To say that Gandalf had been stumped at her haunting statement was an understatement, and Rafiki had wasted no time in stumbling off to commence the Hobbit on his bravery, exchanging pleasantries as they followed the company into the woods in search of the troll hoard, although both Gandalf and Rafiki knew that it had been a well thought out escape method used to prolong the inevitable conversation that would surely follow her warning.

"I've never seen anyone fight like that." Bilbo muttered after a pregnant pause, hands fidgeting nervously before twisting themselves into the fabric of his now ruined vest. "Well I've never really seen anyone fight, but I don't imagine its anything like the way you do."

A short bark of amusement escaped Rafiki before she had a chance to stifle it, slender hand darting out to ruffle the messy curls clinging to one another with the residue of troll snot, knowing it would annoy the hobbit.

"No, my dear hobbit." Rafiki chastised, slanted orbs flashing in the sunlight as Bilbo swatted her hand away a small scowl tugging at his gentle features. "You will not see anyone fight like I do. My people are dead, and those I was raised with after the siege of my home, they are a violent and cruel nation, and I will pray that you are never cursed with their presence."

"D-dead? Siege?" Bilbo stuttered, a small peep escaping as his toes caught on a particularly wide root, finding calloused hands steadying him in an instant. "That's terrible, I am truly sorry to hear such a thing. If, if I may ask, how well I mean how exactly did they die?"

"A story for another time, I think." Rafiki stated, the massive cave the trolls had lodged themselves in coming into view, the odor wafting from its depths sending the poor hobbit into a coughing fit.

"But you will tell me?" Bilbo questioned through the subsiding coughs, turning a wide gaze on Rafiki at the thought that he might actually learn something about the mysterious woman.

"Perhaps one day, my friend." Rafiki muttered to Bilbo, a scowl curling at her features as the dwarves piled into the cave without hesitation. "Filthy bastards, aren't they?"

"What is that smell?" Bilbo nearly gasped, turning his back to the mouth of the cave in hopes of muddling the smell, unsure if her comment was directed at the now deceased trolls, or the dwarves pillaging the junk cluttered within.

"Trolls are not the most hygienic of creatures Bilbo." Rafiki snorted, leading the younger being to an abandoned and likely long ignored log, urging him to sit before dropping into a crouch before him, limbs loosening at the familiar stance. "Why would they be? They certainly don't interact with other creatures like you and I do, and well let's face it, if they are it is because they are going to eat them."

"Yes, I guess you're right." Bilbo agreed adjusting his position so he could observe Rafiki more comfortably, surveying her frame with curiosity. "What are you exactly? I-I'm sorry that was extremely rude of me."

"Rude as it may seem to you, young hobbit, it is a tame comment compared to the uncouth things that have been thrown at me." Rafiki stated, waving away his concerns as if they were nothing, and to be honest, to her troubled mind they were indeed insignificant. "I am many things; you will have to be much more specific than 'what are you'."

"Yes, well I mean, frankly you're on the petite side, much to delicate too be from the race of man, but I've read that dwarven women are bulky and often have beards sometimes more impressive than their counterparts, and well, although you are dainty enough to be a hobbit, we don't wear shoes do we? You move with enough grace to be an Elf, though I thought that Elves were all statuesque in height." Bilbo shot off, a nervous laugh escaping him. "And you aren't an orc, unless, well you aren't an orc are you?"

"No Bilbo, I am not an orc." Rafiki laughed, ruffling his curls once more, mind taunting her with the fact that she may not have been born an orc, she certainly fell into line with their actions. "I am of mixed races. My mother was a dwarf, and my father, well he was…mostly human, albeit a gifted one."

A strangled noise escaped Bilbo at the word Dwarf, for the thought of another stubborn and prideful being was nearly unbearable, though she hardly seemed to share the overbearing qualities of the King under the Mountain.

"A dwarf?" Bilbo grumbled, pursing his lips as a few of said race stumbled from the cave, their boisterous laughter ringing through the forest.

"Do not be so startled my friend." Rafiki urged, turning her own gaze on the group collecting around them to observe what the hobbit was seeing. "I am nothing like our companions, fret not."

"I-I didn't mean, I just, it's only that, they, they are a rather cavalier group." Bilbo muttered hurriedly, face heating as he stumbled over his words, attempting to unbury himself from the hole he'd dug.

"Cavalier." Rafiki repeated, tone mocking as Bilbo sunk lower on the log, ducking his head in hopes of disappearing into the dirt. "My you certainly have a way with words Bilbo Baggins. I am not insulted by your opinions, you would be wise however, to keep them quiet next time, I believe that our companions would not take so kindly to such statements, true or not."

"Bilbo." Greeted the wizard, appearing over Rafiki's shoulder like an omen of doom, the hobbits previously bowed head snapping up at the sound of his name.

"Here, this is about your size." Gandalf continued, holding out an elvish dagger, roughly the size of his forearm, the shock curling over the hobbits features one that was becoming familiar.

"I can't take this." Bilbo objected stepping back from the offered blade, calves bumping into the log sending him stumbling to the side.

"This blade is of elvish make, which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby." Gandalf informed, offering the blade once more, observing as shaking hands pulled it from his grasp, wide fearful eyes taking in the glinting silver of the blade, the designs etched upon its surface telling of its origin.

"I, I have never used a sword in my life." Bilbo muttered, shaking his head at the thought of wielding such a deadly object at any point in the near future, the nagging voice in the back of his mind reminding him that he held no training and would likely skewer himself before managing to land a single hit upon an enemy.

"And I hope that you never have to. But if you do, remember this; true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one."

Pursing his lips once again Bilbo gave a slow short nod, tying the sheathed sword round his waist, fiddling with the belt nervously, the image of the deadly blade still fresh in his mind.

"Fret not Bilbo." Rafiki reassured him, lean body uncoiling as she stood to her full height, albeit a mere 5'. "We will teach you how to wield a blade before this quest has met its end."

Bilbo made to reply, portly frame jolting in surprise as Thorin released a bellowed warning, mouth snapping shut on whatever reply he'd been ready to give the woman.

"Something is coming!"

Rolling her eyes at their rushed movements meant to defend themselves at what they thought to be a threat, Rafiki plopped her lean frame down on the recently vacated log, mindlessly adjusting the well-worn leather encasing her thumbs and index fingers.

"Hurry, now! Arm yourselves!" Gandalf urged, tossing a meaningful look at the lounging form of Rafiki, his own recently acquired blade singing as he drew it, ready to wield it in a familiar pattern.

Bursting from the confines of the forest all the while shouting at the top of his lungs about thieves, fire and murder a lanky man clad in weathered mud hued robes, astride a sleigh pulled along jauntily behind a half-dozen rabbits slid to a hat before the grey wizard.

"Radagast." Gandalf sighed, slumping in relief at the sight of the brown wizard, sword finding its home at his waist before he strode forward to meet the panicked fellow. "It's Radagast the brown."

Tittering to himself in a fit of some type Radagast ignored the familiar face as he dismounted the sleigh in a nervous fashion, stumbling slightly at the change of terrain, meeting Gandalf in a few short strides.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf questioned, attempting to soothe the brown wizard enough that he could receive the answers he needed.

"What on earth indeed." Rafiki muttered, a small frown of confusion marring her features as she tilted herself closer to the pair, narrowing her eyes at the nervous twitch of the brown wizard before turning her gaze on the forest.

Pushing herself from the log Rafiki hushed the grumbling dwarves, stepping closer to the towering succulents and sprawling ficus. Trailing her gaze from one end of the tree line to the opposite Rafiki shifted, goosebumps rolling across her flesh at the echoing silence that hung hauntingly in the chilled fall air, the lifeforms normally bustling about on their business suddenly scarce.

"The Greenwood is sick Gandalf." Radagast muttered to his fellow Maiar. "A darkness has fallen over it, nothing grows anymore."

"Nothing good at least." Rafiki cut in, stepping into place beside them. "It is no longer Greenwood the Great. A terrible illness has befallen it and the air is thick with decay. You would be wise to avoid it whilst on your travels, my friend. Nothing good will come of entering those woods. The Greenwood of Old is no more, whispers speak of Mirkwood, and the foulness it houses in its vastness."

"She's right Gandalf." Radagast urged, tossing a wary glance at the newcomer, wondering just exactly how she had come across such information, let alone known about it before he had. "But worse still are the webs."

"Webs? What do you mean?" Gandalf interrogated, gaze flicking from the distressed face of the wizard to the set jawline and pursed lips of the hunter.

"Spiders, Gandalf. Great ones like I've never seen. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I'm not a wizard. They came from Dol Guldur."

"Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned." Gandalf muttered, be it that he was trying to convince himself, or the two sharing in the discussion was unknown.

"No, my friend." Rafiki warned, slanted orbs glowing hauntingly from beneath the brim of her hood, the depths swirling with secrets. "It is not abandoned, and you a fool if you think that it is. A dark power dwells in that fortress, one that I have yet to feel rivaled. It is the remains of an ancient horror rising from the shadows, and it gains power with each passing day, with each pledge to its services."

"It can raise the spirits of the dead, Gandalf." Radagast muttered, tossing a glance over his shoulder as if something had pursued him from the depths of the ruins. "I saw him Gandalf. From out of the darkness he has come, the necromancer!"

Eyes wide with fear the brown wizard accepted the pipe offered to him, puffing away madly as Gandalf explained quietly what the properties of the pipe weed could offer.

"Something is not right Gandalf." Rafiki muttered, shifting to survey the forest once again, noting that if it had been silent before, now it could only be described as the silence before death. "It is to quiet."

"Nonsense." Gandalf muttered, to focused upon the package Radagast was holding out to hm to properly hear her words. "You are simple wary from the words recently spoken."

Scowling at the wizard Rafiki made for Thorin, grasping his elbow once she drew close enough, ignoring both his jolt of surprise and dour stare.

"Something is out there." Rafiki whispered to him, a shiver racing along her spine as his sharp sapphire orbs snapped back to her face from his observations of her lean frame. "The forest is silent, and not from our presence nor from that of the trolls."

"Be on your guard." Thorin ordered the company, ready to toss out more orders, the echoing howl cutting him off.

"Fucking shit." Rafiki hissed, ripping twin crossbows from their places at her hips, sharp eyes scanning for the Warg she now knew to be hunting them, stalking them, the cause for the uncanny silence.

"Was that a wolf? Are there…are there wolves out there?" Bilbo stuttered, allowing Bofur to drag him into the circle the company had formed.

"Wolf? No that was not a wolf." Bofur admitted, chocolate orbs skittering around nervously much in the fashion that the other dwarves shared.

"Warg scouts!" Rafiki called in warning, crossbows firing rapidly at a target currently unseen by the company behind her, the raven Warg bursting into the clearing with a snarl, racing down the hill at them, a particularly well placed arrow sending it stumbling into Dwalin's axe, the second falling to Kili and Thorin with a well-placed arrow and simple jab.

"An orc pack is not far behind!" Thorin shouted, heart racing from the sudden encounter, checking swiftly to see that his company was unharmed.

"Orc pack?!" Bilbo squeaked, stepping closer to the imposing figure of Dwalin, currently wiping his axe clean on the matted fur of the Warg.

"Who did you tell of your quest beyond your kin." Gandalf raged, towering frame looming over Thorin, shadows curling round his frame as he raged.

"No one."

"Who did you tell?!"

"No one, I swear! What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin rumbled in reply, hand curling tighter around the pommel of his sword at the accusations, glaring up at the wizard haughtily.

Glancing from the King to the woman just over his shoulder Gandalf deflated visibly, a small sigh escaping him as he connected the pieces, kicking himself for missing it until it was too late.

"You are being hunted."

Tossing a knowing glance at the terrified wizard Rafiki broke off from the group muttering nervously to one another, making for the forest that would lead her to the plains beyond, and in turn, to the foolish orcs whom could not follow a simple order.

"And where do you think you are going?" Thorin interrupted her, gaze fixed on her slender back, following in her footsteps in hopes of earning an answer.

"You will not make it across the plains with a pack of orcs tailing you." Rafiki stated simply, twisting to gaze at the King, breathe catching in her throat at his nearness. "I will distract them so that you will have safe passage."

"And I shall join you, young lady." The Brown wizard stated with a manic grin, the bird feces slathered down the side of his face giving him a crazed look as he placed himself back on his sleigh, the jostling earning a shift from the rabbits as well.

"Are you two insane?" Gandalf questioned, squinting at the pair. "These are Gundabad Wargs. They will out run you!"

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits; I'd like to see them try." Radagast shot back, a smirk adorning his features before he urged his rabbits into a run, darting into the underbrush with a gleeful shout.

"And you?" Gandalf questioned, turning his attention to Rafiki, a frown tugging at his lips as he pondered the fate that lay in wait on the other side of the forest.

"I am well aware of what they are capable of." Rafiki supplied with a shrug. "And I am well aware of the consequences of my actions. If I am to die on these plains, I will not be fleeing for my life like a coward."

"Very well then." Gandalf sighed, resigned to the fact that he would not be able to change the young woman's mind. "Until we meet again, my friend."

"I will pray to your Gods for your success my friend's." Rafiki smiled, the familiarity of her words striking a chord in Gandalf's heart. "May they guide you well."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Racing through the trees Rafiki burst from the tree line, a small war cry escaping her, lean frame blurring as she raced for the mass of Wargs chasing Radagast, the orcs astride them urging them faster.

Shouts of encouragement sounded in black speech as the orcs caught sight of Rafiki, one of the many curving from the group and into her path, a calloused hand shaded a particularly unattractive bloodstained grey held out to her, the owner muttering praises to her in his native tongue.

Accepting his hand Rafiki's feet left the blurred terrain beneath her, lithe frame falling into place behind the orc as he hefted her onto the Warg, a small blade she kept tucked into her gauntlet finding the back of his neck, a strangled grunt escaping him as he careened off his mount, the furry beast springing forward at the loss of weight. Leaning close Rafiki muttered words of encouragement as they gained on Ghorbandsh, the orc twisting in his seat to greet her.

"Commander." Ghorbandsh rasped, observing the woman pulled level with him. "Glad you could join us."

"What do you think you are doing?" Rafiki hissed, ramming her Warg into his in her anger, ignoring the snarls sounding from the beasts racing along, their thirst for the hunt amplified by her fury, as it always had been. "I told you to trail them, and yet here I find you, hunting them without my order."

"Commander?" Ghorbandsh questioned, dread curling in the depths of his gut as her statement clicked into place, icy fear washing over him like a tsunami. "You sent word with Argall, we were to begin the hunt and you would join us when you felt it was right. We were to feast upon the dwarf scum together."

"And you believed the lying bastard?" Rafiki snarled, eyes wild in the sunlight, her hood having fallen off long before she'd entered the plains, her fury clear for them to see. "Tis a shame, I actually believed you to be competent."

"Commander."

"Silence." Drawing her crossbows Rafiki scanned the plains for the orc. "I've heard enough of your blathering excuses. You should not have trusted Argall, and you shall find your punishment for such an act soon enough. Where is he? And do not lie to me."

Gaping at the woman Ghorbandsh raised a shaking hand, a single twisted finger directing her attention at the orc in the distance directing his Warg as it shuffled along, snout pressed to the outcropping of rocks that no doubt hid the company from their sights.

Veering off from the pack, Rafiki raced for Argall, plunging a knife into the back of her Wargs skull, the front legs collapsing within seconds, sending her catapulting from its back, the air whistling through her open fingers, the thunderous collision of her lean frame with Argall's much burlier one sending them to the ground in a flurry of tangled limbs and curses, his now abandoned Warg stumbling from the recoils of their impact and the sudden loss of weight.

"Filthy bitch!" Argall shouted, fists flying as he attempted to knock Rafiki from his chest where she'd lodged herself, her own hits precise despite the current struggle. "What'll Azog say when he learns that his favorite whore is a traitor?"

Fingers digging into his jaw, nails piercing the flesh and through the muscle to grasp at the bone of his jaw Rafiki wrenched his head to face her, the sneer marring her features particularly animalistic.

"You won't live to find out." Rafiki hissed, spittle flying as the orc bucked vehemently, pushing the palm of his hand flat against her face, twisting her head to the side in the vain attempt at breaking her hold.

Giving up on his efforts of shoving her off Argall scrambled for his sword, palm skittering across loose gravel in his search, settling instead for the first decent sized rock he managed to grasp in his searching fist, bringing it up to meet the side of Rafiki's face, a snarl escaping her as she tumbled off of him, rolling some few feet away from the orc now stumbling to his feet.

"We'll see about that." Argall grunted, wiping the blood from his chin with the back of his hand as he watched Rafiki attempt to pull herself up, slightly dazed from the hit, his foot finding her ribs sending her sprawling onto her back, palms scraping against the loose rocks as she went. "You know, I never understood what he saw in you. But stay on your knees and I'm sure I can find it in myself to begin to understand."

Rolling onto her stomach Rafiki tucked a foot under herself, making to stand, a strangled gasp escaping her as one of his hands curled into the untamed locks of hair that had fallen free some time ago after her hood had fallen off. Plucking his forgotten blade from the gravel Argall brought it to Rafiki's throat with a flourish, a pale puckering scar stretching from one ear to another showing a similar attempt on her life some years ago.

"Maybe I ought to fuck you?" Argall tormented, wrenching her head to the side uncaring of the way it twisted at her joints, sandpapery tongue darting out to lap up the blood staining the right side of her head, leaving a crimson trail down her slender neck stretched taunt. "Tell him you came to me in the night? Tell him how sweet you taste?"

"You talk too much." Rafiki laughed, the sound bitter as she gazed blankly ahead, the sound of the dwarves rustling just over the edge of the outcropping, catching the attention of the Warg watching the scene before him unfold with baited breath. "I mean honestly, do you just enjoy the sound of your own voice or are you simply trying to bore me to death? And aside from that, he wouldn't believe that I came to you, not with a mug like that."

Firing the crossbow she managed to remove from its holster Rafiki wrenched herself from the overbearing grip of the now dead orc, a well-crafted ebony arrow splicing through his chin to protrude from the top of his head, glinting lowly with ebony blood before his slumped over, a similar arrow slicing through the air to find the eye socket of the frozen Warg.

"Dumbass." Rafiki snorted, hauling her lean frame to her feet, stumbling slightly with a wince at the pull at her developing bruises, a small groan escaping her as calloused fingertips searched out the wound leaking freely forcing herself into a jog after the company of dwarves racing away from the remaining orcs whom were gaining much faster than Rafiki was comfortable with.

The shouts of the company echoed across the plain as Rafiki raced along the path the dwarves had clearly taken, as she came round a mass of rocks Rafiki could see the company, and the cause for their panic.

"Kili! Shoot them!" Thorin urged, observing the closing circle of Orcs with contempt, a single bolt not like those of his nephew drew Thorin's attention to the approaching woman, though she was unfamiliar at first with the lack of shadows thrown over her pretty face.

Killing another two as she burst through the circle to stand with the company Rafiki gave a wry smirk at the familiar face of her first lieutenant, crossbows tucked neatly at her sides as slender hands curled round the grips of her sickle-swords, the metal singing as she drew them, a haunting pattern familiar to the warrior and what was once her platoon.

"Forgive me." Rafiki muttered over her shoulder to the company though her eyes locked on Thorin before twisting round to face the enemy once more.

"So he was right." Ghorbandsh muttered in broken English, albeit better English than Argall. "You will defy your master's wishes? Defy his orders?"

"He is not my master." Rafiki retorted without pause, lips pursing as arched brows pulled themselves low over her eyes.

"We shall see." Ghorbandsh shrugged, shifting upon his Warg in thought. "It is a shame, you have shown such potential."

Shifting restlessly at the fury of their commander the Wargs grew restless, waiting for orders, from her or those mounted upon them it mattered not.

"A shame indeed." Rafiki retorted, another wry smirk tugging at her lips. "I thought that you showed signs of being useful."

"Your head will be my prize commander. Azog will weep at its loss, and perhaps I shall too for a time. But the others, the others will rally, and never again will Azog trust such a fragile creature, such a fickle whore."

Springing into action Rafiki swung the deadly swords in a deadly dance, beheading orc and Warg alike, darting from one to the next ignoring the seemingly insignificant scratches along the way.

"Go." Rafiki ordered, twisting to face the company as she evaded a well-placed jab from Ghorbandsh. "Gandalf is within the pass and will show you the way."

Scowling at the woman Thorin nodded to the company, a short, tense motion that sent them into action, racing for the wizard that had ironically appeared shouted for them. Ready to follow his fellow dwarves Thorin stumbled off his intended path as Rafiki slammed into him in a familiar manner, the sword aimed to remove his head striking her instead due to her actions.

The sword wielded by Ghorbandsh had sliced cleanly through her shoulder, blade cracking against the now shattered bone of her clavicle, the blade lodged half way through her chest glistening slickly with blood.

"I'm sorry." Rafiki muttered, a wet cough escaping her chest as she shoved at Thorin to move him from harm's way. "Oh god I'm sorry."

Blood flowing from her wound like a never ending river, Thorin's own wound paling in comparison, barley an inch long and shallow enough to be considered a scratch. Finding just enough strength to stumble round to face her lieutenant, blade shaking as she swung it, decapitating him much like he'd meant to do to the King under the Mountain.

Knees buckling Rafiki collapsed, eyes wide at the few remaining orcs, the familiar form of Yazneg racing for the safety of weather top, leaving his companions to fend for themselves.

"This way you fool!" Gandalf shouted, breaking the trance like it were an over taunt string under immense pressure.

With a wild shout one of the remaining orcs dove at the kneeling woman, blade slicing through her spine like a knife in hot butter, the orc giving a grunt as he twisted and leveraged the blade, Rafiki's feet soon dangling inches above the dirt, blood pooling thickly in her mouth to swell over her bottom lip, forming long shafts as it dripped towards the terrain bellow, spine resting against the pommel guard of his sword.

"Thorin what're you doing!" Dwalin shouted, skidding to a halt as he realized the King was not following them as he should have been, instead he had unsheathed his blade, diving for the orc suspending Rafiki, catching the woman as the orc collapsed, a bolt protruding from his forehead as an ode to Rafiki's refusal to die without a fight.

Wasting no time Thorin sprinted for the pass, stumbling down the steep incline clutching at Rafiki the entire descent, war horns blaring across the plains behind them, feet finding the bottom of the hidden pass with more force than expected, sending the dwarf skittering into the opposite wall, absorbing the impact with his shoulder.

"I couldn't just leave her Dwalin." Thorin muttered, chest heaving from exertion, gazing down at Rafiki's features, and the pain curling at them, a small crease nestling itself between his thick brows. "She saved my life, twice now. She also has answers that I want."

Heaving a sigh Thorin turned his attention to the towering wizard currently observing the scene before him, a thick shadow blotting out the sun shining through the spit in the rocks , the body of a now dead orc tumbling into the hidden pass much like Thorin had moments before, war horns blaring once more. Eyes narrowing at the protruding for of the arrow lodged in the barrel chest of the orc Thorin sneered.

"Elves." The word was spat like it was poison if held to long behind his lips.

"I cannot see where the path leads." Dwalin called out silencing Thorin's fuming. "Do we follow it?"

"Follow it of course." Bofur called back, already following the narrow path, disappearing round a curve without a glance back.

"Can you help her?" Thorin questioned Gandalf as Dwalin disappeared down the curve as well, leaving the dwarf, wizard, and the unconscious woman.

"I cannot." Gandalf replied, observing the unsteady rise and fall of Rafiki's blood stained chest. "Follow the path and you shall find someone who can."

Cursing under his breathe in his native tongue about the stubbornness of wizards, shambling off after the wizard, frequently checking on Rafiki as he made the trek, catching the last of the wizards sentence as he meandered into the sunlight.

"-House east of the sea."

"This was your plan all along then?" Thorin rumbled, fingers curling tighter around the injured woman cradled in his arms. "To lead us into the arms of our enemies?"

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will you bring here is your own." Gandalf admonished, brow furrowing in annoyance.

"Do you think the elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us." Thorin continued, agitated by the wizards words.

""Why of course they will." Gandalf agreed, leaning against his staff without pause. "But we have questions that need answers."

Thorin appeared pained at the sound logic, but argued no further as he spotted the steadily growing pool of crimson under his boots.

"If we are to be successful then this will need to be handled with tact. And respect. And no small degree of charm, which is why you will leave the talking to me." Gandalf stated at Thorin's acquiescence. "They will help the lady Rafiki with no questions until the deed has been done, and they will do it to the best of their abilities."

Heaving a sigh, a growing trend it seemed, Thorin gave a slow nod the dwarves surrounding them muttering their anger at the submission of their king.

"Very well." Thorin relented, the pallid shade of Rafiki's flesh worrying him more than he wished to admit. "We will go to them."

"Good." Gandalf muttered, tossing a wary glance at the unconscious woman. "For I fear Rafiki does not have much time, advanced healing abilities, or not."