I Regret Nothing: The Truth

                                    

                                          
            “Curse that Halfling!” Dwalin bellowed. “Now he’s lost? I thought he was with Dori!” Camellia thought she heard something, but she could see nothing. Taking in a deep breath of air she continued to stare at the spot where the mysterious rustle came from. She could no longer hear what Dwalin was whining about, she was so concerned with finding out what caused that noise. Fili put a hand on her shoulder when she began to walk back toward where they had just come. 
                          
            “What are you doing?”
                          
            “I thought I heard something.” She turned back and re-joined the group. She knew Bilbo was over there. She knew that he hiding somewhere over there, listening in. She turned her head in his direction. “I know you’re over there,” she muttered. “They’re worried about you.”
                          
            “They don’t sound too worried…” Bilbo muttered to himself. 
                          
            “I’ll tell you what happened,” Thorin began. Camellia rolled her eyes. “Master Baggins saw his chance and took it. He’s thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm house since he first stepped out of his door. We will not be seeing our hobbit again. He is long gone.” Camellia opened her mouth to say something, but Fili put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She gave a small pout and held her tongue. A sorrow fell over the group. They had grown quite attached to their burgular. Even Camellia began to feel woeful. ‘If someone had said that about me, I’d turn away too,’ thought she. 
                          
            There was a small rustle in the woods and she was sure Bilbo had left. 
                          
            “No,” came a voice. Their hobbit was standing there. “He isn’t.” Relief. 
                          
            “Bilbo Baggins! I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my life!” Gandalf exclaimed. Bilbo began walking toward the group. 
                          
            “Bilbo! We’ve given you up!” Kili said, surprised. 
                          
            “How on earth did you get past the goblins?” Fili asked. 
                          
            “How indeed.” Camellia skipped the formalities and gathered him in a hug. 
                          
            “I’m so glad you came back,” she whispered in his ear. She let him go and returned to standing next to Fili. Bilbo gave a little laughed and put his hands in his pockets. 
                          
            “Well, what does it matter?” Gandalf asked. “He’s back.” The look on his face was one of knowing, but what exactly did he know? 
                          
            “It matters,” Thorin stated. “I want to know: why did you come back?” Pure curiosity filled his eyes. That was a nice change. Bilbo looked at Thorin. 
                          
            “I know you doubt me. I know you always have.” Bilbo paused. “And you’re right, I often think of Bag End.” He shrugged. “I miss my books. And my arm chair, and my garden. See, that’s where I belong. That’s home.” This was starting to sound like a good-bye speech. “And that’s why I came back, ‘cause,” he looked at the group, “you don’t have one. A home.” The look in Thorin’s eyes changed to one of sadness. “It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back, if I can.” Everyone was surprised and a bit sad. They didn’t like to think about their lack of home, but rather, how they were going to take it back.  
                          
            Their reunion was cut short when a strange noise came from the mountain. Standing where the company escaped from was a pale orc. The Pale Orc. Without much thought, they ran away from the orcs, but they didn’t get far before the wargs had caught up to them. Bilbo’s sword, Sting, impaled one through the eye. Others were able to knock out the ones attacking them. They continued to run until the land had ended. On the very end stood trees. Tall trees. They was their only protection now. They began to climb. Bilbo had removed this stuck sword from the dead warg and ran toward the tree. Bilbo, being much shorter than all of them, had trouble reaching a tree branch. Camellia saw his blight and dangled from her knees and pulled him off the ground, just in time, but she, herself was not quick enough and earned a slash on her left cheek from a warg’s claws. Before long, the plain below was swarming with orcs and wargs. They were cornered. Before long, wargs started climbing the trees. From her vintage point, Camellia was able to shoot a few down off the trees that contained her friends, but she only have so many arrows.