I do not own any of the characters or the Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC) those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reull Tolkien, and without his genius,this and many other fan fics would not be in existence.
Please review! I love getting them-they keep me encouraged J
Gwaihir swooped down toward their eyrie high in the mountains, brownish gold feathers fluttering in the slight breeze.
The dwarf within his talons had not stirred since he was picked up by the Windlord, and the great eagle was honestly not sure if he was carrying a dead dwarf or a live one. The eagle glanced down at his talons as he approached the edge of the eyrie shelf, noting that there were still traces of color in the unconscious dwarf's cheeks.
The eagle's eyrie was near the top of the high pass of the Misty Mountains. The great birds continually kept a watchful eye over the pass to aid those who would cross it, namely the elves of Rivendell, with whom the eagles had a long standing friendship. It was comprised of a large cleft in the mountain, with an open natural balcony of sorts, and a great, wide mouthed cave in the back.
It was in the back of this giant cave that the great bird landed, gently setting the dark haired dwarf down on the stone near the nest he shared with his mate. The other great birds followed suit, until all thirteen birds had landed, depositing their passengers near the two fallen dwarves before returning to their own nests.
Gwaihir turned toward his second in command, Meneldor, and ordered meat and wood be brought up for their guests. Meneldor, along with two others, immediately set out to fulfill their lord's wishes, quickly fading from sight in the late dusk.
The eagle lord then turned toward the group of weary travelers, curiosity piquing his interest as he quietly observed the dwarves, wizard, and Halfling gather around their injured companions, concern and grief etched in their pale faces.
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As soon as he was off the back of the eagle that carried him, Gandalf rushed over to the unconscious heirs of Durin. Ten worried pairs of eyes watched intently as the wizard knelt between the two injured dwarves.
He wasn't sure who to wake first, but after remembering the strange events that occurred on the mountainside with the young heir, the wizard decided that it was probably wiser to wake Thorin. Placing his right hand over the unconscious dwarf's brow, the wizard again muttered the healing spell he had used on Fili earlier that evening.
Thorin's eyes began to flutter as the wizard's hand passed away from his brow, before opening slowly, the dwarf king clearly in pain.
"F-Fili?" Thorin whispered, his voice weak from blood loss. Gandalf let out a breath, relief mingling with concern as he nodded his head.
"He's alive," the wizard replied quietly, trying to keep the apprehension out of his voice. "Though still unconscious." Thorin nodded, biting back a wince as he took a deep breath.
"And the Halfling?" he whispered. Gandalf took a deep breath, hoping against hope that Thorin wouldn't do something rash in his current state, given Thorin's anger at Bilbo before the warg attack.
"Bilbo's here," he replied carefully, blue eyes searching the dwarf king's face for any hint of resentment, and finding none. "And he's all right."
The hobbit in question stood behind Gandalf, eyes wide as he looked at the two injured dwarves with worry. Despite what Thorin had growled to him on the mountainside, Bilbo knew that grief had a large part to play in it, not being a stranger to such matters. He could only hope that Thorin and Fili would survive, and that Thorin wouldn't harm him for something that was beyond his control to prevent.
Thorin moved to get up then, grunting at the effort. Dwalin and Balin stepped up behind him, each taking a hold of his arm and hoisting the injured dwarf to his feet. Once the dwarf king deemed himself steady enough, he shrugged off their arms forcefully, before moving to stand in front of the nervous hobbit.
"You!" he snapped. "What do you think you were doing? You nearly got yourself killed!" Bilbo swallowed heavily, hanging his head.
What did I think I was doing? Saving you and your nephew's lives! The hobbit wanted to retort, but he wisely chose to hold his tongue.
"Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you wouldn't survive in the wild, and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin continued, stepping closer, albeit a little shakily.
Bilbo felt the overwhelming urge to step backward, but fought it. The sudden change in Thorin's tone caught the hobbit off guard, and he looked up just as the dwarf king suddenly enveloped him in a great hug.
"I have never been so wrong, in all my life!" Thorin said, his tone gentle and grateful. Bilbo's eyes widened in surprise, and he stood stiff as a board, not sure how to react, or even if this was real.
Erm, did Thorin just…hug me?
Thorin released him then, and placed his hands on his shoulders, his gaze friendly- and somewhat sheepish.
"I am sorry I doubted you," Thorin said quietly, the stunned hobbit gaping at him.
"I would have doubted me too," Bilbo replied truthfully. "I'm not a hero, or a warrior. Not even a burglar." The last part was said with a sidelong glance in the wizard's direction, the hobbit having a good hunch that the "burglar" part of things had been started by the old wizard himself. Gandalf responded with a slightly sheepish look of his own, recognizing that the hobbit had figured him out.
Thorin smiled at him, patting his shoulder before turning toward his injured nephew, brow furrowing in concern. Bilbo blinked stupidly as the dwarf king knelt (with some assistance from Dwalin) next to the unconscious young dwarf, a worried expression replacing the smile on the dark haired dwarf's face.
Gandalf caught the hobbit's confused expression and winked at him, a slight smirk on his face, before the wizard knelt beside the young prince. Oin knelt beside the two as well, and Gandalf and the healer began to discuss whether it was wise to awaken the unconscious young dwarf in his current state.
Bilbo watched the interchange between the group, the gazes of the others toward him no longer showing any hostility, realization slowly hitting him. The hobbit's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but stand up just a little straighter as the heavy weight upon his shoulders dissipated.
After several months of being the outcast amongst the group, he had finally been accepted as part of the company.
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READERS: Sorry for the short chapter, but since it has been 4 days since I have updated, I thought I would give you what I have. I would have written more, but alas…sleep is claiming me :( Enjoy, please review, and I will try to post another one tomorrow sometime to make up for the short chapter tonight! :D
A response to guest reviewer Ri-chan- Yeah, they aren't having the best of luck right now, and Cira is going to blame her presence for it….but after they finally reach Beorn's, things will get better for them :D
A response to guest reviewer Ari- I am glad you are still liking it! As to the wisdom teeth- I can certainly sympathize with you there- I got mine out at 19 and I felt so yucky after….puked up blood from it and everything- it was miserable. I hope you feel better soon! Cira REALLY doesn't trust easily, and when she divulges more about her past to Kili, he (and the readers) will begin to understand why. It might sound cliché, but I will not sugarcoat things that really happened to my character (since she's based off me), nor will I exaggerate at all. It might sound unbelievable to some, and completely believable to others, but it will be truth (and hopefully, because it's true, it will be believable). And no, it isn't smooth sailing- no relationship is (if it is, then people certainly are not communicating properly, or they have personality disorders), no matter if it is friendship, or love, or family relationships. I like to think that when Kili and Fili fight (and they most certainly do, even if they are close and best friends as well as brothers) they FIGHT. And it ain't pretty ;)
Thanks to all who review, favorite, and follow- you guys are great! :D :D :D