Alright everyone, here is a new story. My other one is on hold because I ran out of gas. hopefully I get motivated again to do another chapter cause I do love it. In any case, I hope you all enjoy this one. FYI, I may change the timeline and events just a little.

Fire and Peace

Chapter 1 Save One

Ildri sat on her mare at the border of Beorn's land, hidden in the trees. Having come from Rivendell, she needed some peace not involving questions. All the shifter would require is a story and chores done around his land, tasks easy to be done. A cold breeze ruffled her clothing and hair, causing her curls to bounce around her face until the air died down. Pushing the copper colored locks out of her eyes, she looked around the terrain for the presence of anyone other than herself and Beorn in his Hall. There was still a light dusting of snow on the ground from the night before, signaling the coming of winter. With another glance around, she deemed it safe and the mare was nudged into a trot down the slight slope of the hill towards the inner gates holding the lodgings she was seeking.

As she neared, the large wild horses Beorn kept gathered around her and set pace with her horse as a safety escort. This was a tradition that started decades ago when she first made a reappearance to Beorn after leading him from the mountains after his escape from Azog's dungeons. As she slowed down the mare, the enormous gate was thrown open and the large shifter stood in the entryway with crossed arms. The other animals must have warned him to come greet her. Although it had been many years since she had been here last, all the animals under his care knew her. Pulling the reins to halt her horse in front of Beorn.

"It has been some time since you were here last."

His deep voice rumbled and she dismounted, turning to look up at him. "One would assume you are disappointed. Or lonely."

"Is there a reason for your visit?"

"Peace and quiet."

Beorn stared down at her with his grey eyes. "I'm unsure of long you will get your wish."

"What do you mean?"

"War is coming, Istarw, no one will be excluded from what is going to happen."

Her brow pinched at his words. Gandalf hadn't sent her a message about a war on the horizon, and she assumed greatly he would. "May I stay here for a while?"

"Yes. You will tell me what you have been doing these past 22 years over lunch."

"I doubt it will be interesting." Ildri led the mare into the walls of her new sanctuary and removed the reins, baggage, and staff from the tired horse before patting her on the neck. She watched Nell clopped over to the water trough before entering the Hall with Beorn.

For the next two hours, she spoke of her travels around middle earth and the majority years spent with the Dúnedain learning their history and tracking techniques. The time had passed in a blink of an eye for her, the years not aging her in the slightest. Beorn refilled her cup and the two sat in silence in the moments after she finished telling her tale.

"Did you find the answers you were looking for?"

Ildri peered up at the great man sitting across from her. "How do you know I sought answers?"

"I believe it is the reason you wander Middle Earth, to find what you are missing. Did you find anything?"

She regarded him solemnly with her ice blue eyes. "No."

"I believe you will; one day. Someone holds the key to the information you seek, perhaps you haven't looked in the area yet." Beorn stood from his seat and picked up his cup, "You know where you may sleep. I will see you in the morning."

Remaining in her seat, she watched him exit the house into the setting sun before he shut the door. Ildri had no fear of the Bear Man, even in his changed state she knew no harm would come to her. This didn't stop her from bolting the door as she had done the last time she was here; as commanded by Beorn the first time she had stayed in his home after he had built it.

Looking around the hall, she saw all the animals had already wandered back outside previously or were in various stages of sleep. Since nothing could be done until tomorrow, Ildri picked up one of her bags and made her way to the same loft she had slept in before. It was located at one end of the hall with a ladder to lead up to the high eaves of the building. She had no idea why he had built the space, considering nothing occupied the loft other than a chest holding some blankets, pillows, and a spare outfit she traded out whenever she dropped by for a visit. Sitting down on the edge with her legs dangling in the air, she could see the entire hall from her vantage point. Just the way she liked.

Her staff lay behind her away from the ledge with the bag she carried up the ladder. What Beorn had said before had to hold some truth, there had to be some record somewhere with the answers she needed and the elves were no help whatsoever. Ildri wasn't sure if Lord Elrond was purposefully keeping her in the dark or if he didn't have the records she needed when she started her search decades ago. Either way, she looked behind at her bag, there was nothing to stop her from researching. Rolling away from the edge and to where her bag innocently sat, Ildri sat up and cupped her hands in front of her mouth. Drawing in a deep breath, she blew hot air into her cupped hands until a flame formed; hovering in the air as she flattened her palms. She waited another moment before taking her hands away and leaving the flame to dance around in midair. Opening the leather sack, she pulled forth a roll of parchments which she spread on the ground. Spread before her under the flickering light were maps, linage charts, personal accounts, and random scribblings from all corners of Middle Earth. There had to be a clue in these papers of where she should go next.

The next day, mid afternoon, Ildri and Beorn were in the garden tending to weeds and pulling vegetables from the ground when they both felt the ground shake. It was so sudden and swift the two barely recognized it happened, but soon after they heard shouts of someone and Beorn looked up to the sky to see the great eagles descending. The source of the shouts appeared in the form of Radagast on the back of his sled being pulled by his rabbits. The sled swerved to a stop not far from the garden gate and the eagles landed behind him.

"Bear Shifter! Come, we must be swift… oh, hello My Lady. Why are you here?"

Ildri stood behind Beorn uncomfortable at the attention given to her by the wizard and now the Shifter. "I arrived last night to spend some time here. What is wrong?" Her question seemed to fluster Radagast as he spluttered, mumbling noncoherent words she assumed wasn't directed at her.

"Haven't you spoke with Gandalf?"

"Not in a few years."

"We will need you. Come along, quickly." The frantic wizard gestured to the Eagles waiting behind him.

Beorn spoke this time. "What are you asking of us?"

"The mountain, Shifter, the mountain everyone is fighting for right now! We need to go, climb up on the Eagles." Radagast did as he was telling them and hopped astride a giant Eagle with more grace than one would've guess from him.

Ildri and Beorn looked at one another. She wondered why both were needed for a fight over a dwarf kingdom. "Why?"

"Azog has led an army against the mountain…"

Beorn barely stayed passed hearing the Orc's name, not that she blamed him. He had been wanted revenge against the beast who had imprisoned himself and his people. Still though, she saw no reason why she should have to join in the battle herself. But apparently her fate was decided for her since Beorn returned with her bag and staff, thrusting both onto her as he walked passed and straddled an Eagle himself. Whatever his reason for not wanting her to stay in his home alone and join them, she gave up, threw her bag across her back and fastened her cloak around her shoulders. At that movement, the Eagles launched themselves into the sky except for one who walked over to her and craned its neck down for her to climb on.

As soon as Ildri touched its feathers, she knew this was the Lord of the Eagles, Gwaihir, the Windlord she had met when she was young and taught her control over the wind. The same Eagle who Gandalf saved from an arrow; making sense why the Great Eagles were joining in on the battle. She jumped and landed gracefully on his neck just in front of his wings. Grasping her staff, she braced herself as she felt Gwaihir's muscles flex as he launched into the sky.

Below them, the ground flew by and Ildri relished in the feeling of flight as she used to many, many years ago. The wind whipped her hair around her and tugged the length of her cloak behind her. A smile graced her lips at the small joy. She saw Beorn and Radagast looking intently forward at the horizon where she could make out the Lonely Mountain. It was a place she hadn't seen since its founding almost 900 years ago. With a sigh, she laid her head on Gwaihir neck and took a deep breath; falling into her trance that allowed her to speak to him.

"How are you, Daughter of Valië? How is your hunt?"

The same name as he always called her, without ever giving her a reason. "I am as well as one could be, My Lord. My search remains unchanged much, I have found nothing in the years since I have seen you."

"Sometimes, circumstances are meant to be left along. Perhaps yours is one that is meant to be lost to time."

"I am not willing to accept that yet."

Neither spoke for a time until Ildri's curiosity got the better of her. "Is it because of Gandalf you decide to help the dwarves?"

"Perhaps. But there was another reason."

"What reason?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

"I have a message from Manwë to give to you."

"Which is…"

"We have never directly interfered with the affairs of the people in Middle Earth, acting only as messengers and spies; sometimes we help if it comes down to the last possibility. However, the Valar wish for you to save someone."

"Who?"

"A descendent of Durin, one with dark hair. He appears different from the dwarves you have met in the past."

"What if I don't want to be involved?"

"You are involved now, Daughter of Valië. It is a command from those who oversee the Maiar."

She had heard that word before, it was what wizards were called before when they were first sent to Middle Earth and when they took on different forms. "All I have to do is save him?"

"Yes. If you desire to do more, it is up to you."

Ildri doubted it, she held no love for the stone mountain and little for dwarves. Granted she hadn't spent much time around them in centuries, but her views on them hadn't changed in that time. Looking down again, she noticed they were over a lake and turn her attention to the horizon again. She could see Dale and Erebor a lot clearer, along with Ravenhill; or what was left of it. As they got closer, she could hear screams, war cries, and drums far below her on the blood cover hills. All the Eagles tilted to the right and swerved towards Ravenhill where she saw an army of Orcs cresting the mountain and fights taking place all over the frozen ruins.

"Where am I supposed to save this dwarf?" Ildri asked aloud, scanning the bodies. Gwaihir veered away from the others as they dove towards the army with Beorn and Radagast, taking her to one of the high points of the mountain where she saw an Orc fighting with an Elf and Dwarf. An unusual combination. The Windlord didn't speak to her again, he took a sharp turn around to the three again and she slid off his neck. It was a move he had taught he when she first rode on his back.

As she dropped, she gathered the wind around her to help guide her to the Orc. She lifted her staff high and as she descended upon the Orc, he threw the elf to the side and was about to pierce the heart of the dwarf. The head of her staff slammed down on his head, making him drop the dwarf and stagger backwards. Ildri tumbled to the side and onto her feet near the Elf who was watching her. The Dwarf picked up his sword and once again attacked the Orc. A bit of an unfair fight in her opinion and quickly changed as the She-Elf rejoined the fight. Standing to the side, she watched as they pushed him over the ledge and onto the ruins below. Both collapsed and looked at each other before turning their eyes to her.

"Thank you."

It was the Elf that spoke but Ildri didn't look to either of them, but instead was looking down at the frozen waterfall. "Are you the only Durin?"

Kili blinked a few times at the question asked. "No…"

"Who else is there?"

"My Uncle is the only other one left, Fili…"

"Is that him on the ice?" She interrupted him.

He looked over the ledge and in the same direction she was watching. Sure enough it was Thorin, and he was fighting an Orc who looked like "Azog!" The Orc had Thorin trapped against the ice, seconds away from thrusting his crude sword into his chest.

"Dammit."

At the curse, Kili and Tauriel watched as the wind whirled around her and swept her away to ice. Kili scrambled up, pulled Tauriel's hand and together they ran down the stairs of Ravenhill to his Uncle.

As soon as her feet hit the ice, Ildri saw the dwarf pull his sword away and allowing the Orc to stab him cleaning. With a frustrated growl, she spoke the words of fire and flames gathered in her up and up the staff which she pointed at the creature named Azog by the other dwarf. With all the intent to burn it to ash, the flames hit Azog square in the chest and circled around him. She walked closer, leaning down and grabbing the collar of the injured dwarf, dragging him away while she continued to burn the Orc. Letting go of the collar, Ildri refocused her attention on finishing the deed. The screamed finally stopped and she in turn stopped the flames, extinguishing them in the air. Turning around to look at the fallen dwarf, she also saw a little hobbit running over to them. To say she was confused was an understatement, hobbits were homey folk who didn't do adventure. But she watched as the hobbit fell to his knees next to the dwarf and his hands fluttering over the wound.

"No. No, no, no, no. Thorin," the hobbit looked up at her. "Please, save him."

The beg struck a chord, but she wasn't sure if she could do what the hobbit asked. Kneeling at the other side of Thorin, if she heard correctly, Ildri laid her staff on the ice and her hands over the wound. She didn't have the same gifts as Gandalf and therefore couldn't heal as he did, but maybe she could help until he could receive further attention.

"This is going to hurt." She announced to the hobbit and dwarf as the other two she had saved previously came up behind her. Ildri focused on the gushing lesion, her hands forming a dome, and breathed in deeply to center a small flame to cauterize and clean the wound. A scream burst from the dwarf and his chest arched. It was over quickly and she laid her right hand over the ice, pulling water from it and leading the liquid to the small, smoking hole in Thorin's chest. Part of the cold water was used to rinse out the injury and the other half she froze into the hole to keep any more bleeding at bay. The dwarf groaned and she moved away and stood.

"Thorin!"

Ildri turned to see a group of dwarves running their way. Behind them she saw Gandalf. Picking up her staff, she evaded the dwarves and walked over to the other wizard. "Did you forget to tell me something?"

Gandalf smiled at the female wizard he had given instruction to centuries ago. "I didn't think you would want to be involved, my dear."

"I didn't, it was forced upon me earlier." She watched his eyes crinkle at the corners and then look behind her.

"I believe someone wants to thank you."

"I don't care." However, unable to stare Gandalf down as he was doing to her, Ildri turned around. And then looked down slightly to see the first dwarf she saved. His expression made several rapid changes, only a few she could catch that looked like disbelief, thankfulness, and confusion. Then watched as he turned to the She-Elf standing behind him looking at her also, albeit curiously. "Yes?" Something was tickling at the back of her mind upon taking a closer look at the two. Perhaps she had met them before?

"Kili, Son of Dis." The introduction was blurted out loudly, making more than one of the other dwarves look to him strangely. "I-I want to thank you for saving our lives."

"I was told to."

Kili blinked up at her abruptness before giving a brilliant smile. "Still if it hadn't been for you, Thorin and I would've…Fili." All happiness fell from his face as he turned back to the ruins and ran.

Ildri glanced over at Gandalf, "Did I miss something?"

"More than enough. Help us down the mountain and you and I will catch up while we rest." When she opened her mouth to argue, Gandalf held up a hand. "I'm insisting. You can wait another day before disappearing back into the wild."

With a sigh, Ildri nodded and waited for instruction.

Hopefully this wont take forever to update like the other one. Please, review and let me know what you think about the first chapter.