Totally Normal (A Hobbit story)

Soup's On!

A while later, while they weren't looking, I quietly slipped away into the treeline to be alone. Just being in the forest made me feel comfortable. I was trying to be okay to be around people, but you can't expect to be completely script-flip after only a few days.

Carefully, I climbed up the trunk of a big tree, yes I formed claws to do it, but sitting in the tree looking over the camp, and giving me an amazing view of the valley on all sides was worth it.

Being so high didn't make me feel queasy, because when you can fly, heights seem like nothing.

I was at a good vantage point, and I was able to spy on the company to my heart's content. I could barely hear anyone's conversations, but when I focused specifically on Bilbo and Bofur's exchange, I was able to make out, "He's a wizard. He does as he chooses."

Then I guess Bofur gave Bilbo an assignment, as the hobbit scuttled off to do something while he was trying to stop Bombur, the large one, from eating more stew.

I hadn't had any stew, but I could hunt something later. And besides, I wasn't hungry anyway.

I just needed time to myself. Being around people for large amounts of time was borderline terrifying. 

I jumped down from the tree, and walked around the forest. I wasn't planning on leaving or anything, but I had the feeling a few of them might want to be... friends?

I wasn't afraid of friends, really. It's just that I had friends in the past, but it did not last. My curse is the unending cycle of life. I watched all of them grow old an die.

All of them, except me.

I think the only reason I allowed myself to keep living was my ring. Staring down at the heirloom of my people, I felt how it gave me hope. Hope that perhaps one day, I will find my family again.

After walking for a while, I could have sworn I could hear voices, and like most people would, I went towards them.

Soon after, I saw the glow of a light in the distance. As I walked, I listened for birds, or squirrels, or any animals who could tell me who the voices belonged to, but for some reason, they were all silent. Either scared or gone, I did not know.

My thoughts were interrupted by an outstretched tree root that I did not notice. I fell forward, and yelped.

Then I heard a big voice not so far away. "Did you hear that?"

There was a pause.

"Well go look." Another voice said.

I could hear, but mostly feel, big footsteps approached my location. In the amount of time I had, I was only able to scramble up to me feet, then I was grabbed by huge hands.

I looked up to see what grabbed me, and I realized I was face-to-face with a hideous troll. Great, just being around them lowered your IQ.

I fought against him to try and escape, but he squeezed me hard. "Oh, look a' you." He grunted.

"Get your presumptuous, dirt clawing paws off me." I hissed.

It was getting hard to breath, but I stared him down with a spine tingling glare. 

"And, what do you think you're doin'?" He demanded. As far as interrogations go, I've had better experienced people, who actually knew what they were doing.

I sighed. "Fine, I was just out walking. I tend to love walking at night in nature. I love nature, really. I'm sure you don't though, considering what it did to you."