Unnur's Line

Chapter five:

Thorin came out of the forge in time to see Dawn on Ajax leap the fence and gallop into the meadow below the house. He stood leaning on the door frame his shirt sleeves rolled up and his hands black from the soot and sweat running down his face.

   He didn’t know how to feel about her, she stirred feelings that were foreign to him as he watched her ride Ajax in integrate patterns in the field. Watching in amazement she leaned far over the side of the horse and let go rolling onto the ground to come up in a battle stance.

  Ajax pivoted on his back feet and came straight at her and she jumped to the left side of the racing horse and was back on his back before Thorin knew what had happened. “Amazing rider isn’t she” he turned to see Fili standing just behind him watching Dawn with a blade in his hand that he had been honing. He looked over at him and noticed that his nephew had grown, and he had a thoughtful look on his face. Gazing down at his hands and then back up at the mountains Thorin was torn.

   “You could almost want to stay here” Fili spoke, Thorin smiled and turned to go back inside to finish what he had started to work on this morning. He clapped Fili on the shoulder “Almost” and let go walking back to where the fire burned hot.

   Fili watched his uncle return inside and turned to watch as Dawn continued to ride in patterns. He himself had come to care for the two who had rescued them, but he knew that they had to return shortly to what end he wasn’t sure. Nor was he sure that they’d be safe once they were gone.

   He glanced back at the house Kili was with Sienna out in the woods hunting and he knew his brother had feelings for Dawn’s niece he could see it in his eye’s when he looked at her. Sighing he went back inside to finish sharpening the blade he still had in his hands while Thorin worked.

   Dawn worked with Ajax till the horse was lathered before returning to the stable and dismounting. Thorin was still working and she went and got a towel to rub down the horse. When she was finished and Ajax stood eating his grain she turned feeling the sweat and grim and wanting to get clean herself. Walking back to the house she grabbed clean clothing and started to head up to the hot spring when laughing reached her ears.

    Sienna and Kili were walking down out of the forest with a string of Rabbits and stopped laughing when they saw her on the path. Sienna grinned and held up the rabbits “Fresh meat for dinner tonight” and Dawn smiled as they drew closer with bows slung over their backs.

  She didn’t mistake the look in Sienna’s eye’s as she looked upon Kili and she felt saddened as it was not to last. “I’ll be back; go dress those rabbit’s Sienna” and Dawn walked by them to go to the bath house. Rolling her shoulders as she opened the door letting the steam out, she paused.

    The world was changing around her, the breeze blew her hair into her face and she brushed it away. The sun was low as she went inside and shut the door looking forward to a nice long soak in the hot spring.

   It was sometime when she came out of the bath house feeling somewhat refreshed, her wet hair braided down her back, Dawn stood on the step lacing up her shirt, fingers feeling the lace as she gazed down the path. The air was cool and still as she smelled the air which had the scent of leaves and dirt. Finishing the laces of her deep red shirt the sound of a branch snapping off to the right of her made her freeze. Her heart starting to beat a little faster, she sniffed the air slowly smelling the muskiness of fur. Reaching slowly down to her side she grabbed the dagger that was in its sheath on her belt.

    The low rumbling of a growl reached her ears and Dawn slowly turned to slowly look carefully over her shoulder to see a large tawny cat slowly making its way through the trees. This cat was huge and Dawn blanched as it was the size of her horse.