❝A Journey To Remember❞ The Hobbit | Kili

|e i g h t|

❝A Journey To Remember❞
Kili
|e i g h t|

» » » » »
{S A F F R O N}

     I walked along the peaceful forest, the birds chirping in the air, the leaves blowing within the rhythm of the wind as my soul finally amid peace. My heart calmed to a steady pace. The dwarves had been aroused by a cave troll hoard that was just merely down the road. I was able to scurry a quick elven blade that had been bestowed in such a dark foul place, admiring such weaponry with detail beyond imaginable.

     Soon enough, the dwarves found their way close to where I stood; most of them admiring their weapons. I looked afar, adjusting my bow that was strapped securely against my back, my quiver full of the arrows. I strapped the elven sword that was now safely placed into its leather sheath, wrapping its waist band around the lower part of my hips. I glanced down toward the path, examining the dwarves. I watched as Thorin and Gandalf spoke to one another civilly.

     I had shifted in my stance, walking closer to the company of dwarves, receiving a few generous glances of recognition. I looked upon the dwarves, noticing each dwarf now secured by the safety of their new weapon.

     Just before my next thought could process within my mind, the sound of bushes being rustled and twigs being snapped as a forceful rushing sound made its way through the woods. I stood alert, my hand removing my bow from my figure, now loading an arrow. "Something's coming!" I shouted; the dwarves now fully aware of their surroundings. 

     "Stay together!" Gandalf ordered as the company grew a tighter circle, our bodies now huddled. 

     "Hurry now! Arm yourselves!" Thorin ordered. 

     I readied myself, my stance firm, my heartbeat advancing as I pointed my weapon in the direction of the unexpected presence.

     "Thieves!" A voice yelled from behind the bushes. "Fire!" It shouted once again; almost too dramatically. "Murder!" A man pulled up in a sled pulled by none other than some sort of rhosgobel rabbits. I furrowed my brows in mostly confusion at the sight before me, noticing his attire. He had to have been a wizard. 

     "Ah, Radagast," Gandalf announced with satisfaction, the dwarves exchanging glances with one another. "It's Radagast the Brown," Gandalf stated respectfully as I lowered my bow, putting the arrow back into my quiver. "Well, what on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf questioned, exchanging a few glances from the Dwarves.

     "I was looking for you, Gandalf." Radagast spoke with slight uncertainty. "Somethings wrong. Something's," he paused, "terribly wrong."

     "Yes?" Gandalf questioned, waiting for his dear old friend to say what it was exactly that seemed to bother the old brown wizard. Radagast furrowed his brows as if he was trying to remember what exactly it was, catching us all off guard.

     "Oh, just give me a minute," he paused as I exhaled a breath of discernment. "Oh, I had a thought and now I've lost it," the wizard paused. "It was right there on the tip of my tongue," he spoke as I shifted in my stance. "It's not a thought at all," he breathed out. "It's a silly old," he paused before Gandalf pulled a stick bug directly out of his mouth. "Stick insect." I was confused on what exactly was going on in that particular moment, but wizards are wizards, and I am no wizard.

      Gandalf had then given the old man him his pipe for him to smoke; the man breathed it in once and exhaled calmly, the smoke finding its way out of the wizard's mouth and ears. "The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it," he breathed out effortlessly. "Nothing grows anymore. At least, nothing good." I turned my face away slightly, processing the man's words. "The air is foul with decay," Radagast stated in fear as I crossed my arms over my chest. "But worse are the webs." 

     My head snapped in the Wizards direction, my heart growing weary. I vague memory came to mind, remembering a time when my father had to fight of the horrid creature as it snatched my leg from behind. I will never forget the fear instilled in my heart at such a young age. 

      "Correct me if I am wrong, Master Radagast," I had paused, Gandalf now looking to me in curiosity. "Do you speak of spiders?" I questioned, the wizard now giving me a rather tense stare. "Large ones?"

     "Yes, dear friend," Radagast exhaled, exchanging glances between Gandalf and I. "Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant," he stated as chills ran down my spine, now envisioning the evil spirits of these vicious spiders. "Or I am not a Wizard," Radagast stood firm on his better judgement. "I followed their trail," he paused in all seriousness. "They came from," he held his breath, "Dol Guldur."

     "Dol Guldur?" Gandalf questioned in surprise. "The old fortress is abandoned."

     "No, Gandalf," Radagast paused. "'Tis not," he spoke with horror written across his face. "A dark power dwells in there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror. One that can summon the spirits," he paused, my senses heightened. "The spirits of the dead." I looked to the ground in horror, my mind wandering. "I saw him, Gandalf. From out of the darkness, a Necromancer has come."

      "Radagast. Now, a Necromancer. Are you sure?" Gandalf questioned rather quickly before Radagast began to pull out some form of item that was securely covered in amidst an animal's hide.

     "That is not from the world of the living," he stated lowly, Gandalf gripping the item from the brown wizard's hands steadily. I couldn't help but wonder if it was some form of iron workmanship or weaponry. But in a moment, something had caught my senses; something of evil. Something of utter darkness. My gaze fell upon the wilderness before us, a loud howl being heard in the distance.

     "Was that a wolf?" My uncle questioned. "Are th- are there wolves out there?"

     "If only it was," I mumbled, waiting patiently as I readied my bow. Suddenly a large Warg appeared running directly towards us as I quickly let go of the arrow; the arrowhead piercing the warg's scull, it's body falling to the ground lifeless. Thorin had then slashed the next creature's scull, it falling to the ground with nothing but blood escaping its body. 

     "Warg scouts!" Thorin scowled through gritted teeth, exchanging glances between the dwarves and I. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind," he hissed, his body tense. 

     "Orc pack?" My uncle questioned, completely dumbfounded by the spit of reality that seemed to take over our current circumstances. 

     "Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf exclaimed questionably in utmost distress, looking to Thorin with suspended anger. 

      "No one," Thorin growled through gritted teeth.

     "Who did you tell!?" Gandalf shouted in anger, not believing the words coming from the dwarf King. 

     "No one, I swear!" Thorin quickly scanned his surroundings, his breath caught in his chest.  "What in Durin's name is going on?"

      "You are being hunted," Gandalf grumbled in aggravation as more howls were heard nearby. Though, they were far enough into the distance for everyone to buy time.

     "We have to move quickly," I added, my gaze now interlocked with Kili's. For a mere moment, my heart sank at the thought of his presence being no more. It was as if my heart for him had grown fonder of him than I had initially realized. 

     "We have to get out of here," Dwalin stated frantically as I readied my bow once again, determined to not let any member of this venture be taken advantage of, including my uncle. 

      "We can't," Ori exclaimed over the mountain top above us. "We have no ponies," he breathed out with frantic effort. "They bolted!" 

     "I'll draw them off!" Radagast mentioned, the Dwarves and I looking to the man in utmost shock at his sudden choice of words.

      "These are Gundabad Wargs," Gandalf exhaled, trying to reason with his old friend, Radagast. "They will outrun you!" Gandalf stated, just an ounce of fear easily being seen upon his face. Radagast had sent Gandalf a grin of pride, the brown wizard seeming to be afraid of nothing at all.

     "These are Rhosgobel rabbits!" The brown wizard stated with confidence. I looked to the old but strange man, knowing there was more hope in his soul than most kind creatures. "I'd like to see them try."