I do not own the Hobbit.

So, this story is based between Radagast meeting the company and the arrival of the orcs. It shouldn't stray from the storyline too much (if at all), but hopefully will contain some good action scenes (as it is the main genre of this story). For those who know me, I have finally decided to attempt to write a story involving orcs and not involving angst. Fingers crossed it will stay that way. The first chapter is short and a little weird, but I promise it will pick up next chapter onwards. Also, don't ask how they didn't notice the orcs. I'll work on that later. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Attack

The afternoon was pretty quiet, at least as quiet as it could be with thirteen unruly dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit. Having just escaped from the captivity of three slow and stupid trolls the previous night, several of the dwarves were still ruffled and in a bad mood, namely Dwalin and Gloin. Thorin was as his usual self, though obviously displeased with the delay. Then again, the exiled king seemed displeased with most things nowadays Balin reflected.

Radagast, the somewhat mad wizard, was talking to Gandalf, a fact which did not bother the old dwarf at all, though it did rouse his curiosity. Thorin, who had appeared to have found a sword in the cave of the trolls, was talking in a low voice to Dwalin, his self-assigned bodyguard. Bilbo too was captivated with his newly secured weapon, taking the rather short blade out of its scabbard to give it a look over. The old dwarf only hoped that the company burglar knew how to use it when the time came.

Most of the company had remained in one area, but Ori and Kili were both standing a little apart from the rest, Kili speaking urgently and Ori shaking his head persistently. Balin could only imagine what the younger dwarf was asking of the scribe of the group. It was to his surprise, however, that Fili was not with his brother, rather the blonde was standing to one side laughing at a comment Bofur had made.

"This quest will be quite the journey without the ponies," Dori muttered darkly, coming up to the old dwarf. Balin sighed.

"Yes," he replied, "I am not looking to having to walk all the way to Erebor. It might be possible to buy some ponies along the way perhaps." This last part was said in a hopeful tone.

"If my brother hasn't gambled all the money away," Dori answered, "Excuse me while I go and see what he is up to now."

Balin chortled to himself as Dori walked over to were Nori had been inspecting an object he was now holding behind his back. The two exchanged some brief words, ending in Dori storming away in a huff. Whenever the pair argued, it was generally the younger dwarf who would win. He had a habit of sliding his was out of things.

"I must be on my way," Radagast said, drawing the dwarves' attention back to him, "But you must be sure to tell of my findings at the Council." The wizard hurried off, seemingly nervous for some unexplained reason. Gandalf watched him go for a moment before coming to a decision.

"We must get of these woods soon," the powerful being said, "For something dark lurks in them. I recommend we head to the plains east of here. From there I can you to a short cut to the Misty Mountains."

"Very well then," Thorin replied, "We might as well get-"

A short cry from where Ori and Kili had been standing cut the company leader off and caused the rest of the company to look over that way, only to have each member grip their weapons and tense their muscles. Several cries of outrage were given as the group found themselves looking upon a scene where Kili laid motionless on the ground, Ori pinned to a tree behind him, held up by his throat by an orc almost twice his size. More orcs were beginning to appear from within the forest, and upon seeing the company staring at them, the beings took up their weapons and charged, some on foot, most on wargs.

Balin watched as Ori was dropped to the ground, both he and Kili in great danger of being crushed in the stampede of their foes. Shouting to his brother, the white bearded dwarf began to fight off the enemies surrounding him.

"Kili!" Fili called from somewhere to Balin's far right, the blonde fighting side by side with his uncle and Oin.

Beside him, Gandalf was beating back several wargs with his staff, Bilbo trying his best to avoid being eaten. Bofur and Bifur were dancing around, their battle techniques not the most graceful, but more than effective.

"Kili!" Fili called again.

"Ori!" Dori bellowed at the same time, finally causing Balin to look towards the two dwarves whose names were being called out with sure worry and fear.

The white bearded dwarf berated himself for forgetting about the pair once he saw the danger they were in. Ori was back up against a tree, hands groping hopelessly for his slingshot or another weapon of which he could use in defence against the orc who was preparing to run him through with a sword. Kili was in an even worse position, still sprawled face down on the ground, his bow out of reach as he began to stir, oblivious to the warg preparing to jump on him from behind.

Balin's view of the scene was suddenly obscured by a being that soon found themselves dead on the ground, head caved in from a well-aimed blow. When he looked up again, it was just in time to see his younger brother behead the warg fixated on the youngest of the company and save Ori through lodging his axe deep into the upper body of the orc above the dwarf.

The burly warrior threw the redhead he had just saved Kili's sword, stooping to the ground for a moment to collect both Kili and Kili's quiver containing the dwarf's arrows and bow. Placing the brunette on his feet, Dwalin began to manoeuvre his two quarries back to the main area of fighting. He was, however, cut off by a wall of orcs and wargs.

The rest of the company too found themselves outnumbered and Balin suddenly had a fleeting thought that this could very well be the last moment that any of them spent alive. Sweat ran down the old dwarf's face, his body still not fully recovered from the fight the night before. He was not as young as he used to be, but he was still a force to be reckoned with, at least in his own opinion.

It was Gandalf, as per usual, that saved the day.

The enemy was not as numbered as Balin had initially believed, especially since about a third of their force had been cut down by the company. This was not at all worrying for the orcs for they still outnumbered the company at least three to one, but it did make things easier for the wizard the orcs were fighting against. Lifting his staff, Gandalf the Grey struck the ground with his staff, magic rolling from it in forceful waves.

Balin looked around at the attacking force that was now frozen in place. Wargs and orcs alike looked as if time itself had stopped, and the white bearded dwarf would have believed it too if everything else, including himself and the rest of the company, had remained unfrozen.

"I suggest we get moving for the spell will not last all that long," Gandalf informed them, looking towards Thorin more than anyone else, "Avoid contact with them or else the spell will break." On his words however, Bofur tripped over a rock in his path, knocking into straight into the snarling face of a warg. Both Bifur and Nori pulled back the toymaker just in time for the warg's jaws to snap close on thin air.

"RUN!" Thorin shouted, the company immediately obeying him as the rest of their foes regained control of their bodies. Balin bolted left, Bilbo behind him, Gandalf shooting past on his longer legs. From the corner of his eye, the white bearded dwarf caught a glimpse of the rest of the company shooting off in different direction before the somewhat blurred outline of trees replaced the scene.

Should I continue? Please review.