Different Sense

Different Sense: 18

So they ventured on, single file and highly sorry for themselves. The rain had started to fall and the piercing rain drops left aching pains when they had landed against their skin. 

Thorin had dearly wished to get to a cave for safety before the rain had started to fall from the heavens, but that never happened. They were wandering around the mountains for far longer than they wished. But regardless they stumbled on, the rain whipped against their forms as the wind howled over and past them.

Bilbo had lost his balance more than once, this caused them to slow down. Despite his apparent dislike for the hobbit, Thorin didn't want to see him fall to his certain death. Bilbo had just been rescued from his latest stumble when a huge boulder suddenly fell from above them. It crashed like thunder against the mountain face. It wasn't just the once, it happened several times.

Turning and shouting over the sound of the wind and rain, he watched as his companions stopped. They all set their eyes on the mountain opposite to them as it groaned, rumbled and cracked. With ungraceful movements it heaved itself up. Everyone's expressions turned to those of shock. The tales were true, but seeing it in person was all the more surreal.

Bofur was the one to exclaim in shocked wonder first. “Giants! Stone giants!” He leant from the path to get a better look.

“Bofur!” Thorin shouted in his direction just as another giant started to emerge and grow from the mountain they were on.

Bofur stuttered in dismay and get pulled back by Dwalin, to add to it he even gave Bofur a good slap round the head for good measure. Putting all the slaps and mumbled words aside, the group was about to get separated. Thorin soon found himself trying to get back to the middle of the group to pull Fili and Lothiriel across.

He reached out as Fili reached too, but they failed to make contact. The giant heaved just as they were close, and Thorin watched in horror as the group of Bilbo, Bofur, Lothiriel, Fili, Dori and Ori were hoisted up high and away from them.

Lothiriel clutched onto Fili tightly, he had stumbled and his legs were partially dangling over the edge. The rain and wind made it hard to see what was happening, blinking numerous times to try and get her vision back she looked up and watched the jerky movements of the giant they were on.

She watched as both Thorin and Kili tried to reach for them. They still couldn't reach each other, this just made Lothiriel clutch onto Fili more just to make sure he wasn't going anywhere. They both turned and watched for any incoming attacks, they all wobbled as their giant slowly and clumsily turned.

All of them gave a lurch forward and clung to the rock face when a massive head-butt from above was sent crashing against it. The impact left rocks and rubble to crumble and fall down upon them. It was then that the giant began to awkwardly lean backwards, it was falling from the force of the attack, it tried to right itself and get its feet underneath it to walk, but it walked at a very odd angle. 

Being at such a strange angle made it hard for them all to find something to hold onto. Lothiriel continued to clutch to Fili, she held onto his collar with one hand and the slippery rock face with the other.

They flew passed Thorin and his group and for a split second the groups looked at each other, this was a short lived moment before they were raised in the air again. Then all at once and quite suddenly, the stone giant fell forwards towards the cliff face. With the oncoming impact of being crushed against the cliff face became more and more likely, everyone screamed.

Lothiriel despite her screaming, tightened her grip on Fili and pushed him as far against the giant's knee as possible. They collided with the rock, dust and debris flew up into their faces and their eyes. Lothiriel felt numb by this point, she was very sure that she had actually passed on. But that was not true, she rolled over from her curled up position.

The stone giant flailed its arms in a hopeless ditch effort to right itself again, but it was not to be. All that could be heard of its demise was loud crashes and cracking. There was a thunderous roar as it broke into millions of rock shards. It became nothing more than the face of the mountain again.

Fili and she exchanged a look as they pulled themselves up. Relief washed over them, Lothiriel reached out and put her arms around his neck. Fili patted her on the back, equally relieved yet in shock over the whole moment. Just as they parted Fili was suddenly enveloped by Thorin, Lothiriel still had a hand over her heart, but she smiled at the glimpse of how much his nephew truly meant to him.

Turning she walked over to Bilbo, he was breathing hard and still rather attached to the rock face. “Bilbo, are you all right?” He didn't say anything but he did shake his head. Just like she was moments ago, he was in a state of shock. Lothiriel was just about to talk to him again but his form slipped and disappeared from her view.

Lothiriel blinked, confused and stunned before this moment fully sunk in. “Bilbo!” Her exclaiming caught the attention of the others who looked over to her confused. How could someone fall off a cliff when the cliff was in front of them?

Lothiriel rushed over to the spot where he was sitting before falling backwards. “Bilbo?” She called into the darkness. She flinched when all thirteen of the dwarves tried to squeeze in around her to see where the hobbit had disappeared too.

There was no response, which caused Lothiriel to shout his name again.

There was a small voice moments later; “I'm all right. I think I fell into a cave.”

Lothiriel let out a heavy sigh, yet laughed quietly with relief. Slowly Lothiriel made her way down. The descent was slow and dark, she made sure not to slip on anything as she made her way towards Bilbo. She was rather sure that she, or anyone else for that matter, didn't possess the skill of being able to fall and not hurt themselves, unlike Bilbo.