тнє нєαℓєя[тнσяιи σαкєиѕнιєℓ∂]

Chapter Twenty Seven - The Smuggler

The company had lost sight of Bolg and the other orcs as their barrels disappeared down the rapid stream. As the day dragged on they finally hit calmer water and now were forced to use their arms to pull their barrels through the water. Maura took this time to search for the hobbit and to her relief, she saw that Bilbo had a hold of Nori's barrel. "Anything behind us!?" Thorin shouted.

"None that I can see." Balin informed.

"I think we've outrun the orcs." Bofur proclaimed, poking his head out of his barrel and spitting out a lung full of water.

"Not for long, we've lost the current!" Thorin replied back, as he continued to paddle with the branch, through the stream.

"Bombur's half drowned" Dwalin yelled out. The healer managed to turn around in what little space she had in the barrel and sure enough saw Bumbur's barrel filling up with water quickly.

"Make for the shore!" The prince ordered. Once they're barrels hit the rocks they began to climb out of them. Some having more difficulties then others. Dwalin pulled the young woman out of the barrel like nothing and she was on the rocks. Maura barely took a step forward when her boot came out from under her and she shrieked, thinking she was about to smack the back of her head on the rocks when strong arms caught her from behind and she could feel her heart begin to race as she looked to see who it was.

"Are you alright?" Thorin asked, his face had filled with concern.

"Yes, I am now. Thank you." She answered, a small smile formed at the corner of her mouth, thankful for him being there when he was. Maura wrapped an arm around Bilbo when she saw him. Asking him if he was hurt at all. Once he assured her, he was alright, the healer went around to her other companions, making sure they were alright until she stopped at Kili. He was bleeding from the arrow that had struck his leg from earlier.

The young dwarf looked up when he saw Maura standing over him, looking at him with extreme worry. She noticed immediately how pale he looked from the loss of blood. " I'm fine it's nothing." Kili informed, trying to hide the pain he was in.

"No, you're not Kili. You've been shot with an arrow." Maura pressed as she crouched down to get a better look at the injury.

"Maura, really. It's just a scratch. I'll live."

"On your feet!" Thorin ordered.

"Thorin, your nephew is wounded. His leg needs binding. He cannot continue on like this." Maura stressed, tearing a piece from the bottom of her dress to bind Kili's wound.

"There's an Orc pack on our trail! We keep moving!" The prince stated, quickly doing a scan of the immediate areas, keeping his eyes pealed for any filth's coming their way, and the healer huffed at his lack of empathy for his own blood.

"To where?" Balin argued.

"To the mountain, we're so close." The hobbit said as he shakily made his way over to them. His form still trying to adjust to how cold he was.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain, we have no way to cross it." The elder dwarf explained to Bilbo.

"So then we go around." Bilbo suggested in frustration.

"The Orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves." Dwalin retorted.

Thorin looked at Maura, before speaking. " Bind his leg, quickly. You all have two minutes." He said. The healer got straight to it and began to wrap the torn cloth around Kili's leg. It pained her to see him in so much pain, and she had nothing to give him, to help ease it. Kili thanked her and the woman couldn't help but hug the young dwarf who gratefully returned the gesture. Since the first time meeting the brothers when they showed up in Bilbo's home, she had grown quite fond of them throughout this journey. They reminded her so much of her own son she lost.They were brave, loyal and always eager to prove themselves and she bit her lip to prevent the tears from coming out at the thought if anything should ever happen to them.