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Ch 17: Into the Woods
Sun rise came and the girls prepared the dwarves for the long travel. Luna gathered the ponies, occasionally she'd wince as sharp pain went up her shoulder. Nova packed up the dwarves share of the food and water. Thorin spook with Gandalf privately as the others got ready to leave.
"We cannot take these girls with us. It is too dangerous for them and us." Thorin said.
"These lands are now crawling with Orcs, these three know these lands then you or I. Beorn finds it wise to let them accompany use to the mountain." Gandalf said.
"What if the eldest turns on us? She had no troubles attacking her sister." He said.
"She will have to choose who she'll be. She and the others will be the help you need." He reasoned with the dwarf. Thorin silently walked away from the wizard joined with the others. Gandalf sighed and watched as Beorn walk to the woods. He went outside joining the skin changer.
"What did the dwarf say?" Beorn asked.
"He will allow your daughters to escort them to the mountain." Gandalf answered.
"Once they reclaim the mountain my girls will return." He said.
"Beorn, do you believe skin changers still live in within the mountain range? You say all were killed yet." Gandalf pointed the staff toward the girls. "Will you send them to reclaim your homelands?"
Beorn did not answer his questions; a howl from the distance was heard by all, "Go now, while you have the light. The hunters are not far behind." He said running over to his girls. Holding Luna and nova as the stopped on packs and grabbed their horses. "Watch one another. If you sister acts out you follow the dwarf now, he is your alpha not her." He kissed them.
"We will be careful papa." Nova said getting on her horse.
"We love you." Luna said going into hers. They began to ride off with the company.
Boerne went over to Crescent who was still tied up. She had not changed out of wolf form but Beorn had Luna pack away her clothes. "You will protect your sisters, don't not fight you must follow." He said undoing the rope. "GO!" Crescent bolted from the tree after the company to Mirkwood. The company road rapidly across the land, Nova looked back seeing Crescent gaining fast. They approached a looming, gloomy-looking forest.
Gandalf dismounts and walks into the edge of the forest through an ancient archway. The girls dismounted from their horse and looked at the scary forest. "Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master." Gandalf said. The dwarves and Bilbo dismount taking their supplies off the ponies.
Bilbo approaches the forest, "This forest feels...sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?"
"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south." Gandalf said. He entered further into the forest entrance.
Crescent getting there caught her breathe and looked at the entrance. her ears went back and growled show her teeth. Thorin saw she was uneasy with the Elven realm. "Will your sister attack again?" he asked Nova fixing his pack. She nodded no, taking steps toward the wolf he held out his hand. "Ease yourself, I don't like elves either." He said touching her snout. Luna and Nova were shocked she let his touch her. Crescent stare into the eyes of the dwarf king and calmed down, she felt eased by the alpha. She sat as Thorin rubbed her snout then went to gather his men, Nova and Luna went over petting their sister. Giving a tail wag she nuzzled and licked them showing her love for them.
Gandalf came out of the forest as Nori was finishing unsaddling his horse, "Not my horse! I need it."
"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked.
"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf reassured then hobbit. "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erbor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." He jumped upon 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." Bilbo looked at Dwalin wondering what the wizard meant. "You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again. No matter what may come, stay on the path!" He yelled back riding off. "Keep one another safe!"
Thorin and Company turn toward the forest. "Will you two be shifting?" He asked Luna and Nova. They both nodded no knowing it would hard for them to stay focus. "Very well, Crescent you take the front with me. Luna takes the middle and Nova the back." He ordered and they bowed following orders. "Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." He said.
"Durin's Day. Let's go!" Dwalin said.
"This is our one chance to find the hidden door." He led the troop into Mirkwood. They followed the paved path, mid way the path turned a corner. "The path goes this way." As the dwarves, shifters, and Bilbo kept following the path through the forest, it twisted and turned over all sorts of terrain, high ledges, fallen tree trunks, and spider webs. Dwalin thumps the handle of his hammer on the ground to find the paving stones of the trail, "This way." They continue walking.
"Air. I need air." Bofur cried out.
"My head, it's spinning." Oin called
floated through the air was pollen from the trees. Luna could feel herself getting light headed and slowed down. "I feel it too." She said lowly holding her head. Nova became nervous hearing noises. The dwarves came upon a broken bridge crossing a stream. Thorin watched as Kili ran ahead, "Well we found the bridge."
"Bridge?" Bofur said looking at the broken structure. "We can try an swim it."
"Didn't you hear what Gandalf said, a darkness lies upon this forest." Thorin said looking around. "The waters of these streams are enchanted."
"Doesn't look very enchanted to me." Bofur said then saw as Crescent went drinking from it. "Doesn't seem to bother her."
Nova looked and called, "Crescent no it clouds the mind." She said going over but then felt a strong thirst. She got on her knees dipping her hand in she began sipping the water. Luna went over too and took a drink. "It tastes good."
"Yes, father said not too but I can't help myself." She said sipping more. She felt her head begin to spin more, looking over she watched as the dwarves began climbing over through tree vines. "Look at that, they are silly." Nova giggles and climbed up a rock seeing another across the way. She pointed to it and Luna chuckled, "Think we can jump to that one?" She was seeing three of the same rock, she followed Nova an attempted the jump.
"Luna! Be careful!" Bilbo called seeing her unsteady. He gasped as she jumped across just making it. Nova went next and also barley made it, the turned and cheers Crescent to jump. "No no, Crescent don't." He called holding out his hands for her to stop. Crescent passed side to side seeing the dwarves almost over. Hearing a plop Bilbo looked seeing Bombur in the water, He panicked as the sleeping dwarf began to float away. Crescent leapt in the water an doggie paddle grabbing the dwarf; she dragged him onto the land and shook off the water. The company tried to wake him but Bombur was out, shifting a lift they carried him along. "Crescent are you alright?" Bilbo asked seeing her eyes dazing, he heard Thorin call for the wolf. She walked pass the hobbit and joined Thorin. The company traveled hours through the forest get lost further in. The girls became wilder and began hitting trees with their fist and rubbing heads.
"Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!" Thorin yelled at the men.
"I don't remember this place before. None of its familiar." Balin said.
"It's got to be here." Dori called
"What hour is it?" Thorin asked trying to find the sun.
"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is." Dwalin said.
"Is there no end to this accursed place!?" Thorin yelled to the trees. The dwarves muttering and rambling as they wander about. Bilbo absentmindedly plucks a spider web; it vibrations continue through the various linked spider webs and far off into the forest.
"Look." Ori said showing Dori
"A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods."
Bofur took the pouch from Dori, "Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine."
"Because it is yours. You understand? We're going round in circles. We are lost." Bilbo said.
"We're not lost. We keep heading east." Nova said annoyed.
"But which way is east? We've lost the sun." Oin commented, he was barked at by Nova. The dwarves begin bickering amongst one another and even to the shifters. Crescent heard a twig snap and ran ahead of everyone. Nova grabbed Luna wrist and began running after her. The dwarves watched at the shifters disappeared out of view.
Crescent chase after a large white stag, this wasn't the first time she had seen this creature. Little did she know this was Thranduil eyes and ears of the forest, for as fast as she ran the stag was faster? Nova and Luna ran behind trying to keep up but lost them. "Where has she gone?" Luna asked looking around.
"I don't see her, or the company." She rubbed her temples. She looked to see a figure step from behind a tree; it was a wood elf drawing his bow and arrow. "We are lost, please help us."
"Your kind are not ones to come to my father's lands." He said lowering his arrow as his men surrounded them. "I am Legolas son of King Thranduil. We had caught a large wolf half way form here, your pet?"
"No she is our sister. We are shifters who live not far from these woods." Luna said holding up her hands. "We just ask to be lead out with our company."
"Company? Three does not seem like a company." He said looking up at them.
"There are dwarves we are guiding. Thorin Oakensheild and his men." Nova answered.
Legolas wondered why dwarves traveled into the woods, he looked at another elf. "Take them to the king; he will decide what to do with them." The two were escorted to the woodland realm to meet the king. Legolas took the others to find the lost dwarves.