The Half Breed Ranger

Chapter 23:Rivers and Orcs

Amanda looked at the unconscious elves sleeping and snoring upon a table surrounded by empty wine bottles. Amanda snickered and rolled her eyes at the fact they let themselves get this bad.

"This way." Bilbo ushered the company down the stairs and into the cellar.

"Come on!" Bilbo urged them when he saw the companies hesitation to move.

"I don't believe it, we're in the cellars!" Kili growled lowly annoyed at the fact Bilbo had just lead them closer into Mirkwood. Amanda moved next to Bilbo as if to try and give him that boost in which he needed.

"You're supposed to be leading us out not further in!" Bofur stated the obvious that the company had come to realise.

"I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo basically half yelled to the dwarf who walked passed him and shushed him quickly causing Bilbo to roll his eyes. Amanda placed a hand onto his shoulder again and squeezed it, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Okay, this way. This way." Bilbo spoke pointing towards the barrels that lay stacked on their sides.

"Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!" Bilbo called to them and they all looked to him like he was mad, all but Amanda that is. She nodded to him and trusted him completely as she pulled her thin body into a barrel and got comfortable.

"Do as he says!" Amanda heard Thorin order them when she zoned back into the companies talking. They all helped each other into the hollow barrels quickly, Kili taking up the space to Amanda's right.

" Amanda, I wanted to apologise for my words earlier. It was wrong..." Kili began to say to Amanda.

" Kili, don't. What you said rang truth. You are a Prince, I am a half breed ranger with no family nor home. I was a fool to think we could work." Amanda spoke sorrowfully as she sank her head into the barrel so he would no loner talk to her.

"What do we do now?" Bofur asked as he stuck his head out of the barrel and looked to the hobbit. The company, excluding Amanda, followed suit to look at him.

"Hold your breath." Bilbo ordered them before turning to a leaver, that stood just as all as he.

"Hold my breath? What do you mean?" Bofur asked before Bilbo pulled the leave and the floor moved, tipping the barrels to roll down the now slanted floor. Everyone yelled and screamed slightly at the sensation of free falling to god only knows where. Amanda held her breath and closed her eyes as butterflies erupted in her stomach. But soon ceased when she hit ground and was flooded with bitter cold water. It felt like minutes had passed for her before her barrel resurfaced to air. Amanda jumped up to grasp to blissful air as the cold water bite mercilessly at her body. Looking around, Thorin had stopped most barrels waiting for the last of their company; Bilbo. Everyone watched as the flooring from where they fell opened and a small clothed hobbit fell to the water, Amanda being the closest to the poor hobbit. Grabbed him quickly and held him to her barrel as he held onto the edge.

"Well done, Master Baggins." Thorin praised as Bilbo waved a hand in thanks to him quickly.

"Go, come on let's go!" Thorin ordered as the company then quickly made their way as fast as they could. The water was fairly flat and calm from start, but that peacefully calm waters turned into a waterfall of white.

"Hold on!" Someone called as the company was swept into the white flurry of water. Most were pulled under once again and bobbed up to the top. Swiping their heads to the sides to get rid of the water coating their faces.

"Shut the gate!" Legolas called out to a guard who then blew a horn, Amanda turned her head at the sound and her face paled.

"No!" Thorin and Amanda yelled as the gates to their freedom closed just before them, trapping every barrel in a crowded area. Thorin tried to pull open the gates but failed as the Guards standing above them, readied their weapons to the dwarves. But a guard was then struck with an arrow to his back and everyone froze. Amanda watched as the elf groaned falling forward.

"Watch out!" Bofur called as Orcs appeared from behind the gate, leaping towards the company.

"Get over the bridge!" Thorin calls thinking of the only way to save his company was to go over the closed gates. The Orcs begin to jump over the company as they quickly began to slay as many as they could. Amanda fired off several arrows, killing the Orcs before she changed to her sword. Amanda then notice Kili running over the bridge and over to leaver that would open the gate for the company, just as he reached it an Orc fired an arrow. The arrow embedded itself into his thigh muscle deeply, Kili let out a grunt and feel to the ground.

" Kili!" Fili and Thorin called at the same time as an Orc jumped to him but was stopped when Amanda and leaped out her barrel and landed in front of him.

" Kili! Hurry!" Amanda yelled as she slays the Orc before thre others pounced upon her. Kili managed to push himself up and open the gates to allow the company to drift down the river. Amanda pulled her sword out from an Orc and unsheathed her dagger and turned to lodge it into the ribs of another orc. With a grunt she pulled the dagger out and ran over to Kili, lifting him up. Amanda threw Kili off the ledge and into a barrel, the arrow snapping as he landed.

"Amanda! Come on!" Thorin called as he watched Amanda leaned over the edge waiting a second for her barrel to move.

" Amanda! Behind you!" Bilbo cried as an Orc appeared behind her, Amanda twisted around just in time to block a sword aiming for her head. She pulled out a dagger and sliced at the Orc, killing it easily. But several more appeared and attacked her all at once. Amanda stopped their attacks best she could, but felt the cold metal of a rusty dagger scrape and slice through her lower right side of her stomach.

" Amanda come on!" Fili called to her as arrows flew past her killing the orcs around her. Amanda looked to the source of the Arrows to see Legolas and a few other elves running towards her. Amanda smiled in thanks to her brother before turning and jumping into her barrel and began to drift down the river. Amanda weakily lifted herself up to look towards the company tumbling down the fast rivers. She saw Kili hanging on for dear life to his barrel as his face grew paler by the moment. Amanda looked down to her wound which her held with her right hand, blood slowly seeping out. It was then she decided she would tell no one of her wound, so they could focus on Kili.

After all, he was a Prince.

And she was a Half Breed Ranger.