As Bilbo regained his conscious, he blinked a couple of times, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. His head hurt, his back hurt. Heck, everything hurt! Though that wasn't very surprising, considering the fall he had made. He was even surprised he had been only unconscious. A fall like that could have killed him, or at least seriously injure him! Yet here he was. Just a little sore and no idea where he was and how long he had been down here.

With his eyes now adjusted, he could make out the shapes of mushrooms that had broken his fall. Which was fortunate for him, but not so fortunate for the goblin that had attacked him. The creature lying nearby, on the brink of death. It must have fallen on the rocks, instead of mushrooms.

All of a sudden something moved in the shadow, making Bilbo duck his head a little. A creature moved closer to the goblin, inspecting it, cheering in joy. His – at least Bilbo thought it was a he – voice raspy as he cheered, before forcing out 'Gollum' twice in a horrible swallowing noise in his throat.

The creature circled around the goblin, grabbing it by the feet to pull it away. But only after a few meters, the goblin woke up and began flailing around and the creature quickly pounded the goblin on the head with a rock.

'Nasty goblinses,' the creature muttered as he dragged the now unconscious goblin away. 'Better than old bones, precious. Better than nothing.'

After a few moments, Bilbo emerged from his hiding spot and quickly retrieved his sword, before following the strange creature as it moved deeper and deeper, lower and lower into the mountain. His sword functioning as his torch as it emitted a pale blue light.

And it was in that light that he found it. The object that would change his life, though the small hobbit didn't know it yet. But it was that small object – that golden ring – that he would feel drawn to for the rest of his life.

His eyes spotted it easily, the small golden ring and without thinking he stopped to pick it up. Examining the item in the dim light of his sword and then putting it in his pocket without much thought. Then he moved on, following the sound of the now singing voice of the creature.

'Too many boneses, precious! Not enough flesh!'

The whining voice of the creature send shivers down his spine as Bilbo rounded a corner. But the fact that the creature was replying himself, was even spookier. And his voice had sounded more guttural as he scowled at himself.

In the distance Bilbo could now see the creature on an island in the middle of a small underground lake. As Gollum – the name Bilbo has given the creature for that was how he seemed to address himself – was singing, was beating the Goblin, smashing it in the head again with a rock. And sure enough Bilbo's sword began to flicker.

Wait! Was the creature looking his way? His sword! His sword was still glowing!

Realizing his mistake perhaps a little too late, Bilbo quickly hid behind a rock. Praying to all that could hear him, that Gollum hadn't seen him. For if he had, Bilbo might not survive.

Slowly the glow of his sword died, signifying that the goblin was dead. Bilbo waited a few more moments, debating whether or not he should peep around the rock. And when he did, he found that Gollum was no longer at his spot. Horrified, Bilbo looked around, scanning his surroundings. But no sign of the creature.

That was, until he heard a slight movement and Bilbo spun around to see Gollum on a rock above him.

'Bless us and splash us, precious.' Bilbo could hear the enthusiasm in his voice, as Gollum jumped down. 'That's a meaty mouthful!'

Gollum approached Bilbo menacingly, but came to a quick halt when Bilbo bravely pointed his sword on the creature's throat. Gollum retreated in fear with some protest and stayed a good few feet away from Bilbo. It seemed to be ignoring the frightened – though he tried to cover it up with a brave face! – hobbit, as Bilbo warned him to stay back.

'It's got an elfish blade, but it's not an elfs,' Gollum muttered as he inspected Bilbo. 'Not an elfs, no. What is it, precious? What is it?'

'My name is Bilbo Baggings,' he answered, his sword still pointed at Gollum.

This seemed to confuse the slimy creature even more, as he questioned what a Baggings was. Ignoring the mispronouncing of his sir name, Bilbo answered him. It was the polite thing to do, right? And perhaps, maybe if Bilbo was lucky, Gollum might leave him be.

But his hopes were in vain, as Gollum announced he had never tried 'Hobbitses' before.

'Is it soft?' Gollum asked. 'Is it juicy?'

Gollum tried to sneak closer, but Bilbo noticed and started to swing his sword around. He warned him that he would use his sword, if he would not keep his distance.

'I don't want any trouble, do you understand?'

Bilbo was getting desperate at this moment. Where were the others? Had they escaped? If so, then perhaps Frêllian would be able to track him down with that keen nose of her right? Right? Oh who was he kidding? She wouldn't be able to track him down, even if she wanted to. Not with so many orcs around! No, he would have to find her instead!

'Just show me the way to get out of here and I'll be on my way.'

'Why?' Gollum questioned, glaring down at the sword, before his big eyes focused on Bilbo once more. 'Is it lost?'

'Yes, yes! And I want to get unlost as soon as possible.'

Suddenly the facial expression of Gollum changed. His face lightning up and his voice sounding slightly different as he spoke again.

'Ooh, we knows! We knows safe paths for Hobbitses,' he announced cheerfully. 'Safe paths in the dark.'

Suddenly his expression darkened again as he growled a 'shut up!', confusing Bilbo. He didn't say anything, did he? Confronting Gollum with this, his reply was even more confusing.

'Wasn't talking to you.'

Bilbo continued to watch as Gollum appeared to be having a conversation with himself, before cutting in.

'I don't know what your game is, but I…'

'Games?' This time, it was the cheerful voice that answered. 'We love games, don't we precious? Does it like games? Does it? Does it? Does it like to play?'

Bilbo was confused once more, as he inspected the slimy creature before him. His voice as unsure as his answer. Still, Bilbo listened to the riddle, while he tries to figure out Gollum and the game he might be playing.

'…The mountain?'

His voice had sounded unsure. Still Bilbo looked over at the slimy creature. Gollum began to laugh uproariously, confirming Bilbo was right. He asked for Bilbo to ask him – well, technically he had asked 'us' – a question, but he suddenly cut himself off. His voice and face darkening once again as he stated he didn't want to play any more games. But instead he should just finish Bilbo off.

Thinking quickly, Bilbo figured out that Gollum might have a split personality. He had read about it once, but never encountered one suffering from it. And now his life was on the line! If he could try to stay on his good side, then perhaps there was hope!

'I wa – I want to play, I do,' he quickly answered once Gollum made a move once again. 'I can see you are very good at it. S-so why don't we have a game of riddles, right? Just you and me.'

With his brow furrowed, Bilbo pondered over the answer. What devours birds, beast, trees and flowers? He knew a lot of creatures that would eat birds and beasts. But what about trees and flowers? An omnivore, such as a ferian. But Bilbo had never seen Frêllian take a bite out of a tree, only using parts of it to make herbs and the same went for flowers.

And what of the second part? What gnaws iron, bites steel and grinds hard stones to meal? Was there even such a creature? Perhaps the stone giants? He had seen them smashing stones at each other, but what did they eat? He did not know. He really didn't know the answer.

Oh, if only Frêllian was here! She would probably know the right answer. She had a lot more knowledge of the creatures of this world, more than Bilbo did. Besides, with Frêllian around, Bilbo wouldn't need to fear the strange creature before him.

He scowled silently at himself. He needed to focus! His life was on the line here, quite literally! With his swords still drawn, Bilbo began to walk around. Trying to think of the right answer and looking for Gollum at the same time – the blasted creature having disappeared all of a sudden.

'Is it tasty? Is it scrumptious? Is it crunchable?'

Suddenly a pair of hands wrung around Bilbo's throat, as Gollum tried to choke him. But luckily Bilbo could jump away before he could get a good grip. With his sword pointed at Gollum, Bilbo told him he needed to think.

Not hearing what Gollum replied, Bilbo turned to face the water to think. Watching the soft moving in the hope of finding the right answer. Perhaps he shouldn't try to think of a creature, but a object? Something like water? Or, or…

'Time's up.'

That's it!

'Time,' Bilbo muttered softly, while turning to face Gollum. 'Ti- the answer is time.' With a pleased grin he heard Gollum snarl in frustration. 'Actually, it wasn't that hard.'

Yes it was! But Gollum didn't need to know.

'Last question,' the creature replied angrily. 'Last chance.'

Bilbo stuttered. His mind racing for any riddles that might safe him from an untimely death. But only easy ones came to mind. And the fact that Gollum was shouting at him, demanding the hobbit to ask him a question, wasn't helping much either.

Or was it?

As Bilbo stared over the waters, he absentmindedly rubbed his pocket. An object bumped into his hand and he was reminded of the ring he had picked up earlier. He absentmindedly questioned out loud what he had in his pocket, to which the creature named Gollum growled in surprise.

Yes! That might just be his chance!

'What have I got in my pocket.' Bilbo asked once again, this time louder as he pointed his sword at Gollum, while the creature roared in protest. 'No, I won't ask you another one. You said "ask me a question." Well, that is my question. What have I got in my pocket?'

After demanding Bilbo give him three guesses, Gollum desperately tried to find the right answer. Asking two of the three right away, only to be scowled by his other side - the darker one, Bilbo had decided. And for his last guess, he took two guesses at once. He must really want to eat Bilbo, it seemed.

'Well, you've lost.' A feeling of relief washed over him, but still Bilbo kept up his guard. Anything could happen with this unstable creature. 'Now, you promised to show me the way out if you would.'

'Did we say so, precious? Did we say so?'

As Gollum turned around, he threw a glare over to where Bilbo stood. But then a wicked smile formed on his lips, sending a shiver down Bilbo's spine. He told Bilbo to wait, for he needed to get something from his little island on the lake.

And with that, Gollum left a slightly surprised – and suspicious mind you! – Bilbo. The sound of him peddling through the water was so soft, that the small hobbit needed to concentrate to hear it. Though he didn't trust the slimy creature, Bilbo had no other choice but to wait patiently. But he was sure he had heard Gollum whisper softly to himself before leaving for his island.

Suddenly something was thrown into the water, followed by the angry cry of Gollum. More slashes of water was heard as Gollum yelled out in frustration and Bilbo jerked his head towards the sound. He could hear Gollum ask himself where it was – whatever he was looking for.

For a moment he wondered if Gollum had been the one to have lost the golden ring. But then Bilbo quickly dismissed the thought. What would a creature such as Gollum want with a ring? The only thing precious to him, was to survive in these horrid conditions, right? But the nagging feeling of him being in danger only worsened as he heard Gollum enter the water again. This time the splashes being quite audible.

Without a second thought, Bilbo turned on his heels and made a run for it. Though he had no idea where he was going, he knew he had to create as much distance between Gollum and himself.

'He stole it!' Gollum's shout echoed through the cave as Bilbo fled. He didn't need to look over his shoulder to know Gollum was in pursuit. 'He stole it! Ahh! He stole it!'