Selene's was not happy when she was finally allowed off the horse the first night. Several of them ended up helping her down because her legs had cramped badly and Thorin and Dwalin helped steady her as she hobbled over to where they made camp.
She refused to sit down though. "Look, I've been stuck on a damn horse all day, the last thing I feel like doing is sitting."
"Selene, just sit and get the feeling back in your legs first-"
"No. It is better this way." She spent a good ten minutes just trying to walk before the feeling slowly returned. As she glared angrily at the horses, she made a decision. "I am not getting back on a horse."
Thorin sighed from across the camp. "Selene, we've already discussed this, you can't shift to keep up."
"Well, there's only one way to know that properly, isn't there?" She snapped and before anyone could stop her, she stormed away.
"Selene!" Thorin called after her but she ignored him.
She found a secluded spot and stripped off, changing just as Thorin caught up.
He folds his arms. "That's hardly appropriate."
Selene rolls her eyes, even as her back leg trembles slightly. It was hurting but the wound hadn't reopened. She stretches with a yawn.
Thorin's gaze never left her. "Are you alright?"
She nods and then trots around him to prove a point.
He folds his arms. "And if you had hurt yourself again?"
Selene huffs and then nuzzles him, his hands running through her fur, he still look less than impressed but his fingers find the bead still firmly in her hair. "Well, at least we know it stays."
She licks his cheek and then bounds away with a happy yap, causing Thorin to shake his head.
Selene stayed as her wolf a while, glad that she had her freedom back. Fili and Kili had thought it a good time to try and play a joke on her, but instead they found themselves running with her nipping at their heels while the others roared with laughter.
It was as it was getting late and they were arguing over who was going to be on watch that Selene sat up from where she'd been laying, her ears up listening.
Thorin stopped mid sentence. "What is it?"
A tense silence fell over the company but there was no danger. Selene tilted her head and sniffed the air.
Something about this place, it suddenly seemed familiar.
Following her nose, Selene began to walk away.
"Selene!" Thorin called after her but she was too distracted now, following the smell.
Thorin followed, Gandalf, Bilbo and Dwalin joined him.
The sound of running water got her attention and with a few quick bounds, she suddenly froze.
A stream was before her, a high waterfall giving current to the water which was starting to freeze.
Selene shudders. She knew this place. This was where she had first turned back.
The others approached, staring between her and the water.
Gandalf was the one to notice her solemn expression.
"This was where you first turned back, wasn't it?" He asked quietly.
Selene's gaze meets his and she lowers her head.
Gandalf gives a kind smile. "That path is well behind you Selene."
A low growl rumbles through her chest and she faces the direction she suddenly knew that the old fortress was in, more memories coming forward.
Including some she had seen at Beorn's.
Still growling, she stalks back to camp, the others following, looking worried. She finds her clothes, which Thorin had folded and grabbed them, marching off.
She was more than agitated when she returned, a heavy frown creasing her forehead.
"Gandalf, I need a word." Selene said darkly, walking past without giving him a chance to respond.
Gandalf just raises an eyebrow and follows.
He finds her just out of earshot of camp, an impatient hand pushing back her hair.
"You wouldn't want to knock out that bead Selene." He said, watching her.
"If it can survive me turning into a wolf, it can survive that." She growled, her expression pained then.
Gandalf frowns then. "What is wrong Selene?"
She takes a moment before her silver eyes look at him. "I...I have some information that may change things."
"To do with what?" Gandalf asked patiently.
"Everything." Selene replied quietly. "Especially between Thorin and I."
"Selene, you two are-"
"I know what we are." She cuts over him.
"Then you should also know that that bond is unshakable."
"Maybe." Selene looks into the distance for a moment before she sighs. "Thrain is alive, Gandalf."
Gandalf stares at her. "Thorin's father?"
She nods, still not looking at him.
"How could you possibly know that Selene?"
"I remember the orcs bringing him in." She was speaking so quietly, Gandalf had to take a step closer to hear her. "And I remember them ordering for him not to be killed. They wanted something from him but I do not remember what."
Gandalf takes a moment to take this in, watching her curiously. "Selene...that was thirty years ago."
But she shakes her head. "I know, but I still feel he is alive Gandalf."
He observes her, sees the fear and worry in her gaze. "Then do not tell him."
"Gandalf-"
"Selene, Thorin still believes his father is alive."
"Exactly, so he should-"
"Listen to me very carefully Selene." Gandalf said quietly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "If Thrain is indeed being held where I think he is, then the last thing you need is for Thorin to be rushing into the rescue. You, yourself have clearly seen the power of the necromancer and do you really think that Thorin should be facing that to save his father?"
Selene stood still, her eyes wide, and then she slowly shakes her head. "Not even I want to face that Gandalf."
Gandalf nods. "Thorin has enough on his shoulders, lest telling him his father is alive as well. Someday, perhaps, when all this is over, but now would not be the wisest time."
Her expression showed that she was still clearly fighting with herself over this. "It just does not feel right Gandalf."
"I understand, but sometimes we must do what isn't right to protect those we love." He wraps an arm around her shoulders as she sighs. "You need to trust me on this Selene, it would put you both in great danger if you told him."
She scoffs. "Like we aren't heading into it anyway. I know enough about that forest Gandalf, without the memories."
"And that is what we need to focus on, the path ahead is very dangerous Selene, and I will need your help to get them through it."
Selene sighs. "Alright Gandalf, I will keep it a secret for now, but I still do not like it."
Gandalf's eyes twinkled. "If you had thought he should've known, you would've told him when you remembered."
She purses her lips, not wanting to admit he was right.
The next few days went quickly, Selene disappearing in the morning to turn, and bringing back her clothes which Thorin shoved in his pack before they rode out, and then at night, she dig her clothes out, much to his annoyance, before disappearing and returning in quickly, fully clothed.
It was on about the fourth night that something that was bothering Dwalin arose.
"How can you be so relaxed out in the open like this?" He grumbled, staring her leant back position.
Selene raises an eyebrow. "What?"
"We are being hunted by orcs and heading into who knows what, and yet you look like you just taking it easy." He said, frowning at her.
A smirk comes to her lips. "Because we are safe."
They all stared at her now.
"Safe?"
"We are on an open plain, how can this be safe lass?"
"They could catch up at any moment."
"And Beorn is following us." She said calmly. "Do not get me wrong, I am not off guard, just a little comforted by the fact that Beorn is there should we need help."
The dwarves all looked around, expecting to see him standing in the distance.
Selene chuckles. "You won't see him, I can promise that. He will keep his distance, he is mostly there to observe and protect, should we need it."
Thorin clearly didn't like this. "What would he need to observe?"
Selene nods to the horses. "That you do indeed keep your promise to return his horses."
He frowns. "We said we would."
She gives an empathetic smile. "You need to remember Thorin, he has taken care of these animals for a long time, on his own. They have been his friends and I do not doubt that he would harm you should anything happen to them."
"But...they are just horses." Kili said frowning.
Selene shakes her head with a small laugh. "If you ever live alone for a lot of years, you will understand."
This seemed to confuse them more.
"But...you didn't raise animals?" Ori said.
"No, this is true, but I had other things to worry about." She said softly, her gaze briefly meeting Thorin's. "But I did not need to raise animals, I met enough and befriended enough in the woods around the Shire and leading to the Blue Mountains to understand where Beorn is coming from." She laughs as they all still confused. "Just...take my word for it."
It was clear some of them still weren't overly sure how to take this, but they let it go settling for the night.
Her and Thorin took watch.
Selene had moved to a slight raise in the plain, in which she was now sitting and watching the night go by. Thorin had stayed by the fire, watching her as he tended it, and with a sigh, he stands and joins her.
"Is there a reason you are up here by yourself?" He asked quietly, joining her on the ground.
"Hmm? Just listening to the night." She gives a small smile. "It was something I used to do a lot, it gave me some peace along the long journey's I took."
Thorin then recalled the conversation he had over heard in Rivendell. "So...this feeling you had, it was leading you to me?"
Selene takes a moment before she gives an amused sigh. "It appears you have a talent for eavesdropping."
"Selene-"
"Yes." She said. "But I did not understand that, I just knew that there was something and that I had to reach it."
"So how come you never found me in the mountains?"
"I do not know." She said quietly. "It would always go... strange whenever I got close. It was very infuriating, trust me."
"Then why were you scared to face it?"
Selene is silent for a long time. "Because I didn't know what to expect, I was being blindly led into something and it was all so instinctual that I had never really stopped to think about what it was. I had no idea what I was walking into when I walked through Bilbo's door, and then seeing you-" She turned to look at him and then froze, realising how close they were.
Thorin brushed her hair back, his gaze wandering to her lips. "Seeing me what?"
Her cheeks burned as she turned away, her heart racing. "Seeing you, it all seemed to make sense, even though I really still had little idea of what was going on. I knew then, that if I had to, I would die for you."
"Selene..."
"I mean it Thorin. After all we've heard I feel it's necessary for you to know that. I mean, we still have all this stuff to talk about, even though you think we can leave it, but-"
"Selene, look at me."
Selene doesn't move, as she realises she was rambling. Thorin gently takes her chin and turns her head till their eyes meet.
"You don't have to try and explain it." He said quietly, holding her gaze. "I have heard the same as you have, I was just curious about what I had heard with you and Gandalf."
"Well...now you know."
Thorin's gaze traveled back to her lips. "Partly."
"I...I don't really know what else to say, unless you want me to ramble again."
"I do not mind you rambling."
Thorin leaned in then and Selene froze in place until a roar echoed around, making them both jump.
Selene burst out laughing as Thorin looks around angrily.
"You'll wake everyone up." He grumbles, shooting her a look. "He did that intentionally."
"Of course he did." She giggled. "He has to have some fun."
Thorin glares into the darkness and Selene grinned, leaning into him, her arm looping into his. "You are looking in the wrong spot."
He huffs. "Not all of us can see in the dark."
Giggling again, she points out to the right of them. "You should just be able to see him, if not his form, then his eyes at least."
Thorin looks through the darkness and can just make the large form of Beorn's bear. "Ruddy bear."
Selene keeps her laughter silent, this time, leaning on his shoulder and Thorin grumbles a little more, entwining their fingers.
"Thorin?"
"Yes Selene?"
"Tell me about Erebor."
Thorin was stunned for a moment before he smiles and kisses the top of her head. "It was the largest dwarf kingdom in Middle Earth. There were few places you could go where you couldn't feel the heat from the forges, or hear the hammering as they built weapons and crafts alike. There was always something to do, something to explore, the bustling halls always alive with talk and laughter and singing."
He continued, describing his home in great detail to her and it wasn't until he asked her a question that he realised she had fallen asleep. He gave a soft laugh, shaking his head. He moves his arm so he can wrap it around her and she stirs slightly, curling up tighter into him.
"I'm still listening." She said sleepily.
"I would hope so, we are supposed to be on watch." He said lightly.
She mumbles something that he doesn't catch and he goes to ask when he realises her breathing has deepened again and she was once again asleep. Thorin smiles and doesn't disturb her, just letting her sleep.