Concerning Hobbits

It had been three days since the company had left Rivendell and still no Gandalf. Pansy trudged along, miserable yet again. The air was muggy and was making her hair damp and her skin sweat. The mountain terrain was getting ever sharper, steeper, and the road thinner. She cast her eyes to the sky squinting the path ahead was covered in dark clouds. Pansy seemed to deflate as she looked at them.

With a frustrated growl Pansy pushed her soaking wet hood off of her head, and tried to wipe away the water from her face. She traveled between Kili and Fili her hand latched onto Kili’s cloak in hopes that she would not fall. They were even higher up now and if it wasn’t slippery Pansy would have had her eyes shut the whole time. The gale was strong nearly knocking Pansy back several of times. A gust of wind knocked her hood completely from her head and her long silvery platinum hair stuck to her face. Up ahead the road was getting ever narrower, “Company! Hold on!” Thorin called from the head of the group, as he gripped onto the rock face and pulled himself along a very thin piece of the road, he could barely stand on it. “Watch your step” Kili called as he took Pansy’s hand to help her along the same ridge, Fili braced her back and with a light push they hoped her over the section. Pansy whipped around quickly as she could hear behind them Bilbo, Bofur, and Dwalin panicking a bit, some rocks fell as Bilbo lost his footing “Bilbo!” Pansy called Kili grabbed her arm preventing her from bolting back to them. Dwalin and Bofur pulled Bilbo back to the side of the rock face and Pansy sighed. “We must find shelter!” Thorin called out his voice seemed to carry over the group and eco off the rock walls. “Look out!” Dwalin roared looking to the sky, a thunderous sound that was not of the storm itself called for every to look up. A large boulder flew through the air before against the rock face above the company’s path. Pansy screamed at the very top of her lungs and covered her head with her arms freezing in place, her scream was unending. “Against the wall!” Thorin ordered but Pansy didn’t move she wouldn’t move and she didn’t stop screaming. Kili grabbed her and pushed her to the wall, covering her head with his arms. Pansy gasped and looked up he smiled and shrugged at her, she had stopped screaming, but trembled from fear and the cold of the rain.

Pansy could hear the enormous pieces of the boulder tumbling down over them, she seized the sides of Kili’s cloak and buried her face in his chest, she wanted to scream but her fear held back the sound from escaping. With one hand Kili held her closer in hopes of reassuring her as he pressed her against the rock face as close as he could to avoid the rock shower. “Fili?” He called turning his head to check on his brother, Fili looked up at him with wide eyes and nodded. He was fine. Thunder rumbled and Lighting cracked, the rain fell harder in a much thicker curtain, it was challenging to see. Balin stepped away from the rock face as the shower of stone ended, He gazed at the side of a mountain opposite of them; it appeared to be moving. Balin found his heart nearly immobile as half of the mountain pulled away from the base. “This is no Thunder storm” He called out pointing, Kili moved back a bit and turned to have a look. Pansy drew in a sharp breath and trembled at what she saw, her heart pounded and she found it hard to breathe “It’s a thunder battle! Look!” Balin cried. Pansy’s eyes traveled higher and higher at the creature rose to its feet. It pulled free another huge boulder from the mountain and went to stand with it. “Well bless me, the legends are true giant’s stone giants!” Bofur called out standing up to get a better look as the Stone Ogre tossed the boulder with a great heave. It moved slowly but the sheer force and power behind its throw and fearsome. Pansy began to scream again. Kili turned to her “no it’s alright shhhh” he said trying to hush her desperately but she never stopped screaming “they might hear you hush!” Kili called to her but she never stopped “you’ve got to breathe sometime!” he yelled in frustration. But her eyes were fixed on the second Ogre nearest to them as it was hit by the boulder the first one threw. Smaller pieces of large rocks splintered and few through the air “Take cover you fools!” Thorin called back, Bifur grabbed Bofur and pulled him back and Kili pressed Pansy back to the wall she was still wailing. “Shut her up!” Thorin called back “I can’t, I’ve tried!” Kili called.

The fall rocks fell onto their road crumbling it making it narrower, as impossible as that seemed. The mountain started to shake, Pansy finally got quiet Kili looked over to Fili who look equally confused as a large crack split up the mountain between them. The mountain shook more and the crack grew splitting the two halves father and father apart “Fili!” Kili called grabbing his brother hand “Hold on!” Fili called but as the gap grew he lost his grip “Kili!” He called reaching out desperately to grab back his brother’s hand. “What’s happening” Kili asked but soon fell silent as he looked into the gap, Pansy curious stuck her head from around Kili still maintaining her grip on his cloak. Ori screamed as he looked up and saw the giant hand above them that was pushed the two side of the mountain apart, up from the gap woke a third Ogre, as he went to stand the first second ogre rammed its great head into a head butt with it. More rocks flew and again pansy began to scream. The First ogre threw more boulders at the other two, in the blizzard of rocks Pansy could not follow what was going on. Finally one of the monsters knocked the two sides of the mountain back together “come on!” Thorin called to the rest of the party as they scrambled to the other side. Kili grabbed Pansy’s hand and dragged her behind him as they ran carefully along the side of the mountain “come on” he called. But they came to a halt as the rocks began to fly yet again, a Ogre punch another one, It fell back getting up it brushed against the party taking a hand full of them onto its body, including pansy. She never knew she could scream so loud, as she opened her eyes and realized what had just happened she could see Thorin, she could see his eyes as they darted over his nephews faces, and the faces of his company that had been separated from him. He looked as horrified as Pansy sounded. And In truth her scream held such distress and such power that she had shaken the core of everyone there. Bilbo found he could not scream, he was in shock everything was moving so fast he could not establish if it was in fact happening at all, He could no longer feel his heart beating in his chest, the world because soundless except for Pansy’s unremitting screams. “Are you alright?” Kili called to pansy over her screams but she didn’t answer. The Ogre the group found themselves on was struck and began to fall towards the rock face. Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin reached out their axes and swords for the others to grab onto but the Ogre was not falling close enough. Pansy’s screams became shrill as she gazed at the rock wall they would be smashed against.

Then snapping her out of her fright, her cloak started to beat like a heart, and felt heavier though it was sheer and very light, it now felt as heavy as an metal shield. “What?” she muttered “use it” A soft voice urged she knew not where it came from but she felt she must listen. Grabbing her cloak she drew it off her back “gather together!” she called out, the dwarves and Bilbo huddled together as close as they could. Pansy flung her cloak over them and herself. It expanded and wrapped around them all moments before the ogre crashed into the rock face. “NO!” Thorin called out “no!” he called again, the Ogre arose and that half of his company was no longer upon its back. The Ogre fell to its death, Thorin took this chance to lead the rest down the path and to see if the others had been smashed against the rocks “No, Fili, Kili!” he called rounding the corner of the cliff. His heart was pounding, he couldn’t stand the thought he might have lead so many to their death let alone his own kind, and two creatures he knew should have never come. He would not have their blood on his hands. One more rock corner to round, He never got a response from them so he called out again “Fili?” he called. He had reached them. Pansy had just removed her cloak. “We’re alive!” Nori called out with wide eyes “Bless my beard!” Fili gasped as he lifted up his head to look around. Pansy had her eyes shut tight one of her arms wrapped around Bilbo’s waist having drawn him under to cloak. “You did it, Pansy! Pansy!” Kili called shaking her “open your eyes! Little Baggins” He called. Pansy opened one eye and looked around. “Bless you and your cloak” Kili praised. Pansy looked around she went to look down and Bilbo and noticed it wasn’t Bilbo at all, it was Ori “Ori?!” she questioned letting him go she looked around franticly. “Where is Bilbo? Where’s the Hobbit?” Bofur asked, Pansy jumped up and scrambled over to Bofur, Bifur, and Dwalin as they reached over the edge and tried to pull Bilbo up. His hand slipped from Bifur’s grip, Pansy screamed and went to run towards the edge as Bofur lunged over the edge a bit more and caught Bilbo’s hand however he could not pull him up. “Bilbo!” Pansy called as she made for the edge, Thorin held out his arm halting her, he then rushed to the edge grabbing the rock with one arm he swung down grabbing Bilbo’s back he pushed him up to Bofur and Dwalin who pulled him up safely. Pansy smiled and sighed in relief before running to Bilbo. Her smile faded as Thorin slipped, Dwalin reached over and grasped Thorin arm and fur vest tightly with the help of Bifur and Balin Dwalin was able to pull Thorin up safely.

Bilbo sat on the ground against the rock all, Pansy knelt in front of him the two catching their breath. “I thought we’d lost our burglar” Dwalin commented pulling Thorin to his feet. The rain still fell heavily and the storm was not planning on letting up. Thorin looked down at the hobbits with a cold hard gaze “He’s been lost ever since he left home” He grunted Bilbo looked up at him with wide eyes “He never should have come…either of them” Thorin barked, Pansy looked down at her hands and her lips quivered slightly. Had she not just saved half of his company? Sure she hadn’t know if it was going to work. But that doesn’t minimize the fact that it did in fact work. “They have no place amongst us” Thorin added, walking to a cave ahead of him. Pansy hung her head a bit “Dwalin Thorin called nodding to the cave, Dwalin followed after him. Fili struggled to get Bombur to his feet, and rushed to do so, wanting very much to get inside the cave in case the giants should awake again. Pansy sat on the ground next to Bilbo as the other walked past them and into the cave. Bilbo rested a hand on her shoulder “come Pansy It’s better to deal with him than those monsters again” He managed so say pansy didn’t move. “He’s just a bit shaken up, that is all, Bilbo is right you should go inside” Balin urged Pansy slowly got herself up and onto her feet painfully her whole body hurt from the impact of hitting the rocks. She was tired, her wraps for her feet were filthy with mud and her feet cut up with jagged mountain rock. Her feet had never been as leathery as the common hobbits, nor as hairy. They were not as well suited for hard terrain as Bilbo’s had been. Pansy drew her cloak over her head and followed Bilbo and Balin into the cave.

Once inside she walked right past the others looking down at her feet, she was now at lead with Thorin and Dwalin. “It looks safe enough” Dwalin said watching Pansy was she walked past them to a wall, she sat at the base of it. She wasn’t afraid at the moment of what might have been in there, not after seeing those large stone creatures, not after nearly being smashed to death, and not after almost having Bilbo fall to his death. “Check the back, caves in the mountain are seldom unoccupied.” Thorin ordered, Dwalin nodded and did as told the other piled further in shortly after. Thorin’s eyes were fixed on Pansy she still hung her head low drawing circles on the ground with her finger. Her screams still rang in his ears. Pansy pulled her hood further over her face as a tear or two leaked out from her unwilling eyes.

It did not take long for Dwalin to check the cave as it did not go very far into the mountain. “there’s nothing here” He called Gloin dropped a small pile of wood on the ground and smiled rubbing his hands together “great let get a fire going!” he roared, “no, no fires, not in this place” Thorin said swiftly, causing Gloin to stop and look up at him confused. “Get some sleep” He said walking past Gloin “we start at first light” he added stopping in front of Pansy and Bilbo who had sat down next to her “ we were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joins us, that was the plan” Balin stated strictly looking at Thorin curiously. Thorin leaned against his axe wearily “Plan’s change” he said in slight fatigue. Balin didn’t seem to agree with this choice it was all too clear by the look on the elder dwarf’s face. “Bofur” Thorin called, Bofur turned to face his king with a smile “take the first watch” Bofur’s smile faded, he didn’t want to but who was he to refuse? He nodded his head and went to get ready.

Pansy had finally gotten up to make her a place to lay, the cave was small and there was little room. She was not going to sleep by Dwalin, Gloin, or Oin because they each snored loudly. Nori gave off Flatulence in his sleep, Ori slept wildly and anyone near him was at risk of being kicked. Bilbo chose to lie near Balin and Thorin in a wide gap but Pansy didn’t want to be in eye shot of Thorin lest he find something about her sleeping mannerisms that hindered the group. Lucky and as always, Kili and Fili made room for her. It did not take her long to fall asleep after listening to them talk. Soon Fili had fallen asleep as well. Kili lay on his stomach his head resting sideway son his folded arms, watching Pansy sleep. He chuckled silently as he watched how her nostrils flared as she breathed, and they did do to the rhythm of her breathing. He knew she was worried about his uncle sending her back, but he knew better. He knew once Thorin calmed down he would realize she was becoming useful, and if not that, he would realize to send them back home after coming so far, would be the same as sending them out to their death. He knew his Uncle was a hardened fellow, but he also knew, He had a heart and he cared very much for those put under his care, under his watch. Rolling onto his back Kili decided he had had enough Hobbit watching and went to sleep.

Pansy awoke with a start, and was quiet flustered to find her arms latched around Kili’s torso her head resting in his stomach. She groaned at a heavy and painful weight on her own back. Looking to the side she saw thick kinky strawberry hair draped over her and onto the ground. “Fili” she muttered trying to get up she fell back to the ground as he was just too heavy “Fili wake up” she whispered but he remained asleep. “Fili!” she called gain kicking her legs a bit trying to shake him awake. Fili turned over on his side in across the middle of her back, “ah ha!” Pansy grunted in pain “ow!” she mouthed shutting her eyes. She poked Kili’s stomach “Kili, Kili you must wake Fili!” she called in a hushed tone. Kili swatted her hand away and he too turned over sliding out from Pansy’s arms and now lay completely on the ground. “Lovely” she thought drumming her fingers on the floor in annoyance. “Pansy” she heard Bilbo call for her “Over here” She called. Within moments Bilbo had managed to roll Fili off of her and got Pansy to her feet. “What are you all packed up?” she asked “come on we are going back” Bilbo said grasping her hand he lead her through the sea of sleeping dwarves “back where?” she asked confused following him as he pulled her. “We aren’t wanted and I can’t take much more of this” Bilbo muttered, Pansy finally understood. She dug her heels into the ground and pulled back “No, Bilbo No we cannot go, they need us” She said fighting his grip.

Bofur looked up and knotted his brows together as he watched Pansy struggled against Bilbo’s grip. “Where do you think you’re going?” Bofur asked quickly leaning forward a bit. Bilbo stopped walking and drew in a deep breath, caught. Pansy whipped around to look back at Bofur. “Back to Rivendell” Bilbo said, Bofur fumbled to his feet “no, no, no” he said running up to the two hobbits, Pansy looked between Bilbo and Bofur. Maybe Bofur could talk him into staying. “You can’t leave now you’re part of the company” Bofur reasoned Bilbo didn’t look impressed. “You’re one of us” He added Pansy smiled a bit and looked at Bilbo “I’m not now am I?” Bilbo retorted in a bitter tone, Pansy casted her eyes to the ground. Bofur deflated “Thorin said we should never have come, he was right” Bilbo went on “we’re not a Took I’m a Baggins, Pansy’s not either, I don’t know was thinking. I shouldn’t have let either of us run out my door.” Bilbo said sadly glancing down at Pansy who refused to look at him she looked up at Bofur hoping he would say something, something that would change his mind. She wouldn’t stay without Bilbo, she wouldn’t let him leave back for Rivendell all alone. And she knew she could not stay without him because in reality he’s been the reason they had let her stay to start with. Afraid he would not work without her. “You’re Home Sick” Bofur reasoned again “I understand He added “no you don’t!” Bilbo barked quietly pointing an incredulous finger at Bofur. “You don’t understand, none of you do!” He ranted in frustration “you’re dwarves” He added almost as if the obvious wasn’t so obvious, in a slightly snobbish tone “you’re used to- to this life” He said waving around to the cave Bofur straightened up some “to living on the road, never settling in one place, never belonging anywhere!” Bilbo wrapped up at the peak of his rant. Bofur gazed at him hollowly and Pansy looked down at her hands. In a way she wasn’t as different form them as Thorin would have thought or as Bilbo would have thought. If Bilbo had never found her, what would have become of her? Who was to say she would not be wandering around middle earth? And who’s to say she ever really belonged in the shire? Sure she was a hobbit, what else could she be, but she wasn’t the standard Hobbit girl. She dreamed of Adventures, drank with the Took men at the pub, and spent her time in trees reading books left over from those who had been on adventures. No if Bilbo had not have found here she would not have stayed in the shire, for o one else would have taken her in.

The whole time Thorin listened from his resting spot unseen by the three. Bilbo looked at Bifur’s face, and then down to Pansy “alright look I’m sorry” she said clearing his throat “I didn’t mean that I” He stammered “no, you’re right” Bofur sighed turning back to look at his company, at his family. “we don’t belong anywhere” He added sadly Thorin broke a bit inside at those words, Never had he heard one of his company express anything about being homesick, or being tired of the life they were forced to live, and he had not expected to hear it from one of the jollier of his group. Inside he had felt like he may have failed them and yet, he felt all the more drawn to take back Erebor. He hadn’t any other choice. With or without the Burglar. A flood of guilt rushed through Bilbo he found he could not look Bofur in the eye. Pansy leered at Bilbo’s feet. “I wish you all the luck in the world” Bofur said after a short silence. Pansy snapped her head up and shook her head. What was he doing? He was supposed to get Bilbo to stay. Bilbo too looked surprised. Bofur forced a small smile and laid a hand on Bilbo’s shoulder “I really do” he added before ruffling Pansy’s blonde locks playfully. She watched him baffled as Biblo turned to leave and pulled her behind him. Bofur tilted his head a bit at a strange blue light that came from Bilbo’s side. “What’s that?” He asked, Bilbo looked down and pulled the sword from its sheath. Bilbo and pansy looked at one another somewhat panicked. Thorin rose his head He knew all too well what a glowing blade meant, he sat up a bit more as he saw the sand shifting as if it were falling through a crack.

Pansy made a run for her bag, “wake up!” Thorin sounded out looking around “Wake up!” louder this time, the company arose but it was too late Thorin grabbed Pansy’s hood snatching her back to him as she was running straight over the crack that was growing in the ground. But it didn’t matter as it wasn’t a crack at all but a trap floor, the two instinctually held tight to one another tightly as they well down a shoot tumbling and rolling with the others “Not again!” Pansy screamed. At last they had reached the end of the shoot, dropping down in a stack into a small circular cage, Thorin lost his grip on Pansy at the impact of falling on top of Bombur, Pansy flew to the side and landed on Fili next to Kili “ah!” he yelled in a brief moment of pain. “It doesn’t feel nice does it?” Pansy barked, Fili looked at her confused. Horrible shrieking gurgling cried pierced the rank air of the cave. “What is that?” Pansy asked turning to Kili who had gone pale “Goblins” He uttered turn to look at her “Look out!” Oin called “get up!” called Nori. The company scrambled to get to their feet but there was not enough time, the Goblins had come. Kili pushed Pansy over him she rolled down the mound of Dwarfs and into the shadows. Kili held a finger to his lips “hush” he mouthed before two Goblins grabbed each of his arms and lead him away with the others. “Kili!” Pansy called in a whisper “Fili!” she said tried to reach for his pants leg from her hiding spot. Watching them all get taken away she noticed her bag had fallen too and lay right next to her. She pulled out her Crossbow and her Dagger, swinging her pack on her back she got up to make chase after the goblins. “Pansy!” Bilbo called but he wasn’t loud enough she had already run off.