Leona Baggins lives with her older brother Bilbo in the peaceful rolling hills of the Shire - that peace is short-lived when a wizard and a group of chaotic dwarves seek them out for an adventure of a lifetime.
- #2 in 'hobbit' [1/10/21]
- #1 in 'To...
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Several days had passed since Smaug's demise. Fili, Kili, Bofur, and Oin trekked up the mountain towards Erebor. Fili set the pace in front as he was obviously anxious to check on Leo and Thorin. He had not noticed the other three dwarves had stopped.
"Fili! Lad! Slow yer gitty arse down! We're old men back here!" Bofur fussed while trying to catch his breath.
"Speak for yourself," Kili called out offendedly.
"Oh, and who's out of breath back here with these old men, hm? You! Not so spry anymore are ye?" Bofur got in Kili's face.
"Knock it off!" Oin smacked Bofur in the back of the head.
Fili reluctantly stopped and turned to them. Kili smiled at his brother. "She's not going anywhere, Fee."
"If she's there at all..." Bofur said truthfully, earning glares from Kili and Oin. "I'm not being insensitive, lad. I mean, we don't know if anyone survived."
Fili nodded. "I know. I've prepared myself for the worst...but I just need to know so this ache in my stomach will go away..."
They looked at him sympathetically. Bofur nodded and tightened his bag on his shoulder. "Well then, let's go!"
The dwarves made it to the gates of Erebor only to see the destruction and debris left by Smaug in the form of a gaping hole surrounded by boulders and iron - the sight heightened their worry. They looked at each other before running into the mountain to assess.
"Hello! Bombur? Bifur? Anybody?" Bofur shouted, his voice creating a great echo.
When no one responded, they ventured deeper into the mountain. Until they finally heard a voice.
"Wait! Wait!" Bilbo ran out from one of the doorways.
"It's Bilbo. He's alive!"
"Stop! Stop! Stop! You need to leave. We all need to leave."
"We only just got here," Bofur argued.
"I tried talking to him, but he won't listen."
"Wh...what do you mean, laddie?" Oin inquired nervously.
"Thorin! Thorin. Thorin, he's been down there for days. He doesn't sleep, he barely eats. He's not been himself, not at all. It's this...it's this place. I think a sickness lies upon it."
"A sickness? What kind of sickness?" Kili asked.
Fili, who caught sight of the yellow hue from the gold, sprinted down the vast steps towards the treasury.
"Fili? Fili!" Bilbo chased after him followed by the others
Fili, Kili, Oin, and Bofur reached the treasury and stared in awe at the sea of gold. They were snapped out of their trance when they saw Thorin walking around mumbling to himself almost in a hypnotic state.
