So, this time, I'm going to try to do a better job of cutting chapters so they aren't really long or really short. Because of this new goal, chapters will probably be around 3,000-4,000 words in length every time. Hopefully, that's good for everyone. I did not mean for the first part to only have seven chapters.
That's just ridiculous.
"Cheyanne!" She turned at a familiar voice and saw Fili approaching her with a grin. "What are you doing up here?"
She shrugged happily as he joined her up on the rock. "Admiring the view." She looked over at him. "Where's everyone else?"
Fili gave her a sideway look and pointed. "Down there, in the same place we have been." He tilted his head. "Are you alright?"
Cheyenne nodded. "Of course I am," she said. "I guess the altitude gave me a brief lapse of memory." She slid down off of the rock and went to join the rest of the company down the path aways. As soon as she approached, Dwalin stalked over to her.
"What were you doing, wandering off by yourself?" he demanded.
She frowned. "I just went up the path a little. It's not like I decided to climb out of the mountains without you."
Dwalin glanced over his shoulder briefly before turning back to her. "I know, lass. Truth be told, Thorin was the one who was furious you walked off. He told me to scold you when Fili brought you back."
"That's nice," she laughed. "Thorin worrying about me. Funny, Dwalin. Very funny." She walked away from him towards Gandalf. The wizard was sitting on a rock, and he looked up at her approach. "Lucky stuff, that was."
"What do you mean?" he asked her.
"The Eagles. They appeared just as we were at the end of our ropes. Very hero like," she explained.
"Perhaps it was pure chance," Gandalf said thoughtfully.
Cheyanne shook her head with a chuckle. "Alright, wizard," she said, "you can keep your secrets. I already know what they are."
"Do you?" Gandalf gazed at her contemplatively. "Perhaps you would like to share your own, then."
Cheyanne winked at him. "Not just yet, I'm afraid. Still too early in the journey for that." The wizard continued to study her, and she thought she saw something written on his face.
Frowning, she started to ask him something, but there was a noise from somewhere nearby, and Cheyanne turned to see Bilbo running towards them from down a path, eyes wide. The dwarves all hurried forward to speak with him, as did Gandalf. Cheyanne approached more slowly.
"How close is the pack?" Dwalin asked the hobbit.
"Too close," Bilbo replied, breathing heavily. "A couple of leagues, no more, but that's not the worst of it."
"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?" questioned Dwalin. A few of the dwarves murmured at the thought.
"Not yet, but they will," Bilbo told him. "We have another problem."
"Did they see you?" Gandalf looked down at the hobbit. "They saw you!"
Bilbo waved one hand. "No, that's not it."
Gandalf smiled and turned to the dwarves. "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."
The dwarves all chuckled in appreciation. Cheyanne caught Bilbo's eye, and he gave her an exasperated look before raising his voice above the laughing. "Will you listen- Will you just listen to me? I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there."
The laughing stopped immediately, and the dwarves glanced around at one another in worry. Gandalf gave the hobbit a serious look. "What form did it take? Like a bear?"
"Ye-" Bilbo paused and looked curiously up at the wizard. "Y-yes, but bigger. Much bigger."
Bofur stares at Gandalf. "You knew about this beast?" he asked him. Gandalf walked away a few paces, catching Cheyanne's eye as he did so. She shrugged, and he furrowed his brow. Cheyanne stepped further into the discussion. "I say we double back," Bofur said.
"And be run down by a pack of Orcs." Thorin stood across the circle from her, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning when she saw him. He glanced at her and gave her a look. She returned it just as Gandalf spoke up.
"There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."
Thorin looked at him. "Whose house?" he asked. "Are they friend or foe?"
Gandalf glanced down at Cheyanne. "Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us."
The dwarves all look at one another in concern. At last, Thorin sighed. "What choice do we have?"
A roar came from somewhere behind them, and they all looked in the direction it had come from. "None," Gandalf responded. He turned and waved his staff. "Down the mountain, quickly!"
The company made it down the mountain in record time, and they all sprinted across a plain of land towards a forest in the distance. Ducking under low hanging branches, the dwarves all ran on ahead. Cheyanne and Bilbo followed them, and Gandalf hurried after them. The company raced through the trees, and Cheyanne thought she could heard the sounds of claws over undergrowth and the grunting of Orcs somewhere nearby.
There's another roar, and the party stops dead in fear. Gandalf runs to the front. "This way, quickly!" he shouted.
The others panic and run after him. Bombur lingered behind, and Bofur pulled his arm. "Bombur, come on!" he exclaimed.
They made it out of the forest, and Cheyanne spots Beorn's house up ahead in the middle of the plain. Gandalf urged them on, yelling, "To the house! Run!"
The company hightailed it across the plain, and Bombur overtook them all in fear. They run through a gate in the hedge surrounding the house, and Gandalf gestured to the door. "Get inside, quickly!"
The dwarves all run forward towards the door. There is a clunk as Bombur runs into it and falls onto his back when it doesn't budge. There's a roar and Cheyanne whips around. A giant black bear breaks through the edge of the forest and runs across the plain towards them.
She turned back to the dwarves. "Open the damned door!" she shouted at them.
"Quickly!" Thorin pushed his way through the others, and the doors falls open. Everyone rushes in just as the bear comes over the hedge. The dwarves all try to slam the door shut, but Beorn already has his head in. He roared again, loudly, and the dwarves all yell and push on the door to close it. Bilbo pulls out his sword and holds it up, pointing it unsteadily at the bear.
Gandalf and Cheyanne exchange a look of amusement at this display. "Do you think we should tell them?" Cheyanne asked him quietly.
"No, they will find out on their own," Gandalf responded.
"Come on, lads!" Dwalin encourages. With a final shove, the door is pushed closed and the bolt is dropped across it. The group lets out a sigh of shock and tiredness.
"What is that?" Ori asked, looking at Gandalf for an answer.
"That… Is our host," Gandalf told him. The others turned to look at Gandalf in bewilderment, and he smiled at Cheyanne.
She returns it and looks at the dwarves and Bilbo. "His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer," she told them.
"You knew about this?" Thorin questioned.
"Of course I did," she replied. "Gandalf was the only one who asked."
The dwarves grumble to themselves as Gandalf says, "Sometimes he is a huge black bear, and sometimes he is a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over fond of dwarves."
They all glanced at each other in dismay. Ori turned back to the door and pulled it open a crack. "He's leaving!" he said.
"Come away from there," commanded Dori, pulling his little brother away. "It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious he's under some dark spell."
"Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own," Gandalf said. The dwarves mutter in response, and the wizard gestured with his staff. "Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight."
The dwarves all look around at one another before, in silent agreement, they file down the small set of stairs leading to the middle of the room and then head for one of the side rooms that break off from the center of the house. Gandalf watched them go. "I hope."
"We'll be fine," Cheyanne assured him.
Gandalf glanced down at her. "I don't doubt that you're right," he told her after a moment, and then walked away himself.
Cheyanne studied the door for a longer moment before she grinned happily to herself and went to join the others. They had all settled down in a side room off of the main one, and were setting up their sleeping mats. She around at them and let out a sigh of contentment. She was very, very glad she'd been able to come back.
Bilbo glanced up from what he was doing and caught her eye. He waved his hand, gesturing for her to come over. She did, stepped past the other dwarves and joined the hobbit near the wall. He looked up at her with big eyes. "We're going to be alright, yes?" he queried hopefully.
"Don't you trust Gandalf?" Cheyanne asked him.
"Of course I do, but I would like a for sure answer from someone who already knows what happens," Bilbo responded.
Cheyanne shook her head with a laugh. "Yes, Bilbo, we're going to be fine." She studied him. "Are you already fine?"
He furrowed his brow. "W-Why are you asking me?" he stammered after a moment.
She shrugged. "I was just wondering." Bilbo glanced away, and she shifted her eyes down to his pocket, where she knew he was hiding the Ring.
Bilbo turned back to her and she quickly looked back up. "Aren't you going to lay out your sleeping mat?" he questioned, gesturing to his own.
"I probably should, huh?" Cheyanne glanced around, mind emptying. "Except I don't know where it is."
"Chey." She turned, and Fili tossed her a rolled up mat with a grin. "Keep an eye on your own stuff," he chuckled.
"Thank you, Fili," she said to him, rolling out the mat. She settled down on top of it, aware that no dinner would be eaten that night. Starring up at the ceiling, she considered telling Thorin about what would be happening in Mirkwood the next day.
She raised herself up onto her elbows and looked around at the company. She spotted Thorin near the opposite wall from her and Bilbo, already lying down, his back to her. Cheyanne sighed. She could always tell him tomorrow.
Someone started to hum, and another joined. Soon, the whole room was filled with the soft humming of the dwarves, and Cheyanne smiled. So much companionship levitated off of the dwarves and circled around her head. It was amazing. She'd never been so happy to be somewhere in all her life.
"Cheyanne!" It was Kili. She looked to where he was lying beside Fili on his own sleeping roll. "If you and Thorin were together, would you want a name?" he asked her, expression serious.
Cheyanne furrowed her brows. "What are you talking about?"
"If you were together, would you want to be called something, or would you just rather us call you lovebirds?" Kili queried. Fili hit him on the shoulder, and the dwarf's expression broke. He laughed and rolled over onto his back.
Cheyanne was still confused. Was he talking about like…? Ship names? As in, Bagginshield? Or Kiliel? Because if so, she wouldn't mind one existing between her and Thorin, especially as she watched the dwarf roll over onto his back and glance in her direction.
Swallowing a giggle, she settled down on her own mat and let out a breath, trying to keep her stupid grin off of her face. Thorin hadn't looked at her. There was no way. The humming had died out, and a lot of the dwarves were beginning to make the quiet noises they always made when they were asleep.
"Chey." She turned her head in Bilbo's direction. The hobbit was gazing at her through the slowly deepening darkness inside of Beorn's house. He smiled at her. "I'm glad you're here."
She lifted an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know," he answered, "but it's good that you are. I'm really glad I'm not the only hobbit here."
Hearing this, Cheyanne blinked. Hobbit. She was supposed to be a hobbit. Hoping her hesitation hadn't been too long, she met Bilbo's eyes. "I'm glad I'm here, too."
The hobbit rolled over to face away from her. Cheyanne watched him for another moment before she closed her eyes to try and go to sleep.
She twisted and turned for a long time, unable to get comfortable. After what felt like hours, she sat up fully and opened her eyes for the first time. The house was very dark now, the only light was coming from whatever moon was in the sky though the windows.
Sighing, she realized she wasn't tired. She stood up and carefully stepped around all the dwarves, heading for the main room. She walked up the stairs and watched the door as she sat down on the wooden floor and leaned against the wall dividing the higher part of the rom from the lower section where the table was.
She rested her head on her arms, which she placed on top of her legs. She stared at the door, watching the bolt. She knew that they were in no danger whatsoever, and she knew that Beorn would be coming in soon, but she wasn't hot any longer. Cheyanne couldn't sleep when she was hot.
She heard a noise behind her, and she quickly stood up. Thorin was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He looked up at her curiously, and she let out a breath, gesturing towards the door. "He's going to be coming back soon," she told him, "as a man and not a bear."
"And you're out here because of that?" Thorin questioned, crossing his arms.
"I was hot," she answered earnestly. She waved her hand in front of her face. "But now I'm not hot, so it's all good."
Thorin shook his head. "Alright," he said, "it's your choice." He started to turn and walk away.
"Why were you still awake?" she asked him before he could.
The dwarf turned back around to look at her. "I do not know," he said. "I couldn't fall asleep. I was beginning to doze off when you walked by, and woke me up."
"Sorry," Cheyanne apologized. "I didn't know."
"Good night, Miss Baggins," said Thorin. He walked off slowly, as though he didn't want to leave. Cheyanne resisted the urge to call him back.
She settled back down against the wall, staring at the door. Only a few minutes later, there was more noise, and she sighed, leaning around the wall so see who it was.
"Bilbo?" she asked in surprise. The hobbit was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking rumpled, as though he'd been resting uneasily. She stood and tilted her head. "Are you alright?"
"I-uh-" He paused and shook his head. "Will you come sleep somewhere away from the door, please?"
Cheyanne frowned. "Bilbo, it's fine," she insisted.
"I know it is, but I would feel a lot better if everyone slept close," replied Bilbo. He met her gaze. "Please."
Cheyanne let out a breath and walked down the stairs to join him. "Alright," she said, "let's go."
"Thank you," Bilbo said gratefully. She followed him out of the eating area into the large side room. Bilbo stepped over the sleeping dwarves to where their sleeping mats were and gestured to hers with his hand when she didn't follow.
Cheyanne quietly dodged around the dwarves and sank down onto her mat. Bilbo gave her a small grin before he laid down and closed his eyes. She gazed down at the hobbit, smiling to herself. She then felt eyes on her, and she looked up. Thorin was still awake, and was sitting up against the opposite wall, watching her. She was certain this time.
She let out a breath and watched him for a moment. Thorin stared back for a second longer before he settled down on his own mat. Cheyanne gazed at him for another beat before she swallowed thickly and stood up again. Stomach churning with nervousness, she dodged by other dwarves and went over to Thorin's bed roll.
He gazed up at her, one arm behind his head, clearly curious as to what she was doing. "Can I help you with something?" he asked her. She couldn't tell whether his tone was annoyed or amused.
"Scoot," she said before she could change her mind.
"Why?" Thorin queried, raising an eyebrow.
"I want to lay with you," she told him. Thorin merely continued to look up at her, and she sighed. "I'm cold."
She winced as soon as she saw Thorin's barely visible smirk. "I thought you were warm."
Cheyanne wanted to kick herself. "I was, but now I'm cold." She tilted her head. "Please?"
Thorin gave her a long look, contemplating her. Cheyanne was about to turn and walk away when Thorin moved over on his bed roll, opening up a space for her.
Cheyanne was suddenly faced with the last thing she'd expected to happen. She hesitated, unsure if he was playing a trick on her or not. Thorin sighed. "Are you going to lay down, or can I move back?" he questioned.
"No, no. I'm-I'm laying down," she replied, not moving. She swallowed again before she settled down on the mat next to him, putting as much space between their bodies as she could. "Oh, look. I'm already warm again."
Thorin snorted. She felt him drape one arm over her, and she subconsciously slid closer to him, almost completely unaware that she was doing so. When her back hit his chest, however, she flinched in surprise. Thorin's other arm had wrapped around her, and she wasn't able to pull away from him.
"You said you were cold," he murmured, his breath warm on the back of her neck. "I am, too."
"And… Are you getting warmer?" she asked him, her cheeks getting very hot.
"Yes," he answered.
"Good."
They lay in silence for a long time. Cheyanne was afraid to say anything. She heard the door open and close, signifying Beorn had come back into the house. She huddled closer to Thorin, moving his arms to make them tighter around her. The dwarf breathed out a sigh, and she grinned to herself in contentment, all nerves from before gone.
D'aww. It's happening. The ship, it's arriving at port!
And Kili ships it, apparently. That's cool. I bet Kili would be the biggest shipper of them all. Kili needs a Tumblr and a laptop.