Extra Company

Chapter 32

A young dwarf with long black hair, sat in a chair inside a large room decorated with shelves upon shelves of books, his wide blue eyes scanning the pictures in his book. He read it with high interest and admiration. "What are you reading there lad?" A deep voice questioned behind him, causing the young dwarf to turn around at the older one, who was standing behind him looking down at the dwarf with a soft gaze.

"Grandpa! Look at this creature!" The young dwarf exclaimed, holding the book up so his grandfather could see.

"Ah the mountain wolf, a very devine creature." The grandfather spoke with a smile as he looked at the picture of a white furred wolf-like creature.

The young dwarf's smile brightened as he pulled the book back down on the table, "It says here they can shift into animals smaller than them, like a squirrel or a bird." The little dwarf read off from the passage. "They are so big that they hunt whales and fight dragons!"

"Aye, dragons are the only predator of the mountain wolves and vice versa." The older dwarf spoke as he sat down next to his grandson. "They are also immortal, like the elves."

"But why do they have to hide?" The younger dwarf questioned, looking down at the book before up at the older dwarf.

"They hide because of greed, some of the mountain wolf's fur is lined with valuable items like gold and silver." The grandfather responded. "That is the reason they hide among the creatures of Middle Earth." He added as he sat down next to his grandson.

"Then how will other people see them?" The young dwarf asked his grandfather.

His grandfather smiled softly, "They say a mountain wolf comes to those with good hearts in their time of need. They are naturally drawn to those with good intentions."

The once little dwarf looked out to the mountain as his people fled, traveling across the lands, greif shining in his blue eyes as he heard cries from his people. "I guess mountain wolves aren't real. They can't be when our people are suffering."

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Thorin paced back and forth in front of his throne, "It is here in these halls I know it." Thorin spoke, agitation in his tone as he stopped pacing, the end of his cloak resting on the ground behind him.

"We have searched and searched." Dwalin replied, his voice holding exhaustion as his older brother watched his young king with sadness in his old eyes.

"Not well enough." Thorin snapped as he glared at the other two dwarves, anger dancing in his blue eyes like flames.

Dwalin let out a sigh, "Thorin, we would all see the stone returned." He spoke in a gentle voice, pointing out the obvious.

"And yet it's still not found!" He shouted at the two of them, neither of them flinching at the dwarf king's tone. Thorin whirling around facing his back towards them, his eyes trained onto the ground.

"Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here?" Balin questioned, as Thorin began to search through his mind as if trying to find an answer. "The Arkenstone is the brightest of our people." Balin stated, seeming to try to reason with Thorin.

"It is the king's jewel. Am I not the king!?" He shouted as he world around, gesturing to himself with his hands, the rings on his fingers glistening in the light. Bilbo watched on in sadness from where he stood, watching his friend sink deeper and deeper into some sort of sickness. "Know this, if anyone should find it and withhold it from me, I will be avenged." Thorin growled before turning around once more, "You are dismissed."