Seven - Beorn

“How close is the pack?” Thorin asked Bilbo as he ran down the hill from scouting. 

We’ve been running from those damn Orcs for a year and can’t get rid of them. Bloody annoying.

“Too close, a couple of leagues, no more. But that’s not the worst of it,” Bilbo said as he caught his breath. “Did the Orcs catch our scent?” I asked. 

“Not yet, but they will. We have another problem,” Bilbo said, concerned. “Did they see you? They saw you,” Gandalf interrupted. “No, that’s not it.” He shook his head. “What did I tell you? Quite as a mouse. Excellent burglar material,” Gandalf praised him. “Will you listen! I’m trying to tell you there is something else out there,” Bilbo said quickly. 

“What form did it take?” Gandalf asked. “Like a bear?” I guessed, knowing who it may be. “Yes, but bigger. Much bigger,” Bilbo confirmed and Gandalf and I looked at each other and the others looked at us. “You knew about this beast?” Bofur questioned. 

“We may have no other choice,” I whispered to Gandalf and he shook his head “We can’t-” “We must. He knows me. He knows I’m not a threat,” 

“What are you not telling us?” Thorin demanded and Gandalf sighed in defeat. “There is a house. It’s not far from here, where we can take refuge,” Gandalf told them. “Whose house? Are they friend or foe?” Thorin questioned “Neither,” I told him “What choice do we have?” A roar echoed in the distance and they turn back to Gandalf and I “None,”

~~~

We make a break for the house, through a clearing. When the house is in my sights, I huffed a laugh. 

“Into the house!” I yelled as Gandalf and I stood beside the outer gate. I turned to the clearing as Gandalf went to the Dwarves and I saw him running out of the woods and heading for us. Beorn.

I ran in as Thorin unlocked the door and we piled into the house and the bear tried to make his way in. I stand behind with Gandalf, who is observing the Dwarves intently as they struggle to lock him out. 

They finally got the door shut and locked again then Ori turned to us. “What is that?” he asked, breathing heavily “That is our host,” Gandalf said. The rest of them turn to us in confusion. 

“His name is Beorn, he’s a skin-changer,” I said and walked further into the room. “Sometimes he’s a huge black bear, other times he’s a strong Man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. But he is not overly fond of Dwarves,” I continued. 

Beorn growled from outside. “He’s leaving,” Ori said as he watched Beorn through a crack in the door. Dori pulled him away uneasily. “Come away from there! It’s not natural, none of it. He’s under some dark spell,” He stressed. 

“He is under no enchantment but his own,” I said and Gandalf took his hat off. “Get some sleep. All of you. We’ll be safe tonight,” I stood next to Gandalf by the window and watched Beorn as he crept into the woods. 

~~~

 I fell asleep as quickly as I was awakened by Beorn walking in. I followed him into the kitchen to him sitting at the head of the table. “Hello, Verena,” He said. “Hello, Beorn,” I sat next to him. “We were running from Orcs when we found you. I’m sorry we had to meet again like this,” I apologised and he nodded. 

“Who are the Dwarves you travel with?” he asked in disaste. “The company of Thorin Oakenshield along with Gandalf the Grey,” I answered “A wizard?” he asked and I nodded. 

“What business, may I ask?” He said. “Thorin and his company are retaking their home in the east, Erebor,” I answered. “You’re a ways from there, friend,” He said. “Greenwood is just past your land,” I said. “It’s changed, Ver. It is not the same forest you may have played in as a child with the Elves. There are evils that lurk there. The Elves have become more hostile,” He warned. 

“I have hope,”

~~~

We talked for a bit longer and I helped him make breakfast for the company when they woke up. Gandalf rose first, then Thorin and the rest followed suit until they all sat around the table. 

“You are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?” Beorn asked as he poured milk for Fili. “You know of Azog? How?” Thorin asked. 

“My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him,” Beorn explained coldly.

“There are others like you?” Bilbo asked curiously “Once there were many, now there is only one,” He told him “But-but I thought your brother-” “My brother is a shapeshifter. There is a difference between the two,” I cut Bilbo off before he continued. Beorn can be easily insulted by the ignorance of knowing the difference. 

“You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn,” Beorn continued. “Before Durin’s Day falls, yes,” Gandalf agreed. “You are running out of time,” Beorn warned us. “Which is why we must go through Mirkwood,” I shifted uneasily on my feet at the thought of the spiders. 

“A darkness lies upon that forest, fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there, except in great need,” Beorn warned.

“We will take the Elven Road, their path is still safe,” Gandalf said. “Safe? The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They’re less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not,” Beorn told us. 

“What do you mean?” Thorin asked and turned to him. “These lands are crawling with Orcs, their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive,” Thorin looked at him in shock and Beorn stood and walked over to him. 

“I don’t like Dwarves. They’re greedy and blind. Blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own,” He explained as he picked up a mouse Bofur pushed away. He looked at it then at Thorin. “But Orcs I hate more,”

~~~

“Thank you, Beorn. I will remember this,” I told him as the Dwarves put their things on the ponies. Beorn gave us the supplies we needed and ponies to make it to Mirkwood. 

“Remember to have the Dwarves release them back to me. I protect them and they will not enter those woods,” He said and I nodded. “Of course,”

“Go now, while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind,” He said as I got on the horse he allowed me and we began to ride for the forest.