Hello all! Almost a year ago I claimed that Bilbo son of Durin and the Ring was my last fanfic, well, I couldn't help it the writing bug has bitten me again!

AUTHOR NOTES

This story begins where the film Desolation of Smaug does, mostly because I wanted Bilbo to meet Beorn as quickly as possible.

The fact that many Hobbit, especially those of the Great families such as Took and Brandybucks, were skin changers was a secret kept tightly within the walls of the Shire. Even Gandalf, with all his knowledge, hadn't discovered it for several years after befriending the Hobbits of the Shire many generations ago. They were not impressive for the most part, the Underhill were badgers, the Brandybucks were ponies and the Baggins were, until Bilbo's birth, entirely full of rabbits. The Tooks of course, were the exception, weren't they always? Wolves, with great sharp teeth, pointed claws and sharp ears that were entirely unrespectable. A pony can pull carts, a badger or rabbit can dig but what use was a wolf to Hobbits? But for the most part, the few wolves that littered the Shire were tolerated or at the very least ignored.

When Bilbo was born it was expected he would be a regular Hobbit, like his father but instead he took for his Took mother. His skin changing wolf mother. The first time Bilbo had changed he was only a few summers old, throwing a tantrum one moment and the next his mother had a handful of fur and a very confused pup instead of her angry Hobbit. His mother had been a beautiful wolf by any standard, short white fur with bright eyes rimed with black patches. But Bilbo was not nearly as lucky.

After his 33rd birthday Bilbo had changed only a handful of times. As a child he;d enjoyed a good fight or hunt with his Took cousins as much as the next, but after his parents deaths his Baggins side had finally taken hold. So his wolf stayed firmly under lock and key, that is until, a certain company came along and swept him away on one of those terribly unrespectable things, an adventure.

-oOo-

Bilbo scurried along the rocks, carefully watching the orc pack atop their wargs only several leagues from him. Seeing wargs for the first time on this journey had certainly shaken him, more so than any Orc or Goblin had been able too. Especially the white matriarch that Azog rode. It reminded him of his mother in the most disturbing ways, like she had been reflected in a mirror, darkly.

Many times he had thought of shifting, especially during the fight with Azog but something had always made him stop. Gandalf was well aware of his "condition" as he'd phrased it but also had neglected to mention it. Deep down, Bilbo was afraid of what the Dwarves would think of him. As far as Bilbo knew, there were no skin changers left amongst the other races, if there were surely the Elves would house some. Would they think him a monster?

Shaking his head Bilbo went back to the task at hand, tracking the Orc pack. Even without shifting he could smell them in the air and if he focused his sharp ears could hear their voices. He didn't speak any Orc though, making this secret talent next to useless. He watched with a sigh of relief when Azog motioned his troops forward, down a pass that lead further away from their current hiding place within the crags. Taking his chance the Hobbit was about to return to the company when he spotted or rather smelt, something else tracking the orc pack. The musty scent was unmistakable, slightly human, slightly animal. Skin changer. A man by the scent of it. The shock had Bilbo frozen on the spot for several seconds before the sight of a great bear padding out of the nearby tree line bought him to his senses. It was much like he expected, a normal animal in form but almost twice the usual size.

Bilbo had spent many months learning to hunt, fight, track and even think like a wolf in his tween years and though rusty the lessons were still there. Even so it didn't take much to deduce that this skin changer wasn't just tracking, it was hunting. Bilbo felt his skin itch with the urge to change, to go and meet this mysterious skin changer and warn them of the Orc packs might, a single bear could not possibly win. But then the winds changed slightly and the familiar scent of the company wafter back his way, reminding him that they were all waiting for him. He'd already been gone for some time, Gandalf was probably worried.

Silently, Bilbo made his way back across the rocks, most of his thoughts still on the strange skin changer. The bear let out a roar across the mountains, a warning to those invading its territory. Bilbo prayed it hadn't caught his scent too.

-oOo-

"They are not far from us!" Bilbo hissed, quickly gaining attention with his return, "They are heading down into the valley but it won't be long before those wargs sniff us out. If we can get further north, I think they will lose the trail."

"Were you seen?" Gandalf asked urgently, sighing when Bilbo shook his head.

"You've done well Mr. Baggins." Thorin praised, something that would have been impactful only hours ago but now the bear took the forefront of Bilbo's mind.

"There is something else out there." He warned, "It's tracking the Orcs but I don't think it'll take kindly to us if it realises we're here."

"What sort of creature?" Gandalf asked slowly, "What form did it take, a bear?"

Bilbo almost did a double take.

"Yes…you knew?" To the company it just appeared as if Bilbo was angry at Gandalf for keeping a monster secret. But both one look could tell Gandalf the question the Hobbit really wanted to ask was "Why didn't you mention a skin changer to me!?"

"We should double back." Bofur suggested, "Avoid this beast at all costs."

"We'll be run down by a pack of Orcs if we do." Thorin growled, "The Company is strong, we can fight a single bear."

"This is no ordinary bear." Gandalf warned, "There is a house, in which we can take refuge, the Orcs would never venture close enough without being hunted down, it is there we shall go."

The Dwarves looked sceptical.

Another great roar echoed over the hills making Bilbo shiver, the bear was closer now. Had it started hunting them instead of the Orcs? Gandalf gave them all a grave look.

"Can this bear really hold its own against an Orc pack?" Bilbo questioned in awe.

"Oh yes."

I hope you liked this introduction! If you do please review it really helps me to get writing! I didn't describe Bilbo's wolf form yet because I have a specific scene in mind to describe it to you but I have used art programs to make some pictures so I will upload those to my DeviantArt account later and give you guys the links J

Constructive criticism and suggestions are always welcome but no flames please, if you don't like the story please just go read something else.

Thanks for the reviews! Ulura