The Sisters [A Hobbit Fanfiction]

Chapter 13

[A/N: Another chapter for you all! The votes on this book have gone up and the reads have finally surpassed my Doctor Who fanfic!!! So please enjoy the chapter, comment, vote, whatever you want!!!]

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The company was trekking across the sparsely forested plain. Gandalf, Thorin, Aelith and Avice were all at the head of the company, with Nora, Nienna and the twins bringing up the rear. In between, the rest of the company was strung, excepting Runa.

Runa was trailing behind and around, every once in a while popping up to the front to check in with Gandalf and Aelith.

“Well my dear?” asked Gandalf kindly during one such time. Runa allowed herself a frustrated shrug.

“No idea. I can’t tell because the trails I keep finding are too messy. I can’t believe I didn’t notice it before! I haven’t found the person yet, but the marks in the grass that they are leaving are so big without rhyme or reason…”

She trailed off in irritation.

“Well we must find out who is following us,” said Thorin bluntly. At that Runa brightened.

“About that!” she exclaimed, then lowered her voice sheepishly. “Up ahead is a copse of trees. If we go through it, some of us could hide while the rest just pass through and keep moving. That way we can catch them, without alerting their suspicions!”

“Well done,” said Gandalf appreciatively. “I think it’s an excellent plan! Thorin? Aelith?” The other two nodded as well.

“How about myself, Aelith, Thorin and Bilbo hide?” suggested Runa, to which the others nodded in agreement. Runa quickly moved away to find Bilbo and explain the situation.

“Why me?” asked Bilbo in surprise, after being told. Runa raised her eyebrows at him,

“Because,” she finally said, “we need to be stealthy and you’re a burglar… right?” Bilbo grumbled at this,

“Lying dwarves…”

“What?” asked Runa, unable to make sense of his muttering.

“Nevermind,” said Bilbo reluctantly, “I understand what is needed of me.” Runa nodded,

“Stick close to Aelith and you’ll be fine,” she said reassuringly before slipping off once again.

Bilbo, heeding her advice, clumsily urged his pony forward. The animal shook it’s head, almost rolling its eyes at Bilbo. Bilbo, irritated, lightly kicked the pony’s flanks.

With a warcry of a neigh, the pony took off, galloping forward, shooting past Aelith, Gandalf and Thorin at the head of the company, whose jaws dropped at the sight of the rampant pony with Bilbo screaming for his life on its back.

Aelith was the first to take action, quickly urging her horse forward to overtake Bilbo. Bilbo was hugging the pony like a koala, eyes clenched shut, still screaming.

“Bilbo!” yelled Aelith as she rode alongside him.

His screams, however, were quite loud. Loud enough, to block out her voice.

“BILBO!” she tried again, louder, but to no avail. With an annoyed sigh and a roll of her eyes, she guided her horse precariously close to Bilbo’s.

Then, with a careful agility, she pulled her legs up, balancing in a crouching position on her horse. After a moment's pause, she nimbly lept onto Bilbo’s horse, landing neatly behind him and grabbing the reins.