Illegal love ~ the skinchanger book 1 *under construction*

Part 1

A pack of orcs, riding on wargs, was chasing right behind The Company of Thorin Oakenshield, through a forest. Gandalf the Grey was leading the way, knowing exactly where to go. Suddenly they heard a wolf howl, and the orcs scream of fear. "Come on, no time to loose!," Gandalf yelled, looking back at the dwarves and Bilbo following him.

The company broke through the forest, and a big field opened before them. Something came right behind Bilbo, the last one of The Company. Something fast. Something big.

Gandalf stopped and turned around, making the others do the same. Towards them came a big, majestic, white wolf with black blood around its mouth, in high speed. Suddenly it stopped, only a few meters in front of them.

The dwarves and Bilbo drew their weapons, as Gandalf stood there calm. "Just keep calm, maybe it will calm down too," Bilbo stuttered, but Ori was adverse and fired a stone from his slingshot. It hit the wolf between its eyes.

The wolf started circling them, and growled low. "I did not mean that, I am sorry," Ori said careful. The wolf stepped closer to Gandalf, but he did not move. The others in The Company stepped closer, ready to protect him.

"He will not step any closer," Fili said, making sure to move his sword a little more, as a show-off.

"But wait," Bilbo said. "Where is the orcs?" They all started looking around in wonder.

"The wolf must have eaten them," Balin said surprised.

"Then it helped us. We cannot kill it," Ori said, stepping forward.

"Shh! The wolf tried to kill us, but failed. Now it will serve as a nice fur coat," Thorin said proudly.

Gandalf, who had been standing silent besides Bilbo, suddenly spoke up. "Thorin, that is not a nice thing to say about our host!"

Thorin looked shocked at him. "What? Our host? Why did you not tell us that when it came chasing after us?," Thorin asked frustrated, and switched his look between Gandalf and the wolf.

"Because I thought you, who have been in this land for so long, knew who she is," Gandalf started as he stepped closer to the wolf. "She is one of, or should I say, Beorn's closest friend. She is, in a way living with him. That girl have never hurt an innocent soul, ever. She is a smart girl, and knows when to save a life, and when to take one. Her name is Aspect; a majestic, mysterious and fearless wolf, and a lovely, kind and beautiful girl. Her eyes as green as the grass midsummer, her hair white as the snow in deep winter. The whole girl is a big mystery." He lay his hand on her head and looked at her as he spoke, and she suddenly calmed down. "Say that you are sorry when she changes back," Gandalf commanded strictly, looking at Thorin and Ori.

Suddenly, Aspect changed back to human. She slowly stood up at her bare feet as she dried blood away from her mouth, and spit. "You can say it now and get it over with," she said, trying to calm down her wild hair before brushing off dirt from her clothes and straightening a white stone hanging from a necklace around her neck. 

"Excuse me, Lady Aspect," Thorin said and bowed deeply.

"I am very sorry," Ori said, trying to bow as deep and majestic as Thorin. Aspect nodded satisfied before she turned to Fili who had been standing speechless, staring at her.

"And I am not a boy!," she snarked at him.

"I can see that now. I am sorry," Fili said, bowing too.

"I would never kill anyone without any reason. And I ate none-tasteful orcs for lunch, thank you for asking," Aspect said. "I saved your life, and maybe I will one more time when Beorn heads home, if, of course, none of you use my fur as a coat before that time." Aspect glanced over them all. "It maybe looked like I wanted to kill you, but I know who you are. I was full of adrenalin. I had just killed some orcs and fought some wolves-," Aspect suddenly stopped and stared into the forest behind them. Her white wolf-ears shot out from her head.