DISCLAIMER: SEE PREVIOUS CHAPTAHS DANKE.
Here's another bit. Hope you all enjoy! Read and comment please! ;)
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"Well?" Bilbo prodded. "All I heard was Dwarves, and Hobbits don't really fall under that category."
"Yes, well, I meant to include...comrades... as well...We dwarves, do not leave each other or our comrades to death and danger, was what I meant to say you see." Thorin looked a bit uncomfortable, but perhaps he thought it necessary to convince the Halfling as he continued.
"Also, I believe the contract does cover that injuries and such as well...and as leader of our company it is my duty to see that you are safe and well to the best of my ability." Thorin continued, his voice droning on about how he was justified in not leaving the Hobbit.
Bilbo sighed, he did not think the contract was exactly along those lines, but had given up arguing about it long ago. Well this was a mess. The Dwarf would not leave.
"Bother contracts and your customs!" He said out loud.
"I beg your pardon?" Thorin demanded.
Bilbo, ignoring him continued, "It's a foolish idea. Go! You'll only get killed if you stay around here." He waved his hand off in the desired direction of Thorin's departure. The Dwarf merely glanced where Bilbo waved and looked back at Bilbo with a frown.
Thorin looked deeply offended and gruffly replied, "I have no intention of staying in this particular spot, but I also have no intention of leaving you here to fulfill your fantasies. Burglar. "
Bilbo scowled back, "Even if I did change my mind," he reasoned, "there is no possible way I could keep up. We'd be captured before we'd gone a day's journey."
"I am not leaving you here Halfling." Thorin said with that tone he usually took with his disobedient nephews, frowning even more if it was possible.
"I can't walk." Bilbo said, returning the fierce looks, "You see? That's the weak part of your plan isn't it? I can't walk, not with this." he gestured at his foot. Thorin looked as if he was about to say something, but Bilbo being much too irritated interrupted him, "It's altogether idiotic, Gandalf would agree. Besides, you're the leader of the company, and your men need you." Bilbo crossed his arms in a manner indicating that he would not move.
Thorin's eye softened at this, "Bilbo Baggins. The company has need of it's burglar too. You are a brave fellow, but this is all unnecessary. There is yet a chance to rejoin the company."
"How?" Bilbo asked, perplexed and altogether unhappy with this situation.
"I will carry you." Thorin stated bluntly.
"No!" Bilbo squeaked in dismay.
Thorin's face took on a look of expectancy until the Hobbit explained himself.
"You can't!" Bilbo protested, "You're wounded. I'm heavy; I'll slow you down even more! You can't possibly carry me the entire way!"
"Mr. Baggins," Thorin said with care, "I am not just an heir or craftsman. Many good years before you were born, I was trained as a soldier."
"I don't see what that has to do with it. You need to leave me." Bilbo interjected with an urgent tone.
Thorin could not help but smile. This Hobbit indeed knew little of other people it was true, but there was a courage within him that was simply difficult to find or even impossible.
"Dwarven soldiers carry many times their own weight for great and long distances. As much as is required, so that our reputation is well known among the different lands and peoples." Thorin continued, "You" he said slowly, "are a burden that I would be honored to bear. Do you not remember? I owe you my life. I will not forget such a service."
"But you're wounded!" Bilbo still protested.
"It is but a scratch. Truly, it appears worse than it is." The wound was now a dull throbbing in his side, but Thorin ignored it. There were more important things, and it was after all but a small scratch. The Hobbit depended on him, and while he was able he would see to his safety.
Bilbo looked as if he was wavering, and with a sigh he seemed to give in. "Oh very well! I have a feeling I am going to regret this."
"You would regret more staying behind, I think." Thorin smirked.
Bilbo rolled his eyes.
"Wait." Bilbo halted the Dwarf, who looked puzzled at this new hesitation.
"If I allow you to carry me, then I cook, and have first watch." Bilbo smirked back, and Thorin did not seem pleased at all with this proposition.
"You can't very well do everything," Bilbo continued to address the now scowling Dwarf, "Either I shall become incredibly bored or you shall grow too weary to can't cook very well either."
"I doubt that exceedingly Mr. Baggins." Thorin said with an air of dignity. "You underestimate me."
"Perhaps." said Bilbo, "But they say better safe than sorry."
"I assure you Mr. Baggins," Thorin growled, "That my cooking would not poison you. On the contrary, you might appreciate it if you but tried it."
"Debatable." Bilbo answered and before the Dwarf could protest, "Well? What do you say? It's a fair trade off I think."
Thorin paused, as if weighing this statement. It was true, he in no way wished to relinquish his right of watch or the cooking, but the Hobbit did have a point.
Finally narrowing his eyes he said, "Very well Mr. Baggins."
"Good good!" Bilbo seemed suddenly very pleased,. Almost too pleased Thorin mused to himself.
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Bilbo had now decided upon one thing. He did not enjoy Dwarf transportation. To say the least it was uncomfortable, and although he supposed Thorin was doing as best a job as he might given the circumstances, Bilbo was not pleased.
Indeed, with Thorin carrying him on his back for what seemed hours now, he felt more of a burden than ever. Why oh why had he agreed to this? Even now he felt the heavy breath of Thorin as the dwarf shouldered the Hobbit into a more comfortable position.
Thorin, on the other hand was not the happiest either. Part of him questioned the wisdom in carrying the Halfling so great a distance, the other half told the first to hold its tongue and reminded him of honor and duty. But oddly enough, the Hobbit did feel heavier than he had earlier.
His frame heaved with the internal rhythm he had set for himself, now taking comfort in the fact that the Hobbit had first watch. He was now looking forward to a deep sleep.
Oh well, he reasoned. It was not all bad, they had covered a great deal of land in the time he had carried the Hobbit. The Hobbit was still alive, and that was a good bit of luck considering the previous events. That and Thorin wasn't terribly tired, he could travel many more miles yet, he could feel it.
"I'm not too heavy am I?" The Hobbit seemed a little worried on this point.
"No...You are not." Thorin answered taking a deep breath; still in full run and hoping the Hobbit would not talk much. Running with a load and talking were tricky things, and did not mix well. This he had found from experience as a young lad, back when chattering madly was one of his many occupations.
He hissed as angry barbs of pain crawled up his ribcage, stumbling slightly to one side as the unexpected waves washed through him. The pain had steadily been getting worse, with sharp attacks at various intervals.
"Are you alright?" Came the Hobbit's voice full of concern. Bilbo felt that everything was not quite as it should be.
"Yes!...Fine!..." Thorin shot back with a good deal of annoyance and breathing heavily. It was just a scratch. He was fine. He couldn't stop now anyway. Orcs too close. He was a Dwarf. He could wait, he would endure until they had gotten farther away. He must endure.
He started harder, with more determination. He would not allow a mere Orc scratch to be his undoing. He was strong, he could wait.
Bilbo seemed very anxious indeed, and the last display had done nothing to convince him of any normality.
"I...I think we should rest." The Halfling ventured.
"No...Too close." Thorin breathed heavily.
Suddenly, the dull throbbing in his side grew with a lightening power and speed, sending shockwaves through Thorin's body. He cursed as his nerves protested.
He stopped "Have to...put...you down...for a moment..." he gasped out to Bilbo, as blood trickled from the wound down his side, forcing him to his knees.
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"Kili! Get out of my light!" Gandalf shouted angrily.
The Dwarf, startled by the sudden outburst, leapt out of the wizard's way.
They had finally found a trail and had followed it for some miles, past a riverbed and into some woods. But what Gandalf saw now disturbed him, he knelt gazing at the trail with brow furrowed. Fili, seeing the interest took a closer look, and within moments his sharp eyes had taken in what the wizard's had.
The brush and twigs had been broken, as if someone had run at a great speed. There were Hobbit tracks, Orc, and the heavy boot of what they guessed to be Thorin Oakenshield, but all mixed and unreadable.
Kili sighed, "Have you got it yet? Which way?"
Gandalf growled in a most foreboding manner, but other then that ignored the young dwarf, who taking the hint left to find what he could.
After a moment Fili straightened, "They were here, that is clear enough. But where did they go? All the tracks are muddled."
"Yes." Gandalf said slowly, "and I am no woodsman, and so I cannot tell."
"So what do we do?" Fili wondered aloud.
Before Gandalf could answer, they heard a shout from Kili. Both wizard and Fili, fearing that Kili might be in some danger sped off in the direction of the voice. Coming into a clearing they found him quite sitting quite smugly on a rock.
"Ah. There you two are! Took you long enough to come here I see." He smirked cheekily.
Gandalf, replied and angry scowl, "Of all dwarves I have met Kili, you are the worst. I wish to the Valar I had never taken you along! So far all you have been is trouble!"
"Now now Gandalf!" Kili looked offended, "Don't want to go making such wishes. Especially while you two were staring at the dirt I actually found something." Kili was unable to keep the pleasure from his face.
"Well?!" Fili asked with some exasperation.
Jumping off the rock Kili bowed, "Gents. If you'll just follow me, I'll take you straight to it."
Both wizard and Fili shared annoyed looks with one another as they followed the dark haired archer through the tall trees.