The quite chattering from downstairs awoke Veryan. The boy fluttered his eyes open, and looked around. He was till laid on the bed, still in Beorn's house. He hefted himself to sit up, looking tword's the window, seeing Beorn's horses prancing around, a pile of wood lying next to a log they were cut on. The Heterochromia male stretched as he got up, grabbing his violin and strapping it to himself once again. He walked out of the little room and slid down the ladder, coming face to face with the scene in front of him.
The 13 Dwarves, Hobbit and Wizard sat at Beorn's table, being served food and milk from the beast himself.
Beorn glanced at the movement, and brightly smiled "It's good to see you awake, my friend"
Everyone turned to him, and quickly everyone threw him a good morning as he took his place in between Kili and Fili "I could say the same Beorn"
Kili lightly pushed him, making the Heterochromia male look down at him "It took quite a bit to convince him to let us stay, but one mention of your name and he was compliant"
Gandalf nodded at those words "Indeed. Beorn over here is an old friend of Veryan's"
Veryan boomed as Beorn placed a plate of egg's and bacon right in front of him, filling his cup with warm milk.
Every chatter quickly quieted down as Beorn spoke "So you are the one they call Oakenshield" he directed his words at Thorin.
"Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?" he asked, staring at the Dwarf.
Thorin slightly pulled himself off of the wall he was leaning on "You know of Azog?"
Veryan froze up, fork mid way moving twords the eggs. He knew all about Beorn's past, it wasn't a thing the other liked to talk about.
"My people were the first to live in the mountains before the Orcs came down from the North. The Defiler killed most of my family. But some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changer's and torturing them seemed to amuse him.
"There are others like you?" Gloin asked from the croud.
Veryan could only look at Beorn remorsefully as he spoke with a pained tone "Once there were many, now there is only one"
As Beorn walked past him Veryan grabbed onto his arm and squeezed it, giving a warm smile the mans way. Beorn smiled back and patted the other's hand before he let go, going to refile a mug. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn"
Gandalf nodded as Beorn sat down next to him "Before Durin's Day falls"
Veryan cut out their speaking as he felt movement next to him. He turned to look, only for Fili to huff in annoyance "Could you stay still? I want to redo your braid"
At these words, the boy chuckled and sat up straight, letting Fili do his work. He always had his white strand of hair braided into his natural hair, making it look like he braided-in someone else's hair. Some even told him congratulation's when they saw it, thinking he had a partner. But Veryan always politely corrected them. If the time ever did come however, he would gladly braid his partners hair into his own, showing affection without even having to speak it.
Fili patted his shoulder, showing him he was done. Veryan lightly touched the braided section, and smiled. It felt quit sturdy and neatly done. He smiled at Fili and nodded, before tuning in back to the conversation at hand.
"We will take the Elven Road. The path is still safe" Gandalf reassured the other, knowing that Beorn didn't like the thought of anyone travelling through the Mirkwood forest.
"Safe? The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous" he explained, knowing full well how the Elves were. He looked over at Thorin, who looked troubled "But it matters not"
Thorin turned to him "What do you mean?"
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive" Beorn told him, never taking his eyes off of the Dwarven prince.
"Beorn, my friend, there's no need to be this hostile. You know I'm more than capable of defending them" Veryan told, getting the man's attention.
He only shook his head "I don't doubt that Veryan, but you would be surrounded. Out numbered. You have only ever worried for your safety when fighting big groups, but this, you would have to look out for far more lives"
Veryan was about to jump into a protest, when he stopped himself. Beorn was right. He only ever fought for himself, and any other time's the Dwarves were capable of fighting off the enemy, but that was a small amount, small amount of power, compared to what they could come across.
He only sighed as Beorn continued "I don't like Dwarves. They're greedy and blind. Blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own. But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They now stood further away from Beorn's house, the Dwarves getting on top of the ponies Beorn provided as the changer walked with Gandalf and Veryan.
"You will leave my ponies before you enter the forest" the skin-changer instructed them as they walked.
"You have our word, dear friend" Veryan told, nodding tword's the taller, Beorn nodding back.
Crow's screeched from above them, flying around their heads. "We're being watched" Gandalf told them as he looked around warily.
"Yes. The Orcs won't give up. They will hunt the Dwarves until they see them destroyed" Beorn told them as he too looked around.
Gandalf turned to him "Why now? What has made the Defiler crawl from his hole?"
Beorn didn't lay his eye's away from the wood's as he answered the old Wizard "There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the sorcerers in Dol Gudur"
Veryan dropped his hand on the taller's shoulder "Are you sure of this?"
Beorn curtly nodded at the older one "Packs have been seen gathering there. Each day, more and more come"
Unbeknownst to them, Thorin glanced at the trio, intrigued by what they were discussing about. "What do you know of this sorcerer? The one they call the Necromancer" Gandalf have asked the other.
Beorn, without any visible emotion present on his face, looked at Gandalf "I know he is not what he seems. Fell thing's are drawn to his power. Azog pays homage to him"
"Gandalf, Veryan. Time is wasting" Thorin called, gesturing up at the sky, where the sun slowly started to descend.
Before neither of the figures could talk, Beorn spoke once again "There is more. Not long past, word spread the dead had been seen walking near the High Fells of Rhudaur"
Veryan stopped in his tracks and turned around "The dead?" "Is this true? Are there tombs in those mountains?" Beorn asked Gandalf, ignoring Veryan's previous question.
The Heterochromia male turned to his mentor, waiting for the older man to reply. It took a moment, but Gandalf finally nodded "Yes. Yes, there are tombs up there"
Beorn slowly shook his head "I remember a time when a great evil ruled these lands. One powerful enough to raise the dead. If that enemy has returned to Middle-earth, I would have you tell me"
Gandalf was quick to give an answer "Saruman the White says it's not possible. The enemy was destroyed and will never return"
Beorn looked between the figures in front of him "And what does Gandalf the Grey and Veryan the Wanderer say?"
The mentor and student turned to one another, trying to find the best words, when the sound of Crow's cut of their line of thinking.
Beorn turned to them "Go now while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind" he ordered.
Gandalf picked up his pace, and made it to his horse, as Veryan stayed behind for a bit. He leaned in and hugged Beorn around the waist, the skin-changer hugging him back around the neck.
"We will meet again my friend, i assure you" Veryan spoke as he leaned back. He smiled up at the changer, and quickly jogged up to his horse, jumping on top of it in no time.
"I will hold you to your word, Veryan"Beorn whispered to himself as he watched the group ride off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The time to ride through the barren green hill's took little to no time with the help of ponies and horses. Without even noticing it, the group had already arrived at the entrance of the Mirkwood's.
Gandalf quickly jumped off of his horse and walked slightly into the woods, a moment later calling out "This is our path through Mirkwood"
"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side" Dwalin spoke aloud whilst looking around.
"There's no luck where we're going" Veryan mumbled as he too jumped off of his horse, looking dead on at the grey woods.
Veryan turned his head, and saw Beorn in his bear form, watching over them. He smiled and lightly waved at the beast, before turning to his own horse "Run along friend. Back home you go"
"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master" Gandalf ordered them as he too saw the beast. Veryan's horse snorted, and turned to run back, the ponies following it's lead not long after.
"This forest feels sick. As if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?" Bilbo spoke his mind as he cautiously glanced around the woods.
Veryan sadly shook his head "Not unless we go 200 miles North"
"Or twice that distance South" Gandalf added.
Veryan watched as his mentor walked deeper and deeper into the woods, but his attention was quickly brought elsewhere. He looked from afar as Bilbo plunged his finger's into his vest, fidgeting with something.
He went up to the Hobbit and leaned closer "That is a beautiful ring you carry" Veryan said, making the shorter jump in surprise, dropping the ring back in his pocket in the process.
Bilbo held his heart as he breathed "Veryan, you scared me so bad"
The Heterochromia male chuckled as he waved his hands "I'm terribly sorry Bilbo, but it had to be said"
Bilbo nodded and smiled up at him "It's alright. It is a pretty nice ring after all"
The male squinted his eye's at the Hobbit, but the shorter didn't flinch. If he haven't witnessed the ring for himself, he would probably be fooled if Bilbo told him there was nothing but a coin he was fidgeting with.
Nori was just about to untie Gandalf's horse, when the latter came shouting "Not my horse! I need it!"
Everyone stopped in their place as Gandalf hefted himself on top of the horse.
"Your not leaving us?" Bilbo asked the older, but the question fell on death ears as Veryan walked up to him.
"Where are you heading off to now?" He asked as he patted the horse's snout.
"My journey is something i would like to keep to myself" Gandalf answered the younger as it started to pour.
Veryan snorted and moved away from the horse, throwing a thumbs up at his mentor. Gandalf smiled, and turned to address the others "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter the mountain without me. This is not the Greenwood of old. There's a stream in the woods that caries a dark enchantment. Do not touch the water. Cross only by the stone bridge. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It'll seek to enter your mind and lead you astray. You must stay on the path, do not leave it. If you do, you'll never find it again. I leave Veryan to lead you further. Till we meet again" and with one final wave, the Wizard was gone.
When the grey Wizard was out of view Veryan's shoulder's slumped as he turned to the dark forest. He glared and flipped on his hood, hiding his face in it.
"You heard what he said. Let's move, we don't have much time to waste" he ordered, the Dwarves unwillingly following him into the depths of the unsafe wood's before them.