The Journey Of Eleanor Baggins (Dwalin LS)

~ Chapter 9 ~

By the time the Baggins siblings woke up the next morning, the dwarves were already gone. Bilbo crept around the house looking for any sign of the dwarves but none appeared. Eleanor walks up to her brother, she scans the room to see the dwarves have left their home nice and tidy, it looked as if last night didn't happen "Peace and quite at last" She hears Bilbo mumble to himself.

Eleanor sighs sadly, she felt torn. Apart of her wanted to race out the door and join the dwarves but the other part of her didn't want to leave her brother alone "I guess it is for the best" She says looking at Bilbo. Eleanor backs away from her brother, just as she was about to leave the room the contract caught her eyes "I think you should go" She says, picking up the contract and holding it out to her brother. Bilbo opens his mouth to protest but Eleanor cuts him off "I'll be with you every step of the way" She walks closer to him "Protecting you"

"I-I" Bilbo stuttered out "How will you do that?" He asks staring down his sister "You can't go as a women"

"I will stay in my cat form" She told him "I will be able to sense danger around us and I will still be able to talk to you in my form. However if anything attacks you then I guess my secret is out"

"I don't know?"

"Come on Bilbo just take a chance, a risk" Eleanor was trying her best to convince him to join but it would seem she was failing "Please" She whispers, tears formed in her eyes "I wan-t" She whimpers "I want to be close to him as well"

"Him?" Bilbo asks confused at the way Eleanor was acting "Him who?"

"My mate" She admitted a blush covered her cheek.

"Ma-te" He struggled to even say the words, he knew that shifters had mates as he was always interested in the way shifters lived and grown. However, he hardly expected his sister to find one living in the Shire. It sudddenly dawned on him, the staring, the passing looks at the dwarf that first entered their home "Dwalin?"

Eleanor nods her head confirming his question, Bilbo just stares at her wide eyed "I know, he wasn't what I expected either" She sighs softly "But fate has deceided and I wouldn't change it for the world"

Bilbo looks to the ground in thought, he didn't want to go but at the same time he did; even more so now, knowing his sister had found her mate. He knew she would do anything to keep him safe, he knew how terrifying her wolf and tiger shifts could be and he wouldn't like to go against her eagle form either. All forms where bigger then the average animal.

"It's up to you Bilbo" Eleanor moves close to her brother and pulled him into a hug, Bilbo snuggled his head into her neck "Remember we always played adventure games, we always came out victorious in the end" She whispers softly "Team El and Bilbo" She pulls away and places a kiss on his head.

"Well" He stares at the contract "Lets get packing" Eleanor squeals and pulls her brother into another hug before rushing off to her bedroom to pack, she knew that she would only need a couple of things as she plans to stay in her cat form for as long as she could.

Eleanor picks up her bag, looking over everything in her bedroom on last time before closing the door behind her, she makes her way back into the livingroom to see Bilbo signing the contract "Here Bilbo" El heads him her bag "I can't carry this as a cat" Bilbo nods and attaches it to his travel pack.

"I do hope you will change human at one point in this journey" Bilbo comment as the pair prepared to leave their home, leave the Shire for the first time "I rather not deal with you giving into your animal" I rolled my eyes at him, without giving him a reply I shifted into my tabby cat form, clawing the ground , I quickly stretched out my limbs ready for the road ahead. . . . Time to catch the dwarves.

I could understand his worry moments ago as a shifter could lose themselves to their animal at any point in the shift, I told myself that I would give into my animals if someone I loved was in danger. I guess this could happen at any point in the journey but I doubt I would regret the damage I will cause due to giving in, as long as everyone is safe.

"Come on Bilbo we have a wizard and a dozen of dwarves to catch up to" Eleanor says to her brother before rushing out the door, leaving behind a nervous Bilbo. Bilbo slowly steps out of his home, taking a deep breath he closes the door, giving one last look at bag end Bilbo turns on his heel and sprints after his sister.