Notes: Sorry for the spacing issues before, i think i fixed it.
Chapter 4: Over the Misty Mountains
For the trip over the Misty Mountains, Aragorn and Gandalf carried the hobbits. Bilbo protested to being carried himself, pointing out that he had been over these mountains and survived, and how they should focus on keeping the boys safe. Bilbo eventually gave in when he realized Gandalf was not going to put him back down. He glared at nothing when he heard the ranger and the little hobbits giggling (Aragorn was chuckling, because badasses don't giggle.)
The trip over the mountains was quiet. No thunder battles between stone giants or goblin attacks. They left at dawn and made it to the other side by sunset.
They actually set up camp in the ashen cliff where the eagles save the Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves.
That night Gandalf told Bilbo and the Hobbits what had happened to the dwarves under the mountain. Aragorn looked like he wasn't listening but, he was. Hearing the tales of dwarves traveling with a hobbit and Mithrandir were quite interesting.
The little hobbits fell asleep right after the great escape from the very cliff they were sitting on.
Gandalf, Bilbo, and Aragorn decided to trade watch every hour or so. Bilbo had the last watch of the night.
He yawned. The sun would rise soon, he could see the light on the horizon. He stood up, looking over the little camp. Gandalf was sleeping? His eyes were open but he had this 'not home' look in them. His boys were curled up together, close to where the fire was.
Bilbo checked Sting.
No Orcs or goblins.
He sighed, wandering to the edge of the fire's light. the cliff was black and lifeless, still covered with ash from the fire. Bilbo walked over to the rock where he had put himself between Azog and an injured Thorin. It was one of the stupidest decisions of his life. He didn't regret it for a second.
The rock was the only thing alive on this cliff, it was covered with moss, untouched by the fire.
"Hm?" Bilbo spotted something lying on the rock among the moss. When he picked the dark item up he almost burst out laughing.
He heard Gandalf stirring in the camp so he returned, item in hand.
Gandalf raised an eyebrow at Bilbo when he came back over to sit above the boys, with a large smile on his face.
"What have you got there, dear boy?" the wizard asked.
"A Shield." He said holding up the oaken branch that had saved Thorin's life.
Aragorn, Bilbo, and Gandalf had decided to let the hobbits rest a little longer. Frodo and Sam were awakened by the beautiful smell of Bilbo's bacon. He always made it the best, just right.
While everyone was enjoying breakfast, Sam noticed something new lying among Bilbo's stuff.
"Mr. Bilbo?" he asked after he finished his current piece of bacon.
"Sam it's okay to just call me Bilbo."
"Oh! Uncle can I-"
"No."
"… Mr. Bilbo, What's that?" he asked pointing to the new item. Bilbo smiled.
"Have I ever told you boy's of how Thorin earned the name Oakenshield?" he was fairly certain he hadn't told them this one yet.
"No! Please tell us!" the boys begged.
Bilbo repeated the story Balin had told him - the little hobbit rated version - as the group traveled down the mountains. Afterwards the boys seemed to admire Thorin even more, and Aragorn wanted to meet this man who Bilbo talked about with such passion.
By sunset they reached the Carrock. They decided to make camp here and continue in to Beorn's in the morning. That night Frodo, Sam, and Bilbo told the story of how the dwarves arrived a Beorn's. Well, Bilbo told the story and the boys added sound effects.
In the morning they were off again.
Frodo and Sam took turns holding Thorin's shield. They were even nice enough to offer Bilbo, Aragorn, and Gandalf a chance to hold it.
Walking through Beorn's bee fields, Frodo and Sam got very quiet. It was obvious they were nervous about meeting the skin-changer. They were walking hand-in-hand by the time they reached the door, shield held in between them.
"Gandalf, Hello again, it has been a long time." A huge man with a thick black beard and hair, and great bare arms and legs with knotted muscles, answered the door. Sam hide behind Gandalf, and Frodo hide behind Aragorn (neither hid behind Bilbo was simply because there was not that much of him to hide behind.)
"Beorn. We would hope to enlist your services once more."
"I see no problem with that." The large man said. "I only hope this is all your company." He gestured to Aragorn and Bilbo.
"I apologize, for it is not." Gandalf lifted his robes reveling little Sam, who quickly abandoned Gandalf to join Frodo behind Aragorn. The adults chuckled.
"Hello little ones, I am Beorn." He said as he crouched down.
"Some brave adventurers you are." Bilbo said amused, the boys reluctantly came out from behind the ranger (or pulled in Sam's case. He was perfectly fine with not being an adventurer anymore.)
"Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, at your service." Frodo said proudly, and he and Sam bowed together.
Frodo looked the man up and down, "can you really turn into a bear?" he asked.
"Still don't believe my stories I see." Bilbo said with what he would call a slight not-pout.
"Of course I do Uncle Bilbo! We love your stories! But I have to be sure!" Frodo explained.
"How about this?" Beorn said standing up "I'll let you borrow my ponies and stay in my house, but at a price." Gandalf was about to say something, when Beorn continued, "I would like to hear some of these stories." He said with a smile, as he let the five travelers inside his cabin.