Colliding with the unexpected

Screams in the night

Night fell over the sky and the company were resting upon a cliff top. Most of them were asleep apart from Bilbo, Fili, Kili and Amanda., who looked around the camp, smiling at the sight of Fiona curled up against a rock with Kiba snuggled into her stomach.

Silence over flowed the company...well apart from the rumbling snores from Gloin which sucked moths in and out of his mouth. Bilbo sat up in aggravation. He knew now he'd never get back to sleep at all. He stood up, cracking his back and made his way over to his pony to which he had begun to like.

He approached his pony smiling and gave her an apple "Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. sh, sh"

He suddenly hears a scream in the night air and becomes worried. He runs over to Fili and Kili in fright

"What was that?"

"Orcs." Kili spoke darkly.

Thorin jerks awake upon hearing the word "Orcs."

Fiona had also jerked awake on alert. Kiba gave a yelp and tumbled onto her knees. She mumbled an apology and stroked his head.

"Um Orcs?" Bilbo asked

Fili nodded "Aye, Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili continued

Bilbo looks away in fright while Fili and Kili look at each other and begin laughing. Fiona came up behind them and whacked them on the heads. Before she could scold them Thorin stepped in "You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

Kili looked away in guilt "We didn't mean anything by it." He mumbled.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin snapped. He storms over to the edge of the cliff and looks over the horizon. Fiona glared at the Durin brothers and looked to Thorin in concern

"Don't mind him, you lot. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first."

"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King."

Fiona and A and a remembered this story all to well from the movie. It always seemed to get to them, how quick Thorin had lost his family...

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent...wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield...Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived......And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." Balin finished with glassy eyes.

Thorin turns away from the view beyond the cliff; the entire Company is awake and standing in awe, staring at him. Thorin walks between them toward the fire.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?..." Bilbo asked

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin answered coldly. Gandalf and Balin shared a look. Thorin was far off from that answer. Amanda and Fiona shared a glance as well.

The company settled back down and Thorin kept watch. He looked over at Fiona and noticed she was shivering even in her own coat. Quietly he stepped over and draped his jacket over her and Kiba "I promise, I'll keep you safe" he whispered. He saw her smile in her sleep and smiled himself.

Amanda watched them with a smile and yawned. She laid her head against Kilis shoulder and closed her eyes, drifting to sleep. Kili looked down at her with a soft smile and wrapped an arm around her and held her through the night...