Extra Company

Chapter 16

"Have the wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin questioned.

"Not yet." Bilbo answered, giving a small shake of his head.

"But they will do." Dwalin spoke, glancing back up the path Bilbo came down on, as if expecting the pack to come charging down towards them.

"We have another problem." Bilbo persisted, still slightly out of breath.

"Did they see you?" Gandalf questioned, slightly alarmed. "They saw you." Gandalf concluded, looking serious for a moment.

Bilbo shook his head, "No, that's not it." Bilbo opened his mouth, about to say something till Gandalf butt in, "What did I tell you?"

A proud smile formed along Gandalf's lips, "Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material." Everyone nodded and mumbled in agreement.

"Listen, will you just ... there is something else ...." Bilbo trailed off as everyone kept mumbling, ignoring him.

I rolled my eyes, "All of you shut up! Bilbo is trying to say he saw something else out there!" All of the dwarves winced slightly from my tone of voice, immediately going silent.

Bilbo nodded in thanks, before Gandalf walked up a few steps closer. "What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf questioned, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"Ye-" Bilbo looked up at him in surprise, "Yes, but bigger. Much bigger." Bilbo spoke, looking at Gandalf in shock by the fact he guessed right.

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur questioned, looking up at Gandalf, who looked at me before turning around and facing the forest. I walk away from the group over to Gandalf hearing Bofur say urgently, "I say we double back."

"And be run down by a pack of orcs?" Thorin questioned, before shaking his head, everyone agreeing with him.

Gandalf looked over at me asking, "Would he be willing to house them?"

I shrug, "Your guess is as good as mine."

He let out a sigh before saying, "There is a house." The company turned to look at him, Gandalf turned around to face them. "It's not far from here, where we might take refuge." Gandalf continued, looking over at Thorin.

"Whose house?" Thorin questioned. "Are they friend or foe?"

Gandalf let out another sigh, "Neither. He will help us ... or he will kill us."

"What choice do we have?" Thorin questioned, everyone jumping at the sound of a loud howl echoing across the sky.

"None." Gandalf answered as he turned around saying, "Come on!"

We ran across the field as the sun rose to its peaks, keeping out of range of the orcs, reaching a forest in a matter of minutes. We heard a roar, causing us to move faster, Thorin tugged at Bombur saying, "Bombur, come on!"

Up ahead was a house, resting a few feet away from the forest, we ran in a single file line while Gandalf took the lead while I took the rear. I looked at Bombur in shock as he started passing most of the dwarves, even Bilbo, who also looked as confused as I was. Eventually we reached the house, Gandalf stopping by the entrance as the dwarves kept going, slamming into the door as they struggled to open it.

I heard something crash out of the brush, I turned around seeing a large black bear, about twice the size of a normal bear, lumbering towards us quickly. "Come on get inside!" I heard someone shout from the group once Thorin and I reached them. "Open the door!" Gandalf shouted, Thorin going up and pushing up the latch, allowing everyone to pile in inside. Just in time as well, as once they were closing the door, the black bear muzzle came between the doors, all the dwarves struggling to push it close, Bilbo had his sword pointed towards the bear, while I had my sword on the handle ... just in case.