The Company of Wolves

Chapter 15: Bear vs. Wolves

*A few weeks later*

As they had been travelling day by day, the girls healed very quickly like they said they would. Much faster than normal, as by day three they were already running and jumping over rocks like it was nothing. The company had moved rather faster than normal, getting up before sunrise and not resting until well after dark. Gandalf and Thorin thought it was best to put as much distance between them and Azog as they could.

Rhea and Kili had stuck together almost the entire time, only separating when the girls wanted to hunt or play chase and tackle as they traveled. They were also getting along much better with all the dwarves as the time they fought an entire pack of wargs to save their lives tended to relax them much more with the girls' nature.

They still slept together though, even though repeatedly Kili asked if Rhea could come closer to him when they rested, but each time she refused saying she needed to stay with her pack. But that's all she would say for now, because the real reason is she was terrified of Dakota and Ash. She had thought over the night they had first kissed, repeatedly. She believes she might have marked him somehow, or they were marked together in a sense. She knew it was a wolf thing, but she had such little knowledge about her culture before they were transported here, she didn't know what it truly meant.

However, almost like it was embedded into their brains, like centuries of this wolf thing has happened, was telling her that she definitely imprinted on Kili. She wasn't sure how, or why him, or what it means. But she sure as hell didn't say anything to anyone about it yet. All she felt was this massive urge to just be around him all the time and protect him. Like she's known him her whole life or something. It was crazy this emotion she felt. She guessed her previous feelings for him amplified tremendously once the mark was made.

The one thing she was scared of though, was how Dakota and Ash were going to react about it. If she truly marked Kili, and they were supposed to go home after this entire journey, could she truly leave him behind? She couldn't even bear the thought and she knew the bond would only get stronger with time. But separating herself from her pack, was the other half of her heart ripping away.

This was her mindset for weeks and it was driving her absolutely bonkers.

Ash had a temper yes, but she could certainly understand situations and handle them better even when her emotions aren't entirely positive for it. Dakota on the other hand, clearly wouldn't approve of her being with one of these dwarves, especially if it broke apart the pack. So in the end, Rhea decided she was going to tell Ash first, deal with that, and then she can have some backup when she approached Dakota.

She hoped.

With a plan in mind, all Rhea had to do next was figure out how to tell Ash she kissed a dwarf prince.

In her defense, they haven't actually kissed since that one time. They had been constantly surrounded by the company and could never truly get some alone time. Besides Rhea couldn't let it, Dakota and Ash would notice in a heartbeat if she tried hiding secret meetings with Kili.

But not ever touching him so closely or kissing him again actually made Rhea depressed, and she knew the girls were catching on to it.

Once Ash had sniffed out the nearby scent of wargs a day and a half ago, the company was sent into a traveling panic. They had slept very little for two nights now, and were moving at astonishing paces to keep ahead of the warg pack and Azog.

Somehow the beasts had tracked them after the Eagles put some great distance in between them. They managed to be sniffed out after weeks of moving about and being careful where they were camped.

So in worry, Gandalf stopped them near a cliff surrounded by rocks and told Bilbo to go up and see how close they were. Since he was the smallest and quietest, he was the best choice. Ash watched him closely as he crept up on his knees just far enough to pop his head out into the open.