Predator or Prey | The Hobbit

SIX

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Predator or Prey

CHAPTER SIX.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

The Company left Rivendell at dawn the next day. Not wanting to stay any longer, so they could proceed on with their quest.

"Be on your guard." Thorin declared, using the end of his axe as a walking stick as he lead the Company carefully on the steep path, on the side of the mountain they were walking through. "We're about to step over the edge of the wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on." He stopped walking, letting Balin pass him.

Selene walked between Dwalin and Kíli, minding her own business.

"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up." She heard Thorin say, nothing else after that.

Hours past ever since the Company left Rivendell. They did not stop for any breaks, wanting to travel as far as they could before sunset. Selene and Bilbo now walked side by side, the former hearing the hobbit pant heavily as he grew tired by the minute. She turned to Ori, who was behind them, motioning for the dwarf to hand her her pouch of water. When she received it, she nudged the hobbit and held out the water for him. Selene watched Bilbo, his face was uncertain about it.

"You need it more than I do." Selene whispered to him. That's when he took it, thanking her before twisting open the cap and taking little sips while he walked.

Bilbo closed the pouch and tapped her side, "Do you think Gandalf will come soon?"

Selene smiled, knowing Bilbo's fondness of the wizard and how he looked up to him, for Gandalf was always protecting him. It was now Selene's turn, though, she had been protecting the hobbit ever since he left his home.

With a nod, Selene replied "Of course. I'm sure he will be with us in a week or so." She looked down at Bilbo who remained silent. They went back to walking in comfortable silence.

After a few days of walking under and over mountains and hills, the Company were now stuck on a very tight edge of the mountain as the sky boomed of thunder, lightning and rain.

"Stay close, Bilbo." Selene told the hobbit in front of her. He nodded and continued to cautiously step ahead a few inches at a time.

"Steady! Hold on!" Came the shout from Thorin.

Suddenly, a loose stone crumbled under Bilbo's bare feet, making him stumble and almost falling off the edge - but Selene's fast reflex grabbed the hobbit's red coat and pulled him back up.

"Can you not change skins, Lady Selene?" Bilbo asked her, watching her blink away the drops of water that reached her eyelashes.

"The wind is too heavy." She answered with a shake of her head. She would have been able to fly under the heavy rain as she's used to being underwater for days. However, the wind would make her flying difficult to stay in place and if the dwarves and Bilbo were to sit along her back, they would be blown away by the strong gust of wind. She did not want that to happen.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin shouted again, but Selene paid no mind to him. She was too busy making sure there were no more loose spots coming up for Bilbo, herself and the dwarves behind her.

Dwalin from behind her yelled out too, "Look out!" His gaze was fixed up far ahead, where a large piece of stone flew over their heads, hitting the spot just above them. They all shouted as pieces of rocks and stones came down.