The Skinchanger's Human Mate

Chapter Four

baby the goat. TW: Mention of tabaco use, also I don't how pipes work so please be nice.

Lily opened her eyes and was met with the ceiling of Beorn's house and there was a depiction of the woods carved right above the bed. She turned to see Beorn sleeping, he looked uncomfortable, and she slipped from the bed and brought one of the furs from the bed and placed it over the sleeping man, watching him for a little bit. The man looked very handsome, there were small scars on his face, his chest was littered with scars, she wanted to fix the pain, they looked like he had been stabbed. "How long have you been staring?" Lily squeaked and tripped a little on the edge of the fur and ended up landing on Beorn's chest. "I am so sorry." She tried to get up, but his arm was snaked around her, and he is incredibly strong. "You never answered the question." He said while she moved to be a little more comfortable because she was a little squished with how she had fell. "Only a little while." She blushed and touched his chest right above his heart trying to get up, but she stopped feeling his heart and the way he groaned when she touched him. "Did you cover me up?" She blushed again and nodded. "You looked a little cold." She admitted and he smiled at her, and she wanted to see it again. "My sweet mate." He looked her up and down making her feel a little strange but soon he stood with her in his arms gently placing her on her feet. "I am going to make food." She looked at him and then saw his back, it was covered in scars, more so than his chest and she wanted to cry, over what had happened to him. She watched him, he was surprising gentle with the animals as he collected things to make food. Even the goat she had called baby. "What is their name?" She pet the goat who leaned into her hands. "No name. I just found her wandering in the woods last month with a broken leg." She looked at the goat and noticed the small splint on her leg. "Poor baby." She kissed the goat on the horns and rubbed her side. "Baby?" He looked at her and she placed a hand on his arm. "She seems to like being called baby." Lily shrugged and the goat bleated at them before going back to eating hay and Beorn went to check on the chickens. "How many animals do you have?" Lily still didn't have shoes, but she could see what might hurt her. "Chickens, Pigs, Horses, sheep, and the goats. I help heal them, so they can either go back to the wild or stay here, it's their choice." He picked up a baby lamb and she saw the mother coming up to him and rubbing on his leg. "Do they all stay?" She was surprised when two more lambs came bounding over to her. "Some do. The sheep and chickens stay, some of the goats have stayed because of the chickens." He gently placed the lamb down and picked up a giant pitcher that he filled with water from the well he had. The well had moss and vines with flowers growing around the sides, it was gorgeous to look at, the whole garden was. Flowers, vines, vegetables, and herbs, the animals that walked around free and the beehives and gigantic bees that she was slightly afraid of. He brought the water and eggs in the table was gigantic and the legs and chairs were covered in carvings of bears, wolves, and other animals but the thing that caught her eye was the carving at the chair at the head of the table, a bear with lily of the valley all around it. "Did you make all of this?" She was looking at him and he looked away, but she thought she saw a hint of a blush. "I made this house and all within it." She was picked up and placed on the chair at the head of the table. "You are amazing, these carvings are amazing." She traced her fingers along the carvings at the edge of the table there were plants carved on the edge, mostly flowers and bear cubs. "I carve to pass time in the dark winter." He admitted and she was soon handed a small mug of coffee, he was making something that she couldn't identify but it smelled amazing, and she wanted to help but he when she moved to stand, he would gently place a hand on her shoulder till she sat down again. "Can I help at all?" Lily didn't like not helping, she felt useless, and she wanted to repay him for helping her and letting her sleep in his bed last night. "You need to rest. Drink your coffee." He smiled at her, and she took a sip of the black coffee, she never drank black coffee, and it was too strong for her. Without a word he placed milk and honey next to her. She added a little bit of both to the mug and it was nice, she smiled at him, and he continued with his work. "What do you do during the day?" He just placed plates on the table. "Work." He went back to his food, and she nodded, maybe he wasn't a morning person. After he had food cooling on the table, he went outside to split firewood and Lily saw the first of the dwarves awaken with Gandalf. "Good morning, Lily." Gandalf sounded far to cheerful, and she wanted to smack him. "You know that you have to explain why you brought dwarves to his house." She stated and went over to the door to see Beorn was chopping wood, it looked as if it was so easy for him. "Well, no matter." He said with a forced smile, he hadn't seen what Beorn was doing. The dwarves were speaking in dwarfish, and they seemed to be in an argument. "I think we should slip out the back way." Nori said before Dwalin grabbed the front of his shirt and growled. "I am not running from anyone, beast or not." They started to fight only for Gandalf to stop them. "There is no point in arguing. We cannot pass through the wilderland without Beorn's help. We'll be hunted down before we even reached the forest." He began to fix his robes and hair while the others started to do the same and Lily shook her head at them before facing Beorn again. The man took the time to pet one of the sheep before turning back to the wood. "Bilbo, there you are. This may require some delicate handling. We must tread carefully the last person to cross him was torn to shreds." Lily looked at Gandalf in shock. "Torn to shreds?" Lily now felt fear, the man who was gentle with his animals, the man who had bandaged and cleaned her feet had torn someone to shreds. "I will go first and Bilbo you'll come with me." He held out his hand, even though Bilbo slightly hid behind Thorin. "Oh, I'm sorry is that really a good idea?" Bilbo stuttered and Lily saw Thorin pat the hobbit on the arm. "Yes. Now the rest of you wait here and don't come out until I give the signal." Gandalf also moved Lily with him. "You can stay with the others." He told her only she was not going to do that. "Fuck that." She muttered under her breath and glared at the wizard. "Wait for the signal yes." Bifur nodded climbing onto a barrel by the window. "Now none of you make any sudden movements, or noises, and don't do the crowding thing. Only come out in pairs. Okay?" They nodded and Bilbo was pulled closer to Gandalf and Thorin made a noise of discontent. "Oh, and Bomber." The ginger dwarf looked up from the jerky he was eating to look at Gandalf, he almost looked like a child that just wanted to eat his snack in peace. "You count as two so come out alone." Gandalf said and Lily wanted to smack him when she saw the small tears in the dwarf's eyes. "Remember wait for the signal." Gandalf turned at that and began to walk out with Bilbo, while Lily followed behind. "What signal would that be?" Bifur asked as the left and Lily hoped they figured it out soon, because she didn't want to be killed by the giant bear man. Gandalf gulped audibly when Beorn swung down the axe on another log and a hand through the long grey hair on his head. Clearing his throat trying to appear calm even though he had a white-knuckle grip on his staff. "Your nervous." Bilbo pointed out and Lily wanted to say 'no shit' but didn't because she really didn't want to waste air on the wizard who might just be leading them to their death. "Nervous? What nonsense." Gandalf's hands were shaky, and Lily smiled to herself, he was nervous and she kinda hoped that Beorn would call him out on his shit. "Morning!" He called out as Beorn grunted when the axe swung down and split a particularly thick log. Lily saw Bilbo's face become white in fear and Beorn swung his axe again and nearly hit Gandalf with it. "Whoa." He jumped back to avoid it and Lily smiled at Beorn. "Good morning." Gandalf said again with a forced smile and a sing-song voice. Beorn paused his posture going rigid in annoyance. "Who are you?" His voice was rough, and Lily nearly melted, because god his voice was hot. "I am Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey." Gandalf bowed a little as did Bilbo. Beorn turned around, looking very intimidating, tall, strong, and very hot. "Never heard of him." He growled out and Lily smiled from behind Gandalf and Beorn's look softened a little when he saw her. Gandalf was embarrassed and soon he straightened and tried again. "I am a wizard. Perhaps you heard of my collogue Radagast the Brown he resides in the southern borders of Mirkwood." He sounded very nervous, and she couldn't see Bilbo he was most likely trying to hide from the man more than three feet taller than him. "What do you want?" Beorn narrowed his eyes, and he was gripping the axe tighter. "Well simply to thank you for your hospitality. You may have noticed we took refuge in your lodgings here last night." He pointed to the house behind him, and Lily wanted to smack the man upside his head. "And. and." Before Gandalf could finish any of the two sentences, he had started Bilbo poked his head out from behind the old wizard. "Who is this little fellow?" The chain on his arm made a sick metallic clanking sound as his arm moved. "Oh, well this would be Mr. Baggins from the shire." Beorn lifted the axe a little a show of his strength. "He is not a dwarf, is he?" He looked distrustfully at Bilbo who looked about ready to faint. "Why no. No. He is a hobbit. Good family, and unimpeachable reputation." Gandalf pat Bilbo on the back a few times and the hobbit seemed pleased when Gandalf talked about his good name and reputation. "A halfling and a wizard? How come you here?" Beorn looked at them with a glare. "Well, the fact is, we have had a bad time of it. With goblins and mountains." Gandalf said and Lily wanted to move away from them not only because Beorn was glaring at them, but she wanted to have a better view of Beorn. "What did you go near goblins for? Stupid thing to do." Beorn said making Lily snicker. "You are absolutely right." Gandalf had moved his arm up and down in a way that it could be seen from the window. He looked surprised when Balin and Dwalin left the house and stood behind him. Beorn lifted the axe and growled while looking at Gandalf and if looks could kill he would be dead. "Dwalin, Balin." Dwalin said quietly as the old looking dwarf waved a little. "Ah, and I, I, must confess several of our group are in fact dwarves." Gandalf looked very guilty as he should. "Do you call two, several?" He looked at the dwarves in anger and Lily wondered why he hated them so much. "Uh, well." Gandalf made a few sputtering noises. "Yes, there may be more than two." He turned a little to look at the dwarves. Oin and Gloin joined bowing and looking forward. "Here are some more of our happy troop." Gandalf smiled with his arm outstretched towards the four dwarves. "And do you call six a troop?" Beorn sounded angry now and Lily walked over to him, wanting to calm him down but not knowing how. "What are you a traveling circus?" Ori and Nori showed themselves. "Nori, and Ori. At your service." The two stupid dwarves said with their hands shown clearly as they had no weapons. "I don't want your service." He growled at them, and Lily placed a hand on his arm, and he loosened his grip on the axe looking at her and moving so she was slightly shielded from the dwarves. "Absolutely understandable." Gandalf held up his hand again and soon more dwarves this time Fili and Kili left the house. "Ah, Fili and Kili, I had forgot." Gandalf was smiling in the way a child did when caught in a lie. Beorn lifted the axe fully in his arms and stood in a protective way of Lily. "Oh yes and Dori, Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur." He introduced as the dwarves tumbled out of the house, making Lily want to smack all of them. Gandalf said to come out in pairs, not all at once and only six dwarves had listened. "Is that it? Are there more?" Beorn sounded angry and Lily was starting to fear a little, but soon she touched his arm again and moved to his side, keeping her hand on his arm, and totally not thinking about how strong the skinchanger was. Thorin reveled himself from behind the pillar of the door and Beorn looked at all the dwarves in anger but put the axe down when they were seen to be unarmed, and they were at his mercy. They went inside and Beorn tossed on a shirt, that was more of a vest and Lily was a little disappointed. "So, you are the one they call Oakenshield." Beorn said to Thorin as he poured water for everyone and gave Lily another mug of coffee with milk and honey. "Tell me. Why is Azog the defiler hunting you?" He didn't look at the others but kept his eyes on Lily as she took a sip of her coffee and smiled at him. "You know of Azog? How?" Thorin sounded surprised as if the one orc was after him only. "My people were the first to live in the mountains. Before the orcs came down from the north. The defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved." Beorn held the water pitcher a little closer and Lily then realized what the shackle on his arm was. A horrid memory of the past, of the death of his family. "Not for work you understand, but for sport." Lily looked at him with tears beginning to blur her vision.  "Caging and skinchangers and torturing them seemed to amuse him." He finished filling the other Dwarves mugs before sitting next to Lily. "There are others like you?" Bilbo asked looking at the giant of a man. "Once there were many." Beorn looked sad for a moment before he saw tears in Lily's eyes. "And now?" Bilbo asked and Lily could tell already from Beorn's face what his answer was. "Now there is one." He growled out and Lily felt the tears come no matter what. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn." Beorn was changing the subject and Lily didn't blame him for wanting to change it. "Before Durin's day falls, yes." Gandalf was smoking his pipe and Lily saw Beorn move towards a giant pipe were the bowl looked like a roaring bear. "You are running out of time." He lit the pipe and for a split second his black eyes seemed to glow. "Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." Beorn's expression changed. "A darkness lies upon that forest. Foul things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the orcs of Moria and the Necromancer of Dul Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need." Beorn looked at the dwarves his warning was clear. "We will take the elven road their path is still safe." "Safe." Beorn scoffed. "The wood elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They are less wise and more dangerous, but it matters not." Thorin turned to face the skinchanger. "What do you mean?" Beorn took moment to answer taking a drag from his pipe. "These lands are crawling with orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot." The dwarves all looked at each other as Beorn spoke. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn stood and Lily watched him walk over to the youngest dwarves in the group. "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." Fili flicked a little mouse off his arm and Beorn held it gently in his hand letting it crawl up his arm and rest in one of the pockets of the vest. "But orcs I hate more." He growled and Lily understood why, the man had more of a reason that anyone else here to hate the orcs, even this Azog one. "What do you need?" He asked Thorin who nodded his head at the skinchanger.