, each taller than the bear-man. They fought long and hard, and by the end of the battle, both sides were littered with injuries. Suddenly, the largest giant spun around and grabbed a spear, throwing it at the bear-man. The hobbit - ever the loyal person - jumped in front of the weapon, taking it on for himself. While the small man had fallen to the ground, his best friend had lost it, and had killed the other giants in a matter of minutes. When he ran back to the hobbit's side, he was devastated to find out that there was nothing he could do to save his friend. So, he held his hand while he died, tears falling down into the blood mixed ground." Bilbo paused and looked around. Each of the company had their eyes fixed on him and even Beorn was staring at him shocked.
"The hobbit had whispered up at the man not to cry for him, for even though he would leave this world soon, he would always be with his best friend, protecting him from harm. And with that the courageous hobbit had left this world, joining the Valor in theirs, where he sat, watching, as his best friend, his brother in arms, struggled to move on from his death." The dwarves sat in silence before Ori threw his hands in the air.
"But what happened to the bear-man? You can't just end the story there! You have to finish it!" Bilbo just chuckled.
"It had been my favorite when I was a fauntling. While the other faunts had asked for stories about daring hobbits and beautiful ladies, I always wanted that."
"Why?" Bofur asked. Bilbo furrowed his brows.
"Well, maybe because of the way it ended, what it taught. In all of the other tales, the hero always saves the day, but real life isn't always like that. Sometimes we have to face the fact that no matter how much we try, no matter how much we want it, some stories just don't have happy endings." Bilbo ran a hand through his hair, realising for the first time that someone had taken it down. He sighed. While he can braid other's hair, he'd never learned to do his own. Unwrapping a bracelet that had been on his wrist, he pulled back his hair. He turned his attention back to the others and was surprised to find that they were all staring at him. "What?" They looked at each other. Kili leaned forward.
"Why?" Bilbo frowned.
"Why? Well, I suppose that story-" Dori shook his head, interrupting the hobbit.
"That's not what he meant. He want's to know why you didn't put your braids back into your hair?" Bilbo laughed.
"That's what you guys are all freaking out about? It's not that big of a deal." The dwarves looked at him like he was crazy.
"What are you talking about? It's a huge deal!" Thorin looked exasperatedly at the younger man, throwing his hands up in the air when all he got in return was a confused look. "You've got to be kidding me!" Bilbo stood up.
"Why? I just don't know how to braid my own hair!" Thorin blinked, looked over at his nephews, before he busted out laughing. This set the others off and soon all of the dwarves were holding their sides, leaving one hobbit thoroughly confused. "Okay, does anyone want to explain this to me?" wiping tears from his eyes, the dwarf king came and sat down next to Bilbo.
"Braids are very important to dwarven culture. They signify many different things; mastery in a weapon, overcoming a challenge, the death of a family member, first love, or a betrothal. Your braids meant mastery in weapons-12 I believe- 2 deaths of a family member, and 3 challenges that you overcame. By not putting them back in, you made us think that we had done something to offend you. But the fact that you can't braid your own hair is just hilarious to us. Dwarflings learn how to do that before they wield weapons." Bilbo cracked a smile. When you put that way, it did seem rather humorous. Thorin reached out his hand and tugged on his hair.
"I can re-braid your hair for you, if you would allow me." The hobbit looked into Thorin's eyes and nodded, sitting down on the floor and leaning against the dwarf's legs. As Thorin ran his hands through Bilbo's hair, Beorn leaned forward.
"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?" Gandalf nodded.
"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Beorn frowned.
"You are running out of time."
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." The skin changer sighed.
"A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."
"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe." Gandalf said, crossing his arms. Beorn scoffed.
"Safe? The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not." Bilbo frowned.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Thorin finishes braiding the hobbit's hair - neither hobbit nor dwarf move from their spots- and looks up, shocked. Beorn stands up from the table and faces Thorin.
"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." The skin changer gently picks up a mouse that had been scampering on the table and holds it, all the while approaching Thorin. who is standing with his arms crossed.
"But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"
The Company saddles and rides Beorn's ponies. Bilbo, much to the skin changers' dismay, insisted that they leave immediately, even if he wasn't completely healed. Beorn did give Oin a satchel full of enough hobbit medicine to last years, with strict instructions of when, where, and how to use them. As they ride away, Beorn, who is staying at his house, looks around for danger.
"Go now, while you have the light. The hunters are not far behind." The company rides rapidly across the land, slowing to a stop as they approach a looming, gloomy-looking forest. Gandalf dismounts and walks into the edge of the forest through an ancient archway.
"The Elven Gate." He turns and calls to the others. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Dwalin looks around warily.
"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Gandalf squints as he sees something in the distance; it is Beorn, in his bear-form, watching them from a distant ridge.
"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master."The dwarves and Bilbo dismount and begin taking their supplies off the ponies. Bilbo approaches the forest, but the second he enters it, he stumbles back several feet, bumping into Fili, who steadies him.
"This forest feels...sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?" Gandalf shakes his head, looking worriedly at the hobbit.
"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south." Bilbo sighed.
"I will not be much help in there, magic wise. I can already feel the darkness that is over the forest draining me." Gandalf follows a path a few feet further into the shadows and approaches a plant-covered statue. He seems to be having an internal debate, before he suddenly rushes back out. The unladen ponies trot away; Nori is just about to finish unsaddling Gandalf's horse when Gandalf emerges from the forest.
"Not my horse! I need it." As Gandalf strides forward, the Company, minus Bilbo who is still staring warily into the trees look up and murmurs in surprise.
"You're not leaving us?" Bofur says incredulously.
"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf turns and begins walking toward his horse; he speaks as he passes Thorin. "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." Gandalf stops and looks hard at Thorin as he says this, who nods, then continues toward his horse. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." Ori gasps, a frightened look on his face.
"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Gandalf gets on his horse. It begins raining lightly, even though the sun is out.
"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf wheels his horse and rides away. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!" He yells over his shoulder. The dwarves watch him until he can no longer be seen. Thorin walks over to the hobbit.
"Bilbo," Thorin said. He doesn't answer. "Bilbo!" The dwarf king said more forcefully than before, shaking his shoulder. The hobbit looked up surprised.
"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Thorin drapes an arm over the hobbit's shoulders, pulling him close.
"I was asking if you were alright." Bilbo nodded and kissed Thorin's cheek, before he left the dwarfs warm embrace.
"I'll be fine," He said as he got his supplies. Dwalin and Balin exchanged concerned looks when they say that their hobbit was moving rather sluggishly, no longer operating with his usual grace.
Gandalf was gone, something was happening to their hobbit, and they had to go into an orc infested elven wood.