Daughter Of Dragons: A Hobbit Fanfiction

Rain And Wizards

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The Company traveled until sunset before they began searching for a campsite. Once they found a suitable clearing, they set up camp there, as well as started a fire. Kili, Fili, and Valadhiel went off to go hunting for an evening meal, leaving the others there to sit around, nap, or chat.

"Shh, I think there's something nearby." Valadhiel whispered to Kili and Fili as they walked along. They all hushed and walked along quietly, then peered out from behind the bushes. There, they saw a buck. Valadhiel silently drew an arrow, knocked it into her bow, pulled the string back, and aimed carefully. Then, she released the arrow, sending it into an area of the deer's neck that killed it quickly.

"Nice shot, Vala." Kili commented. It was really his first time seeing her in action, as she'd oftentimes go hunting alone. He'd assumed that she always hunted in her leopard form, but it seemed that she didn't need to.

"Thank you, Kili." Valadhiel replied, smiling at him before she began walking over to the deer.

"I'll carry it back." Fili offered as he lifted it by its antlers. Along the way, Kili ended up helping him carry it. Soon, they made it back to the camp and began to prepare it for the meal. Bilbo had to look away when it came time to gut it, though Valadhiel didn't blame him. It was her least favorite part of the preparation, and it still churned her stomach.

As the meal was being prepared, Valadhiel, Bilbo, and a few of the dwarves all pitched in to help since some had brought salt along whereas others had found other things to season it with. It was soon ready, so they all sat down and took a helping. Valadhiel refused to take anything until everyone had eaten, since she could simply go out and catch something else if need be. She finally did get to eat a little something, though, and everyone was satisfied with the meal.

It was now late, and rather dark out. The fire still crackled, and the ponies either stood still or grazed. Many of the dwarves slept, Thorin being one of the sleeping dwarves, Gandalf was smoking his pipe, Kili and Fili were sitting by the fire on a rock platform, Bilbo was trying to sleep, and Valadhiel was sitting on a log as she cleaned the arrow she'd taken back from the buck.

Upon seeing movement, she looked up to see Bilbo get up, then slipped something to one of the ponies. She smiled as she listened to him tell the pony, Myrtle, that it was their little secret and she couldn't tell anyone, but she then looked up quickly when she heard a shriek in the distance, setting her arrow back into her quiver.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked, walking closer to the fire and over to Kili and Fili, sounding slightly frightened.

"Orcs." Kili replied, looking out into the distance a moment before he looked at Fili, then smirked a little before he wiped the look off his face and turned his gaze to Bilbo.

"Orcs?" Bilbo asked fearfully. He'd only ever heard of such creatures, but never before had he ever thought he'd hear one, and he sure hoped he never got to see one.

"Throat-cutters." Fili said. "There'll be dozens of them out there."

"The lone-lands are crawling with them." Kili then added. "They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood." After seeing the look on Bilbo's face, he and Fili began to laugh.

Valadhiel got up, walked over to them, and gave them a stern look, almost an unhappy glare. "You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Not only that, but scaring the hobbit to death? No.

Thorin had woken up the moment they'd mentioned the orcs, and he'd also walked over, about to scold his nephews. Valadhiel, however, beat him to it. It seemed she'd had a history with the orcs as well.