The Middle Earth Wonderers (The Hobbit/LOTR)

Chapter 3.

The sounds of clashing metal and snarling wargs echoed through the trees as I sliced through an orc, the weight of the fight pulling on my muscles. I glanced over at Lulu just in time to see a warg creeping up behind her. Without a second thought, I grabbed my dagger and hurled it at the beast. It struck true, embedding itself deep into its neck. The thing let out a pained howl before collapsing, twitching as blood pooled around it.

"Watch your damn back, Lulu!" I shouted, catching my breath.

She dodged the falling creature and shot me a grateful look. "Thanks for that," she panted, quickly refocusing on the battle.

The dwarves, led by Thorin, suddenly charged into the chaos. Their weapons sliced through the air like they were born for this, making quick work of any orcs and wargs in their path. Thorin fought alongside his nephews, their movements precise, deadly.

I wiped the sweat from my brow and muttered under my breath, "Well, aren't we lucky."

Mike, panting and bloodied from the skirmish, shot me a look. "Damn right we are. Another minute, and we might've been fucked."

Ryan grunted, barely fending off a warg. "About time the cavalry showed up!" He drove his sword deep into the beast's gut, twisting it before pulling it free.

I turned to Hunter, narrowing my eyes. "Hunter, for fuck's sake, never play that damn lute in the middle of a forest again."

Hunter's face was flushed with guilt. "I won't! I swear, that lute's staying silent from now on."

I sheathed my sword, exhaling heavily. "Good."

Thorin, his weapon now clean of blood, approached us with a steady gaze. "We saw your fire and heard the fighting. We came as fast as we could."

Mike, still catching his breath, nodded at him. "We're grateful. We wouldn't have held out much longer."

Thorin scanned us, his face grim. "The wargs have been pushing further south than usual. They're getting bolder."

Hunter, being his curious self, couldn't resist asking, "Why? What's stirring them up?"

Thorin's expression darkened. "We don't know. But the orcs and goblins have been more aggressive too. The whole damn land's crawling with them."

I couldn't hide my surprise. "Goblins? They never leave the mountains."

Thorin nodded gravely. "Exactly. Something's drawing them out. And whatever it is, it's not good."

I glanced at Mike, then back at Thorin. "You're heading to Erebor, right? Same as us."

Thorin raised a brow. "And why, exactly, are you headed there?"

I crossed my arms, smirking. "We're here to slay a dragon. Figured we might as well get the title of dragon slayers added to our list."

Thorin chuckled dryly. "You're planning to fight Smaug? That's either incredibly brave or fucking stupid."

Mike stepped forward, determination burning in his eyes. "We've faced worse. We'll take on the dragon just like we've taken on everything else."

Thorin's amusement faded, replaced with admiration. "You've got spirit. But Smaug's not your average beast. He's old, cunning, and damn near impossible to kill."

I shrugged. "Nothing's impossible. Everything dies eventually."

Thorin's gaze hardened, a flicker of anger passing through him. "Smaug's no mere creature. He's lived for centuries, hoarding wealth and raining hell upon anyone foolish enough to challenge him."

"We know the risks," Mike said firmly. "But we don't back down from a challenge."

Thorin studied Mike closely before giving a small nod. "Bravery alone won't kill a dragon. You'll need skill, strategy... and a hell of a lot of luck."

I chuckled. "We've got all that and more. Mike's a born leader and a beast of a Bearfolk. Hunter here? He's our eyes in the sky—being an Owlfolk and all. Ryan's a damn tactician, bound by his Oni code, but he's deadly as hell. Jack? Berserker through and through, plus, you know, he's a Dragonborn. Lulu's our healer, Mia's a sorceress, Ava's a sharpshooting elf ranger, and me—well, I'm half-undead, half-human. Kind of a jack-of-all-trades."

Thorin looked impressed, nodding slowly as he took us in. "Quite the group. It's rare to see such diversity. And you've survived this long, so you must be doing something right."

Mike crossed his arms, pride swelling in his voice. "We make a damn good team."

I grinned. "So, here's my idea. Since we're both headed to the same place, why not team up? More swords, more eyes. Better chances."

Thorin raised an eyebrow at my suggestion, clearly caught off guard. He mulled it over for a moment before finally nodding. "Very well. Dwarves don't often ally with outsiders, but given the situation, it's a smart move."

I smirked, glancing at Mike. "Mike's the boss here, not me. What do you think?"

Mike grinned, extending a hand to Thorin. "Sounds like a solid plan. Strength in numbers, right?"

Thorin shook his hand firmly. "Aye. Strength in numbers."

Ava's voice cut in, sharp and to the point. "So, what's the next step?"

Thorin's expression grew grim. "We move. It's still a long way to Rivendell, and it's not safe here. The orcs and wargs are more active than ever. We can't stay in one place for long."

I tightened the strap of my sword. "Let's get the hell out of here, then."