I was awakened by the sound of an axe - Beorn was chopping logs of wood.
The dwarves began to argue about whether they should go away or face their host.
"It's useless to argue," Gandalf spoke up, "We can't get through the wilderness without Beorn's help. They'll get us before we reach the forest..."
Bilbo, whom Gandalf was glad to see, appeared.
"... Well, it's going to take some very delicate handling now, caution at best. The last man who startled Beorn was torn to pieces..."
Very soothing words.
"... I'll go first, and Eruwen, Bilbo, you come with me."
"Me? Do you think I should?" The hobbit asked.
"Yes, and everyone else wait here and don't come out until I give the signal."
"All right, we wait for the signal," Bofur said.
"And no sudden movements, no noise, and no crowding around him, and only come out in pairs. So, eh actually Bombur, you count as two, you go alone," the wizard added.
Bombur nodded.
"Remember, wait for the signal."
"But on what sign?" Bofur spoke - by then we were already out.
Gandalf seemed nervous, which surprised me - he always seemed on top of things, but nervous? This was perhaps the first time in ages. Actually, he always seemed nervous when he saw Lady Galadriel, but that was different.
"Good morning," the wizard began, and he had to repeat it twice more before Beorn put down his axe and turned to us.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"My name is Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey."
"I've never heard that name," he growled.
"I am a wizard. I'm sure you've heard of my colleague Radagast the Brown, he resides in the south of the Mirkwood."
"And who is your company?"
"I am Eruwen. I'm nicknamed the winged horse rider."
"That name sounds elvish," the man spoke.
"Yes, my mother was of elven descent."
"But you don't look like an elf."
"I can do magic, and I keep a more human form just in case."
"I had no idea elves could do such a thing - wondrous."
"Her father is the highest of our order of wizards, Saruman the White."
Then he spotted Bilbo, who at first had been hiding behind Gandalf.
"What are a halfling, a wizard, and an elf doing here?" he wondered.
Gandalf started to explain, not very well, before raising his hands in such a way that the dwarves thought it was a signal.
"It's here, go, go," came Bofur's voice, and out came Balin and Dwalin.
"I must confess that several of our group are... dwarves," the wizard spoke.
Bofur sent out two more not long after, Oin and Gloin. Ori and Dori followed, then Kili and Fili before the others came out.
"Anyone else in there?" spoke Beorn, and out came Thorin.