the Stowaway (Hobbit fan-fic)

Chapter 14

"Anything behind us?" Thorin asked.

"Not that I can see," Balin reported.

"I think we've outrun the orcs," Bofur said.

"Not for long," Thorin replied. "We've lost the current."

I walked along the riverside. I had stopped running a while back, but kept looking behind me to see if the orcs were still following us. Now the current of the river had slowed and the dwarves were slowly floating down the river.

"Bofur is half drown," Dwalin said.

"Make for the shore!" Thorin called to the others. "Come on, let's go!"

The company began to paddle for shore. I tossed my weapons to the side and went to help them. My boots were quickly soaked, but I did not care. Right now I needed to worry about the company. I helped up the dwarves that were willing to accept my help. Once one was out of their barrel, I saw them back to shore before helping the next dwarf.

Bilbo gladly accepted my hand and I hoisted him up. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder as I walked him to land.

"Thank you," he said through chattering teeth.

"You're welcome, Bilbo."

I glanced at Kili, who was sitting on a patch of rocks, looking at his leg. I saw that he had wrapped it in a cloth, but I could also see the blood seeping through it. I helped Fili to his feet and motioned towards his brother.

"You should go to him," I said.

The dwarf nodded and walked towards his brother.

"I'm fine," I heard Kili say. "It's nothing."

"On your feet," Thorin said.

"Kili's wounded," his blonde nephew protested. "His leg needs binding."

"There's an orc pack on our tail. We keep moving."

"To where?" Balin questioned.

"To the mountain," said Bilbo. "We're so close."

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it."

"So then we go around."

"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight," Dwalin pointed out. "We have no weapons to defend ourselves."

Thorin paused, glancing at his nephews.

"Bind his leg," he said, "quickly. You have two minutes."

I sighed and looked around at the company. I saw Ori sitting a small ways away, emptying him water filled boot. My attention was suddenly grabbed by a figure coming up behind everyone with a bow in his hand. He slowly raised his bow, aiming an arrow at the dwarf. I quickly take out my bow and point an arrow towards him.

The dwarves, now realizing we weren't alone, jumped. Dwalin grabbed a branch and stood between the man and Ori. He goes to charge, but the man shoots an arrow into the middle of the branch, just missing Dwalin's large hands. Kili raised a rock to throw, but the man shot the stone away with another arrow.

"Do it again," he said, "and you're dead."

Balin slowly stepped forward with with his hands slightly held in the air.

"Excuse me," he said, "but, you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?"

The man slowly lowered his bow, looking at our group suspiciously. I put my own weapon away, hoping I wouldn't have to use it. The man walked over to his barge, which was close to where we were resting.