A Light in the Darkness (TH fanfiction)

Lyra

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"So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?" Beorn asked the dude named Thorin, or should I say 'dwarf'. I mimicked the shapeshifter behind his back, Chrystal's shoulders shaking as she tried to hold back her laughter.

"Stop!" She whispered, slapping my arm. I chuckled and the dwarf with dark brown hair looked around Beorn and flashed me a smile. I stuck out my tongue and decided to stop mimicking Beorn because he glanced at us, frowning. I looked at him innocently.

"You know of Azog? How?" Beorn snapped his head back to Thorin, who had spoken up.

"I lived in the mountains... before the orcs. The Defiler killed most of my family and enslaved the others." Chrystal raised an eyebrow at him and he gave her a look that said I'll explain it to you two later. Of course he had screened here, but only two people went to screen to the  land they were assigned. I guess everyone had lost track of where Beorn had gone so they sent us here. Or, maybe they sent us here to help him- though that would be a very roundabout way of doing it.... In our land, each of the families were assigned to different worlds. For example, the world of Harry Potter and they would screen when their world was in trouble. People could sometimes be boastful about the land that they had, that was if they actually had a good one... Most families had a screening party where families and friends came to gather to see the screeners part to help their land. Screening was rare and many didn't come back. It was also forbidden to fall in love with your screening partner- that was easy for me since I was definitely not gonna fall in love with my sister....BLEH- or fall in love with anyone from the world that you were assigned to hehehe.

"There are others like you?" The small man with no beard- Finally! no more beards- asks.

"There are many though a lot of them were killed..." Beorn then gave us a look as if to tell us but there are many more... I nodded my head in confirmation.

"Then who are they?" The dwarf with blonde hair gave a pointed look at Chrystal. She winked at him and he turned red, averting his eyes.

"They are younger shapeshifters..." He stepped back to let us explain.

"Yeah... We're like the cooler version of Mr. Beorn." I said.

"Cool name by the way." Chrystal went on her tiptoes to pat Beorn's head.

"Anyways, we're able to shift into any animal we desire..."

"Though it would also be very cool if we could shift into things like the wind." Chrystal interrupted "This is the best I can do." She turned into a tiny fly. "I look like the wind!" A tiny voice called out. Then she shifted back to a human. Fili raised his eyebrows, eying my twin. Well she's got an admirer. Clap clap clap.

"Our main animal is the leopard, which means that when we grow old like Mr. Grumpy here," I pointed at the old- now looking like the perfect description of his nickname- shapeshifter "we will only be able to shapeshift into that."

"Can I see the leopard that you would shapeshift into?" The small man asked curiously. I gave him an animal's grin and did exactly as he asked me to, Chrystal mirroring me. Once I shapeshifted, I growled and the small man jumped away. Thorin, the leader of the group stepped in front of him unsheathing his sword.

"Sheesh." Chrystal drawled as she shapeshifted back into her human form. "You know you wouldn't have been able to stand against me anyways." Thorin frowned.

"I'm not sure I like these two..." He said.

"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn." Beorn said, stepping in. I guess I should've thanked him for getting back to the point but it would have been fun to play a little game with these little dwarfies.

"Before Durin's day falls, yes." The old wizard that had introduced the dwarves said. I hadn't noticed him until now, with all his old man sulking in the corner.

"You are running out of time!" Beorn said urgently.

"Wait let me get this straight," I piped up," When the heck is Durin's day?"

"Or is it just like a random day that you felt like naming?" Chrystal added.

"Would it please you if it was?" The blonde haired dwarf asked.

"That is why we must go through Mirkwood." The wizard said, returning us back to the boring old conversation.

"A darkness lies upon that forest, fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and The Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there, except in great need." Beorn said.

"Well guess what, we are in need!" Chrystal retorted.

"Mmhmm though no need to shout Chrys." I agreed.

"We will take the Elven Road, the path is still safe." The wizard said.

"Safe? The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not." Beorn said snottily. I grinned.

"So you're saying they're dumb." I asked.

"Wha-"

"That's not the best way to forge an alliance." Chrystal added.

"Also you said they're dangerous. Treating them like rabid dogs." I chuckled. "I'm starting to like you." I could almost see steam coming out of Beorn's nose and ears.

"My point is that these lands are crawling with Orcs, their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive. I don't like dwarves, they're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."

"Oooooh yay. Now we're insulting dwarves. Can I call them fatties?" I called out

"OR PIGS!" Chrystal added.

"OR SHORT!"

"Did you know that in our land, being called a dwarf is an insult?" Chrystal mused.

"Didja know that y'all look like some short Elf." I added. I knew that dwarves hate elves.

"You all look like Stubby Buddies." Chrystal said, dissolving into laughter. "The craftsmanship of your belt is great! Did an elf make it for you?"

"Your beards look like a half shaved owl-bear!" I started laughing too and the dwarves looked embarrassed, looking at themselves in search of their flaws. That is, except for Thorin. He just looked at us, growing redder and redder with anger.

"Maybe they also got some anger issues..." I hummed.

"But I hate orcs more." Beorn said, trying his best to ignore us- which I admit must've been pretty hard. Not that I was sorry. This trip was turning out to be the best time I've ever had in my life. I actually kinda wanted to stay here. But I knew I wouldn't be able to.

"I will give you whatever you need as long as you take these two... children, off my hands." Beorn pointed towards us and I gave him a less than polite gesture.