She dreams of Golden Hope

The Caged Bird

"The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom."- I know why the caged bird sings, Maya Angelou

Her heart was racing and it felt as if it would burst out of her chest at any second, as she pressed herself against the stony facade of the huge boulder they were hid behind.

They were hiding.

They were hiding from the grotesque and bloodthirsty abominations that chased them, that were on their heels and no doubt out for their blood. Had she not been filled with dread she would have perhaps seen the irony of the situation, seen that it was comical that the morning had started so idyllically with the company having found rest in a forest clearing, where the early morning sun had shone and the light had been reflected by the dew drops on the greenery. She would have found it funny that the morning had started so peacefully and that it had only taken a few minutes for the situation to be completely reversed in that they now were in a hazardous and frightening, potentially life-threatening situation. She could still remember how it had all began. How they had stood off to the sides, and she had leaned against the trunk of an old tree, while Gandalf conversed with Radagast the Brown, one of the wizards from his order. She remembered what a fright she had gotten when the disheveled and filthy, slightly confused wizard had emerged from the dense forest growth on a wooden sleigh led by a group of rabbits. Yet the fright that she had gotten at the sight did not compare with what she felt now. Now she felt pure and undiluted fear and panic.

A long, chilling howl sounded from behind her and before they could question what type of beast had created the sound, she felt a current of air above her and the next thing she saw was a great, fury beast with wild, yellow, cruel eyes landing before her. She did not have time to taken in the beast, which was gnarling and growling with its huge, lolling tongue and its sharp, yellow teeth, before it was quickly cut down by Dwalin, who swung his axe onto the creature's sturdy neck and the beast went down with a shrill cry of pain. The monster was soon followed by another, but before that one could reach the clearing from the peak of the hill it stood upon, Kili had already shot it down with one of his precise arrows. The creature tumbled down toward them, still intent on causing them pain, but was soon liquidated when Thorin swung his new, elvish blade upon it.

With a cry of disgust, Thorin wrenched his blade free from the creature's neck and Laurel had to look away as warm, dark, sticky blood came flowing out of the wound like an ever-flowing, interminable stream. "Warg Scouts.", she heard Thorin exclaim with disgust and disbelief dripping from his words. She looked up at him and saw that he was looking down at the beast with pure hatred and then he turned to his company and said with alarm: "Which means an Orc Pack is not far behind." Beside her, she heard Bilbo exclaim with alarm and fear: "Orc Pack?"

"Who did you tell about this quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf questioned Thorin sternly and in response the brooding dwarf furrowed his brows and said: "No one!" "Who did you tell?" Gandalf's voice had risen and Laurel assumed that this would have been the closest thing to screaming at one that the wizard would have ever done. Thorin approached the mass of assembled men slowly and said through gritted teeth, but with absolute conviction: "No one, I swear!" His nostrils flared, as he looked at his surroundings and then he glared at Gandalf and said: "What in Durin's name is going on?" "You're being hunted." Gandalf stated with solemnity and she could feel how everyone had stiffened at Gandalf's words.

"I'll draw them off." She heard the creaky voice of Radagast call out. She furrowed her brow at the slightly dazed wizard's attempts to help them and she knew that eventhough he meant well, that he was completely disillusioned if he thought he could distract the Orcs, who were after them if Gandalf's word were anything to go by and whom she had known since her earliest stages of life were the most cruel and hateful creatures on Middle-Earth. "They are Gundabag Wargs. They will outrun you." Gandalf stated exasperatedly, voicing her inner thoughts. "These are roscabel rabbits. I'd like to see them try." Radagast had stated with a small mischievious smile.