An Unexpected Journey: Fanfiction

Followers in the Shadows

When I awoke it was nearly dawn. Fog rolled over the clearing and the sky was grey. I could smell the rain on the wind. I stood up and walked over every dwarf to the cliff. Something was here last night. Something with a spell cast over them so they were hidden from my sight.

"Something troubles you," Thorin walked up beside me.

"Just a feeling," I answered. After several minutes of silence, I raked up the courage to ask him about last night. "Did you hear us speaking last night?" I turned to him waiting for a reaction. He nodded once and look at me. "What did you hear?" I questioned him further.

"The tale of how you saved my father and friends and how you came to stay in Erebor," he answered. "After that story I do feel like I have talked with you before this time," he looked intensely at my face, studying it but I did not look away.

"We have once," I answered and turned away after several more moments. "I am not surprised you don't remember."

"Why shouldn't I remember talking to an elf in my own kingdom?" Thorin asked. He sounded not enraged, almost hurt.

"You were drunk!" I laughed. "Stumbling through the ladies corridor and sing some odd drinking song."

Thorin's cheeks turned pink, though covered by a beard, I could see them. "Did I say anything that I should regret?"

"No, nothing that is too bad for the bachelor prince," I answered with a smile. "We should wake up the others. Dawn will be arriving soon," I turned around and went to rouse the others.

Once everyone had been woken up, the rain has started. Gently at first but then it started to pour. The dwarves grumbled and shivered beneath their cloaks. The hobbit did the same and Gandalf kept his wide brim had on the whole time. I however took off my cloak and hood and rode in the back.

After several hours of riding and grumbling, I couldn't stand it anymore. The sun had started to lower in the sky and it was nearly three o'clock. I silently urged Heru in elvish to ride ahead everyone else. He seemed excited. First, we slipped into the forest and walked silently on the muddy ground. Then, as we neared a hill, I let Heru's mane go and he ran like a black bolt of lightning.

"What was that?" Nori asked.

"I don't know," Balin answered. He turned around and counted our members. "Kiti seems to have disappeared. Probably on of he tricks."

I laughed. Indeed it was, until I got to the top of the hill. I was smiling and looking back to the company. Everyone seemed more irritated with me gone.

Then I turned and looked at the bottom of the hill. A battalion of orcs were waiting in the shadows. 'I cannot take all of these orcs on my own,' I thought.

I rushed down the hill still in the shadows and popped out as soon as I got to Thorin. "What do you think you are doing?!" He exclaimed when Heru almost hit his pony.

I shushed him. "Orcs," I whispered to him. When his hand went to his sword, I shook my head. "No, don't alert everyone. The hobbit does not have a weapon and as you said two nights ago, you will not protect him. Tell everyone that I fear Heru has been hurt and that we should rest in the canopy away from the rain. Then I will take Kili in the tree tops and we will silently pick off one by one. As soon as the orcs are aware of our attacks, we will drop down and you and Fili will come and help us." That was my plan and it was going to work if Thorin agreed.

"Do you plan on endangering all the lives of Durin?!" He hissed back.

"Do you not have faith in your nephews skills?" I whispered back. "Trust me."

"Ok," he nodded. "We will stop here," Thorin yelled to the others.

"Why?" Dori yelled back.

"I fear my horse has been hurt," I answered.

"And do you not want to get out of this rain for a second?" Thorin asked.

They all looked at each other and nodded. Once everyone was under the trees and looked to Thorin. "I will get Kili and go to the trees," I whispered. "You get Fili and wait," he nodded. I walked around for a minute before approaching Kili.

"What's a matter, Kiti?" He asked when I stepped in front of him. "You look worried," he cocked his head curiously.

"I need you to come with me," I started to walk away. He followed without question and we walked away from the group. "How is your climbing skills?" I jumped on to a low branch.

"Kiti, what is this about?" Kili asked looking up at me.

"There is a group of orcs over the next hill," Thorin came up behind him and said. "If Kiti's plan works no one will know. So be silent!" Thorin looked at Fili.

"Why do I feel like that was pointed to me?" Fili threw is hands up in the air.

I laughed and said, "Let's go." I grabbed Kili's arm and pulled him up to the branch.

"Good luck," Thorin said and pulled Fili after him.

"Can you go from tree to tree?" I asked Kili as I climbed to the next branch.

"Better than my kin," Kili answered as he climbed next to me. We climbed as quickly as we could and I helped Kili as best I could. When we came to the top of the hill the orcs could be seen clearly.

Simultaneously, we drew our arrows. "Aim for the ones in the back line," I whispered and Kili nodded. With a silent signal, we each shot an arrow and quickly reloaded and shot another one. After several more shots, the orcs' numbers were cut in half but they started to take notice. They started to screech and snort. I nodded to Kili and he prepared to jump down.

The leader hushed the others and looked around. Kili landed before me and the orcs swarmed around him. He smiled and twirled his sword. "Thorin, now is a good time to show up," I said and jumped on to an orcs' head.

"You called?" Thorin slit the orc that I landed on's head.

"Good timing," I smiled and an orc's head clean off.

"I am here too if any one is wondering," Fili said and helped his brother.

I laughed and no more than two minutes later all the orcs were dead. "That went well," Kili said and poked a dead orc with his blade.

"We have to dispose of the bodies," Thorin looked at the lead orc in disgust.

"Let me take care of that," I answered. "I will just need two people who can carry this filth a good long while and an alibi from another."

"At your service," Fili and Kili said this together and bowed.

"When do you need this alibi?" Thorin asked.