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     Thorin was up bright and early, as was Balin, Gloin, and Bofur. He went around waking the others until only Kili was left. He knelt down by his nephew and gently shook his shoulder. "Kili, it's time to wake up."

     Kili rolled over and groaned. "It feels like I just got to sleep." He murmured sleepily before he sat up, rubbed his eyes, then looked around. "Is Vala awake yet?"

     "Not yet." Gloin replied as he looked over at Kili. Why did he seem to care for the elven mongrel so much? Elves were, well, elves. And skinchangers were just simply unnatural!

     Kili got to his feet and went about making sure he had his things packed before he looked at the others curiously. "Well, shouldn't we go wake her? She is a part of this company, even if some of you don't like her." He didn't understand why they disliked her. She wasn't always the friendliest, no, but she had a soft and kind side, and was overall caring, and she would always protect them. She wasn't like the elves he'd heard about, and she seemed to have complete control over the skinchanger side even though he'd been told they lost their minds in animal form.

     "Don't you remember what happened to Bofur last time we woke Miss Valadhiel?" Bifur asked in a slightly bitter tone, crossing his arms before he glanced at the sleeping feline. She liked to sleep in that animal form for some odd reason.

     Bofur shuddered a little and rubbed his wrist, which had two scars on it that he normally kept hidden under his sleeves. Who could forget what had happened?

     "That was one time, and she didn't mean it." Fili, who had just sat up from his bed mat, reminded them in defense of the elf. He looked up when Gandalf walked into the room.

     "What happened?" The old wizard asked, having overheard some of what had been said.

     Ori looked up at Gandalf after glancing at Valadhiel. "Well, about fifteen days ago a little after dawn..."

<3~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~<3

     "Where's Valadhiel?" Thorin asked, looking around at the company as they gathered their belongings to start heading off for the day.

     "The lass is still asleep." Balin replied before he gestured to his left. "Under a tree that way, not too far from us."

     "I'll go wake her." Bofur offered before he got up, walked away to the left, and came upon the tree. He saw her sleeping in her usual leopard form under the tree, so he walked closer before he kneeled. "Vala, it's time to be getting up." He said before gently shaking her shoulder. After she responded with only a feline twitch, he shook her a little harder. "Vala!"

     The elf in leopard form suddenly bolted upright with a growl and a hiss, her reflexes like lightning. Bofur drew his hand back, but not before he felt a pain in his wrist- a sharp, stinging pain. He raised his other hand to his wrist with a grimace, and when he removed his fingers to look at them, he saw blood. His eyes widened a little and he looked at the deep fang marks in his wrist, then he looked at Valadhiel.

     Valadhiel hadn't been aware of what she was doing, as she had been dreaming. She hadn't even been aware that she had attacked. When she caught the scent of Bofur's blood and saw the wound, her eyes widened. "Bofur! Oh, are... are you alright?"

     "What did you do that for?" Bofur asked with a frown. He still wasn't sure how he felt about this creature, though his feelings toward her became a little more bitter.

     Valadhiel quickly shifted back into her elven form. "I didn't mean to, Bofur, I'm so sorry- I was just having a nightmare and thought you were the enemy before I came to my senses. I really am sorry. Please, let me help." She took some bandages out of her satchel, as well as a small canteen of water.

     Bofur didn't let her touch him for a moment, but his gaze then softened and he sighed before he allowed her to help. If she had been having a nightmare, then of course she would lash out after feeling someone shaking her. "It's alright, lassie. I'm sure it looks worse than it really is."

     Valadhiel gently took his wrist, then she took some water into her hand and formed it into a small ball of sorts before a green glowing sphere appeared in her other palm. After mixing the two together, she placed it into and onto Bofur's wounded wrist. "You're sure you're alright?"

     Bofur furrowed his brow as Valadhiel did this, and was surprised when the pain left him, and startled when the wound rapidly healed and sealed, leaving only what looked like fresh scratches. "Yes, I'm fine. How did you do that?"

     "A little bit of elven magic is all." Valadhiel replied before she grabbed the bandages. She then flinched when she heard Thorin's voice come from behind her.

     "What's taking so long?" He asked, then his eyes widened a little when he noticed the marks on Bofur's wrist, as well as some splotches of dried blood. He glared at Valadhiel. "What did you do, elf?"

     "Relax, she didn't mean it." Bofur said, looking over at Thorin as he got to his feet. Bifur was there, too, and he didn't look at all happy.

     "What happened?" Fili asked as he walked over, looking over at Bifur.

     "That mongrel bit Bofur!" Bifur growled angrily, glaring harshly at the shifting elf.

     Valadhiel looked away when she was called a mongrel. Now, along with the shame and guilt she felt, she felt hurt. She despised being called a mongrel more than anything.

     Fili and Kili, Kili having gotten there just in time to hear Bifur, both looked at Valadhiel in surprise when they heard that she had bitten Bofur. Why had she done that? Both of them quickly came to the conclusion that she hadn't meant to, however, as she looked rather apologetic.

     "Again, she didn't mean to." Bofur said firmly, then he turned to Valadhiel, who had put the bandages on his wrist, and gave her a nod of thanks. "Thank you, lass."

     "It's the least I can do after biting you." Valadhiel replied quietly, keeping her head down as she put the bandages back in her satchel.

      Eventually, the dwarves all got the whole story from both sides of them, though Valadhiel didn't mention what her nightmare was about, having refused to answer and simply saying that they needed to get a move on. After that day, no one had dared to wake Valadhiel, and she usually got up on her own anyways.

<3~~~~~~~End Of Flashback~~~~~~~<3

     "Vala can be startled rather easily at times." Gandalf commented, amusement shining in his eyes. "She's been through quite a lot."

     "It would have been good to know that beforehand." Thorin commented, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall. "But we got things sorted out. I suppose it wasn't anyone's fault."

     "I wish you had been more understanding at that time."

     Everyone turned after hearing Valadhiel's voice, surprised since she'd been in the corner as a leopard a moment ago, and was now exiting the kitchen in her elven form now.

     "How long have you been awake, lass?" Balin asked.

     "Since the story began. Didn't want to interrupt, so I crept off." Valadhiel replied as she took a bite of an apple she had grabbed. "By the way, is everyone fine with eggs and bacon for breakfast? Toast and sausage, too?"

     "Perfect." Several of the dwarves responded with a nod, then they watched as the elf walked off. Many of them thought she was a little odd. Perhaps it was just the fact that one moment she was kind, but one wrong thing said could get her as agitated as a snake in a barrel.

~<3~<3~<3~

     After everyone had eaten, they all left Bilbo's house and began to head out to make their way to Erebor. The reality of the journey they were taking off on was overwhelming, nerve-wracking, yet exciting all at once. Finally, they would reclaim their homeland. Finally, Erebor would be theirs again- if all went according to plan.

     After a little while, they were in a wooded area and had slowed down some so Bilbo would be able to catch up. Many of the dwarves doubted he would even show up, however.

     "He'll show up." Gandalf insisted yet again, though this was the last time he'd say anything of the matter. The dwarves could place their bets on whether or not he would if they wished.

     "What do you think, Vala?" Kili asked after a moment, turning to look at her from atop his pony.

     Valadhiel was in her elven form as she walked with them. She had decided to not shift into a leopard just yet, as she didn't want to scare the halfling. "He'll come." She replied. "Though I'm not placing a bet. It would be unfair for those of you that do not think he will show up." She stopped after a moment, then she turned to look behind her.

     "What is it?" Ori asked when he noticed Valadhiel suddenly halt, stopping his pony.

     The others heard Ori, so stopped their own ponies and turned around to look at Valadhiel, then they looked in the direction she was staring at. They then looked back at her.

     "Bilbo's coming." Valadhiel said aloud for all of them to hear, since she could feel them looking at her in confusion.

     "How can you possibly know that? I see nothing." Dwalin said, but then he blinked in surprise when he saw a person shorter than they were come running around the corner.

     "Wait! Wait!" Bilbo called out in the distance. Once he reached them, he stopped next to Balin, out of breath. He held the contract up to the older dwarf. "I signed it!"

     Balin pulled out a monocle and took the contract from Bilbo. After he looked through it real quick, he looked at Bilbo and smiled approvingly. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the Company Of Thorin Oakenshield."

     Valadhiel grinned when the dwarves began cheering, and she looked at Gandalf to see him smile. As the others got a pony for Bilbo, she looked at Thorin, who looked unimpressed and even unhappy about this. Once they began again, she caught up to his pony before shifting into leopard form. "You don't seem impressed." She stated.

     "Should I?" Thorin asked. "As I mentioned last night, he looks to be more of a grocer than a burglar, and I doubt he can even defend himself in a fight, for Durin's sake. All he will be is a burden, not a help."

     "We've trusted Gandalf this far, and he has never let us down. In fact, for as long as I have known him, he's always known what he is doing." Valadhiel replied calmly. "Gandalf would not have chosen Bilbo if he didn't think he would be a help. Gandalf always has a reason, and it seems that he's nearly always right."

     "So you're saying that I should give him a chance." Thorin commented in response, still not sounding like he cared all that much about what she had to say.

     "That, and I am trying to talk myself out of my own concerns." Valadhiel admitted in response, glancing back to see Bilbo looking at her then at Gandalf questioningly.

     Thorin smiled in amusement and chuckled, shaking his head. "You're not even sure how you feel about this halfling."

     Valadhiel chuckled with him, then she looked back at Bilbo once more, who seemed to be having a slightly allergic reaction to the horse hair. "No, I'm not. But, I do know Gandalf, and he does know what he's doing. Besides, if he does turn out to be a burden, he won't be your burden. I've already offered to watch after the hobbit. And despite my concerns, I will give Bilbo a chance. He has already proven that he has at least some ounce of bravery simply by joining the Company."

     Thorin nodded after she spoke again. "In which case, I thank you." He wasn't exactly a patient dwarf who would tolerate someone only getting in the way. After a pause, he spoke again. "You are right. Gandalf has known what he's doing thus far. We'll give the halfling a chance." 

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