Homeward Bound Part One: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Fifty

The creature simply stared at her.

Bilba grappled at the fingers around her throat, prying them away enough to gasp out, "What? What do you want?"

It gave no answer. As she studied it through the spots dancing in her vision she found she couldn't tell if it was breathing. For all she knew the thing had turned into a statue right after grabbing her.

Given her luck of late she wouldn't be surprised.

Her feet kicked uselessly over empty space and her lungs burned as she struggled to suck in oxygen. Fear coursed through her as she thought of the two innocent lives she carried.

The Nazgul shifted. Its head turned slightly toward the east as though something had caught its attention.

It turned its gaze back to her and Bilba could almost feel its gaze boring into her through the blackness that stood in place of its face.

It released her.

Her mind went into full denial, unable to comprehend what had happened.

She caught a brief glimpse of the Nazgul turning away, having already dismissed her, and then the edge of the cliff shot past her and she lost sight.

She didn't scream. Her lungs were frozen in her chest. She couldn't catch her breath. She flailed wildly, her body instinctively trying to grab something, anything to stop her fall. Wind caught at her clothing and wrapped around her, the fabric snapping and moving as if it too was frantic to stop its downward fall.

Dull, gray rock rushed by her on one side. Overhead the edge of the cliff grew further and further away. A whimper managed to escape past her teeth, clenched so hard they ached. She squeezed her eyes shut and tensed, preparing for the impact.

Something caught her.

She'd braced for a hard impact with the ground, or to land on those fighting beneath her. Instead massive arms closed around her and pulled her in a tight embrace against a furred chest.

Bilba didn't react, her mind still expecting her body to hit the ground.

There was movement then her position was being adjusted. She panicked and scrabbled for a hold only to find her feet gently touching the ground, arms still held around her in a loose, supporting hold.

Bilba looked up to find the massive form of a bear looming over her, concern obvious in his eyes.

"Beorn," Bilba whispered. Bile suddenly rose in her throat and she dropped down, ducking under his arms and landing on her knees where she began to retch violently.

Beorn dropped to all fours next to her, his body a comforting presence. Bilba's stomach continued to empty itself until she was exhausted. By that time shock had started to settle in and she was shaking and sobbing so hard that her breaths came in short, ragged gasps.

She was picked up again and she immediately curled against Beorn's chest and cried until her throat hurt.

Finally, what seemed an eternity later, her tears ran dry though her body continued to shake with a cold far deeper than what the wind and rain could cause.

She pushed back from Beorn and forced a watery smile. "Thank you," she managed her voice thin and wavery.

Taking stock of their surroundings she noticed they were next to a large outcropping of rock that jutted out and blocked her view of the battlefield. More rock stuck out overhead forming a small cave and providing protection from the rain.

Bilba sniffed, rubbed her arms and stepped forward, only to come up against the bulk of Beorn who'd made no effort to move.

"I have to go back," Bilba said, even though the very thought made her want to start crying again. "Fili's up there and he's hurt. Kili's hurt too. I have to go save them."