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It continues to blow my mind that I am STILL writing this story! How can so much take place in the lives of 13 dwarves and one hobbit? ha ha.

But thanks for continuing to read anyway.

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Chapter 160

~X~

The lazy days of summer passed quickly in the Shire, with Bilbo and Daisy hard at work on planning the big party they wished to have just before the dwarves returned to Erebor. It was to be held in the meadow beneath the party tree, and everyone from near and far was invited. The Baggins promised that there would be enough food and drink for all, as well as games, gifts, and even fireworks, courtesy of Gandalf. It had been a week since the wizard had taken his leave, saying he had some business to attend to in Bree, yet assuring them he would be back in time for the party.

Everything was going along smoothly, with Marigold and Bergie settling back into Shire life with ease. Even Thorin and Dwalin appeared to be relaxed and content with the slow and peaceful pace of hobbit life, though they still made a point to spar each morning, in order to retain their fighting edge. Kili and Tauriel could often be found engaged in target practice as well, the dwarf prince becoming very proficient with his newly acquired Gondolin bow. Torin had indeed apologized to Holly, and though she said she forgave him, the little hobbit lass had ceased following him around like she used to. And to his surprise…he found he missed it.

Things had been rather quiet in the Shire over the past month, with nothing worth gossiping about, except the upcoming party the Baggins were throwing. The only noteworthy incident had been that little Merry Brandybuck had slipped while playing and twisted his ankle, requiring that he stay in bed and off his foot for at least a week. However, the plump hobbit doctor, Master Burrows, promised that he would be up and around in plenty of time for the party though, much to the lad's relief. Still that did not help his boredom now, and his parents were finding it harder and harder to entertain the convalescing child.

"Can Frerin and I go down and visit with Merry today, Uncle Thorin?" Flinn asked, having heard that his hobbit friend was feeling lonely.

"He says his foot is still sore and he can't go out and play for lots more days," Frerin added, feeling very bad for his young playmate.

"I think that would be a very nice thing to do," the dwarf king agreed, ruffling his nephew's hair in a loving fashion.

"And can I take along my sword to show him?" Flinn continued, looking very hopeful about this request. "He's been begging to see it, and I think it might cheer him up if I brought it over to show him."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Thorin hummed, looking concerned.

"Please, I promise I won't play with it, just show it to him, and then bring it right back to Bilbo's, honest!" the dwarfling swore, giving his uncle his best pleading look…one Kili had taught him to use when he wanted something speical.

Thorin was not fooled, he knew he was being played, but even he had a hard time resisting those blue eyes when they looked at him that way. And when little Frerin joined in, he was done for.

"Very well…but you will not unsheathe it, and you will hand it over to Saradoc the moment you get there," Thorin insisted sternly. "You will allow Merry's father to show him your sword…not you. Then, once you are done, you bring it right back here and put it away. Understood?"

"Yes, Uncle! I promise!" Flinn grinned, giving him a quick hug before running off to his room to fetch his sword.

This left Frerin grinning up at Thorin, the little tyke's smile melting the dwarf's heart faster than gold in a forge.

"And don't let me hear that you touched that blade either," Thorin warned, trying his best to sound stern in the face of such adorableness.

"Oh, no, Uncle Thorin," Frerin said shaking his head in all seriousness. "I would never!"

"Good," he smiled, causing his littlest nephew to grin back up at him. Flinn returned just then, the sheathed sword in his hands. "Now get going, but don't be late coming home for lunch. You know how Bilbo and Daisy fuss over mealtime, and it's not wise to keep a hobbit from their food." He reached down and tickled Frerin's ribs, making the dwarfling squeal with delight. "Or else Bilbo will throw you in a stew pot and gobble you up for dinner." This joke had been a source of entertainment to all, but only after the little dwarfling had come to the firm conclusion that hobbits didn't really eat dwarves.

"Goodbye, Uncle Thorin," Flinn and Frerin called, as they headed out the little round door, on their way to Merry's house. But before they could even exit the gate, along came Frodo and Holly, waving to their friends in greeting.

"Hello!" Frodo called, a basket in one hand, while the other was entwined with his little sister's. "Holly and I picked some mushrooms for Merry, to cheer him up. Would you like to go visit him with us?"

"We were just on our way over there ourselves," Flinn grinned, thinking that he and his sword-brother were very much of the same mind. "He's been begging to see my sword, so I thought I would take it over and show it to him."

"Oh, he'll like that!" Frodo nodded, falling in step with the two dwarflings, all four of them now making their way across the meadow, and in the direction of Merry's house. It was quite a stretch of the legs to get there if one took the road, but by cutting through the field and a bit of the forest, it shaved the time down by half. They had taken that way many times, and no one worried about four little children walking alone in the Shire…for it was as safe as their mother's arms.

Or at least it usually was.

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About an hour after Flinn and Frerin had left, there came a loud pounding at the hobbit's door, prompting Thorin and Kili to rise from the table quickly, having been looking over the plans for the party that Bilbo had been showing them. Bilbo too rose in a hurry, rushing to the door and throwing it open.

"Ted Sandyman, what's the meaning of this?" Bilbo barked, taking in the sight of the out of breath hobbit. "What's so all fired important that you must beat my door down?"

"Wolves, Bilbo!" he said between gasps for air. "Wolves have crossed the Brandywine and are heading this way."

"What? How?" he demanded. "The only time they are able to leave the Old Forest and cross the river is if it freezes over in the winter."

"Or if a tree falls across it and creates a bridge," Ted told him, causing Bilbo to suck in his breath in fear. "And that's apparently what's happened. A rider just came in from the East Farthing, telling that a large pine fell across the river down by the Overbourn Marshes. A pack about fifteen strong crossed it like a bridge and ravaged a bunch of sheep down in Woodhall, then killed three cows up near Tuckborough. Word is, they were last seen heading for Hobbiton."

"Here?" Bilbo gasped.

"Aye, so we are spreading the word to stay inside, and don't go out of your homes until we give the all clear signal," Ted told him, turning to leave, but he was halted by Thorin's gruff voice.

"WHAT? That's it?" he asked, not looking happy at all. "You plan to simply hide from these creatures, allowing them to decimate your livestock unhindered? Will you not go out and hunt them down?"

"Hunt them down?" Ted asked, looking rather shocked at such a suggestion. "With what? We have no weapons, nor the skills to battle with wolves. This has happened before, and it will undoubtedly happen again, and we've found it's best to simply let them take what they wish, and leave on their own. Then we'll see that the tree is removed and everything will be just fine."

"By Durin's Ax and Blood it will!" Thorin roared, incensed by the idea that these hobbits would simply hide in their holes and not defend their lands. "If you will not fight to protect your home…then we will!"

"You…you what?" Ted asked, his face turning pale. "I…I will need to talk to the Mayor about this."

"Then get going, and tell Will Whitefoot that the dwarves of Erebor, along with Bilbo Baggins, will rid our lands of these vile creatures," Bilbo stated, shooing the hobbit away as he took off at a run.

Thorin quickly turned to Kili, who was standing beside him with a gaping mouth. "Round up Dwalin and Tauriel…we're going hunting!"

Kili nodded in compliance, grabbing his bow and sword as he raced out the door. He knew he would find Tauriel and Marigold down at Dwalin and Bergie's home, for his wife and aunt had taken Rose and Raina there, saying they would be visiting there all morning. Thorin too headed for his room, snatching up Orcrist with a determined look on his face. As he came back through the parlor, Daisy walked out of the kitchen, looking rather perplexed by all the hullabaloo.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking from Bilbo to Thorin with worried eyes.

"Wolves," Bilbo announced, opening a trunk in the hallway and taking out his sword, Sting. "Stay inside and bolt the door, we'll be back as soon as we can."

"What about Flinn and Frerin?" she questioned. "When I was hanging up the wash earlier, I saw them, along with Frodo and Holly, heading off through the meadows!"

"Caragu!" Thorin spat in Khuzdul, just now recalling his nephew's request to go visiting. "They headed off to see Merry."

"Thorin, their home is very close to the Bywater Bridge!" Bilbo told his friend. "That's where the wolves would go to cross into Hobbiton!"

"I'm sure Saradoc would have enough sense to keep the children inside and not allow them to travel home with wolves about," he reasoned, though his face grew pale from worry. "Still…I shall go after them and make sure they are safe. I'll accompany you as far as Dwalin's, where you can join up with the others. They will need you to direct them to where the wolves will most likely strike next."

"Stay inside and be safe," Bilbo told his wife, giving Daisy a quick kiss, as they headed for the door.

"You be careful as well, Bilbo Baggins!" Daisy called after them. "Don't you dare go making me a widow for the second time, do you hear!" Yet all she received was a wave over his shoulder as he raced to keep up with Thorin, indicating that he had heard her warning. Closing the door and bolting it, she leaned against it with a sigh. "Come home safe, my love. Come home safe."

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It took no time at all for Thorin and Bilbo to reach Bergie and Dwalin's home, where the bald warrior was standing outside the door, strapping on his axes while Kili and Tauriel readied their bows. Yet before they could even greet them, Drogo and Paladin came running up.

"Have any of you seen Frodo and Holly?" Drogo asked, his eyes full of fear. "We were just told about the wolves, and I can't find them anywhere."

"Daisy said she saw them join Flinn and Frerin, who were heading down to visit with Merry," Bilbo explained, noting the way the hobbit father's face paled at this news. "Thorin is going there now to make sure they are all right."

"May we come with you?" Paladin asked, with Drogo nodding in agreement. "I was not sure if news had reached Saradoc and Esme yet, and I wanted to go warn them."

"Then let's get moving," Thorin nodded, anxious to know for sure if his nephews were safe, not to mention little Frodo and Holly. "The faster we get there, the faster we can return and join in the slaughter of those mangy wolves." He then turned to Dwalin and Kili. "Bilbo will aid you in finding them, do not let any of them escape, or else they will know there are easy pickings here and bring even more back with them the next time they get the opportunity."

"Aye, Uncle," Kili nodded.

"Grasper and Keeper have been idle too long," Dwalin told him, his lip curling into a sinister grin. "About time there was a use for them around here…as well as us."

"Don't take any unnecessary chances, Thorin," Marigold begged, clutching Raina to her side.

"Can I come too, Adad?" Rose begged, eager to be part of the fight.

"No, lassie," Thorin told his brave daughter. "I need you to stay here and protect your mother and sister. Can you do that?"

"Yes," she nodded, though looked a bit let down by the idea. "But I'd rather go with you."

"Not this time, my little flower," Thorin said firmly, then looked over at the two male hobbits. "Now, let's get going, no telling what we might meet along the way."

And so, as Thorin, Drogo and Paladin took off at a run towards Saradoc's house, the others made ready to battle the wolves. Bergie was busy fussing over Dwalin, checking the buckles and straps on his sheath that held his weapons, while Kili looked over at Tauriel with concern.

"Are you sure it's wise for you to accompany us?" he whispered, his eyes falling on her midsection. "What if you get hurt…what about the baby?"

"Kili, this is exactly why I did not wish to tell the others of my condition," she told him in a low but firm voice. "I will not be coddled like some invalid. I am a skilled warrior, and I know how to defend myself against things more vicious and vile than wolves." Her eyes then turned soft and she reached out to touch Kili's cheek. "Yet I promise, I will not put myself, or our child, in any needless danger."

"That's all I ask, my love," Kili said, attempting to give her a confident smile.

"Are we ready?" Dwalin asked, finally able to get free of Bergie, who was now fighting to keep Torin and Talin at her side, both of them also wanting to join their father.

"So, where do you think the wolves are?" Kili asked, looking over at his hobbit friend. Bilbo had just opened his mouth to speak, when an eerie howl was heard not too far away to the west.

"I would say, that direction," the former burglar stated, drawing his sword and pointing the way. So the four of them made their way across the meadow and towards the clump of trees where the sound had originated.

The hunt was on!

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Thorin and the two hobbits at last arrived at Saradoc's home, out of breath, yet anxious to discover if the children were indeed safe behind dirt walls. However, when Paladin beat on the door, and it was opened at last, Esme looked at the three of them in a confused manner.

"What's going on?" she demanded, instantly alarmed by their expressions.

"Are Frodo and Holly here?" Drogo demanded, getting right to the point.

"As well as Flinn and Frerin?" Thorin added.

"They were, but they left a little bit ago," she informed them. "Why…what's the matter?" Just then Saradoc came up behind his wife, looking equally concerned.

"Wolves have crossed the Brandywine, and the last time they were spotted, they were heading for Hobbiton," Paladin explained, causing his sister and brother-in-law to gasp in shock. "We were hoping that the children were still here…and safe."

"Oh, if I had only known sooner, I would have locked them inside and not allowed them to leave!" Saradoc moaned, looking at his friends with great regret.

"We must go find them!" Drogo insisted, turning around as if hoping to see them somewhere in the distance.

"They didn't take the road," Saradoc informed them. "I saw them head out over the meadows towards the trees when they left. It's a short cut, one even I have taken many times to Bilbo's house. Come, I'll show you." He stepped outside, grabbing a pitchfork that was leaning near the door and headed off in the direction the children had gone. "Stay inside, Esme, and protect Merry," he yelled back, with Thorin, Drogo, and Paladin hot on his heels.

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Flinn, Frerin, Frodo, and Holly had just entered the woods, heading back to Bilbo's house, talking and laughing as they went. Merry had been delighted to have the company, as well as the mushrooms. And he had marveled at the bright shiny sword that his father had held out for him to inspect…even if he was not allowed to touch it. The young hobbit felt better though, when Frerin told him that even he wasn't allowed to touch any weapons …except for the wooden practice swords that his father and Dwalin used when teaching him. And so, after a nice visit with the laid up lad, the four of them had headed back to Bag End, all eager for a tasty lunch prepared by Daisy.

They had not gone far however, when a sudden howl came from not too far away, stopping all four children in their tracks.

"What was that?" Frerin asked, looking up at his brother and Frodo for answers.

"I…I don't know, but it sounded really close," Frodo replied, taking hold of Holly's hand and pulling her protectively to his side.

"I'm scared, Frodo!" his sister whined, burying her face in his jacket as she snuggled against him for comfort.

"Don't worry, Holly," Flinn said, in what he hoped was a confident voice. "It was probably just someone's old hound dog who caught the scent of a rabbit or something. Come on, we should go." He was not completely sure of his own words, and the young dwarfling thought it best they get out of the woods and back to Bilbo's as quickly as possible.

So they plodded on, at a much quicker pace, and without the laughing and talking this time. Their eyes were scanning both left and right, watching for any sign of danger, with the hairs on the back of their necks standing straight on end. They were nearly out of the woods…so to speak…when they heard a menacing snarl, and this time it was coming from directly in front of them.

"Flinn…" Frerin whimpered, stepping behind his brother for protection and peeking out with only one eye. "That didn't sound like no hound dog."

This time Flinn had to agree, for the low, feral growl coming from the bushes just ahead of them sent chills up his spine.

"Frerin…Holly…get behind me and Frodo," he whispered, pulling his little sword out of its sheath and tossing the leather holder to the ground, gripping the handle with both hands. "Back up slowly."

The two youngsters obeyed, with Flinn and Frodo forming a barrier between their siblings and the potential threat. Yet as they retreated, the sound came closer, until they could not only hear the beasts in front of them…they could see them as well. Three large grey wolves were stalking towards them, their yellow eyes gleaming, and saliva dripping from their blood stained jaws. It would appear that the children were not the first prey they had hunted this day…and Flinn prayed they would not meet the same fate as the last.

"Frodo…get Frerin and Holly up into that tree," Flinn ordered, attempting to keep his voice calm, so as not to frighten the hobbit lass, who looked as if she were about to scream at any moment. "Quickly!"

"What about you?" Frodo gasped, his eyes darting from the three hungry beasts to his friend and back.

"I will hold them off while you get them to safety," he instructed, his hands tightening on the grip of his sword. "I'm the only one with a weapon…so do as I say. Now!"

Frodo did not seem happy about Flinn's order, but he complied, inching himself backwards until he and the younger children were at the base of a large oak tree. The branches were low enough for him to boost them up into, which he did with amazing speed and accuracy. Once they were safely off the ground, he told them to both climb higher, Frerin and Holly managing to get to a third branch before they huddled together, holding on for dear life.

"Now you, Frodo," Flinn hissed, noticing that his friend had not joined them.

"NO! I won't leave you!" the hobbit objected, returning to Flinn's side. "You're my sword-brother! We stand together!"

"But you don't have a sword!" the dwarfling protested. "Get to safety, Frodo!"

"Not without you!" he maintained, reaching down and picking up a few rocks in his hands. "If you fight…then I fight!"

Flinn wanted to argue further, but the determined look in his friend's eyes stopped his protests. And if truth be told, the little dwarfling appreciated the support, for he had never been more frightened in all his life, not even back in the mines when he'd been captured by orcs…or by Bina. And to have Frodo standing bravely beside him, gave Flinn the courage he needed.

However, the young prince was not afforded any more time to contemplate such matters. For at that moment, the three wolves chose to attack, apparently unhappy that their prey had dwindled in size, due to their lack of immediate action. As the dwarfling and the hobbit braced themselves, little Holly let out a piercing scream from the branches above, fearing that her brother and his friend would soon be ripped to shreds!

Yep...I did it again. Another cliffie! How evil am I? ha ha.

So, it would appear that the Shire is not as peaceful as everyone thought, and the hobbits were not up for a big wolf hunt either. Good thing the dwarves, elf, and Bilbo are.

Hope they find the children soon too...things don't look very good for them.

How brave are Flinn and Frodo? Gotta love 'em.

Guest Reviews:

Emrfangirl: Glad you liked her one answer of "YES" ha ha. Even Bain got a kick out of it I think. Yep, him and Dunner didn't know what hit them, and of course Tilda will get a big kick out of hearing the story. Kid's teeth are sharp, right? I plan on having a lot of fun with Gandalf the kitty. ha ha. Thanks.

abc: ha ha, yes, I might have to just keep going with this and never stop. ha ha. No, it must end sometime. Just not today. I had a great time writing little Freya...she needed her own moment in the sun. Yes, Gandalf will get a big kick out of the kitten being named after him...I think. ha ha. Thanks.

Aranel Mereneth: Every house, even the one of Durin, needs a kitten! ha ha. Thanks.

darkone7142: *grins with pride* Thanks! And yes, Poor Bain...he has an ouchie.