A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

51. Before The Elven Path

The hours passed, all of us keeping the ponies going at a fast paced jog, not enough to wear them out but fast enough to keep from any orcs and wargs on our tails. I watched the land like a hawk, hugging Thorin's cloak around me tighter at the chill in the wind. It is oddly biting, well more biting than the chill I felt in rivendell's winters. I am beginning to see that Thorin was right on me needing the cloak... this wind seems to bite right through the material of my coat.

Fairfin was sitting, vigilant, on top of the black and white pony's head, like a little white raven sentinel. I found it amusing, but Fairfin must be feeling the tension in the air. No one spoke a word, not even Thorin and I, all of us focused and paying attention to the land.

Luckily it would be hard for anyone, no matter their size, to sneak up on us. There is a set of trees to the far west of us, they must be part of the forest of Mirkwood. Even from here, they don't appear... natural. Beyond that, we rode over flat grasslands, except most of this grass looks pretty dead. What little change in the land there was, it was only small hills, not even a crouching orc could hide behind them.

Every few hours, I would whistle out a tune to Fairfin, one he recognised, and he took off like a bullet to check behind us before flying a circle back to us, then he would land on the pony's mane a croak once. A trick I taught him on the road if I felt like I was being followed on the road. I even watched Thorin closely, seeing how he would react to Fairfin's croaks, especially now that I knew he could understand the raven.

Fairfin flew back, landing on the pony's mane and croaking once, Thorin nodding to the raven before paying attention to the landscape around us. My legs were burning from sitting this way for so long, but I wasn't about to voice my pain, an annoying quality of mine, as the dwarves no doubt discovered after I passed out due to exhaustion and my injuries when we arrived at Beorn's home. I have taken to gritting my teeth as I pay extra attention to the landscape, to get my mind of the painful burning in my muscles from forcing myself to sit like this.

We had been riding for hours when Thorin suddenly shocked me. Without saying a word, he shifted in the saddle, moving like he was trying to find a more comfortable way to sit, but I suspect he knew I was uncomfortable. I gasped quietly as I slid into his back, fighting down a blush before readjusting myself, lightly gripping Thorin's shoulders again, nearly sighing in relief from sitting in that awful way for hours on end.

I am sure sleeping tonight is going to be painful, the muscles in my legs are already protesting from the way I forced myself to sit.

Slowly, the day wore on in silence. I watched the sun reach its apex in the sky, before diving down to the horizon, the sky changing from blue to darkers blue to orange. By the time the skyline turned red, we came to a stop at a small stream. We were doing our best not to touch the waterskins at all, every drop might be needed in those ominous woods in the distance.

The those tied the pony's rein's to a few small trees by the stream, getting to work setting up a low burning fire, not enough to draw attention as others unloaded their packs. Thorin hopped off the pony first before turning to me, asking a question with his eyes only.

Well, that's kind of him. But, as he has no doubt learned by now, I don't like accepting help. I carefully got off the pony, expression composed the hide the pain in my legs as I turned back to the pony and removed my pack, throwing it over my shoulder and moving off to find a place to rest for the night.

It was a rough night for all of us. The clouds blocked out the stars and the moon, making it near impossible to see. I offered to take part of the night shift, the dwarves tried telling me no but I refused and gave them a stern angry glare, telling them in the calmest voice I could muster that I will take part of the watch and, if they refuse to let me, I will knock out one of the dwarves on watch and take that dwarf's place.