Here is the first Chapter! Yay! The story and writing gets a lot better as the story progresses, don't worry! Thanks for reading!

Lulyn sat staring into the water and playing with her necklace. It was a necklace of black lace with an amethyst hanging from it. It was a gift from her parents when she was younger. It was early in autumn and she found the river's low gurgle was calming to her. She had just fought off a small pack of orcs single-handedly, and the rest weren't far behind. Lulyn took up her bow and hung it over her shoulder. She let out a high- pitched whistle, and her pony, Brisa, a black and white mare came cantering up and nickered a greeting. She shed her black cloak and hung it over Brisa's withers, tying it to a handle on a bag of hers. Not far behind her pony was a tan barn owl. This was Lulyn's owl named Kor. He landed on her shoulder as she mounted up. He screeched playfully and pecked at a strand of her hair. Lulyn smiled and stroked the owl's soft feathers. Their reunion was interrupted by the cry of an orc. Lulyn's head whipped around and she saw the new pack of orcs after her. She nocked an arrow and aimed at their leader. She let the arrow fly and the leader fell limp off his mount—a warg.

Not too far off, Thorin and company were traveling singing a dwarvish song. Though Thorin didn't get to reclaim Erebor, he and the company continued to travel around Middle Earth. They sung of the bright sun in the sky and the beauty of the lakes and rivers. Even Thorin was in a good enough mood to join in. Everyone went silent as the cry of the orcs rang out through what used to be a peaceful morning. The company had their weapons drawn and their bows ready instantly. They charged toward the pack of orcs that had assembled on the top of a hill. The company followed the orcs' gaze to the she-dwarf who had her bow ready. The orcs charged and Lulyn began firing again. She rotated between her bow and her sword with the occasional hidden dagger she seemed to pull out of nowhere. She seemed to have as many weapons as Fili—if not more. The company also charged and began slicing and shooting orcs.

The orcs came more and more and started outnumbering The company. Kor flew around and pecked and scratched the eyes of many orcs. Lulyn mounted Brisa and started shooting orcs once again. The orcs started driving the group backward and soon they all lost their footing and ended up in the river. The river flowed faster and faster. Lulyn was soon also driven backward into the river. Brisa managed to escape and began kicking and biting the orcs. Kor was nowhere in sight. Lulyn looked frantically for him as the river drew her further and further away from her companions lost in the crowd of orcs. Brisa burst from the group sending orcs flying. She ran alongside Lulyn as she was swept down the river.

"Brisa, find Kor and get out of here!" Lulyn ordered. Her pony ran back into the fight and searched for Kor. The river began to speed up more and more. A few dwarves from the company started some hurried and indistinct conversations. Lulyn realized what they were talking about. A waterfall was straight ahead, and they were losing time. The dwarves tried grabbing nearby tree roots, but were only swept past before they could get a good grip. Lulyn saw the moment had come when she had to do something. The orcs were shooting arrows at the dwarves and cursing as they missed. She saw some vines laying on the shore and came up with a plan. She began to swim towards the shore. She was swimming as quick as possible. Still the group of dwarves were slept closer to the waterfall.

A few orcs shot aimlessly at the sky, but turns out, they weren't shooting. She saw something fall from the sky with an arrow lodged in it. Brisa neighed angrily. The orcs retreated, but they'd be back soon. Lulyn grabbed an overhanging branch and swung herself to shore. She turned her attention back to the thirteen dwarves who were ready to plunge to their deaths over a waterfall. She tied a vine to an arrow and noched it. She said a silent prayer that this would work. She let the bowstring go and the arrow flew across the river over the Company's heads. The arrow buried itself deep into a tree and Lulyn held the other side of the vine tight.

"Grab on!" Lulyn ordered.

The Company grabbed the vine, and just in time too. Lulyn struggled to keep her footing as she was slowly being dragged toward the waterfall by the weight of thirteen dwarves. She dug her heels into the ground. They were now dangling over the edge of the waterfall. Thorin ordered the company to make their way across the rope. He swung himself up onto a rock and took off a drenched coat. Soon all the dwarves were across and wringing their sopping cloaks and coats.

Panting, Lulyn hung her bow over her shoulder.

"You…you saved our lives.." Bofur said.

"I believe no one deserves to die by orc." She told.

"Who are you?" Balin asked.

"Lulyn Nobleheart. At your service." She said with a smile and a slight bow. "But you can call me Lu."

Thorin analyzed the she-dwarf who had just risked everything. "I am—"

"I know who you are." She interrupted. "You're Thorin Oakenshield. You're only like the most inspiring adventurer since…well…a while."

Thorin raised an eyebrow.

"Word travels quickly around these parts." She explained. "I don't believe I know the rest of you though."

"I'm Bofur, these are my brothers, Bifur and Bombur."

"Ori. That's Dori and Nori." He said, gesturing to his brothers.

"This is Oin. I'm Gloin."

"Balin. That's Dwalin."

"Fili." He said. "And Kili." His brother added. "At your service." Kili said with a lopsided grin.

"Well, nice to meet you, Bifur, Bofur…Bombur…" She went through her head trying to remember all the dwarves' names. "And uh, Fili and Kili…And all the rest of you. Anyway, where are you all headed?" She asked.

"We're heading to the Shire to visit a friend of ours." Thorin said.

Lulyn was about to say something when Brisa came running up with a slumped, feathery figure on her back. Lulyn ran up and took it in her arms. It was Kor. He had an arrow lodged in his wing. She pulled it out and wrapped the poor creature in her cloak. She whispered in khuzdul to him and he began to relax some.

"He needs herbs." She searched her bag and didn't find any. She looked up at the company.

"I'm sure Mr. Boggins has some." Kili said. "He's always got fancy herbs and whatnot growing in his garden."

Lulyn looked at Thorin with pleading eyes.

He sighed. "I suppose you can travel with us to the Shire."

"Thank you so much!" She said. She mounted Brisa and the company did the same with their ponies. She held Kor in one arm as she steered Brisa with the other hand.

They traveled for a little while. Not too long, for they had met at the Brandywine river. They sang some dwarvish songs, Lulyn participated. Some of which were her favorites. And there was one she'd never heard before; it was a song that Thorin had written after Smaug had attacked Erebor when he was planning their last adventure.

The tune was haunting. It was a quite lovely song.

When they arrived in The Shire, many heads turned at the sight of the bunch. Most of the hobbits living there had never seen so many beards in one place.

They reached Hobbiton by nightfall where Gandalf's cart was parked in front of Bag End. They all dismounted and tied up their ponies. Thorin knocked on the door. Then soon, a hobbit answered the door.

"Thorin!" He exclaimed happily.

"Mr. Bilbo Baggins. What a pleasure it is to see you again." Thorin said with a smile.

A smile…that was a first for Lulyn. He had never smiled on the whole journey there.

"You're supposed to be dead!" Bilbo said, glancing at Fili and Kili before hugging Thorin.

Bilbo greeted each dwarf individually and with a bright smile. Lulyn hung back until the last of the company had entered the hobbit hole.

"I don't believe I know you." Bilbo said with a slightly cocked head looking at the she-dwarf.

"I'm uh, Lulyn. Lulyn Nobleheart—at your service." She said with a light dip of her head. "I met the company along the way and…things—bad things happened. My owl has been wounded. You wouldn't happen to have any calendula, would you?"

"Oh…Well, of course." He let Lulyn in and she sat by the fire, tending to Kor's injured wing. She did not eat, though the company had a wonderful time eating and drinking. Bilbo brought Lulyn some tea and a cake. She stopped messing with her mop of hair and ate some, but then continued to wage the war with her matted hair.

Once she had gotten her hair decent, and she had been brushing out the last of the knots, Kili came in and sat on the couch next to her. He was quiet for a short bit, but then he asked, "What were you doing out there fighting orcs?"

"Why should I tell a complete stranger?" Lulyn said.

"I dunno…I was just curious."

Lulyn sighed.

"Why were they just attacking you?" Kili asked.

Lulyn stared into the fire. "They've been after me and…and my family since I was little. We couldn't ever stay in one place for long. It's been a while since I've had a place to call home." She choked on the word "family".

"Where was the last place you settled?" Kili asked.

Lulyn thought for a moment. "Not long ago I settled in Bree for a few months. But orcs caught my scent and stormed the inn."

"What are they after?"

"No clue."

They sat in silence for a little while longer. Lulyn set down her brush and took a section of her hair and began to braid it again.

"Well, now that I've answered your questions. Where do you reside?" Lulyn asked.

"Why should I tell you? You're a complete stranger." Kili teased.

Lulyn smiled and half laughed. "Maybe because this complete stranger saved your butt today."

"Yea, I guess you're right." Kili smiled. "I'm from the Blue Mountains. Then uncle brought me on an adventure to reclaim Erebor."

Lulyn nodded. "At least you have somewhere to run to when things are hard. And you've got family with you. Lucky."

Kili cocked his head. "Where's your family?"

Lulyn's eyes got watery. She didn't say anything, but Kili had a hunch that whatever the answer to the question was, it wasn't going to be a very happy one. She sniffled and opened her mouth to say something, but then she was interrupted by Bombur. "Orcs! Orcs!" He cried while staring out a window.

"Orcs? In the Shire?" Bilbo said. "Impossible."

"No, not impossible." Thorin growled. "Kili." He nodded to the door.

Kili quickly grabbed his bow and quiver and ran outside. Lulyn followed, considering the amount of orcs wasn't a one-dwarf fight. She nocked an arrow as they stepped outside the door. The orcs were coming from all sides. There were ten at least. Lulyn and Kili stood back to back. Neither of them thought highly of orcs. They were pretty disgusting.

"Three. Two. One." Kili whispered and he let go of his bowstring. Lulyn did the same and they nailed two orcs.

"Two down, six to go." Lulyn said. She drew her sword and stabbed one that was sneaking up on Kili. She whipped around and sliced an orc who was raising its blade. She ran to the fence, where one was growling. She readied her bow to shoot the wretched creature then Kili shouted, "Lu! Behind you!" She whipped around and shot an orc that was on the grass roof of Bilbo's home aiming its bow at her. She quickly turned back to the first orc, took her bow and twisted the orc's weapon out of its grasp then took her sword and stabbed it. She then threw the orc weapon to Kili and he sliced another one. One more came out of nowhere and smacked Lulyn in the side with a mace. She flew sideways and hit the fence. She was dazed a moment but she stood, ignoring the shooting pain in her side. She shot a few more orcs until they were all dead. The dwarves inside Bag End stared at the dead orcs that lay in front of Bilbo's home. Who was going to clean up that mess?

Kili turned to the panting Lulyn. Her vision began getting blurry. Her hand flew to her side and her knees buckled. "Lu!" Kili ran over and got her to her feet. He threw her arm over his shoulder and started to drag her inside. Lulyn's vision began to fade and the last thing she remembered was seeing the door to Bilbo's home open.