The Shapeshifter (A Hobbit Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

*Skyrena's Pov-

I woke up with a start.  The warm sun was peeking over the horizon and in through the window.  I checked my side, scared to death that I would be dead soon.  The bandages were fresh, and my side was stitched and clean.  I redid the binding and attempted to sit up.  My side throbbed as my head spinned.  I leaned back and examined the room.  It was a large bedroom with wood furniture that almost looked honey colored.  I was covered with furs, but the fire glowed in the fireplace.  I laid on my other side and wondered what had happened.  Suddenly, someone came in.

"You are awake..."  A huge man stood in the doorway, watching me carefully.  "How're you feeling?"  I tried to sit up, but my head spun once more.  I shrugged as I responded.

"Alive, but my side still hurts."  He came over and checked the bandages.  He smiled kindly, reminding me of a father-like figure.

"It will be sore for a while...  How's your energy level?"  When I frowned in response, he nodded.  "I mean, do you have enough energy to stand?"  I shrugged.

"I don't know, but my head keeps spinning..."  He nodded and walked off.  I thought of Thorin...  He had to be panicked if he was awake.  The man, whom I began to assume was Beorn, came back with some honeycomb and some milk.

"Eat this...  It'll help restore your strength."  I took it and thanked him.  As soon as the honeycomb and bread were gone, I felt a lot less light-headed, but I still could barely stand.  He watched me as I brushed off the crumbs.  "The dwarf...  Who is he?"  I realized he was talking about Thorin and gulped.

"A close friend of mine, Thorin Oakenshield."  He nodded and looked out the window.

"He woke up when I discovered you, nearly dead on the chair.  He didn't seem pleased, even though I was trying to save you."  I swallowed hard and examined the fur that blanketed me.

"Please don't be mad.  He worries about me.  He saved me from hunters long ago, and his family took me in."  Beorn smiled at me.

"I'm interested in how you attracted hunters...  The last time I saw a shapeshifter was nearly 300 years ago."  I frowned.  That was right around the time I was found in Mirkwood...

"I lived in Mirkwood for a long time, nearly 200 years.  Then, the elves and I discovered I wasn't elvish, so they banished me.  I came to Dale but was discovered by the men."  He frowned.

"How old are you?"  I was taken back by this.  Why ask me?  It made me wonder how old he was, but I didn't ask.  Quickly, I did the calculations.

"Close to 300."  He sat forward in his chair.

"So, you are the child I was to recover so long ago..."  I frowned, but he cut me off before I could ask him what he meant.  "Like I said, the last time I saw a shapeshifter was nearly 300 years ago.  And, actually, there were 3.  A male, a female, and a young child.  They had escaped the Misty Mountains and were being hunted down by the Orcs.  I covered their trail as they went into Mirkwood, but they told me, should they not make it, I was to go in and find the child and raise it as my own."  He lowered his sad eyes.  "I never saw them again...  When I went looking for the child, I was chased off by the elves.  I never quiet figured out what happened to it, either, till now."  I sniffed and fought the tears.  My parents had died trying to protect me...?  I shook my head.

"I wish I had known...  All these years, I was a elf, a human, or a dwarf.  If only I had known the truth from the beginning."  Beorn stood and approached me.

"You still may learn.  You're still considered young in the eyes of a shapeshifter or a skin changer."  He took my hand in his and dropped a small charm and chain in my hand.  "This was my mother's."  I looked at the bear paw charm on the silver chain.  "It stores energy.  Something tells me you'll need it."  He pointed at some clothes at the end of the bed.  "Special travel clothes.  They will not only be protected from each form, but they mend themselves if damaged.  Something tells me you'll need those, too."  I smiled.

"Thank you..."  Putting on the necklace, I heard a voice.

"Skyrena!"  I looked up and saw Thorin standing by the door.  I smiled for his sake.

"Hey."  He came over and gave me a hug.

"You're okay?"  I bit my lower lip.

"Besides being light-headed from loss of blood, yeah, I'm okay."  After I had changed clothes, Beorn and Thorin both came back in, and we headed out to see the others.  They all cheered when they saw I was okay.  Bilbo was still asleep, so we chose not to wake him.  Beorn was a little cautious about Thorin, especially after he told us about the Orcs prowling the woods.  Gandalf swallowed hard.

"We will go through Mirkwood."  I jumped up, ignoring the throb in my side.

"We can't!  Remember?!?  I was banished under the penalty of death!"  Beorn agreed that it would be too dangerous, but he had other reasons.

"Something is not right about those woods..."  Gandalf assured that we would stick to the Elven Road.  Beorn reluctantly agreed to help us and provided us with ponies to get us there.  Soon after we left, I watched him head out and shift into a bear.

I promise, if I live through this, I will come back so you may train me.  The bear looked at me and nodded, as if he heard me.  With that, we road off towards Mirkwood.