A/N: Sorry for the delay in the posting. This chapter took a bit longer to finish (it also didn't help that I had to get my oldest child ready for his first day of 2nd grade!). I wrote and erased and second guessed myself and then wrote some more. :) There's a bit more of Stryker's history in this one. I hope you enjoy. Thank you again to those who have read and reviewed and a big thank you to those who have favorited my story. It is really appreciated.

As always, anything that is good and recognizable belongs to Tolkien or Peter Jackson. Everything else is from my brain.

There was dew on her face and hair when Stryker opened her eyes the next morning. She could see Bilbo still covered in his blanket on one side of her and Bofur's hat sticking out of the top of his on her other side. She sat up and stretched, looking over the sleeping company. Nori nodded at her from his spot at the edge of their camp but said nothing. After putting away her bedroll she added a few extra logs onto the fire and then grabbed her sword deciding that since she had no one to spar with she would run through some of her training and practice moves while the company still slept. It was something she usually did every morning in order to keep her skills honed to perfection. It was also a great way to work out the tension she still felt from last night. She knew she had a temper and her sarcasm was not welcomed by most but the dwarf king, already not one of her favorite people, had really angered her by his insinuations about what skills she possessed. She had truly wanted to hit him in the face and that anger still lingered. As she went through the motions again and again Stryker was able to block out everything around her, focusing only on the position of her blade. Being female she obviously lacked the strength of her male counterparts and so had to make up that weakness with speed and fluidity. It hadn't come easily or quickly but it was a satisfying feeling knowing that she could easily best many of the other Rangers when they sparred.

When she had to stop to wipe the sweat out of her eyes she realized the company had awoken and were watching her. Most seemed to be merely watching but she could sense Thorin's disapproving and judgmental gaze upon her. She turned and met his cold stare, brown eyes hard and chin raised slightly in challenge. Stryker hadn't liked the dwarf before joining the quest and he was quickly solidifying her resentment. However she wasn't going to let him intimidate her and so stood her ground refusing to break the glare they were sharing and show any weakness. He finally looked away and she felt a slight spurt of satisfaction. Noticing that the entire company was observing their silent stand off and feeling slightly uncomfortable with that attention she quickly sheathed her sword and returned to her spot around the fire accepting the bowl Bombur handed to her.

"Do you do that every morning?" Fíli asked, sitting down next to her.

"I try to at least once a day. When I'm in one of the camps I will usually spar with one of the other Rangers but out here this is sufficient to keep me on my toes."

"I'll spar with you," the blonde dwarf offered. Stryker considered it for a moment and then nodded an okay. "Practicing against a body is always more productive than practicing against the air which can't fight back," he said with a grin.

"You are quite right there. I get an inflated sense of my own abilities when nothing is trying to hit me back," she agreed with a laugh.

Thorin, meanwhile, had left the circle around the fire and was standing apart with Balin and Dwalin trying to ignore the presence of the Ranger. Awakening that morning the first thing he'd become aware of was that Stryker was no longer between the Halfling and Bofur. For a moment he had hoped she'd left in the night but movement off to his right caught his eye and he turned to see her, sword in hand, body fluidly going through the well known movements. He couldn't help but watch. Having only caught quick glimpses of her fighting skills the day before he could finally watch and assess her skill with a blade. Her style was quite different from the few dwarrowdams he'd watched swing a blade; Stryker was quick, precise, and so very flexible. When brown eyes locked with his Thorin realized he'd been staring but for a moment he couldn't break their gaze. Stryker was looking at him with that same hint of challenge and what almost seemed like disgust. That look puzzled him. Had he insulted her that badly the evening before? He finally looked down at his boots, hoping no one had noticed. Now he couldn't help but watch her as she talked with his oldest nephew. She was relaxed and laughing; there was no hint of that look of challenge or disgust as she talked with Fíli. For some reason it irritated him.

"Time to move out. I want to be on our way in thirty minutes." He stole a glance at the Ranger as he walked by and saw again that look of disgust in her eyes. The dwarf king was very puzzled by this obvious aversion to him. Shrugging it off he told himself he had no time for the inexplicable emotions and moods of a female.

After dinner that evening Fíli approached her in order to act on his suggestion that they have a sparring session. Stryker grinned at him, amused by his eagerness, and followed him to an open space away from where the company was gathered around the fire. He pulled out his twin blades and smirked a bit as she twirled her sword in hand and took her stance.

"I'll try to go easy on you since your blades are outnumbered," he teased.

"Oh I think I'll manage."

They started slowly, warming up and learning the other's moves, before slowly speeding up and intensifying the strength of their swings. The clash of their blades eventually drew the rest of the company from their dinner and they all watched, eager to see who would come out on top. The dwarves knew how skilled Fíli was but they hadn't seen Stryker wield her blade beyond the quick fight with the ruffians from Bree. Bets were placed with Bofur, Kíli, and Gandalf the only ones putting their money on the Ranger. They were all enjoying the show. Thorin watched from the side, glad he could observe her skill against a real foe. The two combatants were of similar height though while Stryker had the advantage of a couple of inches Fíli had the advantage of muscle. What he saw was impressive; he had no idea a female of man would have the strength in her to withstand the blows from a dwarf. The fluidity of her movements that he had observed while she practiced alone was just as evident in a real fight and it was obviously an advantage. He had never seen someone show that much flexibility in a fight. The stouter build of dwarves would make that kind of movement impossible for them. Thorin could tell by the accessing gazes of the other dwarves that he had just lost his one legitimate argument against her continued presence in the group besides her gender; she knew how to fight.

Stryker was enjoying herself. It had been quite a while since she had the opportunity to spar with someone as skilled as Fíli. His attacks were powerful but she met each one easily. He might be stronger but she was quicker. At one point their audience thought Fíli had her bested as he had her sword locked against one of his while he brought the other blade towards her to seal his victory - only it was quickly deflected as she pulled one of her daggers from her belt, spinning towards him and using his momentum on that side to catch him off balance. The Ranger then brought her leg up and tripped him and before he knew it he was on his back with the tips of two blades at his throat.

"I yield," he gasped with a surprised smile. She quickly removed her sword and dagger from his throat and reached out a hand to help him up.

"Impressive. You may not have the strength of a dwarf but you certainly make up for it with speed," he complimented.

"Thank you. It is something I had to learn for the sake of survival. I know that I am not as strong as males of any race so I have to have a way to combat that deficiency." There were some cheers from the dwarves who had put their money on Stryker and she grinned as she watched Kíli pocket some as well.

"You would bet against your own kin?" his older brother asked in mock anguish.

"I never bet against a pretty face," the youngest Durin quipped with a laugh. Fِíli just shook his head and punched his younger brother teasingly in the arm. Bilbo came up and offered her some water, which she took gratefully, and then she returned to her spot on the ground, taking out her whetstone to clean her blades.

"That was some skill, lass." Nori surprised her as he sat down next to her. "Fíli has been trained since he was a dwarfling by his uncle and Dwalin. He's considered one of the best fighters we have."

"Thank you, Master Nori," she replied with a bow of her head. "It took me many years to learn how to keep myself alive in a fight. And I'd much prefer to stick a blade in an orc than feel one myself."

"I believe you may fit in just fine," he said with a slight twinkle in his eye.

"You'll probably have to spar against the rest of us before this trip is over," Bofur teased as he joined them. He had liked the Ranger from the start and had enjoyed watching the look of surprise appear on some of his companions faces as they'd watched Stryker fight and best the Durin prince.

"I'd be honored to have the chance against such skilled warriors."

"How about a shooting contest with the only other archer in the group?" Kíli asked and she nodded eagerly.

"I'd be pleased to show you a thing or two," she answered with a laugh in her voice. As she sat there with them she felt the beginnings of a contentment she hadn't experienced in quite some time. She'd been on her own guarding the Shire for over a decade and while it was no burden it was nice to finally have some companionship.

The next few days passed quietly as they slowly but steadily made their way east. Stryker still remained near either Gandalf and Bilbo or the four dwarves who had easily accepted her. Fíli and Kíli were always nearby, much to their uncle's displeasure, and Ori wanted to discuss all aspects of her life as a ranger and the ranger camps, jotting down many details in his journal. Bofur was friendly to everyone and she couldn't imagine him shunning anyone. She had developed an easy friendship with them and it dawned on her that they were, in fact, the first few that she would actually label as such. As for the others, their behavior towards her varied widely. Nori didn't seem to mind her presence, spoke to her on occasion but didn't seek her company, and had sparred with her one evening. Bifur didn't avoid her or glare at her in suspicion but as she couldn't recall much of the Khuzdul Lord Elrond had insisted she learn she had no way to communicate with him unless Bofur or one of the other dwarves translated his words. Bombur seemed extremely shy around her but always had a smile when she collected her bowl at meal time. Balin was always very kind and spoke to her often but she could feel that he wasn't entirely comfortable with her being there, though she knew it wasn't anything personal. As for the others - Dwalin, Dori, Oin, Gloin, and Thorin - they avoided her and never spoke to her unless absolutely necessary. Thorin always seemed to be glaring at her and she knew it irritated him to no end that she was there. Stryker took pleasure in that knowledge. It was best that she stayed away from him; he always brought out the worst in her. Feeling like he was constantly testing her and hoping to see a sign of weakness she accepted every task she was given, hunted for food, and took watch frequently.

Thorin had tried to avoid her since their argument though, irritatingly enough, that hadn't stopped his eyes from following her every time she was nearby. He was still concerned that the presence of a female in the company could lead to trouble. She most likely would be singled out in a fight and he knew they would all feel like they had to come to her defense - though he did pity the goblin or orc that ended up on the wrong end of her sword. Finally one afternoon he decided he would try to talk to her and looked over his shoulder to ask her to join him at the head of the line. She was near the back flanked by Fíli and Kíli and the three were laughing about something. For some reason he wanted her out of his nephews' presence and his voice was a bit harsher than he had intended when he called out to get her attention.

"Ranger, please join me up front." He watched the frown cross her face and she said something softly to his nephews before urging her horse forward. Before he turned back around he caught the look on Fíli's face as he watched her move away from him. Thorin knew he was going to have to have a conversation with his heir very soon. Stryker didn't say anything when she came alongside him, merely giving him a slight nod before facing forward. She didn't know why he asked for her but she really was in no mood to talk to him; his words from a few days before still fresh in her mind.

He wasn't quite sure how to react to her continuing to ignore him. It was something he had never experienced before. She had shown him no disrespect and had never questioned any of the tasks she was given but he knew she did not like him and it seemed she had joined the group already disliking him. Though her face - especially her eyes - seemed vaguely familiar to him he could think of no dealings he'd ever really had with any of the Rangers.

"You fought well against my nephew and Nori," he finally said to break the silence.

"Thank you."

"They both said you are one of the toughest non-dwarf combatants they've sparred against."

"I was honored that they would fight with me." She still hadn't looked at him and he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. She sat very straight in the saddle, hands loose on the reins, clearly very comfortable. Her hood and scarf were actually off and he could see the profile of her face and her brown hair pulled back in a tail. He remembered her saying that she was not being courted and the lack of courting braids in her hair confirmed that, though he was surprised. She was actually quite pretty. The black cloak was pushed back and he could see the dark greenish gray tunic, brown leather jerkin, black leggings, and knee high dark brown boots that concealed a surprisingly strong body. For the first time he began to notice all the weapons she had on her person. Besides the sword hanging at her side and the dagger he'd seen her pull out a few times he spotted the hilt of a dagger hidden in each of the leather bracers on her hands, there was another in her boot, and he caught a glimpse of at least one more dagger on the back of her belt. Then there was the bow and quiver across her back. It reminded him of Fِíli who always had an unknown number of weapons concealed on his body.

"You are staring, Master Oakenshield," her low voice interrupted his thoughts and he felt his cheeks redden.

"I apologize. I just had no idea you had so many weapons." She laughed and he thought it was one of the prettiest sounds he'd heard in a long time.

"Living in the Wild teaches you that you have to be prepared for anything. There's no way of knowing how a fight will go and its best to always have more than one way of defending yourself." She gave him a quick smile. "Is there anything you need from me, Master Oakenshield?"

"No."

"Then I shall return to my spot at the rear of the company." After she had gone he was left feeling rather disappointed. Yes, he'd finally spoken to her and actually gotten a reply, but he had hoped she would stay and talk with him some more. Surprisingly he had enjoyed having her next to him.

Thorin pushed them until the sun was setting and they set up camp on a high outcropping of rock. Everyone was exhausted and all tasks and dinner were completed quickly. It wasn't long before most of the company were in their bedrolls. Stryker laid on hers staring up at the stars and listening to the low voices of Fíli and Kíli who were on watch. She had almost drifted off to sleep when a screech echoed through the air.

"What was that?" she heard Bilbo ask, a nervous tremor in his voice.

"Orcs," Kíli answered. She sat up, hand reaching for her sword, and she noticed Thorin, who had seemingly been dozing, had reacted the same way.

"Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them," Fíli said seriously.

"They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood," was Kِíli's input. As Bilbo glanced back over his shoulder in fright the two princes looked at each other and laughed softly. Stryker was not amused. She had seen the death and devastation an orc raid could cause. She knew they had only been teasing the Halfing but the orcs were no joking matter.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin asked harshly at the same time.

Kíli hung his head and mumbled, "We didn't mean anything by it."

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." He stomped off leaving his nephews looking stricken. For once Stryker agreed completely with Thorin. They may have been trained as warriors but Fíli and Kíli had yet to darken their blades with orc blood. They had never seen the savagery the beasts possessed or the destruction they left in their wake.

Trying not to scold them as their uncle had done but wanting them to understand what they had so flippantly joked about, Stryker finally spoke up. "I know you meant no harm but have either of you ever seen what orcs can do?" They had to reluctantly shake their heads; they had only ever heard the stories. "I have and more times than I care to remember. Orcs care for nothing except violence. The blood and the broken bodies, the fire of burning buildings, the screams of those they choose to torture - it all sticks with you. Once you see and experience it you can never forget."

"Don't mind him, laddie," Balin said gently. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." He paused to collect his thoughts and Stryker knew a story was coming. "After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first." Everyone was silent as they listened to the elderly dwarf. Even those that had been close to sleep had awakened at the confrontation between Thorin and his nephews and were now listening. Stryker had heard of the Battle of Azanulbizar but she had never heard about it from one who had been there. Despite her past animosity towards Thorin she felt her heart ache as Balin described the death of his grandfather, the loss of his father, and the battle against Azog.

"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived." Balin gestured towards Dwalin, Oín and Gloín, and Bifur. "And I thought to myself then, there is one I could follow. There is one I could call King." She glanced to where Thorin was standing at the edge of the cliff, staring out into the night, and even to her he seemed very kingly in that moment. He slowly turned and faced the company who were now standing and watching him in awe and reverence. Stryker came to her feet as well. Despite the wrongs he had done to her in the past she could not ignore the fact that he was a king, a very highly respected king, and a good, honorable leader. While her dislike of the dwarf hadn't really dissipated she never the less respected him. He walked through the group, eyebrows rising a bit when he saw her standing with the dwarves.

"And the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo's voice asked hesitantly.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago," Thorin growled as he returned to his seat next to the cave. Stryker glanced at Gandalf and caught the look he exchanged with Balin. She wasn't exactly sure what the two seemed to know but it made a shiver run up her spine.

"Go back to sleep, all of you. Fíli, Kíli, I'll take watch from here." Stryker laid down between Bofur and Fíli and curled up on her side under her blanket. The talk of the orcs brought memories back to her that she'd prefer to keep buried and she hoped she would be able to sleep.

She couldn't.

Her dreams were full of fire and blood as images of the orc attack replayed again and again in her head. She struggled to pull herself to consciousness, not wanting to get to the end of the recurring nightmare as she knew what waited there. She could hear her brother calling her name over and over again but she could only put her head in her hands and scream as she watched the orcs surround him.

Jerking awake with a gasp she met Thorin's blue gaze from where he was kneeling next to her, his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked with a concerned frown on his face. "I was trying to wake you. You were crying in your sleep." She realized the voice she'd heard in her dream hadn't been her brother at all. A bit embarrassed at being seen with tears on her face she sat up quickly, wiping away the incriminating wetness on her cheeks and dislodging his hand.

"Thank you. I am sorry I woke you," Stryker told him stiffly, rising from her bedroll. Refusing to look at him she walked towards the edge of the cliff and seated herself on a large rock. He followed and lowered himself so he was sitting next to her.

"I was on watch. I am sorry my nephews' careless words gave you nightmares."

"Their words had no part in it," she scoffed. He waited, hoping she would keep talking, and she remained silent hoping he would leave her alone. Thorin wanted to get to know this female, she puzzled and fascinated him. She was always in such control of herself, so skilled of a fighter, that he had been shocked to discover the whimpering he'd begun hearing while on watch that night had been coming from her. He had cautiously approached where she was laying and found that she was crying in her sleep. Wanting to wake her from an obvious nightmare he had tried calling her name before gently reaching out and shaking her shoulder. He would never forget, in that moment after her eyes opened and before she realized he was there, the look of vulnerability and grief on her face.

"You mentioned your brother died in an orc raid," he prodded and was rewarded when she looked at him with a resigned sigh. It was clear she didn't really want to speak with him. Stryker was momentarily surprised that Thorin had remembered what she'd told the company over the fire the evening her gender had been revealed; she hadn't thought he had paid her any attention after their confrontation. Since he obviously wasn't going to leave her alone she decided she'd tell him what he wanted to know.

"Yes. Rhaemyr was eighteen at the time, ten years older than me. We were living in a Ranger village near the shores of Lake Evendim. Father was beginning Rhae's training; he had real skill and potential. He was already tall and so strong." Thorin smiled at the soft look of pride on her face. "The orc pack attacked right before dawn. They had slaughtered half the camp before any resistance could be roused up. The men that remained were finally able to push them back, killing most of the pack, but Rhae wouldn't listen to our father and tried to go after them." She paused in painful silence as the events of that night played in her mind. "They would never tell me exactly what happened except he had been surrounded and killed."

"What did your village do afterwards? Did you stay in Evendim?"

"No. With the increase of orc raids from the north the leaders decided it would be safer to relocate. It is the fate of most Dunedain; we can't stay in one place for long." She turned to look at him meeting his eyes. "You asked me why I came on this quest, why I would risk my life with a group of dwarves I don't know. It is because I know what it is like to lose your home and those you love. I have never had a permanent home. You have one and I want to help you reclaim it. Perhaps in doing that I won't feel the lack of one quite so strongly." For the first time he saw some gentleness and kindness in her face as she looked at him. He found he liked the way she looked in the moonlight; it gave her a softness he hadn't thought possible.

"And your father?" That look of kindness on her face disappeared in a flash and her usual expression of slight disdain reappeared. He wasn't sure what he'd said wrong but regretted whatever it was that caused that hardness to return.

"I will never be able to forget the look of defeat on my father's face when they returned from following Rhae and those few remaining orcs. It was like he aged overnight and went from being a man in his prime to an aging elder. He began training me as a ranger a few days afterward and died two years later." She turned from him and stared out into the darkness. Discussing that time of her life was always painful but opening up to Thorin Oakenshield was not easily done. She had told him all she was going to; her father's death was not something she would talk about with him. He could sense that she had closed herself off again and would tell him nothing else.

"You have suffered through trying times, Ranger. I am sorry for my harsh words the other night. They were uncalled for."

"Apology accepted."

"I feel that argument started us off on the wrong foot. I would like to rectify that mistake and try to start over." Stryker turned and looked at him in surprise. This was not what she had expected from him. "I see the easy friendship you have crafted with my nephews and the Ur family and I would not have you uncomfortable around me." She continued to regard him with a thoughtful look on her face but nodded slightly and he relaxed a bit.

"Welcome to the company of Thorin Oakenshield, my lady. I thank you for your offer of assistance," he said softly with a bow of his head.

"I am happy to offer it and am honored to be a part of such an honorable company, Master Oakenshield," she replied with a soft smile. She had been able to forgive him years ago and perhaps now she might finally be able to shake the continued dislike she felt towards him. Time would tell. At any rate it was good to know that he had accepted her.

Edited/revised/updated January 2016