Run It Back Again (Part 1)

Chapter 11

"Good."  I heaved a sigh of relief as he set to work binding my arm.  Skyrena and Thorin both looked upset, but Fili and Kili looked ready to murder someone.  Finally, Fili spoke.

"It's a good thing those trolls are turned to stone..."  Thorin rested a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

"Be careful with your anger, Fili."  Fili pulled away, trembling in anger.

"They threw her against a tree, Thorin!  Not even the lowest of races treat their females like that!  Why, if they had any sense at all..."  I took a deep breath and shook my head at Fili.

"I'm fine, Fili.  It's just a tiny scratch..."  He came over towards me, followed by Kili, who tried to stop him.

"You're hurt, Era...  Those creatures hurt you!"  I matched his murderous gaze, wthout flinching or raising my voice beyond a commanding tone.

"They hurt Skyrena, too.  Why don't I see you or Kili or Thorin pitching a fit the same way you are over a single scratch?"  He took a deep, shaky breath and seemed to calm down a little.

"You're right..."  He shook his head a little and straightened up as he turned towards Thorin.  "I'm sorry for losing my temper, uncle."  Thorin smiled a little as he clasped arms with Fili.

"You are forgiven...  However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be upset Era was hurt.  It's when your anger makes you lose control of yourself that you have to be careful."  Fili nodded as he turned back towards me.

"Am I forgiven for losing my temper, Era?"  I nodded and smiled a little.

"Of course you are, Fili."  He smiled a little as he gave me a sideways hug.

"Don't think that this means I'm letting you off the hook for getting yourself into that dilemma..."  I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever..."  Suddenly, I smelt something.  I stood and pulled away from both Balin and Fili, frowning as I started back towards the rock up a hill nearby.  As I approached it, Thorin caught my arm.

"Era...?"  I pulled free and kept going towards the hill.  Skyrena tried to stay by my side.

"Era, what's wrong?"  I felt a growl escape my throat.  "Era...?"  Suddenly, a huge, brown wolf like creature came over the hill.

It roared as it charged at me.  I roared back and shifted into a creature similar to it.  I turned a little so that my side took most of the blow.  As we tumbled down the hill towards the other dwarves, I snarled and caught the creature's scruff in my mouth.  It snarled and knocked me away, scratching my side.  I snarled right back and lunged, aiming towards the throat.

However, before I reached it, Thorin stabbed its side and drew its attention away from me.  So, I tackled it and rolled it onto its stomach, sinking my teeth into its throat.  Just before I could kill it, Thorin stabbed it in the head, killing it for me.  I shifted back into my dwarf form and stumbled a little as I felt blood drip down my side.  Thorin pulled his blade free and looked at all of us.

"Warg scout...  Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."  I closed my eyes and rubbed my eyes with my free hand.

"I'm sorry, but did you say Orc pack?"  I haven't run into one of those since Boromir...  "Please tell me you're kidding."  Gandalf brushed right past me.

"Who did you tell about your quest?"  I cringed as Thorin answered.

"No one..."  Gandalf was practically roaring in anger now.

"Who did you tell?!?!"  Thorin never flinched.

"No one, I swear!"  I trembled slightly as I watched the two for the next few minutes.  "What is going on?"  Gandalf turned back towards him.

"You're being hunted..."  Everyone spoke up at once, trying to figure out what to do.  Finally, I raised my voice.

"I can draw them off and buy you some time."  Fili raised an eyebrow at me.

"After that little number?"  He shook his head as he looked over at Thorin.  "Please, don't let her, uncle."  Thorin sighed as he looked over at me.

"He's right, Era.  Until we get your side checked out, you're not going to be doing much fighting.  The loss of blood will slow you down and risk you getting caught and, possibly, killed."  I swallowed hard as Skyrena and Radagast both offered the same thing, until the others agreed that it would be best that Radagast should be the one to go.  As soon as he was gone, we started on our way.  Thorin caught my arm before I headed out.  "Stay with Fili and Kili."  I nodded and started off after the two brothers.

We ran across each field, hoping that the Orc pack didn't find us.  As we ran, I felt as though my side was on fire.  Soon enough, we were nearing some rocks that we hid behind.  Fili frowned as I doubled over to catch my breath.

"Are you okay?"  I nodded as I grimaced at how much my side burned.

"I'm fine..."  Kili shushed both of us and pointed up.

Just above our heads was an Orc on a warg.  I swallowed hard, knowing they'd catch scent of my blood at any given second.  I nodded at Thorin, who nodded at Kili.  Kili returned the nod and stepped out to shoot the warg and take out the scout.  However, his shot wasn't true.

He was spotted before he shot the creature.  Just before the scout could call the others, Kili shot the horn from his hand.  I leaped up, shifting into a warg, and grabbed the creature by the scruff.  Dragging it out of sight, I caught it by the throat and bit down until I tasted blood.  Meanwhile, the others took care of the scout.  I shifted back into a dwarf, spitting the blood from my mouth.  Thorin raised his head as we heard more coming.

"Run!"  We all took off, following Gandalf until he seemed to just disappear.  Soon, we were all surrounded.  I growled as I shifted into a warg again and fought off as many as I could.  But, after a series of scratches and bites, I finally shimmered into my dwarf form, too weak to shift again.  Right as I did, Skyrena called out.

"Look out!"  Shifting into a warg herself, she blindsided a warg before it could reach me.  While Kili shot at the Orcs, Fili helped me stand and keep up with the others.

"This way, you fools!"  We all started off towards the rocks where Gandalf had reappeared.  As soon as Fili and I reached it, Thorin stopped us.

"Fili, you first.  Then, Era..."  We both nodded as Fili jumped down into the cavern below the rocks.  As soon as he reached the bottom, he turned towards me.

"Come on, Era!"  I jumped and landed right next to him, followed by Kili and Thorin.  Then, we heard the horns.