Predator or Prey | The Hobbit

THIRTY

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Predator or Prey

CHAPTER THIRTY.

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Red.

Red was all that Selene could see as she sprinted through the forest, swinging at the low tree branches and bushes that were in her way. The branches snapped in half from the impact and she continued on, breaking more, ignoring the stinging pain on her hands and wrist from the splinters she received.

Dried blood stained the side of her face and down to her neck and collarbone. It was her blood. Her blood, that Thorin had spilled.

Selene could not believe what the dwarf king had done to her. All she wanted to do was help him. The dragon-sickness was changing him and it was working fast. She just wanted to stop him from becoming the man his grandfather became. 

But no. Thorin did not want her help. Instead, he brought his sword down on her, cutting her cheek open. He told her nasty things. He made her feel worthless. He made her sound like she was a monster.

As she continued to run, she could still hear Thorin's voice replaying in her head.

"I don't need your help! Especially from someone like you..."

"Your kind is the reason why my kingdom... my family had to flee from their home!"

"You are no woman. You are a abomination! A monster!"

"I will kill you!"

Selene shook her head and continued to run, with Thorin's voice finally out of her mind. She let out a big huff of air that she didn't realize she kept in.

She kept running until she reached an empty, large field. It was dead silent and she didn't smell any orcs or men around. With no signs of anyone else nearby, Selene dropped down onto her knees with her head hung low, her hands were tightly balled at her sides as she slowly lifted her head to look up at the sky.

All she could think about was Gandalf and her parents. It had been so long since she and the Company had been with Gandalf. She hoped he was okay. Despite, the fact that he may be upset with her and the others as they did not listen to his command about entering the mountain.

Then, she thought of dad. Eugene. She looked at the white clouds sitting in the sky, and hoped her dad was watching her from one of them. And with that, she began to speak.

"Papa... I... I don't know what to do. Gandalf is gone and the dwarves no longer want me with them. Especially, Thorin. He-," She paused for a second. "He said I'm a monster." She laughed dryly. "I'm an abomination." She clenched her fists at the memory, but eventually relaxed when she felt her heart sting at the words.

She and Thorin had gone through so much together. In a way, their problems were almost alike. Missing parents, dealing with Azog and Nhel, seeking revenge. They've even grown intimately close together. Though, they've never done anything. Anyone around them could see how the two felt about each other.

So, hearing those words being yelled at her made her heart hurt. She knew it wasn't him saying it. She knew it was the dragon-sickness. But still, something about it hurt her.

The moment was short-lived when Selene heard a twig snap from the right of her. Selene tensed up and slowly reached down for her fighting knives. A small gust of wind blew by and the smell of the intruder reached her nose.

An orc.

She could only smell one, which raised her suspicion. Orcs always traveled in packs, so why was this one alone? She heard the orc shuffling around, moving from one side of the tree line to the other. Was this orc afraid to face her?

Selene grew impatient with the orc and got up onto her feet, before yelling out, "Come out and face me coward!" Her gold eyes glowed, waiting.

It was silent for a short moment. The orc had stopped moving. It stood still, and Selene could feel its eyes on her. Staring.

Just as the skin-changer took a step forward, the orc finally made its move. Step by step, the figure slowly descended out from the woods. And when Selene caught sight of the intruder, her heart stopped as her guard dropped. Her fighting knives fell onto the dead grass and a small gasp escaped her mouth.

The intruder was no orc at all. It was a woman. But, not just any woman. It was Doreen. It was Selene's mother.

Selene could not believe her eyes. Her mother was standing before her. She made no move to approach her mother, still in shock.

Instead, Doreen slowly approached her daughter, limping with every step she took. When she finally reached her daughter, she could see her glossy eyes, welled up with tears. "Oh, Selene..." Her voice shook, scanning her daughter's face. She watched Selene drop onto her knees again, hanging her head to hide her tears. And being the mother she was, she knew she had to comfort her child. With no hesitation, Doreen carefully wrapped her arms around her daughter, hugging her tight.

At last, Selene and her mother were finally reunited.

yayyy! Selene and Doreen are finally reunited <3

what do you guys think will happen next? will the orcs get their hands on Doreen again? or will Selene stop them?