Adventure of a Lifetime: VOL 1

Part 2: Chapter 1

A/N: Welcome to Part 2 of Adventure of a Lifetime: Vol 1! This part will be much longer (hopefully!) and I truly hope you enjoy!

            Bilbo peeks his head over the edge of the rock, watching the orcs on their tail. "Willow, how far away are they?" He whispers. The young woman peeks her head up next to his. "A couple of leagues, maybe less. Definitely not more," she whispers. Azog sits atop his warg, the others behind him. He glances over to his left, and Willow drags Bilbo down behind the boulder. Suddenly, a great roar, like a bear, echoes across the rocks. Bilbo and Willow look over to their right. "What is that?" Bilbo breathes, his eyes wide. There is a great bear-like creature standing on its hind legs. It stood almost like a man. "I do not know. Quietly, back down," Willow whispers, ushering the hobbit back down the hill where the dwarves are waiting. "How close is the pack?" Thorin asks. "Too close. "A couple of leagues, no more," Willow replies. "But that's not the worst of it," Bilbo pants. "Have the wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin asks. "Not yet, but they will," Willow answers. "But we have another problem," Bilbo adds. "Did they see you? They saw you?" Gandalf asks. "No, they didn't see us," Bilbo sighs in exasperation. "What did I tell you, quiet as a mouse!" Gandalf praises. "Excellent burglar material." The dwarves smile and praise amongst themselves. "Would you listen to him, please?" Willow exclaims. "I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there!" Bilbo finally gets his point across. "What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asks. "Y-yes?" Bilbo stutters. "But much larger. It stood tall, on hind legs, almost as if it were a man," Willow adds. "Gandalf, do you know of this creature?" Thorin asks. "There is a house, not far from here, where we might take refuge. If we are careful," Gandalf says, ignoring the question. Fili comes up beside Willow. Her complexion has paled, her slender hands clammy and shaky. "Willow, I worry for you. You have not been yourself since the goblin tunnels," he says to her. Willow looks down with a small smile. "I will be alright. This whole experience is quite new and unnerving," she replies. "Whose house is this? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin asks the wizard. "Neither," Gandalf replies calmly, almost too calm. "He will help us, or he will kill us." The company looks around at each other with unease. "What choice do we have?" Thorin asks. The howls of the wargs echo over the terrain, sounding even close than a few moments ago. Gandalf looks over at the company, his gaze resting on Willow. "None."

The company of Thorin Oakenshield races across the wilderness, through field and forest. Willow stays close to Fili and Kili, her ears keen to what follows. They come to a clearing, a house sitting in the center. A loud roar echos behind them. "What is that?" Fili asks. "The creature that's been following us," Willow breathes. "Hurry!" Gandalf exclaims. The dwarves run, relatively in a line, towards the house. Willow looks back as the bear-like creature bursts through the edge of the forest, it's paws creating vibrations in the ground. The dwarves slam into the door, piling up against it, trying to shove it open. "Get that door open!" Gandalf shouts. The dwarves continue to shove and slam their bodies into the door, ignoring the latch above their heads. "Get the latch! The latch you fools!" Willow cries. Thorin hears her, finally reaching up and unlocking the wooden latch. The dwarves pile in, immediately turning around and trying to shut the doors. Poor Willow and Bilbo barely make it through before the dwarves slam the doors on the nose of the creature, pushing it back and re-latching the door. She backs into a post, breathing deeply. "What is that?" Kili asks. "That is our host," Gandalf begins. "His name is Beorn. He is a skin changer." The dwarves look at each other with unease. "He's leaving," Ori remarks, his ear up to the door. "Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious, he's under some dark spell!" Dori exclaims, pulling Ori away from the door. "He is under no spell but his own," Gandalf replies sternly. "You'd better get some rest. We are safe here. Though he is not particularly fond of dwarves." Willow sinks to the ground, closing her eyes and leaning her head back on the post. "How are you feeling?" Fili asks, sitting next to her. Willow opens her eyes, looking over at the dwarf. "Honestly? I am overwhelmed. I have read of all sorts of things in books, studied maps of the land, but never have I encountered so much of the world, especially in such a short time. We have been chased by goblins, wargs, orcs, carried by eagles, and now a skin changer? It's almost too much," Willow rambles, drawing her knees to her chest. Fili feels for her. He is used to the wild, the terrors of the world. He scoots closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I should not have asked you to come with us. You were safe, you were warm and dry and unharmed. You had no reason to leave such a wonderful place," he says. Willow leans her head on his shoulder. "Fili, I was never meant to stay in Rivendell forever. Though I am half elf, I would never truly belong there for the rest of my life," she says. "I am glad I came, even with the danger it comes with. I came for the company, for myself, and for you." The last statement is so quiet, Fili barely hears it. Hope wells up inside him. Willow came for him. "I am glad you came as well, Willow," Fili replies. He gently kisses the top of her forehead. Thorin watches from afar, sitting next to Bilbo and Gandalf. "Their friendship is certainly growing," Bilbo remarks. "My dear Bilbo, I do believe they are forming more than just a friendship," Gandalf smiles warmly. Thorin chuckles, shaking his head. "What is it?" Bilbo asks innocently. "I was unsure of her at first. What elf would leave the comforts of Imladris for a party of dwarves?" Thorin says. "One who is just as much dwarf as she is elf," Gandalf says. "They seem happy," Bilbo adds. Thorin nods, smiling at his nephew. "Yes, master hobbit. They do seem quite happy," Thorin says, leaning back and closing his eyes. "As long as their happiness does not interfere with the purpose of this quest, they shall continue to be happy." Bilbo looks over at Gandalf, who shakes his head, leaning back and shutting his eyes. Bilbo lies down in a pile of hay, hands folded behind his head, the sound of snoring dwarves lulling him to sleep.

A/N: Sorry for the short introductory chapter! Hopefully we'll get into some action here soon enough :)