Run It Back Again (Part 1)

Chapter 22

*Era's Pov-

When I woke up right around sunrise, I found myself looking up at a tall, rough looking man.  I swallowed hard and sat up.  The man smiled at me.

"You must be the other shapeshifter..."  He bowed his head and motioned to himself.  "I am Beorn."  I smiled politely and got up off the ground.

"I'm Era...  Pleased to meet you, sir."  He smiled and looked me up and down.

"I take it you are stronger than you were yesterday?"  I noticed that I no longer trembled when I stood nor was I off-balance.  I smiled back and nodded.  "Good."  He motioned towards a table, which already had breakfast on it.  As he stood, he placed a hand on my shoulder.  "It has been long since I've met another shapeshifter."  I frowned as he lead me over to the table.

"How long?"  He sighed.

"The last time I saw a shapeshifter was nearly 300 years ago.  And, actually, there were 3.  A male, a female, and a young child.  They had escaped the Misty Mountains and were being hunted down by the Orcs.  I covered their trail as they went into Mirkwood, but they told me, should they not make it, I was to go in and find the child and raise it as my own."  He lowered his sad eyes.  "I never saw them again...  When I went looking for the child, I was chased off by the elves.  I never quiet figured out what happened to it, either, till now."  I watched him as he poured some milk into a mug for me.  "However, I didn't realize the child was the only one who may not have been found."  I hung my head.

"I'm sure it's been hard, being alone all these years.  I can't possibly imagine being alone for that long..."  And I thought 45 years was bad...

"What is your story, shapeshifter?"  I swallowed hard and looked over at the dwarves, who were all still asleep.

"It's very long and confusing.  I'm afraid I don't even know everything that's happened."  Beorn was about to answer when the front door opened, and Gandalf came in.

"My friend Beorn, what she means to say is she isn't supposed to exist at this particular time.  You see, she's the daughter of our friend, Thorin, and the other shapeshifter, Skyrena."  Beorn turned and stared me down.

"That is confusing..."  He lowered himself into a chair as I sipped on some milk.  "Tell me, what happened that brought you here?"  I told him everything from when I was abandoned in the Grayhavens to when I woke up outside of Bree and everything that's happened afterwards.  Finally, he turned towards Gandalf.  "I always heard shapeshifters were creatures of magic, but..."  He shook his head.  "I don't know how this is done."  Gandalf nodded in agreement.

"Lord Elrond of Rivendell didn't know how it could be done either, but he said it's been done before.  Era may have accidentally stumbled on something, or she may be more powerful than any of us think."  Beorn turned towards me.

"And, if she's just part shapeshifter, then imagine how much more powerful Skyrena must be."  Skyrena...

"Is she going to be alright?"  The older man chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, she's going to be just fine.  I came in late last night and tended to her wounds.  She'll be back on her feet after she eats, same as you."  He handed me some bread and honey.  "Now, eat...  I wish to see what you can do before you have to leave."  I smiled and nodded as I ate.

*Thorin's Pov-

"Feel for the energy around you...  Focus on your senses!"  I jerked awake and started towards the voices.  Reaching the front door, I saw Era and our host on the front lawn.  The larger skin changer was instructing her on energy levels.  "Focus on what you sense..."  Era froze, her eyes closed.

"One of the dwarves are awake."  She opened her eyes and turned towards me, smiling.  "Thorin..."  I glanced between our host and Era.

"Era, we should wake the others and prepare to leave."  The man nodded at her, and she started towards the house.

"Is everything alright, Thorin?"  She sounded so much like Skyrena, it almost broke my fears in two.

"We just have to continue on before Arzog gets to us."

*Era's Pov-

Soon enough, everyone was awake, even Skyrena.  She smiled as she came over to me.

"How're you feeling?"  I smiled back at her.

"Better than I have in years."  Gandalf told me not to mention any of our conversation to anyone else, not even Skyrena or Thorin.  He promised that we'd figure out what to make of all this and then tell them.  Besides, we had bigger issues to worry about as of right now.

"I wouldn't go through Mirkwood if I were you...  A dark sickness lies over those woods."  Skyrena nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Besides, we can't go through Mirkwood!  I'm banished under the penalty of death."  I nodded, remembering something else Balin used to tell me about Mirkwood.

"It's no safer than going around.  It may be quicker, but it's not safer."  Gandalf turned and smiled at the two of us.

"We'll stick to the Elven road, and we'll make sure we don't get caught."  I shook my head.

"We can't, Gandalf..."  Thorin frowned as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"We have to, Era.  With Arzog's forces on our trail, it's our safest bet.  And, you can be sure I'm not going to let any elf lay a hand on you."  Fili nodded in agreement.

"I'm not gonna let some elves push you around!"  Many of the others nodded in agreement as they mumbled amongst themselves.  I sighed, knowing I was defeated and without any other excuse.

"Only if Skyrena will travel with us through Mirkwood will I go."  Finally, Skyrena spoke.

"Very well then...  I will go."  I swallowed hard as we prepared to leave and noticed her paw print necklace.

"Is that from Beorn?"  She nodded.

"To replace the one that was taken from me in the Misty Mountains."  I smiled and nodded.  So that's where she got it...