All's Far in Love and War

Chapter 6: Let the Journey Begin

Third Person POV:

After Bilbo speaks, there is silence as the dwarves think about what Bilbo said. Gandalf smiles slightly, happy that Bilbo has changed so much ­ for the better.

"See what did I tell you!" Flora said, sass full in her voice.

Azog and his Warg Riders get to the top of the mountain. Azog speaks in Black Speech telling his followers to run down the dwarves and to tear them to pieces. He swings his mace forward, and several of his Wargs (without riders) leap forward and race down the mountain after the Company, howling. Hearing the howling, the Company members realize they are in danger.

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin sighs.

"...and into the fire! Run! RUN!" Gandalf urges.They all start running down the mountain as fast as they can. The Wargs follow them rapidly; it becomes nighttime. Soon the foremost Warg catches up to the group and leaps at Bilbo; Bilbo ducks behind a rock and the Warg's jaws snap in the air over his head. The Warg lands in front of him. Growling, it charges at him. Bilbo pulls out his sword and holds it in front of him; the charging Warg impales itself in the head on the sword and falls down dead. Bilbo looks on in surprise. A few more Wargs catch up to the fleeing dwarves, but they are quickly dispatched. The Company reaches a large outcropping of land with a few trees growing on it; they are trapped there, as there is no way off the outcropping besides a great fall down the mountain.

"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!" Gandalf shouts at him. Bifur throws an axe, killing a Warg which was approaching him. Bofur jumps off a rock and grabs a tree branch, using Dwalin's head as a stepping stone to the tree. Other dwarves begin climbing into the trees as well. Bilbo tries to pull his sword out of the dead Warg's head, but it is stuck firmly. He continues to pull. Flora rolls her eyes at her father's weakness.

"They're coming!" Thorin shouts, pushed Flora behind him and Dwalin. Gandalf climbs to the top of the furthest tree; Dwalin boosts Balin up. Thorin, Bombur, and the rest climb up trees too. The main body of Wargs and Warg Riders approach. Bilbo finally manages to pull his sword out of the Warg; he looks up to see several more Wargs running at him. He quickly clambers up a tree as the Wargs rush below him. Dozens of Wargs circle the trees in which the Company members are perched. Gandalf reaches out with his staff and picks up a moth sitting in the same tree as him. Bringing the moth close to his face, he whispers to it; he then blows it gently, causing it to flutter away. The Wargs cease their growling and turn as the White Warg, with Azog on its back, approaches slowly. Thorin looks at Azog in shock.

"Azog?!" Thorin whispers. Flora looks past his shoulder and sees the White Warg being rode by a pale Orc.

"This is Azog?" She thought to herself "This is what you have been dreading?"

As his White Warg growls, Azog strokes it and talks ominously.

"Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast? (Do you smell it? The scent of fear?) Azog says with a smirk "Ganzilig­i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train­ob. (I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain.)"

Thorin looks stricken with pain and grief, realizing that Azog had captured his father.

"It cannot be." Thorin whispers. Flora looks around at the dwarves. They all have a look of pain on their faces.

"Oh Valr, help me." She whispered to herself. She grabbed her swords and was about to attack when Azog speaks to his Wargs and Riders.

"Kod, Toragid biriz. (That one is mine.)" he says, "Worori­da! (Kill the others!)