I present to you the next chapter. Please enjoy.
Bilbo froze in place, his eyes casting around the faces of the bewildered Dwarfs. He may not have been picked up by Orcs, but Bilbo didn't feel any safer with these unknown beings. Bilbo had never met a Dwarf in his life, so he didn't know how they took to strangers.
What was worse was they knew he was a Werecat.
His mother and father always warned him about revealing his identity. Cats are secretive by nature and are also extremely territorial. A fight could lead to an early mortality.
In the predicament a stronger Werecat crossed paths with a weaker one that stronger one could claim them for their own.
It was rare for Werecats' in the Shire to meet these hurdles, but there was the rare occasion outsiders came within the borders of the Shire and Werecats' would disappear under strange circumstances. Their families would mourn the disappearance but couldn't pluck up the courage to search. The world beyond the Shire was a big place.
It wasn't a place for a little Kneazle like Bilbo Baggins, even with his strange ability that was inherited from his family line.
Suddenly he was hoisted away from Fili's arms by the scruff of his neck quite violently. The action jarred Bilbo's neck and caused him to let out a feline squeal. Bilbo didn't have time to react before a knife was placed against his neck.
He froze, his eyes wide and staring into Sapphire eyes. He couldn't help shaking in fear. What did he do to deserve this treatment?
"Uncle, you're scaring him!" Kili shouted. The black haired Dwarf scowled at Kili.
"You are far too trusting. Only trust your kin! That was what I taught you." He then proceeded to stare daggers at the terrified Kneazle.
"Who are you and where did you come from? Are you a spy for some Orc filth?" Bilbo listened the best he could with a dagger pressed against the skin on his neck. He meowed in fright. It was a pitiful sound that sounded like a lost kitten.
"Thorin, really," a white haired Dwarf stepped forward, placing his hand on the angry Dwarfs shoulder. "If he is a Werecat let the lad speak."
Thorin gave the white haired Dwarf a scolding glare, but then it softened and the black haired Dwarf let out a breath in defeat. "Fine." He lowered the dagger and placed it back into the skins he wore.
He carried Bilbo over to the fire, still holding onto his scruff. Bilbo felt partially relieved that the dagger was gone, but he still had to speak his case to a group of strangers he knew nothing about.
"Dwalin, bring the collar over." He demanded of a tall, stout looking Dwarf wearing knuckle grinders and sporting a head illustrated with dark tattoos. Bilbo couldn't see what they depicted before he saw the collar brought forth, along with a long silver chain.
"Thorin, no…" The white Dwarf said to his companion, but the Dwarf holding onto Bilbo didn't listen. He took the collar and attached it to Bilbo's neck, causing the little creature to shriek and to try and wriggle free.
"It's a precaution until we find out who he is." He stated, placing Bilbo onto the stone floor right next to the fire.
As if by instinct Bilbo allowed his inherited ability to show itself; in self-defence and fright he called forth a thin, shimmering barrier that covered his entire body, creating a mirror effect that showcased flickering flames over his fur.
One half of his fur appeared to cover his body, whilst the other half near his legs and head, the rock floor.
The Dwarfs gasped, seeing a figure there but also not there. It was like looking at the outline of a cat. Whatever direction Bilbo was looked at he was perfectly camouflaged against the fire and stone floor.
The Dwarf called Thorin appeared to overlook the ability, for his loud voice rang forth through the crag, causing the other Dwarfs to stop their awing. "Who are you and what are you?" Were his blunt questions.
Bilbo hated the scrutiny. What did he do to deserve this? He was still hungry, tired and extremely weak. He just wanted to wall asleep and never wake up. The horror of the real world could not compare to the comfort of not knowing that death brings. He just wanted to join his parents, wherever they were.
"M- My name is… Bilbo Baggins." He said whilst trying his best to sound even a little bit fearless. It was lost on him though. His experiences proved too much of a bane to him. He couldn't stop shivering.
Even with his close proximity to the fire he was still drenched and his blood felt like ice slush was pushing through his veins, causing the walls to freeze over. He felt that frost touch even to the depths of his core.
It was then he felt a cough escape from his throat. It was a strange sounding, rattling cough that made Bilbo's lungs feel inflamed.
"I…I… I was-s lost in t- the wilderness-s-s." Bilbo carried on shivering, his coughing becoming worse. His invisibility ceased when he felt himself falling onto his side, black covering the waking world.
Bilbo awoke to soft fur that was not his own, draped all around his body in a fashioned cocoon. He felt comfy as well as terrible.
Bilbo noticed that his breathing was fast, a rattle could be heard in his chest and he now felt too hot. He shivered despite himself and began to cough again.
"Uncle, he's awake!" Bilbo heard the voice of Kili sound nearby.
Bilbo heard more than one set of footsteps coming closer. Bilbo ducked his head and closed his eyes, willing to be left alone. He didn't feel well enough to deal with hostile Dwarfs, especially Thorin.
"Come here," he said with a harsh tone. He placed his fingers over Bilbo's tiny head, jamming his thumbs into the corners of his mouth, causing his fangs to part.
Bilbo tried his best to dislodge them but he simply held no strength in his tiny body. Thorin held him firmly and would not let go.
"Quick Oin!" He said.
Within seconds Bilbo felt some sort of liquid being dribbled onto his tongue. It tasted suspiciously like iron. It was slightly warm and flowed slowly down his throat.
The thumbs prevented Bilbo from being able to wrench himself away so the only action he could perform was a swallow. He swallowed the liquid right down.
Once Thorin was sure it was all gone he let the petrified and confused cat go. Bilbo swallowed a few times and shook his head, his tail whipping about in agitation.
He wanted to bolt, but he still felt the presence of the collar that never left his neck. It was like an anchor for Bilbo's grief; he felt it symbolised all of the bad things that had happened to him lately. He just wanted to go home. Anywhere he could call home.
He spat on the ground; the liquid felt like it was scolding his insides as it entered his stomach.
"Easy now lad, take it easy. You had the starting symptoms of Pneumonia. It was rough for a bit but we had to wait for you wake up before we treated you." The voice sounded kind and Bilbo felt his defences drop a little.
"What was that?" He asked just before a series of coughing shook him. He curled amongst the furs once again to allow the coughs to stop on their own. Once they did he breathed a sigh of relief.
He already felt better; his chest had stopped rattling, his shivering broke like the spell of winter turning to spring and he felt like he was at the right temperature.
"Feel better now lad?" Bilbo's greengage eyes snapped up, seeing the white haired Dwarf again. He nodded before he could stop himself. This Dwarf seemed to bypass his defences due to his kind sounding face and voice. Bilbo hissed inwardly at himself.
"That's good." He chuckled seeing Bilbo's anxious expression. It was rather rich, even for a cat. "We figured you are one of the innocent folk. Never would one with experience be out in this weather long enough to catch Pneumonia."
Bilbo felt a streak of indignant anger flash through him. "Who is to say whether I have experience being out here or not?" Bilbo knew he was lying but he hated it when people assumed things of him.
"Nothing lad, although the fact you were on deaths door for a few hours was a dead giveaway."
Bilbo opened his mouth in shock at the new revelation. "I nearly died?"
"Yes lad, your fever ransacked your body all of a sudden, making your body struggle to breathe. We are amazed you pulled through it on your own. You were in and out of consciousness for a whole day."
"So that was what happened," Bilbo muttered to himself, but then he remembered the liquid forced down his throat, "what was that you force fed me?" He demanded.
"Now lad, we know your name but you don't know ours. I will happily divulge the information to you afterwards, so that you can thank the person on equal terms." He took a breath and then gave Bilbo a small bow.
"My name is Balin. At your service Master Baggins."
"Likewise," Bilbo said politely. He was a Baggins, so he had to uphold his gentlemanly status. Baggins' were well renowned in the Shire for being entirely respectable, even though it wasn't common knowledge that the youngest member was a Werecat.
Balin then proceeded to introduce all the accompanying Dwarfs to the benefit of the golden furred Kneazle. Bilbo nodded in turn seeing the Ri brothers, Ori, Nori and Dori. They all seemed pretty friendly. Bilbo then noticed that Ori, the youngest, had brought an owl feather quill out and was scratching away on a piece of parchment.
He then learned that the tall, stout Dwarf with the tattoos was Balin's brother. Bilbo could not see any resemblance between the two and was amazed when he learned they were brothers and close at that, even though they were quite a few years apart.
Balin then proceeded to introduce Oin and Gloin; another pair of brothers. He learned that Oin was the Dwarf who poured the phial of that iron tasting liquid down his throat before. Bilbo gave the Dwarf a slightly withering look, not really appreciating the action.
Next was Bofur, his brother Bombur and their cousin Bifur. Bifur couldn't speak Westron so his cousins translated everything he said. Bofur was talkative and approachable and liked to point out less than cheerful things as if they were a joke to exploit and make fun off. Bilbo couldn't help but smirk slightly when he listened to him. His brother, Bombur, was a decent cook and gladly gave Bilbo a helping of roasted rabbit. Bilbo ate it gratefully, his ravenous hunger appeased slightly.
When it came to be Fili and Kili's turn they simply crouched down and hugged the shocked Kneazle close when Bilbo said he remembered their names already. They all learned that Bilbo was a good listener.
"And lastly," Balin inclined his head to look at the Dwarf who scared Bilbo half to death earlier, "the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."
When Bilbo saw those cold sapphire eyes bore into him with a scathing look Bilbo could not help but plaster his ears against his head and huddle into the furs.
"Now you know our name, do you care to reveal who you truly are?" He asked, walking close to the curled cat. His heavy boots thudded against the ground. Bilbo thought he must have been, or is, a Dwarf of high standing. He carried himself with a regal splendour Bilbo had never seen before.
Bilbo contemplated what Thorin was asking of him. True, he knew they wanted to know who he was, and they did save his life, but he also wanted answers.
"I will shift back, but please," Bilbo saw Thorin raise an eyebrow, waiting for what the Kneazle was about to say, "I want to know what that liquid was, and also," Bilbo paused, "I want to know how you knew I am a Werecat. It is not often any folk know what a Werecat is.i can't help feeling highly curious."
That's right, Bilbo was a prime example of the saying 'curiosity killed the cat.' It got him into a lot of trouble when he was much younger. He still contained that naivety now, being so young still.
"Very well," Thorin conceded in a low voice. "Everyone, shift!" The order was barked and almost immediately what was once Dwarfs now stood other cats. All much bigger than Bilbo.
Bilbo watched as bearded Dwarfs wearing skins, furs and armour shifted in shape, sprouting more fur and losing length in their beards as their forms changed, tails grew and markings miraculously appeared.
Bilbo felt immense power coming from all of them, even from the two elderly Dwarfs Balin and Oin. They still looked fierce, like old war veterans.
"Believe me now, kitten," bilbo blanched at the demeaning title Thorin just gave him; even though it was mostly true. "We are the Dwarfs of Erabor. We stand here, united in claw and fang, to avenge our kin and to destroy the Tiger Drake that now lies within our home lying upon a bed of stolen treasure."
Bilbo couldn't help but eyeball all the, much larger, wild cats that surrounded him. Thorin was a magnificent silver and obsidian Amur leopard with a ferocious countenance. The very air he seemed to breathe was charged with power and presence.
Fili and Kili were both leopards as well, one as black as obsidian with even darker spots and the other yellow with deep umber spots.
Bofur was a Blue lynx with steely grey fur and paynes grey markings, Bombur an orange-brown Bobcat; although an overweight one, and Bifur was a silvery Mist Lynx.
Ori was actually the smallest of the lot, but still slightly larger than Bilbo. He was a Black- footed cat and looked to be the swiftest there. His brother Nori is a Caracal with a clever face and Dori was a Serval. He looked pretty exotic; like Bilbo.
Oin was stood there proudly, along with his brother. Their tails were raised high; they were both wild cats, although the older was more grey and the younger russet coloured.
Balin and Dwalin stood together as a pair of huge mountain lions with deep brown fur. Dwalin had smoky grey legs and was slightly bigger. Balin was white around the muzzle.
Just then Bilbo felt lucky to still be alive.
Before he knew it they had shifted back to their Dwarf forms.
"Your turn now Master Boggins." Kili said sounding rather excited. He was jumping up and down next to his brother who was also grinning with barely contained excitement.
Bilbo let out a deep breath. He was about to reveal an age old secret about his family to total strangers; although he felt like he owed it to them. They did save his life after all.
"Very well," the small cat said.
He stepped away from the furs and prepped himself for the shift.
He stood there, feeling thirteen different pairs of eyes centred on the nervous Kneazle. Bilbo swallowed his nervousness and allowed himself to shift.
He heard a couple of gasps and one excited whisper when what once stood a cat with strange ears and tail in the cave near their fire, now stood a young Hobbit with curly golden hair, emerald green eyes and large hairy feet.
"A Hobbit?" Bofur asked, mildly confused.
"A Hobbit indeed!" Thorin said with a growl. "What is a Halfling doing out in the wilds on his own?"
Bilbo could only prepare himself. What was he going to tell them?
I changed the words of the Lynx species to match areas in Middle earth. Eurasian and Iberian do not exist in this universe, so basically
Eurasian Lynx= Blue (blue mountains) Lynx
Iberian Lynx = Mist (Misty mountains) Lynx.
hope that makes sense. Message me if still unsure.
more will be revealed next chapter, and then Some action will finally take place.