That's Another Story For Later

Reckless

"Hold my breath? What do you mean?" Bofur said. It dawned on me as Bilbo pulled the lever. The ground we were on tilted downward, toward a cavernous opening. The barrels began to roll, and everyone yelled in shock. Dori and Bofur's were quite strange, something like "aiaiaiaiai." The feeling of free falling caused my stomach to rise to my throat. My shriek was quite high pitched. Just before we hit the water below, I heard Thorin yell in Khuzdul, something about Mahal saving him, and Kili let out a whoop.

I snatched a quick breath in, and the impact of hitting the water stole it right back. I gasped, swallowing water. The water was freezing, and it took what little breath I still had left. I choked more on the water. I was prepared for another lungful of water, but instead, it was air. I sucked in the air, coughing water from my lungs. I spit out the excess into the river. "Are you alright?" Fili said. I nodded, breathing slowly and deeply.

I coughed a few more times, and Dwalin roughly patted my back, and the water was gone. I continued to breath air deeply. Bilbo was still missing. "Kili, what the hell was that?" I snapped.

"What?"

"We were falling down into a river, and you were laughing!" I accused.

"It was fun!" He countered, smirking. I hit his shoulder, causing him to laugh once again. A creaking sounded, and I turned to see Bilbo fall through the hole. I smiled at watching him drop like a plank. I winced at the sound though as he landed straight on his back. He popped up, grabbing Nori's barrel around the rope. Thorin had grabbed our barrels to keep us from floating away.

"Well done, Master Baggins." Thorin congratulated, and I could've sworn I saw a hint of a smile grace his lips.  Those two had a very special relationship... and it intrigued me. Bilbo, who looked like a half drowned cat, waved his hand and spluttered out one word.

"Go."

"Come on, let's go." Thorin repeated to the others. We paddled with our hands as the mild current pulled our barrels along. IT picked up quickly, headed toward the end of the tunnel. I was momentarily blinded by sunlight, and I heard a roaring rush ahead. Just as my eyes adjusted, Thorin called to us. "Hold on!" I saw rapids and a waterfall for half a second as my stomach rose into my throat, and dropped as water filled my mouth.

I spluttered when I resurfaced only to be dunked under once again. The river carried us swiftly away. "Holo en-annon!" My eyes widened. I was about to alert the others when another Elf blew a horn. We rounded a corner and saw a guard post built above the river. The heavily armed guards heard the horn and stood at attention. One went over to a large wooden lever. A metal sluice gate started to close, blocking the rest of our path.

We stopped at the gate, our barrels piling up. Mine was in the sunlight, Along with Dwalin's, Fili's, and Kili's. We were unable to continue, and we would be captured again. Thorin's hands clutched the bars, as though he could rip them off. "No!" The elves drew their swords, and I moved to grip mine, when they dropped suddenly. An arrow was embedded in their back. It was a crude black shaft, with ugly fletchings. Growling, several orcs revealed themselves, swarming the guard post.

They killed the Elves swiftly. More monsters jumped out, accompanied by the pale orc Azog had talked to. Fear traveled up my spine. "Watch out! Those are orcs!" Bofur called. I rolled my eyes and shouted a response.

"Thank you for telling us! I thought they were goblins!" The orc, whom Azog had called Bolg, shouted something in Black Speech. I can only imagine it was along the lines of killing us. The orcs began to throw themselves into our barrels. I whipped out my blades, stabbing one before it reached me. I watched as Bilbo killed one with Sting, Dwalin elbowing one in the face. I stabbed another in the chest.