𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘖𝘍 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘙𝘐𝘕𝘎𝘚 + 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘏𝘖𝘉𝘉𝘐𝘛 𝘖𝘕𝘌𝘚𝘏𝘖𝘛𝘚

𝘛𝘏𝘖𝘙𝘕 𝘐𝘕 𝘔𝘠 𝘚𝘐𝘋𝘌 │𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥

FIFTEEN DAYS OF travel had passed since the company had left the comfort and safety of the Shire. So far, it had been quite an uneventful journey. They had been free of any outside interference–much to their appreciation–and everything was 'smooth sailing'. However, as they passed through the region of Bree, everything changed.

╰┈➤

The company had set up camp after another day's travel. They occupied a small space against the edge of a cliff. Most of them surrounded the fire as it crackled and burned brightly in the dark sky; warming them from the night's chill that threatened to seep past their clothes and into their bones.

A loud THUNK broke the silence–a half-eaten apple knocked against Dwalin's head, waking him from his doze.

The sound of snickers filled the air as the dwarf looked around the circle in search of the culprit. The group's collective feigned looks of innocence gave nothing away and, feeling much too tired to bother, Dwalin gave up his search. Grumbling to himself, he reclosed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree.

A few moments passed before another apple bounced off of his shiny head.

"Alright," he said with his thick accent, "Which one of you little buggers is looking for a beating?"

Once again laughter spilled from the dwarves as Dwalin stood up angrily, putting on his most threatening face as he peered around the group.

"It was Kili," Bofur pushed the younger dwarf up from where he sat.

"Was not...Gloin did it!" Kili pointed out dramatically across the fire.

"Why you," Dwalin turned to Gloin.

A ruckus broke out as the dwarves left their seats, each crowding over to stop Dwalin before he could do anything drastic. It didn't help. The noise grew as they began shoving and tackling each other. More apples were thrown in the boisterous, yet playful skirmish.

"Itkitî !" the voice of Thorin rang out from the dark.

The group immediately went silent as he stepped into view.

"Do you not realize your own foolishness? Anyone could hear you miles away," he turned away from the dying embers of the fire, "I'm going to chop more wood."

╰┈➤

The woods were quiet that night. The only sound to be heard was the gentle trill of crickets, crying out their lonely song to anyone who might listen and take pity.

Thorin trudged on in search of dead wood. But in truth, he wasn't really thinking about the wood. His mind was continually wandering, worrying over every possible problem that could occur. He was determined to reach Erebor, there was no doubt about that, but that didn't mean he was blind–he knew it would not be an infallible journey.

These thoughts continued to gnaw at his mind as he finally set to laying his ax into a fallen log.

Watching from afar, unseen and unheard, was a ranger–one of the Dunedain. Far down from the north she had traveled at the request of one of her dearest friends. He had told her of a quest that he wished her to join. Although he had given little details, she had jumped at the chance, afterall; it wasn't often that she got the chance to accompany the wise gray wizard.