Here's the next chapter.

Enjoy.

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Chapter 6

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"MY MATE!" Bilbo thought as he launched at the orc, his thoughts so strong that they were projected to everyone in the area.

Bilbo felt the orc push him off and then move over him as Bilbo raised his sword and stabbed the orc three times, killing him. Bilbo quickly stood in front of Thorin and saw him pass out. Bilbo looked around and knew he stood no chance with his sword and quickly dropped his sword, pants, jacket and shifted. He saw the surprise on the orcs and wargs faces as he growled angrily standing over Thorin.

"MINE!" Bilbo growled at them.

"Give us the dwarf, shifter and you may survive this." Bilbo heard Azog say through the link.

"Never!"

"So, you claim this dwarf as your mate but tell me does he return your feelings. I doubt it." Bilbo was so angry that he couldn't control who heard him speaking.

"Whether he returns my feelings doesn't matter. I will never turn Thorin or any of the dwarves over to you. I will die first."

"Very well."

Bilbo heard him say something in their own tongue and the wargs started closing in. Bilbo lowered himself more growling loudly just as he heard the dwarves let out a battle cry and launch themselves at the wargs and orcs. Bilbo looked and saw Azog making his way towards him and Bilbo growled. Bilbo jumped and started trying to pull Azog off the warg so he could let one of the dwarves take him on. He couldn't fight the two at once, the warg was his main problem, being bigger and stronger than him. Azog clubbed Bilbo in the side of the head as he was distracted and Bilbo fell to the ground and the white warg bit into his neck, trying to break it. Bilbo howled and scratched at the underneath of its neck and chest making to let go. Bilbo launched himself at the white wargs exposed neck and ripped the skin and fur there before he was knocked away. Bilbo climbed to his feet and backed up towards Thorin.

Bilbo, the dwarves, the wargs and Orcs all looked around when they heard screeching. Bilbo watched as the eagles knocked trees onto wargs and blew flames into their faces and threw a few from the cliff. Bilbo saw Azog move away, so he quickly changed back and found his clothes next to his sword. He grabbed his clothes and quickly put them on and grabbed his sword as he saw an eagle fly towards Thorin and carefully pick him up in its talons. Bilbo then saw Azog turn back to him and roar in anger. Bilbo's eyes widened as he saw an eagle come straight at him.

"No."

Bilbo let out a cry as he scooped up and then dropped over the cliff onto another eagle. Bilbo held on tightly wincing when he turned his head around pulling the wounds on his neck causing more blood to flow. Bilbo saw everyone was there and saw Fili and Kili on an eagle together and trying to look at Thorin.

"THORIN!" Fili called out hoping for a response and so was Bilbo.

Bilbo watched closely but there was no response or indication that Thorin heard. They flew for a long time, over mountains, rivers and into a valley where there was a large bear shaped rock. The eagles flew around in circles, as one by one they deposited their passengers on the rock, Thorin being the first to be put down. Gandalf climbed off the eagle and quickly made his way to him.

"Thorin." Gandalf called out as he got close. "Thorin?"

Bilbo walked down a little from where he was dropped off. He was dizzy but was able to keep himself up right. Gandalf laid his hand over Thorin's face and whispered an incantation as he brought his hand down his face as Thorin's eyes opened. Gandalf sighed seeing Thorin awake.

"The halfling?" Thorin breathed out quietly.

"It's alright. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe."

Bilbo sighed and Dwalin and Kili helped Thorin to his feet. Thorin brushed them off once he was standing.

"You!" Thorin spoke to him making Bilbo's relief disappear. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed!" Thorin said and Bilbo could see the other dwarves were not happy with what he was saying. "Did I not say that you would be a burden?" Thorin walked closer and Bilbo wanted to say something. "That you would not survive in the wild? That you had no place amongst us?" Bilbo felt his heart give another lurch now and looked away from Thorin's face and kept the pain from his face. "I have never been so wrong in all my life."

Bilbo was so shocked when Thorin hugged him and the company cheered. Bilbo smiled and hugged Thorin back feeling the pain from Thorin's words lessen but not completely. They would probably never disappear for Thorin would never consider him for a mate.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." Thorin said when he released Bilbo.

"No, I would have doubted me to. I'm not a hero or a warrior. Not even a burglar." Bilbo said that bit to Gandalf making some of the company chuckle.

Bilbo saw Thorin's face light up seeing something behind him and turned. In the distance was a mountain. The company moved up the rock to the edge of the cliff to take a better look at it. Bilbo smiled and felt Thorin lay a hand on his shoulder making Bilbo look to him.

"Our home."

They stood there for a little longer before deciding to make their way down the cliff and set up camp with their leftover supplies. Bilbo winced when he pulled his neck again and felt blood trickle down the back of his neck. Bilbo brought his hand to the back of his neck and brushed away the blood.

"You are injured." Bilbo heard behind him making him turn to Thorin as they waited for everyone to get ready to head down.

"I'll be alright. You are worse off than I am."

"Not as bad as you think. I have armour on, you don't. Have Oin take a look." Thorin said. "Oin!"

"Thorin I'll be fine, we need to get down."

"What is it Thorin? Are you ok?"

"I'm alright. Master Baggins is injured."

"You both are." Oin pointed out.

"He is bleeding."

Oin looked to Bilbo and saw the blood on his hands. Oin saw Bilbo sigh and point to his neck and Oin quickly removed Bilbo's jacket and waist coat to find the bite marks on the back of his neck. They were extremely red and some still bleeding.

"Take off your shirt Bilbo I'll use it to wrap around your neck till we get down the rock. I'll have to find some things in the forest to help with this. I have no medical supplies."

"They are fine Oin. I just have to make sure I don't move my neck too much. I'll clean off in the river when we get down."

"Yes and you'll take off your shirt so we can stem the bleeding before we go."

"Dwalin!" Thorin called and Dwalin walked over to stand beside him. "Help Master Baggins remove his shirt. Oin needs it to stem the bleeding to his neck."

Thorin was too exhausted to try and remove Bilbo's shirt for him. Bilbo's eyes widened and he took a few steps back as Dwalin walked towards him. Bilbo quickly started to unbutton his shirt halting Dwalin's movements who then moved to Thorin's side.

"That's cruel." Bilbo muttered as he handed Oin his shirt. "Don't rip it. I don't have any more clothes."

Oin folded Bilbo's shirt and then quickly tied it around his neck. Bilbo winced when Oin pulled it tight and tied it off. Bilbo moved his neck slightly to make sure he could still move before glaring at Thorin.

"Now let me look at the side of your head." Oin said turning Bilbo's face to the side to see the side where he was clubbed in the head. "Looks worse than it is. We'll clean that up when we are at the bottom."

"Shall we check your injuries now Thorin."

"Mine can wait till we are at the bottom. I'm not bleeding, so I'm ok." He said when Bilbo was about to say something.

"We will check on your injuries Thorin." Oin said and Thorin nodded.

"Let's move out."

Bilbo followed as Thorin started to lead the way down the rock. Bilbo was coming up the back and slowly. He was slightly dizzy now and exhausted from what had happened over the last day. Bilbo held the rock face and made a point to not look down.

"Master Baggins."

Bilbo jumped hearing a voice behind him and looked around carefully wincing when he pulled his neck to see Dwalin behind him. Bilbo stopped walking feeling dizzy again.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine. I just need a second." Bilbo said as he made sure to push himself against the rock as he started to sway.

"You are not fine. Come here." Dwalin said as he stepped forward to lift him in his arms.

"Master Dwalin I'm fine. You are tired, you don't need to carry me."

"You are going to fall off the rock if I don't. Now put your arm around my neck and be quiet."

Dwalin already had his arm around Bilbo's waist and waited till Bilbo's arm was around his neck before lifting Bilbo into his arms. Bilbo gripped Dwalin's coat tightly as he felt even more uncomfortable now that he wasn't touching the rock.

"Relax we aren't going to fall."

"Sorry but I'm not used to being carried like a child."

Dwalin chuckled and continued after the company even though they weren't in sight.

"Dwalin! Bilbo!" They heard the company call out.

"We are coming."

Dwalin rounded a corner to see Fili and Kili walking back towards them.

"What's wrong with Bilbo?" Fili asked.

"Are you ok?"

"He's fine. Just exhausted." Dwalin stated and Bilbo gave him a grateful look. "Keep moving."

Thorin made eye contact with Dwalin and knew it wasn't the whole truth.

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They reached the bottom a couple of hours before the sunset and the dwarves set about setting up camp with their supplies they had left. Only a couple of them were able to grab their packs as they fought off the goblins.

Bilbo was sat against the rock and was told to rest. Bilbo was tired but he needed to clean off his neck so when everyone was distracted Bilbo left his jacket behind and slipped past everyone and headed for the river a very short distance away. Bilbo sighed as he removed his waist coat and untied his shirt. He winced seeing the once white shirt now brown and red from dirt and blood. He knew most of it wouldn't come out. Bilbo removed his pants and quickly walked into the cold water and sat down and worked on cleaning his shirt first before hanging them up to dry and then he moved back to the water and cleaned off his neck and side of his head.

"You shouldn't wonder off."

Bilbo jumped and looked behind him to see Thorin standing by the water's edge with his arms crossed. Bilbo watched as Thorin moved back a little and started to remove his coat and armour. Bilbo looked away seeing the bent armour that sat around Thorin's back and chest.

"Oin is coming here in a few minutes to treat your neck so you might want to hurry up and finish cleaning off."

"I'm done. Would you mind looking away?"

Thorin snorted and turned his back to Bilbo as he removed his undershirt. Bilbo wasn't looking at Thorin as he quickly climbed out and slipped his pants on. When he looked up Bilbo gasped seeing the black bruises over Thorin's back. Thorin turned at Bilbo's gasp and Bilbo's eyes widened in horror seeing more bruises over Thorin's chest. What also had Bilbo shocked was some marks that didn't look like they came from the warg or orc attack.

"As I said I'm alright."

"Alright? Thorin you are injured."

"They are just bruises, Master Baggins. Better than the alternative." Thorin said as he sat on a rock beside his clothes. "Sit. I would like to speak with you before Oin arrives."

Bilbo frowned and sat on a rock opposite Thorin after he put on his waist coat, his shirt was hanging over a low branch to dry.

"There is something that I'm not sure I heard correctly before when we were with Azog." Bilbo frowned and was unsure what he was talking about. "You screamed through everyone's mind 'My Mate' as you tackled the orc sent to take my head."

Bilbo's eyes widened, he hadn't realised he said that out to everyone. He had never had his thoughts send to others when he was in his hobbit form. Bilbo looked away from Thorin's intense stare.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"I think you do. Some of the company have already asked if I heard it. Which I did. Bilbo is there something you want to tell me."

"No, Thorin there is nothing to tell. You can just forget about it."

Bilbo stood and quickly went to leave but Thorin grabbed his arm and Bilbo shivered. Thorin gasped feeling an electric jolt run through him. Thorin stared wide eyed at Bilbo who was trying to remove Thorin's arm from his grip as tears ran down his face. Bilbo's heart was in pain feeling the rejection he was expecting. Bilbo was able to yank himself free and fall to the ground. Bilbo saw Thorin kneel beside him and he looked away.

"Bilbo why didn't you tell me?"

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~ End of Chapter 6 ~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

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