I deliberately stayed in the background of the dwarves who ran to the door to greet their leader. I kept my ears visible, Thorin should know what I am from the beginning. Bilbo opened the door and there he stood. Thorin Oakenshield, the one who had stood up to Arzog the Defiler when all hope seemed lost. Tales said Arzog was a pale Org, just like the one who had destroyed my village.
"Gandalf." the dwarf bowed his head and removed his cloak "This place is hard to find, I got lost. Twice."
I had to pull myself together very hard not to snort out. Thorin shouldn't hate me any more than he already did because of my blood.
"That's him now." he looked at Bilbo sceptically "That's the Hobbit." he started circling the poor guy, which Bilbo didn't seem to like "He looks more like a peasant, not a master thief."
My brain wheels started working "Why would we need a master thief?" I asked myself, unable to think of an answer.
Thorin finished circling Bilbo "Tell me Mr Baggins what weapon do you wield."
I took pity on the hobbit who seemed to practically shrink under the dwarf's gaze "I throw quite elegant stones."
Thorin shook his head, then his gaze seemed to fall on me "Oh no Gandalf forget it."
Although I knew of his prejudice, his words still stung me slightly "Pleased to meet you too Thorin Oakenshield."
Thorin didn't respond to my greeting and continued to glare at Gandalf, but he was unimpressed "She's coming with us, we need her."
Thorin grumbled but then sat down at the table.
I pulled out a knife and began to swirl it through my fingers, lost in thought, while I listened to Gandalf's monologue. Now I knew why he wanted me there. " Take back your homeland," the wizard concluded.
My knife stopped in my fingers, for I knew exactly what lurked in that mountain, I knew exactly why Gandalf wanted me to be there so badly. For in a fight against a dragon, someone who was fireproof was not at a disadvantage.
I was so lost in thought that I hadn't really noticed the conversation going on, but apparently they had given Bilbo a contract which he was reading through "No liability is accepted for, bruising, disembowelling" he gulped and continued to turn the pages "Burning!" he looked at us in horror.
"Well Smaug will melt the flesh off your bones in no time." Bofur didn't make it any better "Just imagine a winged furnace, a bright light, a little prick and poof you're just a pile of ash."
Bilbo just stared at the dwarf "Nope." then he fell over and hit the ground.
"Couldn't have been any smoother, could you? " I complained to the dwarf, who I knew full well was staring at the scar emblazoned across my cheek that came from an orc.
Noisily I stood up, grabbed my weapons and my cloak and went out of the house. I stretched out on the grass behind the house to sleep. I didn't want to accidentally burn down Bilbo's house if I had a nightmare. With my legs crossed, I stared at the stars and listened to the song of the dwarves. I yawned profusely and tightened my legs a little, with my hand on my sword I fell asleep.

My instincts jolted me from sleep, I felt a hand on my shoulder and reflexively drew my sword.
"Calm down, please don't decapitate me." I heard Kili's voice.
Sleepily I put my sword away again and ran it through my hair "Are you leaving?"
The dwarf nodded. When I turned around, I saw some ponies and Gandalf's horse standing next to mine. Although my horse could probably be considered a pony that was too big, as small as it was. I picked myself up and straightened my cloak "Have you managed to convince Bilbo?" I enquired, hoping the hobbit would come along, because Gandalf was right about one thing, hobbits were so light on their feet that not even elves could hear them if they didn't want to.
Kili shrugged "We left him the contract, but we can't force him. " he started to grin as he swung on his pony "We have bets on whether he will come, will you go? "
I too swung on my horse "Sure." I was very good at guessing someone, usually it saved my life and I had a feeling we hadn't seen the last of Bilbo. "I think he'll be here." My eyes fell on Kili's back, on which was attached a bow, a very unusual weapon for a dwarf, but I said nothing for now.
Thorin led the procession and rode off, many of the hobbits staring at me as I rode beside Bofur through Bag End. Fields passed us, meadows and streams, the further we got from the Shire the more rugged the terrain became. When we were about at the place where I had seen the deer the day before, a gust of wind carried quick footsteps to my ear. They were too light for orc feet. I had to grin when two seconds later I heard Bilbo's shout, "Wait for me, wait."
You could see Thorin's surprise, but he stopped and waited until Bilbo had caught up with us.
"I have signed it." the hobbit held out the signed contract to Balin.
Examining the contract the old dwarf said "It seems to be in order." the dwarf handed Bilbo back his contract "Welcome Mr. Baggins to the Fellowship of Thorin Oakenshield."
"Give him a pony." ordered Thorin before he spurred his again and rode on.
"Oh no thank you that's not necessary" Bilbo resisted the pony "I'm quite good on my feet too."
Shaking their heads Kili and Fili rode past him and lifted him onto the pony. The poor man looked so lost on the pony that I rode a little faster and caught up with him.
"You don't seem very familiar with horses?" I stated the obvious, for he held the reins far too tense and almost slipped off the saddle.
He nodded hesitantly "I actually always walk in Bag End." he almost slipped out of the saddle.
"You have to hold the reins looser, as long as you don't give him a different direction the pony goes straight anyway." I started my riding lesson. "Besides, you steer with your weight, in the direction you lean in that's where your horse goes."
Bilbo nodded. But looked up in surprise when suddenly purses were being thrown back and forth, I reached out and caught my winnings which I stashed in my belt pouch. At Bilbo's questioning look I laughed "We were betting if you were still coming."
"What did Gandalf say?" just at the moment Bilbo asked the question Gandalf caught a bag of money.
"There's your answer, Gandalf always has a very strong faith in everyone." I remembered myself back when I had gone around with Gandalf completely destroyed. He had never given up on me, and without him I wouldn't be who I am today. We left the Shire, but our journey had only just begun, for we still had a long way to go before we reached Erebor.