With the winter having made way for the warmer spring, the hobbits had gotten used to having Frêllian around. Having earned favor with most of them with her lovable and charming character. Still her own personal favorite hobbit remained Bilbo, not only for giving her a home to live in, but also because he was good company. Not to mention his cooking-skills, none within her former pack could even dream of competing against that hobbit!

And since the hobbits had gotten used to the wolfish 'pet' of Bilbo Baggings, Frêllian had been able to work on her solo hunting skills. And with her newfound strength, due to a full belly every day, the young ferian had gotten better and better with each passing week.

Still, while the winter had been quite peaceful, it hadn't gone as smooth as one would have thought. Especially one event had caused quite some confusion for the easily startled hobbit.

Opening one eye, Frêllian looked at Bilbo, a mischievous glint in it as she lazily laid before the warm fire.

'What are you up to, hm?'

It appeared her companion had noticed the glint in her eyes. Though judging by the look on his face, he already knew the answer. When the female didn't answer, he re-opened his book with a 'hmpf' and continued reading whatever it was he was reading.

'I still don't understand why you hadn't told me about it sooner.'

Tilting her head a little, the ferian looked at the hobbit completely. They had been silent for a while now, content with the peacefulness of the silence. But apparently Bilbo had finally spoken his opinion about the events of a couple of weeks ago.

Ah, yes. She had given him quite the scare, that's for sure. With Bilbo joining some tea-party, Frêllian had decided to decline the offer. Too many hobbits wanting to keep petting her continuously. And while the ferian did enjoy the attention - she had never really received it back with the pack - enough was enough! And that day she had reached her limit for that day.

But when Bilbo had come home, he had squealed in surprise as he noticed a shadow moving through his pantry.

'Who are you?' he had asked in surprise. 'Who let you in?'

He had looked around in alert, hoping to find his faithful friend, but she had been nowhere to be seen. Besides, Frêllian would have never allowed a stranger into his house! The ferian had never been too fond of unexpected company. In the beginning she would even growl dangerously whenever someone at the door.

Just when he had wanted to warn the intruder again, the intruder had moved into the light with a bright smile. Her dark blue eyes sparkling in joy as she had looked at him. Her pale blondish hair like wild mane as she brushed it out off her face. Dressed as a warrior - you don't think he would miss that sharp-looking blade strapped on her back! - Bilbo had found himself staring at the dangerously looking beauty.

But then he had found his voice back and had demanded yet again for his intruder to make herself known to him. Beautiful or not, he had never been too fond of unannounced visitors. But the female before him had not answered him. Instead she had started laughing, the sound being very familiar.

'I see you do not recognize me, my friend,' she had said, moving towards the shocked hobbit.

That voice! He had heard it before! But from where, he hadn't known. Not at that moment.

'I fear not,' Bilbo had said as brave as he could. 'So tell me, what is your name?'

She had laughed again at his question. Well more a demand than a question. And while her laughter had faded, a smile had still graced her fine features. Her ears rounded and in the light of the candle he had seen something reflecting in one of her ears.

'Tell me, my friend, do you find my true form appealing?'

With his ears turning pink, he had found himself inspecting her as she had moved even closer. While he had inspection her out of interest - seeing as she had not been elf nor hobbit - she had found it amusing to comment about it. And out of shame, he had set his eyes on her face again. Her eyes holding a mischievous glint as she smiled at him.

Now face to face, he had noticed she stood just a little higher than himself. She had claimed they knew each other, but Bilbo would remembered meeting someone as the female. For he had never met someone of her race - not that he had ever met anything but hobbits and a ranger on one occasion. He had found himself thinking about all possible creatures that stood smaller than men.

Clearly not a hobbit, for she had lacked the big wooly feet. And while she was build like a warrior, her shoulders broad for wielding weapons, she seemed too fine featured for a dwarf. Then again, he had never met a dwarf.

But then he had noticed the sharp fangs and he could finally place the familiar sound of her voice. And while it usually had sounded much more feral, there now was no doubt in his mind.

'Frey?'

Upon hearing him saying her name, had made her smile even more. Not only because he had finally realized who she was, but also because of the disbelieve in his voice. The hobbit had been shocked, to put it mildly.

Frêllian chuckled as she remembered that day.

'I needed to know if I could trust you,' Frêllian finally answered Bilbo, seeing as he was still waiting for a reply. 'Besides, do you really think you could have handled it if I had shown you my true form sooner?'

'No, I don't think so,' Bilbo replied honestly, after a moment of silence. 'But to be fair, who wouldn't be shocked to cross paths with a fruit-eating talking wolf, who turned out to be a ferian - which I didn't even know existed! Only to find out she turns into a woman?'

Frêllian laughed as she stood up. Stretching her back, she yawned. Her dear hobbit friend still hadn't been able to accept she could turn into - what could be described as - a woman. Well, to be honest, it was actually the other way around. She had tried to explain it to Bilbo, but at the moment it seemed it was a bit too much to handle.

But ferien weren't wolves that could turn into human-looking creatures. Ferien were two-legged, human-looking creatures that can turn into giant wolves. Well, if the said ferian was a pure-blood.

'If you'd prefer my true form over this one, I'd gladly change.'

Under any other circumstances and with someone other than Frêllian, those words would have sounded innocent. But the flirtatious hint in her voice made his ears redden as he looked baffled at the she-wolf. He had it coming though. He had shamelessly looked at her the first time he had seen her in her true form. Especially after finding out his supposed intruder had turned out to be Frêllian.

But in his defense, he had only been staring because he had never seen a ferian in their true form before! He had no interest in the female what so ever. Beautiful or not! His only interest was in ferien themselves - as it turns out their folk was even more interesting than he had given them credit for.

And while Frêllian knew that as well, she had made it a habit to embarrass her little hobbit friend every now and then. Especially when being in her true form. Those moments she took even more joy out embarrassing Bilbo. For flirting in her wolf-form may result in a slight burn off his cheeks. But as a ferian, his slight pink blush turned into bright red to a point he reminded her of a tomato.

'You only need ask, little rabbit.'

With a wink, Frêllian retired to her chambers, leaving a glaring Bilbo behind.

The warm sun was set high in the sky, radiating its warmth all over the Shire. Birds chatter in the distance, causing Frêllian to twitch her ears slightly. With the days getting warmer, and the weather nice, the two friends have made it a habit to simply enjoy the weather outside. With Bilbo smoking his pipe and Frêllian laying in the grass lazily.

Every now and then, they were greeted by a hobbit as they pass by. But other than that, their afternoons were spent, simply enjoying each others company - and the weather of course. But as the ferian moved her ears around, they picked up a sound moving closer towards the pair. And a strange scent filled her nostrils as she sniffed.

'Ah, don't you just enjoy the nice weather, Frey?' Bilbo asked, not noticing the change in his friends posture.

Not answering the hobbit, Frêllian sniffed the air again. She had decided the person nearing them wasn't a hobbit. Nor one of the rangers of the north. She was able to recognize each and every scent she had smelled and this one wasn't one of them. But what was it then?

She opened her eyes in curiosity. It was a male, that much she knew. Even pups could smell the difference between a male and a female, no matter what creature. He was tall. Taller than most men she had seen. Dressed in grey robes, a grey pointed hat resting on his head.

'You have a curious choice of companionship,' the grey man said, causing Bilbo to open his eyes as well. While Bilbo looked startled as he eyed his visitor, Frêllian let a low growl escape her throat. 'Curious indeed, hm...'

'Er, good morning,' Bilbo said awkwardly, ignoring the comment about the ferian next to him.

The man turned his gaze to Bilbo, a thoughtful look on his elderly face. His grey eyes almost searching for something. Then he spoke again.

'What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want to or not?' He paused for a moment, looking at the pair intently. 'Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning. Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?'

Bewildered by the remark of the stranger, Frêllian stopped growling for a moment. How much thought could one put in on simple greeting? Was it not the most common greeting there was in the morning? At least, in the common language it was.

'All - all of them at once, I suppose,' Bilbo answered in confusion as he looked at the stranger as well. 'Can I help you?'

The stranger gave the hobbit a look of slight disapproval. Clearly he had expected a different answer. Still he answered, his voice betraying his disappointment.

'That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure.'

Now that got Frêllian's attention. Adventure, that sounded quite adventurous! And if she loved one thing, it was a good adventure. But a glance at her companion, told her he wasn't too keen of one. That much she had discovered from her stay. To be honest, none of the hobbits were overly fond of adventures.

Voicing her thoughts, Bilbo answered the stranger. Telling him he might wanted to look somewhere else, seeing no one west of Bree would have much interest in any adventures. Calling them nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things.

'They only make you late for dinner, right, Frey?'

Getting no reaction from the female, Bilbo got up and walked over to the mailbox, sorting through his mail as he tried to ignore the man. Frêllian in her turn was ignoring the hobbit, her attention turned fully to the stranger. He had offered something - the only thing - she had been missing in her new life. Adventure.

Besides, he seemed interesting. There was something about him that drew her to him. The kindness in his eyes as he looked at her, a knowing twinkle in those grey eyes. He knew what she is, she was sure of it. Yet he wasn't afraid of her. He almost looked at her with something that could pass as interest.

'Your friend might suggest otherwise.'

'Perhaps so, but she isn't going anywhere without me.' she heard Bilbo say as he made his way over to the front door. 'Good morning.'

'To think I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I were selling buttons at the door.'

At the mention of his mother, Bilbo turned around again.

'You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. And not entirely for the better.'

'I'm sorry, do I know you?'

Couldn't he have asked that small detail a bit sooner?

'Ah yes, I have forgotten my manners,' the man said, looking at Frêllian. 'Forgive me, my lady. I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey.'

'Sorry, doesn't ring a bell.'

As he looked at the ferian, his lips begin to form a smile. By now Frêllian was standing on her hind legs, her paws resting on the iron fence. Her tail waggling - wasn't she much like a pet dog... Still she couldn't help it. She was in need of an adventure and this man was offering one.

'Ah, so I was right about you.' He smiled in triumph as he leaned on his cane a bit. 'You are indeed a ferian.'

Frêllian looked bewildered at his amused face. So he hadn't been completely sure about her being a ferian. Wasn't that interesting! But before she could say anything else, Bilbo spoke up again, moving closer again.

'Gandalf... Not Gandalf the wandering wizard? Who made such excellent fireworks!' Turning her head a bit, she looked at her friend as he remembered the wizard before them. 'Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Haha! Well. Hmm, I had no idea you were still in business.'

With his voice lowering in tone, Bilbo looked at the wizard. He shouldn't have said that last part. He hadn't meant it, it just sort of - slipped.

'And where else should I be?'

Not knowing how to answer the man, Bilbo puffed on his pipe in confusion. Clearly he had thought the wizard to have died long ago. But the more she knew about the wizard, the more curious she become. Firework, now that sounded interesting! She had heard tales of the exploding lights in the sky. And once she had seen them. But from what Bilbo had told her, this wizard his firework could move!

But Gandalf didn't seem impressed by how the hobbit had remembered him. But at least he had remembered something.

'Well, that's decided. It will be very good for you - and you too of course,' he added, his eyes shifting between Frêllian and Bilbo. 'And most amusing for me. I shall inform the others. And don't worry, dear. I will show you my famous firework once.'

'Really?'

'Inform the who? What?' Of course he hadn't missed that piece of information. 'No, no, no! Wait. We do not want any adventures here, thank you. Not today, not...'

The sharp look the ferian threw him, made Bilbo shut up for a moment with a hm. His tone had turned quite unfriendly. Clearing his throat, Bilbo composed himself, before continuing.

'I suggest you try over the Hill or across the Water. Good morning.'

In frustration, Bilbo retreated into his home, gesturing at Gandalf with his pipe. Then he called for Frêllian, who in return apologized to the wizard. Then she turned around, following her friend inside. Once she was inside as well, he bolted the door and leaned against it.