The Lionheart (The Hobbit)

Chapter 19: The necklace

Tygr POV

After I finished my conversation with my brother he went inside to sleep, I however decided I should go get Echo.

I ran outside and looked around, "echo! Where are you?" I said loudly but not yelling. Suddenly I felt the earth shake and a massive gust of wind behind me. I turned around and looked up in absolute shock. Echo had tripled in size over the short amount of time we where apart...at least I thought it was Echo. "E-echo? Is that you?" I asked holding my hand out slightly. The massive beast pushed it's muzzle into my hand. "Echo!" I said happily before hugging around her nose. I was suddenly lifted off the ground, I giggled looking into the dragons eyes. "Haha you sure grew up fast~" I said happily. Though I got no response. "Why arnt you talking to me? Are you mad at me?" I asked. Echo shook her head. "Then what's wrong?" I asked starting to get worried. "Put me down, I'm getting Gandalf." I said. Echo lowered her head and I ran back through the gate and into the house. "Gandalf!" I said. The dwarves all jumped up frightened by my actions. "What is it Tygr?" Gandalf asked. "What's wrong?" Bilbo asked standing up. "It's Echo! She can't or won't speak! I don't know what's wrong!!!" I panicked. Suddenly Thorin placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out. Now, calm down and tell us where she is." I nodded and took Thorin's hand leading him out the door with Gandalf, Bilbo and a few dwarves such as Bofur, Dwalin and Kili and Fili. I led them to where Echo was, laying down calmly. "S-she's huge!" Fili said in shock. "Yeah I know I said the same thing...but she won't talk!" I said. Gandalf looked at her, then turned to me. "Well Tygr that is because she matured into an adult." Gandalf said. I wrinkled my nose in confusion. "Wait...that doesn't make sense! Why would she be able to talk when she's young but not when she's an adult?" I asked. "She can talk to you, though only through her mind." Gandalf said. "How do we do that?" I asked. Gandalf shook his head, "I do not know. You'll have to figure that out for yourself." Gandalf said then turned to go back inside. Bofur patted my back then went in with the others. Thorin however stayed. "What are you going to do?" He asked. I ran my fingers through my hand and sighed looking up at Echo. "I have no idea...she grew up way to fast for my liking." I muttered. "She did grow up fast, that is true." Thorin said. I looked at him looking up at Echo. "I'm...not very fond of dragons but...I must admit Echo is beautiful." Thorin said quietly. I actually smiled at him, "really?! You think so?" I asked. Thorin looked over at my excited face and laughed. "Yeah, she is." He said. I couldn't help but feel my tail start wagging. I squeaked and grabbed my tail so it would stop. Thorin looked down and smirked, "was...was your tail wagging?" He asked. I felt my face go beet red. "N-no...of course not...go back inside!" I said panicked. Thorin laughed and petted my head, rubbing my eat between his thumb and index finger. I felt a shiver go down my spine and let out a hardly audible pleasure filled sound. I heard Thorin laugh, I then growled and smacked his hand off. "D-don't d-do t-that!!!" I said. Thorin smiled and shook his head, "your cute. Goodnight Tygr, see you in a little while." Thorin said. My ears twitched at his words. I watched him go back inside before looking at Echo in shock. "D-did he call me cute or am I insane?" I asked. I sighed remembering our situation. "Oh yeah...you can't talk. How do we fix this little communication issue.?" I asked. Echo grabbed me with her tail and walked to a large patch of dirt. "Um...dirt?" I asked. She set me down and started carving words into the dirt.

"Take the black scale at the top of my neck, and wear it around your neck."

She wrote. "Huh...I didn't know you could write. Alright, help me up so I can find this scale!" I laughed. Echo flattened her now massive wing and I ran up it and onto her back. I walked up her neck and indeed was a shining black scale. "When did you get this?" I asked. Echo glared at me, "I...will ask that after I make this pretty little scale a necklace." I said laughing nervously. I quickly pulled off the scale, Echo grunted in pain. "Ah!!! I'm so sorry I love you!" I said and kissed her head before sliding back down her wing. "I'll be right back, stay here." I said before running back to the house. I went in and found Thorin. I shook his shoulder and woke him up. "Hey can you help me with something?" I asked. Thorin looked at me with tired eyes, "what's that?" He asked. His voice was deep and husky, half asleep. I tried my best to ignore the fact that Thorin's tired voice was possibly what sexiest I've ever heard in my life. I showed him the scale. "I need to make this a necklace. Can you help me?" I asked. Thorin sat up and looked at the scale before nodding. He yawned and stood up walking over to his things. He pulled out what looked like a small drill, and a small velvet bag. "Come on, let's go outside." He said. I nodded and followed him. We went outside and Echo looked at us. "Hello again Echo." Thorin waved. Echo snorted as a hello. Thorin sat down on the bench Beorn and I where on earlier and looked at it. "Hm...I suppose the best way to do this will be to drill two holes and lace through the chain so that the scale won't twist and turn when your wearing it." He said. "Whatever you think is best." I said crossing my legs and looking at him. He stared to drill two holes at the base of the scale, once he did so he cleaned out the holes and made them clear. As he worked I stood and went over to Echo. I held my hand up and she placed her muzzle in it. "I missed you while you where gone." I said. Echo nodded. "Tygr, it's ready." Thorin said. I looked back shocked, "that was fast." I said. Thorin nodded and held it up. I smiled at how intricately he laced the chain. "Thorin this chain is beautiful!" I said happily. "It's silver and gold." He said. "W-why would you give me a chain like this? I would have been fine with simple steel or iron." I said. Thorin suddenly pushed my thick bangs away from my face and pressed his lips to my forehead. My heart pounded in my chest. "Because a beautiful girl deserves a beautiful chain." He said. I laughed shyly. "Oh...t-thank you Thorin." I said. Thorin nodded then took the necklace, "move your hair." I said. I turned my back to him and moved my hair. He hooked the chain around my neck, though I felt his fingertips linger on my skin. I let my hair fall and turned to him. "That...actually looks better than I was expecting." Thorin said. I laughed, "thank you! Now...let's see if it worked." I said. I turned and looked at Echo. "Well? I'm wearing the scale..." I said. "It looks lovely, absolutely worth the pain." I heard a voice in my head. "Was that you?!" I asked with a smile. Echo nodded, "yes, it was." She said. I laughed and jumped up and down. "Yay!!! It worked!!!!" I said loudly and happily. "What...is that." I jumped hearing the deep voice of my brother behind me. I turned and saw a shocked, confused and angry look on his face. "H-hey Beorn!" I said. "Why is there a dragon in my lawn?!" He asked. "Um...um..." I heard Echo in my head. She backed up so she was no longer in side the gate. "Beorn...I would like you to meet my friend, Echo." I said. "Your friend? Yours friends with a dragon?" He asked. "Well yes...actually...I would consider her my best friend." I said. Beorn glared at the dragon and shook his head. "Do you know how dangerous that is?!" He asked. I nodded, "yes I am very well aware I already got the 'this is not a good idea' lecturer from him." I said pointing at Thorin. "Really?" Thorin muttered. "I'm not lying am I?" I asked. "No..." He muttered crossing his arms. Beorn coughed brining us back to him. "Why on earth made you think it would be a good idea to have a dragon?" Beorn asked. "Heh well, I actually touched her egg not knowing that if I did then she would kind of become attached to me..." I said rocking back and forth on my feet. Beorn sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "well you haven't changed since you where little. That's for sure." Beorn said. "What? What do you mean?!" I asked. "You can never resist trying to help baby animals. Remember when you where six and brought home a warg pup, three bird eggs and a hedgehog and asked mom if you could keep them and make you're one animal army?" Beorn said. Suddenly Thorin burst out laughing while my eyes widened and my face went red. Beorn smiled and ruffled my hair. "Have fun with your dragon, go to sleep soon, it's almost two in the morning." He said. I nodded slowly and watched him go back inside. "A warg pup, three bird eggs and a hedgehog?" Thorin laughed. I glared at him and punched his arm. "Shut up. I was six." I said. Thorin shook his head. "Yes, but he is right you need to sleep." Thorin said. I nodded, "you know, you act a lot different when your not around the entire company." I said. Thorin yawned, "yes, well you woke me up at 1:30 in the morning and asked me to make a necklace out of a scale so I don't think I have a need to act like an authority figure." Thorin said. I smiled, "I guess," I said before yawning. "You should go to sleep." Echo said. I nodded, "will you be alright out here?" I asked. Echo nodded and leaned her head down to my level. I hugged her nose and smiled. "Goodnight, Echo." I said. I then followed Thorin inside, we quietly went back to where he was sleeping. "Are you staying with me?" Thorin asked. I nodded and formed into a small black wolf, curling into a ball since I didn't have a blanket to keep me warm in my human form. I noticed the necklace was very loose around my small canine neck. I gently picked it up in my teeth and pawed at Thorin's arm. He looked at me and took the chain in his hand. "I'll hold onto it till morning." He said smiling. I burned up against his side as he folded his arms behind his head. Thorin reached down and petted my head, "goodnight Tygr" he said before my eyes started to droop and drag me into a deep sleep.