Extra Company

Chapter 18

It felt like days ... maybe weeks since we entered the forest, the air was thick, it felt as if I had flown too high in the sky. My mind was in a sort of daze, my conscious and subconscious battling one another, creating illusions that were only seen by the naked eye. Sometimes, even my ears became subjected to the illusions, hearing laughter echoing off the trees, or even my parents voices begging me to come to them.

I ignored those sounds, knowing what would happen if I would so much as take a step off the path. I wasn't the only one struggling against this air, everyone seemed to be trying to fight off whatever was in the air. "Air. I need air." Bofur spoke, seeming to struggle with every breath. I stuck close to his side, just in case he collapsed.

"My head! It's swimming!" Dori stated, shaking his head, as if seeming to wake himself up.

I then freeze, getting the feeling that we were being watched, I look up into the grey trees, seeing only the white sky. I couldn't help but feel the need to run, to run as far away from here as I can. All I could see was grey, there was no green grass, no bushes, not even a single leaf. Something else was out here, and it's definitely not the elves, although I wish it was at this point.

"Saharia!" I hear Thorin call out, snapping me out of my daze, as I look over at him, struggling to keep my vision clear. He gestured for me to move, "C'mon, we don't want you getting left behind."

I walked up to the company, catching up to them, taking the rear as I followed them down the stone path. I looked down, seeing my own talon like paws replacing my human feet, I shook my head, telling myself it is just an illusion. I then feel my foot get caught on a lip of a stone, causing me to trip. However, I was able to catch myself, I turned to look towards the stone, to see there was no lip at all.

I let out a groan, "I'm sick of this forest." I pushed myself off the ground, Bofur helping me up as he spoke, "I agree with ya there lass."

"We gotta keep moving." Thorin spoke from the front, as if he was answering a question from one of the dwarves. I continued walking, the air becoming heavier with each step, the battle between my conscious and subconscious nearly coming to a close.

"Thorin, we need a break." I hear Balin speak from somewhere up front, while I trip over air once more, this time unable to catch myself. Bofur and Bilbo walked over to me, swaying in their step as they made their way to me.

Each one, grabbed onto my arms, before lifting me up as I started to push myself off the ground. Thorin glanced behind him once before shaking his head, "We keep going." A small sigh slipped from my lips, I nodded in thanks to both Bofur and Bilbo before slipping my arms out of their grasps.

We continued walking for hours, or at least that's what it feels like. There was no way to tell time here, no shadows, not even a single ray of sunlight.

Eventually we reached a bridge that had a large gap separating both ends, too large enough for a normal human to jump, much less a dwarf. The water itself was still, almost black with a few grey dead leaves and grey algae lingering in the water. A light fog rests just above the water, but not high enough to block out vision of the bridge.

"There's a bridge!" Bofur called out as soon as his eyes rested on the practically torn down bridge. He stepped up to the edge of the bridge just behind Bilbo. "We can try and swim it."

"Not a good idea." I put in, causing the company to look at me as I walked up by the bridge. "The water's are enchanted, whatever you do ... don't touch it." I say firmly before going over to sit down at the base of the tree. "Will give me more problems to deal with if you do." I grumble, rubbing my temples as I feel a headache start to come one.