I am sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out, I kind off lost inspiration for it a while back. please enjoy.
Like a bolt of lightning, Bilbo fled through the pine needles and loamy earth, his sights cast on the light seeping through the dim cover of the trees. He couldn't tell what the others were thinking, or even doing; he presumed they were furious with him, running off without warning when there was potential for orcs to still be lingering.
Bilbo couldn't really hear the voices of the elves through the blood pounding inside his massive ears. He was set on his mission. He must finish his mother's goal. It was the whole reason he was here and she ended up lost.
He was about to make it toward the treeline when he felt something clamp around his neck and lift him away.
The little Kneazel screeched in fright when he felt teeth dig into his ruff. It was violent and harried; wrenching the sandy cat from his place on the forest floor. The movement was so sudden that pine needles flew up with his paws when they left the ground.
Bilbo was dragged back the way he came in the jaws of one of the Dwarven Were cats. Bilbo could not see which one but he knew it didn't matter for he was in big trouble.
Within seconds Bilbo could see all the other cats, looking at him with scorn on their handsome cat faces. They were once again on the ground, waiting with their tails twitching and their teeth showing in sneers.
Bilbo felt his heart begin to beat a mile a minute. This would not be good.
He needed to get out of there though. He needed to get to the elves. He couldn't stay with a gabble of Dwarves. That wasn't his mission.
Anger began to surge within the small creature. How dare they prevent him from reaching his own goal?
Quick as a Bluebottle he struck. He twisted around in the air and latched his two back paws into his abductors throat. His claws pricked the skin, but his captor never let go. Now that he had twisted around he could see who his abductor was.
It was a rather livid looking Amur leopard. Thorin.
Those Sapphire eyes were narrowed wildly, almost feral. The Were cat was not at all pleased with the youngsters indiscretions towards his group. Running off, endangering not only himself but the others and sinking his claws into his throat-!
Thorin spat Bilbo's ruff out of his mouth so that he could shift back, but not before quite meanly stepping on Bilbo's tail so that he couldn't escape.
Bilbo shrieked when he felt his tail crushed under what was a paw, which was now a heavy leather boot. He tried to run but he couldn't dislodge the sensitive appendage from under that steely heel.
Bilbo was feeling really scared now; Thorin scared him. Why couldn't he just let him go?
"Think you could escape us and warn your little elf friends? Hah, you are out of luck!" Thorin picked up the reluctant and frantic cat and held him firmly against his chest. "We stay here until evening!"
After that statement the others shifted back so that they could set up camp. Before long Bilbo was the only one still in his cat form, and he was still being held by Thorin who hadn't yet moved from his spot in the forest.
Bilbo simply looked at the ground, not shifting a single muscle. He could feel the dwarfs piercing stare in the back of his head; Bilbo swore it was burning a hole into the base of his skull.
"You are staying near me tonight!" Bilbo's ears twitched at the unexpected calmness within the dwarf's voice. "And you will change back. It will be easier to keep an eye on you then."
Bilbo sighed dejectedly, knowing he wasn't going to get out of this situation. Those elves would have been long gone by now.
Thorin placed him down so that he could change back into his Hobbit form. He placed him gently, as if he was a precious load. It was a complete turnaround from the rough treatment Bilbo previously experienced. And it confused him.
Once the change was over, Thorin immediately grasped Bilbo's arm and brought him over to the newly made fire.
"Thorin, not so hard!" Bilbo muttered, wincing at the Dwarf's powerful grip.
"Sit," he ordered without acknowledging his request, his face only concerned with where he could place the Hobbit. Bilbo was really confused. The dark haired warrior was switching from being gentle to being rough and then back again.
Thorin found a dry spot of soft ground and pushed the Hobbit down next to him. He kept his hand on Bilbo's arm, keeping him bound with flesh.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked suddenly, taking on an angry tone of voice.
Bilbo simply scowled. He would no longer cower, he was fed up with feeling afraid now, especially when there was no need to be. This Dwarf was simply stubborn with a bad temper. He was nothing compared to being chased by Orcs and Wargs.
"I was aiming to seek the aid of the Elves." Bilbo answered honestly and angrily.
Thorin's grip tightened, causing Bilbo to gasp and grasp at the location of the clenching. He knew there was going to be a bruise there in the morning.
"Ah, let go, LET GO!" Bilbo screamed.
A few of the Dwarfs looked on, but they did nothing, not wanting to get in the way of their king. Fili and Kili looked to each other as if they wanted to intervene, but they conceded; they would not risk the wrath of their uncle. They deemed this as a lesson Bilbo needed to learn.
"What is your problem? Why are you keeping me here? I need to find the Elves; only they can help me."
Thorin started to laugh. It was almost maniacal and made Bilbo shudder. "Elves don't help anyone. They are selfish and stuck up. No, you cannot seek their help for anything; those betrayers have black hearts."
"How can you know that? What has that got to do with me? Just let me go and I will be out of your way." The young Hobbit was getting more and more flustered; he was now pulling on his arm with all his strength in order to get away from the Dwarf.
"Sit still!" Thorin hissed, wrenching on the startled Hobbit.
"You cannot survive out there on your own. What if the Orcs return? You have no way of defending yourself. You are nothing but a kitten! A helpless, useless little bag of fur who is no use to anyone."
Bilbo stopped, his eyes wide and his heart clenching painfully. He wanted to retort, defend his case, but words were lost to him.
Useless, young, defenceless? 'Yes, I am those things. If I wasn't so useless then maybe mother would still be alive.'
"You realise that I had to catch you before you gave away our positions. If you left, you may have found the Elves, but then they would have found us too. We can't let them know whe…" Thorin stopped short when he saw Bilbo's face.
By now all the Dwarfs had finished setting things up, finding food and preparing a light meal. They all glanced at the two already seated down and saw a worrisome sight.
Bilbo was just sat there, his eyes wide and shedding silent tears. His eyes looked as if they failed to see outwards, only inwards for they were clouded over; his greengage irises no longer sparkled with youthful naivety. It was like he was replaying thoughts over and over in his mind on a temporary loop.
Thorin became really alarmed when Bilbo began to draw short, ragged breaths, his body shuddering alarmingly. He was beginning to have a panic attack.
"Bilbo!" Kili bounded over from the opposite side of the new fire. In his worry to get to Bilbo he nearly tripped over Ori's pack. A couple of scraps of paper ended up being dislodged but no one paid any mind.
Once Kili reached the young Hobbit, Bilbo was sat huddled up with his hands clenching his head, his knees drawn up to his chest and was rocking back and forth slightly.
Thorin began to shake his shoulder, not understanding what was going on. There appeared to be no reason for the Hobbit's distress; and not knowing was frustrating the Dwarf prince.
Bilbo was trying to shy away from Thorin's hand. He didn't like that hand being there. He wanted it to leave.
"No- stop. Please!" He stuttered.
"Uncle, stop!" Kili had arrived with Fili; who had followed along faithfully. "You are going to make his attack worse at this rate."
Fili settled down next to Bilbo, but he didn't touch him. Instead he spoke quietly to him. "Do want to go somewhere else?" He asked kindly and confidently.
Bilbo only nodded meekly, but Fili understood. "Is it okay for me to help you?" Again he received a nod in admission. Fili promptly picked the youngster up and escorted him away from the glowing fire.
He took him a short ways into the woods, not too far from the company, but far enough so that it was quiet and that they could be alone.
Fili found a fallen log that was beginning to rot through, but deemed it suitable to sit on. He gently coaxed Bilbo to sit with him. He sat close but not to close. He wanted the boy to have some space until he allowed Fili to get closer. He was still breathing a little hard and his eyes were dilated fearfully.
"You know, when Kili and I were young we used to get into so much trouble. Often I would have to bail that fiery youngster out of it. I always had his back, as I knew he would have mine." Kili took a sideward glance to see how Bilbo was reacting. He hadn't changed.
"I remember the day my father left. He left unexpectedly and never returned." Fili heaved a great sigh before he carried on with his tale. "I was young when he left; and I didn't understand why. I often believed it was my fault, my fault that he upped and left with only my mother to care for us. I thought he hated staying in one place. He didn't appear to want anything to do with us." Fili looked really sad right then.
"You know, it was a hard life, living in the Blue Mountains. Every day was a struggle to earn enough money to eat and stay warm. Those Mountains were draughty and cold; nothing like the warmth that permeated Erabor."
Fili looked to see that Bilbo was listening. His face was turned to the side to watch the young Dwarf relent his story. He was no longer shaking and his breathing had evened out.
"Every day I looked to the West, waiting for father to return; but then I forgot those that stayed by my side. I had neglected Kili. I didn't pay him any attention in my grief and longing for my father. I would never make that mistake again. I was supposed to have his back."
Fili was about to continue, but a small voice interjected before he could. "You still have his back. I can tell how much you care for each other."
The blonde Dwarf smiled. Bilbo appeared a little better. "Don't pay attention to my grumpy old Uncle. He is known by many to say spiteful things without really realising it. I apologise on his behalf."
"Its fine," Bilbo looked thoughtful for a moment. His toes digging into the dirt beneath his feet. "I know what he said was right. I am useless!"
Fili placed an arm around the sad Hobbit's shoulders and brought him close. Fili could tell that his panic was waning away, although he could feel the sadness pulsing through the small beings body. It rolled off the youngster in waves, seeping out like blood from a wound.
"No one in this world is useless." He tried to console the Hobbit, but it was difficult. "We all have our own special talents." Fili looked at Bilbo's face, seeing a few tears collected within deep green irises. It seemed Bilbo spent a lot of time crying. Fili wondered what had happened to him for him to be like this. I saw that amazing magic you created back in that crevice. That was amazing, even Uncle thought so."
That made Bilbo start. He looked Fili fully in his bright Azure eyes, seeing the truth he harboured there. "I find that hard to believe!" Bilbo whispered.
"Oh, I know it seems ludicrous but I assure you that everyone was impressed. You possess a rare skill; a skill that used wisely, would be indispensable to any cause."
Bilbo genuinely felt better now, feeling uplifted by his new friends kind words. "Thank you." He said sincerely.
Fili gave the Hobbit a small hug. "Come, let's get back to camp."
Bilbo felt a hint of fear run through him in spite of the previous conversation, but he would not let Thorin intimidate him any further. "Yes, lets." Steeling his courage he followed the blonde were cat back to the flickering firelight.
Once they returned the ring of chatting Dwarfs, all eyes pinned Bilbo to the spot. They were concerned gazes, but Bilbo almost took them for annoyed glances. He felt a little nervous, but was then pulled into a spot next to Kili, who had reached over and grasped his sleeve.
Bilbo was forced to sit on soft earth, right between Kili and Thorin. Bilbo glanced around nervously, seeing Fili had joined Kili on his other side. Fili gave him an encouraging nod.
Bilbo then turned his head slightly to see Thorin regarding him with Sapphire eyes. Bilbo could not read the expression on the regal were cats face. It was as if he was analysing the poor Hobbit for any more neurotic signs. It wasn't his fault he was revisited by those horrid memories.
The camp was silent for a few moments, but the Dwarfs eventually went back to their conversations, deeming Bilbo to be alright now.
Bilbo sunk into contemplative silence, feeling eyes burning holes into his side. Kili and Fili had lapsed into their own talk, leaving Bilbo to sit in awkward silence next to an equally silent Dwarf.
The spell was broken when Bilbo heard a deep voice. He turned to see Thorin with his mouth open slightly. Bilbo could see traces of his elongated canines peeking through the side of his lips. Only the most powerful were cats still retained traces of their feline heritage when in human form.
"How are you?" Thorin asked kindly yet stiffly.
"I'm better, thank you." Bilbo could not help but feel slightly apprehensive now that Thorin's full attention was back on him.
Silence returned once again. Bilbo tried to listen to the crackle of the fire, but it was silenced when Thorin spoke again.
"I'm- sorry for earlier. It was terrible of me to treat you like that. Even when you came to us, frightened, cold and sick, it was wrong of me to treat you like a prisoner or traitor."
Bilbo was speechless. He knew that it must have been a huge blow on his pride to apologise to an inexperienced youngster like Bilbo. He couldn't say anything, his mouth was moving but no words were coming out.
Bilbo blushed when he heard the Dwarf chuckle at Bilbo. "No need to say anything, I will do what I can to make it up to you."
"I…thank you." Bilbo felt a flutter in his belly. It was the hope that things could get better now. He was so low a day ago, but now he was safe for the first time since he was with his family back in Bag end. "This means a lot to me." Bilbo kept his face down, his golden locks shielding his eyes, casting them into shadow. "I haven't felt this safe ever since I left the Shire."
"If you don't mind me asking, why are you wondering the Wild's on your own? You seem too young to be out here without an escort."
Bilbo blanched, feeling the dire memories creeping back into his mind. He wasn't sure he wanted Thorin to know. 'But then again, if he knew you wouldn't have to deal with those memories all on your own.' Bilbo told himself. He decided to tell him some of his story.
"My mother and I were on our way to Rivendell." Bilbo started, staring intently into the fire.
"Why? And where is your mother?" Thorin asked.
Bilbo did not want to tell Thorin why he was going to Rivendell. He could not tell him about his past yet, it was too much important information to relent on someone he didn't trust fully yet.
"My mother is dead!" Bilbo sniffed. He had to steel himself. He would not cry again…He must not! "She died when she tried to protect me from Orcs. They ambushed us on the road only four days ago now. I guess a Fountling like me could do nothing to help!"
Thorin was speechless for a moment, feeling his heart strings rendering from their place attached to his heart. He knew the feeling of losing a parent. The grief this youngster must have been feeling would be so acute right now, the wound still being fresh.
"How old are you Bilbo?" Thorin had to ask carefully, as if it was a very important thing he should know.
Bilbo was crying silently now, his body shaking slightly and tears running down his face. He wasn't strong enough yet to prevent the tears from falling. "I…I'm…Twenty!" He hiccupped.
Twenty? He was so young; too young. Thorin knew from his elders that Hobbits came of age at 33; this Hobbit was still a Kitten. No wonder he was such a jumpy little thing.
"I'm sorry Bilbo, it must have been so hard." Bilbo nodded. He was trying to stop his crying, but the grief he felt was a powerful emotion. "Don't stop crying. Let it all out, you can't bottle these things up."
Bilbo simply nodded again, his crying becoming even louder now that he revealed what had happened to his last close family member to this proud being.
"Uncle, he is crying again!" Kili moaned, throwing his arms back around the distraught Hobbit again. Thorin gave his nephew a pointed stare but said nothing about it. Bilbo started to cry into the dark haired Dwarfs tunic, not noticing the mouth movements of his temporary comfort as he communicated silently to his Uncle. Kili and Fili had heard everything.
"I think we should get ready for sleep. We have much land to cross once night befalls us." Thorin hoisted himself up but didn't move away. Instead he held his hand out.
Kili understood. He gently pried Bilbo away; who left wet patches all over the front of his cloths. He handed him over to Thorin.
"I' will look after him!" he stated in a calm voice. Other Dwarfs, mainly Dwalin and Balin, started when they heard this. Their prince, looking after one who wasn't his kin? Mahal was going to create dwarfs from water next.
"I suggest you all get some sleep. Take turns with the watch." He made a point to stare at his Nephews. "You can start, but behave!" He turned towards his bags with a flick of his braided hair. Bilbo didn't have his own stuff, so he would have to sleep with him until they could purchase some items of his own.
Bilbo simply stared at Thorin as he made to unroll his bedding. Bilbo had stopped his crying finally, and stood there feeling very awkward now. He could feel the amazed stares of the others; although Thorin made it a point to ignore them. Bilbo could not understand how. He couldn't even understand how this dwarf, who was mean and hostile to him before was acting so kind now.
Bilbo yawned without really helping it. He was exhausted. He could feel sleep coming onto him quickly. Bilbo remembered that he hadn't really slept well for nigh on a week now. No wonder he was so tired. Both emotional and physical stress had gotten to him.
Bilbo didn't even really notice when Thorin pulled him into his bed roll with him, hugging him close to his warm body. Bilbo was asleep within seconds of his head hitting the ground.
It is November now. woo, so close to my Birthday. As it is November, it is only one month until the The battle of the five armies comes out in cinema. It will be so great! Please review and tell me what you think. Until next time!