A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

12. Orc Pack On Our Tail

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" An older sounding male voice shouted out loudly before the strangest thing came running through the brush. A wooden sleigh pulled by... large rabbits? I think the person atop the sleigh is more... odd. He looks like he is high on something with overly large pupils and an insane look. He looks to be pretty old, wearing a strange hat with part of the hat, his face, and then his beard covered in dried crusty bird poop. He looks like a vagabond.

I looked at Bofur beside me to see if I was the only one seeing this... unique old man. Bofur looked as shocked as me as he looked back at me like he too was questioning who in the world this guy is.

Then I noticed the strange gnarled staff with a blue gem stuck in the top. A wizard? Who is this guy?

I looked at Gandalf to see him relax and lower his sword, a smile on his face as he stepped forward, "Radagast. It's Radagast the Brown!" Gandalf said to us all. I lowered my weapon a touch as the others relaxed. I didn't want to fully let my guard down because this wizard looked high or insane enough to do something crazy anyways. Do all wizards just love standing out in the strangest way I have ever seen so no one thinks they are a random human?

I sighed as Gandalf gave me a look, like he knew I wouldn't lower my weapon. I growled quietly to myself as such looks remind me of my childhood, and I am no longer a kid. Still, I reluctantly put my sword back in it's scabbard.

"Yes?" Gandalf said louder suddenly, allowing me to hear their rather quiet conversation.

Radagast opened and closed his mouth like a fish, wide eyes showing his thoughts easily get jumbled. I now get what Gandalf means about how Radagast is a great wizard 'in his own way'.

"Just give me a minute. Um...Oh! I had a thought and now I've lost it. It was...it was was right there, on the tip of my tongue! Oh! It's not a thought at all! It's a silly old... stick insect." He said as I watched incredulously as Gandalf picked up a stick insect off of the crazy wizard's tongue. Well, that's disgusting.

I looked away before I saw him do something else odd or gross. I noticed even some of the dwarves seemed disgusted.

"I will speak to Radagast alone, gather your things and the ponies, we ride as soon as I have heard what I need to." Gandalf said, looking at us all before walking with Radagast and out of sight through the brush. I watched the way they went for my moment. I have seen some crazy stuff in this world, but I have never seen a stranger person than Radagast.

"Well that was..." I muttered to myself, walking over to the dropped pack's and picking up my own, throwing it over my shoulder.

"Weird?" Bilbo added, making me turn to see the hobbit approach. I noticed he too had a shiny new blade, pretty small and short thing. I would guess it is two or three inches shorter than my own sword.

"Accurate description, Bilbo." I said in response, nodding to the hobbit, glad to see the troll snot was mostly removed from his clothing. I grimaced a touch at imagining being used as a troll snot rag.

"Ori, Gather the ponies. Everyone else, grab their stuff and be ready to move." Thorin ordered the dwarves, his earlier drop of mask all but gone. I still didn't understand why he was suddenly nice to me earlier. I do not think we have yet had a conversation that did not nearly fall into an arguing, glaring contest.

I took the time for us waiting to rebraid my hair, as the original braid was all but gone. I tried my best to braid it tighter so my hair doesn't fall again, using a strand of my hair to tie off the end. I could tell I was in need of cutting it again before it impairs vision in a fight. I tend to not let my hair get too long. The braid was poorly done, as my hair was in need of a good wash and comb, probably looks like an insane birds nest right now.