Of The Sun (The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings/LOTR)

Pt. 1 - Chapter 7 - Hidden Pass

Finding the cave was more than simple. All one had to do was follow the giant troll footprints, the uprooted trees and the foul stench. Anariel looked around inside for a bit to discover a few bones, which she assumed was the remains of the farmer and his family, and some chests filled with gold and other treasures. Trolls were greedy creatures and this treasure they had probably brought with them and added to since their arrival as they ventured out at night. They did nothing with it, of course. They had no use of it other than to stash it. They just liked to have it... not unlike a dragon. As Ana exited the cave she met Gandalf, the Dwarves and Bilbo all catching up after they found the cave themselves.

"What's that stench?" Dori asked.

"It's a troll hoard. Be careful what you touch." Gandalf announced as she made her way a bit further away from the cave.

"Are you not coming, Ana?" Kili asked as he and his brother turned to face her, apparently waiting.

"Oh, no." She shook my head. "I think I've had enough of the smell of troll for one day."

She sat outside for some time waiting before the company came back out to rejoin her. Gloin was muttering something about treasure and she heard him say something about finally buying his son his first axe while Thorin appeared to be sporting a new sword as Gandalf was handing another blade, a much smaller one, over to Bilbo. What Ana found odd was that they were of elvish make, forged by the high elves. It was true that they were the finest blades in Middle Earth, but that didn't mean Thorin wanted anything to do with the elves. Anariel aside, of course, but he was kind of backed into a corner with that one and as he looked at the blade he risked a glance over to her. She was already looking at him and he quickly broke eye contact and turned away. He didn't like the way she looked at him. He felt it too sharp and cold and like... She could see through him, into him. It made him feel raw and vulnerable.

Anariel was about to risk asking him about the blade and draw his attention back when she heard a distant noise. She was on her feet ready and spinning to face it as quick as lightning.

"Ana?" Balin called, seeing her move and her change in behaviour as she backed up a few paces towards her companions.

"Something's coming!" Thorin yelled to his comrades, reading her body language and not bothering asking as it was quite clear by her sudden movements that there was something out there.

Ana's hands reached back behind her head and pulled her twin daggers out, silently cursing herself for leaving her bow with Rilien yet again... and for leaving him for that matter.

Thorin lead the group back into the trees and she found herself questioning whether he was looking for the intruder or running from it. It was hard to tell by the way he was zig zagging all over the place, but Ana decided to go with it deciding she'd yelled at him once already today and followed it up with sass he no doubt did not appreciate. She was only trying to get him to at least appreciate her being there, but couldn't help but feel she was somehow, despite her helpfulness, only making the matter worse.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" Ana's body sagged in relief, recognising the voice almost instantly even in its panicked state... as a matter of fact... especially in its panicked state.

"Wait!" She yelled, pulling Thorin to a halt as her feet skidded a little to a stop just in time for the mysterious new person to come flying out from between two hedges on a sled pulled by Rhosgobel Rabits.

"Radagast." Gandalf realised, grinning. "It's Radagast the Brown." He introduced the wizard. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you Gandalf." Radagast blurted out, seeing Anariel over Gandalf's shoulder and becoming momentarily distracted as he waved a hello and she smiled and waved back with a great fondness spreading over her face. She had only met him once about half a century ago after she had stumbled across his home and he came charging out, yelling at her not to take another step. Anariel soon discovered she was one step away from squashing a caterpillar. After she had apologised and he went on a tangent about how the insect was soon to make a cocoon and transform into a butterfly he invited her in for a cup of tea.