"We thought you were dying." Kili admitted.

"Indeed." Beorn raised an eyebrow at the hobbit though the beginnings of an amused smirk had begun to form on his features. "Well, I am glad that it could be of some use to you, master halfling. Even if you keep strange company, it is unusual for your kind to leave the Shire." he commented curiously.

Bilbo blinked and nodded "Yes...well, they needed my help and I am here to help them..." Serena sighed and siad "I am so sorry everyone...if I had any way of knowing this would happen..." She held her head and said "I will be alright...really, I will be"

"I see," Beorn nodded slowly as his eyes travelled over each of the dwarves for a moment, resting finally on Thorin he said, "well, come and sit. We can talk while you eat, I am sure it has been a while since you ate a proper meal."

Thorin nodded slightly and turned to look across at Beorn as the skinchanger mentioned a meal, taking the lead as the dwarves followed the large man through another door that led to the rest of the skinchanger's house, where there was a long wooden table already laid out with bowls, plates and mugs, as well as plates of food, mainly bread and honey, with a few wheels of cheese as well.

Bane helped Serena up and said quietly "Serena...what did you see..." Serena frowned and said "It wasn't the past I saw...only part of it...but some of it is the future...I just I am wrong this time..." Gandalf sat down and looked at Beorn. "You look like you were expecting company"

"Well, yes." Beorn nodded his head slightly. "When I returned last night the animals told me that you were here. I assumed you would need sustenance before you left."

Bilbo smiled as Serena looked at Beorn. "I should ask for your forgiveness for last night...I may have acted harshly..." Bane chuckled and said "You jumped on a bear and tried to take him down...that's harsh plus a few things" Gandalf looked at Beorn and said "So have you noticed anyone odd lately?"

Beorn raised an eyebrow as he looked across at Gandalf. "If you are referring to the trolls coming down from the mountains into the Wilderlands, or the goblins venturing this far south...or the Orcs that are following you, then yes, I have." his gaze flicked to Thorin as he picked up a large pitcher of milk and began to pour some into each of the mugs in front of the company. "Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

Thorin looked at the large man in surprise. "You know of Azog? How?"

Bane drank from his mug, him and Serena watching Thorin carefully. Bilbo looked over and said "That was the white Orc...we faced before?"

Thorin nodded in answer to Bilbo's question, listening with interest as Beorn began to explain.
"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the North. The Defiler killed most of my family; but some he enslaved," there was anger and almost a snarl in the skinchanger's voice as he recounted the tale, "not for work you understand, but for sport. Caging skinchangers and torturing them seemed to...amuse him."

Bane flinched when Beorn spoke and wrapped his arms around his chest. Serena looked at Bane and said "Bane...its alright..."

"There are others like you?" Kili asked, unable to help himself as his curiosity got the better of him. Thorin remained soberly quiet, suddenly noticing the iron shackle that Beorn still wore around his right wrist.
"Once there were many, but now there is only one." the skinchanger growled.

Serena sighed and said "Well Bane...now we know where the shifting part came from..." Bane nodded and said "It does explain a lot..."

Kili remained silent as he looked down at his plate, not realising that his question could have brought up such terrible memories for the skinchanger. Though Beorn didn't seem to mind too much and quickly continued on as he glanced back at Thorin.
"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn." it would seem Gandalf had already told him of their quest's purpose, or maybe he had known in some other strange way because of his shapechanging magic, Thorin wasn't sure.
"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Thorin confirmed.
"You are running out of time, then." Beorn growled gravely.

Gandalf said "We are running low on time, but we also want to be sure we take the best route to avoid any more delays. Things are moving in ways we could not have foreseen. And things of the darker part of the world are making them selves known." Serena asked "Beorn, how have you remained unseen by everyone nearby?"

"I have kept these lands free of Orcs for many centuries." Beorn growled. "They fear me now, and they rightly should. They will not dare to cross the river for many miles around these lands, they will take the long way around. But you must take care when you leave, they will be waiting for you." he warned them. "The lands around my home are crawling with Orcs now, Azog's servants, no doubt. Their numbers are growing day by day, and you are on foot. You will never reach your destination alive."

Thorin stood from his seat, pacing back and forth while he tried to think. This was old news, they needed to get going. While they sat here exchanging pleasantries with the skinchanger, Durin's Day was inching closer and closer.
"Then can you help us?" he asked Beorn sharply, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice and somewhat failing.

"I don't like dwarves." the skinchanger growled as he moved to pick up a mouse that one of the dwarves had carelessly swatted off their arm in annoyance. "They are greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." there was a pause and for a moment Thorin was concerned that this meant they had overstayed their welcome with Beorn, and his help would extend no further than what they had already gotten. "But Orcs I hate more. I have ponies, that may be of use to you. But I will not have them entering Mirkwood, you must send them back to me when you reach the eaves of the forest."