Chapter 5: The Start of a Journey

Updates every Monday

A/N: Here is Monday's update! Not much I have to say...at all really...I forgot what I was going to say. But, the journey will be slow going for the first few chapters so that I may develop Caynna's character and personality more, and show her growing relationships with the members of the company. No Kili/OC lovey dovey shit. Just subtle friendly things because no one falls in love within a week as far as I know XD People may, but I have never really seen it, and I want to be as realistic as possible with this as well. Lot of filler chapters to come as well!

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Littleflower19: Lol thanks! And you have a whole week before the next update XD take your time in reading it, no rush. As for the dream-memory-flashback thingy (for I have no other words for it in all honesty), I try my best to make them come out good and well written, and I am glad that they do! Thank you so much, and I will do so!

XxKicking Your AxX: It is, and it was a bit hard to right to tell the truth.

Caynna sat upright quickly, the pain of her old wounds lingering on her body as she took deep breaths to calm her racing heart, Devyn's face fading back into memory. She unhooked the necklace that he had given her, and dropped it into her open hand. The black and white thin horse tail braided necklace was lined at intervals with small, silver clasps, six clasps in all, bordered by two silver beads on each end. Each clasp held the assassin marking of each of Devyn's family members starting with his uncle and two oldest brothers on one side with Brogan's being the closest to the clasp on that side, and his two younger brothers and Caynna's own marking on the other, hers being closest to the pendent on that side. The silver pendent that hung off of the necklace was actually Devyn's own marking on a small silver circle pendent that hung between two silver beads. The white and black thin horse tail braids were interwoven with each other, the white horse tail being Devyn's stallion and the black horse tail being Tilian's (though he had opposed greatly to having his tail cut for a necklace that day years back).

Caynna looked at the necklace for a moment longer before placing it back around her neck and under her shirt once more, the necklace being the only item she had to remember the closest family she had ever had in her entire life. They were all dead now except for Brogan, of course. But he will be soon, Caynna thought. He may be family, but he betrayed us. I won't ever remove his clasp, but I will remove him from the world.

She looked around at the still sleeping company before she looked out the window. Dawn was just starting to peak. She shook her head as she stood, her scars from her memories stinging slightly as she did so. She strapped her weapons on over her tied jacket and made her way around the sleeping dwarves to the pantry.

She found a few apples in the back and ate two. Soft voices floated to her ears as she left the pantry, and she caught sight of Kili and Fili sitting at the table talking in quite voices. She turned to leave before they caught sight of her, but luck just wasn't on her side. "Caynna," Fili called quietly, "come sit with us."

Caynna groaned on the inside as she turned. That was when she remembered she was still wearing her cloak, and unhooked it, folding it in her arms as she made her way to the kitchen. "Morning," she said.

"You're up early," Kili commented.

"I'm actually surprised I slept so well. Normally I would be up after a few hours rest."

Fili and Kili shared a look before turning back to the lass. She didn't miss the questioning looks in their eyes, nor did she miss the knowing look that had passed between them. Her face was impassive for a second before she gave a small groan and put her forehead on the table. "Not again," she mumbled. "Was I talking in my sleep last night?"

"Yes," the brothers both answered.

"What did I say this time?"

"Well…" Fili started not knowing whether or not they should tell the lass, "you said a name."

"Which one?" she asked.

"I believe it was Devyn," Kili offered.

Caynna sat up, her face impassive once more. "Any others?"

"Brogan."

Caynna gave a nod and looked down at her hands, a frown forming on her face. "What's wrong?" Fili asked.

"Did I do it again?" she mumbled to herself as she began to pull off her gauntlets.

"Do…what?" the brothers asked.

She then removed her gloves and slowly flipped her hands over. Dark, blue and purple bruises in the shape of her short sword pommels rested over her palms. She tested the bruises and winced slightly. "I was gripping my swords so hard that I bruised my hands," she explained as she looked up and held her hands up for the brothers to see.

The two brother's faces flinched as they looked at the hands. "Ow…" Fili said as he rubbed his own. Then he noticed the thin white scars on her hands as did Kili.

"Where did you get the scars?" Kili asked.

Caynna pulled her gloves and gauntlets back on, the black tattoo disappearing from view along with the bruises and scars. "Those are from my climbing expeditions," she said with her usual smile. "Ever try to scale a watch tower in Minas Tirith in the pouring rain? It's not easy."

Just at that moment, as if he had been waiting to see if the lass would give out any information about her background, Thorin appeared from the living room. "Fili, Kili, go get the ponies ready," he said and then turned to Caynna. "Will you be joining us, then?"

"If you will have me, sir, then yes. Though, I did promise Gandalf that I would come along. I never go back on my word," Caynna said as she stood.

"I'll trust Gandalf and allow you to accompany us. But-"

"Yes, sir, I understand," Caynna said as she gathered her cloak in her arms, her eyes never leaving Thorin's. "If I get on your bad side, make you mistrust me, give you a reason to kill me, the usual warnings. I go through this all the time when taking on contracts with large, or small, groups. If you will excuse me, sir, I'm going to get my own horse ready."

Caynna gave a small bow of her head, her eyes never leaving Thorin's, before she turned and walked out of the kitchen. Thorin gave her an intrigued look, curious as to how such a simple female half-breed had earned herself the title of master assassin and was so courteous at the same time. Caynna shrugged it off as she silently made her way over to the door and out of it. She pulled her cloak on once more to save from having to carry it or scare the hobbits of Hobbiton as Kili and Fili joined her on the road, the brothers strapping on their own weapons as they followed Caynna down the path. "It's a lot easier to find your way through this place during the day," she commented as she took in the surroundings. "How did I lose my way four times last night?"

Kili and Fili chuckled. "Four times?" Fili asked.

"That's two less than Uncle," added Kili.

"Great math work, Kili."

"So, you aren't going to run into anyone today, right?" Kili asked with a smirk

"That depends," Caynna replied with a smile as they left Hobbiton. "As long as you don't stand in my way, I think I'll be alright."

"So," Fili started after a moment of silence, his curiosity getting the better of him and his brother, "who's Brogan?"

"The man I've been trying to kill," Caynna said. "Though, he seems to escape death a little too easy for my liking."

"And Devyn?" Kili asked.

Caynna was silent for a moment. "Devyn was a good friend of mine," she started and the two brothers could see they hit a sore spot as the lass's hand touched the hidden necklace resting just below her collar bone, "well, more like a brother to me. I knew him since I was fifteen. We trained as assassins together along with his brothers, including his older brother Brogan. At the age of twenty-five, we earned our names and our master titles. A few months after, we were sent on a contract into the Misty Mountains after a group of ex-assassins. That was when everything changed between the three of us. Brogan disappeared in the mountains. We searched for him for a whole year in those stupid mountains until the brotherhood called us back. We didn't see him for years. About ten years ago, he killed Devyn and nearly killed me…twice. So, it's safe to say that he's still alive, but won't be for long."

"I'm sorry," Kili said. "We didn't mean to push-"

"It's quite alright," Caynna waved him off with a small smile. "I mean, I was talking in my sleep. An explanation had to be given eventually. Though, the next time I start doing that, please wake me up so I can avoid the bruises on my hands. They're a pain to work with."

They had arrived at the Green Dragon, and Caynna could hear the sixteen ponies neighing in the back stable. She gave a loud whistle with her index and middle finger, and Tilian gave a whinny in reply. He rounded the corner, his coat covered in dirt and his mane tangled slightly. The stallion's ears went back at the sight of Kili, and he bared his teeth with a snort in warning to the dwarf. "Tilian, be nice," Caynna said as she walked past the horse and pulled on his forelock. "Come on, I'll brush you down."

The horse gave the dwarf one last snort before he followed Caynna back toward the stable. "That horse does not like you, brother," Fili commented as they followed the two.

"I can tell," Kili said as he eyed the horse warily.

The two brothers pulled out the ponies and tethered them to the hitching post outside the stalls. They fed and watered each pony before they went down the line and brushed each horse starting with the last pony they watered and moved up the line. By the time they had finished brushing down each pony, Caynna had also finished feeding and brushing down Tilian and had also managed to detangle the horse's hair. She checked the tack to make sure everything was in perfect condition before she slowly began to tack the horse up, fixing each hidden dagger as she did so. By the time Tilian was tacked up, the two brothers were finishing their own ponies. Caynna then removed her cloak, rolled it up, and placed it in one of the saddle bags under her bow and quiver. She then removed her weapons and took off her leather jacket and placed it in with her cloak before she strapped her weapons back on.

As she turned back to the two brothers, she noticed that they had started moving the ponies to the front of the Green Dragon, the company beginning to arrive at the meeting point. Tilian gave a snort before he nosed his saddle. "Are you ready to get going again?" Caynna asked and the horse gave a nicker. "We will soon."

Caynna swung up into the saddle as Tilian began to walk out toward the company. He arched his neck and assumed his proud look as he walked out, his ears going back at the sight of Kili who was wise enough to stay out of biting range of the horse. Thorin looked at the stallion, his eyes betraying how impressed he was that Caynna could gentle such a beast. "That's a fine horse, lass," Balin said as he, too, examined the horse.

"Thank you, but don't tell Tilian that," Caynna said as she reached over and gently grabbed the stallion's ear making him twitch his head up a bit, "he already as a big ego."

The horse gave an offended whinny and stuck his head up in offense before he gave a glare to Kili as the dwarf got onto his own pony. "He doesn't like Kili very much," Nori commented as he got onto his pony.

"That's because he saw Kili land on Caynna's back," Fili explained to which the horse gave a nod of his head and a snort.

"Let's go," Thorin called out.

"What about Bilbo?" Bofur asked.

"He'll either catch up or stay home."

"We'll take the back," Caynna told Tilian to which the horse agreed with a nicker.

He gave Kili a sly look as the two brothers took up the end of the line as well. "He won't come," Dori said from ahead of them.

"How can you be so sure, Mister Dori?" Caynna asked.

"He couldn't even finish reading the contract without fainting!"

"That doesn't mean Mister Baggins will not come."

"Do you want to bet on that, Miss Caynna?"

Fili and Kili looked back at Caynna who gave them a knowing smile. "Never bet an assassin when they know all the details," she mumbled to them. "I'll bet on it. How much?"

"Ten silver pieces he won't come," Dori said with a smirk.

"Ten silver pieces that Mister Baggins will come, Mister Dori," Caynna confirmed.

At the mention of the bet between the two, others swiftly joined in. Kili and Oin bet Nori that the hobbit would show to which he bet against. Several others ahead of them also placed bets, and Caynna could say that the majority placed their bets on the notion that the hobbit wouldn't show. "I said it didn't I?" Dori spoke up after a few minutes. "Coming here was a waste of time."

"That's true enough," Gloin agreed with Dori.

"Ridiculous notion. Use a hobbit? A Halfling? Whose idea was it anyway?"

"Mister Dori has little faith in others, doesn't he?" Caynna asked Fili.

"Most of the older dwarves don't place their trust in outsiders," the blonde dwarf explained.

"They're just stubborn," added Kili.

"Wait!" someone shouted. "Wait!"

Oh, would you look who showed? Caynna thought with a hidden smirk toward Dori.

Bilbo came running up to the company, slightly out of breath as he slowed to a walk in front of Balin. "I signed it! Here," he said as he handed the contract over to Balin.

The old dwarf raised his eyebrows as he took out his eye glass and inspected the signature to make the hobbit feel better about himself before he folded up the contract up and placed both items away in a saddle bag. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield," the old dwarf smiled at the hobbit and gave him a wink as the other dwarves in the company chuckled a bit.

"Good morning, Mister Baggins," Caynna said from the back of the line. "It is good to see you have come."

"Good morning to you as well, Miss Caynna," Bilbo said before he took a look at Tilian. "That's not a pony," the hobbit gulped. "That's a large horse."

"This is Tilian, and he is only two hands above pony height, so he's actually a small horse. Large compared to you, though."

"Give him a pony," Thorin grumbled loudly as he turned his own pony back around.

"Oh, no, no, no. That won't be necessary. Thank you. I'm sure I can keep up on foot," Bilbo started to object.

The hobbit continued on about his "walking holidays" as Kili and Fili rode up behind him and grabbed a strap on each side of the hobbit's pack and hoisted him into the air. They carried him over to Myrtle where they placed Bilbo onto the pony's back. "She's gentle and won't spook," Fili said as he turned to drop back to the end of the line next to Caynna.

"That is, of course, as long as she doesn't see a snake," added Kili before he, too, moved to the end of the line once more.

"Snakes?" Caynna asked.

"Nah, she's as calm as can be," Kili said.

"He's clearly never ridden before," added Fili.

"Come on, Nori, pay up!" Oin yelled out and Nori tossed him a bag of coins.

"You too, Mister Dori!" Caynna added and caught a small bag from the dwarf. "Thank you!"

"One more!" added Kili.

Nori tossed another bag and Kili went to catch it only for Tilian to reach out and grab the bag from the air. "Hey!" Kili exclaimed as the horse danced out of his way. "Caynna!"

Caynna held her hands up away from the reins. "Not my doing," she said.

"Tilian!" The horse gave a pleased look as he danced out of Kili's way again. "Give it-"

"Come on, boy," Caynna said through laughs as Kili's pony gave an annoyed huff from the constant turning, "give Kili his money."

The horse turned to Caynna and shook his head. "Tilian," Caynna said in a stern voice but the horse refused.

She reached out to grab the bag only for Tilian to move his head away in time nearly sending Caynna to the ground with the movement. He danced away from Kili once more and even Fili tried to grab the bag, but to no avail. Even after the line had stopped due to Bilbo asking to turn around for his handkerchief, which they ignored and continued on, the trio still couldn't grab the bag from the horse. "Tilian!" Caynna said as she grabbed the reins and pulled back.

The horse ducked his head in and began to back up past Kili. The dwarf reached out and snagged the bag quickly and pocketed it as Caynna let go. Tilian gave the three an upset look before he assumed his egotistical look once more. "Stop looking offended, no one did anything to you," Caynna told the horse.

Tilian, in turn, gave a pathetic whinny in hurt. "You didn't bet on anything," Caynna said and the horse gave a snort. "Whatever to you too."

"Do you always do that?" Fili asked.

"Talk to your horse?" clarified Kili.

"Well, he is the only company I have most of the time," she told them. "This is the first time I have actually traveled with a group in over two years."

"That's a long time."

Caynna shrugged. "I'm used to traveling alone. I've done it all my life with the occasional exception. Mostly I traveled with Tilian and Devyn, but even then we often went different ways during the day when we worked contracts."

"Were your contracts always difficult?" Fili asked.

"Not all."

"Did they ever require you to work with someone else?" Kili asked.

This is going to be a long journey, she thought. I don't mind, but they may question me to death.

"Sometimes."

"What was your hardest challenge during your training?" Dori asked.

Caynna thought for a moment and then gave a small smile. "The hardest challenge during my training," she repeated, and noticed several of the dwarves had their ears tuned to the assassin. "For me, personally, the hardest challenge was a night climbing expedition of the north east watch tower in Minas Tirith. Actually, I had lost a bet against Brogan and had to climb the watch tower on a night of a New Moon-"

"What was the bet?" Ori interrupted.

Caynna gave a sheepish smile. "The bet was if I could pull enough courage to wear a dress he and Devyn bought me or not," she said. "Naturally, I hid from them so they couldn't force me to wear it."

"You lost a bet," Fili started in surprise.

"-by not wearing a dress," finished Kili.

"It was too…girly…" Caynna said as she pulled a face and then shrugged. "So I climbed that tower. Now, you must know that this tower has nearly no spots to get a hand or foot hold on, so it was quite the task. After I did that, and managed to somehow get off the tower as well, I put the dress on to humor them."

"So, you lost a bet," Kili said.

"-climbed a dangerous watch tower-" Fili added.

"-and then put on the dress in the end."

Caynna frowned. "It wasn't the best outcome, okay?" she said.

"Did you ever have to steal?" Nori asked enthusiastically.

"Multiple times," Caynna nodded. "I mainly stole documents and letters so that I could figure out my target's plan and find a way to either deal with them or eliminate them."

"Did you ever have to pose as a noble lady?" Bofur asked.

"If you haven't noticed," Caynna started, "that I am a bit too short to be a noble lady."

"So…did you?"

"Yes, but I often went as a lady in waiting. It worked out much better due to the fact that many of the men liked younger women," Caynna shook her head in disgust.

"What was your worst contract?" Oin asked.

"My worst contract? I would have to say it was assassinate a blind man's brother. I had to be this blind man's wife…" Caynna trailed off in the memory with a shake of her head. "That was awful! He was a ninety year old human!"

"Did any of your contracts require you to learn how to use different weapons?" Gloin asked.

"Oh, plenty of times," Caynna said with a smile. "I had to learn how to fight with a war hammer and ax. That was interesting to say the least. But, naturally, I prefer my short swords to any other weapon."

Bifur spoke in a low tone to Bofur, and said listening brother turned back to Caynna. "Bifur here can't speak the common tongue," Bofur said. "But he would like to know what weapon was the most interesting to learn how to use."

"Hmm…" Caynna was silent for a moment as she thought back to all the weapons she had to learn to use. And then it hit her. "I must say that the most interesting weapon I have ever learned how to use, though I cannot use it still to this day, is the one your brother is holding."

"Really?" the three youngest dwarves asked.

"Yes, really. I accidentally impaled my target's guards and then my target. But no matter, that contract was taken care of," Caynna said with a wave of her hand.

"Do you know how to cook?" Bombur asked.

Caynna gave a nod. "I do," she said though no one missed the sly smile she had on her face.

"And how well can you cook?" Kili asked.

"I'm not the best by a woman's standards," Caynna said. "But, I can turn a disaster into a decent meal and a decent meal into a disaster depending on the circumstances…if you know what I mean."

The dwarves didn't. "What do you mean by disaster?" Ori asked superstitiously.

"By disaster, I mean I can make the meal taste normal, but by the end of the hour you may find your insides have become your outsides. Or, perhaps, you may find out that you are slowly dying with no medical cure. Or, my favorite, you may become increasingly drunk and find yourself dead within the hour."

Ori gulped nervously and Caynna gave him a reassuring smile, or so she hoped. "But, I can also reverse the effects of those poisoned meals by simply adding certain items into the meal without ever having to restart them or destroy them," Caynna said and immediately the dwarves relaxed. "Several contracts have called for me to do so. The side effect of saving one's life from the poisoned meal is severe stomach pains for at least two hours, but one will survive anyhow."

"Have you ever had a contract that did not involve you killing someone, lassie?" Balin asked.

"Oh, of course!" Caynna said. "I have often taken courier assignments, luring assignments, brawl assignments, and the like."

"You've been in brawls?" Dwalin asked in shock as he turned to look at the lass.

"Plenty of times in my trainee years, Mister Dwalin," Caynna said with a nod and then a frown. "Though, I think each time someone had to come to my victim's help."

"Why is that?"

"Before each brawl assignment, I would go out with Brogan and Devyn and we would have a few drinks," Caynna said, though the way she said "few" meant that she probably had more than what she let on. "I do not like myself when I drink. I can become very angry in a matter of seconds, or I can be a stranger's best friend in the blink of an eye. That is why when I stopped taking those assignments I also stopped drinking."

"So that is why you do not drink?"

"Exactly," Caynna confirmed.

The questions kept coming. Caynna didn't mind, and she found herself enjoying the time talking with the company even if at some points two dwarf princes went from questioning to interrogating her.

"What are you doing, Ori?" Caynna asked as she sat down next to the young dwarf.

They had stopped for the night off the side of the road in the safety of the forest next to them. Bombur had made a nice stew, and had just finished dishing it out to everyone in the company. Caynna looked at Ori as she ate some of her stew. The dwarf didn't look her in the eyes, but rather out of the corner of his eyes. "Oh…just…drawing," he said shyly.

Caynna gave a nod. "May I see?" she asked gently as if talking to a small child.

Ori gave a shy nod and turned his sketch book toward Caynna. She was amazed by the dwarf's artistic skills. It was of Tilian being his proud self with Kili's bag of gold in his mouth and Caynna smiling in laughter at the horse. Kili was attempting to grab the bag from the horse, his own pony looking a bit flustered as he failed at grabbing the bag of coins. The drawing was done so beautifully all the way down to the fine hairs on Tilian's head to Caynna's scar. "This is amazing," Caynna said as she examined the picture.

"Thank you, Miss Caynna," Ori beamed at her under his shy little smile.

By Mahal, he's adorable! Caynna thought with her own smile. Like a little shy puppy!

It was true. She looked at Ori and ended up picturing him as a shy little red haired puppy that was always had happy wagging tail with large eyes and a slight scared nature. "You capture Tilian really well," Caynna said as she looked back at the picture.

At the mention of the horse, Tilian immediately made his way over to the two and peered around Caynna's shoulder to see the picture. Tilian cocked his head to the side before righting himself and assuming his proud, egotistical expression just like the picture. Caynna shook her head while Ori smiled at Tilian, pleased that the horse approved of himself in the picture.

The second day of traveling found Caynna at the back of the line with Kili and Fili, the two brothers having asked her to travel at the back once more. Fortunately for Caynna, who had found herself in another interrogation by the two, Bofur and Nori were quite curious to the way Tilian often looked at Kili. "Caynna, why don't you ride with us for a bit?" Bofur asked as Nori gave a nod.

Tilian snorted in agreement. "Alright," Caynna said with a smile.

Tilian moved in next to Bofur's pony, and pulled himself back into a proud walk. "We can't help but notice the way Tilian gives Kili funny looks," Bofur started.

"He doesn't like Kili," Caynna said.

The horse gave a nicker in agreement. "Why is that?" Bofur asked.

"You know, Mister Bofur, I haven't figured that out myself as of yet. Though, I do believe it has something to do with Kili falling on me when we first met."

"What is with the titles, lass?" Nori asked with a half frown, half smile.

"It is common courtesy that I give to those I travel with," Caynna replied with a smile.

"You don't need to give us titles."

"Aye, we are no one special," Bofur added as he pulled his pipe out.

"Then I shall receive none in return," Caynna replied with a smile.

"Good, because we weren't going to start," Kili joked, the two brothers naturally eavesdropping on the conversation.

Caynna shrugged. "I see no difference," she said honestly.

Kili waited a minute longer to see if Caynna would say anything else, but the lass didn't. "About that wager, Fili," Kili said to his brother.

Caynna tuned them out as they continued along, delving deep into her thoughts as the day wore on. She did not let on to the two brothers when she noticed them peel off to the side as they found a snake. Fili moved and placed the snake in Caynna's saddle bag with great stealth, something that actually shocked Caynna on the inside. When they stopped to give the horses a rest, Caynna gently reached in, took the large, harmless grass snake out of her bag and placed it in Fili's. When they started up once more, she heard the two whispering. "Did she find it yet?" Kili asked.

"I don't think so," Fili answered.

"Do you have my dagger in your bag from the other night?"

"Yes. Here you-" Fili's talk was cut off as he let out a scream of fright.

The whole procession stopped as the blonde dwarf threw the snake backward and into a tree while the company laughed. "Kili!" both Fili and Thorin yelled.

"It wasn't me!" the dwarf in question said in offense as they started moving again.

Caynna turned to the two brothers, an impassive expression on her face. "Strange thing to find a snake in one's saddle bags," she said. "Luckily, it was only a harmless grass snake. I do not see why you freaked out so much, Fili."

"You put it in my bag!" he accused the lass.

"If I recall, you placed him in my bag first," Caynna said as she turned back. "Next time, I would choose something that doesn't hiss as loud as a simple grass snake."

"Your face was priceless," Kili said with a laugh.

"Between you and the snake, I don't know which was more surprised."

"Ha, ha," Fili grumbled, "very funny you two."

As they continued to ride the next day, Caynna noticed the way Bilbo still seemed out of place on his pony's back even after the two days of riding. She urged Tilian up to the poor hobbit, and observed the way he rode his pony. He was stiff in the back, held the reins up and away from him, leaned away from the pony's head, and generally seemed out of place on the pony. Caynna gave a small shake of her head as she looked at Bilbo, the hobbit looking like a kid on a horse for the first time in his life after two days of constant riding. "Try relaxing in the saddle a bit, Mister Baggins," Caynna said gently as Tilian rode up beside the chestnut pony. "When you relax, so will she."

Bilbo seemed to relax, but was leaning too far back in the saddle still. "Lean forward some, you'll cause the muscles in your back to knot and cramp more if you continue to lounge against the bags," Caynna directed.

"I've never really ridden a pony before up to now," Bilbo admitted.

"I'll be blunt with you, Mister Baggins. We can all tell."

A few dwarves snickered at her comment, and the poor hobbit slouched in embarrassment before perking up a bit as Caynna offered a smile. "How do you become so relaxed when you are constantly riding a horse?" he asked.

"For one, you develop a relationship with the horse, or pony, that you ride," Caynna said with a nod to Bilbo's pony. "You have already begun to develop one with yours. What is her name?"

"Myrtle…I think," Bilbo said with a frown.

"Don't hold the reins up high like you are doing. Just relax your hands and give Myrtle her head," Caynna said as she leaned over and adjusted the hobbit's grasp on the reins.

Myrtle let out a nicker in content at having her head back and someone relaxed at her reins. "What was that?" Bilbo asked in fright at the mare's noise.

"She's thanking you for giving her some headway," Bofur laughed.

"Try to loosen up," Caynna continued to give the hobbit pointers. "If you are relaxed, Myrtle will also be relaxed. If she picks up the pace too much, just pull back on the reins. If you want her to pick up the pace, just give her a small nudge with your heels. Otherwise, all you really have to do is have a relaxed disposition, calm hand on the reins, and you'll stay on."

Well, hopefully, Caynna finished in her head as she caught ear of two brothers devising an evil plan to get the poor hobbit to fall off Myrtle's back.