A band of eight dwarves (or is it dwarfs?)  fleeing from the destruction of Smaug had to to stop for a time because one of the refugees was in labor.  This was poor timing, because wild-man bandits had frequently preyed on any dwarves they could find.  They were near a manor, but had been warned not to seek shelter there for the owner was a wild man who would be more likely to kill them than help them.  Eace, the dwarf in labor, stuffed a large stick in her mouth to keep from crying out and attracting bandits.  But what came was worse.  The small group spotted red Warg eyes circling the camp in the dark, just outside the firelight.  The wargs began to harry them; one would charge the camp; then one from the opposite side.  

By midnight, the exhausted dwarves were ready to drop.  At that time, Eace gave birth and succumbed to exhaustion.  The thin cries of the newborn babe invited the wargs to launch an all out attack; but then, a huge figure strode into the firelight and roared at the gathered dire wolves like a bear.  The evil red eyes hesitated, then slunk away.  

Their rescuer, whose name was Beorn, let the dwarves spend the night in his stable,  but he insisted that they leave at dawn.  But, he gave them food and drink, milk for the babe, and reverently buried the dead mother.  He even loaned them horses to help them reach safety and a nursing mare.  The babe was probably the only dwarf to be fed on horse milk.  The dwarves joke that that is why he is more fond of travel and horses than the average dwarf.  The youngling was named Gurdborbeorn; Gurd after his father, Bor after his uncle who had stood to defend him with his brother, and his savior Beorn.  

Gurd was raised in the White Mountains with his uncle and father.  When he was of age, he was fostered to the newly crowned King Under the Mountain, Dain II Ironfoot.  He never met or even saw the king, but is one of the king's household, which numbers in the hundreds.  He was chosen to be a town crier in Erebor and, when it was requied, a messenger and courier for the court.  While he travels around, he is always eager to deviate from his path for adventure.