"My mother's side of the family is where I get my thirst for adventure," Bilbo told Balin.
Dwalin tried not to look curious, despite the various questions he wanted to ask. He figured they'd be answered soon enough as Balin had been asking Bilbo questions about his family all morning. "My mother, Belladonna Took Baggins, is the ninth child of the Old Took, and his first daughter."
"Ah, must have made her a favorite until the next daughter."
"From what I understood, yes," Bilbo said. "The Took Family is usually considered a bit off because of our curiosity for the outside world. Runs in the family, and whichever family a daughter marries into, I guess."
"Must be, otherwise you wouldn't have come along. But why you?"
"I am...well...was unmarried," Bilbo said. "My other cousins on the Took side and those related to the Tooks in the Brandybuck Family are all married. Some have children now, I think. And the others are still underage."
"Hmm."
"To be honest, lately, I was screaming," Bilbo admitted. He smiled at Balin, "Not really, of course. But I was losing my mind. The Baggins family is one the most respectable families in Hobbiton, so, while I loved my father dearly, he worked a lot to snuff that need for adventure. For a while, I thought he had succeeded. But before you came, I felt like I was clawing at the walls of a cage. And then Gandalf came and offered to go on an adventure. It was a blessing! It was my chance to get out and away from everything and all the bloody responsibility that comes with being a Baggins."
Balin grinned. "I bet you weren't expecting to get married as a part of it."
"No. I wasn't. But I needed out of the Shire. I was willing to do anything if it meant getting out of for even a little while."
Dwalin rode ahead.
Thorin glanced at him.
"What?"
"Everything all right?" Thorin asked.
"As all right as it can be. Do you know anyone who would willingly leave everything they know behind to aid people they do not know?"
Thorin turned around to look at Bilbo. "No. I don't."
"It's mad."
"That it is. Though…everyone here is willing."
"We're going to reclaim our home. To take it back from a Dragon because it's better than living as refugees. He's simply going for the bloody thrill of it!"
Thorin sighed. "I understand your concern—"
Dwalin glared at him, "He's going to get himself killed. Like I said, this is no quest for gentlefolk who can't fight or defend themselves."
"He's your husband. It's your job to make sure that doesn't happen."
"I really wish everyone would stop throwing that word around. It feels like a label that I can't wash off! I'll keep my eye on him, but I can't keep my eye on you and him at the same time."
"I'm capable of keeping an eye on myself," Thorin assured him.
Dwalin bit his tongue. "It still doesn't sit well with me."
Thorin shook his head. "Gandalf!" he called, riding over to the Wizard.
#
"I don't like the view of those mountains," Dwalin announced to Thorin after Gandalf had stormed off.
Thorin glared at him. "If you wish to join the Wizard, by all means, go!"
"That's not what I mean. I've a bad feeling about this." Dwalin said, crossing his arms. "How do we know what destroyed this house is not out there anymore? How do we know it's long gone? Or do you think my intuition is off?"
Thorin exhaled. "While I do trust your judgment, Dwalin, we can't relocate now," he said. "The night is closing in on us. We'll just have to wait it out—"
"TROLLS!" Fili shouted. The camp silenced. "Trolls caught Bilbo! Kili stayed behind to help!"
Dwalin didn't bother to wait and think. He seized his war hammer, and followed Thorin, muttering curses under his breath.
When they arrived, Kili fell to the ground, catching Bilbo in his arms.
Dwalin glanced at him once, to see that he still lived before attacking. Bilbo climbed off Kili, avoiding the fray and wobbling a little, but otherwise he was okay.
The fight to bring the trolls down was short-lived. Thorin called them off when he spotted Bilbo held up by his arms and legs by the Trolls. Dwalin's hands shook as he lay down his hammer.
They were siezed and tied in sacks, save a few who were stripped to their onesies and tied to the spit. The Trolls discussed what they wanted to do with them while turning the spit.
"Wait!" Bilbo squirmed off the pile on to his feet, jumping toward them. "You're making a terrible mistake."
"And what do you know about cooking dwarves?" one of the trolls snarled.
Bilbo scoffed. "Haven't you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you cook this lot up."
He jumped away from the furious Dwarves close by. Dwalin fumed. Why that little-
"Oh?"
"Yes. You see the secret to cooking dwarves is to...to…" he glanced at them. "Give me a moment…um…oh yes! It's…too…skin them first!"
That little rat! Dwalin thought, shouting promises of vengeance at Bilbo with the others. The trolls didn't buy it. One hoisted Bombur into the air over his mouth.
"NOT THAT ONE!" Bilbo shouted. "HE'S INFECTED!"
The trolls paused.
"Yeah…he's got…parasites in his…tubes." The Troll dropped Bombur. "In fact, they all have," Bilbo said. "Terrible business. I wouldn't risk it."
"We don't have parasites!" Kili shouted.
For the love of Mahal, Boy, you're going to get us all killed.
Thorin kicked Kili and soon everyone was shouting they had parasites.
"What would you have us do then?" one of the trolls asked, smarter than he looked. "Let them all go?"
"Well…"
"You're not fooling me! This little ferret is taking us for fools!"
"Ferret?!" Bilbo shouted indignantly.
"Fools?!"
"The dawn take you all!" Gandalf shouted.
"Who's that?"
"Don't know."
"Can we eat him too?"
Gandalf slammed his staff on the rock he stood upon and Dwalin was blinded by sunlight. The trolls shrieked as they turned to stone.
After they were released, Dwalin approached Bilbo with his arms crossed. "Skin them first?"
Bilbo bit his lip. "I admit that wasn't the brightest idea I've ever come up with, but it distracted them for a bit, didn't it?"
"That is beside the point."
"We're alive aren't we?" Bilbo snapped. "I'm sorry I came up with something that was so offensive, but I was fighting against time. No one else was doing anything but waiting to be eaten! I know what I said was unpleasant, but it did what I hoped it would!"
Dwalin and Bilbo glared at each other.
"We're going to the cave," Thorin shouted. "Dwalin, Halfling, come on!" They stared at each other a little longer before Bilbo stormed after the others. Dwalin followed, hoisting his war hammer over his shoulder.
Dwalin followed Thorin into the cave while Bilbo waited outside.
The cave smelled something foul! Dwalin tried not to choke on the air, same as the others. "Dwalin, Nori, Gloin, Bofur, keep watch!"
"Be careful what you touch."
Gandalf and Thorin walked off, talking in hushed whispers. He stood, leaning on his hammer while the others dug a hole. He glared at them.
"We're making a long-term deposit," Gloin stated, grinning. Dwalin rolled his eyes. Didn't Gandalf say to be cautious about the items in the cave? Well! If they bring a curse on themselves, Dwalin decided he'd laugh at them if that happened.
"All right, let's go," Thorin said, carrying a sword in his hand. Dwalin followed. "Bofur, Gloin, Nori, what are you doing?"
"Nothing," Bofur said, standing and following.
"Sure," Dwalin muttered. "Digging a hole is nothing."
"It's just a hole. Like doilies."
Dwalin shook his head, striding away. He glanced at Bilbo once. He held a dagger in his hands. Another wizard showed up and went to speak with Gandalf in private.
He glanced at Bilbo, who examined his dagger curiously. It was thicker toward the tip, coming to a point, and thinner at the hilt. For a moment, Dwalin thought to thank Bilbo for his quick thinking. He had been a tad ungrateful—
His thoughts are interrupted by a howl.
"Is that wolf?" Bilbo asked.
"No," Bofur said, his voice quaking.
A warg jumped at them, snarling and gnashing its teeth. When killed, Gandalf turned on Thorin, demanding to know if anyone else knew of them.
Hunted.
The word hung in the air, sucking the warmth out of everything.
"We have to get out of here," Dwalin said.
"But we can't!" Ori replied. "The ponies bolted!"
"I'll draw them off," the brown wizard said.
"These are Gundebad wargs," Gandalf snapped. "They'll outrun you!"
"These are Rosgabel rabbits," the brown one grinned. "I'd like to see them try."