I am loyalty (Thorin / OC )

Chapter 33 : spiders, spiders and look more spiders

Adrianna POV

The forest seemed to pulse with dark energy. Sweet and sour smells drifted on the air currents. The stone path was almost covered completely in weeds and moss. I stayed beside Thorin, my ears flickering left and right. Surprisingly, my orange fur didn't stick out within the tangle of roots called a forest. In a deadly and enchanting way, the forest was beautiful. What put me on edge was the constant clicking noise, like bugs crawling across a hard surfaces. Webs encased trees towered above us, steeling out any sunlight. Everything was still, yet constantly moving and the air had an icy bite to it. I moved a little closer to Thorin, the urge to run welling up inside me. The forest was already taking an effect on me. My vision swam and twisted, throwing me of course when I walked. The hissing and clickling sound increased in my ears, and I could feel my heart thudding against my chest. No life flourished here, no birds, no deer, nothing. The dwarves behind me hiccuped as if they were drunk, they kept walking into trees too. We got to parts of the path where we would have to slam Dwalins' axe into the ground and listen for the sound of metal and rock. We carried on following the path.

" The path turns this way.", Thorin called back to the others. I padded along beside him, my large paws making no sound on the weed-riddled floor. We followed the path round bends and twists, constantly checking to see if we were right. We continued on walking through the forest, following the path until we reached another corner, dwalin then used the end of his axe to feel the ground for the path.

" This way.", Dwalin grunted after a few moments of careful consideration. We continued on like this for some time, soon nightfall was upon us. Well, it seemed like nightfall was upon us, we couldn't see through the leafy barrier the tall, twisted trees made. The air was becoming thick, and breathing became harder and harder. My head was spinning, and the clickling was ever constant, however now a high pitch ringing added to the aggravating mess that was my brain.

"Air...I need air.", Bofur groaned, taking in deep, haggard breaths.

" My head, it's spinning! What's happening?", Oin moaned, rubbing his head with a calloused hand.

'Its the forest, it is effecting us all. I fear if we don't get out of this place soon, we will succumb to madness', I thought to Thorin, rubbing my head against his knee for comfort.

" Keep moving.", Thorin told the others, stroking my soft fur. Suddenly, Nori, who was leading us, stopped.

'Oh great what now?!', I growled to Thorin.

" Nori, why have you stopped?", Thorin demanded, anger clear on his face.

"The path, it's disappeared!", Nori whimpered, clearly panicked.

"What's going on?!", a scared Ori cried. I moved over to him, purring and rubbing my head against his shoulder, comfortingly.

" We've lost the path!", Bofur shouted, causing the company to panic. Even with my head spinning, I didn't let my instincts take over. Fear only leads you towards death or failure.

'You must calm them, Thorin', I whispered in his mind, purring even louder.

" Find it. All of you, look.", Thorin snapped, sounding just as panicked as the rest of them.

'So much for calming them down.', I sighed to myself, as I began searching for the path.

" Look for the path!", Dwalin shouted, once again stating the obvious. As I began looking for the path, I started to feel dizzy and tired. We all staggered around drunkenly, walking into trees and each other.

" I don't remember this place, none of it's familiar.", Balin cried, waking the ground with his weapon.

" It's got to be here.", Dori called out, walking into a nearby tree.