Another day came and past and the group became closer to the mountain with each step. Noon had come and Vanáezae found another catch for them. The tension had slightly lessened but it was still there. Night came and they camped at an outcropping of rock. At was small, yet it would still be enough room for everyone. Vanáezae placed herself near the back of the group with Vanadessë and put out her bed roll. The group soon went to sleep after.

A lot of howling and barking had the company up and stirring. Everyone gathered their things quickly and waited. The sun was just beginning to rise. They knew they had to move, and quickly. Azog was coming. They debated on who should check where Azog was. After much fighting Bilbo volunteered and climbed towards the sound. Minutes later a loud roaring could be heard. Very loud, and to whomever it belonged to must have been big. Bilbo came back running and panting.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin demanded.

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more. But that is not the worst of it," Bilbo panted. The group surrounded him.

"Do they know we're here?" Vanáezae asked.

"Not yet but they will. We have another problem."

"Did they see you? They saw you!" Gandalf spoke, not giving the hobbit a chance to answer.

"No that's not it."

"What did I tell you?" Gandalf nodded. "Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

Everyone nodded and smiled. The wizard was right. Vanáezae and Vanadessë shared a look. They knew the hobbit needed to say something.

"Will you listen? Will you just, listen?" Bilbo spoke the last sentence louder. "I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there."

A few people groaned and the group was silent.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asked, face grave.

"Y-Ye-Yes but bigger, much bigger."

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked. Everyone turned to him and Gandalf turned away. "I say we double back."

"We'll be run down by a pack of orcs," Thorin reminded. People agreed.

"There is a house," Gandalf turned back towards the company. It was silent once more. "It's not far from here where me might, take refuge."

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

"Neither. He will help us or, he will kill us."

"What choice do we have?"

A loud roar interrupted them and everyone stared in fear of the sound. It was much closer this time.

"It doesn't sound like we have one. Run!" Vanáezae urged.

The company immediately ran. The sun rose and the company was still going.

"Come on!" Gandalf yelled, waving his arm over his shoulder.

Another roar sounded and the company stopped, turning in the direction of the sound.

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf yelled again, resuming his run.

They ran again and Thorin had to turn Bombur around so as to keep him running. The edge of the forest was seen and the two females of the group started to slow, ending up at the back of the line.

"Run!" Gandalf said.

They watched as Bombur started passing everyone. It looked rather comical and Vanáezae would have laughed if she wasn't running for her life. There wasn't enough time to reach the house and there was still too much ground between them and the house.

Vanáezae quickly made her decision and shifted. She became the black wolf the dwarves had seen oh so long ago with the trolls. Vibrant green eyes and all. She stopped and looked back towards the tree edge, watching as a bear jumped through. Vanáezae looked back towards the company and noticed that Bilbo was lagging.

She immediately ran towards him and dived between his legs, catching him off guard. Bilbo gave a yelp as he now held on for dear life as the wolf he was on ran even faster. Vanáezae easily caught up with the group and they gave her strange looks. Yet one mighty roar from the pursuing animal behind the cleared their minds.

They entered the garden, Gandalf urging them to get inside. Bombur slammed into the door but was thrown backwards. The dwarves began pounding on the door trying to get it open and the bear was getting closer.

"Open the door!" Gandalf yelled.

"Quickly!" Vanadessë added.

Thorin shoved his way past them and moved the latch, opening the doors. Everyone clambered in and Vanáezae jumped over their heads so as not to knock them over. Gandalf was the last in and the dwarves immediately went to shut the doors but the bears snout caught in the way. The bear roared and tried to push it's way in.

"Push!" Kili yelled.

It worked and the door was closed and a large piece of wood was placed so the bear couldn't get in. Everyone panted as they tried to regain their breath. Vanáezae stood off to the side, Bilbo still sitting atop her.

"What is that?" Ori asked.

"That is our host," Gandalf answered. The dwarves stopped and looked at him. Silently asking if he was joking. "His name is Beorn, and he's a skin changer. Sometimes he's a huge black 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."

A snarl could be heard from the other side of the door.

"He's leaving," Ori said.

"Come away from there!" Dori pulled his brother away from the doors. "It's not natural. None of it! It's obvious. He's under some dark spell."

"Don't be a fool. He's under no enchantment but his own," Gandalf said. "Right, now! Get some sleep. You'll be safe here tonight."

The dwarves started to wander and make themselves at home. Not one of them noticed Gandalf mutter an 'I hope' at the end of his sentence. Well, none but Vanáezae and Vanadessë of course. Vanáezae looked around to find herself a place to sleep but a voice drew her attention.

"Um, Miss-Miss Vanáezae?" Bilbo asked. "Can you please let me down?"

Only now did she realise that Bilbo was still sitting on her back. She layed on her stomach and Bilbo climbed off of her. He gave her a thank you for helping him keep up so he wasn't left behind and went to a hay stack to make his bed. Vanáezae followed him, quickly shifting and sat on the hay pile near him. She had become protective of the little hobbit. Gandalf smiled at them and sat on a bench at the table, patiently waiting for night and the next morning.

However for the dwarves, night came too quickly and they all took a while to sleep. They knew of the danger that lurked right outside the door. Yet once they fell into their dreams they stirred no more. Except for when Bombur's snoring became too much and one of the dwarves next to him had to kick him, sending Bombur back into silent snores.

All slept except for Gandalf, which was to be expected, Vanáezae and Vanadessë. The two women were next to each other as they just layed and stared out of the glass windows next to them. A few feet sat between them, and a few more feet between the girls and the rest of the company. Vanadessë couldn't help it and her curiosity got the better of her.

"Vanáezae?" She whispered.

"Hmm?" Her voice was quiet.

"Galadriel mentioned something. Back when we were in Rivindell. She mentioned a prophecy?"

Vanáezae sighed. She knew her friend would ask sometime. "Galadriel said," she began, turning towards her friend, "that a woman of the Wolf and the Changer would defeat a great evil. And that a person she knew would go with her. She also said that eventually, that person would lose their knowledge of the place she visited, and her powers would eventually go away leaving her as just a skin changer."

"And...you say that's you?"

"Well it has to be. I've already lost my telepathy. Most of it, at least."

"Wow," Vanadessë breathed. "It's not as complicated as I thought it would be yet, it's going to be so hard for you."

Vanáezae nodded. "Yeah. But hey," she lowered her voice even more, "At least we know Middle-Earth is real."

Vanadessë giggled and nodded, turning her eyes back towards the starry night. She sighed and her thoughts wandered. Then she noticed something.

"Hey, Vanáezae?"

"Hmm?"

"Weren't you taller, before?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you found me, your head came up to Gandalf's shoulder. Now, it seems you're as short as Kili."

"You think we've been shrinking?"

"We?"

"Yeah I'm still taller than you."

The two sat silently staring at one another before cracking grins. They were dwarf height now! They silently laughed, trying hard not to gain any attention.

"Vanáezae?"

"Hmm?"

"My memory of what is supposed to happen is gone. Not all of it. I still know what happens to everyone but, it's still missing. Eventually I won't remember. Why?"

"My guess is that the Valar don't want you knowing your future or changing another's."

"But I want to save him. I have to."

Vanáezae turned to her friend and looked her dead in the eyes.

"Then figure out how."

Vanadessë nodded. She didn't know how. Slowly they turned and found a comfortable position and went to sleep. Not even a minute after a certain hobbit awoke and messed with a golden ring stolen from another.

**********

Edited!