Hey guys, I'm so sorry this is late, but it's been a busy weekend for me. But I'm here now with this new chapter for you. I hope you all enjoy it xx

Review responses;

TurtleJustice - :D We'll see if you're right in your suspicions in a couple chapters or so. And this past week or so has been better thank you xx

aussieKayz – I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter, it did seem a bit shorter than the others, I agree. But, I felt that was the best place to end it.


Chapter 9

Everyone is instantly on edge at the howl, looking around for what caused it.

"Was that a wolf? Are there-are there wolves out there?" Bilbo asks fearfully.

"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." Bofur replies, on edge as he looks around.

From behind a nearby crag, a Warg appears; it leaps into the midst of the Company, knocking down Ori. Thorin strikes and kills it using his new sword. Another Warg attacks from the other side; Kili shoots it with an arrow, bringing it down. However, it gets back up, only to be killed by Dwalin.

Thorin wrenches his sword out of the corpse. "Warg-Scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

Bilbo's eyes go wide. "Orc pack?"

Gandalf strides over to Thorin. "Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?"

"No one." The dwarf replies.

"Who did you tell?"

"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted."

"We have to get out of here." Dwalin points out.

That's when Ori and Bifur run over. "We can't! We have no ponies; they bolted."

Rose doesn't worry about the ponies, knowing Ebony will lead them to Rivendell, since they are close to the elven city.

"I'll draw them off." Radagast suddenly says, causing everyone to look to him.

"These are Gundabad Wargs; they will outrun you." Gandalf says to him.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits; I'd like to see them try."

After a few moments, Gandalf just nods, trusting his colleague that he could outrun them. He gathers the company and they sneak out of the woods away from the orcs and hide behind a boulder. Seconds later, they hear the wargs howling and yipping in excitement and then Radagast's shouts;

"Come and get me! Ha ha!"

He rids past, leading the orcs and wargs into the distance, away from us.

"Come on!" Gandalf orders before running out, the others following.

The Company rush across a rocky plain. In the distance, they can see Radagast being chased by the Wargs. Rose makes sure to keep Ruby and Bilbo ahead of her so she can keep an eye on them, make sure they don't fall behind. As the Company runs across the plain, they stop as the Wargs run past not too far from them, so they hide behind the rocks.

"Stay together."

"Move!" Thorin calls out as they run in a different direction.

As the chase continues, Thorin stops behind a rock so that he is not seen by the Wargs. Ori starts to run out of the cover.

"Ori, no! Come back!"

Gandalf ushers them along. "Come on! Quick!"

As they continue running, Thorin turns to Gandalf.

"Where are you leading us?"

Gandalf doesn't answer, but just continues on, leaving Thorin to scowl after him. The company take cover behind an outcropping of rock just as a scout and his Warg appear on top of the outcropping, scenting the air. Thorin looks at Kili and nods to his bow; readying an arrow, Kili quickly steps out and shoots the Warg. Rose also steps forward and shoots at the orc, hitting it in the chest just as it was about to blow a Warg and the orc on it fall near them, and the dwarves kill them. The sounds of their fight carry quite far; and Rose knows it's just a matter of time before the orcs and wargs figure out where they are.

The Warg scouts howl as they stop pursuing Radagast and begin pursuing the Company, the howling getting closer.

"Move. Run!" Gandalf yells before running off.

The company follow, all of them running through a grassy plain; Wargs begin to surround them from all sides.

"There they are!" Gloin exclaims, pointing ahead at the wargs standing on the hill before them.

"This way! Quickly!"

They run for a while longer in a different direction, before having to stop again, they halt in a clearing as they see Wargs on all sides.

"There's more coming!" Kili exclaims in terror.

"Kili! Rose! Shoot them!" Thorin shouts at the only two archers in the group.

Looking around, Gandalf sees a large rock; he runs toward it and disappears.

Fili runs to the group. "We're surrounded!"

Kili and Rose begins shooting at the Warg and the Warg-riders, killing some of them, Rose pushing Ruby and Bilbo away from her and back towards the company, wanting them safe.

"Where is Gandalf?" Kili asks.

Taking a quick look around, Rose sees that they are right beside the secret entrance to Rivendell. They just need to hold on for a little longer.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin accuses.

The dwarves, Bilbo and Ruby gather close to each other near the rock Gandalf disappeared by. As the orcs and Warg approach, Ori shoots a rock at one of them with his slingshot, to no effect. Thorin pulls out his sword.

"Hold your ground!"

Gandalf suddenly pops up from a crack in the rock.

"This way, you fools!"

Looking back, Thorin sees Gandalf disappearing behind a rock. Running over, he jumps on a rock in front and looks back to the company.

"Come on, move! Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!"

As the Wargs approach, the dwarves and Bilbo slide into the large crack in the rock, sliding into a cave. Thorin kills a Warg that gets too close. Kili and Rose keep shooting.

"Kili! Rose! Run!"

Kili instantly turns and runs as Rose, while moving back, continues to shoot at those that are too close.

"Rose! Come on!"

Shooting once more, Rose quickly turns and runs towards the rocks. Just before Rose can slide through, she suddenly cries out in pain as a small knife hits her deep in the back of her right shoulder, causing her to fall unceremoniously, the hilt of the knife breaking on the rock.

"ROSE!" Ruby screams out as she sees her sister land on the ground.

Fili and Kili pull her back as Thorin slides down, just as a horn sounds from above. They listen as a conflict happens from inside the crack. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, falls into the cave. Thorin plucks out the arrow and examines its make.

"Elves." he says in disgust as he tosses it aside.

"Rose!" Ruby yells out as she falls beside her sister.

The rest of the company gather around to see her right shoulder covered in blood. As Oin checks it, he can see the blade of the knife still inside.

"The blade's still stuck inside, I need to get it out." he explains.

"We can't do it here." Thorin says as he also looks at the wound. "Get it wrapped up, We can get it seen to the next time we make camp."

Fili and Kili help Rose to her knees so Oin can wrap it better, making the dam groan in pain, Ruby holding tight onto her hands with Bilbo. Dwalin returns from checking ahead.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?"

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur says instantly.

Gandalf nods in agreement. "I think that would be wise."

The Company begin following the path, Fili and Kili helping Rose along. It is quite narrow, a crack between two tall cliffs, meaning they have to go through single file. They all struggle to get through, Bombur having to be shoved by Bifur. Rose has to bite back a cry of pain as her shoulder keeps knocking against the wall, Fili helping her up from behind when her legs begin to crumble.

Bilbo looks up at the wizard behind him. "Gandalf, where are we?"

"You can feel it?" he asks him, the both of them pausing for a moment.

"Yes, it feels like. . .well like magic."

"That's exactly what it is. A very powerful magic."

"There's light ahead." Dwalin informs them from the front.

The pathway eventually opens out into an open area; there is a valley below, and in that valley is the city of Rivendell. The company stands and looks it over, Rose being held up by Fili and Kili.

"The Valley of Imraldis. In the Common Tongue, it's known by another name." Gandalf begins.

"Rivendell." Bilbo, looking over the city in awe, answers him.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea."

Thorin stomps over to the wizard in anger. "This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy."

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us."

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. Not to mention, one of our company is injured and in need of help."

Thorin looks over to the dam being held by his nephews, looking at her pale face and the blood which is quickly staining the bandage, he knows the wizard is right. If Thorin turned them away now because of his pride, they could lose her.

"If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me."

With that, the company make their way down to the elven city.


The Company walks across a bridge and enters Rivendell. A few elves are seen strolling about. Ruby and Bilbo gaze in awe at the beauty of the place that Rose has been to many times before, the same place from her tales.. The dwarves look uneasy.

A dark-haired elf walks down a flight of stairs and greets them.

"Mithrandir."

Gandalf turns and greets the elf

"Ah, Lindir!"

As Lindir and Gandalf greet each other, the dwarves murmur amongst themselves in distrust. Thorin whispers to Dwalin.

"Stay sharp."

"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." Lindir says to the wizard.

"I must speak with Lord Elrond."

"My lord Elrond is not here."

"Not here? Where is he?"

Suddenly, the Elvish horns from earlier are heard again. The Company turn around and they see a group of armed horsemen approaching along the bridge at a rapid rate.

"Ifridî bekâr! Hold ranks!" Thorin calls out.

The dwarves bunch up together into a tight circle with their weapons pointed outward; Bilbo, ruby, Rose, Fili and Kili in the middle as the mounted Elves arrive and ride in circles around the dwarves. Eventually, they stop, and one elf, Elrond, separates himself from the others.

"Gandalf."

Gandalf smiles and bows gracefully.

"Lord Elrond. Mellonnen! Mo evínedh?"

"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui." Elrond replies as he dismounts from his horse, then he and Gandalf embrace each other.

"Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near."

He holds up an Orc sword and shows it to everyone before handing it to Lindir.

"Ah, that may have been us."

Thorin steps forward, and Elrond looks upon him with recognition

"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met."

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain."

"Indeed; he made no mention of you."

Ruby hear Rose groan slightly, whether from pain or from Thorin, she doesn't know.

[Ignoring this insult, Elrond turns to the dwarves and speaks in Elvish.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin."

The dwarves, not understanding what he is saying, start getting agitated.

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" Gloin calls out.

Gandalf replies exasperatedly, while Elrond watches in amusement.

"No, master Gloin, he's offering you food."

The dwarves quickly discuss this amongst themselves.

"Ah well, in that case, lead on."

Just before they can be lead in, they hear Fili yelling out Rose's name. Quickly turning, they see her condition quickly deteriorating as she falls unconscious, her body slumped between the brothers. Elrond quickly moves through the group to her.

"What happened?"

Fili is the one to answer. "She was hit by a knife in the back of her shoulder. The hilt broke off leaving the blade inside."

Elrond immediately takes the dam from them and hurries back inside, leaving Lindir to show the rest in.

Having denied their own rooms, even Ruby, they are offered their own terrace where they can all stay together. Ruby sits on the floor, her back resting on the wall as she holds her knees, crying for her sister. Bilbo sits on one side of her while Kili takes the other, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder to cry.

"It will be alright, Ruby." Bilbo says as he takes one of her hands. "She'll make it, she's strong, you know this."

"Mr Boggins is right," Kili begins, causing Bilbo to glare at him and a small smile to appear on Ruby, which makes him smile. "I may not know her as much as you do, but from what I've seen, she's very strong. She won't leave you so easily."

Ruby just nods into the dwarrows shoulder, squeezing Bilbo's hand as they all worry for the injured dam.


Uh-oh, Rose is injured. But thankfully, she is in the best place she can be right now, no matter what the dwarves might think. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please keep your lovely reviews coming and stay tuned next time xx

Translations;

Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen. - We heard you had crossed into the Valley.

Ifridî bekâr! - Ready weapons!

Mellonnen! Mo evínedh? - My friend! Where have you been?

Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui. - We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass.

Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin - Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests.