The Lionheart (The Hobbit)

Chapter 11: Riddles in the dark

Thorin POV

As the rest of the company slept, I staired over at Tygr laying up against Bofur. I watched him slowly and carefully lay her on the ground before standing and going back to his post. I looked at Tygr, her back was turned towards me, one of her ears was flopped over towards the ground, I grinned slightly then remembered how furious she was...possibly still is at me. 'What did I do though?' I thought to myself. Suddenly other voiced caught my ear, "where are you going?" It was Bofur. "Back to Rivendell." That was Bilbo. "No, no, you can't turn back now, you're part of the Company. You're one of us." Bofur said. "I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door." Bilbo said. I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. I noticed Tygr slowly sit up, while doing so she shot me a hateful glare then pulled her knees to her chest and listened. "Your homesick, I understand." Bofur said. "No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do - you're dwarves. You used to...to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere." Bofur said. "Even Tygr lives that life. Her entire race is gone!" Bilbo whisper shouted. I then saw the most heartbroken look on Tygr's face. She stood and walked over to them. "T-Tygr! I'm so sorry I didn't mean it like that!" Bilbo said panicked. "No...your right. I am used to this kind of life. All I do is live in a tree...waiting for Gandalf to come back and take me on more adventures." She said quietly. 'She lives in a tree?' I thought to myself. "Lad, you're right. We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." Bofur said. I glanced over my shoulder to see Tygr hugging bilbo. "If you would like I'll escort you back to Rivendell to ensure your safety?" She offered. However before Bilbo could reply, we heard the sound of machinery...and sand falling. I shot up and looked. "Get up! Everyone get up!" I yelled. "What's happening-AH!" Tygr screamed as we all suddenly dropped through the floor.

We slid down a long twisting tunnel and landed in a rather large looking cave. I immediately looked for Tygr. "Are you okay?!" I asked. She nodded but didn't say a word to me. Suddenly we are all overrun by goblins running towards us.

Bilbo POV

I watched as the goblins ran at us however Tygr and I ducked and somehow where completely missed by the beasts. We watched as they pushed away the company. "Bilbo!" Tygr whispered, "are you okay?" She asked. I nodded. We backed up quietly however out of nowhere a goblin jumped down and ran at us with his sword. I watched Tygr immediately form into a wolf and and starts clawing and growing at him. We both backed up until our feet escaped the ground, causing us to fall.

I heard Tygr screech as she hit the ground. "Tygr!" I yelled and watched her form back into a girl? Holding her back in pain. I ran and placed my hand on her back only for her to hiss in pain. "Owwww don't!!!" She said. She slowly sat up. "Ugh, nasty fall if say?" She said looking at me. I nodded, "quite, did you land on a rock or something?" I asked. She grabbed my hand and I pulled her up. "I think so, but I'll be alright. Where are we?" She asked as she brushed herself off. We looked around us to see lots of mushrooms. Before I could respond she covered my mouth and pointed. It was the goblin who had attacked us. He was lying on the ground, seemingly dead but still breathing. Suddenly we see something crawl towards it. "Yes. Yes. Yes! Yes! Gollum. Gollum." It hissed. I looked at Tygr who had her nose cringed in disgust. We watched as the goblin suddenly started franticly moving and the creature scream and hit it in the head with a rock, killing it. I noticed a ring fall out of the creatures pouch like cloth. We watched the creature drag away the dead goblin. Tygr slowly walked out and looked at him. I looked at the ring on the ground. "What's that?" She asked. "I, I don't know." I said. She held her hand out, I let her look at it. "Huh, it's really pretty." She said handing it back to me. "You should hang onto it, maybe show it to Gandalf. See if he knows what it is." She said. I nodded. Suddenly we heard the sound of the creatures voice singing. "Too many boneses, Precious! Nothing of flesh!" It sang. "Gollum has a terrible voice." Tygr muttered. "Gollum?" I asked. "Yeah...i don't know it was hacking up that word so I assume it's his name." She said. I nodded, agreeing. "Shut up! Get its skin off. Start with its head." It hissed. "Is...is he talking to himself?" I asked. "I have no idea..." Tygr said. "The cold hard lands, they bites our hands, they gnaws our feet. The rocks and stones, they're like old bones, all bare of meat. Cold as death, they have no breath, it's good to eat!" It sang. "I think it's gone completely mad!" Tygr said with a smirk. "Id say so. Now come on, let's find a way out of here." I said. We started to walk away when suddenly Gollum dropped down infront of us. "Bless us and splash us, Precious! That's a meaty mouthful!" He said with a smile. "Oh nasty! Get away!!!" Tygr said kicking dirt at him. I jumped infront of Tygr and pressed my sword to it's throat. "Back. Stay back. I'm warning you, don't come any closer." I said. "It's got an elfish blade, but it's not an Elfs. Not an Elfs, no. What is it, Precious? What is it?" Gollum said looking at Bilbo. "My name is Bilbo Baggins." I said. "And I'm Tygr." Tygr said behind me, though her voice sounded amused. "Bagginses? What is a Bagginses, Precious?" It muttered. "I am a hobbit, from the Shire." I said. "And what about her?" It said. "I am a Skin-changer from the slightly outskirts of the Shire." She said. "Oh! We like Goblinses, batses, and fishes, but we hasn't tried Hobbitses before. Is it soft? Is it juicy?" It said creeping towards bilbo and I. "Hey! Back up!" Tygr yelled throwing a rock at him. "Now, now, K--keep your distance! I'll use this if I have to!" I said swinging my sword. Suddenly Gollum hissed and threw a bright blue glowing rock at Tygr, that went in her mouth, causing her to swallow it out of surprise. "W-what was that?!?!?" She yelled. Gollum shrugged. "That doesn't matter right now! Just show us the way out and we will be on our way!" I said. "Is it lost?" Gollum asked. "Yes, yes, and we want to get unlost as soon as possible." I said. Tygr nodded, having her hand on her throat still confused as to what she just swallowed. "Ooh! We knows! We knows safe paths for Hobbitses. Safe paths in the dark." He said. Tygr had a skeptical look on her face. I looked away for a moment and looked at the creature. I followed him for a while however heard nothing from Tygr. I didn't notice until Gollum looked back and had a shocked look when he did. "What happened to the girl?!" He asked pointing. "What do you mean what- oh my..." I looked back shocked. There...I saw struggling to keep up while climbing rocks what a small child... With brown hair and floppy wolf ears and a small bushy tail. "Wait up!" She said. I ran back. "Tygr? Is that you?" I asked. She giggled and looked at me with childish innocence. "Yes I'm Tygr! Who are you?" She asked. "I-I'm Bilbo, don't you remember me? Bilbo Baggins?" I asked. She smiled and shook her head than hugged me. "I know you now though!!" She said. I sighed and decided to figure this out later. I lifted her up and carried her before turning back to Gollum. "What's that?" Tygr whispered to me. "That's Gollum." I whispered. We didn't say anything for a while, only followed him around. "Shut up!" He yelled. "We didn't say anything." I said. "We wasn't talking to you. But yes we where Precious, we was." He said. I was confused and Tygr looked frightened. "Look, uh, I don't know what your game is, but I-" I was cut off by Gollum. "Games? We love games, doesn't we, Precious? Does it like games? Does it? Does it? Does it like to play?" Gollum said excited. Suddenly Tygr started cheering and clapping. "I love games!!!!" She giggled. "What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees. Up, up, up it goes, and yet, never grows." Gollum asked. I thought for a moment and looked at Tygr then Gollum. "A mountain." I said. Gollum starts laughing loudly. "Yess, yess, oh, let's have another one, eh? Yes, come on, do it again, do it! do it again. Ask us. No! No more riddles. Finish him off. Finish him now. Gollum! Gollum!" He said. I was confused until he started snarling and running at me. "No! No, no, no. I wa- I want to play. I do. I want to play. I can see you are very good at this. S-so why don't we have a game of riddles? Yes, just, just you and me." I said then heard a pouty noise. "A-and Tygr. Yes?" I asked. "Yes...yes just us" Gollum says. "And if we win, then you show us the way out." I asked. "Yes, and If it loses we eats it." It said. It looked away for a moment then looked back. "If Baggins looses we eats it hole." He said. "Fair enough!" Tygr laughed. "You first." Gollum said. "Can I go can I go!!! I have one!!" Tygr said excitedly. I nodded. "Thirty white horses on a red hill. First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still." She said. Gollum thought for a moment before looking back. "Teeth? Yes yes teeth! Wait...but I only have nine." He said before showing us his disgusting teeth. I threw my hand up and covered Tygr's eyes. "Ew hahaha" she giggled. "Our turn. Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters." Gollum said. I thought for a moment, before realizing what it was. "Wind. It's the wind, of course it is!" I said with a laugh. "Very clever hobbitsis." Gollum started to come closer and closer, feeling uncomfortable and now protective of Tygr I pulled out my sword and pointed it at him. "All things it devours, birds, beasts, trees, flowers. Gnaws iron, bites steel, grinds hard stones to meal. Answer us." He said. I thought...and thought. I looked at Tygr who had no idea. "I don't know this one." I said. "Is it tasty? Is it scrumptious? Is it crunchable?" He said. "Give us a moment!" I said. He stayed quiet before coming closer once again. "Times up." He said. "Time!!! It's time!!!!" Tygr yelled. Gollum growled and punched the ground. "Good job." I said smiling at the giggling child. "Last question. Last chance." Gollum said. "Ah...um..." I said. "ask us, ASK US!" He yelled. I panicked and asked the first thing to come to mind. "What have I got in my pocket?" I asked. He looked angry and confused. "That's not fair. It's not fair! It's against the rules!" He said. "Ask us another one!" He said. "No, no, no, no. You said 'Ask me a question.' Well, that is my question. What have I got in my pocket?" I said. "Fine...we get three guesses." He said. "That seems fair." Tygr said. I nodded, "guess away." I said. "Handses!" He said. I held my one hand up while the other held onto Tygr. "Wrong. Guess again." I said. "Fish-bones, goblins' teeth, wet shells, bat's wings ... Knife!" He guessed. "Wrong. Last guess." I said. "String! Or nothing!" He yelled. "Two guesses in one! Both wrong!" Tygr said. Gollum growled and looked at me hatefully. "What has it gots in it's pocket?" He snarled. "That's no concern of yours. You lost." I said. He started muttering lost over and over. I then watched as he searched for something. Where is it? Where is it? No! Ahh! Where is it? No! No!!!" He yelled franticly looking all over. "Bilbo...where's Thorin? I'm scared..." I heard Tygr wimper. "You remember Thorin?" I asked. She nodded as her eyes watered. "Lost! Curses and splashes, my precious is lost!" He screamed as he splashed in the water. "What have you lost?" I asked. "Mustn't ask us! Not its business! No! Gollum, Gollum." He said before looking back at me with a deadly glare. "What has it got in its nasty little pocketses?" He growled. I said nothing and he screamed"He stole it. He stole it! Ahh! HE STOLE IT!" He screamed before throwing a rock at me. I deflected with with my sword than ran, holding Tygr tightly.

We ran throught dark tunnels trying to find the way out. "Give it back! It's ours!!" Gollum screamed behind us. I found a small excite way out. I set Tygr down, "go through I'll be right behind you!" I said. She nodded and wiped tears of fear away before going through. I tried to push through however my waistcoat buttons stopped me. I then saw Gollum come into view and pushed until they broke, pushing me throught the crack. I picked up Tygr again and held her. "Come on. I said before running away. "Come on! This way!" We heard Gandalf yell. "Move! Go faster!" We heard Thorin. "Thorin!!!" Tygr said and squirmed in my grasp. I ran towards their voices and saw them run out of the mountain, Tygr jumped out of my arms and ran after them. "Tygr!" I yelled.

Thorin POV

We ran as fast as we could down the mountain to the grass. We stopped and panted. "Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fili, Kili...that's twelve...and Bombur - that makes thirteen. Where's Bilbo? Where is our Hobbit? Where is our hobbit and Skin-changer?! Where is Tygr and Bilbo!" Gandalf asked. I looked and saw nether. "Curse them. Now their lost!" Dwalin yelled. "I thought I saw t-" nori was cut off by a small voice. "THORIN!!!" I looked behind me and was suddenly being hugged tightly around the neck by a small child. "Wait what?! Who are you?" I asked panicked I then pried the child off and got a look at her. Bright green eyes, long brown hair and wolf ears with a small bushy tail. "T-Tygr?!" I asked. She nodded then hugged me again. Gandalf then came and looked at her. "It would appear she swallowed a youth pellet." He said. "A what?" I asked. "She will temporarily a child. She will change back, along with her memories. Don't worry. For now though we must take extra care for her. She is not as strong as she was, actually she's not very strong at all." Gandalf said. I sighed not even wanting to argue it. I held tighter onto Tygr so she wouldn't fall. "I was so scared!!! Me and bilbo hardly made it out!" She squealed. "Wait?! Where's Bilbo?" Kili asked. Tygr let me go and her ears flattened in concussion. "H-he was right behind me!" I said. "Did he run off?" Dwalin asked. "I don't know what happened, he was there." she said, I saw her bright eyes start to water. "I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone." I said. Tygr started to cry and hugged me. I couldn't feel right yelling at her to stop crying, as she was a child. I couldn't help but feel slightly happy, she ran to me crying and no longer was mad at me...she depended on me. I snapped back to reality, "no, he's not." Bilbo said appearing. "Bilbo!" Tygr giggled. "Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf said happily. "Bilbo! We'd given you up!" Kili said. "How on earth did you get last the goblins?" Fili asked. "How indeed." Dwalins asked. Bilbo said nothing and looked at Tygr. "Well, what does it matter? He's back! And Tygr is safe...somewhat." Gandalf said. "It does matter. I want to know, why did you come back?" I asked. Bilbo sighed. "Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." Bilbo said. I grinned slightly then looked to Tygr. "Why did you come back?" I asked. She looked at me with large shining green eyes. "I promised I would help you...and I don't plan to break it!" She said before hugging me again then held up her hand, which still had a tiny scar from the bond we made. I held my hand to hers, it was slightlu smaller than my palm. I smiled then froze, hearing the growl of Wargs. We looked and saw a pack of orcs looking at us. We saw one of them start to swing a mace and yell. In no time Wargs started running at us. "Out of the frying pan..." I said. "And into the fire... RUN!" Gandalf yelled.