Taming the Wolf (A Hobbit Fanfic)

Chapter 7

As the rain poured down, Frêllian happily trotted over the muddy path, a freshly caught rabbit clenched between her teeth as she followed the trail of the ponies. It had been a long time since she had really spend so much time outside. But with June coming closer, she had been traveling with the dwarves for a month already.
Though the ferian was ashamed to admit it, she had slowly turned into a pet in the time Bilbo had taken her in. Getting too used to the comforts of home – something she hadn't had for seventy years – and always sleeping warm and dry. But after having spend day after day traveling and sleeping out in the open air, had made her realize how much she has missed it.
'Honestly, do you really have to carry around your catch of the day like that?'
Twitching her ears at the sound of the voice of the hobbit, Frêllian turned her head to the side. A chuckle-like sound came from deep inside her throat, when she saw the disgusted look on his face. But before she could answer him, one of the younger dwarves butted in.
'Actually, I think it's pretty funny,' Kíli said as he watched the ferian trot around proudly. 'And disturbing at the same time.' Turning her head towards the two brothers in curiosity, the younger prince smiled at her. 'To see such a fierce creature trotting around the way you do, I mean.'
'Well, I prefer you better back at Bag End,' Bilbo complained as he turned his head away from the bloodied rabbit between her jaws. 'In just one month you have become so much more… feral.'
Slowing down her pace, so Frêllian was walking next to Bilbo, she adjusted the dead creature between her jaws, making sure to add a little extra pressure and breaking a bone or two while doing so. The sound alone making the poor hobbit pale already. But to see the slight twitching of the freshly killed animal, made him gag as well.
Behind him, Bilbo heard the two young dwarves roar with laughter. But the hobbit himself was far from amused. Ever since they had left Bag End, Frêllian had been behaving much more like a wild animal, than the sophisticated ferian she had been back home. Hunting for her food daily - though luckily not always successful - sometimes carrying her kill around for hours. And only eating it during their stops.
Though luckily for Bilbo, their last stop of the day would be at the cliff Thorin had pointed out a few moments ago. Judging from the distance, the hobbit estimated it to take about half an hour to reach it. So at least Frêllian wouldn't be walking around with that – what once was a – rabbit for too long. And if they were lucky enough, the weather would clear as well.
'She is just doing what she is used to, Bilbo,' Gandalf comforted as he watched the young ferian as well. 'She has instincts you cannot deny her. And if I remember correctly, you have been denying them for quite some time.'
Mumbling something unintelligible, Bilbo looked away from the ferian. He knew she had certain instincts, and she had been acting upon them. With her weekly hunting and frolicking. The frolicking, Bilbo could live with. He actually enjoyed fooling around with Frêllian whenever she was in her wolf-form. It was almost like playing with a puppy – a very big and dangerous puppy!
But the hunting! At least she had the decency to eat her prey on the spot and not bring them back home to show them to Bilbo. But now…
Bilbo had been so deep in thought, he hadn't even noticed them to have arrived at their campsite. Halting Myrtle, Bilbo looked around. Frêllian was already eating her dinner, happily ripping the meat of the poor animals bones – at least it was dead already! Thorin and a couple of other dwarves were already unloading their ponies, trying to make a decent bed for themselves.
Fíli and Kíli were nowhere to be found, though Bilbo guessed they were already looking around for branches and twigs to start a fire. As for Bombur, well the dwarf was already preparing diner for the company.
'You don't look overly pleased, little rabbit,' a feminine voice came from his left and Bilbo looked down slightly.
With her 3,6 feet, the ferian stood about as high as a small pony, though smaller than Myrtle. Still, Frêllian stood tall enough for Bilbo to notice her bloodied muzzle. Which was quite easy to spot with her light coat. And while he tried to ignore the ferian while she was cleaning her coat, he couldn't help but notice the satisfied look in her eyes.
'Tonight's going to be a cold night,' Bilbo finally answered as he got off of his pony. 'My clothes are soaked wet, as is my blanket. I am going to catch a cold, I am sure of it.'
'Well, at least it has stopped raining,' Frêllian replied as she looks up at the sky. 'And you can still use the warmth of the sun to dry your blanket. Just lay it over a rock somewhere in the sun and seat yourself near the campfire. You'll be dry in no time.'
Taking her advise into consideration, Bilbo agreed with the ferian. At least he could try and see if she was right. She obviously had more experience in the wilderness than himself. So he took out his blanket – and spare clothes mind you – and laid them over a warm rock. Straightening them out, to make sure they wouldn't dry up all rumpled. For as far away from home Bilbo might be, he would still try to look like a decent hobbit!
By the time he was finished straightening his clothes, Frêllian was already laying near the campfire – though away from certain dwarves- her fur all puffed out and damp. The sight of the ferian made Bilbo smile as it reminded him of home. Where she would lay down before the fireplace after a rainy day. Most of the rain shaken off, making her fur look fluffy, and let the warmth of the fire dry her coat.
Yes, she might have changed slightly. She might have changed back into the wild creature she had been for years. But his friend remained the same Frêllian at the same time.
'Bilbo, there you are, lad,' Bofur said as he made his way over to him. 'Thought you might be hungry. Bombur's made some soup, although a little piece of meat wouldn't hurt…'
With a glare over his shoulders, Bofur was met by yellow eyes. Though strangely enough the ferien wasn't glaring back at him. Bilbo had noticed she only kept her distance from just a few dwarves, saving her glares just for them.
'Well, it's not my fault,' Frêllian replied as she laid down her head on her paws again. 'I would have loved to help, but it appears dwarves miss the decency to ask nicely.' A snort came from one of the dwarves, but she ignored it. 'Just like dwarves forget I am an alpha. I don't take orders from anyone.'
'You might want to take orders from Thorin though,' Fíli warned as he sat down near the ferian. 'He isn't too fond of you, you know. I am sure his fingers are itching to draw his sword at you.'
'Well-well, we don't need to let it get that far, now do we?' Bilbo questioned as he quickly moved over to Frêllian. 'You can behave, right Frey?'
He didn't miss the glance the said female took, eying the leader of the company with a wolfish grin. She would love to challenge him, he knew she did. He could see it in her eyes. Or perhaps Dwalin. The bald dwarf had been eying her with an unreadable look in his eyes and it was unnerving to the ferian.
But Frêllian wisely kept her mouth shut. Just enjoying the warmth of the fire as Bilbo sat down next to her.