Hey sorry I have not posted in a few days I have been rather sick, I am super excited for chapter 11 but I hope you enjoy this one
Chapter 10:
I tried to fly directly over the path of the gloomy trees that leant together, too old and strangled with ivy and hung with lichen to bear more than a few blackened leaves. The path itself was narrow and wound in and out among the trunks.
It looked very dark down there, I was thankful for my dragon. I was far ahead of the dwarfs; I could no longer see them through the dark trees. It was late afternoon when I made camp. The path ran straight through a glen that would be suitable for sleeping, I would camp here. We settled in the brownish green grass and made a fire. As my eyes became used to the dimness they could see a little way to either side in a sort of darkened green glimmer. Occasionally a slender beam of sun that had the luck to slip in through some opening in the leaves far above, and still more luck in not being caught in the tangled boughs and matted twigs beneath, stabbed down thin and bright before them. But this was seldom, and it soon ceased altogether. Coppa had perched himself in a tree, pushing the branch to the ground. There were black squirrels in the wood, and he occasionally tried to snap at them with no success. The nastiest things I saw were the cobwebs: dark dense cobwebs with threads extraordinarily thick, often stretched from tree to tree, or tangled in the lower branches on either side of them. There were none stretched across the path, but whether because some magic kept it clear, or for what other reason I could not guess. They belonged to and adult Attercop that was not too far away. Beorn was right; we should never leave the path.
It was not long before I heard and saw the dwarves walking towards me.
"Over here!" I called out to them.
"Supper will be ready in a few moments."
I continued to chop and split the provisions into fifteen equal portions.
They threw their packs down as they neared the fire.
"O thanks you girlie" Bofur said with his hands on his knees, huffing and puffing.
"It was nothing, have a seat." I said as I put food into each dish.
They looked very tired and very hungry.
I felt that making dinner was the least I could do. I felt very ashamed of my behavior last night towards Thorin, though he deserved a good smacking.
I brought them each their dinner before I sat down with mine.
I gently picked and nibbled at the bread and nuts, but everyone else was scarfing down their food.
No one said much over dinner, except the occasional "Thank you".
We stacked our plates by the fire and we prepared for bed.
I had decided to comb my hair to get all the tangles out before I went to sleep.
I couldn't help but notice Ori staring at me as I combed.
"Master Dwarf may I help you somehow" I said smiling.
"O! Well...no...Well...I guess...may I braid it?" he said looking at his feet.
"That would be very nice; I have never had a dwarf braid my hair before" I said and patted the rock for him to sit.
He happily plopped himself down on the rock and took them comb from my hand.
"I will try not to tug Milady" he said running the comb against my scalp.
"I have a thick scalp; I doubt you will bother me." I chuckled.
He continued to weave each strand of hair in all sorts of ways.
"Rena! I just found something and want to show it to you" Kíli said cupping his hands together.
"Oh! Come sit" I said patting the ground in front of me.
He sat crossing his legs and extended his hands towards me. Ori was still braiding my hair.
"Now be very careful, it is very delicate. I think it is hurt." he said opening his hands and place a little bird in my palms.
A little chickadee was on its side and worriedly glancing about"
"Oh Kíli get my bag" I ordered.
I had a special place in my heart for animals, I loved them dearly.
He ran and quickly brought it back.
His wing was not broken but just strained and he was dehydrated and starving.
I pulled some nuts and berries from my bag and put them in my palm.
The bird hesitantly pecked at the food and nibbled at it.
I stroked its back as he ate then brought him water when he finished.
He slurped it up as quickly as he could and chirped for more when it was all gone.
I filled my palm twice more until he was full.
He was now sitting upright and flapping his wings.
"I will name you Pepper because of your little black markings" I whispered to the little bird.
Ori had finished braiding my hair a while ago so I was now free to stand with the ornate braid hanging to my lower back.
I walked over to the trees and pepper hopped from my palm to my thumb and began to chirp.
I whistled a soft tune and he seemed capable of repeating it. He sung my tune a few times before flying into the sky.
I felt sad seeing him fly away through the leaves. I would never see him again.
"You really have a way with animals, Rena" Kíli said putting his hands on my shoulders.
"Thanks, I have always been like that" I said smiling
After another glance skyward we both walked back to camp.
Most of the dwarfs had fallen asleep by the time we came back.
Thorin was still up smoking and Balin was examining the map.
"I think it is time for me to turn it" Kíli said yawning.
"I will be along in a few I just need to speak with your uncle" I said.
"Don't make him angry, please" Kíli said looking at me with anxious eyes.
"I promise, no fighting this time" I chuckled as he gave me my unbelieving look.
"okay I will hold you to that" he said walk towards his bed.
I watched him go and then walked over to Thorin, dreading every step of the way.
"I wish to speak with you Master Oakenshield" I said clasping my hands behind my back.
He just looked at me and mockingly grunted.
"I wanted to apologize for assaulting you last night it was unladylike and rude of me to do so" I said very diplomatically and I was staring skyward to avoid his stare.
He was silent for an agonizingly long time before he spoke.
"Apology accepted," he said with a few puffs of smoke.
"And I wish to ask for a truce between us. We won't be a strong force against Smaug if we are bickering like children" I said extending my hand.
He looked at me funny then shook my hand.
"well good night then" I said turning to leave.
"Good night Miss Sevenstreams" he said barely above a whisper.
It surprised me that he even bothered, he was not known for being polite.
But, Elrond would be so proud; I did not even raise my voice at him once. I was still rather put out because of what he said about Coppa. But, I am sure he will regret his words when he sees how powerful my dragon is.
I stumbled in the dark to find my bed trying not to step on any sleeping dwarfs.
I slept closely huddled next to the fire and we took turns keeping watch. When it was my turn I would see gleams in the darkness around us and sometimes pairs of yellow or red or green eyes would blink in dark forest. Black moths would circle round the fire and I would chase them off with a stick, it was a very annoying business for they were constantly coming back. But thankfully, soon it was Dwalin's turn and he sent me off to bed.
It was not long before I grew to hate the forest as heartily as I had hated my late husband, and it seemed to offer even less hope of any ending. But I had to go on and on, my only daily enjoyment is my long rides on back, and I loved the feel of the wind on my face.
The nights were the worst. It then became pitch-dark - not what you call pitch-dark, but really pitch; so black that you really could see nothing. I tried flapping my hand in front of my nose, but I could not see it at all. Well, perhaps it is not true to say that I could see nothing: I could see eyes. We tried lighting watch-fires at night, but we soon gave that up. It seemed to bring hundreds and hundreds of eyes all round us, though the creatures, whatever they were, were careful never to let their bodies show in the little flicker of the flames. Worse still it brought thousands of dark-grey and black moths, some nearly as big as your hand, flapping and whirring round our ears. I could not stand that, or the huge bats, black as a top-hat, either; so we gave up fires and sat at night and dozed in the enormous uncanny darkness. All this went on for what seemed to me as ages upon ages; and I was always hungry, for we were extremely careful with their provisions. Even so, as days followed days and still the forest seemed just the same, I began to get anxious. The food would not last forever: it was in fact already beginning to get low. I tried to take Coppa hunting but it was useless, nothing edible came on the path. The dwarfs tried shooting at the squirrels, and they wasted many arrows before they managed to bring one down on the path. But when Bofur roasted it, it proved horrible to taste, and they shot no more squirrels. We were thirsty too, for we had none too much water, and in all that time we had seen neither spring nor stream.
I awoke one morning and my mouth was as dry as a desert. I had not had cup of water since yesterday morning. We were very low on everything. I had taken to sneaking the majority of my rations to Coppa and Bilbo; they both needed it more than I did.
As I put on Coppa's saddle I could see the outline of his rib cage and I would not let my dragon starve.
"Morena, we cannot walk as far on empty stomachs so do not find a camp too far away" Dori complained as he put his pack on his back.
"Do not worry master dwarf" I chuckled as I picked up my things.
All of a sudden I felt very dizzy and I stumbled forward.
"Rena, are you alright" Fili said placing a hand on my back
"Yeah, it's nothing, just a wee bit dizzy" I said resting my hand on my temple.
"Okay, are you sure you want to go flying like that" he questioned me.
He was generally concerned for me.
I would not tell him that I had been practically starving myself but I felt guilt about lying to him.
"Yes, the sooner I go the sooner camp is set up" I said as I sat tall in the saddle.
"Wait! Is that Uncle cloak" he said reaching into my pack.
What! The cloak belongs to Thorin? And this whole time he never once tried to reclaim it!
"I don't know it was amid my belongings when I flew for the Carrock. Is it his?" I stammered,
How embarrassing for Fíli to find me with his uncle's cloak. He and Kíli were going to tease me to death.
"Well, I won't tell any of the other lads about it. I just don't know how my uncle got so lucky" he said with wink and then walked away snickering.
"Wait, Fíli! It's not what you think!" I called out to him, " oh never mind!" I mumbled angrily under my breath
"Common Coppa, let's go" I said
He immediately took off skyward.
Coppa did not talk to me for at least an hour. He was not much of a talker; he only spoke if he felt something needed said.
"That Dwarf has gotten you all flustered Rena, just concentrate on how nice the wind feels and forget him" Coppa said calming my spirit.
"Yes the wind feels lovely...Oh my head" I felt myself slipping from my saddle.
"Rena... What's wrong are you alright" he pleaded
"Ugh" I felt like I was falling.
"RENA!"
I heard the cracking of trees branches and I hit the hard ground.
That is the last thing I remember before it all went dark and cold