Shit Beard & The Orcs

Once we'd all been freed Thorin and Gandalf came to the realization that there must be a cave nearby that the Trolls had been using to hide away during the daylight. So off we went to find it.

Once we caught the scent of it, it wasn't hard to find. It had to be one of the most putrid things I'd ever smelled. It was a struggle not to gag.

Gandalf warned us to be careful of what we touch as the Dwarves coughed and gaged at the odor of the cave we were currently descending into.

At seeing the gold and other things laying around the Dwarves let their greed get the best of them and started taking what they could carry.

Thorin had found a rack of swords, swords that looked familiar to me.

"These swords were not made by any Troll." He said as he inspected them.

He handed one to Gandalf.

"Nor were they made by any smith among Men." Gandalf said taking it.

The Wizard unsheathed the sword.

"These were forged in Gondolin, by the High Elves of the First Age. You could not wish for a finer blade."

So the swords were Elven made, that's why they seemed familiar.

Thorin unsheathed the one in his hands and inspected it.

Suddenly Thorin was determined to leave immediately.

He called to the others as he exited the cave.

Gandalf was the last to emerge from the Cave and it seemed he had a gift for me.

"Ashryn."

"Yes Gandalf."

"Here, this is about your size. Elven made too so it only seems fitting you have it. Also it will glow blue when Orcs or Goblins are nearby."

"Thank you Gandalf."

"You're welcome. But remember Ashryn, true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one."

I smiled up at him and nodded before rejoining the group.

"Something's coming!" Thorin shouted getting all of our attention.

All of us were immediately stood with swords at the ready. Then we ran towards whatever Thorin had sensed, ready for a battle.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" Someone yelled as they burst through the bushes.

The, whatever he was, came to a halt in front of us. He was on a sled pulled by rabbits and had what looked to be bird shit in his hair and beard. He was an interesting looking thing to say the least.

"Radagast." Gandalf greeted him. "Radagast the Brown."

That's Radagast?!

We all sheathed our swords.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf asked him.

"I was looking for you Gandalf. Something's wrong! Something's terribly wrong!"

"Yes?"

Radagast inhaled but no words came out. He seemed to be struggling to remember what he wanted to say.

"Just give me a minute. Oh. I had a thought and now I've lost it!" He pouted. "It was right there! On the tip of my tongue! Oh! It's not a thought at all! It's a silly old...stick insect." He claimed as Gandalf plucked the bug from Radagast's tongue.

Am I the only one who finds Shit Beard over here a little...odd?

Gandalf and Radagast went off a little ways to talk, while also staying within our sight while we kept watch.

Radagast spoke of a darkness in a forest. Something about spiders that came from Dol Guldur, where ever that is. From Gandalf's reply I gathered that there is an old fortress there, that's supposed to be abandoned, but according to Radagast it's not. As his voice got quieter I struggled to hear what Radagast was saying, something about summoning spirits of the dead I think. He claims he saw a Necromancer!

I stopped listening after that, feeling a bit creeped out.

Just then there was a howl in the distance. I had a bad feeling.

I was about to ask what had made the noise when I heard growling behind me.

I turned to see a beast, like a giant wolf mixed with a grizzly bear, leap over my head and go straight for Thorin. He stopped it with his sword as another came up behind him. Kili was quick to pull out his bow and fire a bolt into the creatures head.

"Warg scouts." Thorin grunted as he pulled his sword from the neck of the Warg. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?!" Gandalf demanded.

"No one."

"Who did you tell?!"

"No one I swear!" Thorin barked back. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

""You are being hunted."

"We have to get out of here" Dwalin insisted.

"We can't. We have no ponies! They bolted!" Ori said running over with Bifur behind him.

Great! We're fucked! I thought to myself as more growling and howling could be heard in the distance.

"I'll draw them off!" Radagast declared.

Oh great, I feel so much better now!

"These are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you!" Gandalf said shooting him down.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits!" Radagast countered. "I'd like to see them try."

With that Radagast took off on his sled. Gandalf gathered us all and lead us out of the forest and into an open field with giant boulders scattered about. Our only cover.

"Stay close." Kili said looking back at me.

I nodded and wedged myself between him and Fili.

We ran from rock formation to rock formation while Shit Beard lured the herd of Orcs in the opposite direction.

We came to a stop as the Orcs passed in front of us several yards away. We turned and ran in the opposite direction, Gandalf reminding us to stay together.

Soon we skidded to another stop as the Orcs got a little too close for comfort. Radagast was leading them all around the field it was hard to keep up with where it was and wasn't safe to go. Ori didn't seem to notice us all stop, luckily Thorin grabbed him by the collar and hauled him back.

Gandalf urged us to keep going. Thorin was getting suspicious, Gandalf seemed to be leading us somewhere specific.

"Where are you leading us?" He asked.

The Wizard ignored him and kept moving.

The Orcs crossed our path once more and we all dove behind a boulder.

I could hear one above us on top of the giant rock. I held my breath and gripped Kili's hand.

Thorin turned to him and nodded. I let go of Kili's hand and he reached back grabbing an arrow from his quiver.

He jumped out and shot the bolt, hitting the Warg. He fired another hitting the Orc. The Warg made an awful screeching sound as it tumbled off the boulder, attracting the others.

The Orc got up and Thorin went after it with his battle axe. Some of the others jumped in to finish off the Warg.

Now the whole troop was after us.

Gandalf shouted at us to run and we all took off after him.

The further we ran the closer the enemy came. Soon we were surrounded.

"There's more coming!" Kili shouted.

"Kili! Shoot them!" Thorin yelled back.

I held my sword and planted my feet, ready to fight. I just hoped I remembered how.

"We're surrounded!" Fili yelled.

I looked to my left in time to see Kili loose an arrow knocking an Orc off it's Warg.

"Where's Gandalf?" Someone yelled.

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin replied.

"He wouldn't!" I snapped.

I spotted poor Ori with his useless little sling shot, a Warg and Orc pair closing in on him.

Thorin yelled at all of us to hold our ground.

I heard a growl behind me and turned just in time to swing my blade, slashing the throat of the Warg about to pounce on me. It fell, it's rider tumbling to the side. The Orc got to his feet and advanced on me. My blade was stuck in the neck of the Warg. I put my foot down on it and tried to pull my sword free. Suddenly an arrow struck the Orc between the eyes.

I looked behind me to see Kili looking relieved.

I smiled my thanks and managed to free my blade.

"This way you fools!" Gandalf yelled from behind us.

He was poking out from behind a rock which he then retreated into. He must have found a cave.

Thorin yelled at us all to move.

He stood at the entrance as the Dwarves dove in one by one.

I took note of everyone who dove in before me. Gloin, Bofur, Bifur, Oin, Ori, Balin, Dwalin, Fili. I made it to the rock and dove in. Dori, Bombur and Nori followed.

I heard Thorin take out a Warg as I listened to Gandalf count us off.

Where's Kili? I panicked. I scrambled my way back up to the entrance of the cave. Kili was still in the field firing off arrows.

"Kili!" I screamed.

"Kili! Run!" Thorin yelled.

He lowered his bow and ran for the cave. He made it and I grabbed him and shoved him down into the cave, Thorin slid down behind us.

Once we were safely in the cave I hugged Kili, glad he was alright.

He pulled back and looked me over.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I nodded.

I could hear the Wargs and Orcs getting close when a horn blared. The sounds of a battle started up again and a dead Orc came tumbling down into the cave.

Kili pulled me behind him as Gandalf jabbed the Orc with his staff confirming it was dead.

Thorin ripped the arrow out of the Orc, inspecting it.

"Elves."