Note: Italics is thoughts, unless specified otherwise i.e flashbacks or visions. / is timeskip

AN: I may or may not have gone a bit crazy with the POV's...


ALEXA'S POV

Blast will this never end? First Stone Giants, then Goblins, and now Orcs?

Running, running, running. The longer the company ran down the mountainside the darker the sky got; day turning to night. The pounding paws of the beasts behind them echoed loudly, sounding closer with every breath.

Alexa exhaled sharply; the air in her lungs came out in harsh gasps. She was exhausted. Her left arm hung limply by her side, shoulder throbbing. Just another few minutes. It felt like forever and a day had passed by the time Alexa and the rest of the company had reached the edge of the mountain. Shit!

The company came to a dead-end, a cliff. A great drop awaited them, about six hundred feet from where they stood to another forest below. They were undoubtedly screwed.

Her green-grey eyes wandered to her right, to Gandalf. The Wizard had a look of panic in his eyes, fearing for the worst. His expression did little to comfort her, only proving to scare her further. Alexa's eyes searched their surroundings for anything, anything that could help them escape. She found nothing.

Her head twisted and turned from side to side before her eyes scanned over him. The blood in her veins quickened as her eyes snapped back towards the Hobbit. A Warg had crept up behind him, baring its sharp teeth.

"BILBO!" Alexa screamed; a shaking hand raised, at the ready. However, he seemed to have the situation under control, as he had soon impaled the beast - by accident or no, he had done it.

Bilbo stood there wide-eyed as a fierce growl had come from the Warg as it drew it last breath. Despite wanting to, she had no time to hug Bilbo, as the rest of the pack had come towards them in greater numbers, surrounding them.

"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Alexa, Bilbo climb!" Gandalf called out, his voice not registering in Alexa's ears.

The pounding of blood roaring through her ears muted out all noise around her. A gruff hand forcefully grabbed at her injured shoulder, promoting a cry from the woman; however, it seemed she needed it, as the sharp pulse of pain brought her back to the situation at hand. The owner of the hand had since removed it from her wound and muttered a quick apology, before grasping the back of her tattered cloak tightly.

"They are coming!"

She felt herself being lobbed into the air before making contact with a branch. CLIMB! Adrenaline pumped through her veins. Grasping the branch tightly she steadied herself before beginning the climb up.

Alexa was forced into taking her time; as she only had one hand. Ever thankful for her small frame and weight, she dragged herself up through the branches to the very top of the tree.

THIRD POV

Gandalf glanced at Alexa's ascending form, a sigh of relief leaving him. A loud snap caused his eyes to flick down the tree and to the hungry Wargs. Timidly he outstretched his hand, he held his wooden staff towards a butterfly, before softly drawing the staff back to his chest. Words ran from his mouth towards the butterfly in a whisper; releasing the creature, he watched as it fluttered away – a flicker of hope in the Wizard's eyes.

Growls came from below, a white Warg stood on a ledge staring out at the company with his equally-as-white Master. Alexa shivered as a feeling of dread washed over her in waves; as she came face-to-face with the Pale Orc from her vision, Thorin's bane.

Roughly shoving a branch off to the side, Thorin got a good look at the scarred Orc before him. "Azog," he muttered, disbelief and shock clouding his features.

The Pale Orc made a show of sniffing the air before black speech poured from his mouth, "Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?" [Do you smell it? The scent of fear?]

Unable to understand a word, the company all held their breaths. Waiting for the inevitable. "Thorin son of Thrain," Azog finished, his face twisting into a malicious grin, showcasing his rotten teeth.

"It cannot be," Thorin whispered, his face growing paler by the second. The company watched as Azog pointed his wicked mace in Thorin's' direction, as if claiming him - then his forces descended.

Jaws snapped beneath their feet; the mangled beasts leapt from the ground tearing at the lower branches in an attempt to climb. A bitter cackle rose from the pale Orc's throat; he watched astride his white Warg as his mutts tore into the roots of the trees holding the company.

"Sho gad adol!" [Drink their blood!] Azog roared, his command fueling the Wargs attacks as they became more violent for the taste of blood.

Alexa peered down; eyes wide as she barely hanged on through the assault. Her right arm stiff around the tree, she watched as the over-sized dogs begun tearing through the roots of the very same tree, she sat in.

Yelling arose from the Dwarves around her; her own screams leaving her mouth as they tumbled and fell from one tree to another and so on like dominoes. Uprooting all of the trees; until they were all perched on the very last tree, a tree that just so happened to be standing half on-half off the edge of a cliff.

Azog snickered, a cruel look in his dull eyes; the sound of his laugh travelled to the company's ears. All hanging on for dear life as the Wargs continued their restless onslaught.

/

As a last-ditch effort, Gandalf snagged a pinecone off a nearby branch with ease. Clutching his staff firmly, he raised the pinecone to meet it.

Blowing softly, embers rose from his staff and caught onto the pinecone, setting it alight. With a steady hand and a half-decent arm, Gandalf threw the flaming pinecone towards the growling Wargs below. Striking the dry ground and catching alight; the fire roared, the dry leaves and branches on the ground only fueling it to grow higher, hotter.

Thorin watched the Wizard's movements shocked, he couldn't have done that before? He thought, grateful, however for Gandalf's efforts. While this was all happening, Gandalf had grabbed and lit another two pinecones.

"Fili," Gandalf shouted, catching the young Dwarf's attention. Gandalf dropped one of the flaming pinecones into Fili's awaiting hands, while he threw the other, successfully hitting and setting aflame to one of the Wargs.

Fili, now having a flaming pinecone; tossed it between his hands, preventing the flames from burning him. Turning to his right - towards Bilbo who had ripped off his own pinecone. Bringing the two pinecones closer together, Fili then helped light the one in Bilbo's hands, both throwing the now flaming pinecones onto the dry earth.

The process went on for a bit; Gandalf lighting the cones, passing it to one in the company and throwing it towards the woodland floor below. Their efforts sent the Wargs running back to their Master, yelping in pain.

Their fear of the fire caused a roar to erupt from Azog. Cheers sounded from the company as they had successfully managed to create a concaved semicircle around them, protecting them from Azog's forces.

The bad feeling was still wafting around Alexa's head and her senses; she realized then that they had only just briefly warded off the inevitable. As if proving her point, a loud creak erupted from the tree; the company went silent, cheers of merriment died in their throats as they were forced to hang on for dear life as the tree swayed slightly before crashing down over the edge of the cliff.

ALEXA'S POV

Alexa dangled from a branch over the cliff, a haggard look on her face. A fall of six hundred feet into a forest below her feet awaited her, almost surely guaranteeing death.

"Ah! Oh, oh no!" someone screamed,

"Mister Gandalf!" Another yelled, their voice strained,

Alexa flicked her eyes towards the noise, her hair sticking to her sweaty face, blocking her view. But she knew who it was, the voice was recognizable enough. The yell that followed only confirmed her suspicions.

"Hold on Ori!" Dori yelled, his face red and muscles straining, holding onto Gandalf's staff for not only his survival but his brothers.

Alexa could do nothing but listen to their struggle, as she too fought to survive. Breathing in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth, Alexa started to sway back and forth. Gaining momentum in her swings, she managed to touch the trunk of the tree. Knowing that she now had enough velocity in her swings to reach the trunk, she swung one last time towards the stock of the tree.

A pained groan left her lips as she forced herself to let go of the branch and soar towards the trunk. She landed with a thud on her injured shoulder. The impact causing blood to ooze from her wound and splatter across her face. She ran her right hand over her face, doing more bad than good as she only smudged the blood further along her cheeks.

A spike of pain shot up her arm, causing a fresh run of tears to flow from her eyes as she adjusted her position. Deciding to sit against a sturdy enough branch with a few smaller, bushier branches sticking out over her head.

Alexa knew that Thorin would someday seek his revenge upon the Pale Orc, as it showed in her vision at Rivendell. But even that did not prepare her for this.

The bark crunched under his stocky steel-capped boots as he marched with purpose towards the Pale Orc, sword unsheathed. He strode down the length of the trunk, Orcrist in hand, an oaken branch in his other, as a shield. A look of determination was on Thorin's face, as he broke into a run; crossing the fire barrier and charging towards the Pale Orc and his Warg.

Alexa observed the scene from her place on the tree trunk, her glassy eyes barely making out Thorin's hair let alone his shape. She watched as Thorin's mighty frame was struck down by Azog's mace and chewed like a toy in the white Wargs mouth; its teeth sinking into his flesh, drinking his blood. Even through the tears, Alexa knew that there was a smug look was on Azog's face, everything had happened just as he wanted it to - and the bastard was bathing in it.

The ache in her shoulder was only building as the effects of her adrenaline wore off; just from the pain Alexa knew the Goblin King had dislocated her shoulder, as well as broken a few of her bones in her left arm - for sure. Blood oozed through her ripped tunic and onto her fingers, staining them a deep red. She couldn't even imagine what her wound looked like; she didn't want to.

"Alexa, lass. You alright?" a voice called,

A hoarse "No," escaped her throat in a harsh cough,

"Lass?" The voice called again, now closer than before. Alexa shifted slightly in her spot; eyes glazed. Blood pooled around her form, darkening her cloak and the bark beneath her.

"Mahal's beard!" Something blocked her sight of the fire ahead; fuzzy shapes flew towards her. Only registering the Dwarf in front of her by their touch on her face.

"Alexa? Can you hear me, lass?" Nori?

Darkness.

NORI'S POV

"Alexa, lass. You alright?" he called, manoeuvring his way down the tree as quickly as he could to the lass; a feeling of dread rising in his chest.

"Lass?" he asked once more, only a few steps away.

He watched as the woman shifted slightly, but said nothing in return. "Mahal's beard!" he breathed; his grey eyes wide.

"Alexa? Can you hear me, lass?" Nori questioned, eyes frantically searching her unusually dull-looking ones.

Now on bended knee, he scooched closer towards her; his hands reached out to grasp her bloody face softly when his knee suddenly felt wet. What? He thought. Why am I wet?

Peering down at his knee confusion lit up his face, before understanding took place, then fear. Cold, bone-rattling fear. The feeling only intensified when her head lulled forward into his hands, eyes closed.

Quickly leaning her back against the branch behind her, he retracted his hands from her; now with her body supported on the branch, he unfastened her cloak with practised hands. The material fell from her shoulders, her wound now in full view. Nori's eyes scanned her injured shoulder, face pale. How did we not notice before? He scorned himself, before snapping into action.

"Oin! Get over here quick!" He yelled, pressing Alexa's cloak into her wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"What is it, laddie?" Oin shouted,

"It's Alexa, she's hurt," he replied, voice thick with emotion. His tone, sent the Dwarves still on the tree to panic, all calling out to ask what happened, what was wrong and if she was alright.

His eyes were fixed on his hands; the same hands which held the dripping fabric to the woman's ghastly wound. No words left his mouth, only quiet gasps until Oin had pulled him away. Nori looked out at the Dwarves, eyes not even registering the Eagles above them. His grey eyes met scared green-brown, the eyes of Bofur. He sighed, eyes breaking contact to peer down at his bloodied hands.

"Her shoulder," he muttered softly. He went to turn back to her, to Alexa when something grabbed him; he went to fight the unknown creature when it released him from their grasp and off the cliff.

Landing on something soft, his grey eyes scanned the large bird confused. From his peripheral's, he saw his brothers and Bilbo perched quite safely on their own birds. Looking back at the cliff, he observed as the large birds - which he had now recognized to be Eagles - save the rest of the company.

Soon everyone was settled upon an Eagle, all except for Thorin who was being carried in an Eagle's grasp; as he had been hurt badly during the brief fight with Azog.

Nori winched, eyes downcast as he thought of his King, before snapping back up and scanning the Eagles for her. The more Eagles he searched, the more nervous he got. Where is she? She's not with Oin , or Gloin , or Bofur , or Fili, and Kili-

Feeling eyes on his back, he spun around on the Eagle he was seated upon. Dark blue eyes stared back at his grey ones before his settled on the form of the woman in their arms. A look of fear and questioning shone in Nori's eyes and he stared back at the dark blue orbs; awaiting an answer. Understanding and reassurance flashed in the blue orbs, a nod in confirmation made him sigh in relief. She was okay.

— Back in Time Several Minutes —

THIRD POV

"Help!" Ori cried out, unaware of the situation his King was in. Dori whined as his fingers slowly begun losing their grip.

Thorin exhaled heavily, pushing up from bended knee to face off against the Pale Orc. He had hardly turned around before Azog's mace had slammed into his face, sending him tumbling back to the woodland floor.

"Nooo!" Balin yelled, watching as his King was brutally assaulted by the Pale Orc. His yell caused a growl to blare from Azog, kicking his Warg into moving towards Thorin's unmoving body. A panic-stricken Bilbo gathered his bearings and stood, a scared look in his eyes. The white Warg's jaw clamped around Thorin's form, biting into his chest; His screams filled the air.

"Thorin! NO!" Dwalin bellowed, sorrow clear in his tone. He attempted to get to his brother-in-arms, but the branch had other ideas. It snapped under his weight, almost sending Dwalin to his death. He dangled over the cliff by a literal thread; the branch swung from side to side as he tried and failed to regain his footing.

Bones crunched beneath the white Wargs teeth as it continued to tear through the Dwarven Kings' flesh. But Thorin wasn't done, not yet. He thrust his fighting arm back around to the Wargs snout, hitting the creature with the butt of Orcrist.

His battered body landed heavily on stone, having been unceremoniously thrown across the woodland by the pissed off Warg. His body lay limp, barely breathing.

"Bririz Torah khobdudol," [Bring me the Dwarf's head] Azog muttered with a somewhat bored expression, head jerking in Thorin's direction.

His command promoted a nearby Orc to slide off his Warg, the Orc strode confidently towards the Dwarf a sickle-like blade in hand.

Bilbo watched as the Orc sauntered closer to the Dwarf King. A spark of bravery lit in his chest before lighting into a roaring fire like the one before him. Unsheathing his sword, the blade glowed a bright blue. The Hobbit paused for a moment, breathing deeply in an effort to calm his raging heart, before he followed in Thorin's footsteps; treading softly down the trunk of the limp tree and through the still-raging fire.

The Orc held the curved blade down across Thorin's neck, as said Dwarf struggled to grab his sword. He watched, vulnerable, as the Orc lifted the blade above his head.

THORIN'S POV

Forgive me, father, for I have failed to reclaim our homeland. Mahal look after Fili and Kill, it's my fault th -

A yell sounded from his right, unintentionally startling him. The Hobbit, Bilbo who he had called weak had saved him. Oh, Mahal! I will never live this one down. He thought, unable to do anything but watch as Bilbo tackled the Orc, before being rolled over onto his back.

A breath left Thorin as he watched, not wanting yet another to die because of him. He didn't have to worry long however as Bilbo had been rather resourceful, kicking the Orc in the chest, warding off his blade with his own, before stabbing the Orc repeatedly through the chest with his small Elvish blade. I have truly doubted you, Master Baggins… He last thought, eyes glazing over.

BILBO'S POV

Bilbo stood in front of Thorin's unconscious body, waving his blade around frantically; slicing through the air. Three riders and their Wargs prowled towards the Hobbit, growling lowly. This is it; I'm going to die! Bilbo thought, the notion terrifying the poor Hobbit.

Yelling broke his trance, his brown eyes snapping over towards the sound; he watched as Kili, Fili, and Dwalin bashed and sliced at the hideous Wargs and their equally foul riders. Releasing a yell of his own, he ran towards the one closest to him, swiping his blade across the Wargs snout before deflecting a blow from its rider.

Pivoting to the left, Bilbo collided with something heavy. All he needed to see was the blotched white fur before trying to scamper away; the white Warg pushed him over, making him fall on his back.Fool of a took! Bilbo criticized, shuffling back as the Pale Orc and the white Warg continued to ascend towards him.

THIRD POV

Thick fingers slipped from their tight grip, unable to hold on for any longer. Dori and Ori both let out yells of panic as they fell; an Eagle having heard their screaming flew beneath them. After catching them on its back, the Eagle flew away from the roaring fire on the cliffside.

Gandalf lips graced into a relieved smile as he saw the Eagles soar towards them. They screeched as they swooped down, digging their long sharp talons into the Wargs bellies; then proceeding to drop them off the side of the cliff-face to their death – not that they deserved any less… Awful creatures.

Bilbo's mouth fell open in shock, awe clear in his eyes as he watched as one particular Eagle planted itself onto one of the pine trees and sent it crashing down onto more of Azog's forces, crushing them into the earth.

DWALIN'S POV

The bald Dwarf barely had enough time to duck, as an Eagle swooped over his head. His eyes wide as he witnessed the Eagles plucking the Wargs from the ground and releasing them to their deaths over the cliff. A muffled laugh of relief sounded from his chest. Aye, kill teh bastards! He thought, a glint in his eye.

His mood faltered slightly as he watched Thorin, his brother-in-arms being lifted and carried off the cliff by an Eagle. It was then he realized the Eagles were picking up the rest of his companions too; this realization caused his eyes to roam the area.

"Oin! Get over here quick!" Someone yelled; the scared tone in the voice caused the warrior to turn swiftly on his heel towards the noise.

Nori? He thought, confused as to why he had sounded so fearful. In no hurry at all, Dwalin brisk-fully walked towards the panicked Dwarf, axes now in their leather holsters; that was until he heard the next few words from Nori's mouth.

"It's Alexa, she's hurt,"

Now running, his boots covered the last few feet between them, his big form came up behind the huddled ones of Nori and Oin. He watched as Oin pulled a shaking Nori's frame away from the lass; Nori staggered to his feet, hands stained red. No. Dwalin thought, his eyes set on Nori's face, looking for answers, for anything. Nori didn't even look at him, completely ignoring Dwalin as he turned towards the rest of the panic-stricken Dwarves.

With heavy feet, he stumbled the last few feet to Oin, to her. The healer was loosening the knot holding the cloak in place; gently pulling back her dark cloak and exposing the horrific gash on her shoulder. Dwalin gasped, before swallowing heavily, throat seemingly swollen shut.

Her shoulder was mangled, blood was splattered over her pale face, collarbone and down her left arm. It seemed Nori had managed to stop the bleeding, but with Oin having now removed the cloak, he had unknowingly started it up again.

An ear-piercing scream invaded his ears, almost bursting the drum; his eyes snapped to the convulsing form of Alexa, her eyes wide, lips open in a dying scream.

"Wha' er yer doing?!" He yelled at the old Dwarf, yanking his hands away from her.

"Yer hurtin' her!" Dwalin continued, shouting. Oin barely managed to get a word out, confused at the burly Dwarf's sudden burst of anger towards him; having of course done nothing but touch her bad shoulder, he hadn't even applied that much pressure. But it was enough for Dwalin to see red.

During his shouting match with Oin, Alexa had begun to come to consciousness. Ripping off the sleeve of her tunic, Dwalin was careful not to jostle her shoulder as he wrapped the cloth around her wound, stopping any further bleeding. He winced slightly at her injury; as he came to the understanding that it must have been sustained from the Goblin King's blow from when she had spat at his feet.

He smiled slightly at the thought before it soured once more; she hadn't even bothered to mention her lesion, just waving them off, saying it was nothing of concern. It was at this particular moment that Dwalin began to realize just how tough this woman was - tough but stupid.

His rough hands grasped her wet cloak; the fabric having been drenched in her blood. Dark blue eyes searched her glazed ones as he secured the cloak once more around her form.

"Why didn't yer say, anythin' lass?" He asked, his voice a quiet rumble.

Instead of replying, Alexa's right hand raised slightly, a grimace on her lips; the simple action evidently taking all of her strength. He watched as it landed on his thick thigh, before sliding down to his knee. Dwalin's eyes snapped up to hers in question, wonder and confusion in his eyes at her action. All he received were unspoken words breathed from her lips and a soft pat on his knee before the darkness took her once more.

Startled yells interrupted his shock, peering around he saw the Eagles plucking his fellow kin and members of the company from the fallen pine tree and carry them off to safety. With slow, steady movements he wrapped one his arms under the back of her thighs and the other around her back. Scooping her up as gently as he could, he held her limp form against his burly chest; waiting to be picked up by one of the Eagles.

They didn't have to wait long as soon Dwalin had spotted an Eagle below the tree – as if waiting especially for them, which it most definitely was. Adjusting his hold on her he leapt the small distance from the overhanging tree, landing heavily onto the large birds back.

"I've got ya, Alexa," he whispered uncharacteristically soft into her red hair.

— Time Skip: Now —

THIRD POV

They flew in the direction of east for hours, dusk turned to dawn. The sun began rising above the peaks of the mountains, as they soared above the clouds and through gullies.

At some point Alexa had awoken, causing relieved sighs and cheers to erupt throughout the company. Nori, in particular, had gone almost berserk; questions about her wellbeing falling from his lips. His concern and genuine care made tears come to Alexa's eyes, she softly responded that she was okay and thanked him for checking up on her. That comment had earned her an eye-roll and a few scoffs. As if he wouldn't help her! Pfft.

Alexa had tried to grin though it came out as more as a grimace, and had attempted to apologize about how she wasn't useful in the fight against Azog. To put it lightly, it had caused an outburst.

"Done nothing?"

"You did most of the fighting against the Goblins!"

"It's true, lass took down nearly everyone in her path," They commented.

"You needn't apologize, lass. I'm honestly surprised you had made it up the tree with that shoulder of yours," Balin had commented; a fatherly aura came from him, the same that Alexa had felt around her Master, Ki-Adi Mundi. His response caused a soft smile to appear on her face before…

"What are ya on lass? I want some," Bofur had jest, a grin on his face.

His comment erupted a laugh out of her chest, her body convulsed with mirth; that didn't last too long however as she had banged her bad shoulder into something hard, making her winch. It was then she became hyper-aware of Dwalin's body beside her. His arms had tightened around her form at her noise of pain, his muscles rippled against her side.

Alexa tried to send a smile back at him, which was harder said than done. She was sitting almost side-saddle on the Eagle, her right side pressed into his chest, head near enough under his bushy chin and her body facing the company.

Alexa had leaned back into his stronghold, stretching her back as she did. Bones popped in her back, causing a satisfied sigh to fall from her lips. Purring softly, she settled back into Dwalin's warm embrace, eyes dazed. Shutting them softly, she apologized in advance to Dwalin for using, in her words; 'his body as a surrogate hot water bottle' before sleep claimed her once more.

The other Dwarves had no idea as to what Alexa had said to the burly Dwarf, only that whatever it was had made him turn red. Which in turn made him subject to their teasing before he threatened them with a slow painful death… Which naturally silenced them.

/

"Thorin!" Fili shouted, voice cracking slightly; he stared after his uncle in sorrow.

The company watched as the Eagle carrying Thorin placed him carefully on a bear-snouted peak, The Carrock; before flying off once more. Not soon after, the Eagle carrying Gandalf came towards the mountain. Landing a slight distance away from Thorin's body, upon landing the Wizard slipped gracefully off the Eagle's back and onto the stone below.

"Thorin!" he shouted, rushing towards the Dwarven King's limp form.

"Thorin," Gandalf repeated softly, now crouched down beside his body.

Gandalf reached his left hand out; the aged fingers ran over the Dwarf's face slowly as Gandalf muttered an incantation spell of healing. No sooner after finishing the spell, Thorin gasped, his eyes snapping open. Gandalf smiled softly down at the Dwarf, a sigh leaving his lips.

"The Halfling?" Thorin croaked, still lying prone.

"It's alright. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe," Gandalf muttered softly, head jerking behind him towards the Hobbit in question.

Weakly, Thorin made to stand – only able to with the help of Dwalin and Kili. Shoving their hands off from under his arms, Thorin's blue eyes were drawn into slits as he eyed the Hobbit down.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin growled, prowling towards the Hobbit with every word that left his lips. His tone and words shocked the company, though they kept silent.

"I've never been so wrong in all my life!" he breathed softly; his arms wrapping around the small frame of the Hobbit before him.

Bilbo looked on over Thorin's shoulder at the rest of the company, he met Balin's eyes with a confused look; watching as the company erupted into cheers and laughter. His eyes then glazed over to meet Alexa's, who smiled brightly at him from her spot behind the healer Oin, giving him a big thumbs up and hollering 'Go get it, Bilbo!'

Thorin pulled back from the embrace, hands lingering on Bilbo's arms before falling back to his sides. "I am sorry I doubted you," Thorin apologized, shocking Bilbo who had never seen or heard of Thorin apologizing for anything. Bilbo smiled back softly at the Dwarf, having a few words of his own to say.

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior… Not even a burglar," Bilbo admitted, making the company chuckle.

Their attention was shortly after Bilbo's speech directed to the Eagles, who had decided to depart, deeming the company safe enough to continue without them. Thorin gazed behind Bilbo, eyes widening at the view before them. "Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked Thorin,

"Erebor-The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great Dwarf Kingdoms of Middle Earth," Gandalf answers Bilbo, a hopeful tone in his voice.

"Our home," Thorin responded breathless, a look of pride in his eyes.

"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain," Oin pipes up from beside Alexa, eyes now focused on the bird.

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush," Gandalf corrected,

"But we'll take it as a sign. A good omen," Thorin says, eyes flicking back between Bilbo and his home.

"You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us," Bilbo replies, confident of the journey ahead.

Upon hearing his words Alexa sighed painfully, eyes glassy as she thought of her vision; her Master's words rang in her head. You must save the line of Durin. For the sake of Middle Earth.