The Lonely Mountain [1]

Strange Hosts

The company were crouched in a ravine when Bilbo ran back to them. They sent him to scout and see how close Azog's pack was. Thorin saw it as a way to test if he would be a reliable burglar.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked him.

"Too close, couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it." Bilbo told them.

"Have the Orcs picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked.

"Not yet, but they will do. We have another problem." Bilbo said trying again.

"Did they see you? They saw you." Gandalf said worriedly.

"No, that's not it." Bilbo was getting frustrated.

"Good, what did I tell you? Quite as a mouse. Excellent burglar material." Gandalf said as Amara sighed and the dwarves started talking amongst themselves, agreeing with Gandalf.

"Will you listen! Will you just listen! I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there." Bilbo finally yelled, getting everyone's attention.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asked exchanging a look with Amara.

"Ye...Yes, but bigger. Much bigger." Bilbo stuttered as everyone looked at Gandalf.

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked.

Gandalf didn't reply but he turned away to think briefly.

"I say we double back." Bofur said to Thorin.

"We'll be run down by a pack of Orcs." Amara told them.

"There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge." Gandalf told them.

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin asked hesitantly.

"Neither. He will help us or he will kill us." Gandalf said looking at Amara who nodded.

"What choice do we have?" Thorin said as the creature's roars came from close by.

"None. Follow me." Amara said as she turned and began to lead them away from the Carrock.

She knew these lands well. She used to come through here when her father was visiting the Woodland Realm. Amara glanced back to find the orcs had caught their scent. But they stopped in their tracks as the bear began chasing them.

"Faster! This way! Quickly!" Amara called out to the company.

They all made a run for it as Amara spotted the house ahead.

"Into the house! Run!" Gandalf called. "Come on! Get inside!" Gandalf called as they reached the house.

As the company rushed towards the house, Amara looked back to find that the bear was coming through the forest after them. The dwarves all tried to undo the door but it was locked.

"Open the door!" Gandalf yelled.

"Quickly!" Thorin said as he rushed forward, pushed up the latch and managed to open the door.

They all rushed inside and just as they were about to close the door, the bear lunged. Its head rammed through the crack.

"Come on, lads!" Dwalin called as he and the other dwarves pushed against the door with all their might.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally managed to shut and drop the latch.

"What is that?" Ori asked turning to face Gandalf and Amara.

"That is our host." Amara said.

The rest of the company turned to look at her and Gandalf in confusion.

"His name is Beorn, he's a skin-changer. Sometimes he's a huge backed bear, sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over fond of dwarves." Gandalf warned the company.

"He's leaving." Ori said, peeking through a hole in the door.

Dori pulled him away. "Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious, he's under some dark spell." Dori said.

"Don't be a fool. He's under no enchantment but his own. Right now, get some sleep all of you. You'll be safe here tonight." Gandalf said as he took off his hat. He stopped and looked out of the window. "I hope."

They all settled down for the night and Amara dreamed of memories from long ago when she was barely past the age of fifty.

"Come on Legolas! I said you would not be able to catch me!" Amara laughed as she ran through the trees in the Greenwood.

Legolas matched her laugh and ran off the track into the trees without the elleth noticing.

As Amara reached where they had been racing to, she looked back to discover Legolas missing. Her heart leapt into her throat. Carefully, she looked around her surroundings and reached down to pull a small dagger from her leg strap around her thigh. However, before she reached it, a hand touched her shoulder. Her instincts kicked in, even at a young age she was deadly in combat, and she twisted the person's arm and had them pinned against the floor, dagger at their throat.

A warm laugh brought her back to reality. She looked down to find that she had in fact pinned down Legolas. Blushing she got to her feet and apologised.

"No, it was my fault. I should have known better than to sneak up on you." He said with a laugh as he took her hand and they began running back through the woods towards the kingdom. As they raced back to the gates, Lord Elrond and King Thranduil watched their children from afar.

Amara woke to the sound of the door opening. She looked across as Beorn, in human form, walked through the door. She laid back down and let her mind drift to her love as she played with the silver betrothal ring on her finger.