Heart Of Stone

Chapter Two

Everyone crowds the door, except for Fawn who hops onto hop onto on the top of a bookshelf, watching in a crouched position as the door is opened, revealing Thorin. He enters Bag End. His gaze scanning over all the dwarves and landing on Gandalf.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."

Bilbo frowns. "Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!"

"There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin's gaze scrutinizes Bilbo, no doubt already deeming him unworthy of the task he was chosen for. "So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin asks as he circles the poor hobbit once.

"Pardon me?"

"Ax or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

[The dwarves all laugh as Fawn sighs, and they walk back to the dining table. Fawn jumps down, landing beside Bilbo who looks at her curiously. She merely shrugs and the two, including Gandalf follow the dwarves.

As Thorin eats, the rest of the dwarves talk to him.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asks hopeful.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms."

The dwarves murmur their joy.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asks with as much hope as the big dwarf could muster.

Thorin sighs and Fawn knew the news were not good. "They will not come."

The dwarves murmur in disappointment.

"They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." When he said that part he looked back slightly at Fawn and she glared. He basically just told her she is unwelcomed. Knew that already you stupid dwarf.

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asks shyly. Fawn looks at him and nods. "Aye, we are dear Bilbo." A few of the dwarves shoot her a glare and she merely waves. "Oh, good to know Fawn."

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf asks, pulling a paper from his pocket. Fawn frowns. "Since when did you have pockets Gandalf." He chuckled and pinched her cheek. "Since we first met Fawn. How do you think I carried you around?" Fawn smiles but then it fades when she notices a few of the dwarves watching them.

Bilbo returns, bringing a candle to the table, where Gandalf has spread out a map. It was old and wrinkled and Fawn could practically sense everything it had been through before being upon the table. She could smell every hand, every drop of blood that had graced that map.

"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." Gandalf states as all eyes focus on the map. Fawn was curious as to what the map was for. Gandalf had told her nothing. She knew just as much as Bilbo except for the fact that she knew they needed him for something. Burglar. Were they going to steal something from that mountain or were they going to claim the mountain from another race? Gah, Fawn hated this. Hated being left in the dark, especially by Gandalf.

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo and Fawn say at once, reading the words atop the map.

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin states.