Wayfarer of dawn

II. In which the Shire is left

It was, as Rána had promised, near dawn when she showed up. Her blond hair was plaited back, and her bow and quiver hung over her shoulder. She was ready for an adventure. Her horse, a pure black stallion by the name of Avari, was waiting calmly beside the fence. Rána knocked on the door and waited. She went over her belongings in her mind. 2 clean shirts, a spare pair of pants, extra undergarments, Lembas bread, her necklace, a journal, a pencil, maps, and her hunting dagger. Her weapons of choice were a bow, with a quiver filled with white-feathered arrows, two short swords, and some throwing knives.

Gandalf opened the door, garbed in the same grey attire as always. But instead of telling Rána to come inside, he walked out. With the Dwarves behind him. Rána stepped aside and said a soft "Good morning" to her new company. None but Gandalf replied. "Good morrow, Rána." "I take it that our company is not fond of early mornings with an elf at their side?" She said softly, jokingly. "They will start loving your company sooner than later, you harbor nothing but good feelings for them. And they will soon feel the same way my dear Rána, just wait patiently." Gandalf told her, letting his fatherly side come out. "Thank you, Gandalf" Rána said softly. And then they climbed atop their horses, and rode off into the morning sun.

It was when the sun had risen completely that Rána caught the sound of something rushing through the bushes, straight at the company. She nudged her horse into a canter to catch up with Thorin at the head of the line. "Why are you here Rána? Did I not tell you to stay with Gandalf?" Thorin commented, albeit a bit harshly. But Rána ignored his words and nocked an arrow on her bowstring. And when the creature busted out of the bushes Rána drew her arrow back and aimed, but did not let it fly yet. And when the creature cried out "Stop! Wait! I signed it!" Rána let out a soft chuckle and eased her grip on the bow, placing the arrow back in her quiver and falling back in line next to Gandalf. "You heard him coming?" Gandalf asked as the company came to a halt. "I am an elf, dear Gandalf. Of course I did." And when Bilbo was finally seated on a pony, the company started moving again. Be it with a bit of difficulty when Bilbo cried out that they had to turn around for his handkerchief, but soon this problem was solved too as he was tossed a ripped piece of clothing.

It was near nightfall when Thorin decided to stop for the day and build camp. After camp was built, and a fire was made, Rána sat down on the edge of the cliff the were resting on. She wished to see the stars as she once saw them at home. But her peace and quiet was soon cut short when a horrible screech echoed through the night, causing an already uneasy Bilbo to look up in horror and shock. "What...what was that?" He asked, his voice shaky. "Orcs" Kili answered, his voice drooping low. "Orcs?" Bilbo had a panicked look on his face. "Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there, the lowlands are crawling with them" Fili piped in, his voice odly calm. "They strike in the wee hours, when everyone's asleep; quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood" Kili added. And then the brothers shared a look after seeing Bilbo's frightened face, and chuckled. Rána's jaw clenched, these boys had not seen enough of the world.

"You think that is funny?" Thorin's voice was harsh "You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?" Kili looked down. "We didn't mean anything by it" he said softly. "No you didn't, you know nothing of the world." And with those words said Thorin turned around angrily, stalking towards the cliff's edge where Rána was sitting silently. "Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria... but our enemy had gotten there first. Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs, led by the most vile of all their race, Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King. Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed; we did not know. We were leaderless, defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him; the young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armour rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield... Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back; our enemy had been defeated... but there was no feast or songs that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived and I thought to myself then 'There is one I could follow. There is one I could call King'." Balin told the young Dwarves, admiration in his voice. And then Rána tuned out, remembering her own experience with Thror that day. Just seconds before he died. And when she tuned back in there was nothing but silence. Rána got up silently and sat down next to Kili and Dwalin. "It would be best if we retire for the night, I'll take the first watch." She told them all before getting up and walking to the edge of their campament, looking out over the ways towards them. And behind them all Dwarves, and soon the Wizard and Hobbit too, fell asleep.

When all companions had woken up it was near sunrise, and Rána was patiently waiting by Avari. Bilbo walked up to her with a bowl of stew. "Here you go lady Rána" He said politely and handed her the bowl. Rána smiled and took it. "Thank you Bilbo, but just call me Rána." "Of course Rána, may I ask you a question?" "Fire away." "What is your horse's name?" "Avari." She answered. But before Bilbo could ask why Kili and Fili walked up. "And what might Avali mean?" Kili asked. "Avari, and it means the Unwilling" Rána told them. "I don't want to be rude, but why the unwilling?" Fili asked, letting his eyes travel over the calm, black stallion. "He is unwilling to let anybody but me ride on his back" Rána told him. Kili raised and eyebrow. "May I try?" He asked. Rána laughed softly. "Go right ahead." And so Kili started off towards Avari, and Fili helped him up. At first nothing seemed to happen and Avari remained calm. But when Kili nudged his heels into Avari's side to get him to move the horse tensed. And bucked Kili right off his back, into the bushes. And the company bursted out laughing. Rána helped Kili up with a soft smile. "So that's why..." He grumbled before walking off towards his pony. And after the laughter of the company had died down they were back on the road. Closer to their destination, and yet so far.