I wake to the sound of Gandalf's voice. I slowly sit up and rub my eyes; I look around to see all the dwarves still asleep. I slowly rise from my bed of hay and pull my cloak off the ground and wrap it around my shoulders. I take big steps over some of the dwarves, hoping that I won't step on one of them. I step over a few more dwarves before reaching the outer circle of dwarves. I begin to walk towards, what looks like a giant kitchen. I've always wanted to meet Beorn. When I was younger I knew some skin-changers before Azog decided to torture and kill them. Beorn is the lone survivor. Although I'm still cautious despite that thought, if Gandalf has a reason to be cautious I'd be wise to do the same.
I turn the corner to see Gandalf talking to a strong, buff, tall figure who I presume is Beorn. I listen in to their conversation, staying a fair of the way back.
"Oh, there are only a few friends" Gandalf explains.
"A few?" Beorn's deep gruff voice questions.
"Well, maybe a little more than a few," Gandalf says with a little guilt.
"Then who are they?" Beorn asks trying to get a number of how many 'friends' Gandalf is talking about.
"Well, let's see" Gandalf starts "There's, Bilbo and Ivy" Gandalf explains. Beorn nods for more information "Fili and Kili, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur" Gandalf continues.
Beorn sighs "Is that it?"
"Um, n-no" Gandalf smiles slightly "There's also Nori, Dori, Ori, Gloin and Oin" Gandalf continues. I can see the frustration on Beorn's face, he obviously isn't very good with visitors "Oh and there's Dwalin and Balin. And last of all...Thorin."
Beorn nods "Is that it?" Gandalf nods "Ok then, bring them in for breakfast."
Gandalf nods "Oh and 13 of them are dwarves" Beorn's eyes widen.
***
We all sit around the giant table in Beorn's kitchen. I smile a warm good morning as Bilbo comes in and sits down next to me. Beorn fills my cup with milk, followed by Bilbo's "So you are the one they call Oakenshield" Beorn says gesturing towards Thorin "Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"
"You know of Azog?" Thorin questions "How?"
Beorn nods and looks down at his feet "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" I feel sadness as I think of all the skin-changers I knew who would have been enslaved by Azog, many of whom I'll never know what their fate was "Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him" Everyone takes in a breath of sadness.
"There are others like you?" Bilbo asks.
"Once, there were many" Beorn starts.
"And now?" Bilbo questions again.
"Now, there is only one," Beorn says looking sad. Gandalf and I give each other a look in silence "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"
"Before Durin's Day falls, yes" Gandalf nods.
"You are running out of time," Beorn says.
"Yes, we know," Gandalf says thinking.
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood," I say trying to help. As I am sure Thorin is not going to like this but it's the only choice we've got. Gandalf nods in agreement. I know all too well that Mirkwood will have safer passage than most.
"A darkness lies upon that forest. Foul things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need" Beorn explains to me directly.
"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe" Gandalf explains to Beorn.
"Safe? The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin" Beorn says gesturing to me, although none of the dwarves would have realised that Beorn was meaning me "They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."
"What do you mean?" Thorin asks.
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive" Beorn says in a gruff tone. Beorn stands up from the table and faces Thorin "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own" Beorn picks up a mouse that has been scurrying around the table. He holds the mouse firmly while approaching Thorin who has his arms crossed "But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"
***
The dwarves all saddle up their ponies that Beorn has let them borrow. Gandalf and I also saddle up the horses that Beorn has given to us "Go now, while you have the light. The hunters are not far behind" Beorn says looking around.
We all ride as fast as we can across the land. Some of the dwarves are sharing ponies, it's kind of funny. My amusement is quickly dismissed as a faint howl echoes in the distance, forcing anything else but seriousness out. We come to a stop as we reach Mirkwood, a dark, dead kind of looking forest.
As I climb off my horse I glare at the forest in disappointment and anger. I can't believe Thranduil, the King of Mirkwood, would have let Mirkwood get like this. Just the thought that of Thranduil brings a distaste to my mouth. I begin to regret suggesting this place, but I know that there is no other way.
"The Elven Gate" Gandalf whispers to no one in particular. Gandalf turns to us and shouts "Here lies our path through Mirkwood."
"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side" Dwalin says climbing of his pony. I nod in agreement, but this peace won't last forever, there's always something else.
"Set the ponies lose. Let them return to their master" Gandalf says looking into the distance. The dwarves begin to dismount all their supplies, I do also. I swing my bow and arrows over my shoulder. I take the saddle and bridle off my horse and let him run off. I drop the saddle and bridle on the ground unsure of where to put them.
"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me" Gandalf says seriously to Thorin directly "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."
"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo asks Dwalin who shrugs.
Gandalf gets on his horse. It begins raining lightly "You must stay on the path. Do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again. Ivy may be able to assist you, but I imagine the path has changed much since the last you would have seen it, Ivy."
I tighten my jaw at the thought "Indeed."
Gandalf nods, pulling his horse around before riding away. Gandalf yells out in the distance "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"
We all turn to the forest, I try to act normal as some of the dwarves look at me questionably.
"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day!" Thorin yells beginning to walk into the forest "This is our one chance to find the hidden door."
I walk along behind Thorin in case he needs any help finding the path, I'm followed by Dwalin and he's followed by the others. The path twists and turns a few corners as we get deeper and deeper into the forest. My head begins to get heavy and I begin to need air, but I venture on, knowing that it's the forest trying to get in my head. Dwalin takes the lead as Thorin needs a break.
"So, Ivy?" Thorin questions "Back in the trees, when Azog attacked us..."
"Yes?"
"Did you put your hand on my shoulder in reassurance?" Thorin asks. I raise an eyebrow "It's just...I thought you didn't like me."
"Well, yes, I don't really like you and I'm not going to hide that," I say with a cheeky grin "and yes I did put my hand on your shoulder in reassurance," I say.
"Why?" Thorin questions.
I look over at Thorin who has his eyes fixed on me "Well...you're not the only one to lose family to a foul creature like Azog" I answer in a low voice, regret immediately taking over as I hate to show people my vulnerable side or even speak of these matters to someone, never mind Thorin. Confusion washes over Thorin's face, before he can question anymore, we bump into Dwalin, who has bumped into Nori who is in front. Everyone else bumps into us.
"What's happening?" a few of the dwarves ask.
Thorin pushes past Dwalin and I "Keep moving. Nori, why have we stopped?" he asks.
"The path...it's disappeared!" Nori cries.
"What's going on?" I question.
"We've lost the path!" Dwalin shouts. I look in front of us to see a steep cliff followed by no path. Uh-oh...
"Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!" Thorin yells. We all begin to search rapidly looking for the path. We all wander around the forest looking for the path. I look around, trying to find something familiar to me but I fail miserably as my head begins to spin in a sickening spiral.
"I don't remember this place before. None of it's familiar" Balin's voice echoes through my head.
"It's got to be here" Dori's voice also echoes. Everyone's voice seems to be far away and echoing through my head like a stone cave.
"What hour is it?" Thorin asks.
"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is" Dwalin whines.
"Is there no end to this accursed place?" Thorin yells.
Dwalin and I turn around to see the dwarves bickering amongst themselves. We look at each other than the others. We both have no strength to stop them "What? What's that?" Thorin asks. Dwalin goes to stop the bickering, whereas I listen with Thorin. If I listen hard enough I can hear whispers. Suddenly Thorin turns around rapidly "Enough! Quiet! All of you!" Thorin yells. Everyone falls silent "We're being watched..."
Then suddenly without warning, I feel a sharp burning pain flood through my back, my whole back being consumed by the feeling of burning fire that only seems to spread. I let out a cry high scream of agony, beginning to tumble as the world spins around me, forcing vile fluid to the back of my throat. My vision comes back enough for a second to see everyone turned to me with shock, staring up above me, but at what? "Ivy!" I hear a few voices cry.
I turn around to be face to face with giant black beady eyes, fangs hanging low below its face. It takes my fuzzy brain a moment to register that it's a giant...spider! Before I can scream, I tumble back to the ground and everything goes black.