++++++ I do not own the Hobbit or any affiliated characters. All rights belong to Tolkien ++++++

Twelve

We had been running for what seemed like hours but no matter where the company went the wargs still followed. Behind me I could hear the wags howling and the Dwarves running over rocks and through trees, trying to outrun the danger behind them. I wish I still had my bow but it was broken in two and utterly useless.

Whilst I ran, my body twisted around at the same time I drew Narylfiel and Mornenion. A warg dove straight at me only to be met with Elven steel right in its face. There were wargs everywhere, it was a sure bet to say that we were definitely out of our depth and it was safe to say we were going to die.

I've always wanted to go down kicking rather than living in a forest full of tree lovers.

Standing side-by-side with the people I least expected to make my last stand with, I fought the evil that was coming to kill us.

"Up into the trees!" Gandalf shouted, cutting through my concentration. "All of you! Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!"

"They're coming!" Thorin yelled, warning his kin as they scurried up the trees, seeking refuge.

"Falathiel!" Kili called out to me as I kept my feet on the ground. "Get to the trees!"

I ignored him as I continued dancing with the wargs, hacking, slashing, and stabbing until everyone was safely in the trees. I had planned to melt into the shadows but before I could, the wargs that were attacking stopped trying to attack the Dwarves and started to circle me. Eventually they stopped and turned as the White Warg with Azog on its back slowly approached. The White Warg growled as Azog stroked him, a twisted smirk of pleasure across his face. "Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?"

Do you smell it? The scent of fear?

I shook my head. No that wasn't right. I could understand what he was saying…I could understand the Black Speech…that's not possible? Right?

"Ganzilig-I unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Thrain-ob."

I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin, son of Thrain.

I could understand. I wanted to curse and shout and bury myself in a hole in the ground but that would do me no good in the long run. Gandalf was up to something other than just helping take care of a simple dragon and I, as usual had dived straight into it without considering other options.

"Kod, Toragid biriz. Thrak-izg Golog. Worori-da!"

That one is mine.

Thorin…

Bring me the elf.

Oh don't you dare.

Kill the others!

The wargs leapt passed me and started to try climbing the trees.

I gripped Narylfiel and Mornenion tightly and set my sights on Azog the Defiler, cut the head of the snake and the body will die. Moving my feet, one by one I started towards Azog, each timid step brought me closer and closer to the white giant. He laughed at the sight of me coming towards him, I didn't feel the fear of facing him, not if it was going to save the company. Suddenly from behind me there was a huge crash followed by the frantic shouts of the Dwarves. I turned just in time to see the trees falling down like dominoes until eventually it came to the tree on the very edge of the cliff. It was the last standing and full of Dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit.

Something grabbed me from behind, its arm twisting around my neck, cutting off my air. It kicked me in the back of the knee, forcing me to the ground before it wrenched my blades out of my hands. It was an orc. The orc held a blade up against my neck, cutting into my flesh. The position of the knife gave me no choice but to watch as Gandalf started lighting pinecones on fire and throwing them to the ground, forming a fire to protect the company. The wargs retreated from the fire causing Azgo to vent his displeasure and the Dwarves to cheer…until the tree they were in started to fall. I screamed out, the tree hit the ground with a ginormous thud only to hang across the cliff, sticking out into oblivion.

There was a low growling from the bushes beside me and my captor followed by a flash of white fur. Spirit knocked my captor to the ground and started tearing into him, until he was nothing but a mass of flesh and black insides. I got to my feet, picking up my weapons as I went. Spirit came up beside me, black blood dripping from his jaws, staining his fur.

Beside me, Thorin came, sword at the ready.

Azog stared at the two of us.

"Are you ready?" Thorin asked me.

"As I'll ever be" I answered truthfully. "I told you I will help you Thorin, even if it's stopping you from killing yourself."

Thorin charged Azog only to have the White Warg leap on him, knocking him to the ground. He got to his feet as the warg circled him, charging him again. Azog swung his mace, smashing Thorin in the face before he could react.

I shouted at Azog, trying to distract him from killing Thorin. I launched my entire body at Azog at the same time Spirit did. He swung his mace at Spirit, hitting him in the side and grabbed me around the throat. Spirit yelped out in pain as he hit the ground but struggled to get up. When he was on his feet again, Spirit charged Azog again, bitting onto the arm that held me. Azog threw me to the ground and ripped Spirit off his arm.

I picked myself up just in time to hear a violent crack followed by a thud to the ground. My eyes found their way to Spirit's body which lay lifeless on the ground. I rushed over to my companion and found no life in his body, a portion of bone sticking out at an odd angle of his neck. There was commotion behind me but I couldn't hear anything, just feel it in my bones. I closed Spirit's lifeless blue eyes and got to my feet, gathering my blades I turned to face Azog and the White Warg as they toyed with Thorin.

"You'll pay for that!" I shouted.

The White Warg threw Thorin several feet away andonto a flat rock nearby. Thorin Oakenshield landed heavily on the ground, his sword falling from his hand. There was no movement in the Dwarf.

"Biriz torag khobdduddol."

Bring me the Dwarf's head.

"COWARD!" I yelled. I cut down an orc that came at me, stabbing Narylfiel straight through its brain. The Warg Rider jumped from his warg and approached Thorin, he raised his sword and thrust down hard just as Bilbo, from out of nowhere slammed into the rider, knocking the two of them to the ground. He raised his little sword and stabbed straight into the orcs body, killing him. With a slight stumble, Bilbo got to his feet and raised his sword in defence of the unconscious Dwarf. I came up beside Bilbo, I could feel a trickle of blood rolling down my face but I ignored it.

"Courage, Bilbo," I whispered.

The wargs and their riders came towards us, snarling, biting, clawing.

"Courage in battle," I whispered. "Honour in death."

Then, in an unforeseen turn of events, Fili, Kili and Dwarlin plowed into the wargs from the side. We fought but we were still outnumbered.

Like I said-honour in death.

And then I heard it….large vibrations on the wind…the ear-piercing shriek of an eagle…

Something snatched me up from the ground, huge talons wrapped themselves around my torso in a deadly cocoon. In the other talon, the giant eagle gently picked up Spirit's body and carried us away from the fighting and the flames.

Many landscapes and great distances we soared. The eagles carried us far from danger and death, taking us someplace safe. A structure started to make itself known on the horizon, I knew this to be the Carrock, a massive rock structure shaped like a bear. I had camped out there many times with Spirit…

One-by-one, the eagles gently deposited us on the ground until there was none left. As soon as my feet hit the ground I rushed over to Spirit's body-I had to bury my best friend. I could hear a commotion behind me, I twisted my head and watched Gandalf attend to Thorin.

"The Halfling?" Thorin gasped.

"It's all right," Gandalf nodded. "Bilbo is here. He's quiet safe."

Dwalin and Kili helped Thorin to his feet only to have him shrug them off and make his own way towards Bilbo.

"You!" he growled. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say you would be a burden? Than you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?"

Bilbo was unable to react.

I could see the look of fear and worry on Thorin's face.

"I have never been so wrong in all my life!" Thorin gasped.

As Thorin embraced the Hobbit, I turned back to Spirit and lay him gently on the ground.

"Namarieor navaer mellon," I whispered. "Farewell, friend."

"Falathiel," Thorin spoke.

I looked up. The Dwarf stood at eye-level with me for the first time in this whole journey.

"I know I have not been quiet in voicing my dislike for your kind since you joined us," Thorin started. "I may not like Elves, but there is one Elf I would have fight side-by-side with me, watch my back and that of the line of Durin. I would be proud to call you friend."

"And I you," I replied. I held out my hand for Thorin to take and when he did, I pulled him in for a hug. "Thank you, Thorin." I got to my feet and gazed out at the mountain in front of us.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo gasped.

Gandalf nodded. "That, Bilbo Baggins, is Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-Earth."