the Stowaway (Hobbit fan-fic)

Chapter 3

The next morning, I woke up before the sun. I sat up in the bushes I was still hiding in and stretched. I pulled some lembas bread out of my bag and ate a little. I glanced out over the Shire. The sun had not yet risen, but the sky was starting to lighten and change colors. I sighed, amazed at how beautiful it was. My attention suddenly snapped back to Bilbo's house. I could hear the dwarves inside. Some of them were starting to stir from their sleep. I quickly placed my quiver on my back, along with my swords and bow, then wrapped my cloak around me. Pulling the hood up to hide my blonde hair, I silently climbed out of the bushes and started towards the dirt road. I took a quick glance back at the hobbit hole before sprinting off towards the woods that Gandalf had talked about last night.

I reach the woods in less than fifteen minutes. I slowed my pace and rested for a few moments before hoisting myself into a tall tree. I lost track on time as I sat there. I looked over the Shire as the sun rose higher over the hobbit holes. Soon, I could see a group of ponies traveling towards the woods where I was hiding. I crouched on my branched and watched them carefully. As they got closer, I relaxed. It was the company. I quickly counted them as they drew nearer. One wizard and thirteen dwarves. I froze.

Where was Bilbo?

I looked at Gandalf, who was glancing at the tree around him. He finally spotted me and seemed to relax.

"Mas i'perian (Where is the hobbit?)" I asked quietly so only he could hear.

"Hon thel pol-tolle brêg far (He will join us soon enough)," he replied in the same tone.

I nodded and adjusted my hood. I waited until the company had moved ahead of me before I started to move. I jumped from tree to tree, landing soundlessly on the branches. I rolled my eyes at the dwarves below me as they placed bets on whether or not Bilbo was going to join them. Most of the dwarves thought the hobbit would not show. Bofur, Ori, Kili, Fili, Bombur, Oin, and Gandalf bet he would show. I wasn't quite sure, but if Gandalf believed that Bilbo would come, I would go off of that.

Sure enough, I could hear the hobbit running after us, not even half an hour later. I stopped on a branch and turned to look through the trees. I could see Bilbo rushing towards the company. I smiled when I saw the contract in his hand.

"Wait!" he shouted when he saw the company. "Wait!" The dwarves stop their ponies, some of them groaning in annoyance. Bilbo ran over to Balin and smiled. "I signed it!"

"Everything appears to be in order," Balin said with a smile. "Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

Multiple dwarves cheered, most likely because they won their bets. I smiled down at the hobbit. From where I was, I could see a small smile on Gandalf's face from under his hat.

"Give him a pony," Thorin ordered.

Bilbo had a small look of shock and panic on his face and quickly spoke up.

"No, no, no, no, that--that won't be necessary, thank you, but I--I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I-- I--I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know." I watched as Fili and Kili rode up behind him, reaching their arms down to the unsuspecting hobbit. "I even got as far as Frogmorton once--!"

He cried out suddenly as the princes grabbed him from under his arms and lifted him onto a pony. I struggled to hold back my laugh, but managed to calm myself enough to keep following the company without making a sound. After a few minutes, with Bilbo looking uncomfortable on his pony, the dwarves began talking again.

"Come on, Nori," Oin said, "pay up. Go on."

Nori grumbled and tossed the half-deaf dwarf a sack of coins.