Angel On Fire

Chapter 9 - Her Longing

As darkness falls the dwarves, Gandalf, and I wait for Bilbo to return from his scouting. I rub at my ribs as the pain slowly starts to fade. Thankfully Oin said none of them were broken and he gave me a salve to rub on my abdomen. It had been very helpful. I lean against a nearby tree and letting out a heavy sigh wish I would soak in a hot bath. My back stings at the contact of something hard against the sores left from the rope whippings.

I quickly turn back toward the rest of our company who are waiting for Bilbo. When Bilbo returns Dwalin asks him, "How close is the pack?"

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it."

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?"

"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem."

"Did they see you? They saw you!" Gandalf says to Bilbo suddenly worried.

"No, that's not it."

Gandalf smiles and turns to the rest of us as he says, "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

The dwarves chuckle loudly in appreciation of Bilbo. Bilbo looks exasperated that no one is hearing him out and suddenly hollers, "Will you listen- Will you just listen? I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there."

I furrow my brow as I move closer to the company.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asks and Bilbo looks at him surprised as he says, "Ye...Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger."

Bofur turns to Gandalf as he says, "You knew about this beast?"

Gandalf turns and walks a few steps away.

"I say we double back." Bofur says turning back to the rest of us.

"And be run down by a pack of Orcs." Thorin says as he shakes his head.

Gandalf suddenly turns back to us and says, "There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."

Thorin raises an eyebrow suspiciously as he says, "Whose house? Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us." Gandalf says making the dwarves look at each other in dismay.

"What choice do we have?" I say right as a roar splits the night behind us.

"None." Gandalf replies.

And once again we are running. Running across plains and streams until suddenly an ear-splitting roar sounds nearby making us stop.

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf calls out causing the dwarves to panic. Bombur looks on in shock until I grab him and pull him along after us.

As we exit the forest, we spy a house surrounded by a hedge in the middle of a plain. "To the house! Run!" Gandalf says we run across the plain; Bombur, the fattest dwarf, outruns all the rest of us in his fear. I would have laughed at his sudden swiftness, but the sound of roars draws closer.

They run through a gate in the hedge. "Come on, get inside!" Gandalf cries as he stops and waits for us all to make it through the hedge. We run to the front door of the house; it is closed. Bombur, who reaches the door first, throws himself against it but falls flat on his back when the door doesn't budge. The rest of us catch up and begin throwing ourselves against the door, trying to open it. I look back as a massive bear breaks out from the edge of the forest and runs toward us.

"Open the door!" Gandalf cries and I turn to see it rushing toward us causing me to freeze in my stance.

"Quickly!" I hear Thorin cry out as he pushes through the dwarves pressed against the door, manages to raise the exterior bolt, opening the doors. The dwarves bolt inside, and I feel someone jerk me inside the house as they try to slam the door shut, but the bear has already gotten its head in the door. As the bear roars and tries to push the door open, the dwarves yell and strain to close it. Bilbo pulls out his sword and points it unsteadily at the bear. Gandalf looks on in apparent amusement. The dwarves yell as they press against the door.