"A fox is a wolf who sends flowers."

-Ruth Brown

Chapter 1: A Meeting of Friends

The hazy outline of the village of Bree all but disappeared in a swirl of screaming silver as the blizzard outside raged on.

Those who did not have a steady roof and a warm hearth to take refuge in found their way to the poorly lit Prancing Pony where the oak doors rattled in its hinges, the ambiance was murky with the smoke of pipe weed and, the smell of stale ale hung in the air.

It was in this desolate inn, at a small table at the far end of the room near the fire, the hooded figure Gandalf had been searching for sat alone.

The tall man lumbered over, watching with critical eyes as the cloaked woman rubbed her gloved thumbs over the rim of her tankard; the diamond piercing in her nose twinkling in the dim orange glow of the pub.

"Gandalf." she greeted around upturned lips, her husky voice friendly yet, the wizard noticed her amber eyes burned with a fire too hot to be wholly amicable.

Ignoring the bit of snow that was still latched onto his person, Gandalf, with a small flourish of his long hat, took a seat on the bench opposite of the young woman and set down his own pint in front of hers.

"Hello, Fox." Gandalf greeted, resting his elbows on the unfinished wood of the table.

"I see you have been caught in the storm as well." She surmised pulling her hood off her head and, allowing a few unruly curls to drop onto caramel cheeks.

"I am not caught in anything my dear; this horrid weather may steal the warmth from my bones but, it does not take my ability to make decisions. I am exactly where I am meant to be." the old man reasoned and he relished in the way that, at least for an instant, all the suspicion that remained in the little fox across the table seemed to flee at his words. All the sharp edges and hard lines melted off her appearance, until all that was left was a genuine smile and rounded face; making her look as young as he knew, she truly was.

"Oh, and where exactly is that supposed to be?"

"With a friend and a pint." Gandalf confided, lifting his jug in a toast before taking a hardy swing

through his snow-colored beard.

Fox tipped her own drink in his direction at that before, taking a more delicate sip from her own tankard.

Once she had drunk, the appearance of ease shifted once again into an edged expression that made Gandalf stomach twist. "And why is it exactly that you traveled through such a storm to see little old me" She inquired through bared fangs, nimble fingers curling into claws around her drink.

"Caution child," Gandalf warned gravely as he straightened his back and allowed the ghost of the ancient magic that haunted him to seep through his words and surround the table. "I am not your prey nor am I your enemy. This is a meeting of friends Fox."

The small woman simmered down at the obvious threat of the Wizard; the way her title was said served as a reminder that she had not always been The Fox and, that Gandalf was well aware.

"I mean you no harm Gandalf, you know this. We have simply been friends long enough for me to know when you appear out of the blue it is because something is wrong or something will be wrong. You cannot fault me for being suspicious." she explained hands raised in a sign of peace. "Sorry."

Despite her words, there was no apology in her manner; quite the opposite, even in the humble position her eyes danced in delight, entire demeanor mocking.

Gandalf chose to pay this no mind as he has known for years now that the Fox reveled in mayhem and riling up those around her.

"This is a manner of utmost importance, focus trickster! This is no time for foxy games." the wanderer leaned forward, bowing his head and hunching his thin, aged shoulders. "Is it safe?"

Fox immediately sobered, nodding in confirmation, choosing not to offer any other proof or assurance.

This did not matter to Gandalf for he trusted both her and the stone.

As a child, Fox found the stone and had kept it with her throughout the years, becoming guardian to the great power long before knowledge of what the stone was capable of came to light. Once what could be done with a power such as the stones was known, she had accepted the burden of keeping it away from the hands of those who would use it against the Free People of Middle Earth.

Though, the Wizard had an inkling this weight was not quite a burden on the keeper of the itinerantur. These magical artifacts, the most famous being the rings of power, did indeed have a habit of coercing their bearers into giving their allegiance readily and without restraint. He believed the hold of the opal stone on the Easterly across the table, was now stronger than even the most sacred bond between souls. The role of keeper could not-would not be- given up willingly by the Fox.

This was not the only ability the stone possessed, the full extent of these abilities were unknown even to likes of Gandalf. While, it was well known amongst the Protectors of Middle Earth that relics of ancient magic tend to have the habit of altering their bearers- not changing who they were, per say, only making them much more themselves than they had been before- it became clear that the itinerantur worked differently than the evil rings of legend. While the rings of power, for example, brought out the worst in their holder, the itinerantur stone revealed the bearers fea celva- their spirit animal.

Gandalf considered it good luck, and the will of the Valar, that the itinerantur was found by a fox. A creature as playful and cunning in nature as it was capable, and protective, as opposed to a snake.

More importantly, he considered it incredibly lucky the stone was found by the child that would grow to become the woman in front of him. For, despite her faults, she was morally sound, selfless and fiercely loyal.

"That's very good. Very good indeed" Gandalf muttered, leaving his thoughts of magical relics behind momentarily. "It is beginning… he is stirring."

At those words, his companion snapped her teeth in horror, body tensed and, spine curved in a way Gandalf knew was not entirely human.

"It will be many years until he fully rises again; but, I fear the day will come." Gandalf continued, face taut with worry.

"If you have come for a lesson on the inner workings of the stone, Gandalf you know I cannot give you that. Even if I did find out more, I would not -could not- speak of it. You told me that yourself. I watch over it, not yield it. I am never to yield it."

'Yes,' Gandalf thought, 'very lucky indeed.'

"I understand that young Fox, more than even you do; and yet, I find myself here." Gandalf reached for his pipe under his robe, and lit it with a tiny flame from his own fingertips; illuminating his burdened face and unveiling the turbulence hidden in his clouded eyes. "It is peculiar, how the heart can overcome the mind, is it not."

The Fox had no response to this and there was a long pause as Gandalf inhaled the old Toby, enjoying the burn in his lungs for a moment before, releasing it into the air above him; creating a halo of smoke the same color of his robes.

"So, what is it you're planning then Gandalf?" She interjected, breaking his moment of thought with her impatience.

"How do you feel about slaying a Dragon, my dear?"

The cloaked woman blinked once, then twice before finally seeming to register what it is Gandalf was asking and the Wizard watched as the gleam of blood lust began to form in her eyes, a gleam made even more prominent and devilish by the thin, inky line of Easterly war paint drawn around them.

In response, she sent him a sharp flash of white teeth, in a smile as blistering as the dying embers of the fire behind them and as ferocious as the blizzard raging on outside.

"Oh, I feel very strongly about it."

"Well then, you and I little guardian, have much work to do… and it begins in The Shire."

A/N: This is the re-written version of a story I started about a year ago. I hope you guys enjoy and I'm sorry to the people who had already read the other one, but I just couldn't go anywhere with it with the way it was heading.

Please expect an update every Friday night! I'm already more than half way done with the story at this point.

Enjoy!