Disclaimer: I own nothing Peter Jackson or J. would recognize.
Nora successfully manages to hide her progressed healing behind her limp for several days. Eventually, though, Kram returns to examine her condition, and she knows better than to try to conceal her leg's improvement from the seasoned healer. And so, a little more than two weeks after first arriving in Arda, she's declared fit to be returned to the forest. Though Nora understands the logic, she can't keep the memory of Aulë's message out of her head. He warned her that she must not leave the Durins, but if the older Dwarves are set on her leaving, how can she accomplish that without being more sly than a fox? She's be too far away from the Durins outside the community, and too easily caught within. That issue aside, what about Fíli and Kíli? They are young children, and as such grow emotional attachments very easily. They would be so upset to lose their new pet. The thought of how to tell them crosses the minds of Dis and Thorin, as well, which is how they find themselves in Dis's living room with Kíli in her lap and Fíli on Thorin's, tears on both of the boys' faces.
"But why?" Kíli argued, hiccuping and wiping his running nose. "She's been a good girl, even with a facted leg."
"And she saved us from the bad snake!" Fíli contributes. His nose is running, as well, so his voice is a bit nasal. Kíli enthusiastically nods his head in agreement. Dis smiles sadly and wipes her younger son's nose with a faded handkerchief.
She has indeed been well-behaved, but she is still a wolf, and wolves, like any other animal, need to grow and live in their own home," she explains.
"Your mother is right," Thorin says. "Wolves need to run freely and hunt, and she can do neither if she is stuck here." Fíli reluctantly nods in agreement, and Kíli, seeing his brother's example, gives a short nod and a sniff. Flika was sad about the decision, but didn't put up an argument, and is now sitting on the floor, feeding Nora bits of leftovers from breakfast. Tari, who came with her father to say goodbye to the pup, is sitting with her. Neither of them say anything, but both of them wear sad expressions.
After goodbyes from the girls and from Dis, Nora follows Thorin and his nephews through Ered Luin towards the gate. Since she no longer has a reason to fake a limp, she walks on her own between the boys. She draws weary and curious glances, and one Dwarf fulls his children away from her. She expects as much, if Dis's initial reaction was anything to go off of.
It's not long before they reach the wood. Fíli and Kíli drag their feet and walk as close to Nora as they can. Thorin takes them a few hundred feet beyond the tree line, then slows to a stop and turns to give the boys a look that says it's time. Knowing better than to argue, they simply kneel beside her and hug her tightly, burying their faces in the fur on her back and sniffling all the while.
"You've been a good puppy, Girl," Kíli says, his voice once again nasal. Fíli nods in agreement. Figuring the goodbye would be easier with less sadness, Nora turns her head to the left and licks Kíli's face, covering his cheek and eyebrow. He gives a little giggle. "Ew, gross," he says, wiping his face with his sleeve, getting the escaped tear while he's at it. Hora turns her head to her other side and does the same to Fíli, who has a similar reaction.
"Fíli," Thorin speaks up with a gentle tone, "Kíli, it's time. We ought to head back now if we want to make it in time for lunch." The older boy nods in reluctant agreement and lets go of Nora's neck. His brother holds on for a few more moments, then does the same. They each take one of Thorin's hands as he begins to walk out of the forest. Nora watches them go, not moving from her place. When Kíli turns around, still walking, and waves at her, she lifts her paw in response. He cracks a smile, then turns back around. Less than a minute later, they disappear between the trees.
Now alone, Nora pushes up off her forelegs and shifts into her damling form. She looks to the sky and says, "What now, Aulë?"
After sitting for some time, trying to work out what she should do, a fierce rumble comes from her stomach. Figuring some food won't hurt the non-moving train of thought, she sighs and pulls her pack off her shoulders. Setting it on the ground and opening the flap, she reaches inside to grab...a sandwich, maybe? It's been a while since she's had one, and it sounds delicious. Two slices of wheat bread...mayonnaise slathered on both slices...two pieces of turkey lunch meat...maybe a couple of tomatoes...
Instead of a mouth-watering sandwich, however, she feels a piece of paper. Furrowing her brows, she pulls it out, unfolds it, and reads.
No one said you have to stay away...
Nora smirks. Well, You can't be blamed for not thinking of everything when you're thinking on an empty stomach. With that in mind, she returns the paper to the bag and focuses on that yummy sandwich.
Going back isn't as easy as one might think. She can't just walk right into Ered Luin. She knows better than to try and enter as a damling - she doesn't know enough about their culture to act without raising suspicion - and she can't just waltz right in as a wolf, even as a cub. She may be able to sneak in if she's careful, but she'll need to be able to convince Thorin and Dis to let her stay. She obviously can't just tell them she's harmless, but maybe she can show them she's worth keeping. From what she remembers of The Hobbit, the first few decades after Smaug's attack were harsh on the dwarves of Erebor. Even now, they're donating and sharing within their community in order to survive as best they can. Dis is almost always able to provide a full plate at meal times, but the hunters among family and friends make sure of that. During her time in Ered Luin, Nora saw that food is one of the issues that the town struggles with. if she can help with that...
Liiiiightbuuuulb...
Focusing her concentration, she opens the flap of her pack, reaches inside, and pulls out a brown rabbit...dead, of course, but as if it had only just been killed. She pulls out another one, and decides that two rabbits is all her wolf's mouth can carry. She shoulders her pack and shifts back into the form of a wolf cub, landing on her forelegs. Grabbing the rabbits' ears between her teeth (strangely not as nauseating as if she'd done it as a human), she makes her way back to the town, noting that night is almost completely covering the sky.
Upon reaching the tree line, however, Nora sees two vigilant and weary guards at the gate a ways ahead. Realizing that sneaking past as she may have been able to do during the day was not an option, she carefully considers what to do next. Her gaze traces from the guards to the gate and along the wall, down to the ground beside it. Hmm...
As a wolf, she's naturally good at diffing, as evidenced by her diffing so deep for roots that she got stuck a few weeks back. If she could dig her way under the wall...she may be able to get in unnoticed. Nora's not stupid, though. The wall would go deep in the ground, and gravity obviously exists in Middle Earth, so she can't just tunnel straight down. She would have to start well away from it and go at an angle. Leaving the rabbits beside a tree, she starts digging right where she's at. After a few hours and taking a pause to rest here and there, she finally emerges on the other side, thankfully in a secluded spot between the backs of two houses. After going back for the rabbits (and taking a break to relieve herself), she sneaks toward the main road and smells her way back to Dis's house. Upon arriving, she simply lays down against the wall by the front steps and sets the rabbits down beside her. Given that the sky is pitch black and she's successfully made her way back, Nora lays her head on her paws and closes her eyes, suddenly realizing how exhausting the day has been as sleep swiftly overcomes her mind.