Blackfoot

Chapter 4

Morning came quickly and Selene found herself waiting just beyond the borders of Bree, the dwarves in town bartering for horses. She had slept little, her wolf being agitated all night, and waiting for the dwarves now was not helping. She was unsurprised that Bilbo was missing.

The faint smell of orc was still on the road.

Impatiently, she ran her fingers through her hair and ruffles it in frustration. She never understood why it seemed to help.

The smell of horses reach her nose and she looks up to see them leading over sixteen ponies.

"About time." She growls, more than eager to be moving.

"The black one is yours." Balin said, point at the one next to his own.

She stares at it, unease settling in her stomach. If there was one creature that she did not like and vice versa, it was horses. Even as Balin led it over to her, it tried to shy away. She hadn't expected them to get her one.

"Um...I'm good with walking." She said, eyeing the pony off. "I don't have a good relationship with horses."

Sure enough, as Balin brought the creature forward, it started whining and pulling away, kicking it's legs out in the air and she stepped back.

"You're not afraid of horses are you?" Gandalf asked, a little incredulously.

"No. We just don't like each other." She said.

Selene still remembered the first time she'd got near one, it had virtually panicked and kicked her in the chest, sending her flying. Each experience after had been not much different.

"Look, I can keep up, it's not an issue. Just dump all your gear on that one." She took another step away from it, causing it to calm a little.

"Of all the animals I have seen you tame and you can't approach a little pony?" Gandalf's voice was filled with laughter.

"It's not from lack of trying I assure you." She growls. "Look, are we going to get moving or what?"

The argument continued until the dwarves realised that there was no way they were going to get her on one, however, as they started, it became clear that she could easily keep up. Her powerful legs were used to long journeys and this was no different.

It was almost midday when Selene stopped, her ear twitching as she could hear running feet.

"Wait!"

It was Bilbo, waving his contract around and puffing to catch up with them. Selene smiles as he hands it over, signed and all. The little hobbit was braver than she thought.

The first few days and nights passed peacefully, the dwarves taking a shine to Selene, especially Fili and Kili, who were more than happy to practically talk non-stop about anything and everything, they were both particularly fascinated by her tales of killing orcs, which seemed to agitate Thorin, the only one who seemed to be avoiding any sort of conversation with her. It bothered her but she said nothing.

Those first few nights it also didn't take them long to notice Selene's odd habit. As soon as the decision to make camp was made, she would sit down and practically throw off her shoes, spending the rest of the night barefoot, no matter if she was walking around still or not. The following morning there would also be muttered curses as she had to put them back on.

None of them were game enough to ask her about it.

That night's camp was on the edge of a lookout, Fili and Kili were on watch, Selene stood at the edge, barefoot, overlooking the land before them, there was the faint smell of orc in the air and she did not like it. Gandalf sat to the side, puffing away at his pipe watching her, he knew something was bothering her, could tell in the way she was standing, but he did not ask.