Cloaked in Green

Chp 7: Warg Scouts

After the fumble Radagast and Gandalf, the two wizards began speaking very hushly together down past the boulders on the outside of the troll camp.

Aranea's mind felt uneasy as whenever she looked up at the two. Radagast talking feverlishy, hands waving in the air, Gandalf’s head nodding every now and again, in agreement or acknowledgments she wasn't sure.

The rest of the company were seated up higher than she, farther away from the wizards. Fiddling with the feather fletching on one of the arrows from her quiver. Aranea sat cross-legged in between the two groups on a rock cliff, trying to distract herself from the tenison. She let her mind wander in and out of her thoughts.

“That’s the same tune. You were whistling earlier, is it not. " Sitting down next to her, Bilbo moved to place his small sword on the other side of him. His hairy feet dingling of the edge of the rock. Replying at first in a slow nod, her gaze was still fixed upon her hands as she watched him out of the corner of her eye.

"I prefer walking songs myself, or songs about walking, I should say."  She smiled softly at the Hobbit before ducking her head back.

"You don't talk much, huh?" He chuckled as he looked over at her from under his bangs. She chuckled with him.

"Old-habit, I guess." She finally spoke, “When you get by with nods and bobs for so long, it can become difficult to find words again.”

“I imagine being in a company of Dwarves can make the flow of conversation even harder.” Bilbo shrugged as he looked down at the wizards. At her silence, he glanced over to see the women looking at him in a way that asked for clarification.

“They don't like me.” he sighed, shaking his head “Even after offering my services to help give them back their home. They do not even wish to make acquaintances.”

“Dwarves are strong folk Master Baggins, protective by nature.” Aranea tried to sound reassuringly. “My few dealings with their kind before tells me that they do not give their allegiance to friendship easily. Trust that when I advise you, do not take their stubbornness with outsiders to heart.”

“Give them time.”

“Bilbo!” Jumping Bilbo," and then Aranea both snapped their heads back at the deep yell. Thorin was standing up next to Fili with a glower look on his face. Looking over next to him, the furrow in between her brows grew as she saw the tight face on Fili stiffen as he glared at the hobbit, which only added to her confusion about him.

"Go with Ori and Bifur to look after the ponies.” Thorin ordered, pointing into the treeline.

She didn't pay enough attention to what the others or Bilbo did after that. Moving her head back to look at the arrow resting in her hands. Her thoughts jumbled as she pondered the meaning behind this barely there warmth in her stomach.

As she continued to ponder, she felt a thud vibrate in the rock. Placing her hand against the stone beneath, her eyes closed on instinct. Letting the movement of the vibrations speak through its rhythms.

Thump!...Thump!...Thump!...Thump!

Then its vibrations stopped, for the owner of the movement stopped. Coming from the opposite direction of the horses. It meant only one thing to her.

Spinning around sharply, she removed the dagger from her boot, it flew above the heads of the dwarves who were still sitting around. To follow it, she shot off two arrows in the same direction.

"What was that for!!" Exclaimed Dwalin, almost immediately as he stood up from his log.

Ignoring him, Aranea watched all the dwarves fliched sharply as a loud screech was sent through the small valley. Then a crush and finally a thud as a massive warg fell out of the tree line on its back, the hilt of her dagger glistening on its side. Another loud yell was let out as the Orc rider came bursting out of the tree-line. Dori and Nori were quick to action,  as they was the closest and promptly swung both their weapons in quick unison, ridding the Orc of its head and arms.