"Radagast," Gandalf sighed with relief, putting his newly acquired sword back into its holster at his side. Bofur wondered why that name sounded familiar. "Radagast, the Brown." Ah, the other wizard. "What on earth are you doing here?" Even Gandalf doesn't seem entirely pleased with this fellow. He doesn't look sane. And my hate is much better than his own. The brown wizard, who was indeed very dirty looking, more so than even the dwarves, was quick to respond.
"I was looking for you, Gandalf." The brown wizard was huffing a bit, as if he were out of breath, as if he were the one doing the running and not the rabbits. "Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." By now, all the dwarves, and Bilbo, had their weapons lowered, seeing some sort of trust between the two wizards. Not trusting the new face, however, because dwarves do not trust easily (and also, this Radagast doesn't look like his word should be taken all that seriously anyway), their weapons remained at their sides, ready to be equipped in a flash if necessary. There was a moment here that Bofur noticed a still scared-looking Kili grab onto the closest dwarf, which happened to be Dwalin, and little Ori's eyes fill with rage and jealousy and hurt.
"Yes," Gandalf prompted the smaller wizard to continue. Just as Radagast opened his mouth to respond, he froze. It was painfully obvious that the poor old creature had forgotten his words, and from behind the two wizards, Bofur could see Thorin roll his eyes in frustration. A wizard bringing bad news is as terrible as bad news finding us on its own. A wizard forgetting the news he meant to bring is worse. The company watched in mock amusement as the scatterbrained wizard opened and closed his mouth a few times, hardly a noise escaping each time.
"Just give me a minute," Radagast finally spoke. "Oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was right there on the tip of my tongue," he was gesturing towards his mouth for emphasis. "Oh! It's not a thought at all! It's just a little stick insect!" His last sentences were quite difficult to understand, as a stick insect was, in fact, sitting on the wizard's tongue. Gandalf pulled the bug out of his friend's mouth, allowing the other to continue talking. As he began telling stories of how and why he was with the company at that very moment, the dwarves put their weapons away, knowing that it would be a long day if the wizard remained nearby.
Bofur took a seat not near at all to the two conversing wizards, and Nori sat beside him only a minute or two later. As the pair sat cross-legged on a fallen log, Bofur pulled out his pipe and lit it with ease. "Say, I didn't quite catch what it was you were trying to say earlier, you know, what with all that commotion at the troll cave and all," Bofur expressed, hoping the other dwarf would retell whatever it was he had originally said. Nori patted Bofur's knee, a sad sort of smile trying to carve its way into his facial expression.
"Now is not the time nor place for what was on my mind back then." Nori was looking into Bofur's eyes, and Bofur could see the sincerity in his friend's words, despite the much clearer sadness from within them. "Maybe one day I'll find the courage to tell you again, but that day is not this. I'm sorry." Bofur shook his head, mouth forming a comfortable lopsided smile. He made to grab for Nori's hand, the one that was resting on his knee, but stopped himself a mere inch away.
"There is no need for an apology, Nori," he reassured him. "If it's meant to happen, it will." Bofur didn't know how heavy those words would sit in the hearts of both he and Nori. In a sudden burst of bravery, Bofur lifted his hand once more to allow it to curl around Nori's for a quick squeeze, before both dwarves pulled away and rested their palms flat on the ground, careful not to come into anymore physical contact. The smile on Bofur's face did not falter, though.
While Gandalf and Radagast, the wizards, talked between themselves, Bofur noticed that the dwarves had scattered around the clearing, most remaining within eyesight, but none were listening to the conversation. It had been nearly an hour and most of the company looked tired and, for the first time since leaving Bag End, they looked bored. Bofur could just barely hear the sounds coming from Radagast, but the warnings he was giving were not registering in his mind. He could pick up a few words here and there, such as Greenwood and decay. It wasn't until he mentioned webs that Bofur's ears tuned in to listen to the brown wizard. It seemed Gandalf had only now started paying closer attention, too, as he turned back to his friend and questioned him.
"Webs? What do you mean?"
"Spiders, Gandalf, giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a wizard. I followed their trail, they came from," the brown wizard paused, probably only for a dramatic flair. I suppose all wizards like their fair share of drama. "Dol Guldur," Radagast finished. This definitely seemed to catch Gandalf's interest, as the mood of the conversation shifted into one of high intensity and seriousness.
"Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned."
"No, Gandalf, it's not. A dark power dwells there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror, one that can summon the spirits of the dead." The two wizards were now staring at each other, the eyes of one never leaving the other. "I saw him, Gandalf, from out of the darkness. A Necromancer has come!" Just after he finished talking, the brown wizard ventured off into his own mind, remembering. It took a few moments before he returned, shaken up, and Gandalf offered him his pipe.
"Try a little Old Toby," he said, "it'll help settle your nerves." Radagast took a long while to breathe in the pipe smoke and exhale it, though the white smoke exited out of both nose and ears. "Now," Gandalf continued, louder than before, "the Necromancer. Are you sure?" A few of the dwarves look on, interest officially peaked, as Radagast pulled some object wrapped in cloth out of his cloak before handing it to Gandalf. The grey wizard unwrapped the object, just enough so he alone could see what lay within the tattered cloth.
"That is not of the world of the living." As if the mood of the company wasn't already intense enough, Radagast had chosen to whisper his words, nearly chilling Bofur to the bones. The moment, however, was interrupted by a nearby howl, coming from the forest surrounding the clearing.
"Was that a wolf? Are there wolves out there?" Before Bofur had even realized he had stood up, he had already spoken a response.
"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." Bofur searched the trees at the edge of the clearing, looking for what he knew had actually made those noises. Growling from behind him caught his attention and he, along with everyone else in the clearing, turned to be met with the ugly face of a snarling warg. The black beast leapt over the heads of Bilbo and Bofur, landing in front of Thorin. Luckily for the group, Thorin was the only dwarf ready for such a sudden attack, and he was able to take the warg down with a quick swing of a blade. Unluckily for the group, another warg had appeared, and Thorin's sword was still stuck within the skull of the first. Following a shout from his uncle, an arrow which could only have been fired from Kili's bow soared through the air, piercing and stunning the new warg, allowing Dwalin to finish it off. The remainder of the group ran over, some not sure of what exactly had taken place over the last minute.
"Warg scouts," Thorin's gravelly voice spoke, "which means an orc pack is not far behind." Bilbo questioned this, but was ignored by Gandalf, whose own questions were of greater importance.
"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Thorin looked at him with disbelief, as if he didn't understand how the wizard would not trust him.
"No one."
"Who did you tell?" The wizard's voice was louder and more demanding.
"No one, I swear." Thorin had raised his own voice to match Gandalf's. So much for not attracting the attention of orcs, then. "What in Durin's name is going on?"
"You are being hunted," was Gandalf's short and blunt reply.
"We've got to get out of here," Dwalin said, mirroring everyone's thoughts perfectly well. It seemed like a good idea, too, until Ori and Bifur ran back into the clearing, up n a ledge near where the ponies had been left.
"We can't," little Ori spoke in a rush, "we have no ponies. They've bolted." The entire group looked understandably downcast, thinking their death was upon them.
"I'll lead them off." Despite the very great offer made by Radagast, no one seemed particularly excited at the idea of an old wizard trying to lure a pack of wargs and orcs away from the company.
"Those are Gundabad wargs, they will outrun you," Gandalf voiced the thoughts of probably every company member.
"These are Rhosgobel rabbits," spoke Radagast, and although Bofur had no idea what that meant, Gandalf perked up at the statement. "I'd like to see them try."