I huddled against a ledge with Bilbo and looked anxiously at the pack of orcs. It had been some weeks since the orc caves and my fight with Azog. Since then the orcs were on our heels again. The advantage we had gained from the eagles had long since shrunk.
"How long do you think it will take them to catch up with us?" Bilbo's voice was just a whisper, but he knew full well that was how I understood him.
I looked appraisingly at the wargs running over the crest of the Misty Mountains "A few hours' walk, no more." my instincts kicked in, I glanced furtively to my right.
A huge bear stood on a rock not twenty paces from us. "Let's go." I whispered. As quietly as possible Bilbo and I scurried back to our companions, who had been too noisy to scout and so had lagged a little behind. Over the last few weeks my feelings for Kili had solidified, but I didn't allow myself to even get my hopes up, because it was hopeless. I had also made peace with Thorin and made friends with Bofur and Dwalin. The only one who still disliked me was Gloin, but I was fine with that.
"How close are they?" greeted Thorin.
I screwed up my face "Too close, only a few hours away, but we have another problem too."
"Have you been seen?" Gandalf interrupted me "You have been seen."
I rolled my eyes "Gandalf I am never seen if I don't want to be, you know that. No we have a bear problem." reproachfully I looked at the wizard.
Gandalf scratched his bard "I was hoping we wouldn't run into him."
"You knew about this beast!" horrified Bofur looked at the wizard.
We were stuck between the orcs and a skin changer, quite great views.
"There is a house not far from here." enlightened Gandalf to the dwarves, I already knew which house he meant. "In it we might find a shelter."
Sceptically Thorin looked at the wizard "Whose house, friend or foe?"
"Neither. He will either help us or kill us." Gandalf announced the good news.
"Do we have a choice?" Kili looked like he would rather slaughter the bear than have to rely on the uncertain protection of a stranger.
An animalistic roar made us all cringe.
Gandalf looked at us urgently "None. Run!"
I picked up my legs and started running, I just hated running from anything, but skin changers were not to be trifled with, especially this one when he had his bear form. I jumped over roots, trees raced past me. Again a roar sounded, this time much closer. The house was already visible in the distance. We quickly crossed a clearing overgrown with flowers and ran towards the large wooden hut. Behind us, the huge bear burst out of the forest. The first of the dwarves, including my very own, banged on the door. Of course, it didn't open that way. "Open the door!" I shouted.
Thorin also reached the door now and pushed back the wooden beam that held the door shut. As soon as everyone was inside, Kili and his brother slammed the door shut again. Not fast enough, the bear's snout slid into the crack of the door. The dwarves struggled to close the door again, I let my hands flame up, even though skin changers had very thick skin, they still burned. With a bang the door closed and the beam clicked into place.
"What in the name of Durin was that?" brought forth Kili, holding his sword in his hand and propping himself up on his knees.
Gandalf put his sword back in its sheath "This is our host, his name is Beorn he is a skin changer."
We were officially delivered. Beon hated nothing more than dwarves after orcs, apart from me, we had known each other since I was young.
Gandalf practically stared me down and my mouth which had already turned into a wall of swear at Khuzdul folded shut again.

"Get some sleep, you'll be safe here for the night." Gandalf looked around furtively "At least I hope so." I only understood the last part of the sentence because of my elven hearing.
I sighed and looked around the hut a little. A gigantic wooden table, on which a few bowls stood, was in the middle of the hut. Handmade armchairs stood around it. In one part of the hut there were cows in their stalls, in another there was a huge pile of straw. I decided not to deal with the problem called Beorn until the next day. I went over to the group of dwarves, by chance I came to lie next to Kili. I curled up into a ball, I hadn't slept for days. Just before I fell asleep, I felt a hand stroking my head, but I could have just imagined it.
The next morning I woke up because some discussion was going on.
"I say we just leave, quietly," Nori suggested.
Dwalin grabbed the dwarf by the collar "I'm not running from anyone, beast or not!"
Gandalf interjected "We have no choice, we need his help to get to the Bleak Forest."
I scrambled to my feet and joined the debating group, Bilbo standing next to Gandalf looking anything but happy.
"So don't forget." just then Gandalf inculcated into them "Only come in pairs, and don't make any sudden moves, the last person who scared him was torn to pieces." just then his eyes fell on me "Oh Leona good you're awake, you and Bilbo come out with me. The rest of you wait for my signal."
I resisted the biting comment and followed Gandalf out. Beorn had his back to us, it had been at least twenty years since I had seen him.
"And are you nervous?" I grinned provocatively at Gandalf as he ran his hands through his hair conspicuously often.
He laughed playfully "Nervous me!?" he winced at the next axe blow from Beorn "Ridiculous!"
I didn't believe him for a second "Good morning Beorn." I drew attention to myself.
He paused and turned around, scars covering his torso "Leona, what brings you here?" a smile played around his mouth, which was a burst of emotion for him.
Now I was getting nervous too "I wanted to thank you for your hospitality, we stayed in your home tonight."
The skin changer raised his eyebrows "Who are your companions?"
I pointed to Gandalf first "This is Gandalf the Grey, perhaps you have heard of him." I grabbed Bilbo's arm and pulled him out from behind Gandalf "and this is Bilbo Baggins."
Beorn's jaw cracked "He's not a dwarf after all!"
I shook my head hastily "No he's a hobbit, from the Shire." the only reason Beorn liked me even though I was half dwarf was because he had known me for decades, I hated to think back to our first meeting, he had nearly killed me.
The skin changer stuck his nose up in the air "There's someone else."
I scratched my head, how did I prepare him for the fact that his hut was full of dwarves? I had underestimated the dwarves' incompetence, apparently they thought it had been the sign. Behind me I heard stomping and Dwalin and Balin came out of the hut. Dwalin was clearly nervous, Balin covered his fear better.
Beorn raised his axe "No dwarves then yes?"
I threw my hands in the air, they couldn't have picked a more inopportune moment. Just then the next ones came, it was Oin and Gloin.
"How many more then." growled Beorn holding his axe tighter and tighter.
"Well um..." I used my fingers symbolically, but then saved it, because the next Nori and Ori were already coming, the youngest of the dwarves had opened his eyes in fear.
I gave up and just rubbed my eyes with my fingers, it really couldn't get any worse now, I was sure Beorn would have flipped out long ago, if it hadn't been for our years of friendship.
Fili and Kili were the next to come out of the house, shortly after the rest of the dwarves came stumbling out, it looked like they had been pushed. Beorn looked like he was about to rush out and transform. "Beorn please." I looked at him pleadingly.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and out as if to calm himself "Is that all of them, are there more."
I let my eyes wander over the dwarves, one was still missing, Thorin was still missing. The aforementioned stepped out of the hut and leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded. The only sign of his nervousness was a slight twitch in his left eye.
Beorn lowered his axe, "So you're the one they call Oakenshield."
I looked at Beorn in surprise, never would I have thought he would recognise Thorin.
Beorn sighed, which was more like a growl "Come on in then, I just made honey and milk yesterday." he invited us .