The Heart of a Warrior (Dwalin and OC fanfiction)

The brute

I have always kept to myself, wandering the wilds alone. I did miss company from time to time but most of the time I was used to being alone with my own thoughts. Why was I alone? Because I was a threat to others. I am the one, you call a skin-changer. There aren't many of us left here in Middle-Earth and most of us keep to ourselves.

I come from a long line of skin-changers. My mother could turn herself into a ferret and my father to an small bird. I, on the other hand, was a big white wolf. I used to love roaming around the woods, being one with the nature and to hunt in my wolf form. My parents always told me not to act to hasty but I never listened to them. True, I was never good in controlling myself in my wolf form but I never worried about that much. What's the worst that could happen in the forest? Or so I thought.

My heart always aches as I remember back to the day, I killed my own brother. I had gone hunting that day and was running after a deer when my brother noticed me and started running towards me, trying to play with me. He was never afraid of me. I was too distracted by the smell of fresh blood so I killed my brother cold-heartedly. I broke down later, when I turned back into my human form and saw my brother. I promised myself to never change again. 

After that, my parents did try to hold me back. I'm surprised that they didn't hate me while I did hate myself the most. Running away and being to myself was hard at first but now, 25 years later, I have gotten used to the fact that I have to stay away from my wolf form and other people, or so I thought.

It was a sunny day near the Dunlands as I was eating my supper, a rabbit I had shot down with a arrow just a hour before. "Is the rabbit any good?" asked a voice behind me. I took my sword quickly and turned around. I sighed as I noticed the wandering wizard, Gandalf the Grey. "What are you doing here?" I asked him. Gandalf smiled as he sat beside me "Business, nothing for you to worry about." I handed him a rabbit but he politely declined "Oh no, I had a slight breakfast in Isengard." I nodded as I asked Gandalf "How is the White Wizard?" He smiled as he replied "White as always." 

"You seem even fairer than before, " pointed Gandalf out. "Maybe your eyes have gotten old," I suggested, eating last pieces of the rabbit. I had always been the shortest in our family. While others were close to the elvish height or even more, then I was close to the height of a dwarf. I did got my mothers golden locks and blue eyes. Other than that, there was nothing special about me. I was well-built thanks to the constant travelling but no more than other warriors. I couldn't really call myself a warrior either, only a coward. 

Gandalf laughed as he said "I sure have missed your comments, lady Vysenna. "Me too, Gandalf, me too," I mumbled. Gandalf then went ahead and told me about a quest to reclaim a certain dwarven kingdom. "But... How will you defeat the dragon?" I asked Gandalf. Erebor, a mighty kingdom, had found it's end thanks to Smaug the Terrible. He was a fierce dragon, guarding it's treasure for the end of his days. "With a little burglary," smirked Gandalf. "What have you got in mind?" I asked the wizard, while being overly curious. Gandalf then invited me "Come with me and join the company of Thorin Oakenshield and you'll see, what I have planned out." I sighed as I replied "I can't, you know that." The wizard nodded and said "You can't hide forever and I believe you can control it now." 

"I don't know, Gandalf," I mumbled. He smiled as he said "Well, if you decide to come along and I really hope you do, then come to the Shire two full moons away from now. You'll see, there is a mark on the door." I promised him to think about it and Gandalf drove away with his horse. 

Going to an adventure seemed interesting but I didn't know if I was ready for it. I had been able to control my inner self for the past ten years but only thanks to staying away from other people. Could I really find it in myself to join an dwarvish adventure? Would they even accept me?