The Half-Blood (A Hobbit Fanfiction)

Mirkwood

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." Gandalf told the skin-changer. "A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need." Gandalf looked down at the cheese sitting on his plate. "We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe." Beorn stared at Gandalf, doubt gleaming in his eyes.

"Safe? The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not." Thorin gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?" "These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn stood up from the table and faced Thorin. "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." The skin-changer picked up a mouse scattering across the table, and looked back at the dwarves. "But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?" Beorn took a step towards the dwarves, smiling.

As the skin-changer set up the ponies and horses, Rose walked up to Beorn. She gave him a small nod and shook his hand. "Thank you, Beorn. For letting us stay at your home." Beorn smiled. He leaned down and patted the half-blood on top of her head. "I am glad you came to visit, sly fox." He joked. Rose opened her mouth, but Gandalf called her over. "Rose, we must leave if we want to get to the mountain." Rose sighed and mounted her horse. She gave Beorn a wave, and the company set off. "Farewell, sly fox." Beorn said as he watched the company of Thorin Oakenshield ride of to Mirkwood.  

The group had ridden over the land quickly, but they slowed down to a stop once they arrived at the familiar Greenwoods, now called Mirkwood. Rose's eyes widened when she looked into the forest. It looked so...sickening and grim. Rose jumped off her horse and watched as Gandalf walked towards an ancient arch that stood at the entrance of the forest.  "The Elven Gate." He whispered. Rose reached forward and grabbed the wizard's sleeve. "Gandalf, why can we not go around? I cannot enter this forest; too many memories." Gandalf turned to her. "I am sorry dear, but we must go through." Rose sighed, looking down at her boots. The wizard kindly put his hand on Rose's shoulder, then turned to the dwarves. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Dwalin scanned the area and sighed in relief. "No signs of the Orcs. We have luck on our side."

"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master." Gandalf told the company. Everybody began to take off their supplies from their ponies. Bilbo walked towards the forest, staring into the trees. "This forest feels...sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?" "Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south." Gandalf began to walk past the arch, and Rose tried to not look into the forest. Rose started to help Nori unpack Gandalf's horse, but the wizard came running out of the bushes. "Not my horse, I need it!" Rose quickly took her hands off the saddle and looked at Gandalf. He's leaving again?  Bilbo looked at Gandalf with a pleading face. "You're not leaving us?" Gandalf sadly looked down at the hobbit. "I would not do this unless I had to." He exchanged glances with Rose and turned his gaze back to Bilbo. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire." "I was going to tell you; I...found something in the Goblin tunnels." Bilbo said. Gandalf gazed at Bilbo. "Found what?" Gandalf leaned down and suspiciously stared down at the hobbit. Rose watched as Bilbo placed his fingers in his pocket and began to fiddle with something. Bilbo did not immediately answer, but cleared his throat nervously. "My courage." Rose narrowed her eyes; Bilbo was lying. She could tell...it was actually obvious since he was acting all nervous, but the others seemed to not notice.

After Gandalf had left, Thorin lead the company into the forest. "Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Rose rushed to the front and stopped Thorin. "I will lead the way. I have lived here, so I know where to go; you have never been here, so let me in front." Thorin brushed past her, glaring in anger. "No, you will not, I do not trust you; for all that I know of, you will probably get us lost." Rose furrowed her eyebrows. "That is it! I have had it enough with you stubborn dwarf!" She muttered, bringing her hand back to grab an arrow. But when she almost grabbed an arrow, a strong hand stopped her from doing so. It was Dwalin. He shook his head. "Do not make it so hard for yourself. He is angry at you; just ignore him." He let go of her arm and caught up with Thorin. Rose growled, but she stayed at the back.