Chapter 9 ;

Swords, Wolves and Rabbits

" I told you, i'm not a man you can be friends with.

Since the beginning you were a woman to me.

And in the future, you will be my first love."

- Choi Young Do, Heirs

" Gandalf, I can't take this."

Jin Ae's voice was barely above a whisper when the wizard handed her the small blade, the piece of sharp steel glinted under the faint traces of sunlight peeking through the walls of the troll cave, causing the blade to glow gently under shadows. Despite her hesitation, she could feel the weapon luring her to take it from his hands, tempting her to feel the smoothness of its craftsmanship under her nimble fingers.

Yet Jin Ae didn't move a muscle, eying it warily as her fingers twitched beside her. It made her uncertain, nervous even, from the way the rest of the company were sneaking glances towards her.

" I understand your reluctance to fight, lady Jin Ae," The grey wizard sighed, " But you must."

" Kili has offered to teach me the bow and arrow," She reasoned," I think that's enough to protect me, right?"

" I doubt it lass," Dwalin replied gruffly, standing next to her. His stern eyes leveled her own, yet he seemed to be almost concerned, " The boy knows how to wield a sword even if he carries a bow and arrow, you don't know how to use either."

" You don't even know how to fight properly yet," Bofur chirped in from the other side of the cave, his voice echoing throughout the stone walls, " It's best if you have a sword with you, even if that looks more like a needle."

Jin Ae flushed with embarrassment as the others stared at her, giving in she took the sword, the weight pressing against her palms.

Jin Ae wasn't a pacifist, yet she has never done anything remotely violent in her life. It was mandatory for every workplace to hold self-defense classes during orientation, but even there Jin Ae did nothing but watch promotional videos on how to stay safe on the streets and learn the different brands of pepper spray you can get on the market, to say she couldn't fight would be an understatement, Jin Ae knew nothing about it.

Bofur was right, the sword was more like a needle than it was a weapon. It was lightweight, barely weighing more than the reigns on her horse. She was afraid that if she was to swing it around, it would leap out of her arms and puncture someone. Her reflection stared back at her, mirroring the worry flashing before her eyes.

She cast a pleading look at Dwalin, who seemed unfazed, staring back at her passively. It was his way of saying that the decision was final, she was going to carry a sword with her whether she liked it or not. He ignored Nori, who was burying a pile of gold and hoarded treasure.

" We're making a long term deposit," He quipped at Dwalin and her, to which she only replied with a small chuckle, while Dwalin held the urge to roll his eyes.

" Let's get out of this foul place," Thorin declared, his voice demanded authority, catching the attention of everyone and they all scurried out with their findings. Thorin snuck a glance at her sword, before nodding appreciatively.

" Must be man-made then," Dwalin joked in a gruff voice.

" What is it with Thorin and elves," Jin Ae lamented, " He can't hate an entire race for the actions of one, that's just terribly rude and small minded of him."

" Aye lass, that's what everyone says," He grumbled, " But if anyone here has the right to hold that sort of grudge, it's Thorin."

She thought back at the story Balin told that night, about how he had lost his home and people in all one day and was forced to live as an exile for years. She watched him sadly, pursing her lips together.

She trudged out of the cave and came face to face with Bilbo, who was holding a sword himself. She didn't need to ask to know that it's elf made, the smooth edges rippling under the sunlight like water across a river bank.

" Gandalf told me to wield one," Bilbo chuckled nervously.

" He's pretty good and persuading people to do things they don't want to is he ?" Jin Ae murmured, struggling to sheathe it on the side of her waist.

Before the hobbit could reply, a commotion drew the company into the woods, their boots crunching against the ground as they rushed towards the noise. When she heard everyone unsheathing their swords and Jin Ae quickly clutched onto the handle of her own weapon, cautiously following them with Bilbo.

Out of the canopies of trees and plants, a man emerged on a sled pulled by rabbits, if she had said this out loud back in her world, someone might have called the police on her to investigate her home for any 'recreational drugs.'

"Radagast," Gandalf exclaimed in relief, " It's Radagast the Brown."

Yet the scene before her looked like it came out of an acid trip and Jin Ae had to remind herself that she's standing amongst dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard. It couldn't get any weirder than this.

Until he pulled out a stick insect from his mouth, then did Jin Ae thought about how she might have to reevaluate her statement.

" The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows anymore. At least, nothing good. The air is foul with decay."

Then he began to space out, his eyes crossing in the middle. Jin Ae watched the man pitifully, sharing a look with Bilbo. Not long he began to snap back into reality, jerking forward and startling everyone.

"I'm sorry," He whispered.

"Try a bit of Old Toby," Gandalf offered his pipe, " It'll help settle your nerves."

Gandalf cleans his pipe with his beard, offering it to the brown wizard. Radagast breathed in the smoke, settling down from his high.

"And out."

Radagast, with his eyes crossed and a blissful look on his face, blows out the smoke, then stayed in a trancelike state for a few seconds.

"Now, a Necromancer," Gandalf asked in a low tone, "Are you sure?"

The two exchanged a few words, which were interrupted by a piercing howl. The ear-splitting cry cut through the air like a knife, causing the company to draw out their swords once more.

"Was that a wolf? " Bilbo asked," Are there, are there wolves out there?"

"Wolves?" Bofur replied, his voice shaky as his eyes roam around them in alert, " No, that is not a wolf."

Jin Ae could feel a pair of eyes at the back of her head, turning around she unsheathed her sword, running towards Bilbo.

" Behind you !" She yelled, yanking Bilbo away from the hulking figure behind him. It leaped forward, landing on the spot where the Hobbit would've been if Jin Ae hadn't pulled him away. Unfortunately, it landed right beside her, close enough for her to smell blood rotting on the side of its matted fur.

The menacing beast bared its fangs at her, one of its paws trapping her leg above the ground, its claws ripping the fabric of her trousers. He knocked Bofur aside, the dwarf disappearing from view as he collapsed. She was grounded in place, her breathing picking up as it unfolds the rows of daggers against its meaty jaws.

In one swift movement, someone had sliced its skull open, the red liquid spraying itself against her cheeks. She could feel a few drops sliding inside the corners of her mouth, but she couldn't stomach the idea, so she shoved it down, her body shivering as the person hauled her off the ground and back on her feet.

Across her, another one had appeared, yet it was quickly brought down by Kili's arrow. That still wasn't enough, as it wriggled violently, only when Dwalin brought down his ax on its skull did it slumped on the forest floor.

Jin Ae was swiftly brought away, squished in between two bodies, and she couldn't see who they were when she was shoved behind more people, the group making a barrier around her.

"Warg-Scouts! " Thorin shouted his hand a vice grip on his sword. The other, she discovered, was the one that had pulled her inside the circle, his grip tight on her shoulder. His sword was dripping with the blood of the fallen animal and Jin Ae saw the fear in his eyes as he stood before her.

" Which means an Orc pack is not far behind," He announced.

"Orc pack?" Bilbo stammered.

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf demanded, looking at Thorin dead in the eye, his face pale and twitching in horror.

" No one," Thorin gravely replied, flinching at another howl.

"You are being hunted."

"We have to get out of here," Dwalin cut off, stepping in front of her.

"We can't!" Ori, the youngest dwarf, cried out, " We have no ponies, they bolted."

Jin Ae could feel her throat go dry as dread overcame her, she watched the warg carcass in front of her and she had the strongest urge to throw up, nausea causing her to lean forward. She slumped slightly on Thorin's shoulder and she half-heartedly hoped he wouldn't say any insult at the moment.

She waited for him to berate her about how pathetic she's being, to scold her about coming on this journey with them and maybe even worse yell at her for being so weak.

Yet, his eyes only soften in silent understanding and she could feel him slide an arm around her shoulder, keeping her upright. He didn't say anything, he only eyed her carefully, as if she was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

"I'll draw them off," Radagast suggested, making his way to the group of rabbits.

"These are Gundabad Wargs," The grey wizard argued, " They will outrun you."

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits," He retorted, a challenging glint in his eyes," I'd like to see them try."