If this is to End in Fire: Hobbit Fan Fiction Skin-changer

Chapter 6- Paths in the Dark

A tremendous crack was heard and the cries of dwarves echoed and fell away. Lupine skulked quickly towards the cave, and peering inside, saw the huge, empty space where the floor appeared once to have been. Transforming back to human shape, she tiptoed to the gaping hole and saw the chute leading through the jagged rock and into the darkness. She braced her knees and jumped stealthily through. Landing in a dip, she could not grip the floor, but steadied herself as she slid downwards into the deep mountain. She could only imagine how those clumsy dwarves had tipped and rolled and she would have been unsurprised (and thankful too) to find a pile of lifeless bodies at the bottom of the tunnel.

When light of a flickering fire could be seen, she dug her feet into the rock, causing loose shards to tumble away below her. She seized the edge as she was flung through a hole into a wide, open space. She swung dangerously around, but her hands had good grip and she hung from the rock stiffly. Below her was a sort of hand-shaped cage, waiting ready to catch the prey as it fell from the chute. The dwarves could be seen shuffling and tussling among a group of snivelling creatures, further along the high pathway. They seemed almost like orcs but smaller and more bent in stature. Lupine guessed they must be goblins.

Goblins were slow and stupid, she had been told and they of course, did not notice her dangling from the rock not far behind them.

Bats fluttered by them and swooped towards Lupine, so that she dropped agilely into the clasp of the hand-shaped cage and stood up to glimpse more of the struggle that could be seen up ahead. She noticed a little figure, crouched low as the group overtook him. He quietly shuffled behind a wooden beam and then stood, drawing his blue, gleaming sword. Having eyed the dwarves and goblins for a few heart-beats, Bilbo hurried along the ropey, swinging bridges and thin, wooden floors, chasing silently behind the troop.

Lupine followed him. Transforming once more to wolf form, her eyes flashed terrifyingly. Her shoulders hunted forwards, her head down and tail slicked back. Now Master Baggins was quite alone. She could tell the company it was the goblins that did it. Yes...

The hobbit heard not a thing. The beating of his heart thumped so loudly he could do nothing but run forwards, his shoulders bent and sword held desperately out in front. He slowed suddenly after crossing the second bridge. He had heard a noise, but beside these echoing walls, it was quite impossible to tell the direction from which it had come. He looked to the left then right, then up above and suddenly, with an alarmingly snarl, something strong and angry leapt upon his back. He felt thick claws scraping his shoulders and cried in pain as he swung his sword haphazardly over his shoulder.

Bilbo could not see Lupine but he knew well that his attacker was no goblin. He strained his neck to see, but claws swiped his shoulder so hard, they drew blood across his skin. He stumbled and turned and in a blind moment, staggered lightly off the edge of the walkway.

For a moment, they dropped together. Noise stopped and time slowed and the air held them.

But then, Lupine leapt from the hobbit’s back and scrambled for a grip on the rock. She was not in time and the pair fell quickly down into a deep chasm of the mountain.

Lupine was more than thankful to land on all four feet, and despite a harsh juddered through her bones, the fall had caused little damage. Bilbo had landed more awkwardly and lay still for some time. It was difficult to tell if he breathed or not and the skin-changer watched him for a while, then she turned and eyed the walls about her. A great, open cavern could be seen and a small, flat lake glinted, reflecting the harsh rock edges all around. In the middle of the water a sloping island of rock protruded. Behind her, black tunnels led far away, but whether leading into, or out of the depths of the mountain, she could not tell. It was lucky Lupine had a wolf’s strong night-vision, for she doubted any creature could move about here without it.