A Thousand Miles[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Three]

The dwarves one by one left the kitchen, into the main area of the house. Alyndra leaned against the wall with her arms folded. She could smell the stench that had made it's way to the hobbit's front door, and she was not pleased. Another dwarf would be joining this quest. " Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice." Alyndra's head perked up at the sound of the voice that spoke, it was soft yet had hint of deep, gruff to it. She felt herself moving from the wall, and wanting to see who this voice belonged to.

She wandered into the main room with the others and saw who the voice belonged too. He was quite moving, he stood in the middle of the group full of pride. Alyndra noticed all these dwarves, looked to this one dwarf with admiration, but she couldn't figure out who he was. " Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of the company. Thorin Oakenshield." The wizard said. The woman's eyes went wide at the name. She had heard it before, long ago when news spread that the pale orc was killed. She suddenly felt a pair of eyes on her and it was the dwarf himself.

" Gandalf, who is this? You didn't tell me a woman would be joining on this quest?" Thorin growled at the wizard. Alyndra gave Gandalf a glare that he better not say anything about her ability.

" Oh, didn't I?" Gandalf awkwardly replied and Thorin narrowed his eyes. "This is Alyndra, I have asked her personally to join us on this adventure." Gandalf stated. Thorin took a few steps closer to the young woman.

" Hmm, and what can you offer this company, besides being a distraction? Can you even fight?" Thorin asked, in a serious tone, as he looked her up and down. Feeling infuriated by this dwarf's insult, Alyndra punched him in the nose, causing him to let out a grunt of surprise, and he stumbled back a little and clutching his nose and he looked down at his hand that was now covered in blood.

" Why, you little girl! Do you know who you just hit!" Dwalin roared as he quickly had his axe at her chest, when he felt a sharp blade, just touching his neck.

" Remove your axe now, or i'll stab this blade through your throat, dwarf." Alyndra hissed. Dwalin lowered his axe and she lowered her blade. The hobbit eyes went wide and he gulped, thinking their was about to be a blood feud in his home. Alyndra snorted and walked away, back into the kitchen.

" And yes, to answer your question. She does know how to fight. I wouldn't have asked her on this quest, if she didn't know how to." The wizard pressed, not impressed the leader of the company didn't trust him to find the last two members of this company. The dwarf was already not impressed with this hobbit as their burglar, and he wasn't too sure about this woman coming with them. She would be a distraction too all of them on this dangerous quest.

Gandalf glared at the dwarf, for the way he was to Alyndra, but followed the rest of them into the kitchen to sit around the table to get down to business and talk about the quest. The woman drowned most of the shouting and arguing from the dwarves and the wizard. She was missing her father, more then she realized. It was the first time they had been separated from each other and she wondered how he was doing. At least he had the ponies and her other eagle friends.

Alyndra had instructed them to check up on him, once in awhile and to come get her if anything happened. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a loud thud. She looked to her side to see the hobbit had fainted on the ground. The dwarves busted out laughing and the woman glared at them all. " Leave him alone!" Alyndra growled, leaving the table. The dwarves watched her as she crouched down beside the hobbit and placed a hand on his forehead and whispered something they couldn't hear and he opened his eyes. " You all right, Mr. Baggins?" She asked him, with a smile on his face.

" Y-yes, or n-no I need to take a seat and maybe some tea." The shaky hobbit insisted. The wizard walked his friend over to the living room, while Alyndra went to make some tea. She was catching ever so often stars from Thorin and it was flustering her. The woman walked passed the dwarves and headed into the living room and gave the tea to the hobbit. " Thank you." Bilbo said, suddenly thinking she wasn't scary as he thought she was, when he watched her punch that dwarf in the face.

" Your welcome. Gandalf I'm going for a walk, I need to clear my head." Alyndra declared.

" Of course my dear." The wizard started. Alyndra headed for the door when she was stopped.

"Where do you think your going?" Thorin growled. She glared at the dwarf, not in the mood to deal with anymore dwarves for the night.

" None of your business where I'm going, now out of my way." She snapped with rage.

" If your going to be part of this company, then it is my business." Thorin pressed. She rolled her eyes, and let out a low snicker.

" I'm going out there to clear my head, if you must really know." She replied and her face fell back serious. The dwarf was about to follow her out when she turned to look at him again. " Alone...." She added. Alyndra opened the door and shut it behind her, hearing Thorin letting out a 'hmph' and he stormed away from the door. The skin-changer smirked to herself and disappeared down the path until she was out of sight from the homes of the hobbit's and the dwarves and she transformed into her animal form and sorrowed through the sky, enjoying the breeze that blew passed her.

She sorrowed over the Shire, she couldn't believe how peaceful it was, much like how her home once was, until it was invaded by orcs and took her mom from her and her father. Alyndra landed near a river and changed back into her human form and got her clothes on and headed back for the hobbit hole. She quietly opened the door, to see all the dwarves were passed out around the house, sleeping. Alyndra found a empty spot on a chair, and she noticed it was near Thorin and she wondered if he had kept that spot for her on purpose so he could keep an eye on her, if she tried anything. She curled up in the chair and fell asleep.