DISCLAIMER: Let's get this out of the way. I do not own or have any hope of ever owning the characters or happenings of middle earth. They belong to Tolkien and as far as I'm concerned he can keep them. For now. I do however, own my OC, Kidhuzel! So don't steal her. Please, feel free to leave any comments and/or questions that you may have. Follow the story in which ever way you would like, but make your thoughts known but be polite while you do it. Thank you!
~~~~~~~~~~Shishi~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 20
"Five, six, seven, eight. Bifur, Bofur, that's ten. Fili, Kili, that's twelve. And Bombur, that makes thirteen. Where's Bilbo? Where is our hobbit?
Recounting the exhausted dwarves, Gandalf attempts to identify the hobbit's location. He had had no time to call roll while the group escaped from goblin town. With each second that passes with no definitive answer from the floundering dwarves, the wizard is driven closer to a panic.
"Where is our hobbit?!"
"I thought he is with Dori." the healer finally answers, wholly uninterested in the situation "Now he's lost."
"Can't you even keep track of one hobbit?" Gloin snorts
"Now don't blame it on me!" the strong but well off dwarf cries in return, much to Gandalf's dismay "I haven't seen him all night."
"Aye. He didn't return after Thorin threw him out." Watching the thief cross his arms over his thick chest, the rest of the group mirrors his defiance "A good thing too, being that he doesn't belong out here."
"No. He did he return, despite your unwillingness to accept much needed help!" The group shrinks at the shout, abandoning some of their collective resistance "He and Kidhuz... Where is Kidhuzel?"
The dwarves glance around for the missing girl with much more conviction than they had for the Hobbit. Gandalf frowns at the course of action, not for the first time wondering of the wisdom in bringing the half drake on the crusade. Her presence is proving detrimental to the company's acceptance of the halfling; pulling their thin levels of acceptance in her unlikely direction. It is Thorin who is the one to answer; his face full of anger and mistrust.
"If that halfling you forced on us has done anything to distract Kidhuzel from her duty to me, I swear I will-"
"You will what, Master Oakenshield?" the air around the company comes alive with heat, reminding the group that they travel with a powerful wizard as much as a friend "Do not think yourself so mighty as to threaten me."
"It is not you I find fault with but your choice in partners. I can tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door. We will not be seeing our hobbit again, for he is long gone!"
"Untried and unused to the dangers of the world he may be but Bilbo Baggins would never go back on his word!" the dwarves stand firm between their leader and the wizard, showing a united front despite Gandalf's words "You refuse to even give him a chance to prove his worth; deeming him beneath you."
"Perhaps it is because he has no worth to prove."
"Here I am!" Just as the tension raises to breaking point El streaks out of the cave with Bilbo trailing behind at a much more subdued pace. His pale face loudly echoes of the time spent alone with the half drake "I found our missing member."
"Kidhuzel." the dwarf King rumbles the girl's name as she lands before him happily "You are well."
"Always." she responds easily, before pointing toward the cave they had all exited "I sealed it enough for you to have half a day, at most, before they are able to break through."
"Very good." As he did within the caves after she slew the goblin queen, Thorin directs her towards his second in command before glaring at the Hobbit "It would seem that our burden has come back."
"Thorin-"
"Why have you returned?" He demands, though rather than anger in his voice there is disgruntled exhaustion "You could not have lasted more than a few seconds-"
"That is it!" the bellow from the small Hobbit is enough to bring the entire group into silenced stillness. His face is ruddy and smeared with dirt, blood, and grime but his usually warm brown eyes are lit with the strange fire that El personally finds admirable "Look, I know you doubt me. I know…I know you always have."
"With good-"
"And you're right," cutting off the king, Bilbo stands his chin up to look the dwarf in the eyes as he aims to speak his mind "I often think of Bag End, my home. I miss my books, and my arm chair, and my garden. A home I left but have every intention of returning to because that's where I belong. That's home."
"Then why are you here?" stepping up to the smaller male, Thorin peers down into his eyes. El all but bounces in anticipation as to what will occur. Her friend is coming into himself and she gains much entertainment from the challenges he grants her bearer "You left the place you belong for those who can never accept you. There is no home here, halfling, we haven't one to give."
"And that's why I came back, because…you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you, but I will help you take it back if I can."
"You think we need your aid? Your pity?" the half drake watches with a hidden smile as her bearer seeks to hide his begrudging respect with insults. A tickling in her nose alerts the girl that it is time to move "We do not-"
"A dragon lives inside your ancestral home and you now keep one like a dog. You need all the help you can get, and like it or not I'm going to help you!"
"I hate to interrupt-"
"And you!" he shouts at El as she attempts to gain the group's attention "I have never met such a creature as confounding as you! I know not whether to run in fear for my life, or to let you save it!"
"I have no reason to take your life, however-"
"I've half a mind to box your ears for what happened back there!"
"Oh?" Gandalf interjects curiously, ignoring the dwarves grumbles at the hobbit's rudeness "What transpired-"
"I'm sorr-"
"No, there is no room for apologies now!" the hobbit raves, beyond being consoled "You killed him! Stabbed him right through the heart."
"My aim was slightly off center but I'm trying-"
"Trying to WHAT!?" the hobbit screeches loudly "I am tired of being interrupted, so what is so important that you need to constantly do it!?"
"I'm trying to tell you that-" a howl pierces the air, signally to the group that they are no longer safe in their current position. El merely rolls her eyes in exasperation "The orcs have found us."
"Out of the frying pa-"
"This is no time for cooking, your majesty!" Bilbo snarks, ignoring the scalding glare from the king "We need to get out of here!"
"I could not have said it better myself." Gandalf praises, lifting his staff to direct the dwarves away from danger "Run!"
~~~~~~~~~~Shishi~~~~~~~~~~
HI hi hi! Here's another chapter for you. Its slow coming but it's coming... slowly. :D Not much Dwalin/Kidhuzel action in this short one but the next chapter is the cliff scene! ooooooo. It'll be awesome, I hope. I haven't written it yet but yay!