As days went by. The Dwarves weren't warming up to me, and I believed that it was because Thorin didn't like me. They followed his example and pretty much gave me the cold shoulder. It didn't help when I warned them not to wake me by touch except with a nudge because I nearly gave poor Ori a heart attack when I tackled him to the ground.

Quickly apologizing, I saw the glares and dislike all around me. I grimaced as Ori dashed behind Dori. Dwalin looked about to take my head, along with Ori's brothers. I was secretly terrorfied of the big stoic tattooed Dwalin. He made sure to keep between me and Thorin, which annoyed me as much as worried me. Did he really think I would hurt any of them on purpose?

Gandalf didn't seem very pleased by them and would have said something but I stopped him. The Dwarves couldn't be forced to like me, and no amount of nagging by Gandalf would change that. So I just helped where I could. The only bit that I liked was the few times the Dwarves brought out their instruments and played. I was shocked to see Thorin play a harp and played it well. But they only played a few times, and I couldn't help but feel like it was my fault.

I unsaddled the ponies, checked them over each night when we stopped and then gathered fire wood. That was the most they would let me do or at least needed me to do. I wouldn't mind so much if they weren't so keen to show their displeasure by snatching things out of my hands such as cooking utensils when I tried to help cook or shoving me away from a pony. At night I looked at the bowl, noticed the half rations and held back a sigh. Eating, I figured I would need to start cooking my own meals or starve. Laddybuck was the only one they let me saddle and brush myself because he didn't like the Dwarves and would bite at them, tho he didn't seem to mind Gandalf.

Shaking my head when a saddle was yanked from my hands again, I turned and walked off into the woods. I heard murmurs, knowing I was being watched but ignored them. I had realized that there was something else I could do. Fixing a sling out of some cloth in my pocket I hummed a light tune as I walked deeper into the woods. When I finally couldn't heard the Dwarves I stopped humming, took a deep breath, and listened.

Normally I was very attuned with the earth and animals around me. But it was very distracting so I just listened when I needed to and tried to ignore the rest that wasn't important. Now I listened carefully, blocking out any feeling of the animals, bending down and picking up a couple small stones. Then I heard something and started spinning my sling. Muscles tight, ears twitching at the slightest sound, I saw the rabbit jump out of a bush and let go.

The pebble hit it right between the eyes and I went over and snapped it's neck. Tying it by it's hind feet with a string to my belt I waited, listened and repeated my sling throw. Five rabbits and a porcupine later, that I carried in the other hand, I headed back to camp. Humming a tune I smiled at the shocked looks and handed the rabbits to Bombur, who usually cooked and said, "You skin these and I'll skin the porcupine."

Not waiting for a yes or no I flipped out a dagger, went out of the camp and started to skin the porcupine. Fili and Kili came over to watch first out of curiosity, followed by Nori. I ignored them, all my attention on not getting pricked. I flipped it onto it's back, cut up it's belly then around the neck arms and legs. Then carefully rolling the skin off I then gutted it and held out the finished carcass to Fili, "Would you mind giving that to Bombur while I get rid of the insides and quills?"

He took it and I buried the guts and the skin a good distance from came, making sure the hole was deep enough no one would accidentally step on the quills through the dirt. Cleaning my knife I settled myself down just on the edge of camp. I watched as Bombur cooked what I had brought, which was a good thing because the Dwarves ate a lot, especially Bombur. He was a big dwarf, and he seemed nice but like the others, hadn't warmed up to me.

When the food was done, I waited till everyone was served before getting mine, some of the Dwarves got snippy if I went ahead of them. When I got my food I thanked Bombur and asked him nervously, "I hope you don't mind porcupine. I just saw it and I thought it'd taste good?" His smile calmed my nerves, "Oh no, porcupine is real tasty. You'll like it in the the stew." I smiled at him, "I always like your food Bombur."

He seemed pleased and before I could take my bowl back he ladled some more in. I smiled gratefully at him before I took my food to go visit Laddybuck, not in the mood for the looks or glares around the camp fire. Once I was done, I cleaned my bowl and went back over to the camp. My mind was occupied with thoughts of how I was going to cook my own meals without insulting Bombur or the others and I nearly had a heart attack when Gloin jumped next to me, looking at me like he had seen a ghost.

He snapped, "Where did you come from?" Looking around, confused I pointed at the horses, "Over there. You alright Master Gloin?"

He glared at me and said firmly, "I'm fine, but you can't go sneaking up on people like that." Realizing what the fuss was about I smiled at him apologetically, "My apologies. I'll keep that in mind."

He grunted and after giving back my bowl to Bombur with praise of the good food, went back to brush Laddybuck, noting that Kili was gone. I concentrated on brushing Laddybuck, realizing that I must have used my misdirection to sneak up on Gloin, tho not on purpose.

Hearing a yelp and then a commotion I went back to the others to find them around Kili and as I got closer I saw that his forearm, from the elbow down to his wrist was covered in porcupine needles. I heard him try to explain through yelps as his brother Fili tried to yank a few out, "I was just trying to catch one. Ariana caught hers by hand."

I shook my head as Thoring glared at me like this was my fault and said calmly, "I killed it with a sling Kili. And you've got quite a lot of quills there."

He yelped as Oin then tried to yank one, which made the others want to try and I chided the Dwarves, not at all cowed by them if it meant that Kili could be helped, "Now stop that! Come over here Kili and I'll get them out of your hide while keeping it intact. I've gotten stabbed before and know how to get the quills out."

I went over to my pack and he practically hid behind me to get away from the others, kicking at his brother who tried again. I sat on a log and took out my sharpening stone and then one of my throwing knives. He hesitated for a sec, before I said calmly, "Or you can have Oin yank them out." He sat quickly in front of me and I sharpened the knife till it was razor sharp and said, "This will hurt a bit, but hold still."

He looked a bit alarmed but nodded and Fili came to stand by him, which made him feel better. I took his arm and swiftly cut the ends of the quills off, explaining, "The quills are hollow and full of air see? If you cut them before you pull, they deflate enough so that they don't hurt as bad when you pull them out."

One by one I pulled out the quills, and was finally done at quill number 25. Oin had came over to watch curiously and handed me some salve, teasing Kili as I put the yellow goop on and then wrapped it, "There, good as new. But best leave the porcupines alone from now on ya? Or shoot it with your bow."

He nodded vigorously and I handed him the quills, "Throw these into the fire please."

He did, with much pleasure and then started arguing with his brother, who was calling him a fool. Smiling softly I put my throwing knife back up my sleeve and put away my sharpening stone, settling back to watch the others. I nearly jumped out of my skin when Bifur came up and sat down on the log next to me. I hated to admit but the Dwarf half scared me. He only spoke Dwarvish and with hand gestures and grunts. Not to mention the Orc ax head protruding from his skull was a bit odd.

He was staring at me and I cocked my head to the side, wondering if he wanted something. He grunted something and waved his hands around. Frowning in confusion, but almost determined to understand what he was saying I tried to gesture back. He grinned slightly and slowed his hands. I blinked when I realized he was motioning like he was shooting a bow, but more in a jerky fashion. I shook my head and pulled out the cloth in my pocket and showed him how I put a pebble in it and slung it around but didn't release the stone.

I heard chuckles and looked over as Gloin, who was heartily eating some more porcupine, teased, "How on earth did you hunt with a sling? It's a weak toy, can't possibly be of any use."

I teased back good naturally, "Maybe, but you seem to like the porcupine my weak toy brought to the meal." I grinned as he scowled at me, then Bifur waved him off and grunted something else, waving towards a tree. Then he stood and motioned the swinging something and then tapped a knot on a tree trunk. Startled to realize that I knew what he was saying I laughed and nodded, "Aye Bifur."

He backed up to me and gestured for me to go ahead. I eyed the knot for a second, winding up my sling and with a swift throw and a crack, the pebble hit the knot. I heard a whistle behind me as Bifur clapped and I grinned at him. Sitting back down he sat beside me and brought out a hunk of wood and a carving knife from his pockets. Curious I watched as he carved away, able to ignore the others as I watched. Smiling softly at this gruff Dwarf carving so gently, I turned and rustled into my pack and pulled out my small book of blank pages and bound in leather. Then I produced the inkwell and quill to write with. Dipping my quill in the ink I soon became engrossed in my drawing.

Just as Bifur grunted and put away his knife I carefully used one of my knives to cut away the page and held it out to him. He blinked, took it and then laughed a big guffing laugh that had me smiling at him. He seemed to really like the realistic porcupine I drew him and then he held out something to me. Curious I opened my hand and he dropped into it, a small porcupine of amazing detail. Laughing myself, I held out my hand and we clasped forearms like soldiers might, "Thank you Bifur. I'll treasure it."

Bofur translated in Dwarf for me. This earned me a big grin from the Dwarf. I tucked the porcupine with my book safely into my pack and got curled up in my cloak, settling down on the ground with my back to the log. Pretending to fall asleep for a moment, I saw the other Dwarves look over the drawing I had given Bifur and they seemed impressed. Hiding a smile I closed my eyes, about to go to sleep. But something cold touching my cheek nearly made me jump out of my skin, and I whipped my head around to stare into the deep brown eyes of a black and white face.

Leaning my head back to get a batter look I realized it was a small badger. The badger smelled musky and earthy and let loose a big yawn. Smiling softly as I heard, "You smell nice, may I rest with you?"

I glanced at the Dwarves, they hadn't noticed and opened my cloak with a nod. The badger shuffled off the log and careful of it's big claws, curled up in my lap like a cat. I guessed it must have been a busy night for the young badger, because it instantly fell asleep. I covered us with my cloak once more and glanced up once more, freezing when I saw Gandalf watching. He smiled softly, winked at me with a deeply knowing blue eye and then turned to ask Dori a question.

Smiling softly, I settled back to sleep, knowing that the badger could leave without the others noticed. And I was glad for the company, even with Laddybuck behind me, it felt nice to have a presence in touching distance. Burying my fingers into it's course fur I felt it snuggle closer as I drifted to sleep.