'Ugh, I'm starting to hate this place.'

Frêllian lowered her head to avoid bumping it against a low-hanging branch. Her eyes never leaving the path, as she followed Dwalin.

'Really?' Bilbo looks up in surprise. 'I thought you liked forests?'

'Oh, I do. Just not this one,' she grumbled. 'There is something wrong with it.'

Bilbo nodded at this, agreeing with the ferian. He felt it too. This forest felt sick. It made everyone feel on edge and gloomy.

'The path goes this way!'

As they kept on following the path, their surroundings become darker and darker. Even though it should be midday, the sunlight barely reached the ground. More than once someone had bumped into Frêllian, probably having tripped over something. Which, of course, ended up in Frêllian snapping at the said person in agitation.

Next to her, Bilbo tripped, only to be caught by the ferian. Helping him find his balance again, she asked if he was alright. To which the hobbit nodded his head.

Satisfied, she released him, continuing her way. The sound of Dwalin's hammer thumping the ground had become a familiar sound as he searched the paving stones of the trail. Every now and then he called out for them, telling them which way the path goes.

They had been travelling this way for two days. And while the days were gloomy, the nights were worse. No one but Frêllian could see in the darkness. And even the said ferian had limited sight in the darkness of the forest. During their first night, they had made a campfire. Something they refused to again, for in the shadows of the trees they had seen all kind of eyes. Friendly ones, curious ones. Or perhaps unfriendly ones, weighing down their chances. Who knew?

'Shouldn't we have reached a bridge by now,' Frêllian asked as she walked in the front, along with her father. 'Gandalf had said we should reach a bridge on our third day of traveling.'

'I don't know, lass,' the warrior answered, following Bofur. 'I can hardly keep the days apart.'

Frêllian was about to say something else, when she heard the hatted dwarf inform them that they had reached a bridge. Quickening her pace, she quickly reached the said dwarf. A smile on her face in excitement, glad they have finally made some progress. But it quickly faltered as she took notice of the state the bridge was.

'And how are you going to reach the other side,' she questioned, as her eyes travelled over the old bridge and the gap between the two sides. 'I mean, I am able to jump to the other side. But the rest of you will definitely not reach it.'

'Well, we could always try swimming,' Bofur suggested, but Thorin disagreed.

'Gandalf said these waters are cursed. We must cross the river without touching the water.'

'Well… Frêllian could help us one by one,' Fíli said after a moment of silence. 'We all know she is strong enough to hold us, once she transforms.'

'Don't even think about it,' the said female growled, glaring at the blond male. 'I will not carry anyone on my back.'

Fíli stared at her in surprise for a moment. But then opened his mouth again.

'Why not? You carried Thorin the other day.'

'Fíli!'

'And Kíli too,' Fíli ended, ignoring his uncle's warning. 'Sure, you will have to jump back and forth a couple of times. But should you get tired afterwards, I'd be happy to carry you for a while.'

She stayed silent for a moment, not knowing what to say. Her cheeks starting to warm up at the thought, before she shook it off. Her glare returned as she faced the dwarf. Her blue eyes slowly turning golden as the golden haired dwarf looked at her with a smile. It seemed he hadn't noticed her change just yet.

Until their eyes met.

'Look, Frey,' he quickly began, stuttering to find the right words. 'I didn't mean anything by it. It was just an offer.'

It appeared he did not understand why she was angry. But she didn't care. With two quick strides, she stopped before Fíli. Blue eyes still locked with golden as she grinded her teeth.

'Why don't you jump back and forth then, carrying the others on your back,' she told him with a venomous voice. 'If you are so eager to be used as a mount, that is. You are a strong dwarf, are you not you? So do it yourself!'

And with that, the ferian ran towards the bridge and took a leap. With her now enhanced hearing, she heard a few gasps as she jumped. Though they did not need to fear, for she could now jump further and higher in her newly found alpha state.

Once on the other side, she sat down, her back turned towards the others. She heard a thud, followed by Fíli angered yell of surprise.

She scoffed. Served him right.

Air. I need air.'

Frêllian glanced at the hatted dwarf. A sarcastic comment just waiting to come out of her mouth. But the warning look of Bilbo quickly shut her up. Something was happening to her, she had noticed. She was much easier to anger, and much harder to calm down. Something that was so unlike her.

Luckily Bilbo had kept her on a short leash after the incident at the bridge. It had taken him half a day to calm her down after Fíli had angered her. And even after the dwarf had apologized, she had still became quick to anger at everything he had to say.

'He's asking for it,' she whispered to Bilbo. 'We're outside and he's asking for air.'

'And your asking for another fight.'

'It was hardly a fight,' she muttered, glaring at the hobbit. 'I barely even touched him.'

'Barely even…' Bilbo repeated baffled. 'You nearly ripped Dwalin's arm off. Your own father!'

Frêllian scoffed, before stating the said dwarf had been asking for it.

'He should not have touched my food.'

'Frey.'

Upon seeing Bilbo's glare, she sighed in defeat. With a soft voice, she grumbled that she might have overreacted. Though she might not be too pleased with the hobbit at the moment, she was glad to have a friend like him. He knew she could kill him in a blink of an eye and that he would never be a match against her. Still, he was not afraid of her. Putting her in her place when needed without a second thought. And she even allowed him to do so.

'We will rest here,' the deep voice of Thorin sounded from somewhere in front of them. 'After that we will switch the carriers.'

There was a choirs of groaning, followed by a soft thud. Signaling the current carriers had placed Bombur on the ground.

'Finally,' Kíli moaned as he straightened his back. 'I was beginning to worry we had to carry him all day.'

'We could just leave him,' Frêllian stated, looking at the dark haired dwarf. Ignoring the angry protests of the others, she continued, her expression blank. 'That's how the wargs get rid of a heavy load. Or perhaps you'd prefer eating him? He's got more than enough meat to feed us all.'

Disgusted by her offer, Kíli glared at the female. As he was stomping over to Bilbo and Frêllian, his brother tried to hold him back. Though he too wore a disgusted look on his face.

'I don't care about the wargs way,' Kíli told her in anger. 'I am a dwarf. We are dwarves! And we care for our comrades. And if we have to carry one another, then we will!'

Suddenly a smirk found its way on her face as her nose was mare inches away from his own. He took the bait!

'Then why are you complaining, drêgasen?'

'Why you…'

Lucky for Kíli, his brother had caught onto Frêllian. Without a second thought he placed himself between the pair, his hands resting on his younger siblings' shoulders. He told him Frêllian didn't mean what she had said. That she had only been trying to provoke him - in which she had clearly succeeded.

This seemed to calm Kíli down a little. Though his glare remained on the ferian for a little while longer. Then he sighed in frustration, knowing his brother was right.

'I'm sorry,' Frêllian said softly, now facing Fíli. 'It just slipped and the way he reacted… I just couldn't help myself.'

'It's alright,' Fíli grunted in reply, his eyes on his brother for a moment, before meeting her blue eyes. 'We all are on our toes for some reason.'

She was about to answer, when Thorin quickly got up. Though she had missed what he had said, she noticed him walking towards something in the distance. Almost like he had seen something.

Next to her, Bilbo protested, stating they had to stay on the path. But Thorin didn't listen. He just continued his way. With most of the company following him.

Frêllian looked at Fíli for a moment, asking him what to do. But he just shrugged, while Bilbo stated they had to stay on the path.

'If we do that, the company will leave us behind,' Frêllian said as she eyed the departing dwarves. 'And being left behind in this forest is not something I prefer.'

'But…'

'I know what Gandalf had said,' Fíli said as he placed his hand on the hobbit's shoulder. 'But we do not know how cursed this forest is. We won't get lost, I'm sure of it.'

With that said, he followed the others, with Frêllian following suit. Bilbo seemed to hesitate for a moment. Taking a step towards the others, only to stop himself in time. Doubting, hesitating. But eventually he too followed Thorin to their unknown destination.

More days had passed. And whatever Thorin had seen, they could not find any trace of it. Well, Frêllian had smelled something, which she had guessed to be the scent of elves. But she hadn't been sure.

But now they were walking around, desperately trying to find back their path. A task difficult even for the enhanced senses of Frêllian. There had been no trace of their scent to trace back their way.

Where the forest had been affecting them for a while, these passed couple of days everything seemed to have gotten even worse. The air felt denser and everyone seemed to act different. More often than not someone was fighting with someone else. And when they weren't fighting, they were walking around in a daze.

'We are lost,' Bilbo ended his rant as he glared at Bofur.

'We're not lost,' Dwalin protested. 'We keep heading east.'

'And which way would be east, old man,' Frêllian asked. 'There is no sun to be seen from here and nothing else to indicate our direction.'

Within seconds another bickering started. At first they were just bickering, but when someone pushed Frêllian, swords were drawn.

'Don't ever do that again!'

Before Frêllian could even react, Fíli stood before her with his sword drawn. A glare on the dwarf in front of him. And it was that moment Frêllian realised something.

Not only was Bilbo missing, but she could feel eyes on her as well. And then there was movement in the distance.

'Quiet,' she whispered loudly. But they didn't seem to hear her. 'Quite, all of you!'

This seemed to have gained their attention. Fíli was the first to notice the look on her face and questioned her. But the ever so watchful Thorin had noticed it as well and answers for her.

'We are being watched.'

They all fell silent as they readied their arms. The wind seemed to whisper through the trees and every sound seemed a threat. But nothing happened.

'I don't like this,' someone whispered. 'I don't like this at all!'

Frêllian turned her head to the right. Something had moved over there! No, to her left! Her head quickly followed the sound of the movement. Her eyes still scanning her surroundings.

Then she realised something.

'We're surrounded,' she breathed as her eyes move up to the trees. 'They have us surrounded!'

As if her warning had been the trigger, giant spiders jumped out of the trees from all around them. The dwarves yelled in alarm as they quickly defended themselves against their attackers. Their swords swing wildly, rocks were thrown and whatever weapon they could find.

Frêllian swung her sword around, knocking a spider to the ground. It hissed in anger while still trying to get to her. But she quickly put an end to it, trusting her sword into its head. Then she turned around to fight another one.

'This would be a perfect moment for that alpha state you mentioned,' Kíli shouted as he too fought off the arachnids.

'If only I knew how,' she answered, as she she tried to push one away. 'But I can't contr-'

Her words were cut off by the spider pushing her down to the ground. She heard someone yell in the distance, just barely making out her name as the spider bit her. After that, she fell into utter darkness.

Well, I think I think I prefer fighting off those spiders once more.'

Fíli looked over to the ferian. A deadly glare on her face as she was lead by an elf. Though he disliked their current company, he definitely did not feel like fighting those beasts off again. That didn't go too wel. They escapedthe first time with the help of Bilbo - who knew the hobbit would be the one to their rescue?

And the second time was with the help of the elves. The same ones who had captured them and brought them deep into the forest. If those bloody elfs hadn't showed up, Fíli might have lost his brother!

'I agree with you there, lass,' Dwalin agreed with a low grumble. 'I don't like this one bit.'

Like father like daughter it seemed. The bald dwarf pushed away the guiding hands of an elf, giving him his deathliest glare. Though the elf didn't care and continued pushing Dwalin forward anyway.

All around him the others seemed to be fighting off their captures, though not as much as Frêllian and Dwalin. And Thorin of course. His uncle his hatred for the elves running so deep, he did not even try to conceal it.

Besides, these were the very same elves that had betrayed their people long ago.

With a sigh, Fíli followed the others. Being pushed into the right direction every once in a while. Though he struggled as well, he tried to resist the urge as often as he could. Looking for an opening instead of fighting his way out of this mess.

'Keep yer filthy hands off of her!'

Dwalin voice echoed through the trees. The sound alone would have been enough for Fíli to freeze on the spot, if his anger had been aimed at him. But fortunately the anger was towards their captures, as was his glare.

The elf in charge laughed at Dwalin, saying something to the other elves in their language. Then continued to lead the way.

It was all clear to Fíli. They wouldn't be able to fight their way out of this. But that didn't mean he was giving up! They just needed patience and the right opportunity would present itself. Whenever that might be.

By now they were crossing a bridge, leading them to - what Fíli believed to be - their city. Beautiful pillars decorate the entrance and Fíli couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. Though he didn't have much time to do so, as the elves kept pushing their prisoners.

Once inside, Fíli realised the city was actually a cave, with halls leading to different directions. Their path lead them straight down, to what Fíli guessed to be the cells. Why else would they be lead all this way down?

'Wait, where are you taking him,' Fíli demanded as he realised his uncle was being lead to a hallway leading upwards. 'Why are you separating us?'

But he got no reply as they dragged Thorin into the opposite direction. There was no use in fighting, not with so many elves and so little of them. So instead he quietly followed the others.

Down, down, down they went. Deeper and deeper into the cave. Until they reach their destination. And just like he had guessed, they had been taken to their cells.

As Fíli was being pushed into his cell, an elf stopped him for a moment to reach into his jacket and pulled out one of his last weapons. A sigh escaped Fíli's lips as he was being pushed into the cell. He had hoped they wouldn't find any more of his weapons.

All around him, the sound of metal was heard as the celdoors closed and soon a couple of his comrades were pushing and slamming against the doors.

Not his though, not yet. For someone else was pushed inside his cell and the ferian growled dangerously at the elf. She had yet to even notice her cellmate as she slammed against the metal door. Cursing the elves in her native tongue between snarls.

Meanwhile Fíli just watched her. Amazed how such a beautiful creature could act like such a wild animal. He shouldn't be surprised though. She was a ferian after all, a descendant of the proud direwolves. Still, he couldn't help but stare at her as she continued her rage.

With a final growl, Frêllian turned around. Her uncle was right, there was no escaping her cell. Yet that hadn't stopped her from trying! She had learned to never go down without a fight and that was what she would do!

Suddenly something moved in the corner of her cell and another growl escaped her throat. But it quickly faded once she realised it was only Fíli sitting on a stone bed.

'That was quite a show,' the blond dwarf stated with a smirk. 'I thought you'd never stop.'

She glared at him, not even bothering to move away from the door.

'I'm glad someone has had a good time,' she grumbled. 'Just so you know, we have been taken prison and our leader isn't with us. Bilbo is missing and to make matters worse; we are running out of time!'

By now Frêllian was pacing back and forth in frustration. By Lüna, she was starting to act like her father when angered. Deciding against the decision to slam against the door once more, she just sighed. It would have gotten her nowhere anyway. Of course it wouldn't! But it might have helped her blow off some steam.

She breathed in slowly, holding her breath for a moment, before letting it out again. And again, and again.

Nope, that didn't work, so she let out a frustrated cry and kicked against the door one last time.

Yep, that had done the trick. Once she felt herself calming down, Frêllian faced Fíli again. His smirk having been replaced by a frown now as he looked at her. He told her he was not a fool. He knew the grim situation they were in, but with his uncle being taken to an unknown place, Fíli had to act as a leader now. Which meant he had to keep his emotions in control.

'Not that I mind watching you throw a tantrum,' he added with a wink.

Startled, Frêllian just stared at him. Was he, flirting? The thought made her blush as she looked away, hopefully making the young prince think she was still angry at him. She tried to shake the thought off, telling herself he was just taunting her.

Still, her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest as she scoffed in reply. Not daring to look at him.

Why? Why did she have to react this way? Why now? Why here? Why him?

Pushing the thoughts aside, Frêllian decided to just ignore the dwarven prince. They had much bigger problems right now, like getting out of here. And not to mention, her dearest friens was missing. The poor hobbit was probably still on the forest, frightened and alone...