The Gathering Storm. The Hobbit fanfic. A Thorin Oakenshield love story.

Chapter 35: Campfire Stories.

"You two are Dís' sons?" Taryn asked trying to change the topic from her past with Thorin.

"Aye, we are." Fíli the older brother said.

"Did you know our mother?" Kíli asked Taryn curiously.

Taryn simply nodded her head, "yes when she was young. Although that was a long time ago." She said to the two young dwarves.

"Actually Taryn was the one that saved your mother the day the dragon attacked." Balin said to Fíli and Kíli as he rode his pony up near the three of them.

"You did?" Kíli asked her curiously.

"You were there the day the dragon attacked?" Fíli asked her cutting off his brother.

Again Taryn simply nodded her head in response. "Yes. I saw her alone in the mountain clutching one of her dolls. So I scooped her up and ran her out to safety." She said.

"Was that the last time you saw our mother and uncle?" Kíli asked slightly annoyed with his brother for cutting him off before.

This time Taryn let out a long sigh, "yes it was. We were separated and I was unable to find him. Next thing I knew my father had sent four of his guards to get me out of there and they forced me to go back to Mirkwood." She said not really wanting to talk about this any longer.

"So that is what happened." Balin said with a slight pause. "We thought you died," he added with a sad sigh.

Soon silence fell and the group journeyed on traveling through many beautiful areas of Middle-Earth, including forest, hills, and plains.
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As day turned to night the group of 13 dwarves, one wizard, one hobbit, and one elf set up camp near the edge of a cliff. Taryn had helped collect firewood for Glóin and Óin could get a fire started. She also talked with Bombur and helped him cook their dinner. It seemed that most of the dwarves had already began to like the little she-elf. Thorin also noticed that even though Taryn was an vegetarian she was polite and tried Bombur's cooking.

After their meal had been eaten everyone found spots to sleep for the night. Most tried to get as close to the fire as possible. Taryn had laid her own bedroll on the left side of Fíli and Kíli. So she was technically laying in between Kíli and Thorin (who was laying nearby on a rock).

Taryn was laying on her side facing Thorin, who was laying on his rock. She had her eyes close, but she did not want to fall into her sleep like state due to fear of nightmares. Most of the dwarves were already asleep except for Fíli and Kíli who were smoking their pipes.

Bilbo was trying to sleep, but the sounds of Bombur snoring was keeping him awake. Small insects were getting sucked into Bombur's mouth as he snored, only to be blown out again as he exhaled. Bilbo sighed as he pushed himself up onto his elbows. He looked over at Bombur with a frown on his face as he stood up.

Gandalf sat against a tree, smoking his pipe as he watched Bilbo get up. As Bilbo stands he wanders off to where the ponies and horses are. He sneaks his pony Myrtle an apple, after checking to make sure no one saw him.

Bilbo is busy petting Myrtle when he heard a blood curdling scream off in the distance. "What was that?" He asked as he looked around wide eyed and pointing to the edge of the cliff. He quickly makes his way to where Fíli, Kíli, and Taryn were laying by the fire.

"Orcs," Kíli said as he looks around.

As another scream is heard Thorin, who was dozing, jerks awake and sat up straight. Taryn who was not asleep, but had her eyes closed also opened her pale blue eyes and sat up. Both look around, suddenly alert to the sounds of Orcs. It had been at least ten years since the last time Taryn had heard a cry of a Orc.