Frêllian glared at the trolls as one of them was roasting a couple of dwarves on a spit. She wasn't so sure she was glad to know they were alive still, or that they would be better of dead. How did they all end up like this anyway? They had been on the upper hand! Having more weapons and more brains, they could have easily won.

But unfortunately Bilbo hadn't been paying attention, getting caught by one of those trolls. And Frêllian herself hadn't even noticed it at first. She had been too busy trying to fight a troll. Do you have any idea how hard it was to aim for the throat when it is almost impossible to break skin?

Looking around, she saw the hobbit tied up in a sack, along with about half of the dwarves. Struggling to get free, just like the rest of them. And the ferian herself? She was tied to a pole with a rope around her neck. Luckily for her, those stupid trolls weren't aware of what she was and thought a rope would keep her in place.

How wrong they were! But how to break loose, without being noticed? She had tried chewing on the rope, but a hard knock to her head had made her dizzy for a while. So this time she had to be careful not to be caught.

'Wait! Your making a terrible mistake.'

At the sudden outburst of Bilbo, Frêllian stopped chewing and looked at the hobbit. Was he really trying to reason with trolls? Well, good luck with that!

'You can't reason with them,' someone said, voicing her thoughts. 'They're half-wits!'

'Half-wits? What does that make us?'

Using the advantage of Bilbo distracting the trolls, Frêllian continued chewing onto the rope. Tearing it bit by bit. Then a pull! No, not just yet. So she continued chewing again, and again. And another pull. Almost there!

She heard Bilbo talk about the seasoning in an attempt to distract the trolls long enough. But his attempt wasn't quite smart. The thought was to get everyone out alive, not to suggest to skin them first! What was he thinking!?

A sudden movement distracted the ferian as she looked over at some trees. Did she just…? No, that couldn't be. Still, she sniffed the air and the familiar scent fills her nostrils. So he had returned. Then luck was on their side once again!

With one final pull, Frêllian was able to free herself and lowered herself to the ground. It seemed everyone was too busy to notice she had escaped. So she silently crawled away, keeping an eye on the trolls.

'Yeah, he's got worms in his… Tubes.'

That statement earned a squeal as the trolls threw Bombur away in disgust. Trying to save the others, Bilbo told them all of them had parasites, earning a wave of protest from the others. Really, couldn't they understand he was trying to save them? Perhaps the dwarves were indeed the halfwits, not the trolls.

As Frêllian hid behind the rock, she started to chew on the closest sack, which happened to be holding Thorin.

'How did you escape,' the dwarf demanded quietly as he quickly glanced at her.

'Did you really think a simple rope could hold me down? Now do you want me to help, or not?'

Taking his silence as a yes, she continued chewing again, while keeping a close eye on the trolls.

'Dawn will take you all!'

Ignoring the rambling of the trolls as they wondered who their intruder was – and whether or not he was edible – Frêllian snapped the rope in half, successfully freeing Thorin from his sack. From there on, she moved over to the next dwarf. But before she could bite down, she was stopped by piercing screams and big feet stomping around.

Looking up, she noticed Gandalf had split a rock in half, allowing sunlight to pour into the clearing they were in. And that meant… Turning to the – now quiet – trolls, she saw they had turned into stone. All of them bearing a painful expression.

The dwarves cheered in joy for the wizard's triumph, while Frêllian simply nodded at him. Thank Lüna for his return. Then she helped freeing the others from their sack – leaving the dwarves above the fire for someone else.

'You have returned to us,' Frêllian said to Gandalf once everyone was freed. 'I thought you would be gone for at least a day.'

'Of course I have, my dear,' he answered, smiling at her. 'I couldn't leave a lady in the company of these dwarves. I fear you would have skinned them one by one by the next day.'

Grinning at his statement, she turned her head to look at the said company. He knew she wouldn't have done that. Not even before some dwarves had started to show a softer side to them. But they didn't know that, and they didn't need to know that!

But her grin soon faded once she saw Thorin making his way over to them. Though this time no scowl nor glare on his face as he glanced at her. Only a small nod in thanks. Then he faced the wizard, asking where he had gone off to.

'To look ahead.'

'What brought you back?'

Not really interested in their conversation, Frêllian left their side in search of her little hobbit friend. But before she reached him, the wind had turned, bringing a new scent with it. A scent that made all her hairs stand up and a snarl escapes her lips.

'Ah, Frêllian, there you are.'

Ignoring the hobbit, she lifted her nose in the air, trying to get a better scent of the intruder. He was close, very close and she didn't like it on bit! Why was he here anyway?

'Frey, what is the matter? Frey? H-hey, where are you going!'

But she didn't answer him as she dashed off. She would track them down easily once she had dealt with that bastard!

'Where are you, you piece of scum!'

No reply came and the ferian growled in anger. She knew that bastard was here. She could smell him! She called out again, cursing under her breath as she looked around. She had followed him for long enough. She wanted answers and she wanted them now!

'Well look at you,' a smooth voice suddenly said as the grey wolf walked into view. 'You look have grown, Frêllian. Lüna has been watching over you very well.'

'Why are you here, Fêrram? Why now after all these months'

His golden eyes pierced into her yellow ones as he grinned at her. His muzzle red from blood, and traces of a fresh bite was near his neck. Probably from a fight he had not long ago. Other than that, her uncle looked almost the same as when she had left.

'It has been noticed you are traveling with some interesting pack, my dear niece,' he stated, the grin still on his face. 'Very interesting indeed. Do you know who you are traveling with?'

'Of course I do,' she growled her answer. 'Thorin Oakenshield, the dwarf Azog wants.'

Apparently her answer was funny, for Fêrram began to laugh. Though Frêllian wasn't too amused and barked at him in warning. He better gave her a reason why he was here, or else she would force it out of him! It was not because of Thorin, nor the others of her company. It that had been the cause, he wouldn't have made himself known and he wouldn't be alone. Which Frêllian had noticed he was.

'Oh yes,' Fêrram said after his laughter had died down, a trace of humor still present though. 'You are indeed traveling with him. But that is not what I am talking about. Tell me, how did daddy dear react when he finally saw you again after all these years. Did he recognize you?'

'Do not test me,' she grumbled lowly, looking at the ferian in front of her. 'My father isn't amongst them.'

'Oh, you don't know?' The mocking in his voice wasn't hard to notice as he moved closer. 'You mean to say you don't recognize your own father? How sad.'

Again Frêllian growled at him, demanding why he was telling her these lies. While there were a few dwarves she had vaguely recognized by scent, none of them matches the memory she had of her father's appearance. Or is there one…? No of course not! He was only playing with her! She would have recognized her own father!

No, she finally realized. He was stalling! There were no others around, because they were after the dwarves after all!

Realizing she had caught onto the trap, Fêrram let out a loud howl, before running off. Cursing Lüna and Selèna, Frêllian hurried back to the clearing as fast as she could. Why had she followed her uncle this far? She should have stayed close to the company and now she might be too late!

'Er, excuse me, but have you seen Frêllian?'

Getting another 'no', Bilbo sighed. She had been gone ever since the trolls had been defeated and he hadn't seen her since then. The ferian had been really angry about something, but before he could get an answer, she had run off to who knows where! What if she was hurt? What if she had run into trouble?

He was beginning to worry about his furry friend. Especially because they had left the clearing a while ago to search for a cave. Which by the way smelled awful! And not to speak of the skeleton remains the hobbit had stepped on. Awful, just awful!

'She has been wandering off a lot lately,' Dwalin said from behind him. 'With just you as her company. One should think you of all people would know where to find her? You do know she isn't some pet dog, don't you?'

Turning around, Bilbo found himself looking at a the warrior. With his arms crossed and a glare set on Bilbo, the dwarf towered over the hobbit. And being quite intimidating as well. Though just a glare alone would make anyone feel intimidated by the tall dwarf.

With heat rising to his cheeks and his ears slightly red, Bilbo opened his mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by Thorin. His voice echoed through the cave as he ordered everyone to get going. And not a moment too soon for Bilbo could not stand the stench much longer!

He quickly turned on his heels, wanting to leave the place as soon a possible – and being away from the warrior dwarf as well! But before he reached the opening, he was stopped by Gandalf.

'Here, this is about your size,' the wizard said as he held out a sword.

'I can't take this,' Bilbo protested as he looked at the shaft holding the blade. 'I have never used a sword in my life.'

Not a complete lie, not not the complete truth either. He had been using the dagger Frêllian had given him. But a dagger wasn't a sword now, was it? And he had never used it to kill the ferian. Only learning how to defend himself.

'And I hope you never have to, Bilbo.' Gandalf looked at him with soft eyes, before handing him the sword anyway. 'But if you do, remember this. True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.'

'Something's coming!'

Puzzled, Bilbo hurried over to the others as they ran into the woods. Could it be something dangerous? Was it going to attack them? Would it scare away by the sight of their number? Or perhaps it was Frêllian?

A snapping twig turned his attention to his right, his hopes for the return of the ferian fading as the noises become louder and louder. And was that someone yelling? Frêllian would never be this loud, not even when taking a casual stroll through the woods.

Suddenly a sled drawn by rabbits cam bursting through the bush, stopping near the company. As Gandalf addressed the rider as Radagast the brown, Bilbo pondered about the name for a moment. Now where did he hear that name before? Then he remembered it belonging to one of the other wizards and he quickly made his way over to Gandalf.

'I was looking for you, Gandalf,' the brown wizards said, worry in his eyes. 'Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong!'

Gandalf urged him to continue, but Radagast remained silent. Opening and closing his mouth a couple of times as he tried to remember what he was about to say. Meanwhile Bilbo took this opportunity to take a good look at the newcomer. The wizard didn't look like much with his dirty brown robes – and was that really birdpoo in his hair? – and he seemed sloppy too.

Then again, Bilbo hadn't thought much of Gandalf at first too. And look at him now! He was traveling with him on some kind of adventure to retrieve something called the arkenstone. Perhaps that was what makes wizards dangerous, Bilbo decides. Fooling people into believing they weren't much.

'Oh, just give me a minute,' Radagast said as he tried to remember what it was what he wanted to say. 'Um, oh, I had a thought. And now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue.'

Bilbo watched as the wizard curled up his tongue, looking as surprised as the wizard. Then Gandalf pulled out a stick insect out of Radagast's mouth. Then the two wizards took a few paces back to speak privately, with the others watching them in curiosity.

Then a sudden noise distracted the hobbit and he turned his head around in search of the culprit. Hoping, no praying that whatever it was, it would leave them alone. But alas, it was coming closer and fast! Next to him, Fíli and Kíli had noticed it as well as the two princes had drawn their weapons, scanning their surroundings too.

'Lower your weapons, you fools,' a feminine voice spoke as the form of a giant wolf jumped out of the bushes. 'I'm not going to bite you.'

Sighing in relief, Bilbo looked at Frêllian as she made her way over to him. Though soon his smile turned into a frown once he noticed the worried look in her eyes. But before he could question it, she had already answered.

'We've got to get moving,' she informed them, a strange tone in her voice. 'It's a trap! They are coming!'

'What? Who's coming?'

But before she could answer the hobbit, a howl was heard in the distance. Frêllian winched at the sound, before she started to growl dangerously.

'Was that a wolf?' Bilbo asked, looking at the ferian in slight fear. 'Are there – are there wolves out there?'

'No, Bilbo. That is much worse than a wolf.'

Suddenly the ferian turned her head with a feral sound as a warg leaped into the mids of the company. The vile creature smart enough to stay clear of Frêllian as it attacked. Though his assault didn't last for long, as Thorin killed it with his sword.

Another warg attacked from behind, but Frêllian had already jumped into action, leaping at it. Trembling, Bilbo watched in fear as the two canines fought. Snarling at each other and with an occasional yelp. The hobbit had always thought his friend had been big, but compared to the warg, she seems like a small dog and it worried him. How could she even stand a chance against a creature that was towering over her?

Suddenly he heard a string being pulled back and he watched as Kíli released an arrow. The warg fell to the ground, but as it tried to get back up, Frêllian pinned him down, striking it with her sharps teeth. The warg let out a pained yelp, before the ferian killed it.

'Warg-scouts,' the ferian informed them once she was sure the warg was dead. 'And where these bastards are, an orc pack will follow.'

Ignoring Bilbo's surprised 'orc pack?' Gandalf turned to Thorin, questioning him. But the dwarf insisted he hadn't told anyone of their quest. Only his kin.

'Perhaps you should ask the ferian,' the dwarf growled, glaring at the said creature. 'Her loyalty has been questionable from the beginning.'

'Excuse me?' Her snarl send sniffers down Bilbo's spine as he watched the bloodied she-wolf advance towards Thorin, her ears flat in anger as she glared at him. 'I have been trying to keep you all safe from the beginning! Scanning the areas to make sure it was safe! You ignored my warning last night, which almost ended with us being eaten. And now you dare blaming this on me?'

'Correct me if I'm wrong, but have you not been disappearing daily?'

'To teach Bilbo how to defend himself when the occasion calls for it!'

Snapping her teeth at the dwarf, Frêllian was now face to face with him. So close, Bilbo feared she might even bite Thorin if provoked even more. But she restrained herself, turning her head to the others.

'You are being hunted,' she told them, before turning back to Thorin. 'Now you would be wise to listen to me this time, dwarf. You have to get out of here, before the pack arrives.'

'We can't,' Bofur informed them. 'The ponies have bolted.'

'Then I'll draw them off,' Radagast's said, getting on his sled again.

Frêllian looked at him in confusion for a moment, probably just noticing him. But then she spoke up.

'Are you mad? These are Gundabad wargs and the ferien alpha pack. They will outrun you.'

'And these are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try.'

With that said, the wizard dashed off, drawing the attention of the nearby pack.