As the rain poured down, Frêllian happily trotted over the muddy path, a freshly caught rabbit clenched between her teeth as she followed the trail of the ponies. It had been a long time since she had really spend so much time outside. But with June coming closer, she had been traveling with the dwarves for a month already.

Though the ferian was ashamed to admit it, she had slowly turned into a pet in the time Bilbo had taken her in. Getting too used to the comforts of home – something she hadn't had for seventy years – and always sleeping warm and dry. But after having spend day after day traveling and sleeping out in the open air, had made her realize how much she has missed it.

'Honestly, do you really have to carry around your catch of the day like that?'

Twitching her ears at the sound of the voice of the hobbit, Frêllian turned her head to the side. A chuckle-like sound came from deep inside her throat, when she saw the disgusted look on his face. But before she could answer him, one of the younger dwarves butted in.

'Actually, I think it's pretty funny,' Kíli said as he watched the ferian trot around proudly. 'And disturbing at the same time.' Turning her head towards the two brothers in curiosity, the younger prince smiled at her. 'To see such a fierce creature trotting around the way you do, I mean.'

'Well, I prefer you better back at Bag End,' Bilbo complained as he turned his head away from the bloodied rabbit between her jaws. 'In just one month you have become so much more… feral.'

Slowing down her pace, so Frêllian was walking next to Bilbo, she adjusted the dead creature between her jaws, making sure to add a little extra pressure and breaking a bone or two while doing so. The sound alone making the poor hobbit pale already. But to see the slight twitching of the freshly killed animal, made him gag as well.

Behind him, Bilbo heard the two young dwarves roar with laughter. But the hobbit himself was far from amused. Ever since they had left Bag End, Frêllian had been behaving much more like a wild animal, than the sophisticated ferian she had been back home. Hunting for her food daily - though luckily not always successful - sometimes carrying her kill around for hours. And only eating it during their stops.

Though luckily for Bilbo, their last stop of the day would be at the cliff Thorin had pointed out a few moments ago. Judging from the distance, the hobbit estimated it to take about half an hour to reach it. So at least Frêllian wouldn't be walking around with that – what once was a – rabbit for too long. And if they were lucky enough, the weather would clear as well.

'She is just doing what she is used to, Bilbo,' Gandalf comforted as he watched the young ferian as well. 'She has instincts you cannot deny her. And if I remember correctly, you have been denying them for quite some time.'

Mumbling something unintelligible, Bilbo looked away from the ferian. He knew she had certain instincts, and she had been acting upon them. With her weekly hunting and frolicking. The frolicking, Bilbo could live with. He actually enjoyed fooling around with Frêllian whenever she was in her wolf-form. It was almost like playing with a puppy – a very big and dangerous puppy!

But the hunting! At least she had the decency to eat her prey on the spot and not bring them back home to show them to Bilbo. But now…

Bilbo had been so deep in thought, he hadn't even noticed them to have arrived at their campsite. Halting Myrtle, Bilbo looked around. Frêllian was already eating her dinner, happily ripping the meat of the poor animals bones – at least it was dead already! Thorin and a couple of other dwarves were already unloading their ponies, trying to make a decent bed for themselves.

Fíli and Kíli were nowhere to be found, though Bilbo guessed they were already looking around for branches and twigs to start a fire. As for Bombur, well the dwarf was already preparing diner for the company.

'You don't look overly pleased, little rabbit,' a feminine voice came from his left and Bilbo looked down slightly.

With her 3,6 feet, the ferian stood about as high as a small pony, though smaller than Myrtle. Still, Frêllian stood tall enough for Bilbo to notice her bloodied muzzle. Which was quite easy to spot with her light coat. And while he tried to ignore the ferian while she was cleaning her coat, he couldn't help but notice the satisfied look in her eyes.

'Tonight's going to be a cold night,' Bilbo finally answered as he got off of his pony. 'My clothes are soaked wet, as is my blanket. I am going to catch a cold, I am sure of it.'

'Well, at least it has stopped raining,' Frêllian replied as she looks up at the sky. 'And you can still use the warmth of the sun to dry your blanket. Just lay it over a rock somewhere in the sun and seat yourself near the campfire. You'll be dry in no time.'

Taking her advise into consideration, Bilbo agreed with the ferian. At least he could try and see if she was right. She obviously had more experience in the wilderness than himself. So he took out his blanket – and spare clothes mind you – and laid them over a warm rock. Straightening them out, to make sure they wouldn't dry up all rumpled. For as far away from home Bilbo might be, he would still try to look like a decent hobbit!

By the time he was finished straightening his clothes, Frêllian was already laying near the campfire – though away from certain dwarves- her fur all puffed out and damp. The sight of the ferian made Bilbo smile as it reminded him of home. Where she would lay down before the fireplace after a rainy day. Most of the rain shaken off, making her fur look fluffy, and let the warmth of the fire dry her coat.

Yes, she might have changed slightly. She might have changed back into the wild creature she had been for years. But his friend remained the same Frêllian at the same time.

'Bilbo, there you are, lad,' Bofur said as he made his way over to him. 'Thought you might be hungry. Bombur's made some soup, although a little piece of meat wouldn't hurt…'

With a glare over his shoulders, Bofur was met by yellow eyes. Though strangely enough the ferien wasn't glaring back at him. Bilbo had noticed she only kept her distance from just a few dwarves, saving her glares just for them.

'Well, it's not my fault,' Frêllian replied as she laid down her head on her paws again. 'I would have loved to help, but it appears dwarves miss the decency to ask nicely.' A snort came from one of the dwarves, but she ignored it. 'Just like dwarves forget I am an alpha. I don't take orders from anyone.'

'You might want to take orders from Thorin though,' Fíli warned as he sat down near the ferian. 'He isn't too fond of you, you know. I am sure his fingers are itching to draw his sword at you.'

'Well-well, we don't need to let it get that far, now do we?' Bilbo questioned as he quickly moved over to Frêllian. 'You can behave, right Frey?'

He didn't miss the glance the said female took, eying the leader of the company with a wolfish grin. She would love to challenge him, he knew she did. He could see it in her eyes. Or perhaps Dwalin. The bald dwarf had been eying her with an unreadable look in his eyes and it was unnerving to the ferian.

But Frêllian wisely kept her mouth shut. Just enjoying the warmth of the fire as Bilbo sat down next to her.

Something shifted, making Frêllian open her eyes in alert. The sun was already rising, but most of the company was still asleep. Only Thorin was awake, from what she could tell and he had been the source of the noise she had heard.

Bilbo moved in his sleep, pressing his elbow between her ribs. It may not be painfully, but it sure was irritating! And also a sign the hobbit was about to awake from his sleep. Every time he was waking up, Bilbo snuggled closer to Frêllian, enjoying the warmth of her fur as his body was pressed against hers.

A hand reached for her tail and she barely suppressed the yelp of surprise. But upon seeing Bilbo wrapping her tail around his body, she smiled at the small creature. She nudged him with her snout, trying to make him up faster, but the hobbit was content with his current position.

'Wake up, Bilbo,' she whispered, nudging him again. 'It's time to wake up my friend.'

Muttering something intelligible, he shifted his head slightly. His hands searching for her tail as she pulled it away. Then he slowly opened his eyes, muttering about being too early still.

'Well aren't you grumpy on this fine morning.'

'Yeah? Well, you would have been too, if you had been kept awake by the loud snoring of those dwarves,' Bilbo said begrudgingly as he sat up straight. He stretched, before rubbing his eyes. 'Besides, there was an orc-raid as well last night,' he continued, stopping Frêllian from stretching her back.

An orc-raid? And she hadn't even waken up by the sound of screaming? She must have been in a real deep sleep if Bilbo – and the dwarves – could hear them with his less developed hearing. Meaning they were close, too close! Had they picked up her scent? Were they even after her?

She half listened to her rambling friend as he told her something about Balin telling the story about the battle of Azanulbizar. Not that she cared. She has heard that story over a hundred times. Her father used to tell her about his heroic act that day, sweeping her mother off her feet, to which her mother used to roll her eyes and state she had fought just as hard and bravely as he did.

If the orcs were here, then harm might come to Bilbo! And knowing the number of the pack – not even counting the wargs and ferien – then she wouldn't be able to protect him. Not even with the thirteen dwarves and one wizard.

Her yellow eyes scanned the hobbit, assessing him. He wasn't much of a fighter. If he could spot an opening to flee, he would grasp that opportunity with both hands. Besides, he had never wielded a weapon. At least not for as far she knew. The only time she had seen Bilbo hold a weapon, was when Fíli had thrown his into Bilbo's arms.

'Are you even listening?'

'No, not really. Was I supposed to do so?'

Throwing him an innocent look, Frêllian stood up, finally stretching her back with a yawn. Then she walked away, leaving a baffled hobbit demanding where she was going.

'Follow me, and find out yourself.'

Knowing her friend would follow her – sometimes Bilbo was too curious for his own good! – Frêllian walked away from the cliff. But before she moved out of sight, a voice called over to her, demanding her to tell him where she was going of to.

'Or are you leaving us behind, like the traitor you are?' The ferian turned her head to face a glaring Thorin. 'Did you hear the orcs last night and decided you needed to fill them in on our position?'

'If I was going to find an orc – which I don't intent to do so – it would be to kill him,' Frêllian answered him with a growl. 'My business are my own. We will be back before you leave.'

And with that said, Frêllian walked away, followed by Bilbo. Sniffing around, she tried to find the perfect spot without any unwanted visitors. Visitors like orcs or wargs, or ferien even. Though the last species she should be less worried for. They wouldn't stand a chance against her – thanks to the warrior blood of her father.

'Frey,' Bilbo whispered as he scanned the area wearily. 'Why are we out here? I-I mean, isn't it saver with the others?'

'It's because of the others that we are here,' she answered, facing the hobbit. 'I don't trust them enough to see me like this.'

Bilbo watched as Frêllian shifted to her human-like form in a blink of an eye. Her changing fascinating him every time he witnessed it. So swift and elegant. He had read about skin-changers, but from what he had read, their changing never happened as swift as that of Frêllian.

'Then why risk showing your true form out here?'

She chuckled as she walked over to Bilbo. Her platinum hair shining in the early sunlight. The ear cuff in her ear blinding him for a moment as she moved her hair behind her ear. Bilbo gulped as she advanced him. With her eyes trained on him, she reminded him of a predator advancing her prey. Her right hand reached for something hidden in her tunic.

'Because,' she began with a smile, showing her sharp fangs. 'A little rabbit is an easy prey for someone like me.'

Bilbo almost fainted as Frêllian stopped right before him, her dark blue eyes darker than he remembered. He wondered for a moment if she meant to harm him – eat him even! That Thorin was right and she was a traitor! But then he felt something cold touch his hand and his eyes trail down from her eyes to his hand.

'But as defenseless a hare may seem, it can defend itself.'

Laying in his hand was a small dagger, decorated with tribal markings on the blade. Watching the weapon, Bilbo couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't going to kill him, she was helping him! Unfortunately for the hobbit, the soft sound didn't go unnoticed by the ferian and she smirked at him.

'What?' Frêllian began, leaning over towards him a bit, using her height to her advantage. 'You really thought I was going to eat you?'

'No! Well… Yes… I-I mean,' Bilbo stuttered, but the words are lost on his lips.

'You listen too much to what that Thorin says, Bilbo,' Frêllian said as she leaned back again. 'You are my first and best friend. Why would I hurt you? Though you looked quite funny,' she added with a wink.

'Haha, I forgot how to laugh,' Bilbo replied as he held onto the dagger. 'Now tell me, why did you give me this dagger?'

'Because I am going to turn you into a hare of course!'

'What are they doing?'

Looking up, Fíli looked up at Dwalin as the dwarf glared down at the two figures below. He hadn't even notice the dwarf walking up to him, until he spoke up.

'Fooling around, it seems,' the dwarf-prince answered as he returned his gaze to where he had been looking at. 'They have been doing that for a while now.'

'He shouldn't fool around with her,' Dwalin growled. 'She isn't some harmless little puppy.'

'I'm sure she won't harm him,' Fíli replied, watching the said ferian playfully run away from the hobbit. 'To be honest, I don't think she could hurt him even if some one would command her to.'

The bald dwarf snorted, but didn't say anything, confusing the younger dwarf. Fíli was no fool. He had long figured out that Dwalin had a history with ferien. Though how many, he didn't know. But one of them had been the mother of Frêllian. And an uncle. That much Balin had told him begrudgingly.

It was also because of those two ferien, that they had lost the trust of Thorin – and other dwarves. But no one would speak of it. Not Thorin, not Balin nor Dwalin. They all acted different towards Frêllian, each showing their hurt in their own way. Now that he thought about it, only he and Kíli seemed to act nicely towards the ferian. Which wasn't fair at all!

A loud howl filled the air as Frêllian pouched onto Bilbo, making the hobbit fall down with a scream, followed by laughter. Fíli half expected Frêllian to lick the hobbit's face as she leaned in, but instead she snapped at him playfully, before jumping off of him again.

Next to him, Dwalin scowled at the two playing figures, muttering something about their quest. Then the bald warrior turned around, leaving Fíli alone. That was, until Kíli returned from his call of nature of course. Then his brother would watch the frolicking pair too, until he found the courage to join them. Which he had been gathering for some time now.

'So, who has won this time?'

'Do you really need to ask, brother?'

A chuckle was the only answer Fíli got as Kíli stopped next to him. By now, Bilbo was wrestling with Frêllian, trying to pull her to the ground by lifting a paw. And it looked like it was working too! Perhaps the hobbit might actually win – whatever it was they were playing.

Oops, too soon. The look in her eyes said enough as Frêllian fell down. Though the opposite direction as the hobbit had anticipated, causing her to fall right on top of him with a laughter.

'She's doing it on purpose, you know,' Fíli stated with a grin. 'Bilbo never really had any advantage at all. Not even by lifting up her paw and leaning against her.'

'Well, let's see how strong she really is then,' Kíli said bashfully, before walking towards them with a grin plastered on his face.

Fíli shook his head. This was going to be really good, or would go horribly wrong. Or both. Fíli stoods up and followed his brother with a smirk. Perhaps the ferian would put on a good show and kick Kíli's ass! That would be most amusing for the elder brother.

'If you expect me to fetch that stick, you are quite mistaken, Drêgasen,' Frêllian muttered as she looked up. 'But if you really want to play fetch then I can assure you, I'm not the one doing the fetching.'

With a sheepish grin, Kíli quickly hid the stick behind his back. He had actually thought she would wanted to play fetch. Watching her play with Bilbo, she had looked more like a dog, than a wolf. But up close, he was reminded again by what she really was. A ferian.

'Don't mind my foolish little brother over here,' Fíli said, walking over to them as well. 'All he wants is to join you in your frolicking.'

'And you don't?' the ferian asked. 'Weren't you the one who rubbed my head roughly when you first saw me and thought I was just a dog?'

Smirking at the blond dwarf, Frêllian bend down her front legs. Her tail pointing up as she watched the two young dwarves. Then she suddenly sprinted off to the left, running straight at Bilbo. But before she reached the hobbit, she made a u-turn and ran towards Kíli. Fíli looked at Kíli as his brother prepared himself for the pounce the ferian would make. Any minute now and Kíli would see for himself how strong the ferian was.

'Whoa!'

With a soft 'thud', the young dwarf fell down, Frêllian's front paws resting on his chest as he stared at the ferian in surprise. Her yellow eyes shining brightly as she smirked down at him. Next to him, his brother was equally surprised, before doubling over in laughter. For laying on the ground, wasn not Kíli, but Fíli.

'Rule number one,' Frêllian said as she got off of Fíli. 'Always go for the surprise attack.'