Erebor's Guardian

Chapter: 10

The storm was becoming too fierce for my wings to handle. I had to find the company quick. Lightning and rain blinded my sight from seeing them clearly. Suddenly I heard Thorin's voice.

"Hold on!"

I saw them on a small trail, the stone beneath Bilbo gave away, as he started to fall toward the chasm; I carefully swooped below bringing him back on the path. Thorin noticed me on the path and smiled. Bilbo was still clutched to my arm.

"I'm going to need that back."

Bilbo quickly let my arm go as I laughed. Thorin turned to Dwalin

"We must find shelter."

"Watch out."

We looked up to see a massive boulder hurled through the air; it hit the mountainside above us, causing the rock to fall around us. I expanded my wings to keep them close to the wall.

"It's not a storm, it's a battle! Look!"

The others looked to where I pointed. A stone giant reared itself up from a nearby mountain; it ripped off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain.

"Take cover!"

The dwarves yelled at each other to brace and hold on, suddenly part of the mountain split causing the company to be split into both sides. Fili tried to reach for Kili.

"Kili! grab my hand! Ki..."

As the stone giants fought with their fists, the dwarves held on tight as they were flung around. I carefully unfolded my wings to keep the others against the wall. Suddenly the part of the giant we were on smashed into the side of the mountain. I heard Thorin yell out load.

"No! No! Kili! Paephan!"

I looked around to see that I was able to keep the dwarves from harm as they all laid on my wings. The others rushed to us, they found us in the group with the wind-beaten out of us but safe.

"We're all right! We're alive!"

"Oh Mahal, Paephan you saved us." Kili smiled as he helped the others up.

I smiled as I soon realized Bilbo was missing.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?"

"There!"

Bilbo was hanging on the edge of the cliff with just his fingertips. As the others tried to bring him up Thorin swung down on the cliff next to Bilbo and gave him a boost, the others helped him to safety. Dwalin tried pulling up Thorin back up as well, but Thorin lost his grip and started to fall as well, but my wing was able to reach him and pull him back up. Dwalin smiled at Thorin but he merely walked away.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar."

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. he has no place amongst us."

Bilbo looked up to Thorin with a hurt expression, I knew he had gone too far. As the others walked away I gently wrapped a wing around Bilbo's small frame.

"Don't let him get to you and If he tries to hurt you, He'll have to answer to me."

Bilbo smirked as we walked forward seeing that the others were looking for shelter, one of them was able to find a cave.

"It looks safe enough."

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied."

Dwalin searched the cave with a lantern.

"There's nothing here."

Gloin dropped a bundle of wood on the floor and started to rub his hands. He was about to start a fire but I stopped him.