A few days had passed since the dwarves had ran though the forest and into Beorn's farm, with no sign of Beorn anywhere. Aspect had made breakfast for them every morning, knowing the day for their egress was soon coming. She had been talking to all of the dwarves and Bilbo, especially Fili and Kili who seemed like being around her maturity-age, and she had actually grown very fond of them all, and was a bit sad about the thought of them leaving to move on with their adventure.
Aspect passed Gandalf who sat by the dead fireplace, smoking his pipe. "Good morning, Gandalf," Aspect said in a luster tone as she passed him.
"Good morning, Lady Aspect," Gandalf answered, sending her a warming smile. He continued humming low, as Aspect started preparing breakfast for The Company.
One by one, the dwarves and Bilbo came into the kitchen and sat down by the table. Gandalf's calm humming got drowned by the dwarves buzzing talk.
Fili came, and made sure to sit down as close to Aspect as he could. "Good morning," he said when he sat down, smiling at Aspect who stood with her back to him, cutting bread.
She turned around with the plate with slices of bread, and smiled happily to him. "Good morning," she said, placing the plate on the table. "Did you sleep well?"
"Very well, you have made us a very comfortable sleeping area, Lady Aspect. It is much appreciated," Fili answered, smiling bright with a spark in his eyes. "How about you?"
"The same old," Aspect said, smiling back with a small laugh.
Suddenly, in the middle of the breakfast, the big door slowly opened up, and Beorn stepped inside. "Good morning," he said with a low voice, looking judgmental at all of the dwarves.
"Good morning," Aspect said and smiled. "This is our guests. Please sit down, Beorn, you must be hungry." Aspect nodded towards an empty chair. Beorn slowly sat down in the chair near Aspect.
"I thought you said they would leave a few days ago," Beorn whispered strict to Aspect. The dwarves was too busy talking about the route through Mirkwood, that they didn't hear anything.
"I am sorry, Beorn, but they needed more rest then I thought. They've had a hard road to walk, with a lot of orcs. I will pay you back for this, I promise," Aspect explained to him.
"Do not think about it," Beorn suddenly said, after minutes of silence. "I have been watching the farm, and last night I saw you and the dwarf." Beorn nodded slightly towards Fili, who didn't notice. "And you looked very happy, and I am glad. I do not think I have seen you that happy in many, many years, so if this makes you happy, then I am happy." Beorn gave Aspect a smile. Aspect blushed slightly, casting a quick glance at Fili before looking back at Beorn.
"Thank you so much," Aspect said to him and smiled, because Beorn was right, Aspect was the happiest she had been in years. Last night, Fili and Aspect had taken a trip outside, alone. Fili had wanted to see the farm, and Aspect was more than happy to show him around. They walked around under the black night sky filled with beautiful stars, and a bright half-moon, as she showed him around and told him stories about the place. Fili had watched her like she was the only thing he saw and cared about.
But it was not only Fili who made Aspect happy. She had gotten to see Gandalf again, who she had not seen in many, many years. She remembered him visiting her father, and he always brought toys for her and her brothers to play with. Bilbo was also a figure she had grown very fond of. He was, in a way, still a young hobbit, adventurous but careful. She already saw him as a good friend, and he could always brighten the mood among the dwarves. The same could Kili, who seemed to like Aspect too.
"Aspect?," Beorn asked. She must have spaced out, because suddenly she looked at him. "The wizard asked you a question." He nodded towards Gandalf, who sat and stared at her. Actually, everyone was staring at her.
"Excuse me Gandalf, I got lost in my own thoughts," Aspect said, smiling slightly.
"No worries, Aspect. I just asked you if you had any food or maybe lembas the dwarves could take with them on their journey?," Gandalf said polite, smiling at her. Gandalf knew Aspect better than she thought, and knew she easily got lost in her own thoughts - she always had.
"Yes, of course. Let me pack some up for you," she said, smiling back, before she stood up from her chair and started searching in the kitchen cabinets.
The Company was packed and ready to leave after a few hours. Fili had taken Aspect to the side to say his goodbyes. "I will, on behalf of The Company of Thorin Oakenshield, thank you, Lady Aspect, for taking care of us," Fili said, bowing low to her. Aspect smiled.
"No problem, Fili. Any time you pass, come by! You are more than welcome here," she said. Fili smiled back.
"This does not have to be it, does it?," Fili suddenly said, lighting up. "I want you to come with us, Aspect! I want you to join The Company!"
"What?," Aspect asked surprised. "I do not know..."
Fili broke her off. "Oh come on, Aspect! Last night you talked about how exciting a journey could be and how much you wanted one, and here we are! A big journey ahead." He grabbed her hand in excitement.
"The problem is," Aspect started, looking him in the eyes. Fili smelted by her beautiful emerald eyes, but Aspect was the one getting convinced by his sky-blue ones. "You are right," she suddenly said. "An adventure sounds very good right now." Fili lit up even more, grabbing her hand tighter.
"Then what are we waiting for?," he asked, almost jumping around. He let her hand go before he bounced out the door, to the others. Aspect was left behind, thinking for a little.
What had she done? She had just said yes to come into the forest where her family got killed when she was a little pup, and where she knew the Mirkwood-elves was looking for her, even tough many, many years had passed since her last encounter with them.
Aspect broke out from her thoughts. She had to at least try - Fili had gotten so excited. She stepped out to the others. "I am coming with you," she announced to The Company. Bilbo and Kili lit up. Gandalf smiled content.
Beorn who stood besides her, smiled a slight smile. "Get your pony then, Aspect," Beorn said. "You are always welcome back here any time."
"Thank you so much, Beorn," Aspect said happy. Beorn turned around and went inside to get her saddle. "Lyra, come here, girl!," Aspect yelled, and right after, a dark brown pony came in full speed around the corner of the house. Lyra was more of a small horse than a big pony, and was living on Beorn's farm. Aspect had saved her from a mad salesman many years ago, and after this, Lyra had stayed by her and Beorn's side to show her gratitude, though Aspect had let her loose on a horse-field, not a long way from the farm.
Beorn came up to Aspect with her saddle and grime, with her knapsack already hanged on. In there, Beorn had thrown some of Aspect's clothes, and a few daggers. Aspect saddled Lyra up, before she jumped up at her back. "All ready, then?," Gandalf asked. Aspect nodded excited. "Then we go." The ponies started moving, one by one. Aspect waved to Beorn who nodded with a smile back.
*
It started to darken when Thorin stopped. "I think we should camp here for the night," he said. The rest agreed, and they started getting off their ponies.
When the company had cleared the area and secured the ponies, they made a small fire. As they sat and enjoyed a good meal, Aspect was quiet in between the noisy dwarves. Now and then, she met Fili's eyes. Every time their eyes met, they gave each other a small, happy smile, and their cheeks became light pink. Bilbo noticed this, and smiled a happy smile with a small , without them noticing him.
After Aspect finished her meal, she went away from the others. Outside of the company's circle around the campfire, darkness had the upper hand.
When Aspect no longer could hear Gandalf's loud murmuring in the dwarf's singing, she changed to wolf.
Aspect walked around for a while, thinking. She was uneasy on the thought of sending the company alone into the Mirkwood forest. None of them had ever been there before, but she had once known the forest just like her own back pocket.
After a while, Aspect went back to the campfire, still in her wolf-form. The only one still sitting around the small flame was Fili. He looked amazed at Aspect as she came and laid down beside him. Fili laid down beside Aspect, and rested his head on her side. His eyes slowly closed.
*
Suddenly, Aspect heard footsteps in the bushes. She jumped up and howled, and before she finished the whole company was up at their feet. An arrow shot through the air, and almost hit Thorin. "Orcs!," Thorin yelled. The second after, a pack of orcs jumped out of the bushes.
The fight was easy for The Company, and was finished after a few minutes where Aspect stood for most of the beheading. She then changed to human and whipped the last of the black blood that was left from around her mouth, before she spit. "These was just spies. There is more to come," Aspect said, looking at Thorin.
"Then you have to watch out! I meant you were supposed to wake by every little noice, like a guard-dog?," Thorin yelled at Aspect.
"They had been hiding for a while! They came here long before I came back - you are lucky I heard their footsteps!," Aspect yelled back.
"Aspect, it is not your fault," Fili said calming.
"It was you that told us we could trust her," Thorin said angrily to Fili. "We will not need your help again. You can go home now, wherever your home is, wildling." Thorin looked disappointed at Aspect.
"You are just as homeless as I am! You need all the help you can get from me, and what a shame for you it is that I am leaving you, now that I had made up my mind to guide you through the Mirkwood forest!," Aspect responded distraught.
Gandalf, who had been standing away from the dwarves, now came forward. "Everyone keep calm," he said under his beard.
"You are going to leave The Company anyway, Gandalf, so why not letting me go before?," Aspect snared angrily.
"Lady Aspect, daughter of Grey Baron!," Gandalf raised his voice, but was still as calm as always. "Take a moment to calm down. You have always been a little short-tempered." Aspect huffed, before she went out into the dark, away from the dwarves. Fili was going to follow her when Thorin grabbed his arm.
"You stay here," he commanded. Fili gave him a small nod and stared down at the ground.
"You will need to understand, Thorin Oakenshield, that you need that girl more than you think," Gandalf said, almost proud, before he lowered his voice. "She knows the Mirkwood forest better than any of us, and have had business with the orcs many times. Be humble, she have gone through a lot, just like you."
"We will see in the morning," Thorin murmured, not impressed by the wizard. He stepped away from him.
The Company had settled down again, some of them asleep, and some of them around the fire, when Gandalf suddenly went into the darkness. He had seen a white shadow up in one of the hills, a little a way from the camp, and chose to follow it.
There, he met Aspect who quickly changed to human-form when she saw him. Her white, crazy hair stood out in the darkness around them. "I know you are here to talk me into coming back, Gandalf," Aspect said, sitting down on a rock nearby them.
"In a way yes, and in a way no. I just wanted to hear your thoughts. They really need you in that forest, Aspect," Gandalf answered, sitting down beside her.
"I know. I just do not know if I am ready to come back there yet," Aspect said, looking down at her bare feet.
"That I can understand, but it is a long time since your..," Gandalf started, but got cut off by Aspect.
"I do... I do not really want to talk about it, Gandalf," she said, looking him in the eyes.
"Maybe King Thranduil will show the dwarves mercy when he sees you," Gandalf finished with another sentence then what he thought he would.
"I doubt," Aspect said, looking into the dark. A rabbit jumped out from the bushes ten metres away from them. "There goes my dinner," Aspect whispered.
They was quiet there, out in the dark, for a little while. "It is worth a try, is it not? To challenge myself?," Aspect said, looking at Gandalf. He was clear in front of her, unlike she was for him.
"Yes, I do guess so. At least I know someone who will be happy to have you back," Gandalf chuckled. The both of them stood up and went back to the camp, where the dwarves all had fallen asleep.