Arien, Lady of Rivendell

Thunder and Mountains

For two days they walked across cold and desolate plains, soon the gradient began to climb and the landscape turned darker and rocky. The air around them grew colder and thinner as they prepared to climb the mountain pass of calahdras. Arien had journeyed on this road, long ago when she was but a little elfling in her mothers arms, yet her memory remained clear and she was not the only one to have knowledge of these roads. For many miles her and Balin walked side by side discussing which roads to take, for the misty mountains were dangerous. Many paths led to dead ends or were haunted by the footsteps of orcs and goblins.

Darkness had closed in around them and Thorin hurried the company onwards. The road had narrowed and the path clung to the edge of the mountain, barely a meter in width across, and beside them a great cliff fell away into the darkest of caverns and the very roots of the mountain. The land above them was cloaked in shadow and the weather turned for the worse. Pulling her cloak tighter around her Arien sucked in her breath and squinted against the torrents of rain that had begun to pour not an hour back, soaking her through. But they could not stop, not yet, for there was no where to take shelter. Their road ahead was invisible, no one could tell how many more miles it would be before they found somewhere. The only light highlighting their way came from cracks of lightning in the sky which rumbled with great might, shaking the mountains.

"Move on!" Thorin shouted from the front of the group, encouraging the others as she heard Kili let out a great sigh from in front of her.

"Bilbo!" Dwalin shouted as the hobbit lurched forwards, his feet slipping on the sodden ground as he almost stumbled over the cliff. She spun quickly her hands reaching out to grasp the hobbit who was a few metres behind her only to find her fingers brushing the fabric of his vest. Letting out a gasp she prepared for the worst only to find him quickly bundled back into the safety of Dwalins arms.

"Bilbo stay near me." She ordered him letting Fili pass in front of her and slotting herself ahead Bilbo before they continued on. Making sure she stayed close to the hobbit Arien looked on ahead to hear Thorin shouting back at them the one thing she had been thinking of all along.

"We need to find shelter.."

"Look out!" Dwalin cut him off as suddenly a chunk of the mountain smashed against the rock above their heads showering the company with droplets of stone and dust as they flattened themselves into the wall. Arien's mind raced, what in Arda's name was happening?

"This is no thunder storm, it is a thunder battle!" Balin cried, pointing up ahead, the company gasping at the sight.

Suddenly a great beast ripped itself from the rock face on a mountain ahead. It was a great pillar of stone, a featureless, faceless figure almost as tall as the highest mountains.

"Well bless me, the legends are true! Giants! Stone giants!" Bofur exclaimed his face contorted into a shape of awe and fear.

"What legends?" Bilbo whispered, only loud enough for Arien to hear. Her hand slipped in his and she felt Fili stumble back towards her. As bofur spoke the figure moved, its arms thrusting a chunk of the mountain over them crashing into the path of another giant. Rock slammed into the side of its stone skull and taking its opponent down.

"Take cover you fools!" Thorin yelled.

"Hold on!" Someone shouted, but their voice was carried away by the torrent of wind followed by a large thud. The dwarves braced themselves as the ground cracked and crumbled beneath them. The stone rumbling as the mountain split in two, separating the company.

"What's happening?" Kili asked in confusion and shock as the ground started to pull him away from his brother. Fili reached out, his eyes desperate.

"Grab my hand!" He shouted, but it was too late. Arien quickly pulled the blond dwarf back into her arms before he toppled over the edge in an attempt to reach Kili. She let out a breath as there was a brief pause. Then as if sitting on a chair a third giant rose above them, taking the company with it. The rock crunched like bone as the previously victorious giant slams its head against its new competitor, making it stumble back into the mountain before composing itself. Arien clung to the rock face, making sure Bilbo and Fili are still beside her. As it fell she noticed there was a split second for escape for the half of the company that were the furthest ahead. Seeing the same opportunity Thorin took it, calling the dwarves to attention they leapt across the gap onto a safe platform and turned to watch their companions with horror etched onto their faces.

The fight raged on as the giants took swing after swing at each other, Arien and the dwarves feeling each blow as the ground beneath them juddered back and forth, wind and rain whipping and blinding their eyes making it impossible to see. The larger second giant took the lead and slammed its fist into the firsts face knocking him down in victory. Suddenly a boulder is flung out of thin air and smashes onto their beasts face taking the whole head clean off. The stone giant's knees buckle, slowly it begins to crumble and fall taking the company along with it. Ariens heart leapt into her throat as she watched on helplessly as they swung past the other half of the group who stood safely at a distance, her eyes met Thorins a split second before the cliff lurched forwards and they crashed into the mountainside with the giants roar.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything was suddenly dark. Arien's ears rung and she felt a great weight upon her. Muffled voices pooled around her body and suddenly she felt a forceful tug bringing blinding light back into the her eyes as the elf was pulled to standing from under the great weight of Bomber. Dazed and confused Arien drank in the scene. They were alive, the fall hadn't killed them. Instead it seemed the second half of the company had been dropped onto a much larger platform on the path ahead.

"It's alright their alive!" Gloin called out rejoicefully as the group composed themselves. Arien looked to her sides with a smile to see that Kili and Dwalin were the ones to have heaved her first from under the weight of the largest dwarf.

Suddenly panic set in. She quickly realised that they were one member short.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the hobbit?" Bofur called out worriedly as if voicing her concerns. Arien cursed, her ears twitched at the sound of a groan coming from below where they were stood.

"Bilbo!" Arien cried as she fell down lying over the edge and looking down to meet the hobbits wide eyes. His hand grasped onto the bare rock as he hung for dear life onto the cliff face.

"There get him!" Dwalin cried leaping beside her as they both stretched their arms in a desperate attempt to pull him to safety. The gap was too large, her muscles twinged at the distance between them and she gritted her teeth attempting to go further over when she felt someone grasp her legs for balance. Their fingers brushed and she let out a growl of frustration before a sudden movement caught her eye. Thorin swung down beside her, his footing sure on the rock as he clambered down to Bilbo's height and grasped the hobbit tightly. In one swift movement he flung the Burglar up into the dwarves arms as they pulled him to safety once again.

The elf's eyes met Thorins for a split second. Then he slipped, the wet rock on his boots failing him.

"Thorin!" She cried, pushing herself further over the edge and grasping his arm tightly, preventing his fall. Dizzy at the height she quickly pulled him up with the help of the others. With a groan Arien rolled onto her back and took in a deep breath, her stomach growled in pain and her head pounded. Thorin dusted himself off and stood up sending Arien a grateful smile.

"I thought we lost our burglar." Dwalin commented breathlessly walking besides the group leader. Thorins face turned into a scowl.

"He's been lost ever since he left home, he should never have come. He has no place among us."

At his words Arien rose, rage flickering within her as she glared at Thorin and walked to Bilbo's side. An unreadable expression crossed his face before the dwarf turned to respond to a call from his companion.

"There's a cave." Balin commented looking back at Thorin.

"Fili, Kili, search it."