Taming the Wolf (A Hobbit Fanfic)

Chapter 5

'Come on, Bilbo,' Frêllian said as the said hobbit paced back and forth. 'Don't be like this. He seemed harmless enough.'
'Harmless? Ha! You don't know Gandalf at all! He's - he's a wizard and wizards aren't harmless. They cause way too much trouble than they are worth.'
With her legs crossed and her head resting on her hand, the ferian gave him a skeptical look. Her friend had been like this whole afternoon, after their unexpected visitor. With every noise Bilbo heard, he ducked his head, lowering himself to the ground. At first it had been funny, but now he's getting on her nerves.
'And I figure you're an expert when it comes to wizards, hm? You didn't even recognize him and when you did, all you could remember where his 'excellent fireworks'.'
Bilbo opened his mouth in protest, but quickly closed it. She was right, he knew she was. And judging from the grin on her face and the twinkle in her blue eyes, she knew it as well. And she's taking way too much joy in it for his liking.
Grumbling a little, Bilbo made his way over to the pantry. He needed to do some grocery-shopping. But what if he crossed paths with that wizard again?
'You should go,' her soft voice came from behind him and he looked over his shoulder to look at her. He could get quite used to seeing her like this more often. Talking to her in this form beat talking to a wolf any day. 'It will be good for you, you know. The fresh air, the delicious scent of freshly baked pastries and what not. And no wizards.'
When she's bringing it like that, it did sound inviting. Perhaps he should go. He had always enjoyed doing his groceries. Pondering over her offer, he finally nodded. Indeed, it would do him good, he had decided.
'Will you join me then?'
'Not this time, my friend,' Frêllian said as she walked into to the pantry. Sniffing around for a moment, before grabbing a piece of meat. Taking in the scent for a moment, Frêllian took a bite. 'Though it does sound tempting. But I think I'll go out hunting this afternoon. Or perhaps practice or something. I'm turning into a domesticated dog, laying around lazily around the house.'
'You say it like it is a bad thing, Frey,' Bilbo said as he watches the woman eat the raw piece of meat. 'It is the easy life, no adventures, no danger. Just living day by day.'
'It is not in my blood. I was born for a life full of danger, adventure and nature, just like my ancestors.'
Looking through the small window, Frêllian looked at the woods in the distance, a longing in her eyes. As her eyes turned yellow, her body began to lower to the ground and fur started to cover her body.
'I am sorry, little rabbit, but I will hunt today.'
As Bilbo opened the door for her, he muttered a soft 'if you say so', before following her outside. There he told her to be back in time for dinner, and if she wasn't able to make it, to howl loudly. Frêllian nodded and told Bilbo goodbye, before dashing off towards the woods.

With heavy steps the strong warrior moved trough the woods. A string of curses left his mouth as he looked around. That darn wizard had told them the house of their host would be easy to be found, but he even had trouble finding the town! Just woods, woods and more woods.
A good thing his brother wasn't here with him. The idiot would be too pleased about knowing his brother to be lost in the woods. Mahal, he would never hear the end of it! No doubt the others had all arrived already, feasting on the meal that wizard had said would be waiting for them. Perhaps he should think of an excuse to why he was late?
Looking up, he saw the sky was already darkening. The reddish color signaling the last of the sun's light for this day. But while most would not be pleased about being alone in the woods at night, the dwarf-warrior smirked. This would make it so much easier to find his destination. For now the townspeople would surely light their candles. And with the path still leading his way, he continued his journey, his boots stomping the moist ground with each step.
Suddenly he came to a halt, as he heard something. A voice, humming a tune somewhere to his left! Following the sound, he could hear it more clearly.
He stopped in his tracks for a moment, shocked to hear the melody he had heard long ago. Back when he had thought he had found true happiness. Though the tune sounded familiar, the voice humming it did not.
Curious, he moved closer. Wanting to know who it was. In the clearing he could see the lights of the - what he hoped to be - the Shire. But what interested him more, was the figure sitting at a rock. Though he couldn't really make out the figure, the bushes blocking his full view, he did make out the pale hair of the person.
Flinching at the loud snap coming from underthings his foot, he quickly looked at the ground. The sound had made her stop and he looked up to find she was gone. Great, how could a warrior such as himself give away his presence like that? Scowling at himself, Dwalin sighed. Well, at least he had found his way again.
As he began to walk again, he swore he heard something, but as he looked around, he found nothing. Then a shadow moved through the bushes and yellow eyes watched him intently for a moment. Then the creature disappeared.
Shaking it off, he continued the last part of his journey and by the time he arrived at his destination, it was already dark. The mark on the green door glowed slightly as he stopped in front of it.
Inside the house - or hole or whatever he should call the building - he could hear movement and someone talking. Something about cleaning the blood out of the fur? Well, that definitely sounded strange. He waited for a moment, before he rang the doorbell.
'Dwalin, at your service,' he introduced himself as a small creature opened the door.
The hobbit looked at him in shock and let out a noise that could pass as a whimper. Then he quickly tied his robe tighter and stood up straight - albeit still confused.
'Bilbo Baggings at yours.'
Something moved in the corner and Dwalin looked to find a wolf-like creature sitting in the hallway, growling dangerously as he walked in. He was not even going to wait for an invitation. Judging by the hobbit in his shocked state, he wasn't going to get one either.
'D-do we know each other?'
Ignoring the growling of the wolf - he was still trying to figure out what exactly it was - he turned around to face the hobbit again. Such a foolish creature.
'No,' he stated the obvious. 'Now, which way, laddie? Is it down here?'
By now the wolf was snarling as she lowered her head dangerously low, preparing to attack. But Dwaling ignored it, dumping his stuff on the ground and pushing the rest into the hobbit his arms. Though he did keep his knife close, just in case that wolf decided to attack.
'He said there'd be food and lots of it.'
That got the hobbit even more confused as he followed Dwalin to the dining room. Shushing the wolf, Bilbo watched as Dwalin began eating the fish. Well, the wizard had been wrong about the food. There was barely enough for him. Let along for the others! Well, at least he had made it before the rest, much to his surprise.
'Mmm, very good this. Any more?'
The confused hobbit stuttered a bit, before offering him a plate of biscuits. The quick movement he made as he hid one biscuit for himself, was lost to his hungry guest - much to Bilbo's relief.
As Dwalin began to stuff his mouth with the biscuits and the wolf beginning to growl at him again, Bilbo struggled to find the right words. Not that Dwalin hadn't figured out what he wanted to say. He had figured out already that the wizard had failed to inform Bilbo of the company he could expect this evening.
Turning his gaze to the canine that was standing in the opening of the dining room, Dwalin glared at it. The wizard had kept that small detail from the lot of them too. So it made him wonder what else the wizard had kept from them.
The wolf suddenly moved out of the dining room, with Dwalin following it with his eyes. The growling growing more dangerous again and she let out a bark-like noise. But Bilbo ignored it, for he had found his tongue at last.
'It's just that, um. You see, I was about to start my dinner and I um... Well, my dog, she isn't too fond of strangers. Besides we weren't expecting company.'
Just as he finished his sentence, the bell rang again and Bilbo looked up in alarm. He saw Frêllian already standing at the door, growling dangerously at their new visitor.
'That'll be the door.'
'Balin, at your service.'
Bilbo looked at the old, white-haired dwarf as he bowed, grumbling a 'good evening' at his second unexpected visitor. He wondered what they were doing here for a moment as the dwarf agreed with him on the fine evening.
'Though I think it might rain later. Am I late?'
'Late for what?'
But the dwarf didn't answer him, as he saw Dwalin - who was trying to get another biscuit from the jar. Addressing the other dwarf as his brother, Balin greeted him with a smile. As he turned his attention to Frêllian, Bilbo saw the ferian was as surprised as he was. Her having stopped growling a good indicator too, as she watched the pair with a tilted head.
Noticing she was being watched, she looked at Bilbo for a moment, shaking her head. These dwarves surely had strange habits, insulting their own siblings like that. But to her surprise - and Bilbo's as well, Balin just laughed.
'Wider, not shorter,' he disagreed with Dwalin. 'Sharp enough for both of us.' He added with a wink.
As the two dwarves laughed and they greeted each other, putting their arms on each other's shoulders, Bilbo peeked his head around the door to see if there were any more coming. Then he closed the door only see his two guests smashed their foreheads together. Frêllian winched at the sight, no doubt feeling a headache in their stead, while Bilbo looked at them in wonder. He didn't need to know about their habits. He just wanted to know why they were here and how to get them out.
'Uh, excuse me,' he began as the brothers moved into the pantry. 'I hate to interrupt, ah, but the thing is. I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house.'
Ignoring Bilbo, Balin and Dwalin searched his pantry. Pouring ale and examining the food. And while Bilbo continued his speech, they talked to each other. With one asking the other whether he had eaten already or not. And wondering out loud what the food was one is holding.
'It's not that I don't like visitors,' Bilbo continued, ducking as they threw away his cheese. 'I-I like visitors as much as the next hobbit - though Frêllian over here is a whole different matter - but I do like to know them before they come visiting.'
Still being ignored, Bilbo glanced at Frêllian, but the ferian just shook her head. Then she turned around, leaving the opening of the pantry. Clearly she has had enough of their intruders. And was that muttering he heard? Or perhaps she was just growling again.
'The thing is, um. I don't know either of you, not in the slightest. And if I hadn't been home, my dog over there,' he pointed at Frêllian as she laid down before the front door, 'she would have ripped you apart. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be blunt, but I uh, but I had to speak my mind.'
The two dwarves looked at him for a moment, before...
'Apology accepted,' then Balin turned to his brother again. 'Ah, now fill it up brother, don't stint. I could eat again, if you insist.'
Breathing through his nose in frustration, Bilbo turned to his friend again, silently asking her for help. But her yellow eyes were fixated on the door, her ears perked up and Bilbo let out a small moan. He knew what that meant. More were coming.
And then the bell rang for a third time and Bilbo opened the door to find two younger looking dwarves at his door.
'Fíli,' the light-haired introduced himself.
'And Kíli,' the darker-haired one said, before continuing together.
'At your service.'
This time Bilbo didn't even bother introducing himself as he glanced at Frêllian for help. But to his horror, she seemed to be enjoying their company by now. With her tail wagging she had repositioned herself to a sitting position, her eyes watching the two new dwarves. She seemed to have figured out something, he had yet to do so.
'You must be mister Boggings,' the raven haired dwarf asked as he looked at Bilbo with a bright smile.
'Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house.'
Bilbo tried to close the door, but one of the dwarves stopped it with his foot, asking if 'it' had been cancelled.
'No one told us,' the blond one stated as she frowned. His braided moustache moving as he looked over to his companion for a moment, before back at Bilbo.
The confused Bilbo looked at the two, before answering them.
'Can...? No, nothing's been cancelled.'
'Well, that's a relief.'
And with that, the two dwarves pushed their way in, the blond one marching in like he owned the place as he observed his surroundings, before he began unloading his weapons onto Bilbo. A small warning about his just sharpened blades, while pulling out more and more. While the other dwarve scraped the mud off his boots, politely commenting on the house.
Frêllian watched in amusement as Bilbo scowled at the dwarf for scraping his boots on his mother's glory box - whatever that was. Then she turned her head, to find the other dwarf crouched down right before her.
'Well, aren't you a beauty,' he commented, petting her on her head gently, scratching her behind her ear. 'You are such a good girl, aren't you?'
Rubbing her head roughly, the ferian leaned into his touch. How did this dwarf know exactly how to make her act like a pup? She should help Bilbo chase these intruders out of his home, but she knew Gandalf was behind all of this. Besides, a little attention couldn't hurt, right?
'You shouldn't lower your head to that beast's head, Fíli. She is not to be trusted.'
As the dwarf named Fíli, turned to look at Balin, Frêllian growled at him. She knew dwarves and her pack haven't exactly seen eye to eye these passed couple of years. But she wasn't a beast and most definitely not a ruthless killer! If she was, their host wouldn't be here this evening! Besides, there were still a lot of ferien that didn't side with orcs. Most packs wanted to live in peace, living up high in the mountains and in deep woods. To be honest, only her former pack was siding with the orcs, but they had set a bad reputation for all ferien across the lands, because they were the main pack. The alpha pack.
'She's just a dog,' Bilbo came to her defense, sending her a look to silence her, before she could even protest. 'She might look like a fierce beast, but I can assure you, she is more like a playful puppy.'
'If the hobbit says so, I say we should leave her be for now, brother,' Dwalin snapped, eying Frêllian as well. Though a different look in his eyes than his brother. 'Fíli, Kíli. Come on, give us a hand.'
And with that, Frêllian was left in the hallway, along with Bilbo, as the four dwarves began to shift Bilbo's furniture around. The baffled hobbit just watched helplessly from the sideline while the dwarves were creating whatever it was they were creating, asking with a stutter how many more were to come.
Just then, the doorbell rang, harder than the other three times and longer as well. Sensing his anger, and using her senses, Frêllian moved a bit away from the door. She could smell a group of males at the group, Gandalf being one of them. And judging by the state Bilbo was in now, it wouldn't be a warm welcome.
'There's nobody home,' Bilbo sneered in anger, throwing the stuff Fíli and Kíli had given him at the ground on his way over to the door. 'Go away, and bother somebody else. There's far to many dwarves in my dining room as it is! If - if - if this is some Clotterd's idea of a joke, ha ha, I can only say; it is in very poor taste!'
Then Bilbo opened the door and a heap of dwarves fell in - eight, Frêllian counted. Watching them in humor as they struggled to get up, grumbling and yelling at each other, Frêllian turned her gaze up to see Gandalf standing behind them. An amused twinkle in his eyes as well as he spotted the ferian behind the angered hobbit.
Bilbo had spotted the wizard as well, though he wasn't as amused as his friend. Instead, Bilbo breathed an agitated 'Gandalf' as a welcome.