Arien, Lady of Rivendell

Orcs and Wargs

They raced out of the troll fell forest Arien keeping good pace at the head of the group. In the distance she could already here the snarls of Wargs as they thundered after Radagast upon his sleigh of rabbits. Shouting rude remarks to draw their attention away from the group.
The landscape turned bare with great boulders bursting from the browning grasslands.
"Come on!" The wizard yelled as they weaved their way between the rocks attempting to stay hidden from the warg pack.
Suddenly Radagast cut in-front of them causing the dwarves to slam to a jerky halt, the enemy deep on his tail.
"Stay together!" Gandalf cried as they spun on their heels and darted in the opposite direction. Arien drew in deep breathes.
Rounding a boulder Thorin paused spotting the Wargs drawing closer.
"Ori no! Get back!" The leader shouted grasping the dwarfs coat and pulling him back to the cover of the rock. The wizard continued to encourage them as they headed once again in another direction following his lead.
At this point Thorin paused, his eyes looking up at Gandalf with distrust.
"Where are you leading us?" He questioned.

Gaining no reply they charged onwards slinking behind yet another Boulder as Radagast once again cut across their path.
A growl sounded above her and Arien immediately gripped her daggers and looked to Thorin. The dark haired dwarf had already noticed and signalled Kili to shoot it.
Silently he removed an arrow. Then latching it onto his bow he let it loose. Hitting its mark the arrow sunk into the fleshy shoulder of the warg who let out a horrific growl. Atop it l, it's Orc rider lifted its horn to signal the others.
With one final shot the dwarf eventually took the warg down.
Arien by her lip at the great howl that was let out as it stumbled and crashed beside them, the Orc still unharmed.
It raced towards them sword unsheathed.
In one swift movement Arien spun her daggers avoiding the blade and slicing the orcs throat, whilst the other dwarves hammered down the warg.
Catching Gandalfs eye she gulped. There was now no doubt that the rest of the pack had heard them.
"Move! Run!" He shouted and without a second thought the company raced off.

As they ran she was ever conscious that the Wargs were faster, fitter, and would undoubtedly overtake them. They raced on for what seemed like an age and once again the landscape changed. Looking around Arien realised that this was indeed familiar. The deep green pine trees dotted across a brown plain caused her to draw in a sharp breath. This was part of her homeland, she was on Rivendell's boarders.
Gandalf immediately took her arm pulling her onwards whilst whispering to her breathlessly.
"Don't say anything, not yet." He urged as they caught up with the group who seemed to have slowed ahead.
"There they are!" Gloin cried spotting the Wargs spinning closer through the trees ahead.
"This way quick!" Gandalf responded as they took a 180 turn.
"There's more coming!" Kili replied noticing that they had now been encircled.
Arien muttered to herself angrily and drew her bloodied blades.
"Kili shoot them!" Thorin ordered as the enemy circled closer.
Spinning she spotted a large rock erupting from the ground which seemed to jog her memory.
"Gandalf." She whispered tugging his robe and gesturing subtly to the hidden entrance.
The wizard looked at her with a smile and headed over silently dropping down into the cave hidden behind another, smaller, rock.
"We're surrounded!" Fili exclaimed coming to her side both his twin blades in hand. The other dwarves began to cluster together as the distance between them and the Wargs grew smaller. Kili shot down another.

Suddenly Dwalin noticed that one of them was missing.
"Where's Gandalf? He's abandoned us!" The dwarf accused and Arien averted her gaze and watched as Ori released a rock from his slingshot. Unfortunately it bounced harmlessly off the Wargs head and toppled to the ground.
"Hold your ground!" Thorin instructed absentmindedly flanking her other side and drawing Orcrist from its sheath.
From behind them a gruff voice emerged.
"This way you fools!" Gandalf called and they all turned. Thorin looked for a moment at the wizard before calling the others to follow his lead.
"Come on, move! Quickly all of you! Go, go, go!"
One by one the dwarves slid down the steep slope into the darkened cave. Thorin grasped her hand tightly before swinging her down, barrelling into the other dwarves.
Hearing the sound of a blade slice though skin Arien rose letting the dwarves huddle behind her whilst she peered up through the crack watching as Thorin cut down another warg.
"Kili run!" He screamed at his nephew as the young dwarf shot a last arrow before racing to the gap and sliding through at the last second with Thorin.

A beautiful horn erupted from above ground, it's familiar sound echoing through her ears. It was the sound of her people.
The sound of battle begun above their heads as arrows whizzed through the air and cut off the strangled cries of both orcs and riders. With a crash a body was flung down into the hole almost taking her out.
The orcs body lay twisted on the rock beneath their feet. Bending down Thorin reached for the arrowhead embedded in its neck and pulled hard.
"Elves." He snarled sending the beautifully carved arrowhead clattering on the floor. Arien scrunched up her face feeling hurt and looked away from him.
A beat passed as the dwarves shuffled forward and she felt Thorins gaze on her. Catching his eye she saw them soften slightly as if he had just realised what he had said. But once again it was too late.
"I cannot see where the pathway leads, do we follow or no?" Dealing asked the leader of their company as he came back from inspecting ahead.
"Follow it of course." Bofur replied and the Dwarves quickly began down the narrow cavern.

Arien looked up to Gandalf as the others headed off.
"You know where this leads right?" She commented and the wizard nodded
"Yes I am well aware." He grunted with a concerned glint in his eye. As the wizard walked before her she let out a small smile, it was strange to think she'd be home so soon.