The White Armoured Shifter. [The Hobbit FF-ThorinxOcxAragorn Love Story]

9. Carrock.

The Eagles soar through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes. Thorin lies unconscious on one of the Eagle's back; the others worry about him. Ayrn lays next to him keeping him on the Eagle her worry higher than the other's as she can feel him slowly fading, "Thorin, you stay with us!" she said in his ear while holding his hand and squeezing it as she used her own life force to heal him as much as she could. 

The Eagles approach a massive rock structure shaped like a bear; it is the Carrock. The Eagle carrying Thorin gently deposits him and Ayrn on a flat area on top of the Carrock. Another Eagle lands on the Carrock and Gandalf slid off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin and Ayrn. The white-haired woman cradles his head brushing his hair from his face, as tears are pouring out of her eyes. Over the duration of this journey, Ayrn didn't realize how much she really cared for Thorin.

It wasn't until he was nearly dying that she felt the full force of her feelings and how she would feel if he died and left her alone without knowing how she felt for him. "Thorin! Thorin." Gandalf called trying to get the dwarf to answer but he didn't, Bilbo runs up. Gandalf placed his hand on Thorin's face and whispers a spell. Thorin's eyes flutter open and he gasps for air. Gandalf smiles and the Company relaxes, though Ayrn is still upset. 

Thorin looks up at her from his spot with his head on her lap, he speaks weakly. "Ayrn?" his voice dry and sore, sobbing softly she looks at him, her eyes bright with tears, and there in that moment he knows, he worried her and she nearly had a heart attack at his near-death experience. "Ayrn, I'm-" he started but she stopped him by kissing him. The Company cheered and Fili handed his brother 5 gold coins for a bet they placed weeks ago. 

Pulling back she smiled as he was grinning at her, remembering Bilbo, Thorin stood up with Ayrn's help and used her hip to keep himself up. "The halfling?" Thorin asked when he didn't see Bilbo, "It's all right. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe." Gandalf told him, finally seeing Bilbo, Thorin pushed off of Ayrn, but she hovered to keep him upright, "You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin said cruelly.

But his tone changed as he said, "I've never been so wrong in all my life!" Thorin grabs Bilbo and embraces him deeply. The other dwarves cheer loudly and slap each other on the back. Gandalf smiles. Bilbo, looking quite surprised, hugs Thorin back. Pulling away, Thorin apologized "I am sorry I doubted you." Bilbo chuckled and gave a small smile, "No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior...not even a burglar." the Company laughed.

As everyone chuckles, the Eagles fly away, screeching. Thorin looks beyond Bilbo and sees something; he strides forward, and the others follow his gaze. "Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked as he, Ayrn and Thorin walked to the edge of the cliff. In the distance, on the horizon, they see the outline of a single, solitary mountain. "Erebor—The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle­ Earth." "Our home." Thorin finished while wrapping his arm around Ayrn hips.

A bird cheeps and flies by. "A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain." Oin cries as a Thrust flies by, more birdsong is heard. "That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Ayrn tells him while Thorin squeezes her hip saying, "But we'll take it as a sign ­ a good omen." Bilbo standing at Thorin's other side adds in, "You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us." But a feeling washes over Ayrn one that she can't shake, a feeling that says the worst is only just beginning.