"As they headed out of Rivendell, Gandalf was still quite miffed with Adara. Lady Galadriel had told him that her hair was her protection. He couldn't believe that Adara had cut it so short. Although he was amused by her need to protect others before herself. It was this trait that had caused her to be in his heart. She was selfless, a wonderful quality that was not found much anymore.
"They went to have a meal with the Elves, and Elrond's aid came forward and whispered in his ear. "Sire, the Dwarfs and the Hobbit have gone."
"What? When?" Adara stood looking aghast. "Even your hearing amazes me young one." Elrond stated softly.
"We have to find them Gandalf, they need our help. Bilbo will need us." Adara stated.
"Fret not, we will be following them shortly." Gandalf stated and went back to eating and chatting with the elves.
"No, I will not wait. I am following them now, their trail will be easy to find." Adara stood and left the table before the others could say anything to detour her. She stalked back to her the room she had been sleeping in and donned her weapons and headed for the exit.
"You must hurry, my dear, your friends are in dire straits." The voice of Galadriel came into Adara's mind. She hurried faster and nearly ran as she left the safety of Rivendell. As she had guessed the trail was not hard to find. She made her way around the mountain, noticing the devastation of the giant fight. She found the cave, and a rope from one of the discarded packs and tied it off and lowered herself down, where the company had fallen. As she feared the goblins had taken them prisoner. She hoped she wouldn't be to late to help them. As she rounded a walk way she could hear the voices of many goblins.
"The goblin king yelled about a sword. His voice held a tremble of fear. Bilbo sneaked closer to the huge group, as she was about to make herself known, a hand grabbed her shoulder. She whirled around her dagger held at the ready, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Gandalf.
"We must take them by surprise. Come child." They edged closer and Gandalf sent a burst of light from his staff, causing several goblins to run if fear. Then he and Adara drew their weapons and began fighting the remaining horde. Adara shot her arrows and when her quiver was empty grabbed her sword and dagger. As they made their way to the goblin king, they could see the blob of a goblin quaking in fear. Staring at the sword Gandalf held at the ready.
"What are you going to do now, Wizard?" The goblin king stated." Gandalf lunged and hit him in the eye with his staff, slit his belly with his sword.
"That'll do it." The goblin stated, then Gandalf slashed his throat. The huge goblin fill dead causing the wooden walkway to break. The company rode the walkway they were on nearly to the bottom and then fell the rest of the way. As they were trying to rise the body of the king crashed down upon them. They made their way out and were finally in a group of trees when they stopped to catch their breath.
"(Meanwhile...) Bilbo had slipped away using his smallness as an advantage and snuck to a lower level in the caverns. He heard a strange high pierced voice in a nearby cave and followed it. He saw a body of a goblin fall, and he fell himself and lay hidden by leaves and debris. The strange voice came closer and found the goblin who was only knocked out. The strange voice belonged to an even stranger looking little creature. Skinny and gaunt the creature took a large rock and bashed the goblin in the head and jumped up and down in pure joy at what he had done. As he bounded about Bilbo notice a shinny object slip from the creatures pocket and land on the ground near him. He watched as the creature pulled the now dead goblin away, singing about eating it.
Bilbo rose quietly and searched for his small sword and as he found it, he also found the object the creature had lost. It was a small gold ring. Bilbo picked it up and placed it in his pocket. Then he crept over to where the creature had departed. He saw the awful sight of the creature feasting on the dead goblin. He nearly gagged on the bile rising in his throat. As he drew near, the creature sniffed the air and turned to look at Bilbo.
"What is that, Precious. Shoulds we eats it too." The creature stated as if, to someone standing next to it.
"I am a hobbit." Bilbo stated.
"I've never ate Hobbites. Goblins, Orces, but never Hobbites. Wouldn't take much, just a knock on the head." The creature stated to the imaginary person.
"I am not to eat. I need to find a passage out of this cave." Bilbo declared.
"Ies know the way out. I coulds show you." The creature stated.
"That would be great, will you show me the way?" Bilbo asked.
"No, I thinks we shoulds eat the Hobbites. It would be like a game. I'es love games." The creature stated to his imaginary friend again.
"I know games, how about a game of riddles, just you and me." Bilbo stated. The creature smiled and began to bounce around in happiness.
"Yes just youse and me. I go firsties." The creature spoke his riddle and soon after Bilbo answered it. Then Bilbo's turn came and the creature answered the riddle, the next was Bilbo to answer which he did, the next was Bilbo and it took the creature no time to answer. Then the creature went and Bilbo was nearly stumped, but found the answer. Then Bilbo felt his pocket and said.
"What is in my pocket."
"That's not fair." The creature stated.
"It's perfectly fair, do you give up?" Bilbo asked.
"No! Give us a second. Is it a string?" The creature Gollum stated again.
"Wrong again. I win. Now show me the way out." Bilbo stated.
"You cheated." Gollum screeched and slunk away as sounds came from another cavern. Bilbo turned about trying to see where the creature had gone, he knew it would try to kill him. He fill and the ring landed on his finger and he found himself invisible. He ran toward the sounds and saw the rest of the company and then saw Gollum sitting sadly watching the dwarfs race by. Bilbo pulled his sword to kill the creature, but his heart ached at the sorrow on the creature's face. He could not kill him, so he ran and jumped over the creature nearly hitting him on the way. As he followed invisible after the company he found himself in a grove of trees and listened to the blustering voice of Thorin.
Gandalf was counting dwarfs as usual, then came to the end of the count and looked worried.
"Where's Bilbo?" Gandalf called.
"Slunk back home no doubt." Thorin stated.
"He was right behind me in the cave." Bofur stated looking scared. "He was wanting to go home."
"Good, that's the place for him." Thorin stated. Bilbo slipped the ring back in his pocket and walked out from behind a large tree.
"I'm here." He called.
"Oh, Bilbo. I thought we had lost you." Gandalf stated with relief.
"Why did you come back?" Thorin asked gruffly.
"I came back, because I do have a home. But you don't, yours was taken from you, and I will do all I can to help you get your home back." Bilbo stated sincerely. The dwarfs, Adara and Gandalf smiled at him, except for Thorin. They began walking and soon heard the howls of Warg scouts. They started running and soon were attacked by Wargs. They all fought and began running again and found themselves on a shear drop off. The Wargs and Orcs came at them and soon were all around.
The company climbed up a tree and Gandalf used his staff to ignite pine cones to lob at the enemy. Then Thorin saw the Pale Orc. He went down to stand up to him. The huge Warg the pale Orc was riding grabbed Thorin in his massive jaws. Bilbo jumped down and put himself between the pale Orc and Thorin. He fought another Orc and killed it. Then the others came to help from the company Bilbo stood guard over Thorin. As all seemed to be lost Eagles came and took them away, killing Wargs and Orcs as they did so. The eagles carried them to a tall mountain top and sat all down safely. Gandalf touched Thorin on the forehead and said a spell and soon the Dwarf leader came to.
"Where is the Hobbit?" Thorin raged.
"Bilbo's fine, he is right here." Gandalf stated.
"You, you could have gotten yourself killed. Didn't I say, all you would be was a burden. That you have nothing to offer this company." Thorin ranted as he walked toward a very shocked Bilbo. Then Thorin smiled and pulled him into a hug. "I have never been so wrong. Thank you Bilbo." Bilbo just stood dumbfounded for several minutes then patted the dwarf and returned the hug. All smiled and sighed in relief. Then they saw the peak of the Misty Mountains shining in the distance.