The Thrush Knocked!

The next morning, the dwarves walked in all directions to kill time. Bilbo and I remained on the "doorstep" and waited for a sign. Bilbo hardly talked that day. I suppose his mind was on other things. I felt as if something were going to happen today. I waited all the live-long day and nothing happened. Well, Bifur and Bombur sent fish to Bilbo and I for dinner that evening. But other than that nothing happened. There were no birds to watch, animals to see, or singing to hear. Soon, the sun sank and the moon started to take its place.

"At least I have the starry sky to look at tonight," I sighed gratefully. But my silent moment was interrupted by a faint "Crack!".

"What on earth was that?!" I asked Bilbo. I walked towards the back wall.

"It's a... thrush?! A big thrush with a snail in its beak," he answered. Then we looked at each other with wide eyes. We ran to the edge of the mountain and hollered down to the dwarves, where they were relaxing under the stars.

"What do you want?!" they yelled back.

"A thrush came and knocked on the wall! Bring the key quickly!" we explained. We watched as they ran up as quickly as they could. The first one to come was Thorin.

"Quickly! Have the key ready, Thorin!" Bilbo exclaimed. We all waited patiently. Well, to be honest, Bilbo and I waited patiently. The dwarves were the most impatient I had ever seen. The thrush made a chirp and then the wall made a loud cracking noise. A slice of rock split and fell out of the wall. Thorin shoved the key in and turned. Snap! It unlocked! The dwarves pushed forward and the door moved inward silently. We looked into the darkness and saw more darkness. The dwarves debated whether "someone" should go in and check it out. Of course, they were referring to Bilbo. And Bilbo caught on quite quickly. Thorin decided it was time for "our esteemed, Mister Baggins" to go into the mountain and spy on the dragon. Obviously, he said this in his "royal we" talk, as I referred to it. Using his fancy schmancy terms and words to sound official and important. Bilbo did not let him lead on and on and drive us to sleep. He interrupted and said he would go in and have a look 'round.

"Would anyone like to come with me?" he asked politely. You and I both know that he would not get very many volunteers. And you and I also know that I promised Bilbo I would stick by him. And that is precisely what I did.

"I'll go with you, Bilbo," I said. Balin also came in with us. He had taken a liking to Bilbo and I and he was rather interested in our little lives. Bilbo agreed and led the way into the dark passage. Balin stopped at the faintest light of the doorway and told us to mind our words and sounds. So the two of us walked down, alone and in the dark.