Prologue:

He could hear the crying and screams in the distance. It was early evening and he could smell the blood the was being spilled. It was strange, not many traveled this far east. Beorn's brown eyes glanced through trees. These were the cries of a small family that had traveled through the forest near his home.

It didn't take Beorn long to pin-point the direction the cries came from and he ran to aid those who were under attack. Blood was scattered across the ground when he arrived. Smoke from the small fires that had been set, filled his nostrils. Beorn continued to look at the scene. There was a woman on the left of him, her eyes opened but lifeless. To the right he found a young boy, no more than eight or nine that had been killed. He hadn't been there long when heard a gasp and a plea.

"Help." a man's raspy voice called. "Help." It was then he saw the man trapped underneath a wagon. Beorn quickly walked over to him and looked the scene over.

"I cannot free you sir." Beorn said once he saw a part of the wagon had dug deep into the man's abdomen. "For as soon as I do, you shall surely bleed to death."

"Please good sir." the man begged. "My daughter. She is in the tree there. I was able to lift her high up before the orcs attacked." Beorn quickly looked up to the trees trying to spot the girl. He only looked back down when the man began to speak.

"Please do not leave her to die here."

"I shall help her however I can." Beorn nodded to the man. "Is there family I can take her too?"

The man shook his head. "My brother died, not two year passed. My wife had no siblings and both our parents are gone. There is a blue sack there." the man pointed to the left. "Inside are papers and some small trinkets. Give them to Alissa as she grows up. Please tell her, her parents loved her."

Beorn went to speak but the man's eyes became lifeless. He was gone. Beorn turned to see the blue sack the man had spoken of. He went to open it when he heard a small whimper. Beorn picked up the sack as he stood back up.

"Young one." he called out as he looked back to the trees. The soft crying paused as Alissa tried to hold her breath. After seeing her parents' and brother's murder she was afraid to make herself known. "Where are you?" he asked. The air remained quiet until the girl gasped for air. "Do not fear. I am a friend and mean you no harm."

A small moment passed before Alissa let out a small cry. It was then he saw her. He quickly walked over to the tree she was in and reached up for her. She leaned further into the tree, afraid.

"Shhhh." He found himself saying. "I will not harm you." he repeated. Beorn lifted the small girl out of the tree. He set her down in front of him and blocked her view of the deceased with his body. She did not need to see any more than she already had. Alissa looked around, frightened and confused. She sniffled as she looked around the trees.

"Come there are orcs close by." Beorn told her, softly nudging her towards his house.

"But my mommy and daddy." The small girl whimpered. Beorn glanced down at the girl sympathetic for her loss. He glanced behind him to the child's mother, father and older brother. He didn't wish to take on the responsibility a child would bring but he would not just leave her to suffer the same fate as her family.

"They can no longer be with you." Beorn told her as gently as he could. "Though, I'm sure they wish they could."

"But why not?" the girl asked innocently. Beorn determined she was no more than four years old and didn't yet understand the concept of death.

"Do not worry." He softly spoke to her. "Your father asked me to take care of you until something else can be arranged." Alissa tried to look behind the skin changer but he continued to block her view. He did not want her young eyes to see the bloodbath behind him. Alissa looked down. Beorn could see the tears begin to form in her eyes and he could tell she just didn't understand.

"Alissa." he began. "Do you like ponies?" Beorn didn't have much experience with children but he knew his animals could bring her some joy. Alissa's brown eyes met his. She nodded though the pout still present on her face. "I have ponies, goats, sheep and other animals back at my house. If you come with me I will show them to you."

"But my mommy and daddy..."

"Asked me to take you with me. They do not wish you to be hurt and neither do I." Beorn gently reassured her. The dark was falling upon them quickly and he did not wish to linger. He reached down and picked the girl up gently. She wasn't in his arms long when she began to swirl his beard around her tiny fingers. She had never seen anyone like him before.

Beorn carried the small girl as he walked back to his house. His thoughts wandered as he glanced down to the child that had come into his care. Surely there was someone he could give her to. Someone that would care for her better than he could. She needed both a mother and father. Perhaps he could take her to the elves. Surely they would not turn an innocent child away. He shook his head. While they were a kindly people, the girl belonged with her own kin.

He could take her into Rohan or Laketown, certainly someone there would take pity on the young girl and be willing to take her.

"What's your name?" Alissa timidly asked as she gazed up at him in curiosity. Her hand had tangled itself in his beard.

"I am Beorn." he told her, he glanced down at her a moment before looking back up. The young girl snuggled into him for comfort as she began to cry. It wasn't long before she was asleep. Once home, he placed the sleeping child on his bed and walked over to his table. His mind raced through his options. He looked back to the blue sack he had put on the table when they first arrived. He began to open it, curious to what the man had left his daughter, when he heard the door to his house open. He stood quickly and looked towards the figure that had entered his home.

"Hello Beorn." he heard an old man's voice say. Beorn's lips curled into a smile.

"Hello Gandalf."

….

~Author's Note

Hi everyone! Thanks for checking out my new story. This is my second story The Hobbit and hopefully it started out alright.

Just a few quick notes. I am an amateur writer and so I am always learning. I will make mistakes and I will try to fix those mistakes as I notice them. I try to update once a week though there a times it may take a little longer.

Feel free to leave a review if you have a moment and are so inclined. Constructive criticism is always welcome! Thanks!-Lin

Disclaimer: I do not own Beorn, Gandalf, Thranduil, Legolas or any other LotR/Hobbit characters that will appear in this story. I only own Alissa.