The Company of Wolves

Chapter 20: River Ride

Dakota ducked underwater as an orc flew overhead and right onto the barrel Gloin was in. She popped back up with a gasp as Gloin had taken care of the orc quickly, shoving him off. Bilbo had stabbed an orc that perched itself above the barrel getting ready to strike, before it fell limp and plopped into the water beside them.

"Get under the bridge!" Thorin ordered, and they all paddled their way and pressed themselves as close as they could to each other underneath. Dakota's back was itching uncomfortably against the next barrel, barely able to squeeze through. Not to mention the several orcs flying this way and that trying to reach them and stab them from above.

Ash had brought down an orc and stole his bow, taking some arrows that penetrated the barrel around her and fired them right back as much as she could. Rhea saw one coming and dropped below the barrels safety as an arrow whizzed past from an orc archer. She rose up again with wide eyes.

Kili must've had an idea for he suddenly jumped out of his barrel and hopped onto the bridge, fighting off some oncoming orcs and catching a sword Dwalin threw at him for better protection. Heading his way over to the lever the elves pulled in the first place to shut the gate. Rhea watched him carefully while fending off the orcs coming onto them at the same time, trying to make sure he wasn't hurt while doing it.

Kili was almost there, and Rhea looked back at the archers and saw once again, a massive pale orc. This one looked different though, as his face was half scarred and his build was much leaner. However it didn't hit her realization on what he was doing until he pulled back his arrow from the string and fired. She flipped her head around to see where it landed and sure enough, Kili froze in his spot as the arrow pierced straight through his leg.

"Kili!" His brother called out to him and Rhea just watched him fall to his knees, shocked at what she saw. His face twisted to pain as he grabbed hold of the wounded area, not able to move another inch. Rhea's rage at the pale orc behind her boiled immensely, her instincts kicking into full gear as she fumed deep breaths. Her hazel eyes glowed into a fiery amber, miniature flames licking out from the pupils as she slowly turned around to the big orc.

An arrow found its mark in another orc as it tried to finish of Kili, and when he looked over at who did it surprisingly, it was the she-elf from before. The one he had a few conversations with as well when they were in the cells. He got so distracted by her coming to save him he didn't even realize Rhea had charged out of her barrel and shifted into her wolf form uncontrollably. She went head on with the pale orc and took him by surprise as well, knocking him into the ground and tearing into him.

A few orcs tried to tackle Rhea but she was far too large to just simply be thrown onto her back. Her muscles and weight was even difficult for the giant orc beneath her to wriggle free. She had her jaws clamped firmly around his collarbone and shook him back and forth while he desperately tried calling to his orcs around him and reaching for his sword at the same time.

Snarling, Rhea tore into him deeper, causing the great orc to howl in immense pain. She heard a cracking noise and knew she finally broke the bone within. A few arrows were flying past at the orcs trying to get to her, for Ash was doing her best to protect her friend from being stabbed to death due to her rage shifting.

"Rhea! Come back it's not safe!" Ash called out to her, but Rhea was stubbornly shaking the orc around and slamming him into the ground over and over again until he could be knocked out. The massive body of orc looked so limp he seemed to be close to that point.

When the orcs started surrounding the she-elf, more elves came after her, even the blonde one Legolas they first met. They began killing off the remaining orcs trying to kill the dwarves with precision and expertise.