Flames

1.6

"Azalea!"

All of the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf ran to get the beast off it Azalea. She tried to reach for her knife, but her arms were pinned by the beast's gigantic paws. It was just about to clamp it's jaws down on her when she got an arm loose and punched the wolf in the throat. She drew her knife and threw it. The dagger lodged itself in the beast's heart and it dropped dead.

"You okay?" Kili asked.

"I'll live," she replied.

"An Orc pack can't be far behind," Thorin said. "We need to move!"

They began running. They sprinted across the field, trying to find a way out. They froze as one of the dwarves almost fell off a cliff face.

"This is it! We fight or we die!" Azalea exclaimed.

"That's cheerful," Dwalin muttered.

"I mean, look at our options! Battle an Orc pack or jump to our death. We fight or we die!"

"She's right," Thorin said, drawing his sword. Azalea forced down a smile. The others followed Thorin's example. Azalea notched an arrow and pulled it back until the tail of the arrow brushed her cheek. This was the most familiar thing she'd felt in a while.

"Get ready!"

Just as those two words were uttered, wargs with orcs on their backs broke through the trees. Azalea and Kili shot arrows while the others charged forward.

"Into the trees!" Gandalf exclaimed. Everyone fell back and climbed into trees. Azalea kept shooting, one leg wrapped around the tree for support.

After a while a figure appeared over the crest of the hill. Based upon the shock and suppressed fear in Thorin's eyes, Azalea guessed who it was.

The Pale Orc began speaking in his native language. Azalea didn't understand, but apparently, Thorin did. She stared as his fear disappeared and was slowly replaced by rage. Azog turned to his soldiers and said something. The other orcs charged on the trees. Azalea began shooting again. After three shots, she reached into her quiver to find every archer's worst nightmare.

She had run out of arrows.

No matter, she thought as she reached for her throwing knife. Frantically, she patted her empty belt, wondering where her knife was. She shoved her hand down her boot, but it wasn't there either. Her stomach dropped to her feet when she remember it was still lodged it the wolf that tried to kill her.

She had no weapons.

She climbed higher up the tree, trying to get out of danger.

"What are you doing?!" Bofur yelled.

"I don't have a weapon!" she yelled back.

"That could be a problem!"

She didn't have time for a snarky comment. The tree began leaning slightly. Azalea understood what was happening before it ever began. She leaped to the next tree, hoping she caught it. Just in time, she caught on to a branch. The tree behind her fell. The domino effect caused the trees to topple onto each other. Many dwarves and Azalea leaped from tree to tree, trying to save themselves. They all met on one tree, which fell. It held on by a few roots. Azalea clung to the tree, her legs dangling in the air.

"Azalea, hold on!" Kili exclaimed.

"No, I figured I'd just let go!" she retorted.

They hung there for a minute, but it felt like an eternity. Azog taunted Thorin a bit more. Suddenly, Thorin stood up on the burning tree and ran at the orc.

"Thorin, no!" Azalea screamed. 

He bolted forward. He battled the orc and his mount, but then things took a turn for the worst.

The warg clamped its jaws around Thorin.

"No!" several people screamed.

Bilbo stood up and charged into the battle. Azalea pulled herself up and stared at Thorin. The look of pain on his face was enough to send her over the edge.

"I have to help," she decided.

"But, Azalea, you have no weapon!" Kili reminded her.

"I don't care."

Then, she did the stupid thing and ran into the flames. She punched whatever ran at her. 

"Leave him alone!" she yelled at Azog. He taunted her, then told his mount to do something. Suddenly, the thing dropped Thorin and ran at her. 

She dodged all of its attempts to hurt her. She weaved through its legs, trying not to get hurt. She had to get to Thorin, make sure he was okay. In her moment of distraction, the warg swiped its paw across her arm, leaving deep scratches. She fell to the ground, wincing. Her arm burned like fire.

"No," a weak voice somewhere near her choked out.

The pain became too much, and she blacked out.