The Last One

Chapter 29

Radagast burst through the foliage on a wooden sled drawn by large rabbits.

"Radagast! Radagast the Brown. Ah. What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf asked after clarifying that the odd wizard was of no threat, though Ruive already knew that.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." Radagast panted looking rather distressed.

"Yes?" The grey wizard inquired.

Radagast opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it having forgot what he was going to say. 

"Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue." 

Radagast opened his mouth to reveal a stick insect. 

"Oh, it's not a thought at all; it's a silly old..."

Gandalf pulled the insect out of Radagast's mouth which made many of the dwarves shiver at the sight, but Ruive simply shook her head at the wizard clad in brown.

"-stick insect!" Radagast said smiling. 

Gandalf and Radagast walked a little ways off away from the company's prying ears. Had she been bothered, Ruive would have listened in but she respected their privacy and the business of wizards were of no concern to her. Ruive was leaning against a tree while the rest of the company talked amongst themselves. Ruive smiled kindly as a nervous hobbit shuffled over to her.

"I-I wanted to thank you for saving us from the trolls." Bilbo said shyly scratching the back of his next.

"I cannot take all the credit, after all you did delay the trolls long enough for my rescue plan to work."

Bilbo looked at the ground bashfully not wanting Ruive to see him blush. Ruive held back a laugh not wanting to make the hobbit more embarrassed, it was then she notice a small sword hanging on Bilbo's hip. She could tell it was elvish and was perfectly sized for him.

"Tis a fine blade you have there Master Baggins." Ruive nodded towards Bilbo's new sword.

"Oh, um Gandalf gave it to me, though I've never used one before and quite frankly I hope not to." Bilbo said holding the hilt with his left hand.

"As do I, but a time may come where you will have to use it. I could teach you a few basic skills if you'd like?" Ruive asked.

"Really? I-um that would be nice, thank you." 

Ruive nodded her head. 

"Have you named it yet?"

Bilbo shook his head, brown curls flying around.

 "No, I'm not sure what or how to name a sword."

Ruive placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"Do not fret Bilbo, you'll know what to name it when the time is right."

Bilbo nodded slightly, his eyes flickering to the long sword on Ruive's left hip. 

"Does your's have a name?" Bilbo nodded towards the sword in question causing Ruive to glance down at it.

She ran her fingers over the hilt and sheath, tapping it lightly. 

"This is Narmacil. It means Fire sword in elvish. It was my mother's before me." 

Bilbo was about to say something, but a distant howl caught everyone's attention.  

"Was that a wolf? Are there--are there wolves out there?" Bilbo asked fear laced in his voice.