An unexpected family (the hobbit/thorin Oakenshield love story)

Chapter 6: hidden talents

Katiea POV

I opened my eyes to see the sky slowly turning into day, though it was still fairly dark. I noticed something heavy wrapped around me. Then I nothing both Fili and Kili had and arm wrapped around me holding me tightly between them. Needless to say I was warm...too warm. I squirmed my way out of the two dwarves grasps and stood stretching. I looked to try and fine Thorin who was in the same spot as last night. He looked stressed...but he had a brave expression on his sleeping face. I grinned and soon noticed that I wasn't the only one awake. Mr. Dwalin was awake as well.

I saw him trying to reach something up in the tree but he was far out of reach and there was no wall to climb. I walked over and tapped on his shoulder. "Want some help?" He looked at me with a doubtful look. "How could a tiny hobbit help me." He said in a rude tone. "Well. If you let me stand on your shoulders I can easily reach what your trying to get...which would me what exactly?" I said taking a slight small step towards him. "Apples for the ponies." I looked up and indeed saw an apple tree above us. "Well, I can get them if you give me a boost." I said with a smile. He groaned and nodded and kneeled down. "Please don't let me fall..." I said as I stepped into his shoulders. He grabbed my ankles tightly before standing up. I reached up and started picking out apples and tossed them into the bag on the ground. I continued to grab apples...until I felt my foot slip. I shrieked and fell though I didn't hit the ground. Dwalin caught me and looked at me with a stone face. "I thought you said you wouldn't let me fall..." I said giving him a worried look. "I let go so you would because we didn't need anymore. I wasn't going to let you hit the ground though." He said setting me back on my feet. "Oh...well you could have just told me." Dwalin cracked a grin. "It's funnier to see you scared." I gasped then laughed. "Evil dwarf." He laughed and took the bag of apples over to the ponies.

"Are you okay?! We heard a scream." I turned and saw all of the dwarves leaning up...including Thorin. "Oh...well...uh..." I looked at Dwalin who sighed. "Katiea was grabbing apples from the tree but she fell and shrieked so I grabbed her before she hit the ground. She needs to work on her rock climbing skills." I glared at Dwalin who didn't want to admit I had to help him get apples. "Katiea! You need to be more careful! Your too reckless!" Thorin yelled who was slightly...angry? "Uhhh...ugh, okay. Whatever." I didn't even bother arguing with him and just went and started packing my bag.

We all left our camp site and moved on in our journey. I was sharing a pony with Bofur who was a very pleasant person to spend time with, very funny.

We chatted and he let me try smoking his pipe....I loved it. I tried blowing rings like how Thorin taught me but still failed.

Soon we stopped because half of them just needed to go to the bathroom...I did too...but I really didn't want to around all the men. I waited by the ponies with Gandalf and suddenly heard one of the dwarves shout in pain. "What on earth is the matter??" Gandalf shouted. I looked and saw that Ori had fallen and had a rather large gash in his leg and was limping.

"What happened?!?" I shouted running over to him. I looked at the gash and cringed...it was pretty bad, it needed to be stitched. "Shake it off Ori. We need to keep moving." Thorin said coming from behind a tree. "Uh! No!! It needs to be stitched it will get infected!" Thorin glared at me. "It will be fine! Stop it halfling you would be wise to remember your place." He said. I was angry now, I glance at Ori who was in intense pain. "Mr. Oakenshield I'm sorry if I'm out of place, but you are being a complete idiot by not having his leg stitched. It will only get more painful for him if you don't let me fix it! Use your head!" I yelled back. Oh...he was pissed. "Do what you wish. Make it fast. I have no problem with leaving you behind, we don't need you anyways but fix Ori." He said coldly before turning away. I glared at him then turned to Ori, "I'm gonna stitch and clean this for you okay??" I said kindly and he nodded. I could tell he was in a lot of pain.

I ran over to my bag and grabbed my stuff I use to treat injuries like this. I sat on the ground and lifted his leg to lay on my lap. "Hey Kili, can you take this and dunk it in the river to make it wet then bring it back?" He nodded and took the cloth I handed him. After he left I looked more closely at Ori's leg and I saw small shards of rock in it. I pulled out the more visible ones then noticed Kili coming back. He handed me the wet rag and I thanked him then proceeded to wipe the blood off of his leg and cleaned the wound. I then grabbed the needle I pulled out of my bag and some string. "Okay...this is going to hurt...I'll try to make it not painful as possible but it's gonna hurt." I said and Ori nodded. "Hurry up." Thorin dead pinned. I poked the needle through Ori and started to sow the gash closed. He was doing surprisingly well. I finished sowing it shut and cut the tread. "Times up Katiea we're leaving." Thorin said. "Good, cuz I'm done." I said with a smug grin. He glared at me and rolled his eyes storming off to his pony. I smiled at Ori and helped him up. "How did you do that?!" Kili said. "What do you mean?" I asked. "How did you learn how to do that." I laughed nervously "oh...it's just a skill I found very useful for me to know. I'm very skilled with many healing medicines and stuff." I said. "Why did you find it useful? I never picked you to be the type that would have that kind of talent." Fili asked as he helped me up to ride his pony with him. "Well....I just did."

To be completely honest...I had to teach myself how to stitch cuts and treat scars and bruises because my mother beat me so harshly I would have large cuts and marks all over me that I could get very sick if I didn't do anything to help them get better. I guess me being abused came in handy today with Ori...I'm glad I could be helpful though Thorin was rather rude, why...I'm not entirely sure I mean I was only trying to help.

The company continued on their journey and we all talked happily. I couldn't help but look at Thorin the entire time. He glanced back at me now and then...but only with a cold glare. Fili and I chatted intensely until we reached our camp spot for the night.