Lost little souls

Chapter 3

The Pit

Silversun Pick ups

"Excuse me. Pardon me." Were the only words that escaped Bilbo's mouth as he moved to the center of the commotion. It seemed that almost no one in Hobbiton had seen a dwarf before and were all extremely curious to get a good look. This however, made it a challenge to get to them.

Finally, able to push his way through the voluminous crowd, he locked eyes on them. A pair of dwarves. The older of the two had a snowy beard that seemed to flow off his face in an avalanche of white hair. The younger one stood tall and with a great sense of purpose. Onyx hair cascaded down his head, with only a few braids in his rugged hair. His beard, unlike his company's, was short and trim.

Bilbo approached the taller of the two with a warm smile "Pardon me. But is there something-"

"How did a cloud get on your face?" Shouted Pippin at the white haired dwarf.

Dreading what he would see, Bilbo slowly turned to find that the all four of the young hobbits had followed him into the center and now Pippin was causing a scene. The crowd began to murmur to themselves. "Fool of a Took" could be heard. "Now he will get what is coming to him." "What a noisy child!" "I don't even now why he is let out sometime."

The white haired dwarf just smiled affectionately at the little hobbit. "Well, lad that is what happens when you get old. Your hair turns white all over. Believe it or not I had dark hair in my youth."

"Really! Will I get white hair too?" Pip had seen white hair before but not on someone's face. He had heard that all dwarves had beards but he always thought they would be dark.

The old dwarf laughed. Seeing such concern over hair was not common and the innocence was refreshing. "You might. Or you could get gray hair. But you have to wait a long time for that."

"Can I feel your hair?" Pip pointed to the beard, eager to feel it, his fingers already starting to twitch.

Multiple slaps were heard as his friends smacked their heads with their hands. "Pippin, you should know better then to ask a complete stranger if you can feel their hair." Frodo said as he tried to lead his younger cousin away.

Ever the voice of wisdom, the old dwarf spoke. "Your friend is right. It would not be appropriate if we were complete strangers." Pippin's face fell at the other's words. Perhaps he was a fool. But then the dwarf extended his wrinkled right hand toward the young hobbit. "My name is Balin, son of -."

Understanding what was happening, the sunny smile returned instantly to his face as Pippin took Balin's hand. "I'm Peregrin Took. But everyone calls me Pippin. Now can I feel your beard?"

Balin knelt down to give the little hobbit a better reach and without any hesitation, Pippin thrust his hands at the facial hair. "Ha, ha. It's soft like a cloud too!" The laughter become contagious as Balin and the other young hobbits burst into a fit of laughter. The crowd, along with Bilbo and the other dwarf could not believe what they were seeing. All staring with wide eyes.

A nervous chuckle was all Bilbo's throat could manage as he turned back to the large dwarf. "Hee hee. Leave it to Pippin to lighten the mood a bit. Oh! My manners. My name is Bilbo Baggins." As he extended his hand.

"Baggins?" The dark haired dwarf remembered hearing that name somewhere before. Wait! Didn't Gandalf say something about Baggins? If you find yourself is trouble, might I suggest that you locate a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins. He is odd for a hobbit and many refer to him as "mad" or "cracked". However, he will be a very powerful ally should you seek one.

"Thorin Oakensheild, at your service." Thorin chose his next words carefully, remembering that Gandalf said if the hobbits knew he was a king, they might feel awkward and not know how to respond. "I am a blacksmith and the leader of a group of refugees."

"Refugees?" By this point Merry, Frodo and Sam had come forward to examine Balin's beard. Content that the boys were safe and together, Bilbo wanted to continue his conversation.

"Sadly, a number of years ago a dragon came to our home and drove us out. Our people scattered and a large group followed me." He was not sure how much information will be needed to insure the hobbit's assistance. He didn't want to bring up the next tragic event that caused them to lose any resemblance of a home. "We have children in our group and we are looking for a place to settle for the time being."

Bilbo thought for a moment. He wanted to help them but where could they stay. With as many people as Thorin let on, it would be difficult to house them in the local inns, even if they used every inn in the entire Shire.

The young hobbits couldn't help over hearing the conversation. Where could the dwarves stay? And if there were children, would they be their new friends? Surely, having some dwarf friends would make things a little more exciting around the normally boring shire.

Sam opened his mouth and quickly closed it. It was not his place to speak. He had been told time and time again, not only by his father but others that if the gentle hobbits were talking, it was not his place to say anything. That's just how it is. Silently, the mild hobbit hoped no one saw his actions. However luck was not one his side since Frodo had seen his action. "Sam, do you know somewhere?"

All eyes turned to the gardener's son. Sam, being a hobbit who was not used to such attention, began to fidget, pulling at his already worn shirt in a despite attempt to calm him ever growing anxiety. Ninnyhammer! Mister Frodo saw you!

"Sam." Bilbo knelt down to the lad. "If you have any ideas, we would like to hear them." He hoped that Sam would be able to put aside his "proper manners" and help the travelers.

Suddenly, Sam felt his small hands being grasped into equally tiny hands. He knew who's hands they were without even looking. The silky softness was one that he knew well. "Please, Sam." Frodo's sweet voice drifted into his ears forcing him to look into the other's unpretentious eyes. An encouraging smile appeared on Frodo's face.

Their gaze held for a moment before Sam took a giant breath to speak. "There are a bunch of abandoned smials just outside of Hobbiton, the direction of Bree. They might need some fixing, if you don't mind me saying so." A few months ago, Merry had made this discovery and since then the four had taken to playing there to hide from the grown ups. Sam only hopped that Merry and his friends wouldn't be too made at him.

The young Master of Bag End leaned in close to Sam's ear. "Thank you." It was sincere and full of warmth, letting his friend know that he truly believed Sam had done the right thing. As much as Sam hated being in the spotlight, getting reassurance and praise from Mister Frodo was enough to make his blush head to toe. Even Balin would see the tips of his pointed ears had turned a crimson shade.

"It's not perfect, but I think it could work?" Bilbo thought out loud. "What do you think, Master Thorin?"

"I agree." Anything was better than nothing. Hell, it could have been a shack in the forest and he would have taken it. He and his people had learned to adapt to survive their unfortunate situation.

"Perfect! Let's go back to Bag End and I will write a letter to the mayor." Bilbo was all too happy to help those in need of assistance and it seemed the dwarves could use a friend or two. Besides they seemed very friendly, or at least Balin did. Anyone who could handle a Took's antics was not a bad person. Besides, he mentioned that there were children. Which naturally meant more friends for his four favorite young hobbits. He just hoped that Merry and Pippin wouldn't get the dwarf children into too much trouble.

Balin who had been quiet up to this point, spoke words of wisdom. "Perhaps it would be best if we informed the other's of the decision." Thorin nodded in agreement. "Wonderful! I am sure they will be happy to hear. Come, Mister Baggins, you must meet the rest of group. There is a hand of children as well and I am sure they would like to make some new friends." Balin winked at the little ones.

Predictability, a squeal came from one of the hobbit children. New friends were always exciting and the shire could be down right boring at times. Merry and Pippin grabbed a hold of each other Balin's hands. "Please lead the way, Mister Balin." Merry grinned.

The walk through the shire had been a peaceful one. The halcyon spring day brought sunshine with just a light breeze that carried the scent of the newly planted flowers. Balin out in front with Merry and Pippin still holding the elderly dwarfs' hands, while Sam and Frodo stood a little ways back swinging their interlocking hands, talking about all the new kinds of flowers that would soon be planted at Bag End. Bilbo and Thorin covered the flank to insure their group was not disturbed, or at least that was Thorin's intention.

"Most hobbits have never seen a dwarf." Bilbo's voice cut through the kings' thoughts. "They are good people but a little timid of things they do not know. However, no one will harm you or your group." For the first time since they had started walking, Thorin's blue eyes meet Bilbo's. "I can tell you are worried. But I will not allow anything to happen."

Little Pippin's voice shook both out of their conversation. "Look!" Pippin pointed to the hill towards the end of the shire. There stood a dwarfling about Pippin's age. Dark hair flowing down from his head as he watched the group of hobbits and dwarves coming towards them. The little dwarf shouted something and then another one, who was a little taller and had golden hair, appeared. With out waiting for permission, Merry, followed Pippin, run up the hill towards the pair. Quickly followed by Frodo and Sam. Balin on the other hand, took his time climbing the hill.

For the first time since Bilbo had meet Thorin, he could see a small tranquil smile crawl across his face. "Those are my nephews, Fili and Kili. Fili has the golden hair while Kili has ebony."

"They look sweet." Commented Bilbo. For some reason, they remind me of Merry and Pippin.

"Those two are what truly gives me strength when I feel I have none. Raising those two is not an easy task, even with help from the group." Thorin had no idea why he was speaking so freely to nearly a complete stranger; perhaps it was what Balin would call an "aura" that Master Baggins had.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Master Thorin. About two years ago, my cousins died and I took Frodo in. It is strange to think that while they are the one's suffering, it is us they help." The hobbit started to feel some sort of kinship growing between him and the dwarf over their mutual loses and gains.

"Truer words were never spoken"

"I thought all dwarves had beards. Where are yours?" Pippin asked the dwarf brothers. Both of the Durin lads had smooth faces since neither one was old enough to grow a beard. Fili had been told in the next few months he would probably start to get some hair but would have to wait until he was older to get a full beard. While the brothers knew this, they couldn't help the chagrin they felt.

"PIP! You are being rude. I'm sorry for him. My name is Merry. This is my cousin, Pippin. Our other cousin, Frodo is on his way with our friend Sam." Smiled Merry. He had been thinking the same thing as Pippin but knew better than to say anything. Pippin's mouth usually got him into all sorts of trouble and it was usually Merry's job to get him out of it whenever he could. Merry was just glad that the two dwarves children didn't look didn't look too offended. A bit uneasy but not offended.

"That's ok. Kili does rude things too. My name is Fili and this is my little brother, Kili." Fili chuckled. Hearing Merry's heartfelt apology on his cousin's behalf, more than pleased Fili. It looked like he was not the only one to apologize for someone else.

"Where are your ears?" Inquired Kili. It was as if Kili needed to prove that he could be just as rude or foolish as the younger hobbit.

"Our ears? They are right here, see." Pippin pushed back his russet hair, reveling a set of small, pointed ears.

Both brothers looked a bit confused as they stared at the appendage. "We thought they would be much longer." Fili sounded a bit disappointed at the find. Maybe their ears would get longer when they got older. Sort of like growing a beard. Maybe it was just the grown ups that had the long rabbit ears.

Now it was Merry and Pippin's turn to be confused. "Why would they be longer?" Not one in the Shire had long ears. Long noses, maybe but not long ears.

"Well, Mister Dwalin said that hobbits were like rabbits, so we thought you would have long ears like rabbits. Do your ears get longer when you get older? Fili and I will grow beards when we get older."

"FILI! KILI! How many times do I have to tell you hobbits are not rabbits?" Bellowed Thorin. It was then that the four realized they were not alone, the others had caught up.

Shocked by the noise the large dwarf made, the four hobbit children hide behind Bilbo.

"We are sorry, Uncle." They spoke in unison.

Not detoured, Kili ran over to Pippin and grabbed his hand. "Come on. I want you to meet the rest of my friends. But you can't really meet Ori. He's still sick. But once he gets better, he can play with us." Following his younger brother's lead, Fili grabbed Merry and ran towards the large group of dwarfs, with Frodo and Sam in tow.

Thorin shook his head causing his midnight locks to shake. "What am I to do with them?" He muttered. If they were to stay in the shire, they had to be on their best behavior or they might be forced to find a new home. Thorin silently prayed to Mahal that they had not just offended their hobbit connection.

The sound of laughter brought Thorin out of his inner turmoil. "Master Baggins?"

"I'm sorry, Master Thorin. But I can't help it. Children and their naiveté is adorable." Bilbo beamed up at his dwarf host. His eye sparkling as he spoke. "Though I'm not too sure why they picked rabbits."

A slight heat rose on Thorin's cheeks as Bilbo smiled. It had been ages since he saw anyone smile like that towards him. It was nice.

Just then the sound of a wet, hard cough caught their ears.

To be continued...

Yep. Things are about to get dark. How dark? Well, the next chapter title is called "Castle of Glass" by Linkin Park. Please note that these were the happy chapters.