First ever fanfic! Basically I've taken characters from The Hobbit and incorporated them into a WW1 setting. It will follow the lives of our favourite's heroes as they deal with struggles in the trenches, and losses of those close to them. There will be death in later chapters, but for now I'm just going to start off with an introduction to our main character, Kili.
The roar of the enemies' machine guns was ceaseless, the bullets stirring the dirt and throwing it into the air causing a dry brown haze. Just a few hours earlier they had called a ceasefire, the only peace they would receive now for another week. Corpses of his brother's that had fallen while making a run across no man's land to gain strategic advantage had been dragged back to the trenches and piled together, the stench of putrid flesh making their situation all too real. Numbers were dwindling, the men were sick, and the few medics that were left were out of supplies. They would die here.
"Hey!"
A fellow soldier he'd grown close too waved his arms to draw attention, before tossing a new round of ammunition his way. Bo looked as though he was going west, eyes drifting as he lowered down in the dirt with very little grace.
"What are you doing Bo!?"
The man smiled under his thick moustache, before reaching between the buttons of his coat and hunching forward. The hairs on his own neck stood, another comrade was leaving the trenches for good. Throwing his rifle over his shoulder he ran to where the man in his early thirties was rested and pressed a hand against his shoulder to straighten him up. Blood seeped through the uniform, but where exactly his mate had been hit, he wasn't sure.
"Give us a look…"
Tugging at the mud-clad trench coat he managed to get loose the top three buttons, the older man holding back complaint with a simple moan. Pulling the layers of clothing away revealed the culprit, a bullet wound in the shoulder that was bleeding generously. He'd seen similar injuries on many of the others and in most cases they had survived, but today there was no supplies, and the medics were out of answers.
"Hey, Bo…you took a packet, but nothing to worry about I'll just- I'll go and get a medic and you'll be right, they'll patch you up"
Knowing he needed to keep pressure he pulled off a dry section of his own shirt and pressed it into the skin.
"Hold that there nice and firm, I'll be back…"
Sprinting across the muddy ground he kept his head low and eyes focused. The gunfire was never-ending; making his way through the trench he watched many of the blokes he knew aiming their weapons, keeping their heads low from the top of the wall. He was on a mission to find help, that was until a familiar voice called to him.
"Oi, Kili what the hell are you doing? You're mad mate, where's your rifle?!"
"It's back where I was stationed…"
"Why you all the way down here? we've got fritz's coming over the top everywhere!"
"I need a medic, Bo's been hit!"
The devastated look on Nori's face said everything as he sympathised.
"There's one down that way-"he pointed towards the section of the trench that was notorious for fatalities, an area in which the higher ranking more skilled soldiers were placed.
"He was tending to a minor hit, short bloke you can miss him!"
He nodded in thanks and waved off his fellow soldier, who was already consumed again with the battle taking place above the trenches. Short bloke…short bloke… Scanning the area he searched for someone of abnormal height hoping that he'd spot him soon. C'mon Kili, short man with a red cross on his sleeve…
As he reached a gathering of maimed men he stopped dead in his tracks, and focused on the crowd. There he is! Eagerness rushed through him as he carefully weaved through those no longer able to fight and gripped the med's shoulder. The tiny man jumped, and turned quickly in fright before taking a deep breath.
"What is it, what have you got for me?"
"A soldier, he's wounded at the other end"
Flustered, her shook his head and ran fingers through his wavy hair before turning and addressing a fellow hand. The young boy, looking only eighteen or so stood attentively.
"Ori bring a stretcher we've got one at the south end!"
He searched the small man's uniform for a proper way to address him, a badge… a name, finally he spotted it sewn into the thick outer sleeve. Reading it over three times it occurred that he might have the pronunciation wrong, surely his name wasn't- Bilbo… What kind of name is that?
"Bilbo, is it?"
Shocked at hearing his name, Kili watched him process what was said.
"Y-yes that correct, we will go ahead and see if we can aid this friend of yours, Ori knows where to meet us"
With that he picked up a paced jog, leading the medical aid who had a hard time keeping up. It must be the short legs…he seems in good health. He ran through the narrow trench behind those who were leaning against their ladders firing their guns, turning a corner to where Bofur was now lying on his side, strands of his hair dressed in mud. Sprinting to his friends help he kneeled and lifted his head off the ground.
"Hey, I got some help, can you hear me? Bo?"
His pale friend had no reply, and he didn't move on his own, eyes firmly shut. He reached forward to pull him up off the ground, as if that might wake him but was ushered away by Bilbo and his assistant. There's nothing you can do now. Man your post.
Instinct told him to stay and help, but what Nori had told him earlier sent him running for his rifle. There were Fritz's coming across no man's land trying to claim their trench, and he was one of the only four men with watch on the south end. I'm in for a long night.
Loading his weapon he climbed his post ladder and placed the gun on the surface catching movement in his view, a pair of feet swiftly dodging the maze of barbed wire and mines. The enemy soldier was fast approaching as Kili lifted his weapon and fired, the bullet making contact with their leg. Falling forward the foe lost both their weapon and helmet, hitting the ground hard. Knowing that the shot was not fatal he prepared his rifle again and aimed.
Getting ready to deliver the kill, he watched as the figure tried to stand, raising themselves on all fours, before collapsing into the muddy ground once again. Re-adjusting the weapon he inhaled, before now it had been easy to kill but something about this soldier made it impossible for him. Standing frozen he looked on, expecting the man to roll over with a face full of hatred that would make pulling the trigger easier…
As the soldier raised their head Kili huffed with shock, lowering his gun. The woman stared straight at him now with a look of fear, her long hair that was moments ago contained coming loose and clinging to the side of her face, the auburn tinge visible in the light. For a moment he forgot where he was as he looked into her eyes, the cool blue holding his focus. I can't do it…