𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐒: 𝑺𝑴𝑨𝑼𝑮 | FINISHED

~ch. 14: Beorn the skinchanger

❤︎
Tatsuo

I can't help them yet.

❤︎
A/n

Still invisible, Bilbo approaches Gollum, sword drawn. He watches as Gollum peers out of the tunnel exit, distressed. Suddenly, shuffling footsteps sound from nearby. Gollum
rushes back into the tunnel and hides out of sight. The footsteps come closer, and closer, until - It is Gandalf. He leads the dwarves out of the tunnel, urgently barking commands. Bilbo watches them, frantic.

Gandalf and the seven dwarves rush down the vast mountainside. Sunlight is slowly creeping over the top of the trees. In the tunnel, Gollum turns, looking back at the exit. Bilbo stands behind him. He draws his sword, raising it high above Gollum's head. Gollum turns back around. Although he cannot see him, Gollum stares straight at Bilbo. Bilbo grips his sword, hesitating.  Slaty tears begin to well in Gollum's eyes. For a second, he seems almost human. Out of pity, Bilbo lowers his sword. He takes a deep breath and steps back. Gollum begins to snarl, hearing him. Bilbo runs forward and leaps over Gollum, knocking him down.

Bilbo flees out of the exit into the daylight.

♡

Looming above the dwarves, a troop of orcs rides to the cliff's edge. At the head of the pack rides Bolg of the north. Half-blind, muscular, and tall, Bolg looks to be a force to be reckoned with. He turns to the Orcs behind him, pointing forward. "Run them down! Tear them to pieces!" He calls in Black speech. At his call, his troop races down the cliffside mounted on jet black wargs. The dwarves jump up, hearing the howls. Thorin looks at Gandalf, wide-eyed.

"Out of the frying pan -" he begins, but Gandalf interrupts him. "And into the fire. Run. Run!" Gandalf wheels around, leading Bilbo and the dwarves down the face of the mountain. Bolg and his riders chase after them—the Company darts across grasslands and streams. Gandalf leads the way, yards ahead of the dwarves. "Come on!" He calls, and Bolg and his orcs speed through the thick trees, weapons are drawn. Suddenly, an ear spitting rings through the forest. The orc pack skids to a halt, looking for the noise. Further along, the dwarves come to a stop—they look in dismay at one another.

" This way, quickly!" Gandalf says, and they resume to run. In his mind, he contacts Tatsuo. What that you, Tatsuo? He says—no old friend. I am in the palace of Mirkwood. And yes, I am fine; Thranduil hasn't seen me yet. Gandalf hummed. That was all I wondered, my friend. Gandalf then disappeared from the dragon's mind and continued to run.

♡

The dwarves rush to the door, bumblebees bustling past them. They reach the door, throwing themselves against it in desperation. Gandalf looks as a massive bear breaks out from the forest's edge and barrels towards them. "  Open the door!" He yells as  Thorin pushes through the dwarves. He manages to raise the   Exterior bolt, opening the doors. As the bear crashes through the gate, the entire company floods into the home.

The dwarves attempt to slam the door shut. However, the bear pushes his head inside, roaring and snarling. Panicked, the dwarves go against the door, screaming.  Bilbo withdraws his sword and points it up at the bear.  Gandalf only watches, calm.  With a final heave, the dwarves manage to close the door and drop the bolt across it. Catching their breath, everyone looks to Gandalf. " What is that?" One of them asks, and Gandalf stands a little straighter. "That is our host. His name is Beorn, and he's a skin-changer. Sometimes he's a huge, black bear; sometimes, he's a great, strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of dwarves."

He says. Tatsuo's voice snorts in his mind, but who is? Gandalf smiled, but the dwarves didn't see.

♡

Tatsuo

They're finally found him, that's good.

♡
A/n

Bolg and his company watch the house from a     distance. Beorn, in his bear form, circles around the house, growling. Yazneg approaches Bolg. "Attack them now. Kill the dwarf filth while they sleep." Bolg growled back. "No. The Beast stands guard. We will kill them on the road."  He turns, looking towards his wargs. He and his orcs mount the fierce beasts and ride off into the distance. Beorn ambles after them. The bear stumbles over. 

  Slowly, his form melts into that of a tall man. He rises to his feet, staring at his house in the distance. In the place, everyone's asleep. Suddenly, there is a rustling noise. Bilbo wakes, quietly peeking out of his blankets. He sees Beorn enter the house. With a sigh, Beorn closes the door behind him.

The following day, ponies prance through the field, their manes fluttering in the wind. In the house, a large bumblebee lands on Bilbo's nose. He wakes with a start. The bee flies off, alarmed. Quickly, Bilbo puts on his jacket and walks toward the kitchen. Gandalf and the dwarves are all gathered there,  with Beorn looming over them.  Bilbo sits down at the table. Beorn pours a glass of milk for Fili, locking eyes with Thorin. "So you are the one they call        Oakenshield? Tell me, why is Bolg   of the North hunting you?" He says, and Thorin looks up at the man, confused.

"You know of Bolg? How?" Beorn sighs and stats to explain. " My people were the first to live in the mountains before the orcs came down from the north. Bolg and his father Azog killed most of my family, but some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and  torturing them seemed to amuse him."  Bilbo notices the remnants of máncheles around Beorn's wrist. "There are others like you?" He asks. "Once, there were many." Beorn answers, and Bilbo looks up at him.

"And now?"

"Now, there is only one. But there is the say about another one in the Misty mountains. A female nonetheless. What kind she is, I do not know." Beorn says, and Gandalf frowns. Do you know Beorn Tatsuo? He asks the female shifter. No, Mithrandir, I do not. But he's right that there is a prophecy about me. I heard it from somewhere I can't remember. Don't worry; I will fulfill it. But... she trails off. Sighing, she begins again.

You aren't going to join the dwarves in the forest, are you? She says. No Gandalf answers. Very well. Then I wish you good luck, Mithrandir. Tatsuo then left Gandalf's mind. And the gray wizard turned back to the conversation at hand.

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