The Gathering Storm. The Hobbit fanfic. A Thorin Oakenshield love story.

Chapter 60: Dark Voices.

Taryn led all fourteen of them into the forest of Mirkwood. Thorin was up front with her, holding her hand, their fingers intertwined together. Closely behind them was Dwalin and then the rest of the group.

Thorin looked down at the ground, shuffling his feet and trying to find the path. "The path turns this way," Thorin said as he turned the corner.

The path was narrow and winding between the trunks of the twisting branches of trees. Scattered shafts of sunlight soon ceased and the passage became like a tunnel. Cobwebs entangled tree-branches on either side but none impeded the path.

Taryn tried her best to keep her cool, but after an hour in the forest and the Dwarves not listening to her. She felt like she was going to lose her mind. "Please, just listen to me!" She shouted despairingly. Her words went unheard though, as if she had said nothing.

"Kíli, don't touch that!" She shouted to the young brunette Dwarf as she slapped his hand away from the webs. She had warned them not to touch anything, but it seemed that none of them were listening. The only one following any of her directions was Bilbo.

Taryn slapped her hands to her temples, and lightly rubbed her head. "Sevin ú-estel for this Hadhodrim," she mumbled to herself in Sindarin.

(I have no hope for this group of Dwarves).

As they traveled farther into the dark and murky forest, the air got dense. All of the Dwarves began to complain and argue with each other. Taryn rolled her eyes as she tried her best to lead the group.

"Please stop, just stop!" She shouted out to them as loud as she could. Taryn rarely would raise her voice, but she was beginning to get more annoyed by the second. Her shouting echoed through the thick twisted trees of the dark forest, and this made everyone stop. "I know we are in a hurry to get to Erebor, but please let me do my task of guiding you. But how can I do that when all you are doing is arguing and not listening to me!"

"Air," Bofur suddenly shouted. "I need air!"

"My head," Óin cried out. "It's spinning."

Taryn turned her heels to look at the Dwarf. "There is no fresh air in this forest," she growled out at him as she turned back forward. She mumbled a few Sindarin curses to herself as she continued to walk forward. She shoved past a few of the Dwarves as she made her way to the front again. She narrowed her eyes at Thorin as she reached him again. "Please Thorin, just listen to me. You don't know the way, it is not as simple as following a path, trust me." She said to him as she pointed a finger at him. "I don't need to kick the leaves aside to find the path, like you do."

Thorin rolled his eyes at his wife, but nodded his head. "Fine lead the way," he said as he gestured forward. Taryn smirked as she turned on her heels. She nodded her head and moved forwards. She knew this path by heart, even though it had been about 171 years she since had used it last. She knew where she was going just by looking up at the trees above her. A few times she would look down at the brick path they were all following.

Taryn tilted her head to the side and looked over her shoulder, Thorin was just staring at her. "What?"

"Are you okay?" He asked her worriedly.

Taryn rolled her eyes at him. "I'm fine," she sharply responded.

Thorin frowned as he watched Taryn move forward down the path. The short white blonde Elf was speaking to herself in a language he couldn't understand. He knew that she was not fine. 'Maybe this forest was beginning to affect her also,' he thought to himself. He could tell that her mood was darkening. He sighed as he looked up at the dark twisted canopy of trees, and then back down at her.

It was as if the darkness that surrounded them was slowly seeping into her also. Though he knew his wife loved him and the rest of the group. And she would never led them to harm. She was just frustrated and wanted to get out of this forest, as fast as possible like them.

"She's going to lead you astray," he heard a voice in his head say.

'No, she would never do that.' He thought to himself. But the voice spoke back to him again.

"She is an Elf not a Dwarf. How can you trust she won't?" The voice said.

"She was born in this forest. She is dangerous, just like Beorn said!" The voice shouted at him.

Thorin shook his head, as he frowned. He knew his wife, she was not dangerous. Towards Orcs or Spiders yes, but not towards him.

"But how well do you really know her? You were separated for 171 years, that is a long time. People can change!" The voice echoed through out his head.

Thorin was going crazy, the voice in his head was getting louder. Shouting commands and warnings at him. He stared up at the dark trees as he turned in a complete circle. The voice was telling him to do things, to stop Taryn from leading him and the company astray. Terrible things, it commanded him to do.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" He shouted out loud as he stared up at the dark twisting branches. It was as if the trees were laughing at him. Suddenly he drew out the Orcrist and held it out in front of him.

The whole company, especially Taryn had heard and seen him. He was now standing in the middle of the section of path they were on holding his sword. Taryn rolled her eyes, as she turned and walked back to him. She knew it was the darkness of the forest affecting him.

"Thorin, stop!" She shouted at him as she walked over to him. She reached out trying to grip his shoulders, but he brought the Orcrist up to her throat.

"Do not tell me what to do, She-Elf!" He shouted back to her as he narrowed his sapphire blue eyes. "You just want to lead us astray!"

"Thorin please, just listen to me." She said calmly as she brought her hands up. "Please do not listen to the voices in your head. It is the heaviness in the air, it is affecting you!"

Thorin just growled at her, he did not trust this She-Elf. He cursed that Wizard for bringing her along on their journey. "Get out of my way!" He growled out to her as firmly held the Orcrist at her throat.

What Taryn did next, shocked him and the rest of the company. She slowly grabbed the blade of the Orcrist and even though it was cutting her hand, she pushed it down out of her face. With her uncut hand, she strongly and firmly slapped Thorin across his face. Which seemed to bring him back to normal. "Stop listening to the voices, it will lead you astray not me!" She shouted as tears ran down her face.

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Short chapter, this time. So I lied before. The spiders and Elves will show up in the next chapter most likely.

I hope you all liked this chapter. Please let me know what you thought of it. I love to hear from everyone.

I will being to work on the next chapter soon.

Thank you for the reads, votes, and comments. I love them all.