After we left Rivendell we walked across plains and hills until we started to ascend a group of mountains Balin was kind enough to tell me were called the Misty Mountains. He then told me we'd be climbing mountains and I had to admit I was not thrilled. As we climb up the Misty Mountains; the trail is narrow and dangerous, with a cliff on one side and a sheer drop on the other. There is a fierce storm in the air, with lightning and rain all around.

I shiver into my coat silently wishing I had something warmer. I was wearing a decent coat but now it was soaked, and I felt like a wet dog. I was suddenly starting to wish I had stayed in Rivendell. I glance at Bilbo who is walking ahead of me and think to myself that if he could do it so could I.

"Hold on!" Thorin calls from the head of our group making me glare at him.

Suddenly the stone beneath Bilbo's feet gives away, and he starts falling into the chasm.

"Bilbo!" I yell out as Dwalin turns back and manages to pull him back to his feet in time.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin calls out and I roll my eyes.

"No shit Sherlock." I say under my breath so he couldn't hear me.

"Watch out!" Dwalin yells out as they all look up to see a massive boulder hurtling through the air; it hits the mountainside above us, causing rocks to fall all around us as we press ourselves against the mountain.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle! Look!" Balin yells causing us all to follow his eyeline.

I stare in fear as what looked like a giant rock being rears up from a nearby mountain; it rips off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain.

"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants; Stone Giants!" Bofur yells in excitement and I glare at him.

"Take cover: you'll fall!" Thorin calls to his kin.

Giant #1 throws the boulder far in the air; another stone giant, #2, appears from behind us and it is hit in the head. The dwarves yell at each other to brace and hold on, and the rocks beneath our feet begin to give way from all the vibrations and from the impact of the falling rocks. The ground between some of the Company members splits; part of the group is on one side, and part on the other.

"Kili! Grab my hand! Ki..." I hear Fili say from in front of me and I watch as they slowly fade from our view.

"Fili," I call making him turn to me. "Hold on." I add and he nods.

As the two stone giants fight with their fists, we hold on tight as we are flung around. Thorin's group manages to jump to a different spot. I feel something appear behind me and I turn to see a third stone giant appear. It throws a boulder at the head of one of the first two. That one falls over. I stare in fear at the side of the mountain as it starts to rush towards us. Before we hit it, I throw my hands out and make an indention in the mountainside saving us from death but not from inertia. We all fling forward onto the cliffside making me land hard on my back.

"No! No! Fili!" I hear Thorin yell as he rushes around the corner.

"We're all right! We're alive!" Balin breathes out making me let out a sigh of relief.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?" Bofur asks and my eyes widen as I instantly jump to my feet to look for him.

"There!" Ori calls point to Bilbo who is dangling over the side of the cliff.

"Get him!" Dwalin yells making me reach down the ground and calling earth create a ledge for his feet to stand on but it's too slippery so he slips farther down. As the dwarves try to pull him up unsuccessfully, Thorin swings down on the cliff next to Bilbo and boost him up, where the others pull him to safety. Dwalin tries to lift Thorin back up too, but Thorin loses his grip and begins falling too; however, Dwalin, with much effort, is able to pull him back up.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar." Dwalin says and I feel my heart clench at the thought.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us. Dwalin!" Thorin yells and I find myself staring daggers at him.

"Bilbo, don't listen to him." I say trying to comfort him, but he just shrugs me off.

I watch as they go off ahead of me until they find a cave.

"It looks safe enough." Dwalin says making me eyeball it.

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied." Thorin orders making Dwalin search the cave with a lantern.

"There's nothing here." He replies but I get a sickly feeling in my stomach.

Gloin drops a bundle of wood on the floor and rubs his hands as he says, "Right then! Let's get a fire started."

"No, No fires, not in this place. Get some sleep. We start at first light." Thorin orders and I scoff at him.

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin reminds Thorin as I move toward the cave entrance.

"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch." I hear Thorin order and I reach up to pinch the bridge of my nose.

"You alright Lass?" I hear Bofur ask as he comes up behind me for his watch.

"No, not really." I answer honestly my hand moving to rub the back of my neck.

"Well, what's on your mind?"

"Thorin,"

"Oh..." He says wiggling his eyebrows and I shake my head.

"Not like that. I mean how he treated Bilbo. I understand he's stressed out; but that was too much."

"I agree."

"It just makes me... it pisses me off." I say making Bofur cock and eyebrow at me. "Never mind, I guess I'm just irritable."

"Understandable." He replies making me offer him a soft smile. "I want to thank you as well." He adds and I raise an eyebrow at him in confusion. "No one else might have seen it; but you have a gift, and it saved us all. Thank you (Name)." He adds before patting my shoulder and turning back to the cave leaving me standing there with my mouth wide open.

I contemplate following him, but I just shake my head. Bofur didn't press the subject so I wouldn't as well. Shaking my head, I look back out the cave entrance at the rain and feel a shiver run throughout my body making me reach up and rub my shoulders.

"(Name)," I hear someone call and I turn to see Thorin walking toward me and I roll my eyes.

"Yeah?" I answer looking back out at the rain.

"Here, you look like you need this." Thorin says and I turn to see him holding a dry blanket. I contemplate throwing it back at him, but I was cold. Like really cold. So, I hold my pride and take the blanket.

"Thank you." I say giving him a slight nod. He nods back before he heads toward the other end of the cave.

I let out a heavy sigh as I slip my jacket off and hanging it off a nearby rock, I wrap the blanket around my shoulders. I hear thunder roar outside and I suddenly start to feel homesick. I missed my elder brother. He would've enjoyed watching the stone giants fight. Sitting down by the entrance I lean against the wall and try my best to get comfortable.

After a few hours I look around to see that all the dwarves are asleep. Bilbo, only pretending to be asleep, stealthily opens his eyes and looks around. Seeing that no one is watching, he quietly rolls up his blankets and packs his things. Grabbing his walking stick, he starts to leave the cave, tiptoeing over the sleeping dwarves. Bofur, who is standing watch, sees Bilbo trying to leave. He jumps up and tries to stop him. They whisper so as not to wake the others, but I can hear them, and I turn to watch.

"Where do you think you're going?" Bofur asks and I stand up and grab my jacket from the wall.

"Back to Rivendell." Bilbo replies and I feel my heart clench.

"No, no, you can't turn back now, you're a part of the Company. You're one of us." Bofur replies trying to convince Bilbo.

"I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door."

"You're homesick; I understand."

"No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do - you're dwarves. You used to - to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere."

"Bilbo!" I scold from behind them as I walk over to them. Bofur looks offended, and Bilbo is repentant.

"I am sorry, I didn't..."

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." Bofur smiles and places his hand on Bilbo's shoulder; Bilbo soon turns and begins to walk away. When something catches my eyes.

"What's that?" I ask and Bilbo pulls his sword partway out of its sheath and sees that it is growing bright blue, meaning Orcs or Goblins are nearby. I gulp down a breath of air as we start to hear strange machinery noises and sees cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave.

"Oh no," I say to myself as I quickly pull my jacket over my arms as Thorin yells out, "Wake up. Wake up!"

Before anyone can react, the floor of the cave collapses downwards; the floor is really a giant trap door. We all fall down a chute, slide through a tunnel, and land in a giant wooden cage. As we struggle to get up, a horde of weird creatures attack us making me scream out at the top of my lungs. I feel one of them rip my sword from my belt loops and I instantly start to search for it. Kicking and screaming they start to drag us away. I feel someone grab my arm and pull me into the safety of the group and I look to see that it had been Bofur. I try to stay close to him as the creatures bring us through a vast network of tunnels and wooden bridges to the throne room and platform.

I look ahead of us to see some giant creature singing something about Goblin town and it hits me that these creatures are this worlds version of Goblins. The Great Goblin is a massive Goblin sitting on a throne, holding a mace topped with a skull. He is far larger than any other goblin, and he is incredibly ugly, with warts all over her swinging chin. The Great Goblin jumps off his throne, trampling several goblins, as he approaches us.

"Catchy isn't it, it's one of my own compositions." The Goblin king says, and I wince.

"That's not a song, it's an abomination." Balin yells out making me wince at the passing of a faint but painful memory.

"Abomination? Mutations. Deviations. That's all you're gonna find down here." He pauses as the dwarves' and my own weapons are piled together in front of him. "Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" The big guy roars and I find myself trying to slink into Bofur's side.

"Dwarves, Your Malevolence." One of the goblins replies to him.

"Dwarves?"

"We found them on the front porch."

"Well, don't just stand there; search them! Every crack, every crevice."

The goblins search the dwarves thoroughly, throwing away whatever they find. Oin's hearing trumpet is thrown on the floor and crushed underfoot. I feel one of them touch me and I instinctively swat its hand away. "Don't touch me!" I growl anger lacing my words pulling all the attention towards myself.

"It seems there is also a human among them, and a female one at that." The goblin king says, and I narrow my eyes at him. "What is a human doing with a group of dwarves?"

"None-ya." I reply causing him to narrow his eyes at me.

"What does that mean?" He inquires causing my body to burn hot with anger.

"None ya business." I answer and I could swear he growled at me. The goblins continue to search us until they reach Nori's satchel and they dump it out to reveal all the stuff he nicked from Rivendell.

"It is my belief, your great protuberance... That they are in league with Elves!" The little goblin from before yells out handing a candelabra to the king who read the bottom of it.

"Made in Rivendell. Ah, second age. Couldn't give it away." He says as he throws it over into the abyss below us. All the dwarves look at Nori.

"It was just a couple of keepsakes." Nori says justifying his action.

"What are you doing in these parts? Speak!"

Thorin goes to step forward when Oin takes his place holding him back. "Uh, don't worry lads. I'll handle this." He says moving to the front.

"No tricks! I want the truth. Warts and all." The king warns making Oin scoff.

"You'll have to speak up," Oin holds up his listening horn. "Your boys flattened my trumpet."

"I'll flatten more than your trumpet!" He yells moving towards us.

I feel Bofur move out from beside me to the front as he yells out, "If it's more information you're after, then I'm the one you should speak to."

"Mm-hm." The king pauses.

"We were on the road. Well, it's not so much a road as a path. Actually, it's not even that, come to think of it. It's more like a track. Anyway, the point is, we were on this road, like a path, like a track. And then we weren't, which is a problem, because we were supposed to be in Dunland last Tuesday."

"Visiting distant relations." Dori adds trying to make the story more convincing.

"Some inbreds on me mother's side." Bofur continues.

"Shut up!" the king yells making the goblins whimper and Bofur press his lips together. "Well then, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker! Start with the youngest." The Great Goblin points at Ori. However, Thorin steps forward.

"Wait." Thorin yells out as he steps to the front of our group.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror; King under the Mountain." The Great Goblin bows exaggeratedly to Thorin. "Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you nobody, really. I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of yours. A Pale Orc astride a White Warg."

Thorin looks up in surprise and disbelief.

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago." Thorin yells making me look at him my heart hurting for him.

"So, you think his defiling days are done, do you?" The Great Goblin laughs, then turns to a tiny goblin sitting in a basket and holding a slate. "Send word to the Pale Orc; tell him I have found his prize." The tiny goblin writes down the message on his slate; cackling, he then pulls a lever, causing his basket to start sliding down a system of ropes and pulleys into the darkness.

Then in the sudden silence I hear something rather confusing at first because it sounded like the Youtuber Markiplier laughing menacingly, and I furrow my brow. "What the hell?" I say to myself as I look around.

"(Name), why is your butt laughing?" I hear Kili whisper to me and instantly cover my butt as I remember the alarm I had set before I got to this world for my monthly appointment with Tony to check the stability of my powers.

"I have no idea." I lie slipping my hand into my pocket as I try to silence the tone.

"What is that racket?" The goblin king asks looking around the room.

I somehow silence it and letting out a sigh of relief move my eyes back to the goblin king. A few moments later I hear a noise coming from behind us and I turn to see dozens of goblins carry massive instruments of torture on their shoulders, bringing them to the Great Goblin. Meanwhile, the Great Goblin is dancing and singing lustily.

"Bones will be shattered; necks will be wrung! You'll be beaten and battered; from racks you'll be hung. You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin-town."

One of the goblins, is examining the weapons the dwarves brought with them. He picks up Thorin's sword, Orcrist, and slides it a few inches out of its sheath. Recognizing the sword, he gasps in horror and throws down the sword. It lands in view of all the goblins. Recognizing it, the goblins howl in fear and rage as they retreat from it; the Great Goblin runs rapidly to his throne, trampling many goblins on his way. He speaks loudly, pointing at the sword.

"I know that sword! It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks." As he speaks, the rest of the Goblins begin whipping us with ropes and leaping upon the dwarves, biting and slashing. "Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!"

I cry out in pain as the ropes swing down striking my back with a loud whipping sound. Thorin moves to protect me but the goblins hold him down, and one of them pulls out his knife and prepares to behead Thorin.

"No!" I yell out as I reach out to him about to use my powers to help him when suddenly, there is a massive explosion of bright light; the sound goes muted as a shockwave rips through the area, flinging goblins in the air and destroying the torturing machines. Everyone is knocked down, including the Great Goblin. When the force of the explosion has passed, most of the lights in the area have been snuffed out; in the background, a shadow with a tall pointy hat walks up.

I let out a soft chuckle as tears sting my eye. It is Gandalf, holding his staff and his sword, Glamdring. Light slowly returns to the area as the goblins and the dwarves slowly look up, recovering from the shock. They all stare at Gandalf.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" Gandalf yells out causing the dwarves to jump to their feet and run toward their weapons. I feel Fili grab my arms helping me to my feet. I thank him with a nod as he hands me my sword. Wincing from the pain of the ropes from before I pull the sword from its sheath and summon every inch of training Thor and Loki gave me as I start fighting goblins alongside my dwarven friends. As goblins run at Gandalf, he kills them with his sword and staff. The Great Goblin, still lying on the ground, sees Gandalf's sword and points at it, crying aloud to his goblins.

"He wields the Foe-Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!"

Some of the dwarves reach their pile of weapons and begin tossing the weapons to each other; they use their weapons to defeat the goblins around them. Oin manages to reclaim his hearing trumpet, although it has been quite flattened. Nori, while fighting, lands on the floor; the Great Goblin runs at him and swings his mace.

"Nori!" I cry out moving toward him. Thorin jumps forward and deflects the Great Goblin's blow, causing the Great Goblin to stumble backward and fall off the edge of his platform, falling to the depths below. The rest of the dwarves and Gandalf continue to fight.

"Follow me. Quick! Run!" Gandalf calls as he starts to lead us down a pathway leading away from the throne room. We are soon running through the suspended passageways of Goblin Town, with hundreds of goblins running after us. "Quickly!"

"Faster!" I hear a dwarf yell and I find that my legs are starting to burn in pain.

"Post!" Dwalin calls as he sees several goblins running at them from in front. He and some of the dwarves cut a guardrail post from the side of the path and they hold it out in front of them like a massive spear. "Charge!"

He and the other dwarves charge at the oncoming goblins and sweep them away with the long rail. Dropping the rail, Dwalin pulls out his axes and begins knocking aside goblins. The rest of the company do the same. Gloin hits one goblin who falls and lands on another suspended path, breaking the path and dropping all the goblins on it into the darkness below. The rest of the Company also fight the goblins around them with their various weapons and fighting styles. Several goblins snarl as they swing on ropes toward the dwarves.

"Cut the ropes!" Thorin yells and I follow him as we cut the ropes holding a raised platform in place; the platform falls outward, entangling the goblins swinging on the ropes.

As Kili fights, several goblins start shooting arrows at him. He deflects some arrows with his sword; he then grabs a nearby ladder and drops it on the oncoming goblins. Kili and some of the other dwarves run forward, pushing the ladder and the goblins it has trapped in front of them. As they approach a missing area of the path, the goblins fall down into the darkness; the ladder, however, acts as a bridge for the dwarves to cross to the rest of the path. As soon as they cross it, Dwalin breaks the ladder, preventing the goblins chasing them from crossing it.

"Quickly!" Gandalf yells as we continue to run after him through the maze-like paths; we get on a section of the path suspended by ropes from above. We slice some ropes, and the pathway swings away from the rest of the path, approaching a different path.

"Jump!" Thorin yells pushing me onto the other path. However, before the rest can, the suspended path swings back like a pendulum to where it started, and several goblins leap on. As the path swings back again, the rest of the dwarves and Gandalf manage to jump to the new path as well; they cut the ropes, causing the swinging path and the goblins on it to fall.

We all continue running through the tunnels, killing all the goblins in our way. Gandalf strikes a rock above us with his staff, causing the rock to fall down and begin rolling in front of the Company, squashing all the goblins in their way. Soon, we approach a bridge between two walls of the cavern. As we try to cross it, the Great Goblin suddenly breaks through from underneath the bridge and pulls himself up onto the bridge. We pause as hundreds of goblins approach us from all sides.

"You thought you could escape me?" The goblin king asks as he swings his mace twice at Gandalf, causing Gandalf to stumble back and almost fall. "What are you going to do now, wizard?" Gandalf leaps forward and strikes the Great Goblin in the eye with his staff. "Ow, ow, ow!" He cries as The Great Goblin drops his mace and clutches his face in pain. Gandalf steps forward and slices the Great Goblin in the belly; the Great Goblin falls to his knees, clutching his belly. "That'll do it."

Gandalf again swings his sword and slices the Great Goblin's neck, causing him to fall down dead. His weight causes the bridge to start shaking; suddenly, the section of the bridge on which we are standing breaks away from the rest of the bridge and starts sliding down the side of the cavern. A scream escapes my lips as the bridge slides at a terrific speed down the cavern's wall, demolishing everything in its way; the dwarves cling on, screaming in terror. The bridge slows down and lands at the base of the cavern, breaking apart and burying us all in the timber and wood.

Gandalf gets up from the pile of wreckage and inspects the rest of the dwarves, who are still stuck in the wreckage. I roll myself away from them and laying on my back let out a whimper.

"Well, that could have been worse." Bofur adds and I giggle as suddenly, the heavy corpse of the Great Goblin lands on the wreckage, squishing the dwarves further. They cry out in pain.

"You've got to be joking!" I hear Dwalin groan out and I can't help but let out a laugh but instantly regret it as my ribs starts to sting.

As the dwarves extricate themselves from the rubble, Kili looks up and sees thousands of goblins running at them. "Gandalf!"

"There's too many! We can't fight them." Dwalin cries out making me force myself to my feet through the pain.

"Only one thing will save us: daylight! Come on! Here, on your feet!" Gandalf cries out as they dwarves get up quickly, helping each other out of the rubble, and we run away, following Gandalf. We run through the caves until we see sunlight. Rushing out into the daylight we continue running until we are far enough from the entrance for the goblins to reach us. Gandalf pauses to count how many dwarves are with him. The dwarves pause to collect their breath. I wrap my arms around my waist as I feel my ribs start to ache uncontrollably.

"Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fili, Kili...that's twelve...and Bombur - that makes thirteen. Where's Bilbo? Where is our Hobbit? Where is our hobbit?!" Gandalf asks and I look around to see that Bilbo wasn't there.

"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost?!" Dwalin cries out and I feel worry fill my body.

"I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin yells pointing at Dori.

"Don't blame me!" Dori retorts making me roll my eyes at them.

"Well, where did you last see him?" Gandalf asks making Nori speak up.

"I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us."

"What happened exactly? Tell me!" Gandalf Demands.

"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone." Thorin says and I glare at him.

"Who would blame him?" I growl making Thorin turn to meet my gaze.

"I beg your pardon." He asks narrowing his eyes at me.

"You were rude and disrespectful to a person who left the comfort of his own home to help you."

"He missed the comfort, so he saw his chance and took it." Thorin retorted making me reach up to rub my forehead in anger.

"No, he hasn't." Bilbo says and I turn to see him standing a few feet away looking perfectly fine. The dwarves look up in shock and relief. Gandalf laughs as he speaks.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

Bilbo strides forward into the group; he pats Balin affectionately on the shoulder.

"Bilbo, we'd given you up!" Kili says and I think about slipping to a secluded corner to check my ribs.

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!" Fili asks and I pause to hear his answer.

"How, indeed." Dwalin asks a smirk on his face.

There is an awkward silence as Bilbo tries to think what to say. In the end, he gives a nervous laugh and puts his hands on his hips. I notice him slip something into this pocket and I turn to see Gandalf looks a bit perturbed.

"Well, what does it matter? He's back!" Gandalf says a smile filling his lips.

"It matters! I want to know: why did you come back?" Thorin asks moving closer to Bilbo.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." Bilbo says and I smile softly at his courage. After Bilbo speaks, there is silence as the dwarves think about what Bilbo said. Gandalf smiles slightly, happy that Bilbo has changed so much - for the better.

Suddenly the sound of howling fills the air and I groan in annoyance. the Company members realize they are in danger.

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin starts.

"...and into the fire! Run! RUN!" Gandalf calls making us all start running down the mountain as fast as we can. Nighttime fills the sky and I hold tightly to my stomach as I try to keep up with the dwarves. Soon the foremost Warg catches up to the group and leaps at Bilbo; Bilbo ducks behind a rock and the Warg's jaws snap in the air over his head. The Warg lands in front of him. Growling, it charges at him.

Bilbo pulls out his sword and holds it in front of him; the charging Warg impales itself in the head on the sword and falls down dead. Bilbo looks on in surprise. A few more Wargs catch up to the fleeing dwarves, but they are quickly dispatched. We reach a large outcropping of land with a few trees growing on it; we are trapped here, as there is no way off the outcropping besides a great fall down the mountain.

"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!" Gandalf cries out causing everyone to start to scurry up into the trees. Bilbo tries to pull his sword out of the dead Warg's head, but it is stuck firmly. He continues to pull.

"They're coming!" I hear Thorin yell out and I rush over to Bilbo and reaching out to give his sword a hard tug releasing it from the Wargs skull.

"Run!" I yell out as I push him toward the trees.

Gandalf climbs to the top of the furthest tree; Dwalin boosts Balin up. Thorin, Bombur, and the rest climb up trees too. The main body of Wargs and Warg Riders approach. I quickly pull myself up into the tree tops despite the screaming of my ribs. Dozens of Wargs circle the trees in which the Company members are perched. The Wargs cease their growling and turn as the White Warg, with a pale creature sitting atop it. Holding tight to my waist I stare at the creature something about it pulling me in.

"Azog?!" I hear Thorin exclaim and my eyes widen in shock.

As his White Warg growls, Azog strokes it and talks ominously. "Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?" (Do you smell it? The scent of fear?) "Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob." (I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain.) Thorin looks stricken with pain and grief, realizing that Azog had captured his father.

"It cannot be." Thorin says and I feel my heart clench for him.

A branch holding my feet up snaps causing me to fall slightly whacking my ribs against another branch causing a cry of pain to fill the air. I look back to where Azog was to see him staring at me and my head starts to swim. A voice fills my head making me reach up to clutch at my ears a cry of pain escaping my lips.

"Kod, Toragid biriz." (That one is mine.) Azog calls out pointing towards me. "Worori-da!" (Kill the others!)

At his command, the Wargs leap forward and try to climb the trees. They jump as high as they can, scrabbling at the tree trunks and breaking apart branches in their jaws in their efforts. The trees shake violently at the assault, and we all struggle to hold on.

"Sho gad adol!" (Drink their blood!) Azog yells making the Wargs become more fervent in their attack.

With the weight of the Wargs climbing it, the furthest tree from the edge of the cliff, which Bilbo and several other dwarves are in, gets uprooted from the ground and begins leaning wildly. As more Wargs grab onto it, the tree tips over and lands on the next tree; the dwarves and Bilbo jump from the falling tree to the next. However, this tree as well tips over; like dominoes, all the trees begin falling over.

All the dwarves, Bilbo, Gandalf and myself manage to jump onto the last tree, on the very edge of the cliff. This tree doesn't fall over. Azog laughs. Looking around in desperation, Gandalf spies a pinecone. He grabs it and uses his staff to set the pinecone on fire; he then throws it down amid the Wargs, who retreat in fear of the fire. Azog is startled and angry at the unexpected resistance. Gandalf lights two more pinecones and throws one down to Fili.

"Fili!" Gandalf calls causing Fili to catch the burning pinecone.

Bilbo and the dwarves gather pinecones and Gandalf sets them on fire; they then throw the flaming pinecones like missiles at the Wargs. All the area around the tree gets set on fire, forcing the Wargs to retreat a distance. At least one Warg gallops away with its fur alight. Azog roars in anger and frustration as the dwarves cheer.

Suddenly, their cheers turn into cries of fear as the roots of the tree we are in start to give way. The tree tips precariously over the edge of the cliff. My eyes widen as I reach down to the trunk of the tree and calling the Earth to make the trees roots stronger making it come to a rest sticking straight out away from the edge of the cliff. Gandalf looks down and sees the ground far, far, below. He looks back meeting my gaze and he can tell I can't hold the tree safe for very long.

The dwarves try to hold on as they get flung around. Ori loses his grip on the tree and falls but manages to grab on to Dori's leg.

"Aahhh! Oh! Oh no!" Ori cries out as he clings to his brothers' legs.

"Mister Gandalf!" Dori cries out making me reach out with my free hand and try to send a vine out to hold them both, but the screaming pain of my ribs stops me.

Because of the extra weight, Dori loses his grip on the tree as well and falls, but Gandalf quickly swings his staff down and Dori grabs on to the end of it.

"Hold on, Ori!" Dori calls to his brother as he tries his hardest to hold his grip on Gandalf's staff.

Something shiny catches my attention and I turn to see Thorin with his sword drawn walking down the leaning trunk. I cry out for him to stop but he ignores me as he runs through the burning ground at Azog and his White Warg. Azog spreads his arms wide with a smug grin on his face. Thorin growls as he runs with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouches, then roars as his Warg leaps at Thorin. Thorin tries to swing his sword, but the Warg hits him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground.

Panic fills my body making me momentarily forget that I was holding the tree steady causing it to creek in objection to the additional weight. As Thorin gets back on his feet, panting, Azog and his White Warg wheel around; they charge at Thorin again. Azog swings his mace and smashes Thorin in the face before Thorin can react. Thorin is brutally flung to the ground by the impact. I give one last painful groan as I dig the roots in as deep as I can before I push myself up to stand on the trunk of the tree.

"Nooo!" I hear Balin cry out and I wince as I try to move closer to Thorin.

Azog roars in excitement as Bilbo joins me on the tree. The White Warg clamps its jaws around Thorin and Thorin yells in pain. My heart shatters and I unconsciously move forward Bilbo close to my side the fire raging around us. Dwalin tries to get off and tree to assist Thorin, but the tree branches he is holding on to break, swinging him precariously over the edge and preventing him from reaching Thorin.

"Thorin! Nooo!" Dwalin cries out.

As the White Warg holds Thorin in its mouth, Thorin manages to hit its head with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the White Warg throws Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin lands heavily, his sword falling out of his hand. He is almost unconscious.

"Biriz torag khobdudol." (Bring me the Dwarf's head.) I hear Azog tell his subordinate.

One of Azog's Warg Riders jumps off his Warg and approaches Thorin. Bilbo, seeing this, pulls out his own sword, which glows blue. The orc approaches Thorin and places its sword against his neck; raising the sword, the rider prepares to decapitate Thorin. As he swings his sword down, Bilbo throws himself at the orc and knocks him over. As they fight, Bilbo manages to stab and kill the orc.

As Azog growls in anger, Thorin goes unconscious. I put myself alongside Bilbo as we stand between Azog and Thorin. He waves his sword wildly at Azog and the other Wargs. Azog smiles in hatred and speaks in the Black Speech to his Orcs, "Kill him, and bring me the girl."

"You will not touch him." I growl as the fire grows around us all.

"My master wants you little one." Azog says in black speech making me glare at him a mixture of rage and confusion.

"You can tell your master to fuck off. I'm not going anywhere with you." I reply wiggling my fingers causing the fire to snap at him and his riders. A couple of Wargs and Riders approach us, snarling despite the obvious danger of being incinerated.

Suddenly, Fili, Kili, and Dwalin, who have managed to get off the tree, plow into the Wargs from the side and start fighting them. In the confusion, Bilbo yells and leaps forward, wounding a Warg. The White Warg hits Bilbo with his head and sends him flying, however. As the fighting around us continues, Azog and his White Warg approach Bilbo to kill him but I step between them the fire reflecting angrily in my own eyes.

"I will burn you." I warn causing Azog to pause.

"My master wants you alive and unspoiled." Azog replies so only I can understand. "But if you keep me from my kill, I will return you to him in pieces."

"Go piss up a flagpole." I reply stumping him.

I Hear chuckling and I turn to see that Fili, Kili, and Dwalin have been surrounded by Wargs. I want to help them but if I leave Bilbo, he will be at Azog's mercy. Suddenly a huge silhouette fills the sky causing me to stare at it in shock as a giant eagle appears behind Azog. Then, several more Eagles appear and join the fray. Some grab Wargs and Orcs and toss them over the cliff. Others knock down trees, which crush the Wargs below them. Another Eagle fans the flames with its wings, causing an inferno which burns the Wargs.

Azog snarls in frustration. One Eagle gently grabs Thorin and his sword in its talons and flies away. As Thorin is lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slips off his arm and lands on the ground. Azog roars and jumps back as an Eagle flies by him; the Eagle heads straight for an alarmed Bilbo and snatches him off the ground. It then throws Bilbo, and he screams as he falls toward the ground, only to land on the back of another Eagle. The rest of the Eagles proceed to snatch the dwarves out of the tree and fly away. I look back at Azog one last time my eyes meeting his. I glare at him before turning and running jump off the side of the cliff into the abyss below.

I call wind to slow my falling as an eagle appears below me. I softly land on it's back as it carries me away after the rest of my company. I grip tightly to its back feathers as we soar through the sky toward safety. Closing my eyes, I let the wind whip across my face, and I smile as a wave of relief washes over me. Then I hear Fili call for Thorin, and I am brought back to the present. I silently pray that he's okay as we soar through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes. Finally, The Eagles approach a massive rock structure shaped like a bear. The Eagle carrying Thorin gently deposits him and his sword on a flat area on the peak of the structure. Another Eagle lands and Gandalf slides off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin.

"Thorin! Thorin." Gandalf calls fear filling his voice.

Thorin is not responding. Bilbo runs up. Gandalf places his hand on Thorin's face and whispers a spell.

The eagle I was riding gently lands and as I slide off, I offer it a warm smile and a soft pat before it launches itself back into the air to follow its flock. I turn back to Gandalf right as Thorin's eyes flutter open and he gasps for air. Tears sting my eyes as relief fills my body causing my legs to give out from under me.

"The halfling?" Thorin speaks weakly.

"It's all right. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe." Gandalf replies and I reach up to wipe the tears from my eyes.

By now, the other dwarves have all been landed on the Carrock, and they surround the wounded Thorin. Dwalin and Kili help Thorin up. However, once he's up, he shrugs them off and approaches Bilbo.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin advances until he is face to face with Bilbo, who looks worried and frightened. I feel anger fill my body as I go to stand up to argue with him when Thorin continues embracing Bilbo. "I've never been so wrong in all my life!"

I let out a sigh of relief as the other dwarves cheer loudly and slap each other on the back. Gandalf smiles. Bilbo, looking quite surprised, hugs Thorin back.

"I am sorry I doubted you." Thorin apologizes.

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior...not even a burglar." Bilbo adds making everyone chuckle.

We watch the Eagles fly away, screeching, before Thorin looks beyond Bilbo and sees something; he strides forward, and the others follow his gaze. I follow their gaze to see in the distance, on the horizon, they see the outline of a single, solitary mountain.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asks.

"Erebor—The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth." Gandalf verifies making me smile.

"Our home." Thorin adds and I turn to meet his gaze.

A bird cheeps and flies by.

"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain." Oin calls and I follow the noise to see not a Raven. More birdsong is heard.

"That's not a Raven." I interject making them look at me in confusion.

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf adds clarifying my correctness.

"But we'll take it as a sign - a good omen." Thorin adds looking from the mountain to Bilbo.

"You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us." Bilbo says and I groan inwardly causing them to look at me in confusion.

"You all may not be superstitious but I am. Never ever say anything like that around me unless you have some wood to knock on. Because saying it makes it the inevitable."

"So, the worst will be behind us?" Fili asks and I shake my head.

"No Fili, saying the worst is behind us only solidifies the reality that the worst is in fact not behind us." I say and Gandalf glares at me. "What, I can't help it that that's how I feel."

"You could have kept it to yourself." Gandalf adds and I roll my eyes.

Turning from them I walk away only to feel a sharp pain in my ribs causing me to stumble slightly before I catch myself. Wincing I lift the front of my shirt to see that ribs were starting to bruise, and I groan inwardly. This was definitely not the time. Pulling my shirt back down I reach into my back pocket and before they disappear completely, I pull my cell phone out and take both pictures and a video of the Eagles. Sam would love them.

"Show me." I hear Thorin say from behind me starling me.

"Show you what?" I ask as I pull my cell phone down level to stomach.

Thorin points to my middle and I think he means my phone, so I go to hand it to him only to have him shake his head.

"Not that. Your middle." He clarifies and I cock and eyebrow at him.

"Excuse me?" I ask slightly offended. "Why do you want to see that?"

"You're injured."

"No, I'm not." I say slipping my phone into my pocket.

"Don't argue with me. Just show me." Thorin adds and I shake my head.

"No," I answer and as I go to pass him, he intentionally reaches up and presses hard on my ribs. I gasp in pain as I buckle slightly into him. "What the hell is wrong with you!" I growl out as I clutch tightly to my waist.

"See, you're hurt." He clarifies making me glare at him. "Let me check it."

"I know what's wrong, I'll be fine."

"Please," he adds softly, and I let out a heavy sigh.

Looking around I make sure no one is looking at us before I lift the front of my shirt revealing the bruises. His hands gingerly reach out as he gently traces his fingers across my ribs to make sure none of them are broken. His fingers are surprisingly warm against my skin. I wince as he touches certain spots causing him to pause momentarily before he continues. Looking up, my eyes meet his and my breath catches.

"You didn't have to put yourself in danger for me." He says after a few moments and I feel a knot well up in my throat.

"You'd have done the same for me." I reply looking down at my feet.

"Still, I thank you." He replies pulling his hands away from me. "You should have Oin take a look at your ribs."

"I will." I reply pulling my shirt down.