MINX (The Hobbit fanfic)

Four ~ The Visitor

The trees become a blur going by me as I race through the trunks to catch up to the pesky Durin brothers. I weave my way through the forest leaping and dodging around, trying not to hit anything at the speed I'm going. My heartbeat is racing as the exciting thrill of running courses through my blood. The adrenaline fuels me and I push myself to run faster, following Fili and Kili's scents. The colours in my vision provide a path to follow and very soon I can hear their laboured breathing and small laughter as they run up the hill towards our settlement.

I laugh in my own head with my paws thundering ahead of me, pulling and pushing me along. I leap over a fallen tree and instantly see Fili and Kili making a beeline run through the trees to the finish line. I snarl and push myself harder, quickly gaining ground behind them. They don't look over their shoulders to see me and slow considerably as the ground becomes steeper. This is my chance, I find a gap between their legs and sprint between them, gaining chuckles as they see me at their feet. I am only the size of a normal wolf but still very fast. I bark up at Fili's flustered, happy face and we continue racing together up the hill to the edge of our settlement. The trees thin and spread out before the evening light shines on us again and softer grass meets my paws. The boys slow down and walk, exhausted up the hill. I keep trotting cordially to the top and sit proudly looking down at my part-time rivals while they puff and pant trying to climb to where I'm waiting.

As soon as Kili gets to me he flops down onto his back to try and catch his breath. I wag my tail and bark at him quietly while Fili leans over and pets me between my ears. Both of them chuckle and smile between their laboured breaths in amazement at how I'd caught up. 

Once they've recovered their strength and calmed down, be stroll back into town, I'm still in wolf form. We gain some polite nods, 'Good evening's and 'Hello you three!'s while we wander across the square to our home. Thorin stands at the door waiting for us while we approach, a small smirk on his lips while his arms are folded across his chest. 

"Been racing again boys?" He jokes as he sees Fili and Kili's tired figures.

"Uh-huh!" The two exclaim as they walk through the door ahead of Thorin and I.

"Minx won again by the looks of her." He laughs and smiles down at me so I bark cheerily up at him, earning another chuckle from the boys. Thorin shuts the door gently behind me and I pad through the small house to the front room to curl up in front of the fire and warm up after our swim. I lay down and place my head over my front paws. Fili and Kili both walk and join me while Thorin goes elsewhere to find the guest he told us about. We sit in silence for a little moment waiting for Thorin to return. 

When he finally does come back to us he is with a tall man who wears a long grey robe and scarf with a pointy grey hat. I look up at him while he enters the room before taking a seat. Fili and Kili both stand up for introductions.

"I'm Fili."

"And I'm Kili." They both bow together.

"At your service." They always introduce themselves like that. I smirk to myself in my head while watching the pair.

Kili  points behind him to me and I prick my ears up at him. "Oh and the wolf, that's Minx. She's a -" Fili hits his brothers arm to shut him up.

"No need, Fili. I know that Miss Minx here is a Skinchanger. I've met quite a few in my time." The old man smiles kindly at me while I cock my head sideways listening to him. I decide to not be rude and stand up from the carpet to change human again. I spin around with four pairs of eyes on my while I change forms and give a small sarcastic curtsey when I'm done.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr..." I hold out my hand to the man and he takes it politely.

"Gandalf the Grey. Some call me 'The Wandering Wizard'. You may simply call me, Gandalf. Might I say it is remarkable to see a Skinchanger with elements of her various forms included in her human one." He smiles and shakes my hand gently in his gloved one.