The Hobbit: An Unexpected Companion

Chapter 2~ Meeting Kili

Kili was discombobulated as something heavy crashed into his stomach and knocked the air out of his chest. His head felt dizzy and he saw stars whenever he looked upward. Recovering, he sat up far enough to make full eye contact with the fuzzy creature resting on his chest, who's deep, dark brown eyes belonged to.

"AAAUUGGHH!"

Springing up onto his feet, he drew his loaded bow and pointed it at the wolf. The creature back away slightly, only slightly surprised at the sudden display of aggression. The young dwarf's hands were shaking, as was his voice when he spoke.

"Stay back! Stay back, or I shoot, you... You mongrel creature!..." Kili said shakily. "I will kill you, I swear it!..." The wolf growled a little and an ear twitched that looked like half of it was torn savagely from the creature's head. It started to stand a little, looking none too impressed, or intimidated. Kili's arrowpoint followed thd wolf's every movement.

"Humph. Typical dwarves, threatening everything they see that might be a threat to them. I haven't seen a dwarf since perhaps two or three of Durin's Days ago. Still as hardheaded as ever. How I mixed it up with the scent of a rabbit, I'll never know." The wolf continued on ranting and mumbling, as it slowly trotted around Kili. The stunned dwarf just about dropped his loaded bow as his jaw dropped in amazement.

"You can speak?!" The wolf looked up lazily at him. "Obviously. Who do you care to believe has spoken? The trees? The roots? Perhaps the sun, or the soil we stand on." The wolf continued its grumbling.

"Dwarves. Not a lick of sense in any of 'em."

Kili quickly grabbed his bow and arrows as he eyed the talking she-wolf with both curiousity and suspicion. "In all my life, I have never heard of a talking wolf. What do they call you?" The wolf sat down rather awkwardly, with both legs sticking out beside her rather than how most animals sat, their himdquarters tucked neatly into their sides. She picked distractidly at a blade of grass.

"I was called Aquina by my mother. I never liked the name, so I changed it to Clairaus." She looked up at the dwarf fully, for the first time. "And what, perchance, do they call you, Master Dwarf?"

Kili straightened up to full height as he proudly announced his title to beast in front of him. "I am Kili, son of Dis, sister of Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, and rightful King Under the Mountain!"

Clairaus licked a paw uninterestedly. "You don't say. A royal one, 'eh? And you are heir to the throne, then?" Kili shuffled his feet a little. "Not exactly. My brother, Fili is the older one, and is next in line for the throne." The savaged ear twitched once again. "Ah. I see. So you are brother to the heir?" Clairaus scratched her twitching ear with her hind leg. "And where are dwarves of such royalty traveling to?"

Kili's lip tightened. "I am not allowed to share that information. Thorin has prohibited any of us to share any information with outsiders." This time, Clairaus came to full attention. "Others? More dwarves?" Kili swallowed nervously and nodded. "And it sounds like Thorin Oakenshield is the leader of your group, is he not?" Kili twitched slightly. "He is..." The wolf leapt to her paws. "Well then! I would be quite appreciative if you lead me to him. I am traveling also, searching for something very important to my family. I believe we can help each other."

Kili's suspicion was growing. He was told to scout ahead, not bring magical talking wolves back to camp. Thorin would blow a gasket.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" he asked warily. "I am quite unarmed, if you have not noticed." Clairaus commented. "And, I will give you my word I will harm no dwarf, or Thorin Oakenshield" Kili pondered it over for a moment. If this creature really was telling the truth, and she really wasn't a threat, could she possibly help them on their quest? Could she help us reach The Lonely Mountain? To home?

The wolf's voice broke into Kili's thoughts. She seemed to thoroughly read his thoughts."I really do believe that I will be of use to you and Thorin on your journey. Please, take me to him."

Kili thought it over one last time, and finally gave in.

"All right. Follow me."