Concerning Hobbits

Pansy followed close behind Kili as He followed Thorin, Fili behind her every time she would slow down he would give her a light kick in the heels to keep her going. “Oh be bother all this running!” She panted a large frown etched across her face. “Where are we headed?” She asked “away from the hoard of angry Goblins!” Bofur said in passing them by. Pansy’s frown grew (and she had though it couldn’t get any longer) as her head began to ache, the feeling was somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t remember were from. Kili and Fili swung at a few Goblins who were scaling the walls and jumping before them from the sky Kili released Pansy’s hand and fought, Pansy touched her temple and groaned as the pain became worse. Closing her eyes she could see flashes of Bilbo, she watched him in the flashes, tumbling into the dark, and then running through the tunnels. Pansy gasped and grasped both side of her head. A larger goblin snatched her up by the hood of her cloak. “Pansy!” Kili yelled slicing through a goblin, he ran to her and her capture “Ey! Put her down!” Kili roared brandishing his sword The Goblin giggled in glee as it watch Pansy writhe under its grip “Down he says! Down he says!” it laughed, Pansy groaned and held her head, still flashing she could see Bilbo running, and a creature perusing him. Her eyes shot open and the cave began to rumble “Bilbo!” she cried out, Kili went to swing at her Goblin capture but two more goblins blocked. Looking around Kili realized they were being left behind by the others, unnoticed, Pansy looked down into the deep dark drop off of the cave and stopped her failing. “Down there” she muttered, looking over to Kili she looked up, Gandalf and the others were far ahead now, “Kili, go to the others” She said, turning to look back at the drop. “I’ve got to find Bilbo.” She whispered, she knew what need to be done. “I’ve survived Stone giants…” she whispered, “so what’s a drop?” she added, Kili’s eyes grew “Don’t!” Kili cried, Pansy drew in a deep breath and kicked her legs, swinging her boy out of the Goblins grip and over the edge. “No!” Kili called, stabbing the goblin he ripped his sword free and rushed to the edge, “Pansy!” He called reaching out his hand, “Go Kili!” Pansy called to him before fading down into the dark. “Pansy!” she could hear his voice echo.

Closing her eyes Pansy could feel the Cave rumbling, a large boulder fell near her and she reached for it, holding on tightly, she held her breath, afraid of the impact. As the Rock hit the ground, she was thrown from it “AyeeeH!” she called as she sailed through the air, landing on the bumpy ground with a harsh thud. Pansy moaned at the unpleasant pain that surged through her back as she laid there. Her vision blurred, the ground shook and she could hear the mountain groan. “Pansy” A deep voice, like the slow cracking of a frozen lake called. Pansy blinked and stirred. “Pansy” It called again, “Rise!” It boomed sternly the cave quaked and Pansy scrambled to her feet. “Who, who’s th-there!” she stammered looking around. The booming voice chuckled “You are Brave” it stated “But not nearly Brave enough, little one” Pansy turned around in search of this voice, but in the dark nothing could be seen. Pansy remembered the creature in her flashes, puffing out her chest she mustered up the stronger tone she could “What have you done with Bilbo!” she demanded (Sounding much less fierce as she had wanted) the Voice laughed more “You may yet be” the Voice said in a softer tone, ignoring her demands, a gust of wind brushed past Pansy she turned around, but no one was there. “Are you the one making the mountain move?” Pansy called out loudly her eyes darting in the dark. “Do you believe I am the one making the mountain move?” the Voice asked, “Well it’s either you or me…I could never make such things happen, I’m Just a hobbit” Pansy reasoned and it fell silent, Pansy looked around she could somehow feel that the Voice had not left her, “And” It mused “Do.you….believe that?” It asked, “But of course! There’s nothing else I can be! I’m from the shire after all, that’s were Bilbo found me” “ah but <i>Found</i> you is the key” the Voice said, Pansy not liking the thought, puffed out her cheeks and pouted a bit “Enough!” she called drawing her dagger “Tell me where Bilbo is! I’ve enough of you!” She called. The Voice chuckled “You may yet be…you may yet be…” it said softly. “Your Bilbo is exiting this place….Follow the tumbling rocks…they will show you the way” It spoke softly, Pansy looked around “How I cannot see!” she called out, a loud thud sounded behind her. “Then listen” Pansy turned and gazed into the dark as she heard another thud, running now she followed the rocks.

“Bilbo!” Pansy called as she ran through the tunnels of the cave, but never got a reply. “Bilbo?!” she called but still nothing. Up ahead through the dark a blinding white dot bounced up and down as she ran. “An exit?” she thought trying to speed up, “is that the exit Bilbo found?” She asked herself “I’ve to hurry!” she gasped, the white dot got bigger and brighter, brighter to blinding, Pansy covered her eyes and she stumbled out of the Cave. She tried to focus her eyes to the noonday light, on her knees she looked at her trembling arms that held her up, she had been more frightened than she had thought. “If you should ever need help…” the Voice said from the opening of the cave. Pansy shot up and turned around “Look to the rocks.” It said and with a strong gust of wind and a loud rumble, Pansy felt the voice vanish. She watched the cave as a rock slide closed the opening, exhaling, Pansy turned to the forest behind her. “I’ve got to find Bilbo and meet up with the others” she thought heading off into the wood, looking around Pansy sighed “but there could either be” she felt hopeless walking aimlessly around. “Bilbo!” she called walking along “Gandalf!” deeper into the woods she went, “Bilbo!” she called her voice cracked a bit as she bit her lip. Looking up at the big foreign wood, she felt terribly small “Bilbo!” she called louder, her lip trembled and her eyes stung with welling tears. Pansy stopped and examined her elbows which were scrapped from her fall, her knees too were scrapped and throbbed in annoyance. Pansy sniffled the sun would soon be setting, and if she didn’t find Bilbo or the others soon, she’d be alone in the night. “Bilbo! Gandalf! Kili! Fili!” she called as she continued on her way, she wrapped her cloak around her tighter, “Balin! Bofur! Dori! Nori!” she continued to call, wandering more she began to feel lost, and lost she was, after all she knew not these lands or where she was. Tears final slipped over her red and dirt riddled cheeks “T-thorin?” she called quieter now, she found a large rock and climbed upon it, tears spilled over as she hugged her knees to her chest, and her hood flopped over her face. “What a mess you’ve made Pansy Baggins…what a mess indeed” she muttered through her tears.

The forest had a light amber tent as the sun was now setting, “L-Little Baggins!” Pansy heard a familiar voice call, she sniffled and hung her head more “I am hearing things now” she thought “Little Baggins!” “What are you yelling for!” “I know what I saw! Little Baggins!” Pansy raised her head now, and as she did, she was pulled back with great force, arms were wrapped around her stomach and the embrace was bone crushing. She could barely breath but with what breath she could muster “K-kili!” she wheezed with wide eyes He stood up dragging her up with him, he held her up in the hug her feet dangling off the ground. “Kili!” Pansy said laughing, her tears had stopped and a large grin “You nearly caused me a heart attack! Don’t do that sort of thing ever again!” He scolded, but found he was to happy to be as mad as he would have liked to be. Pansy chuckled and closed her eyes, “yes, nearly jumped off after you, if I hadn’t gone back to get him he would have…drove us mad all the way out of the Goblin cave” Fili said with a smirk, Pansy opened her eyes and gave Fili an apologetic smile. “I had to! I saw…things” Pansy said her voice fading. She looked around as more and more of the Dwarves appeared, “Is Bilbo with you?” she asked, “We would ask you the same thing” Thorin’s voice rolled as he stepped through the company. Kili slowly lowered Pansy back to her feet, she back up against him under Thorin’s stern gaze, “I- I” she stammered “Are you foolish? Jumping over the edge to your doom without reason! Kili and Fili almost got left behind trying to search for you!” Thorin voice rose “Thorin” Gandalf warned, “Uncle” Kili said lowly resting his hands on Pansy’s shoulders. “I had to, I saw-“ “What could you have possibly seen in the dark!” “I saw, I had to find-“ “What!” Pansy puffed up and stood on her tiptoes “I had to find Bilbo!” she yelled, her fist clenched “No one else noticed he was gone! No one else thought to look! You!” Pansy pointed at Thorin “Didn’t, did you? Huh! You!” she pointed at him again poking him in his chest as she did so taking a step closer to him “Wouldn’t let YOUR people, YOUR kin be lost in the dark of Goblin caves! So don’t raise your voice to me!” Pansy barked glaring, Kili tried not to snicker, as it was a rather funny site, being that she was so small. Thorin watched her, and his eyes went to her finger with was still planted in his chest, he brushed it away and rubbed were it was. Pansy clutched her hands into fists. “Pansy is quite right” Gandalf said clearing his throat, Pansy turned her back to Thorin and crossed her arms and started to walk right past Kili “Where do you think you’re going?” Thorin called “To Find Bilbo!” she called back. “Your covered in scars…it won’t do you any good to go searching now…and not on your own” He called hesitantly. Balin nodded and smiled at bit at Thorin with approval “Aye, He is right” Balin called walking to Pansy, he rested a hand on her shoulder and offered a kindly smile. “Come now, I am sure we have some wrappings left, we will tend to your cuts and then have a looksee” he said. Pansy sighed and nodded smiling at him “okay, Master Balin.” She said letting him lead her back over to the rock.

“We must find out where our hobbit went” Gandalf’s voice thundered, Pansy stop examining her wrapped up arms and Bofur looked up from wrapping her knee. “I think I saw him, slip off when we first got caught” Ori spoke, Thorin scrunched up his face in disdain as he walked around the group “I’ll tell you what happened “Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it!” Thorin raged, Pansy stood up fast nearly knocking Bofur over “Now you see here!” she called “You’ll be quiet!” Thorin roared, Pansy shrunk back leering, “He’s thought nothing but of his soft bed and warm house, since he stepped out the door” Thorin went on, Pansy deflated “is this what this is about?” she thought, gazing up at Thorin, “bitterness.” Pansy watched him with dull eyes “we will not be seeing our Hobbit again” Thorin breathed calming down. Pansy gaze became hard “You’re wrong, Bilbo’s not like that” she said Thorin turned to face her “He’s words good, He said he’d help and he will. Besides, He’d never leave me behind” She added Thorin scoffed “are you so sure?” he asked nastily “I am telling you Little Hobbit, He is long gone” Thorin stated, Pansy looking down “why must you always be so terrible” she asked through a cracking voice as tears spilled back over her cheeks. “No, no he isn’t” Pansy looked up and whipped around “Bilbo!” she called bolting o him she embraced him “I knew it!” she cheered, Bilbo chuckled a bit and offered her a smile patting her head. Kili, Fili, Bofur, and Balin smiled in relief, “Bilbo Baggins!” Gandalf exclaimed going to meet him “I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my life!” Pansy hugged Bilbo tightly once more before letting him go, Bilbo gave Balin a pat on the shoulder and walked into the middle of the group a smile on his face. “Bilbo, we’d given you up!” Kili stated “how on earth did you get past the goblins?” Fili questioned, “How indeed?” Dwalin asked skepticism dripping in his voice, Bilbo laughed them off and stuck his hands in his vest pockets, Pansy watched Gandalf as he gazed at him in a Odd fashion, Bilbo seemed not to have noticed “well what does it matter!” Gandalf called cheerily but his undertone was secretive.

“He’s Back” He added, Thorin pick up on the undertone, and in what was left over of his bitterness spoke “It matters” He said side glancing at the old wizard “I want to know” He barked nodding up to Bilbo “what did you come back?” He asked, Thorin’s tone failed him the bitterness that was there seemed to somehow vanish. Pansy smiled to herself a closed grin, Bilbo paused and looked at Thorin for a moment “I know you doubt me, I know” He started turning to him. “I know you always have, and you’re right I often think of Bag End” Bilbo said shrugging “I miss my books” Bilbo bounced from his heels to his toes and back “and my arm chair and I garden. You see, that’s where I belong, that’s home” Thorin’s stare was fixed on Bilbo as he spoke, Bilbo reached back and turned to look at Pansy, she scurried over to him and under his arm as he wrapped it around her shoulders, He smiled down at her warmly and looked back up to Thorin. “and that’s why I came back” He looked to Gandalf and shook his head “because you don’t have one” he paused and turned to Thorin with a light smile “and Home, it was taken from you, but I” Bilbo looked down and gave Pansy and Squeeze “we, will help you take it back, if we can” He corrected, Thorin looked to his feet, and with a sigh looked back up at the hobbit. Too proud to admit his wrongs, but far too grateful, to retort. Bilbo’s speech left the company of dwarves speechless, and the air was somber. Gandalf watched Bilbo with a bit of Pride, that was the son of Belladonna took, that was the Little Hobbit he had remembered.

The Sun had very nearly gone wholly behind the foothills, familiar howls echoed through the still wood. Pansy tightened her grip on Bilbo’s arm and the two looked at each other horrified “Not again!” Pansy called out, she didn’t know how much strength she had left, and the very thought of another chase from Wargs was more than enough to make her knees buckle. Gandalf and Thorin had their eyes fixed upon the steep hillside “Out of the Frying pan” Thorin sighed “and into the fire, run” Gandalf huffed, Undone he found resting was out of the question and so they had to be on the run again. “Run!” he called louder, and the company took off deeper into the woods, Bilbo had his hand around Pansy’s wrists trying to keep her behind him, but much to his surprise, “Y-your keeping up” he stammered in a mild shock, Pansy looked down at her feet and then to Bilbo smiling for a moment “I am! I am!” she said laughing “this is no laughing matter!” Bilbo said as the Wargs howled again. Gaining fast, Pansy could now hear the Wargs snarling behind them, with another howl, a Warg threw its great body up in the air and blocked The Hobbits’ path, Pansy screamed and Bilbo drew his sword from its scabbard and pushed Pansy to the side, Holding out the sword Bilbo closed his eyes, the Warg bounded for him and the sword lodged into the canine’s skull. It fell dead and Bilbo slowly opened his eyes. “Ha! Stupid thing, way to go Bilbo!” Pansy cheered, almost forgetting that there were more “Look out!” Oin called as he hacked down a Warg ready to pounce her, Pansy watched him killed the animal with wide eyes. She and Bilbo looked at each other, this was far too much for a hobbit to take. Ori took out another one, Pansy urged a shocked Bilbo to follower her as she ran after Kili and Fili, the two brothers halted as they saw that Gandalf and the others were at a dead end, a large cliff. Pansy looked around and then looked up at the large pines “to the tree quickly!” Gandalf called, at this Pansy smiled, now that she could do “Hurry climb! Climb!” Thorin called to everyone “They’re coming!” he warmed, Pansy grabbed a tree trunk and scurried up to the first branch like a squirrel. Holding on tightly she held out her hand “Kili!” she called waving her hand for him to grab it. Kili took hold and kicked off the trunk using her arm to swing up. Pansy help onto his coat o keep his steady as he situated himself to help her “Fili! Oh!” Pansy gasped withdrawing her hand as Fili hoped up and grabbed the branch on his own. “Show off, I could have done that” Kili said seeing Pansy’s mild impression, “of course you could” Fili said quickly before going to scale higher into the tree to Gandalf. “Thorin!” Kili called as he and Pansy held out their hands, Thorin quickly took them and they pulled him up, he too took to higher branches. “Come on!” Kili called to pansy as he climbed higher “But Bilbo!” Pansy called. “Look!” Kili said pointing to a nearby Tree, Pansy followed his arm to see Bilbo high up in a neighboring tree. Pansy nodded and ascended up after Kili.