Coming Home

Darkness in the Greenwood

 Just a note to all of you guys who might not know Mirkwoods history. It was once called Greenwood the Great. 

 Plain italicized words are mind-speech, bold italicized words are mind-speech of people who are together in the same place. (If that makes sense. ;) )

 Robin

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 Tightening the straps on her saddle, Authora glanced over the ponies back at the dark haired dwarf across from her. They had barely spoked since their kiss the other day, and for that she was grateful. She had never been 'in love' with anyone, but she had loved her family very much. This was an entirely new feeling for her. To know that it wasn't just her father and mother who loved her was quite overwhelming, if that was what Thorin felt. She couldn't be sure; he was so good at hiding his emotions most of the time that when he let them out she wasn't sure what to do with them. Groaning silently, she stuck her foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself up onto the roan colored pony.

Beorn slipped up next to her and laid a hand on the pony's neck, "Be careful my friend."

"I shall try, but there is no telling with me," She teased lightly.

"I fear for you; you know the anger with which the Elvenking rules. He will not be kind to you."

"I know this, but please, keep this to yourself. I do not fear death, not even by my Aunt's husband's hand," She whispered.

Beorn shook his head, "You are very much like your mother in that way, she was never one to back down even when things were difficult."

"I am glad that I have some of her attributes."

"You have more of her in you than you know."

"Good-bye my friend, hopefully I shall see you again soon!"

He nodded, if I do see you again, you shall not be the same.

Turning to the dwarves, who had also mounted their respective ponies, Beorn surveyed the party. They had food to last them a good month, and water to last longer if they were wise with it. He had seen many things in his long life, but never thought that he would have seen a company of dwarves leaving his house. Rolling his large shoulders, he walked to the front of the group and looked them over again.

He sniffed the air, recognizing the scent of the orcs that had been pursuing the group, he frowned and growled low in his throat. "Go now while you still have the light of day with you. Your hunters are not far behind you."

Kicking their ponies into a fast trot the company moved off, heading towards the forest of Mirkwood and impending doom.

As soon as they had left the hedges that surrounded Beorn's land they turned north-west. By his advice earlier that morning they would no longer be making for the main forest-road to the south of his land. Gandalf had discussed the possibility of using the old elven road, for it was a quicker route through the woods. The main forest road would have led them down the stream from the mountains that joined the great river far to the south of the Carrock. Near this point there was a deep ford which they could use to cross, if they still had their ponies, and beyond that a track that led to the skirts of the wood and to the entrance of the main forest road. Gandalf and Beorn had both warned them against going that way as it was now often used by goblins and orcs alike. From Gandalf's estimation the elven road was both somewhat safer and quicker than trying to out ride the orcs to the main forest road.