When in doubt, jump in head first

11. Lodgings can be found with the bear man

Thorin wanted to continue to the mountain immediately, but Óin grabbed him and told him to sit down now, you were thrown around by a Warg. He was able to convince the healer to at least descend from the rock first, and it was not without a bit of grumbling that the Company tried to find a way to get down.

"While I'm not ungrateful for their help," said Laelynn to Bilbo as they searched for a path, "I do wish the Eagles had dropped us somewhere a bit more convenient."

The hobbit gave her a resigned smile in return. "Well," he said pragmatically, "Beggars can't be choosers." They continued to look, until Bilbo saw a small path. It was small and narrow, and some parts had crumbled away, but it was the only path they could find. Going back to Thorin, they informed him of their discovery.

"Maybe the wizard could fix it," muttered Óin loudly as he moved to help Thorin stand. As Gandalf explained to the healer that he couldn't just 'fix the path', Laelynn slapped a hand to her forehead. She moved back to where Bilbo had seen the path, ignoring the hobbit's questions. The wizard might not be able to fix the path, but she was certainly able.

"Reparo," she intoned, waving her wand in a circular motion. The dwarves watched as the path fixed itself, stones and rocks melding together so securely there was no trace of a join or seam. Laelynn re sheathed her wand and started to walk down the rock face.

"Aren't you coming?" she turned and asked, before continuing. Gandalf giggled (Laelynn was as freaked out as everyone else) as he walked after her, and the dwarves trailed behind him looking at the rock under their feet with distrust.

"S'not natural," Dwalin muttered to his brother as they walked, "Stone shouldn't join together like metal." Despite the doubts of the dwarves, the rock path didn't crumble into nothingness and let them fall to their deaths, though it was still a relief to be on solid ground once more.

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"Where are we going now Gandalf?" asked Bilbo once they sequestered themselves in a cave at the foot of the Carrock (as Laelynn had learned it was called).

"I mean to take you to the house of a friend of mine," replied Gandalf, taking out his pipe and lighting it. He blew a smoke ring, then a smaller one that flew through the middle of the larger, before continuing. "After that, I will accompany you to the edge of Mirkwood. There is where I will leave you, as I have come far further on this quest than I meant to originally."

His statement raised a lot of protest from the dwarves and Bilbo, while Laelynn sat off to the side on a rock and scraped some mud from the heel of her boot with her knife. "Enough!" roared Gandalf, effectively shutting up the dwarves, "There is a job I must complete, and you will do well to travel without me for a while."

He would not be moved on the matter, no matter how much the dwarves protested. Laelynn sighed (and she did seem to be doing a lot of that lately) and stood up, moving to start a fire as the dwarves were too busy arguing with Gandalf (again). She cast the spell for bluebell flames, and began pulling some dried meats (if her stay in Rivendell had taught her anything, it was vegetables were a big 'no' for dwarves) from her neck pouch.

No one noticed until after Gandalf had shut down every argument the dwarves could come up with to convince him to stay, when Thorin barked an order for Óin and Glóin to start a fire, and his nephews to get something to eat. They stared at her in shock, and she rolled her eyes. "Someone had to actually set up camp while you badgered Gandalf about staying," Laelynn said defensively, "You don't have to eat if you don't want to."

That had the Dwarves descending on the food she had, and Laelynn was happy to pass most of them to Bombur to distribute. She sat down next to the fire, and stared into the flames as she let her thoughts wander. No sleep since the night in the cave meant she had no clue what was happening in her world, and the thought of going back only to find a pile of dead bodies frightened her. Though really, said a voice in her head, where on earth do you get these ideas? They're probably just fine, so stop moping.