No Place Like Home (Kili Fanfiction - Book 2) - SLOWLY EDITING!!

Chapter 1 - Beorn part 1

I stuck my head out past the tops of the rocks I had climbed. Thorin and Gandalf had agreed that I should go see how close the Orc pack was. The pack was running along the mountains, stopping when they got to the edge. Azog looked in my direction and I moved my head, so that it was hidden behind a rock. I heard their growls get further away and I knew we were safe. Until I heard a different type of growling. Turning my head to the left, I saw a big, black creature; it resembled a bear, but much larger. Flattening myself against the rock wall, I quietly slid away, running towards where the rest of the group waited. "How close is the pack?" Thorin asked as I came down the slope.

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it," I panted.

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin implored.

"Not yet, but they will. We have another problem."

"Did they see you? They saw you?" Gandalf asked, cutting me off.

"No, that's not it."

"What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material." The Dwarves all nodded their heads, still not giving me a chance to explain.

"Will you listen? Will you just listen?" The Dwarves stopped talking, their attention on me. "I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there," I reported, pointing at the way I had just come.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf inquired.

My eyebrows furrowed, "Yes, but bigger. Much bigger."

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked from beside me. "I say we double back."

"And be run down by a pack of Orcs?" Thorin replied.

The Dwarves started to argue, but Gandalf silenced them, "There is a house, not far from here, where we might take refuge."

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin asked, skeptically.

"Neither. He will help us or he will kill us."

"What choice do we have?" A deep roar echoed and we all spun around, searching for its source.

"None." Gandalf led us out of the mountains and across fields. We ran through a small creek and the woods. We were almost out of the woods when we heard the roaring again, but this time it was much closer. Coming out of the trees, there was a little house surrounded by hedges. Gandalf yelled for us to run faster and I watched in amazement as Bombur ran past me, carrying a large spoon. "Come on, get inside," Gandalf advised as we ran past him to the door of the house. Bombur crashed into it, obviously unable to slow down. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the creature break through the trees, running towards us.

"Open the door!" Someone shouted. Thorin ran to the front, lifting the lock as Fili and Kili pushed the doors open, allowing the rest of us to run in. The doors had almost closed when the snout of the large creature stopped it. The Dwarves all pushed against them and with a combined effort, were finally able to get them closed.

"What is that?" Ori asked as the Dwarves breathed a sigh of relief.

"That is our host." My head snapped up to Gandalf as the Dwarves gave him a weird look. "His name is Beorn. And he's a skin-changer. Sometimes he is a huge, black bear. Sometimes he's a great, strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overly fond of Dwarves." The creature growled from outside as I glared at Gandalf.

"He's leaving," Ori announced.

"Come away from there. It's not natural. None of it. It's obvious. He's under some dark spell," Dori accused.

"Don't be a fool. He's under no enchantment but his own. Alright, now get some sleep. All of you. You'll be safe here tonight," Gandalf said.

I followed behind Gandalf, angry, "What in Valar's name were you thinking?! Bringing me into the home of a skin-changer!" The words tasted like poison on my tongue when I said them. "You know the history between our people, Gandalf."

"The feud between the two races is long gone. There is no need for you to hate him. Now, get some sleep."

"Sleep?!" I whisper-yelled. "You think I'm going to sleep, knowing a skin-changer is outside and could kill me at any moment? I won't be sleeping tonight." I turned away, finding a lump of hay to sit on. I sat facing the door with my back against a pillar.

Author's Note:

 In the cover photo for this story is a beautiful blonde that I thought matched Almithara the best. Evanna Lynch is who you should picture when you picture Almi.

For those of you who don't know who Evanna Lynch is, then I suggest you watch Harry Potter. 

I OWN NOTHING BUT MY CHARACTER!!