Bilbo was dreaming.

It is in those few moments of life where you pray that the dream will not end and that is what can make you glad to have lived at all.

The eagles soared through the sky and warm wind flowed over their feathers, gently weaving into Bilbo's hair, which glowed a vivid copper in the brilliance of the rising sun.

Morning's air smelt clean and fresh; helping to discard the faint smell of smoke from Bilbo's favourite velvet waistcoat, which was flecked with ash.

White, pink; the clouds spread out like the must've been painted on. And the mountains too! They surged out of the ground, as if only an artist could've created them, hidden in pictures of trees as they acquired halos from the first light of the day.

Bilbo smiled and his head lolled back.

But then, suddenly jolting upwards, shaking his head and blinking a couple of times, he searched around for Thorin.

In this moment, Bilbo prayed that the dream would end. And that his friend would wake.

"Thorin!"

Bilbo's still shaking hands came to his mouth and he breathed slowly through his bloodied fingers. Faint caws bled into the wind.

"Thorin," Gandalf murmured, hurriedly moving over to him.

For Thorin was not moving; not breathing.

Dwalin clenched Balin's shoulder tightly; Oin rushed to the aid of Gandalf; Bifur put is arm round Morlia and she squeezed his hand; Bofur took off his hat and grasped it in his hands; Gloin nudged his way next to Bombur; Dori held Ori close to him; Nori scuffed his boots and stared at the ground and Fili and Kili knelt by their uncle and willed him to awake.

Bilbo could taste dirt and smoke in his mouth.

If it was not for the magical abilities given to Gandalf by the Valar, then Thorin wouldn't have awakened.

His eyes fluttered open and his mouth moved silently as the sky span before him.

"HE'S AWAKE!" Kili yelled excitedly back to the rest of the Company, and the brothers hugged each other with tears of relief.

Thorin grunted as he tried to sit up, biting out, "The- Halfling?"

Bilbo slipped away from hugging Bofur and turned towards him, eyes wide.

"It's all right. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe," Gandalf explained softly, gesturing to him.

Thorin eyed Bilbo as he shrugged of Kili and Dwalin's help get him off the ground, and he sauntered his way over to him, limping every other step.

"You," Thorin spat out, pointing at Bilbo accusingly as he approached him, "What were you doing?"

Bilbo's mouth fell slack and his words fled into the wind.

"You nearly got yourself killed," Thorin continued, his face rearing with anger, "Did I not say that you would be burden? That you would not survive in the wild; that you had no place amongst us?"

The air tasted stale and Bilbo could barley breathe as the tense silence hung in the air.

"I have never been so wrong in all my life."

Thorin's face cracked into a smile.

It was a genuine smile, an honest smile. And at the same time it pleaded for forgiveness.

Bilbo was so completely caught off guard that he opened and closed his mouth a few times before mumbling and-

Then Thorin's arms closed around him. The Company cheered.

"I am sorry that I ever doubted you," Thorin muttered, shaking his head, while looking rather glum.

Bilbo gave a short laugh, "No, I would have doubted me too," he admitted, smiling a little, "I'm not a hero, or a warrior. Not even a burglar."

Thorin smiled back.

In the distance, there were two birds. A Magpie and a Thrush. And they were rather different birds.

For the Thrush was soaring it's way through the valley, but the Magpie was eyeing a rather strange travelling group, as it pecked and gobbled up two smaller pieces of flesh, caked with blue shell, from a round nest, high in the trees.

This Magpie knew where the gold lay without the need for it to shine.

Just a mile away, was it's prize. In the hands of the Pale Orc.

"A raven!" exclaimed Oin, "The birds are returning to the mountain!"

Gandalf chuckled, "That, my dear Oin, is a Thrush."

"But- we'll take it as a sign, a good omen," Thorin announced.

Bilbo nodded and watched the bird flutter through the sky, "You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us."

And the sun kept on with its rising, accompanied with the talk of past braveries and future friendships.