Fool for u

I smell funny - apparently

Periwinkle slept like a dream. It’s been forever since she has slept so softly, so warmly, and so peacefully while knowing that they were safe from the dangers of the wild. Strange enough, the fact that they were sleeping in a giant bear-man’s house didn’t bother her that much. She was just grateful for what she had that night. She hasn’t slept on something soft since they left Bag End.

She stirred awake when something brushed against her face. With something between a yawn and a groan, she opened one eye… to find a bee hovering over her head. A bee the size of a small rodent.

With both eyes now open, Periwinkle blew at it, hoping it would buzz off and not sting her. Valar knows, if a bee is that big, its stinger would be too. Once the stripy bug flew off, she sat upright and stretched herself out. The dwarves were already up and gathered at the door in the kitchen, bickering quietly. Curious to what they were up to, she rose to her feet and silently approached them.

“Well, I say we should leg it. Slip out of the back way.” Nori’s voice came from somewhere in the group.

“I’m not runnin’ from anyone, beast or no.” Dwalin’s grumbling followed.

“There’s no point in arguing.” Gandalf stepped in to stop their bickering, “We cannot pass through the Wilderland without Beorn’s help. We’ll be hunted down before we ever get to the forest.”

Periwinkle had silently came up behind Fili and Kili, startling them when she spoke, “What’s going on?”

The dwarves turned to her, muttering a ‘good morning, lass’ as if nothing happened.

Gandalf, on the other hand, only hummed in content, “Ah, Periwinkle, there you are. Good thing too, you might come in handy.”

She frowned. Handy? How? In what context? It was too early for this.

“Now,” the wizard continued, “this will require some delicate handling. We must tread very carefully. The last person who has startled him was torn to shreds.” Everyone blanched, though Gandalf hardly noticed, “I will go first and, uh, Bilbo and Periwinkle, you come with me -”

“Hold on, I just woke up.” Periwinkle interrupted the wizard, “What are you talking about?” The sun has barely risen, she hasn’t even been awake for five minutes and it was way too early to be ‘torn to shreds’.

The dwarves eyes slowly shifted from her to the window, where Bofur was gazing through. He gestured for her to take a look and she climbed onto the sill, their bodies pressed together as she squinted through the glass.

There was a man chopping wood outside. The biggest man she has ever seen. He was easily the size of two outgrown men on top of each other’s shoulders, with bulging muscles that flexed each time he brought his axe down on the wood. His had strange hair, almost more of a mane that trailed down his back, like the fur of a… bear.

“Oh.” Periwinkle swallowed, now understanding what was going on. She turned to Gandalf, “Is this a good idea? And why do you want Bilbo and me coming with you?”

“It’s the only way we can ask him for help.” The wizard replied, sounding a bit nervous himself, “And he’s not awfully fond of dwarves. I do believe he’ll take an interest in you, Periwinkle.”

“Me?”

“Her?” The dwarves echoed.

“Yes. Now the rest of you, you just wait here. And don’t come out until I give the signal.” Gandalf instructed without providing much of an explanation.

Bofur nodded from his post at the window, “Right. Wait for the signal.”

“And no sudden movements or loud noises, and don’t overcrowd him. Only come out in pairs, right.” Gandalf paused at the door and quickly turned around, “No actually, Bombur, uh, you count as two so you should come out alone. Remember, wait for the signal.”