Out Of The Frying Pan, Into The Fire

Gandalf yelled at us all to run as the Wargs raced down the hillside towards us.

As we ran a Warg dove over my head, skidding to a stop, turning and coming at me. I pulled out my blade and braced myself.

I managed to lodge my blade in it's head and it fell to the ground. All around me the Wargs had caught up to us and started attacking. Everyone was in battle.

As we fought we kept running until we reached the edge of a cliff. There were a few dead trees growing at the cliff's edge and Gandalf ordered us to climb them.

I grabbed my blade and tried to rip it out of the Wargs head but it was stuck. I pulled as hard as I could, placing my foot down on the side of it's face.

As I finally freed the blade I looked around to see everyone had disappeared up the trees and a large pack of Wargs was barreling towards me.

I didn't think twice before bolting towards the nearest tree and climbing up as high as I could.

I watched as the Wargs surrounded us. Then appeared the Pale Orc, Azog, on his white Warg.

Thorin stared at him in disbelief.

"Azog."

Azog started speaking in Black Speech. The only words I understood were names, Thorin and Thrain. He was taunting Thorin.

Azog yelled something else and that was all the Wargs needed. They charged at the trees and began trying to climb them to get to us.

The trees shook as the Wargs slammed their bodies into them over and over again. Luckily that was all they could do, jump and latch on for a moment before returning to the ground, it seemed they couldn't climb.

I felt it coming before it happened. The tree I was in tipped and fell over. Those of us in it were quick to jump to the next one when we were close enough.

Then it was like dominos as more trees fell and soon we were all huddled in the last tree standing on the very edge of the cliff.

Azog just laughed.

Gandolf, quick on his feet, came up with a plan. He grabbed a large pinecone from the tree and lit it with his staff before hucking it at the Wargs below.

The Wargs yelped as fire appeared at their paws and stumbled backwards.

Azog did not look impressed. The Wargs barked and growled, dancing from paw to paw behind the line of fire.

"Fili!" Gandalf called as he tossed him a lit pinecone.

Soon all of us were armed with little fire bombs. We threw them at the Wargs making them retreat further. Azog screamed in anger.

The Dwarves cheered at our accomplishment but it was short lived as the tree we were in started to fall.

Suddenly we were all dangling over the edge.

Ori lost his grip and fell luckily catching onto Dori's legs. Dori struggled to hold on to the branch he was hanging from.

I looked over at Kili and both of us were clinging to the tree for dear life.

"Mr. Gandalf!" Dori cried as he felt himself slipping.

Dori slipped and began falling but Gandalf was quick to throw out his staff for him to grab on to.

This wasn't good. We can't have anyone else fall out of this tree! The drop would surely kill us, we were high enough I could barely make out the ground below.

I heard Azog let out a growl of satisfaction seeing us on the verge of death. I turned to Thorin and he was glaring at the Orc. I could see the wheels in his head turning as he thought about his next move.

Don't do it. I thought to myself as I realized what he was planning.

I watched helplessly as Thorin stood and strode down the trunk of the tree.

The second his feet hit solid ground he charged at the Orc, sword raised, oak shield at the ready. Azog grinned and let out a roar as he kicked his Warg into motion.

The Warg leapt off the rock it was standing on and soared over Thorin, kicking him in the head and knocking him off his feet.

Ori yelled for help as he and Dori slipped further.

Thorin wasn't ready to give up. He stood as the Warg rounded to face him.

Azog swung his arm in a downward arc and slammed his mallet into Thorin's chest sending him to the ground once again.

The Dwarves and I watched in horror.

"No!" Balin cried.

I knew then what I had to do.

"Ashryn, no!" Kili shouted as I rose to my feet.

I looked back at him silently apologizing for what I was about to do, for potentially breaking my promise to him. Then I ran down the trunk of the tree.

Thorin cried out as the Warg bit down on his torso. If I didn't do something Thorin would die. He may hate me but that didn't mean the feeling was mutual. I was ready to do everything in my power to save him, even if it killed me.

"Thorin! No!" Dwalin cried.

His branch snapped as he reached for out for his brother. Luckily he caught one below him.

Azog grinned as the Warg continued to chew on Thorin. But Thorin, too stubborn to die, swung his sword down on the Wargs muzzle. The Warg reeled back and threw Thorin into the air.

Azog said something to another Orc in Black Speech and the Orc dismounted his Warg. He advanced on Thorin. The Orc pressed his blade to Thorin's neck, lining up his next blow.

As he raised his blade I made my move.

"No!" I screamed as I dove at the Orc, using my own body to slam him to the ground.

He threw me off and raised his fist to hit me. I was quick and flipped us raising my blade and plunging it into the Orcs chest. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins and I felt unstoppable in that moment.

The Orc was dead. Thorin was passed out. I jumped to my feet placing myself between Thorin and Azog.

Azog uttered a command to the other Orcs, no doubt ordering them to kill me for saving Thorin.

I stood firm, blade at the ready. As I prepared to fight for my life I heard the Dwarves shouting and suddenly I was no longer alone as the Dwarves attacked full force.

I stood my ground against Azog as the others dealt with the rest of the Orcs and Wargs. The Defiler was determined to have Thorin's head but he'd have to kill me first and I wasn't about to lie down and make things easy for him.

His Warg slammed into me but I held my ground, even as it used it's snout to toss me into the air.

To my left I heard Dori and Ori scream as they fell. I felt my heart clench at the thought of their deaths but I kept my focus on Azog.

Then a new sound echoed through the night. A screeching sound I'd heard once before. Azog looked up to the sky and I did the same seeing he was distracted. Giant birds were soaring towards us.

The birds began plucking Wargs off the ground and dropping them over the edge of the cliff. Some used their wings to fan the flames we'd created into the faces of other Wargs and their riders.

I ducked as a bird swooped down and gently scooped up Thorin's still unconscious body.

I sighed in relief, he was safe.

Azog roared in anger at the loss of his prey.

I screamed and shut my eyes as another bird came out of nowhere, scooped me up and dropped me. I flew through the air and landed on something soft. Only then did I open my eyes. I was on the back of another giant bird.

The other birds each grabbed one or two Dwarves and one caught Gandalf as he jumped out of the tree as it finally fell from the cliff.

I looked around me and began counting. Gandalf, Gloin, Kili, Fili, Bofur, Bifur, Oin, Balin, Thorin, Bombur, Nori, Dwalin, and thankfully Ori and Dori.

I relaxed knowing everyone was safe and accounted for.

Fili yelled for Thorin but he didn't move, didn't wake.

By now the sun was beginning to rise as we soared through the sky.

The birds set us down on the top of a tall rock formation.

Gandalf went straight for Thorin and I followed.

Gandalf placed a hand on Thorin's head and whispered some type of spell or incantation and Thorin's eyes fluttered open.

"The Elfling?" Was the first thing Thorin asked.

I was shocked to say the least.

"It's alright. Ashryn is here. She's quite safe." Gandalf replied.

The Dwarves gathered around their leader while I stood a couple feet away.

I sighed in relief as Thorin was brought to his feet. Whatever Gandalf had done seemed to have healed him enough for now.

"You! What were you doing?!" Thorin snapped at me. "You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden?" He asked as he walked towards me. "That you would not survive in the Wild? That you had no place amongst us?" He paused. "I have never been so wrong in my life."

I stood there stunned as Thorin hugged me, yet I managed to hug him back. I smiled as the Dwarves all cheered.

"I am sorry I doubted you." Thorin apologized.

"Don't be. Let's face it, I don't exactly look the type to be a hero or a warrior."

Thorin and the others all smiled at me.

Then Thorin was staring at something behind me. I turned to see what it might be.

"Is that...?" I asked seeing the lone mountain in the distance.

"Erebor." Gandalf confirmed. "The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great Dwarf kingdoms of Middle Earth."

Thorin spoke proudly.

"Our home."

"A raven!" Oin said. "The birds are returning to the mountain!"

"That my dear Oin, is a Thrush." Gandalf corrected.

"But we'll take it as a sign. A good omen." Thorin said looking down at me.

"Yeah, I think the worst may finally be behind us." I replied with a smile.

Kili came up behind me, putting his arm around my shoulders. I smiled up at him.

Looks like the Dwarves might finally be going home.

***That's it for the first Hobbit movie! The next chapter will continue with the second in the trilogy The Desolation Of Smaug! I am having so much fun writing this story! Thank you for reading this far and I hope you enjoy the rest!***