A Priestess For Middle Earth

Chapter 21 Escaping Mirkwood

Sorry this isn't as long as the other chapters but this is all I could think of right now.

The barrels hit the water with a splash, they all waited anxiously for Bilbo, Thorin holding the other barrels in place. A minute later Bilbo comes flopping out of the trap door into the water.

"Thank Kami, Bilbo, you're safe." Kagome comment as she pulls Bilbo closer to her. Thorin give her a incredulous look but says nothing.

"Well done, Master Baggins." And with that they're off.

You know, barrel riding sounds like fun in theory, but it was by far the worst ride Kagome has ever been on and she had been on several rollercoasters rides in her time. Careening out of control, they found themselves at the mercy of the current. Being tossed around in their barrels, getting scrapes, cut up, and bruised. Adding on top of their misery, they were now being hunted by Elves and Orcs alike. And to put the cherry on the cake, Bolg shot Kili with a poison arrow, as Kili opened the water gate to help them escape. Still, Kagome and the Dwarves fought their way down river. Kagome armed with her sacred bow from Mount Azusa, making every shot count as she took down and seemingly endless number of Orc. Eventually, Kagome had to switch to her Katana for close quarter combat. She infused it with her spirtual powers, so even though she would not alway get in a fatal blow the orcs would still be purified.

Eventually they were able to outrun both the Orcs and the Elves, but their luck did not hold out for very long. The waters calmed on the river and they were forced to head for shore. Once Kagome got to shore, Fili helped her out of her barrel.

"Come on Auntie, let me help you out."

Kagome raised an eyebrow, "Auntie, Fili, really?" Fili only smirked at her and ran off to help his brother.

Kili in the meantime stumbled and fell to his knees in pain. Fili was instantly at his side..

"I'm fine it's nothing." Kili tells his brother.

"It's not nothing, Kili, that is a serious wound, it need to be treated." Kagome tells him as she walks over to him.

"We don't have time, we need to keep moving. There's an Orc pack on our tail."

"Thorin, you have to give me time to heal his leg, it'll only take a few minutes." Kagome says as her hands begin to glow.

But Thorin grabs her hand, "No, not now, we can not afford to waste time. Bind his leg and let us be on our way.

"How can it be a waste of time, Thorin, he's your nephew and he is badly injured." Kagome tells him with her eyebrow beginning to tick in annoyance and anger.

"It is alright, Kagome, I will manage just fine. Just bind it and let us keep moving." Kili says, puting on a brave face.

Kagome narrows her eyes at Thorin and does just as Kili has asked.

As Thorin, Balin Bilbo and Dwalin discuss how to get to the Lonely Mountain Ori is sitting at the river's edge emptying his boots of water. Suddenly a man appears on top of some boulders, with his bow drawn, Dwalin gets in between him and Ori, but the man fire hitting the branch that Dwalin was holding. The man quickly fires at Kili but the arrow is knocked off course, intercepted by the arrow that Kagome fired. Before the man knew what happened Kagome already has her bow drawn and is pointing straight at the man's heart.

"Try that again and I'll put an arrow in your heart before you can say mother, now lower your bow." Kagome orders in a deadly voice.

The man has no other choice but to surrender, though Kagome never lowers her's. It was then that Balin noticed the barge, he comes to stand in between Kagome and the man. Which was fine Kagome would still be able to hit him even if Balin was in the way.

"Excuse me, but um you're from lake-town if I'm not mistaken. That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?" Balin asks.

The whole time the man is talking to Balin his eyes keep shifting to Kagome who has yet to relax her stance, until Bofur walks up to her and lowers her bow.

"I don't think he's any threat to us anymore, Lass."

"He better not be or I'll zap him to hell. Nobody threatens my Dwarves." Kagome says, giving the bargemana dirty look.