Moon

Chapter 9: The Prophecy

*Edited*

The company did not know what would happen when Moon reached eighteen. Therefore they where not at all prepared when the time came.

"Thorin! Did you know that the moon is really light refle-" she cut herself off, going suddenly rigid. A look of utter calm was on her face. She suddenly screamed as her fox ears and tail disappeared, and light blue wings sprouted from her back.

A roar ripped her throat and her skin began to grow blue and scaly.

"What have you done?" she whispered. Her deep blue eyes suddenly blazed red and went slitted. She began to run, shrieking in pain as her neck elongated and she grew massive in width and height.

Across the tall, grassy field she tumbled over herself and slid to a stop. Her blue head suddenly stuck out of the grass and she roared. It wasn't a roar of anger or ferocity, it was a roar of longing and pain.

She curled into a ball, and the field began to steadily turn to ice. The dwarves started to drift apart, looking as if they were floating on the frozen ground. The ice suddenly stopped growing, and they could here a sort of snuffling sound.

Thorin carefully skated over to the ginormous dragon, and was shocked to see great tears trickling down her blue scales and freezing on the ice. He rubbed her snout and she opened her eyes and he saw they were slowly fading from blazing red to crystal blue.

She suddenly spoke, which surprised the dwarf so much he almost fell.

"I remember.... everything. The company. The trolls..." her eyes closed again. "Everything."

"You'll be okay, we are going to kill him, remember?"

"I will never be the same. I will never be able to run through the grassy fields as an ordinary animal. I will never be able to curl up in your lap by a warm campfire. Never..." she cut herself off, making a choking sound. She snaked her head around and put it under her wing, unwilling to speak any further to anyone.

For the next couple of hours she remained a dragon, until she snapped back into a girl. Just three hours after that she was back to her normal, preppy self, but she remembered everything. Vividly.

"You know, I think that-" she turned her nose up in disgust,"orcs."

"Bilbo! Go see how far they are."

The hobbit nodded and rushed away. Moon rustled her wings and crouched down, baring her sharp canines, but it was not the orcs she was preparing to attack.

Within five minutes, Bilbo reappeared.

"How far are they?" asked Thorin.

"A couple of leagues, but we have a bigger problem."

"Did they see you? They saw you," said Gandalf in exasperation.

"No, but-"

"See, what did I tell you? Perfect burglar material."

"Gandalf!" shouted Moon.

"I'm trying to tell you there's something else out there!" said Bilbo.

"What form did it take? Was it like a bear?"

"Yes, but much bigger."

"There is a house. We may take refuge there."

"Gandalf, I cannot stay there," hissed Moon.

"Is he friend or foe?" asked Thorin, putting a hand on Moon's tense shoulder.

"He is neither. He will welcome us, or he will kill us."

"Not if I have a say in it," growled Moon.

"What choice do we have?"

A howl sounded behind them. "None."

They company took off running, Moon bringing up the rear. She roared in exasperation for them to go faster. She scared Bombur so much he sprinted past the entire company.

They ran through the gate and rammed into the door, but Moon did not follow. She stopped just outside the gate.

"MOON! ARE YOU MAD!" screamed Thorin.

"GO! AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION: YES!"

Her wings extended protectively and she bent her knees, daring the bear to come closer. Beorn hurtled faster towards her.

She roared so loud the house shook, and sawdust fell from the rafters in the cottage.

"YOU WILL NOT HARM THEM!"

The bear roared back to her, which she apparently understood. She bowed her head in submission. With a gust of wind, she flew to the edge of the clearing and perched in a tree.

If he was to honor her wishes, she would honor his. The great bear trotted beneath the tree and growled up to her. Her feet hit the soft forest floor, and she nodded once to him. They took off into the underbrush, much to the company's alarm.

"What is she doing?"

"Where is she going?"

"She has struck a bargain. You are to stay here peacefully, and she is to help him kill the orcs and not come near his house. She has obviously agreed," explained Gandalf. "Once again, she is sacrificing herself for you." Gandalf looked pointedly at Thorin who turned his gaze to outside the window.

As soon as the pair managed to drive back the orcs for the time being, Beorn turned back to human.

"You will honor your word?" asked Moon, nursing a wound on her arm.

Beorn's gaze hardened. "If you are to honor yours."

She bowed down submissively. "Of course, father."

He walked off through the woods and she sunk to her knees. She mumbled something inaudible under her breath, and thousands of dragons were shaken out of the magical mist that shrouded them from the world.

The oldest dragon stepped forwards. Her ancient limbs creaked like a swaying oak, flowers lined in moss were spread around her body.

"Why have you called us, cursed one?" asked Nadia Oak kindly. Her voice quivered like the rustling dead leaves in autumn.

"Smaug. He is why I have called you. I asked you many years ago, and you refused. Oh great one, please. The portents say it is time. I beg of you," said Moon, raising her chin high and exposing her neck. It was a signal of submission for dragons. Lowering of the head would signal a fight, but only dragon to dragon honored that rule.

The old dragon curled her branch tail around herself and plopped down in front of Moon, thinking.

"We are woodland dragons, Moon. You know this. Fire would kill us all. Have you forgotten the prophecy?
The one with the power to tame him approaches,
Forever cursed in her own form.
Winter meets Summer and it is certain one will fall.
But Winter must not let him control her.
The one with the power to tame him approaches,
Forever cursed in her own form."

Moon closed her eyes. She had not forgotten the prophecy. It was seared into her memory.

"I have not forgotten, Old Lady Oak."

"We cannot help you, young one."

"Please! Please, I cannot face him alone," she whispered, tears pricking her eyes.

"You should not have to, but I have faith." The ancient dragon put her snout against Moon's forehead. "Take my blessing, I know you can do it," and with that, the Woodland Dragon Realm vanished in a wave of green mist.

She collapsed onto the mossy floor on the very edge of the clearing. It was not Mirkwood, but only a forest few could see. Those pure at heart.

She felt a small hand on her shoulder and opened her eyes.

"I am so sorry," whispered Bilbo. She let out a sob and hugged the small but comforting hobbit. He gave her courage.