Bilbo hastily dressed in warm clothes and stepped out of Bag End.
The cobblestone path beyond his garden gate was crowded with ponies, their saddles occupied by the dwarves.
Hobbiton was exceptionally quiet at this hour. Over ninety percent of the hobbits were still fast asleep in their beds.
When they finally opened their eyes around nine o'clock and enjoyed their hearty breakfast, only then would a hobbit's day truly begin.
The remaining ten percent consisted of lantern-bearing patrol guards and one poor soul who had been rudely awakened by dwarves.
Concerned about disturbing the sleeping hobbits with their voices, the dwarves spoke in hushed tones among themselves.
"I really think we could eat breakfast before leaving," Bilbo said to Thorin, who sat mounted on his pony, lost in thought.
He noticed that Thorin wore something around his neck that hadn't been there the night before: an aged, black iron key roughly the size of his palm.
The night before, after the dwarves had retired, Gandalf had sought out Thorin privately to give him the key to the Lonely Mountain's side door, along with news about Thorin's father.
Clearly, Gandalf had brought no good tidings, for Thorin's mood this morning was somewhat subdued.
Noticing Bilbo's gaze, Thorin tucked the key inside his collar and replied, "We must depart quickly, and I think you should start adapting now. This is not a journey. It's an expedition, Master Burglar."
He then looked toward Fili and Kili. "Get our hobbit a pony."
"No, no, that's not necessary. I still need to lock my door. Thank you, but I can certainly keep up on foot. I've always enjoyed walking, actually. I once walked all the way to Frogmorton on my own legs..."
Bilbo tried to refuse, believing he could keep pace with Thorin and the others on foot.
The truth was he had never ridden a horse before and didn't want to embarrass himself in front of everyone.
But Fili and Kili each grabbed one of his shoulders and simply lifted him up.
As Bilbo cried out in panic, they placed him on a pony's saddle.
Bofur had just finished securing all of Bilbo's luggage to the young mare.
Fili patted Bilbo's shoulder with a smile. "Relax, she's a good girl. She won't throw you to the ground."
Kili added from the other side, "As long as you don't hurt her. Watch those reins in your hands and don't pull too hard."
Tarnes rode over on Torrent. Even with Bilbo mounted on his pony, Torrent still towered half a body length above them.
The wise spirit horse snorted at Bilbo, clearly remembering the hobbit and the sweet apple he'd been fed last time.
"Oh, Tarnes. Good... good morning?" Bilbo's voice trembled slightly, having never ridden before.
Tarnes smiled. "Good morning, my dear Bilbo. You don't need to be nervous. Relax your body. If you stay tense like that, you'll quickly feel sore in your hips. Trust your horse. If all else fails, you can always bribe her with another apple."
Feeling the unsteady rocking motion beneath him, Bilbo said, "I'd love to use an apple, but I left in such a hurry that I haven't even locked my door! Yes, I still haven't locked my door!"
Bofur rode past just then, tossing over a set of keys that Bilbo caught—his own house keys.
"How did you get my house keys?" Bilbo asked.
"Found them on your bedside table this morning, before I woke you," Bofur replied matter-of-factly. "Don't worry, Master Burglar. I checked your door carefully and locked it properly for you."
He then rode off on his pony, humming a tune.
Bilbo wanted to say something but raised his hand only to immediately remember he was on horseback. He lowered it and gripped the reins tightly.
Finally, he complained to Tarnes, "I think he'd make a better burglar than me. Sometimes I really don't understand what dwarves are thinking."
Tarnes nodded in agreement. "Indeed, but once you get used to how these dwarves operate, I think you'll come to love them."
"Me? Love these dwarves? That's not a very funny joke," Bilbo said, surprised.
He took one last look at Bag End gradually receding behind them and sighed. "But regardless, the journey has begun."
"Yes, Bilbo. The world lies ahead, home behind. A hobbit's legendary journey has just begun in haste," Gandalf said cheerfully as he rode up on his white horse.
Bilbo gave the wizard, who seemed to constantly speak in grand proclamations, an awkward but polite smile, then suddenly sneezed.
"What's wrong, Bilbo?" Tarnes asked with concern. "Are you feeling cold? I have some warming trinkets you could borrow."
Bilbo's nose seemed to be running as he rummaged through his pockets. "No, it's the horse hair... I need to find my handkerchief."
But Bilbo couldn't find his handkerchief in his pockets.
Oh no, did I leave it at home?
Bilbo's eyes widened as he turned around sharply, about to shout for the company to stop so he could return home for his handkerchief.
Bofur slowed his pace just then, bringing him alongside Bilbo.
Seeing Bilbo's actions, he wore an expression of 'I knew it' and said, "I put your handkerchief in the right saddlebag. I saw it fall from your pocket to the floor when I was locking your door."
Bilbo looked at Bofur while feeling around in the saddlebag he'd mentioned, indeed finding a soft, clean handkerchief that smelled pleasantly fresh.
"Oh, uh, thank you," Bilbo nodded.
Bofur nodded back. "You're welcome."
He then rode back to his brothers Bifur and Bombur, cheerfully humming as before.
As a side note, because Bombur weighed far more than a normal dwarf, the dwarven ponies couldn't support him. So he rode a full-sized horse, sharing it with his brother Bifur.
"That should resolve everything, shouldn't it?" Tarnes asked.
Bilbo pursed his lips. "Honestly, there are still issues. I got up so early I haven't had breakfast, and my stomach is growling. Not only that, I'm not wearing my hat, and I didn't have time to bring my purse. I'm completely penniless, without a single coin."
Gandalf rode over cheerfully, somehow holding multiple hats in his hands. "There are many types of hats here, my dear Bilbo. Which would you like to choose?"
"Where did you get so many hats, Gandalf?" Bilbo asked in amazement.
"Such matters are mere tricks for a wizard, Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf's hand flickered, and he produced Bilbo's favorite light brown flat cap, offering it over.
Bilbo took it and put it on, then asked, "The hat problem is solved. I assume you don't need me to pay for anything regarding money... so how do we solve the breakfast problem? I should mention that we hobbits only stop feeling hungry after we've had two breakfasts."
Millicent rode up on a regular horse just then, unconsciously asking after hearing this, "Why does it take two meals to stop feeling hungry?"
Bilbo smiled. "Because by the time the second one ends, it's nearly noon, almost time for lunch."
Millicent was surprised by the hobbit's appetite and looked at Tarnes, who merely shrugged.
At the front, Thorin rode his pony down the sloping path.
Following close behind were his two nephews, Fili and Kili, then Balin and Dwalin.
After them came Oin and Gloin, distant relatives of Balin and Dwalin.
Next were Dori, Nori, and Ori. Though they seemed unremarkable, they were actually royal family members of Durin's line, albeit not direct descendants.
At the rear were Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, whose status was less noble than their companions. They were simply descendants of the Khazad-dûm dwarves.
After them came Tarnes and Bilbo's group.
Gandalf rode his white horse behind Bofur, with Bilbo's pony walking beside Gandalf and Torrent on the right.
Gandalf and Tarnes had wordlessly positioned Bilbo in the center for protection.
Finally came the group of Bernahl, Millicent, and Igon.
Bernahl deliberately stayed at the rear, responsible for the company's tail security.
His greatsword was drawn from its sheath, the blade resting on his shoulder pauldron as he rode.
With so many members, the expedition formed a very long column, drawing attention from the few early-rising hobbits.
"I say, Mr. Bilbo, where are you headed?" a hobbit standing roadside called out loudly upon seeing Bilbo.
Bilbo returned a smile and said proudly, "Me? I'm going on an adventure!"
"Adventure? Oh... you must be mad, poor Bilbo." The hobbit chewed over the word, immediately understanding its meaning and instantly losing interest in the company.
He shook his head and prepared to return to his orchard to select vegetables and fruit for breakfast, then sit by his door smoking his pipe for the entire day.
That's what a proper hobbit should do.
Bilbo felt somewhat deflated, having expected to receive blessings from others.
But he quickly cast the hobbit's words aside and began to look forward to what lay ahead.
"Grumble..."
But his stomach's growling reminded Bilbo what he should be looking forward to most: when they would start today's breakfast.
After the expedition left Hobbiton, passing a pond and meadow, an hour later Bilbo finally couldn't help but shout the question loudly.
Thorin at the front heard Bilbo's call, stopped his pony, and turned back. "We must reach the Old Forest tonight, so there's no time to let you stop and leisurely build a fire to cook, Master Burglar."
Bilbo frowned and shouted back, "But people have to eat! I'm already hungry! Aren't you hungry at all?"
He looked at Tarnes. "Tarnes, don't you think we should have breakfast?"
Tarnes blinked. He truly hadn't felt hungry yet, but didn't want to refuse Bilbo, so he could only blink.
Then Bilbo looked at Gandalf. "Aren't you hungry either, Gandalf?"
"Well, ho ho ho ho... this Shire tobacco is really excellent." Gandalf naturally wasn't hungry either and could only deflect by puffing on his pipe.
Just as Bilbo was about to continue questioning, Bombur's stomach suddenly rumbled loudly.
Then the sound spread like contagion: from Bofur to Bifur, then to Gloin, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili. One by one, every dwarf's stomach made the same sound.
"Grumble..."
Even Thorin's did the same.
Bilbo looked smug, raising his eyebrows at Thorin, forcing the dwarf leader to look away.
"Twenty minutes," Thorin said gruffly. "Settle breakfast quickly."
The expedition thus came to a temporary halt. The dwarves had actually wanted breakfast long ago but hadn't dared suggest it due to Thorin's authority.
Bilbo was the most industrious, being truly famished.
He retrieved a frying pan and tinderbox from his luggage, then skillfully built a fire pit with small stones from the earth.
The dwarves gathered dry grass and branches to place inside, and Bilbo lit the fire.
He then wore a solemn expression as he placed a small piece of butter in the pan to coat it, then added sausages and bacon.
The dwarves suddenly found their dry, cold provisions tasteless, their eyes fixed entirely on Bilbo's frying pan.
As Bilbo shook the pan to prevent the food from burning, he asked, "I didn't hear clearly earlier. Where are we spending the night tonight?"
Thorin silently put his provisions back in his pack, looked up at Bilbo, and said slowly, "The Old Forest."
Bilbo nodded with a smile. "Good, the Old Forest... the Old Forest?"
His smile stiffened, and the pan in his hands stopped moving.
Bombur, eyeing the piece of bacon that was beginning to smell delicious, said, "What's wrong, Bilbo? That bacon is about to burn."
Bilbo then let out a mouse-like shriek: "What! We're spending the night in the Old Forest? No, no, no, that won't do. Absolutely not!"
Thorin frowned and asked seriously, "Why? What's your reason?"
"Because the Old Forest is mysterious and dangerous!" Bilbo declared loudly, while not forgetting to give the bacon to Bombur. "Everyone in Hobbiton says so: the trees in the Old Forest will eat you while you sleep!"
At that moment, Bombur put the bacon in his mouth, grease coating his lips.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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