Aeonian [Legolas]

9

In the blink of an eye, Viridis had both blades drawn and crossed in an x over his head as he grit his teeth, braced his core, and held strong even when the Warg Scout collided with him, knocking him over.

The impact would have knocked any regular man unconscious but Viridis just rolled with the impact, falling into it and rising to his knees with the momentum. Blades high once more, he leaped to his feet and sunk them down in an arc until they collided with fur, meat, and bone.

"Kili." He said, voice even and demanding. "Bow. Head on, two seconds. There's another."

Viridis didn't even have to look as he drew his blades back and by the time he had turned to face the direction he had told the Dwarf the creature was going to appear, one of Kili's arrows was slicing through the air and meeting its mark. Thorin finished it off as he hit the hilt of his own blade on the beast's head to silence its snarls.

"Warg scouts." Thorin grunted as he lifted his blade. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo said, clearly in disbelief, but no one paid him any mind.

"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf demanded, drawing closer to Thorin.

"No one."

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf's tone was more insistent, angrier.

"No one. I swear." Thorin promised right back, earnest in his eyes. His tone fell then as did the air from his lungs. "What on Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted." Gandalf said bitterly.

"We have to get out of here."

"We can't. We have no ponies! They bolted." Ori and his brother said, appearing breathless over the bend. Another howl sounded and the energy in the area seemed to dissipate.

"I'll draw them off." Radagast said.

"These are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you." Gandalf persisted.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits." Radagast pressed, a crazed look in his eyes. He smiled then, crooked teeth and all. "I'd like to see them try."

Viridis didn't think he'd seen a Wizard move so fast before. Two fingers to the mouth and Radagast was blowing a fine tune whistle. Not even seconds later, his Rhosgobel rabbits had appeared once more and then they were off in a nonsensical race, the Wizard hooting and hollering his acclaims for the world to hear, drawing their pursuers away.

"Well, come on then. No time to waste." Gandalf said then. He gripped his staff in his hands and started plowing on, a hitch to his step as he ushered them all on hurriedly. No one stopped to ask any questions as to where they were headed, just bowed their heads and followed Gandalf through an open field once the Wizard was sure it was clear.

Across yellowed terrain and past boulders of all shapes and sizes, the company went, urging each other on and holding them back when the risk of being found was too high. Radagast was doing a good job but it was only up to them to make sure it stayed that way.

"We're downwind. They'll have our trails in seconds!" Viridis called out as they switched directions again.

"He's right! Behind here now, all of you!" Gandalf conveyed the message as they sprinted a final push and hid behind a larger boulder huddled together. They all held their breaths, trying to be quiet as well as not give away their locations.

Viridis traded a look with Thorin when the snarls belonging to one of the beasts found them. It was coming from above and at best they only had a few seconds before they were found.