From The Inside

21

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo questioned quietly and somewhat worriedly. Gandalf and Ylva looked away from each other to the hobbit; their conversation had ended several quiet moments ago, so he took the chance to voice what seemed to be the obvious.

"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf said heavily. It was true that him and him alone could go to the High Fells, none of the company could venture with him, not that they would openly offer. They had their own destination in mind, and they were needing to get there as soon as possible. A detour would prove fruitless to them really.

Sensing they were going to converse between themselves, Ylva turned and walked away. She did not wish to be a part or a witness to a private conversation, that would just be rude of her. Trotting forwards, she looked wearily up at the gate entrance. It was dark, lifeless and gloomy. She could already feel the oppressive atmosphere from where she stood. Sniffing the air, all she could smell was decay. Nothing was alive here, even she could tell and she hadn't stepped through.

Tilting her head to the side, she looked over her shoulder when she heard Gandalf's raised voice. "I shall wait for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor." He passed each member of the company, making his way back to where his horse stood patiently waiting. Glancing at Thorin, he frowned seriously, "Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that Mountain without me." He said as seriously as his expression. Mounting his horse slowly, he turned in his saddle and looked at them all. "This is not the Greenwood of old, the very air of the forest is heavy with illusion that will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo asked quietly.

Ylva knelt by his side and looked at him sadly. "Your mind will not want to focus, it will play tricks on you if you let it." She explained quietly while looking up at the greying sky. As if on cue the sky grew darker and it eventually started to rain.

"You must stay on the path, do not leave it. If you do, you'll never find it again." Gandalf paused and looked over everyone before looking to Ylva. "Luckily enough for you, you have someone with previous visits with you." Ylva tilted her head to the side, what he said was a lie. She had never fully travelled through Mirkwood. Fleeting paces and walks through with Beorn were about the amount of her journeying through. She didn't voice anything, she couldn't, upon hearing his words everyone seemed to relax slightly and send grateful looks her way as if she was really the saving grace for their journey through. Holding onto the reins, Gandalf pulled gently and turned his horse. "No matter what! Do not leave the path!" His voice exclaimed over the growing wind as he started to move quickly away from them.

The company commenced moving off then, with a sidewards look, Ylva shook her head and shifted forms. Picking the blanket up off of the floor from where it fell off from her back, she walked forwards. She didn't know why she was dragging the blanket around with her, but she didn't seem to want to leave it behind. There were the odd times where Beorn's patrolling had led him to Mirkwood, as such he relayed his travels to Ylva. She didn't feel wholly concerned about the animals which called this place home, well not entirely that is. There were evil things of course which lurked in the darkness. But as long as they stuck to the path they should all be fine and her task would be completed with ease.

With ease, this caused her to frown and snort. Dwalin, who happened to be the closest to her at the time glanced at her. With ease, she shook her head from the rain. There was no ease if the elves discovered them. The elves were distrusting and the dwarves were...well, she found herself at a loss to describe them fully. But the two clashed and problems would soon arise, that she knew of.

But it wasn't just the two races, Ylva was rather sure her own kind would not be welcomed either. Personally, she had never had any run-ins with the elves, or any at all, to be precise. But she was more than sure that they knew of her existence. On the few times she and Beorn had ventured into the woodland she had seen humanoid figures darting in the trees. Oh yes, she was more than sure she would be shunned along with the dwarves.