The Company of Wolves

Chapter 17: Too Many Questions

"We can't just leave her."

Ash sighed as Bilbo once again brought it up, she knew she was still upset at her packmate but they really had no time to dally as the days were getting shorter for the dwarves to find and enter their home.

She tightened a strap or two on the pony while he looked down at her waiting for her response.

"Bilbo, Dakota can very easily track us down." She replied, hoping he would take that, but no its Bilbo, so of course he didn't.

"What if it rains?"

"Then it rains." Ash gripped the blanket on the pony a little too tightly.

"She can't track us in the rain."

"Yes she can. I doubt she even went that far."

"What if she did?"

"Bilbo!" Ash quipped loudly, releasing her temper at his impossible questions.

Bilbo didn't even flinch, he was used to her outbursts. He was also more worried about the fact that Ash wasn't worried.

After Dakota had bolted, a few moments had gone by before Rhea woke up with a fuzzy head. Ash had comforted her until she got her bearings and everybody was relieved she was quite okay, just a bit stunned. Kili had loved all over her face, putting his hands around her cheeks and was pleased she wasn't hurt and that she was letting him pet her. Her large hazel eyes blinked softly at him as he rubbed her ears and forehead, smiling at her and the fact that he was actually able to pet this massive and ferociously dangerous wolf right in front of him.

They didn't have long though as Beorn warned that the orcs were catching up to them, so they all immediately went for the ponies without another thought. Bilbo however, wouldn't drop the subject about Dakota, for Ash was very much still pissed at the brown she-wolf for her explosion on Rhea.

"Ash I'm just worried." Bilbo told her after a moment of silence.

Ash rolled her eyes, "Yes I noticed. But I'm not really in the mood to talk about her right now, she can find her way to us. She's the one who decided to run away anyways."

Bilbo sighed and watched her walk away and over to Rhea who was chatting with Kili. Thorin called over to Gandalf that time was wasting and the grey wizard nodded. He was speaking to Beorn about something and Ash tried catching some of the words far over where she stood.

They were speaking of a evil across these lands, and that the orcs were gathering together in Dol Guldur. Some kind of alliance? With who though? And why was Gandalf so worried about it?

"Ready?" Rhea's voice shook her out of her thoughts and she looked over at her, before nodding.

"You going to be able to keep up?" Kili asked, raising a brow.

Rhea twisted her head to give him a look, "Are you suggesting that I'm slow?"

Kili smirked but then dropped it and shook his head. "Course not."

"Oooh boy, you're gonna eat dirt today." Rhea challenged, before shifting into her wolf. Her hazel eyes met Kili's and she lifted her tail high in the air. Most of the dwarves were looking pretty serious but Kili and Rhea seemed to be the only ones trying to make the most of running from orcs. Again.

'C'mon Ash, let's go!' Rhea barked and trotted in a circle, her mouth open.

Ash took a deep breath and tried to keep her cool, before shifting into her wolf and feeling the surge of power as soon as her muscles transformed, getting herself loose a little by shaking it off.