I stood still, facing the world that lay below the cliff.
He gained... Me?
Thorin turned around. I did as well. All of the dwarves were awake now. Thorin's expression changed from sad to threatening.
"And the pale orc?" Bilbo asked. "What happened to him?"
"He slunk back into the hole from whence he came!" If I hadn't been talking to Thorin a second ago, I wouldn't have heard the slight sadness in his voice.
"Thorin? You still awake?
"...Hm? Yeah."
"Why didn't you ever tell me about Azog before? We've never kept secrets... Right?" When Thorin didn't answer, I climbed the nearest tree and sulked.
"I'm such an idiot," Thorin grumbled the next day. "Never told her of Azog... Now she won't even talk to me." To make matters worse, it had started raining. On the bright side, at least the sun was out.
"Mister Gandalf," Balin asked, "can't you do something about this deluge?"
"It is raining, master Balin, and it will continue raining until the rain is done!" Gandalf retorted. "If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard!"
"Are there any?" Bilbo asked.
"Any what?"
"Other wizards."
"There are five of us. The head of our order is Sarumon, the white. Then there are the two blue wizards... You know, I have quite forgotten their names. And then there is Radagast, the brown."
"Is he a great wizard, or is he... more like you?"
Thorin had trouble keeping a strait face, despite his current mood.
"I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way. He is a gentle soul, who prefferes the company of animals to others. He keeps watch over the eastern woods, and a good thing, too. Evil will always seek to find a foothold in this world."