Chapter Nine
Gandalf led the company towards the cave's exit, and by the time they reached a bridge, the Great Goblin jumped out in front of them. "You think you can escape me, wizard?" snarled the Great Goblin. Without a word, Gandalf thrusts his sword into the Great Goblin's gut. "Well, that will do it." The Great Goblin said, and he collapsed, as the bridge broke, and everyone fell through. The Company landed in bunch of debris. "Well that could've been worse!" said Bofur.
And no soon as he said that, the corpse of the Great Goblin fell on top of them. "You've got to be joking!" shouted Dwalin. "Nice going, Bofur! You just had to jinx us!" Tabitha shouted at Bofur. Gandalf removed the debris from the Company, getting the out from where they laid, and then he led them out of the caves an into a large, forest area. Tabitha felt happy to feel and breathe the fresh air again, however she didn't like the idea her clothes had been taken from her, and now out in the open with nothing on.
Gandalf made head count making sure everyone was accounted for. However there was one person missing from the group, and it was Bilbo.
Everyone had been too busy complaining about Bilbo, forgetting that Tabitha was standing in front of them naked, and so she decided to hide behind the bushes. Suddenly, Bilbo appeared, much to everyone's surprise. Tabitha ran out and she hugged him. "We were so worried about you." said Tabitha. Bilbo looked at Tabitha. "Miss O Hara, where are you clothes?" asked the hobbit. "They've been stolen from me." said Tabitha, as her face turned red. "Here, you can borrow my cloak until we find you some clothes. Bifur, do you have any rope?" asked Bofur.
Bifur nodded, as he pulled out rope from his bag. The two of them placed the cloak on Tabitha. Suddenly, they could hear howling in the distance. "Out of the frying pan!" spoke Thorin. "Into the fire! RUN!" cried out Gandalf, as they began running. Tabitha had a difficult time running with only wearing a cloak and a rope tied to her. But she seemed to manage as they are being hunted by orcs and wargs. "Into the trees, quick!" Gandalf called out to the Company. "Take my hand, I'll help you up, Tabitha!" said Thorin.
Tabitha reached for Thorin's hand, as he helped her climb into the tree, and she sat between himself and Dwalin. Gandalf lit up pine cones on fire with his staff, and began tossing them down at the orcs and wargs.
Fili, Kili, and Bilbo helped as well throwing the pine cones, and the everyone cheered in victory, but the cheering was cut shut, when they saw Azog mounted on his white warg, approaching them. Tabitha's eyes widened in horror. Oh, crap. Tabitha thought. "No! It cannot be!" gasped Thorin, as he saw the Pale Orc approaching, and he glared at Thorin. "Kill the others, bring the Dwarf King to me!" Azog demanded to the orcs in his language. Suddenly, Thorin climbed down the tree, and he picked up an oak branch he found on the ground, as he made his way towards Azog.
And the battle between Dwarf and Orc began. Tabitha stood and watched in horror as the battle progressed. "THORIN!" Tabitha screamed as Azog took his hammer, knocking Thorin to the ground, and suddenly a warg leapt at the dwarf, gnawing on him. "Bring me the head of Oakenshield!" Azog ordered an orc standing nearby. The Orc scout approached Thorin, as he laid on his back on the ground. No soon as the orc raised his weapon to behead Thorin, Bilbo charged out from trees, killing both warg and orc with his sword.
Suddenly, the rest of the Company jumped out and fought the orcs, as well as Tabitha.
Kili turned to Tabitha. "Keep away from Azog, let us deal with him. Use your bow and do you best to fire at the orcs!" Kili advised Tabitha. Tabitha nodded, as she done what Kili had told her. Suddenly, she could fell claws tagging on her cloak, and she looked up and saw a giant Eagle lifting her up off the ground. Several other eagles came and grabbed Thorin, Bilbo, Gandalf and the rest of the Company, and they departed from the wooded area. Azog roared in anger, as he saw this.
Later, the Eagles first landed Thorin on a large rock cliff first. Shortly the rest of the Eagles brought in Gandalf, Tabitha and the rest of the Company. "Thorin!" cried out Gandalf and Tabitha together as they both ran to him. Gandalf knelt before Thorin placing his hand on Thorin's face, murmuring some words. Shortly, Thorin's eyes slowly opened. "The Halfling-Tabitha?" said Thorin. "They're both here and safe!" said Gandalf, smiling at the dwarf.
Kili and Dwalin both helped their leader stand up, and suddenly Thorin glared at the hobbit, angrily. "You? What were you thinking?! You would've gotten yourself killed! Did I not say you were a burden, and have no place amongst us?" snapped Thorin. Tabitha glared at Thorin. How could you get angry with him after all he's done for you? Tabitha thought.
Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, Thorin's expression softened and he hugged Bilbo in a full embrace. "I never been so wrong in all my life!" said Thorin. As they broke the embrace, Thorin looked at the hobbit. "I'm sorry I doubted you." said Thorin. "Well, I would've doubted me too. I'm no warrior, or hero. Not even a burglar, maybe!" said Bilbo. And a soft chuckle came from the rest of the Company, and Tabitha smiled.
Thorin turned to Tabitha, as he pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her hair. "We'll get you some clothes, don't worry! I'm so glad you are safe!" whispered the dwarf as he crashed his lips onto hers. "Alright, you two! Get a room! Kissing her in front of us with her being half naked, looks a bit awkward!" spoke up Kili. Everyone laughed, as Tabitha and Thorin both rolled her eyes. "Is that what I think it is?" asked Bilbo, pointing ahead of them. They could see the Lonely Mountain in the distance. "Erebor! The Last of the great dwarven kingdoms of Middle Earth!" Gandalf replied.
"Our home!" said Thorin, with a smile. "What is with the bird?" asked Oin. "That, my dear Oin, is a thrush!" The wizard answered. "Is a sign of a good omen." said Thorin. "I do believe the worst is behind us." Bilbo remarked. Tabitha frowned when he said that.
"How do we get down from here?" called out Fili. "There are stairs, Fili! Follow me!" said Gandalf, and the Company followed the wizard down from the Carrock. After walking a couple miles, they stopped for camp, and Oin began working on Thorin's injuries. "What am I doing to do about clothing, Gandalf?" asked Tabitha. "Don't worry, Miss O Hara, you will get clothes. Where we're going next, I have a friend whom will help all of you, and he will provide supplies you will need and clothes as well." Gandalf.
"Good, because I don't know how much longer I can take walking around half naked in front of all these males." grumbled Tabitha. "Actually, we're rather used to it. It brings out your complexion!" teased Kili. "Kili!" snapped Tabitha playfully. "Don't let Uncle hear you say that!" said Fili. Later, the dwarves went to get their baths at a river nearby alongside with Thorin. The only people left behind was Gandalf, Bilbo and Tabitha. "Aren't you going to get a bath, Miss O Hara?" asked Gandalf.
"Are you crazy, Gandalf? There is no way I'm going to take a bath now! They'll see me!" snapped Tabitha. "It doesn't matter anyway, Tabitha. We already saw you naked!" said Bilbo grinning. "Ha, ha, Bilbo. I cannot believe that came from you!" said Tabitha, as she smiled back.
And so Tabitha decided to go and get bath, to please Gandalf and the hobbit, who constantly heckled her about it. "Hey! Look who's finally joining us!" beamed Fili. "Come on in! The water's fine!" called out Kili. "Oh god!" wailed Tabitha, as she closed her eyes, as she walked into the river. "What? You don't like what you see?" joked Fili. "Fili, don't even go there!" Tabitha said and she swam away from the dwarves, hoping she would get some privacy.
As she came to an area, she thought she was alone until she saw a familiar figure standing in the river, running his fingers through his dark hair, and humming softly to himself. Tabitha could see that was Thorin. Tabitha gasped at the sight, as she could see the muscles in his back and arms. Tabitha turn back, go as fast as you can before he sees you, thought Tabitha. Soon as she was about to swim away, Thorin called out to her. "Tabitha, I know you're here. Its okay, you don't have to go." said Thorin. Tabitha approached him.
"You wouldn't mind washing my back for me?" asked Thorin. "Uh-of course-I don't mind at all!" stammered Tabitha. And she began washing his back. Thorin can feel that Tabitha is tense. "You're not uncomfortable doing this, are you? You can stop if this is making you feel that way." said Thorin.
"No, no, I'm fine, really! I don't mind washing your back!" said Tabitha quickly, as she continued. Suddenly Tabitha began to shiver. "You're freezing, Tabby." said Thorin, as he pulled Tabitha into his arms. "Thorin, this a little awkward. Maybe we should climb out and get dressed now." said Tabitha. Thorin nodded. And so they climbed out of the water, dried off and got dressed, and went back to camp. Tabitha put on the cloak and tied it around her. Thorin sat down with her and held her to keep her warm so she wouldn't get sick, since the cloak was the only clothes she had.
Tabitha laid her head upon Thorin's broad chest, soaking in the warmth of Thorin's body. Thorin hummed softly. "I'm sorry that you left your family on bad terms." said Thorin. "It doesn't matter anymore, Thorin. I should have said good bye to mother, though. But I don't see any love between my father and I. We used to have that bond, but now that's all changed now." said Tabitha. "Its because of me, is it?" said Thorin. "Thorin, no its not because of you. Don't say that!" said Tabitha.
"Tabitha, he's against us courting. He doesn't approve of it." said Thorin. "Well that's his problem. I'm a grown woman now, he can get over it! I don't wish to part with you Thorin because of my father's selfish tendencies." said Tabitha.
"I'm glad you think that way, love!" whispered Thorin, as he planted a kiss on Tabitha's lips. After their kiss broke, Tabitha closed her eyes, as she rests her head on Thorin's chest, and she fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. The next morning, the Company woke up and broke camp. Gandalf informed them they would be going to his friend's home. "Who is this friend of yours?" asked Nori. "His name is Beorn, he's a skin changer. Now I must warn you he's not overly fond of visitors, especially dwarves, so we must mind our P's and Q's." said Gandalf.
"So you're going to take us to meet someone who doesn't like us? That's really swell, Gandalf!" grumbled Dwalin. As they set out, they had been walking for several hours until they arrived on a large land, and they could see many large bee hives as well. "Wow! Those bees are huge! Who lives here? A giant?" asked Nori. "Well, the man we will be speaking too is pretty tall, but not a 'giant'. And also we must go in pairs to meet him, to prevent him of getting overwhelmed." said Gandalf.
And so it was Gandalf, Tabitha, Bilbo and Thorin whom approached the skin changer's home first, and Gandalf knocked on the door with his staff. "Who is it?" snarled a gruff voice. "It's an old friend of yours, Beorn, and I brought along a few friends!" Gandalf called out. The door opened, and there stood a tall man with wild brown hair and beard.
Gandalf introduces the group with him, and explaining to Beorn of their situation. "I'm not all that very fond of dwarves, however I will help you out. Come and join me in the dining hall." said Beorn. And so after that they followed Beorn into the dining hall, and they gathered at Beorn's large table. Gandalf continued telling his story, and he signaled the rest of the Company of to enter the home for introductions. Once that was done, Beorn looked at Gandalf. "I thought you said a 'few', wizard?" said Beorn, raising his eye brow.