the Stowaway (Hobbit fan-fic)

Chapter 10

"The elven gate," Gandalf said. He looked back at the company, who were mounted on ponies. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood."

"No sign of the Orcs," Dwalin commented while dismounting. "We have luck on our side."

"Set the ponies loose," the wizard instructed as everyone climbed off their ponies. "Let them return to their master."

Bilbo looked at the forest before them.

"This forest feels sick," he said, "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."

I watched as Gandalf approached the statue of the elven queen. He paused before quickly pulling back the vines. I gasped when I saw a red eye painted on her skirt. Gandalf stared at it for a minute.

"The High Fells," he muttered. "So be it." He quickly turned and hurried back to the company. "Not my horse! I need it."

Everyone looks at the wizard, shocked.

"You're leaving us?" Bilbo asked him.

"I would not do this unless I had to." He paused and looked directly at 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."

"Found what? What did you find?"

"My courage."

"Good. Well, that's good. You'll need it." The wizard stopped to look at Thorin. "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." He mounted his horse. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray?" I heard Bilbo mutter to Dwalin. "What does that mean?"

"You must stay on the path," Gandalf instructed as it started to rain. "Do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." The wizard turned his horse away and started to ride off. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"

"Come on," Thorin said. "We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day."

"Durin's Day. Let's go!"

"This is our one chance to find the hidden door."

~

I followed the company as they trudged through the forest. They moved slowly as not to lose the path. They came to the broken bridge, which they managed to cross, but Bombur fell in the water, forcing the dwarves to have to carry him. I could tell the forest was affecting them heavily by the way they walked and how they spoke to one another. Bilbo seemed to be the only one with common sense.

"Look," Ori said at one point.

"A tobacco pouch," Dori said. "There's dwarves in these woods."

"Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less," Bofur added. "This is exactly the same as mine."

"Because it is yours," Bilbo told him. "You understand? We're going round in circles. We are lost."

"We're not lost," Dwalin said. "We keep heading east."

"But which way is east?" Oin asked, looking around. "We've lost the sun."

"The sun," Bilbo said looking up into the trees above, but not spotting me. "We have to find the sun. Up there. We need to-"