The White Armoured Shifter. [The Hobbit FF-ThorinxOcxAragorn Love Story]

6. Thunderbattle.

Leaving Rivendell early the next morning, the company had to leave Gandalf behind as he had told them he'd meet up with them in the mountains. Thorin leading the group out had Ayrn by his side, somehow after last night, he had come to the conclusion that he cared for her and he wasn't about to let her slip away from him. Besides with her by his side, he had one less person to worry about and she would keep a look out for his nephews it was like having a taller second pair of eyes.

Coming out of the thin and tall tree filled areas Thorin had looked at Aryn out the corner of his eye. To him, her armor was much more beautiful than her dress she had worn the night before, "Be on your guard, we're about to step over the Edge of the Wild." Thorin said at the head of the group. Turning from the company to look at the far behind Elf Kingdom one last time, Bilbo wondered if it would be a good idea for him to continue on or to go back and return to his little hobbit hole in the Shire.

"Balin, you know these paths. Lead on." Thorin commanded, and the older dwarf nodded, "Aye." stepping past his King and the woman he hadn't let out of his sight yet Balin lead the way. Thorin having caught sight of Bilbo's stares at the Elvish Kingdom called to him, "Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up." Aryn having stood by Thorin as he waited to make sure the Hobbit followed she held her arm out and he turned to let her guide him back to moving towards the front with Balin.

-

The walking was long and tiring but the Dwarves proved durable and kept the whining to a minimum as they chatted amongst themselves. Thorin had been walking beside Aryn the whole time finally got up the courage to ask her, "May I ask you a question?" looking down at Thorin she nodded. "Sure." clearing his throat he spoke. "Your husband, what was he like?" Thorin didn't know if he was asking because he was curious or if he wanted to know what she liked in a man.

"Oh, Aramon was a warrior. Strong and commanding, and very stubborn. He was the chief of our village, but he was also sweet and gentle. He had the hands of a healer and as his right, as chief, his pick for his wife was a sought-after title by many of the women." Thorin nodded and felt a little left in the dust, which was ridiculous because her husband is dead. "Did you try and fight for his hand in marriage?" Kili asked having heard the conversation and wanted in.

"No, he sought me out, his words were: 'You are the only woman not to fall for my status and looks, why?' I had never laughed so hard in my life." Aryn said smiling sadly, at the memory. "Why was he stubborn?" Fili asked coming up beside his brother. "For months he would follow me around trying to "figure me out" and he would not give up till I told him." the dwarves all looked at her wondering as well. "It was because I was much more interested in my swordplay and shifting to ever want marriage and children." several dwarves chuckled.

"How long did it take for you to finally say yes to him?" smiling Aryn counted quickly in her head before answering Kili's question. "60 years, give or take." the dwarves all chuckled or laughed out loud with the exceptions of Thorin who smiled and Balin who gave a breathy chuckle. "That is impressive." Balin said and Aryn nodded, "But to be honest it was worth it, and when I had our son Keeley*. It just got better then worse when Azog attacked." When she said that the topic was dropped as it was also a sore subject for Thorin as well.

(A/N: *it's pronounced Keel-ey.)

-

Hours of walking in the rain, Aryn's armor looked pale gray instead of pure white, and her hair also darkened along with everyone else as they walked and climbed through a thunderstorm. Walking and holding the walls Thorin shouted over the storm, "Hey! Hold on!" Walking by Bilbo almost slipped and fell to his death had Dwalin not caught him, "We must find shelter!" Aryn called to Thorin as he had walked ahead a bit.

Looking back to her he nodded. Dwalin seeing something coming at them shouted: "Look out!!!" Aryn looking and seeing it, jumped towards Thorin and pushed him against the wall and shielded him with her body. His hands clutched her waist to keep her from being thrown off the narrow path, his ax lay forgotten for the moment as Thorin had dropped it to hold Aryn. "This is no thunderstorm!" Balin called then pointed to something, "It's a thunderBATTLE!" he said emphasizing the 'battle' in thunder-battle.

"Look!" he shouted pointing to a stone giant ripping a Mount peek and then throwing it. "Well bless me! The legends are true! Giants! Stone-Giants!" Bofur shouted stepping out a bit, but the boulder crashed with its target and the dwarves quickly pulled in their comrade and ducked for cover, Aryn having moved Thorin closer to the others she had shielded Kili and Fili as well. Suddenly the wall they had been walking on started to split separating Aryn and Kili, and Fili and Thorin and the other dwarves and Bilbo right down the middle.

As their giant stood it was head-butted and knocked back down, the dwarves shouted for each other while Aryn kept the ones with her from falling off and dying. Thorin leading his small group off the knee of the giant they were on, stood on a cliff face, directly across from the other half of the company, they shouted for each other and tried to reach but it was just too far and the Giant was hit again. As the Giant's head nearly crushed Thorin's group, it's torso bent back as its knees rushed towards the wall ahead of Thorin's group.

When they crashed, Thorin lead them to where Kili, Aryn, and the others were. "No! Kili! Aryn!" Thorin roared but sighed when he ran and saw that they were all fine just a little squished. Fili wiggling past Thorin ran to help his brother while Thorin could see he was fine because Aryn had shielded him with her body. Thorin jumped forward and helped her up, shaking her head, her eyes focused and she looked into Thorin's eyes. She still couldn't get over how blue they were, and how much they mirrored Aramon's.

It was so much that she had to choke down tears, it wasn't Thorin's only resemblance that reminded her of her Aramon. He looked exactly like him with the exception of color pigment in hair and beard. Where Aramon had the villages bloodline silver-white hair and ice blue eyes, Thorin's was midnight black with a few streaks of silver from age, while his eyes were more ocean blue than ice. Though Thorin wasn't as out spoken he was just as stubborn as Aryn's Aramon.

Getting up as she heard someone shout, "Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?!" looking around the company searched for the Hobbit until Bofur found him hanging by his hands, Ori and Bofur tried to reach for him but he slipped and caught himself on a lower out-jutting hand hold. The dwarves over Bilbo's head yelled for him to grab them but he couldn't reach and had no foot holds. Aryn quickly jumping over the cliff stood with a hand on the ledge and used her other hand to grab Bilbo as Thorin and Dwalin held her.

When Bilbo was safely on the path, Aryn moved to climb back up but slipped. Even with Dwalin and Thorin holding her, she still almost fell, with both men holding her tight they pulled her up and Thorin held her tight as if it were him that had almost fallen. "I thought we'd lost our burglar." Dwalin panted, glaring at the Hobbit over Aryn's head he sneered, "He's been lost ever since he left home." Pulling Aryn to her feet Thorin added, "He has no place amongst us." Finding a cave Thorin went in with Dwalin and Aryn.

The shifter having had enough of the rain and wanting to get out of it.