The Shapeshifter (A Hobbit Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

We had just reached the road when Bilbo came running.  I turned my pony and frowned.  Last night, he'd disagreed to come along.  Why was he here?

"I signed it!"  Balin took the contract and read over it.  I smiled as Balin chuckled.

"Well, everything seems to be in order.  Welcome to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."  We all cheered, with the exception of Thorin and Gandalf.  Thorin smiled slightly.

"Give him a pony."  As we started off again, he looked over at me.  "Stay by Mister Baggins."  I nodded and rode over to Bilbo and Gandalf.  Gandalf frowned as I pulled up beside them.

"I thought Thorin wanted you to stay by him..."  I shrugged.

"I think he wants me to make sure Bilbo survives the trip.  He just said to stay by Bilbo."  Bilbo looked ahead then back at me.

"So, is he your brother or...?"  I shook my head.

"He saved my life a long time ago.  Since, he's allowed me to stay in the company since I had nowhere else to go."  Gandalf smiled at us.

"Either way, Bilbo, you're in good hands.  Skyrena is a very capable being, trained to fight by the best in all Middle Earth.  She'll keep you safe."  I nodded.

I jerked awake at the first shriek of the Orcs.  Bilbo stood by the ponies, and Filli and Killi stood watch.  I stood and sniffed the air.  Killi looked over at me.

"How close?"  I shrugged, unable to pick up a scent.

"No idea..."  Seeing Thorin was awake, I nodded at him.  "I'll scout."  He shook his head.

"No, stay here.  As long as they stay away from us, there is no need."  I sighed and climbed into a tree, unable to calm my mind.  Orcs...  I listened as Balin told Bilbo, Filli, and Killi about what happened at Moria.  Thorin stood by the ponies, looking in the distance.  I watched the stars, feeling at ease, as Balin reached the end of his tale.

"And the pale Orc?"  I looked over and saw it was Bilbo who had spoken.  "What happened to him?"  Thorin sounded ready to crack when he answered.

"He disappeared into the hole from whence he came.  He died of his wounds long ago."  Gandalf looked over at us and shot me a look that warned me that Thorin was wrong.  I gulped and hung my head as I looked back beyond the cliff.  From where I was, I could see a few Orcs and Wargs across the ravine.

"We camp here."  I got down from my pony and looked around.  It was an old farm, which was in ruins.  I frowned at the strange scent that lingered.  Seeing Gandalf, I walked over.

"What is it?"  He looked down at me.

"What do you smell?"  I shrugged.

"I've never smelt anything like it..."  Thorin came over.

"What's going on?"  Gandalf spoke up.

"I think it would be wiser to move on.  We could go to the Hidden Valley."  Rivendell?  Was it really that close?  Thorin and I exchanged looks as he responded.

"No.  The elves would not help us."  Soon enough, Thorin and Gandalf were going back and forth, agrueing.  Finally, Gandalf left.  Thorin shook his head as he watched him go.  "He'd never understand."  I gulped and examined the ruins beside us.

"I don't like this place.  It reeks of an unfamiliar scent."  He frowned and looked around.

"I don't see anything wrong with here..."  I started to complain, but he cut me off.  "How about you go scout out?  I'm sure it'll make you feel better."  I nodded, taken back by how dismissive he was about it.  He never doubted me...  I took off and flew away in the form of a bird.

*Bilbo's Pov-

It was dark and cold, yet Skyrena and Gandalf still hadn't returned.  I stayed close to the fire, too scared to venture past its warm glow.

"They've both been gone a pretty long time...  You think they'll come back?"  Bifur looked over at me.

"Who?"  I tried not to sound frustrated.

"Gandalf and Skyrena."  He shrugged.

"Gandalf is a wizard, so he can do what he wants.  As for Skyrena, I'm sure she's around here somewhere.  If Thorin were to call, I'm sure she'd come running."  He handed me two bowls.  "Here, make yourself useful and take these to the lads."  I took the bowls and went to find Filli and Killi.  They both seemed lost in thought.

"Is something wrong?"  Killi didn't even blink.

"Thorin told us to watch the horses.  We had 16, but, now, there's 14."  Filli went over and counted each of the ponies.

"Daisy and Bungle are missing."  I noticed a fallen tree and gulped.

"Well, something really big and, possibly, very dangerous was here..."  Filli froze and crouched down.

"Fire..."  We heard voices from a distance.  I trembled where I stood.

"What are they?"  Killi looked pretty annoyed.

"Trolls..."  They both took off into the woods.  There, we saw a troll carrying 2 more ponies towards the fire.  Killi shoved me forward.  "Go on!  If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a great horn."  Before I could respond, they were gone.  I started off towards the trolls' camp.

They had 4 of the horses in a corral, and Skyrena, who was out cold, laid nearby.  The trolls were argueing over what was for supper, which just made me nervous.  I started towards Skyrena and checked on her.  She had a nasty bump on her head, but I could tell she was healing, and quick.  Knowing she'd be okay, I tried to come up with a way to free the horses.  Seeing a knife, I tried to free it.  That's when I was caught up in one of the troll's hankie.

"Can we cook him?"  I dodged as they tried to catch me, but I couldn't move fast enough.  Soon, they had me hanging upside down by the fire.  With a yell and a shriek, I saw Killi standing at the edge of the clearing, holding his sword.

"Drop him..."  As soon as the trolls tossed me at him, the rest came charging in.