When in doubt, jump in head first

13. This forest is freaking me out!

True to his word, the next morning Beorn had ponies (and a horse each for her and Gandalf) ready for the company. There were also many large packs of food strapped to the animals, and more in backpacks for the dwarves to carry once they got to the trees.

As they pulled their belongings onto the ponies, as well as onto the extra pack horse Beorn let them use, Laelynn thought about what it would be like travelling with the dwarves now. She hoped that nothing would change, because for one of the only times in her life she was making friends, and they didn't treat her like Harry Potter's stupid sister. But that was a desperate hope; they would treat her differently no matter what she wished.

"Hey Laelynn," came a call from the others, and the girl turned to find everyone else already on their mounts. "Ready to go?" Kíli asked, speaking again.

"Yeah, if you don't hurry up we'll leave you here," Fíli joked. She swung herself up onto the horse, saddle bags already packed and girth already tightened. Gently digging her heels into the side of the horse, she made her way to join the back of the group, and as one they made their way out of Beorn's garden.

Laelynn turned to wave goodbye to the bear man, but found him already out of sight as they passed through the gate in the large hedge surrounding the garden. After Gandalf and Thorin spent a few minutes discussing the way they would go, the group eased the ponies into a trot, and the rest of the day was spent travelling.

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After seven days of riding, they had reached Mirkwood. The trees rose in front of them like a wall, stretching as far as Laelynn could see north and south. The only break she could find in the tree line was where the path twisted out of sight. Dark, twisting boughs stretched across the path, too, and all the trees were hunched, with grey-so-grey-it's-black coloured wood and sinister-looking branches.

Overall it was very dark and ominous, and every cell in her body was telling her to leave, leave right now, this is fucking terrifying, go go GO GO-

"Nori, Bofur, start unloading the horses." Thorin's voice cut across her thoughts. "We enter while we still have light, try and get as much ground behind us as we can today." Laelynn slowly slipped off her horse, walking forward toward the dark embrace of the trees almost against her will.

"Gandalf," she called, the wizard starting to move into the forest. "Gandalf," she tried again, "I really need to speak with you." She continued to follow him down the path until they were under the shadow of the trees, yet still in view of the dwarves. "Surely you can't mean for us to go through this place Gandalf." She tugged on his sleeve. "This forest is sick-"

Gandalf (who she suspected hadn't been listening) used his staff to push aside a plant growing over a rock to the side of the path. On it was painted a red eye.

Laelynn stumbled back, gasping in pain as her chest tightened and the image of a giant flaming eye invaded her mind for a split second. She pushed herself away from the rock, even as Gandalf let the plant fall back on top of it.

"What-" She tried again. "What was that?" Laelynn asked as they exited the trees.

"A symbol of a great evil," Gandalf replied. "Not mine, I need it!" he called to Bofur, who was starting to untie the horse. The others had already been untied and were racing back in the direction of Beorn's house. The dwarf startled, and handed the reins to Gandalf as the wizard swung himself onto the horse in a display of agility she'd thought beyond the old man.

"You're not leaving us!" Bilbo cried, a sentiment echoed by many of the dwarves.

"I've already told you I have things that need attending to," he said. "Now more than ever, I must go."