The Undecided Title Of Sara Miller *Hobbit Fanfiction* (Thorin/OC)

Chapter 38: Lost and Found

In which that which is lost is found.

Thorin's head snapped up and he surveyed his surroundings cautiously. When he drifted off? It had been a long and exhausting night after their unpleasant encounter with the spider and though neither the arachnid nor the eyes had reappeared the company had spent a restless night huddled together in the dark. He would have preferred to have had the girls light throughout the hours of quiet dark but after she has informed him that her device was at half power he told her to save the remaining life in case they should need it again at a later time. They had huddled together, waiting, but after an hour of silence Thorin had appointed Nori, Fili, and Bofur to keep watch while the others tried to get some sleep. He had intended to remain awake but in truth he had not slept well since entering the forest, only snatching an hour or two here and there. The others save the three on watch were asleep, leaning on each other, their heads dropping onto their chests. Fili sat with his chin propped in one hand, elbow on a knee, his eyes open and alert while his other hand fiddled with one of the dark curls cascading over his thigh where the girl's head rested. Despite all that has happened in the past few days, Thorin could not help the twinge of jealousy for his nephew. This irritated him to no end, but it was undeniable he still harbored soft feelings for the girl but feelings or no, he would not act on them. He conceded the need for her continued presence with the company and even if it were not required, he would have seen her safely back to Beorn's or through the forest to Laketown. He and his nephews still owed her that much for saving our lives, however long they may or may not prove to be.

Throin was unsure how he felt about the information the girl had been keeping from them, whether he believed her or how much stock to put in it. Honestly, he was not sure how he should feel about the girl. If he were fair, she only had semi-reliable information for a few days before she had told them, but it was still a slap in the face to find she had been keeping secrets from them, that she had deceived them from the very start. He could almost understand the need to keep the distant future shrouded in mystery, but he had hoped that she had come to trust him and the company. If she were correct about the future then it was an ill omen for times to come. Many believed, as had he, that Sauron was a dark figure of the past, even his name was not spoken in any decent conversation. Thorin was well aware of the devastation that he had wrought in his previous reign of power during the second age. A few of his ancestors had even fought in the last battle before his defeat, although according to the girl he had not been truly defeated at all, though she failed to explain how this was possible. Yet another secret she failed to divulge.

Sauron was a force to be reckoned with and he could well see how it would be difficult to bring him down. No, he was not overly upset with her for keeping that future a secret, for it had nothing to do with him, his company, or the quest to reclaim Erebor. What angered him most was the fact that she had intended to lead them blindly into the forest and into the hands of the elves. Despite this he couldn't help but think that Dwalin had been too harsh in his assessment of the girl, not only had it been too sharp to call her a cold hearted killer, but the warriors logic have been flawed. The girl had said that regardless of the other choices she would continue through Mirkwood on her own if need be, she had nowhere else to go but forward. His argument with Fili that same night had only cemented this fact. It was unlike Dwalin to be so outspoken, especially towards a female; his displeasure was usually shown through taciturn sullenness or physical violence depending on the recipient. Thorin himself had been on the receiving end of several of his powerful blows over the many years of their friendship. Not only had Dwalin reacted out of character but he had allowed it to flow over into his decision the next morning. Thorin had expected to fight with Dwalin over the choice to continue, but he had not expected to leave his friend behind at the forest's edge. That had been a blow, not only because he would feel his friends absence but because it further proved the girl's point. They had all embarked on this journey knowing the dangers it held and they accepted that possibility, so why had Dwalin not come with them? Admittedly the burly dwarf had always been more superstitious than himself. That was one of the reasons why Thorin had been so shocked that Dwalin was one of the first to reach out and connect with the girl; normally he would have thought it bad luck to bring a woman along. Perhaps it had been the mark on her hand that had persuaded the warrior, then again maybe it had simply been something about the girl herself. Who could say but Dwalin himself.