The Companion (Hobbit fanfiction.)

16: The panther and her secrets.

Mellera pointed down the passage. But she said nothing.

I started down the corridor, then hesitated.

"This is Erebor, isn't it?" I asked.

When I turned, my mother was gone.

"Mom?" I called.

I turned, took a deep breath and walked down the passage.

When it opened up, I almost screamed.

I was standing in a small room. The dark floor was slippery under my feet. The torches were making shadows dance on the walls. But it was what was on the floor that made me want to scream.
Kneeling on the floor, was me. I saw myself on the floor. Around me was a pool of blood. It felt like I was hovering over my own body.

When I looked closer, I saw that I was cradling something in my hands. It was a heart.

My own heart.

There was no hole in my chest, so I don't know how I knew it was my heart. I just did.

Suddenly a voice echoed through the room.

"This is one thing you cannot escape." It said.
"You will lose your heart in the days to come."

My eyes flicked open. As my surroundings came into focus, I saw Kili smiling down at me.

"Give her some air,would you?" A girl's voice said.

I slowly sat up. My mind was racing. I looked at my hands and saw that they were shaking.

I looked around me. I was in a unfamiliar house. I was on a couch. At my side stood a girl with chocolate brown hair and dark eyes. Beside her was a blond teenage girl. At the far end of the house stood a boy and a man. I looked at the man. He was obviously the boy's father. The both had the same curly dark hair and dark eyes.

I rubbed my forehead. It wasn't cold, but I was shivering. The dream had shaken me.

"Where am I? What has happened? "

When Fili told me what I had done, I felt my cheeks heat up. I felt so ashamed.

"I'm so sorry." I said to Balin.

"No worries lass." He smiled.

I turned to the girl who everyone called Teresa.

"And thank you." I said.

"No thanks necessary. " she smiled.

I glanced up and saw Kili. Our eyes met, and I looked away.

I didn't realise how angry I was at him. My anger wouldn't subside until much later. For that moment however, I still felt betrayed. So I ignored him. He frowned, but I didn't care.

The dwarfs started talking soon afterward, so I stood up and walked outside. I stood there for a moment in complete silence.

Then the door opened and a small girl stepped outside. She looked about 9 or 10 years old. She had blonde hair and blue eyes.....

It was the little girl from the dream.

I stared at her as she came nearer. This could not be possible. It was just a dream. How could I dream about someone who I had never met or seen.

She held a bowl of steaming stew out to me, but it took me a while to react. I took the bowl with shaking hands.

She looked at me with her blue eyes.

"Eat. You need your strength. You've been hurt pretty badly." She said.

Then she smiled at me, turned around and walked back inside.