This chap is about 2,100words. I also forgot to mention that since I'm following the movies, Tauriel will also be in this fic, but there will be no sort of romance between her and Legolas, since if they had been true mates they would have known long ago ;) Anyway, I'm so happy to see the response to this so far and it really boosts me to continue ;D Last warning, if you don't like, don't read. The first chapter hints enough for how the future chaps will go. Now we start with the movies in the picture too ;)

Now on with the story. R&R! Enjoy!

Chapter 2:

Calithilel stepped inside the hobbit hole, and not to hit her head, she had to bow down. Sparkles was cautiously walking in and almost right inside he laid down to keep watch over the door. It sounded like a merry bunch of dwarves had already gathered and had it not been for Gandalf being there as well, she would have walked out again.

"Calithilel!" Gandalf greeted her.

"Am I late?" she asked confused, looking at all the dwarves that were gathered around the food.

"Not at all. We are one dwarf short."

"Ah, good. I seemed to lose track of time." She nearly blushed and smiled shyly.

Gandalf then took it upon himself to introduce her to the company, though her presence was clearly not wanted, after all she was an elf. Fíli and Kíli introduced themselves to her and she smiled in gratitude, at least they did not seem to mind. She sat down a little from the group, mainly observing and now and then several of the dwarves would look her way. She was not supposed to be there.

"Whose dog is this?" Kíli's surprised voice made her smile.

"Mine. Sparkles, say hi to Kíli," she told the dog, who in turn lifted one paw up.

"His fur is so short!"

She nodded. "Well, we had to get rid of his long fur. Easier to keep him clean that way when you travel." Almost right after she said that, the plates started to fly and a merry song started. She tried to keep out of the way while she looked at a stuttering Bilbo.

She went to sit again. The doorbell rang.

Gandalf looked up. "He is here."

Gandalf went to open the door.

That's Thorin, she thought. He looks a bit like in the movies, but at the same time he doesn't. How strange.

"Gandalf," Thorin started. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." He came further into the room.

"Mark?" Bilbo asked. "There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago."

"There is a mark. I put it there myself," Gandalf said, looking at the hobbit. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield."

"So…" Thorin started, stepping closer to Bilbo. "…this is the hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" He was walking past him and around.

"Pardon me?"

"Ax or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know…" Thorin stopped in front of him again. "…but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Calithilel frowned and Sparkles went up to Bilbo. "Good boy," she whispered as he seemed to cheer him up a bit.

Thorin turned and then saw her. A look of anger masked him. "What is an elf doing here?" he asked, voice raised.

"Now, now Thorin," Gandalf said. "Calithilel is here because of me."

"Fear not. I have no interest in gold or jewels, simply the adventure," she said and tilted her head.

"She's a female," Thorin gritted out. "And an elf!"

"It would not be wise to deny one the Valar has sent. Before she came to this world, the Valar blessed her with three gifts."

"Gandalf, I think I can speak for myself." She pressed her lips into a thin line and then she said, "I have two longer daggers that I prefer to fight with, my skill is also best with those. Then the bow is a good weapon as well. I manage the sword, but it is not preferred. I can hold my own in a fight."

Gandalf smiled. "She lived in Lothlórien and was trained by the Lady of Light herself. Calithilel is even better than her mother with daggers."

"What is this quest to you?" Thorin asked and looked her up and down.

"Like I said, an adventure. I want to help you as much as I can until you reclaim the mountain."

"Calithilel has knowledge of the future of this quest," Gandalf said.

"You're a seer?" Thorin asked with a raised brow.

"No. That is a story for another day."

"Balin, give her a contract!" He muttered, but his voice told her how grumpy he was.

Oh my… she thought and was tempted to roll her eyes.

The dwarves turned to walk in with Thorin, but Balin stood left. "I must apologize my Lady, but as of right now I do not have an extra contract. I can write one on the way."

"It's alright Balin, thank you. By the way, Calithilel is fine." She smiled warmly at the dwarf and then proceeded to follow him.

She sat once more a little apart from the rest of the group, after all she could hear them well. Thorin did not like her presence, but Gandalf had said he would be responsible for her. They could not forget either that she was sent by the Valar, and it was hard to deny them.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms," Thorin responded.

"All of them!" Balin exclaimed.

"And what did the dwarves of the Iron Hills say?" Dwalin wondered. "Is Dain with us?"

"They will not come." The dwarves started to murmur between them. "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked.

Gandalf turned towards the hobbit. "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Calithilel listened to the hobbit's steps as he walked. "Far to the east…" He arose and took up a map. "…over ranges and rivers…" He unfolded it. "…beyond woodlands and wastelands…" He laid it down. "…lies a single, solitary peak." He pointed on the map.

Bilbo came back with a candle and looked down. Calithilel closed her eyes, content to listen. "The Lonely Mountain," Bilbo read.

"Aye, Óin has read the portents…" Glóin started. "…and the portents say it is time."

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold." Óin said. "When the birds of yore return to Erebor…" Calithilel opened her eyes and stood quietly. "…the reign of the beast will end."

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo asked.

"That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible…" Bofur explained and Gandalf looked at him. "…chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," Bilbo said.

Ori stood up. "I'm not afraid. I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!"

"Good lad, Ori!" Nori praised. "Sit down," he then added and pulled Ori down back to his chair.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just 13, and not 13 of the best…" Balin said. "…nor brightest."

Everyone was looking at Balin now, but it was Nori who spoke first. "Here, who are you calling dim?"

Calithilel cracked a smile.

"Sorry, what did he say?" Óin asked.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf," Fíli said hotly.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company," Kíli said. "Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

Gandalf seemed uncomfortable. "Oh, well, no. I wouldn't say-"

Calithilel giggled quietly.

"How many, then?" Dori asked.

"What?" Gandalf asked back.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?"

Gandalf coughed and a little of smoke escaped from him as well.

Calithilel took that time to stand closer to Bilbo as she suddenly remembered that he would soon faint.

"Go on. Give us a number."

The dwarves started to shout towards each other and Calithilel kept the urge of covering her ears at bay. Her more sensitive hearing did not appreciate the sound.

"Excuse me. Please," Bilbo tried.

Then Thorin started to shout in dwarvish and she found herself unable to understand. Whatever, she thought. At least I know elvish.

The dwarves settled again and Thorin could continue. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?"

This time when the dwarves made an uproar she did cover her ears until Balin spoke. "You forget, the Front Gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," Gandalf said and held up a key.

"How came you by this?" Thorin whispered.

"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safekeeping." He held the key out towards Thorin. "It is yours now."

"If there is a key…" Fíli started while Thorin received the key. "…there must be a door."

Gandalf nodded and then he pointed on the map. "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls."

"There's another way in," Kíli said excited.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gandalf said, concerned and then he sighed. "The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage." He looked at Bilbo. "But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar," Ori said.

"Hmm. And a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine," Bilbo said.

"And are you?" Glóin asked.

"Am I what?"

"He said he's an expert!" Óin said happily.

"Me?" Bilbo asked. "No. No, no, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life."

"Well, I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins," Balin agreed. "He's hardly burglar material."

"Nope," Bilbo agreed.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," Dwalin said and also shot a challenging look Calithilel's way, not truly believing the female elf was as good as Gandalf said her to be.

Calithilel rolled her eyes this time, but her lips were tightly pressed together so she would not open her mouth and say something she would later regret.

"He's just fine," Kíli said.

They sound like kids sometimes, she thought as the dwarves started to chat again.

Gandalf stood. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is. Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most, if they choose. And, while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the 14th member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest."

"It's seems you also added a 15th," Thorin muttered but it went unnoticed by Gandalf.

"And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know," he continued. "Including himself," he added and looked at the hobbit. "You must trust me on this."

"Very well," Thorin responded. "We will do it your way."

"No, no," Bilbo protested.

"Give him the contract," Thorin said.

Calithilel was on edge while Balin explained the contract to Bilbo, handing it over. She looked worried when he read the contract to himself and Sparkles, sensing her distress came to sit by her. She patted his head softly and watched the hobbit carefully.

"Hmm." She had time to hear and then, "Nope." And he started to fall. By instinct she flew forward and managed to catch him before he hit the ground and she lowered him carefully. Then she stood up.

"I will go a little outside. I shall see you all in the morning." She nodded to Gandalf once and then she motioned for Sparkles to follow her. Carefully she climbed the grass roof and laid down, awaiting the next morning. In the distance she heard Starlight call for her and she sent Sparkles to calm her dear and newest friend. Tomorrow the adventure would truly begin, and she briefly wondered what it would bring, of course apart from the few things she seemed to remember. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Tomorrow," she whispered.

Tell me what you think ;)

- Moonlight Starlove