Fire Has No Mercy, B1

Chapter 5 : A bit of both

Thraina woke up before everyone, as usual. She looked over to the fire. The coals glowed a dull orange. The dark sky was slowly becoming lighter. The sound of snores and an occasional pony's snort filled her ears.

She stealthily went over to check the ponies. She rubbed each of them down with her hand, obviously doing it more with Rocky.

Thraina sat on a rock, her back against the rough bark of a tree. She pulled out the horse carving and her knife. In the dull light, she worked.

Thraina blew on the carving. The white wood shavings floated across the sky. She turned the finished horse in her hands.

"Wow."

Thraina glanced up. Her eyes met those of Bofur's.

"That's great," he continued.

She smiled, feeling herself blush a little, "Uh, thanks."

She looked out to the horizon. The sky was now a fire orange, the clouds a pastel pink.

"How long have you been up for," Bofur asked.

Thraina chuckled, putting the knife in its case, "Well. Let's put it this way. It was still dark when I got up."

"Bofur. Thraina," Thorin called, catching their attention, "Let's go."

Thraina put the horse in her pocket and stood. As the two made their way over to the ponies, Bilbo sluggishly went to his chestnut.

"Thraina," Ori asked, "Could you show me how to put the saddle on?"

She smiled, "Sure."

The company gathered their saddles. All the Dwarves - except Thorin and Balin - and Bilbo waited at their ponies.

Thraina raised an eyebrow, as she placed the saddle on Rocky, "You seriously can't tell me that none of you know how to do up a saddle."

"I don't," they all replied in unison.

"Then how did you get the saddles on in the first place, hey?"

They went silent.

"They were already on," Kili answered slowly.

She put her hands on her hips and gave him a look, "Don't lie. You're horrible at it. You all are."
She sighed, "Okay. Be honest! Raise your hand if you do not know how to saddle a horse."

Bilbo, Ori, Bifur, Bombur and Bofur raised their hands.

Thraina nodded, "Right. You lot come 'ere." The group did as they were told, "The rest of ya need to stop mucking around."

"Okay," she began, grabbing the stirrup, "Your stirrup needs to go over the saddle so you can see what you're doing."

She went through a detailed method of how to saddle the ponies. The others followed once she had finished. Bilbo needed a little help doing up the girth and getting the luggage on his pony.

Thraina was the last to get on her steed. She gave him a pat on the shoulder before the company was off again.

•••••

Thraina rode at the back of the group. To be honest, she liked this more. That way, she could see that everyone else was okay; plus she didn't like the feeling of others behind her.

Although, her nor Rocky liked riding in the rain. And that was just what the weather decided to do.

Rain.

Rocky's hooves sloshed in the puddles. His white socks now brown from the mud. He shook his head and snorted.

"I know, bub," Thraina sighed, patting the soaking black fur, "Rain sucks."