Sephira flinched almost every time her foot touched the ground, but she quickly shoved it to the back of her mind, trying to concentrate on running instead of how much it hurt. As they neared the end, a fearful bubble pitted in Sephira's stomach. They were running towards the edge of a cliff. They were trapped, no where for them to go.
"Up in the trees!" Gandalf shouted. Sephira shot him a wild look. Up in the trees? They would be sitting ducks up there! Sephira's head snapped around as the growling of a warg closed in, and she gulped. Sitting in a tree would be better than sitting on the ground.
"What are ye doin'?" the familiar voice of Bofur shouted from above her before Sephira felt a hand grab hold of the back of her top and she was lifted effortlessly off the ground. Sephira scrambled onto the tree branch, shooting a wide eyed look to the dwarf with the funny hat as she hurried to get to a higher branch.
"I do not like trees." Sephira quipped, a long healed wound bringing back her pain. It had not been a fun time when she had bruised the side of her face. Of course, it had been Fili and Kili's fault that she had sustained the injury, but that did not lesson her fear any. You try tumbling out of a tree from the top branch and smacking your face so hard that you fractured a bone and had a large, nasty bruise there for months. See how you like it. See how soon you would want to climb back up a tree.
As another howl from the Wargs sounded, Sephira grimaced. It was still better than being eaten by Wargs- even if she ended up with another nasty bruise like the last time.
"Would ye like te be Warg food?" he huffed back, grabbing her tunic in a tight fist and lifting her onto the next branch as she faultered. Sephira ground out an aggitated No, frantically climbing the tree after him as the Wargs flew past the trees and circled them.
"Come on, you pesking little Fae." the voice of Dwalin growled from above, and Sephira was once more gripped by her tunic and hoisted to a thicker branch. She clung onto Dwalin's muscle clad arm, eyes wide as a the teeth of a Warg closed powerfully onto the branch Sephira had just occupied. Thank Aule Sephira had a protective warrior of a dwarf like Dwalin in the same tree as her. Otherwise, Sephira feared she may have become Warg meat.
"Well..." Dwalin stated, eyes widened ever so slightly as he stared at the Warg that was now circling their tree. He had not seen the beast jump towards the branch.
The only reason he lifted the small child- he was still not keen on knowing that Sephira was at the proper age of woman hood and able to be courted now.- was because he was over protective and wanted the golden haired girl beside him. Dwalin, over the many years of dealing with the little pesk, had grown to care for her as a father would his own babe. And even now, when she was of proper age and had over sixty years of training under her belt, he was uncomfortable with her being too far away from another armed dwarf. Especially now, when they were being circled by three Wargs that were jumping, bitting and clawing at their tree, Dwalin wanted her next to him at all times.
"That was close." he finished, flicking his eyes towards Sephira. Her eyes, if at all possible, grew wider at the same time that she was managing to glare daggers at him.
"Close does not even come close to cutting it!" she shrieked, and then did something she'd never done before in her life. She smacked him on the arm as she had done many a times to Fili and Kili. And if the situation had not been so frightening, Sephira would have burst into apologies. Instead, she let out a startled little squeak, shuffling closer to the trunk of the tree and digging her nails into it, staring down at the Wargs.
Sephira was fine in battle, her heart as brave as any dwarven warrior. Her aim with an arrow was solid and true, always hitting her mark right in the center. Her skill with a sword was unmatched to any other female in Middle Earth. She was not one to shy away from a dangerous situation due to fear. But put her in a tree, weaponless and surrounded by dangerous enemies, Sephira was no good. She felt useless without her bow and arrows to defend herself with.
And in reality, Sephira was useless.
She was stuck in a tree with two dwarves, weaponless, surrounded by Wargs that were determinded to rip them from their branches, and seperated from Fili and Kili. Sephira never did well when she was seperated from them. As pathetic as that may make her appear, it was the truth; Sephira was not afraid nor ashamed to admit it.
The three of them had been with eachother, unseperable and always found together since they first met. It was an instant friendship, that only grew stronger as they grew older. Even with the confusion and fluttering feelings that had accured when Fili and Kili kissed her- and the swirling thoughts and endless questions as to why Sephira felt so right with kissing the BOTH of them- they were still her dwarves. Her best friends. They meant everything to her, and now they were trapped in seperate trees while the Wargs struggled to get them down.
"They'll be alright lass; we will all be alright." Dwalin said, placing a briefly comforting hand near her elbow.
Sephira was not surprised by his words. Dwalin knew her as well as Thorin did, and truly was another father figure to her. Sephira gave a small smile in return, her grip loosening on the trunk of the tree slightly. At least she had the ever frightening Dwalin (when he wasnt showing the very rare fatherly side of himself) with her. And the ever comforing presence of Bofur the toy maker.
Fili and Kili were fairing the same, if not worse, than Sephira was. Their eyes were searching through the trees, desperately trying to catch just a glimps of golden hair. Anywhere, would be lovely. They had lost track of her when they began climbing into the trees, and now they could not find her anywhere.
"Over there!" Kili shouted, pointing a frantic finger towards the tree he had seen a flash of golden blonde hair in. Fili's head jerked around, following the direction he was pointing in. At first, Fili saw nothing in the trees.
His heart constricted painfully, his head swimming with fear, and his eyes squinted as he tried to see through the leaves and the darkened sky around them. He did not see anything that resembled the golden blonde of Sephira's hair. Nothing that looked even remotely similar to the small Fae that he had grown to love so much. And just when he was about to lose control, turn and snap at Kili for getting his hopes up, he saw a flash of gold in the tree near their's. His relief was actually painfull, and he released a breath he hadnt realized he'd been holding, his grip tightening on the branch he was supporting himself on.
"Thank Durin..." Fili breathed, sagging against the branches.
Kili's relief was just as great as his older brother's, and he was bracing himself against the thick trunk of their tree, uncaring of the Wargs that jumped and circled their tree. That is...until three of them lept at the branches and the trunks, causing the tree to shake violently and tip ever so slightly. Fili and Kili clung to the branches, cursing in dwarven tongue as the tree continued to snap at the roots and tilt sideways.
They were going to hit the next tree. They'd have to jump, because if they did not, the Wargs would have a nice meal of dwarves. And with that thought on his mind, Fili sent a sideways glance towards his baby brother.
Fili had seen it, earlier when they were in the home of the goblin's home, he had seen Kili kiss Sephira. Had seen the shock on her face. But he had also seen the happiness that spread across her face, unknown to the small Fae woman herself. Fili wasnt stupid, he could tell that Sephira liked Kili. He had seen the way she reacted when his baby brother kissed her. It made Fili wish he had kept his eyes open when he had kissed her earlier. So he could have seen how she looked, other than the utter shock that was written across her face when he pulled away. He could have sworn that she had been kissing him back, but Fili was no longer certain. Not with the image of Sephira being kissed by Kili fresh in his mind.
He was jealous. Fili was not going to lie about it. Not to himself. Not to anyone that asked either. Fili was jealous, and he figured his brother had a right to know that he was not the only one that had kissed their long time friend. Not the only one- and not the first- to kiss the small Fae that had grown up with them and lived with them for the better part of sixty some odd years.
"Kili." Fili said, brows drawn together. Kili's dark eyes flashed to his brother's face, confusion shinning in them as he saw the look of uncertainty and determination on his face.
"What?"
"I need to tell you something." Fili started, but was cut off as the tree lurched dangerously, and they were knocked from their perch. Both slammed into a thick branch, arms wrapping around it as their feet kicked at the open air.
"Can't it wait until we are not being surrounded by Wargs?" Kili managed to growl out as he pulled himself further up onto the branch. Fili grunted, trying to lift himself onto the branch. Fili would admit, his brother had a point. Now was not the appropriate time to be admitting to kissing their best friend, but Fili needed to. He had to get it off his chest. His brother had a right to know, and Fili just could not bring himself to keep the information inside.
"Kili..I-I." Fili stumbled over his words, and had he not been hanging onto the branch of a falling tree, he would have ran his hand through his hair.
"Fili, now is not the time-" Kili began, words strained as he struggled to pull himself up. But Fili cut him off, releasing an impatient breath, eyes narrowed as he looked over towards the dark haired dwarf.
"I kissed Sephira!" he blurted. Even with the growling of the Wargs, and the rushing of the wind past them as the tree continued to fall towards the one beside it, it grew utterly silent between the two brothers. Kili's eyes had widened to three times their size, and Fili lost his glare as his blue eyes widened as well. Not quite how he had wanted to tell his baby brother, but at least it was out in the open now.
Blood rushed through Kili's ears, his heart stuttering in his chest. Yes, he knew that Fili was in love with Sephira. Yes, he too had kissed Sephira. But even so, the thought of Fili kissing her made him absolutely furious. And it showed on his face as his features were overtaken by a storm cloud.
"You what?!" Kili asked, tones raising a few octaves as he stared at his older brother. Fili nodded quickly, but he never got the chance to reply.
Instead, the tree they were in smashed against the other one, both brother's flying from it and hitting the other tree hard. Arms grappled at the branches so they wouldnt fall, even as this tree began to creak and drop forward as well. Hands grabbed at their's, both sets familiar, and Fili glanced up to see Sephira and Bofur pulling him up, while Dwalin was dragging Kili onto the branch.
"You need to work on your upper arm strength Fili!" Sephira quipped, smirk present on her lips. But Fili could see the panicked light in her eyes as the tree lurched forward, the heavy body of the Wargs up rooting this tree as well.
"We're going te have te jump!" Bofur called, one hand grabbing tight to the branch and the other pointing to the tree they were quickly falling towards.
Sephira barely had enough time to brace herself before their tree collided with the next one, and she was jolted out of the branches. A pair of burly arms caught her, and as Sephira pulled away to brace herself for the next falling tree, she shot a thank you glance to Gloin before they were all lurching into the next tree. It was a domino affect, one tree falling and knocking into another. It dislodged the gathered dwarves and Fae, sending them tumbling into another one before it too began to fall. By the time they reached the last tree, the Wargs were gathered around it, growling and snarling up at them.
A small, firey object soared past Sephira's ear from an upper branch, and she watched as a Warg was caught on fire. Her eyes flew up, and she saw Gandalf lighting what appeared to be pine cones on fire, before tossing them to the other dwarves. Sephira caught the one he dropped her, and quickly passed the flames off to Kili's pine cone, him doing the same for the rest. It may not be a bow, but it was better than nothing. Sephira could not complain too much.
"The wizard is proving to be useful." Sephira mumbled, mostly to herself.
It was not that Sephira did not appreciate Gandalf's presence. In fact, she was very glad that he had come along on the quest with them, and had stuck around for so long. But he had not done much for the group in terms of watch. Sephira would be forever grateful for his impecible ability to show up when they need him most.
"If only he could get us a way out of here!" Bofur grumbled from beside her. Sephira rolled her eyes, tossing another pine cone down to the Wargs. It caught one of them in eye, and it howled out in agony before turning tail and running.
From their own branch, Fili and Kili were tossing pine cones with not so much as eye contact passing between them. Kili was incredibly confused. As well as angry. Angry because Fili had kissed Sephira. Confused because he was angry that his brother kissed the Fae. Kili knew exactly how Fili felt about her, and he himself had kissed her as well, just a few moments ago. So why was it that he was upset with his brother for doing the same thing? He was pulled from his thoughts by the jaring of the tree, and the panicked voice of Sephira from a few branches over.
"Hold on!" she shouted. Her words were followed by the falling of the tree, the roots ripping from the ground. Some of them stayed in the ground, stopping the massive dwarf filled tree from tumbling off the cliff. But it jarred them all, and some of the dwarves tumbled before gripping onto a branch last minute.
Sephira was one that got launched, and she was holding onto a rather small branch with tight fingers, bark digging painfully into the flesh of her palms. She sent a glance down, her stomach disappearing as her feet dangled above the open air. If she fell, there was no way she would survive. This would be the end of Sephira's journey. Better than becoming Warg meat...she thought to herself bitterly. But that did not calm the turmoil of fear that was running through her.
"Sephira!" Bilbo called, eyes wide as he looked down at her.
His stomach knotted up painfully as the small girl looked up, her gray eyes flaring with fear and twice their regular size. The two of them may not have been as close as she was with the other's, but Bilbo had come to think of her as a friend. It may have had something to do with her obvious young age, for he had seen the fearless way in which Sephira acted in battle, her bravery and courage to do what is right, but he felt the need to care for her. And seeing her hanging on for dear life was enough to send him into panic mode.
"Do-do you think you could lend me a hand, Mister Baggins?" Sephira asked, trying to keep her voice calm. Bilbo nodded frantically, quickly shuffling around so he was lower on the branches, trying to get to her branch.
"Can you reach?" he asked, extending his arm down.
Sephira shifted her grip, testing out her chances and eyeing the distance to Bilbo's hand. She did not doubt that the hobbit could lift her- she was just barely taller than him, and certainly slighter- Sephira just did not know if she could grab hold of his hand without her other hand slipping. She eyed his hand wearily before swallowing and glancing down. She could not even see the ground, with how far below it was. Sephira did not want to fall. And none of the other dwarves could help. Fili and Kili were struggling to pull themselves up onto the trunk of the tree, Gandalf was helping Dori, who in turn was the only thing from keeping Ori from falling, and Sephira could not even see the others.
"Aye..." Sephira managed to force out, her muscles shaking as she prepared herself to lung for his hand. She caught her breath in her throat, heart stuttering painfully inside her chest as she removed one hand from the branch and swung it up, clutching at the hobbit's hand as her other one slipped.
"I've got you!" Bilbo grunted, tightening his hold as he pulled. She was remarkably light. Lighter than even Bilbo had thought her to be, and he had no issue with lifting her up to the trunk next to him. She landed with a soft umph, her golden hair whipping into her face with the force of it. Bilbo landed on his backside beside her, his breath rushing out in relief.
"You are far lighter than I expected." Bilbo said breathlessly, glancing sideways at her. Sephira let out a startled little laugh, rolling over so she was sitting on her bottum and looking straight at Bilbo, a brow arched.
"Are you saying you thought I was fat?" she demanded. Bilbo flushed, his words stuttering out as he shook his head viciously. "Relax, I am jesting." Sephira said, tones kind. It grew silent between the two of them for a moment, in which Bilbo shifted his weight, and Sephira cleared her throat.
"I uh...Thank you, Bilbo." Sephira said, her tones nothing but grateful. "For helping me. I was afraid that...for a moment I thought I had reached the end of this journey." she continued, dipping her head down slightly. Bilbo reached over, placing his hand lightly on top of her's.
"You will make it to Erebor, Sephira. This will not be the end." he said kindly, giving her a small smile. Sephira looked back up at him, a smile lighting up her face as she looked to the little hobbit.
"You are a great friend Bilbo Baggins." she said, grinning wider. "I am happy that you joined us before we left the Shire." Bilbo's small smile grew to a bigger degree as the honesty she felt seeped into her words, and his cheeks flushed with a light shade of pink. But both smiles and his blush disappeared as Thorin strode past them, sword drawn and face set in a determined scowl. Sephira's eyes followed the dwarven king's line of sight, and her blood froze in her veins.
Sitting astride a the whitest Warg that Sephira had ever seen, was a pale orc, his skin marred with scars and his eyes burning with hatred as they stared straight at Thorin. One of his arms was missing, instead replaced with a metal clawed weapon. The teeth were sharp like blades, thin lips pulled back in a feral snarl that chillded Sephira to the bone.
"Azog..." she breathed, a tremor running through her. But instead of the thoughts that plagued her down in the goblin's home, it was new thoughts that assulted her, terrorizing her and making her ears ring. Thoughts of Thorin, his head being sliced from his body as cleanly as his grandfather's had been. The metal claw of a hand piercing his throat, blood dripping down Azog's arm and dropping onto the ground. Sephira shivered once more, shaking her head in a poor attempt to ride the thoughts from her mind.
"We have to help him." Bilbo muttered. The words were spoken more to himself than the small Fae beside him as he stood from his seated position, and he mentally cursed as Sephira scrambled up beside him.
"It would be best if you stayed here..." Bilbo said, trying not to offend the girl. Sephira's eyes flashed to his, incredulity shinning in her stormy eyes.
"You have little to no experience in fighting, and there are not only Wargs, but also Orcs and The Defiler out there. Besides, Thorin is my family. You are not going out there alone."
Her voice was firm, authority ringing through it as she stared at him with unwavering eyes. Bilbo had no will to fight, nor the time. Sephira had more right to rush to Thorin's aide than any other- rather than Fili and Kili of course- for he was the father in her life, not just her king. Not to mention, if they did not move quickly, it may be too late to lend Thorin any help.
"Alright, then let's go." Bilbo said, before turning and quickly making his way down the length of the upturned tree. Sephira followed behind him, sword drawn as she hurried quickly towards the fight. All fear had left her when she made her mind up to go to the aide of Thorin, but it returned now with more vigor as she watched Thorin being tossed from the mouth of a Warg.
"Go faster!" Sephira shouted, sending a shove to Bilbo's back.
But the hobbit was already on the same thoughts as her, and he took off into a run as the Orc grabbed a fist full of the dwarf's hair, a blade getting raised. Bilbo's small frame knocked into the orc, both of them tumbling away from the dwarf king.
Thorin's eyes followed the hobbit for only a moment before another sight caught his attention. A Warg was stalking towards him, teeth bared and saliva dripping from its foul mouth. And just before it could reach him, sink it's teeth deeply into his already beaten body, a small figure jumped in it's path, golden hair shimmering and sword gleaming with the light of the fire. Thorin's heart stuttered painfully, his eyes widening to the size of saucers as he recognized the figure as the small Fae girl he had watched grow up. No! Thorin's brain screamed, panic surging through him at an alarming rate as the Warg lunged towards her, growling.
He could not watch, he did not want to watch Sephira defend him. Did not want to watch as she faught for her life as well as his own. It should be the other way around. Him fighting to protect her. Not her protecting him. It was his job as the leader, his job as a father to be the one protecting her.
Relief flooded through Thorin as he watched her blade sink deeply into the skull of the Warg, silencing its growls immidiately. Sephira ripped the sword from the skull of the Warg, crinkling her nose a small degree at the sickening slunk noise that it made.
She did not have long to ponder the sound though, before a heavy weight knocked into her side, and her sword went flying from her hands. The air rushed out of Sephira's lungs as she landed on the ground, the large Warg on top of her. It's paws were pressing onto her chest and shoulders, making breathing almost impossible, and sending a crippling wave of pain through her. Warm, foul smelling air brushed across her skin as the mouth of the beast opened, a wave of nausea rolling through her as rotten teeth poked out from behind curled lips.
A battle cry sounded, followed by the clanging of metal on metal as weapons were drawn, and then the overbearing weight of the Warg was gone and Sephira could breath again without a foul smell filling her nose. Sephira barely had time to register the sound of her name being rushed from someone's mouth before a pair of hands grabbed her and she was hauled up.
"Are you alright?" Kili asked, calling Sephira's attention as she turned her eyes away from the dead Warg in front of her. She nodded, breathing heavily.
"Aye, i am fine." she breathed. And then, without quite thinking, Sephira threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Do not get yourself hurt, you daft little dwarf." she breathed before pulling away, sweaping up her sword from the ground, and running towards the Warg that was approaching Thorin.
The soiled blade of her sword sliced into it's shoulder blade, and it rounded on her with sharp claws, slicing across her side. Pain flared in her arm, a warm liquid seeping into her clothes and running down her arm, but she ignored it as she stabbed the blade straight through it's left eye. Sephira heard the startled little yelp that came from the hobbit, and she spun around to see a Warg charging towards him. Sephira ran, preparing herself and knocking into the side of the Warg with all her body weight, a small cry of triumph ringing in her mind as the warg crashed to the ground. Sephira rightened herself quickly, sinking the blade of her sword into it's chest. She jumped up, ripping the sword free as she did so, and turning towards the hobbit.
"You alright Bilbo?" she asked. He nodded quickly.
"Fine." he said shakily. His eyes caught sight of movement behind her, and his eyes widened, a frantic finger pointing out as a warning to Sephira. She spun around, sword drawn as the Warg barrled down on them.
Where the bloody hell were they all coming from? It seemed like more just popped up from the ground as one was killed. Either way, Sephira was prepared, sword raised and stance bracing for impact. But the impact never came as a large bird swooped into the scene, talons grabbing the warg and scooping it up, flying over head of them. Sephira stumbled back, eyes wide and sword dropping to her side as more eagles swept into the area, disposing the wargs and what little orcs were there.
Her eyes widened even further when they began scooping up the dwarves as well, dropping them onto the backs of other passing eagles as they went.
"Bilbo..." Sephira warned, backing up slightly as she sheathed her sword. It would do good now, and she would rather not impale herself with it. An eagle was soaring right towards them, talons outstretched.
"Oh my..." Bilbo uttered, eyes wide, just as one set of talons swept him up.
He heard the squeal that left Sephira as she was lifted as well, and then he was free falling through the air. He landed with an umph on top of another eagle, a wave of relief going through him as the golden haired Fae landed beside him with a barely concealed yelp. Her tiny hands grabbed at the feathers, her body jerking so that it was sitting up straighter rather than laying down.
"Thorin!" a familiar voice cried, grabbing Sephira's attention. Her eyes first flew towards the one that had shouted, and her heart gave a painful thump of happiness as she saw Fili and Kili seated together on an eagle, not to far away from her and Bilbo. Then her eyes moved towards where the two dwarves were looking, and sorrow and fear crept inside her as she saw the still form of Thorin Oakenshield hanging from the talons of an eagle...
Sorry about the long wait for this chapter! I've been utterly uninspired recently, but all's better now! I went to go see The Hobbit one last time before it comes out to buy on DVD (which i am TOTALLY going to go buy) and got all my ideas planned again. I haven't yet decided if i'm going to continue this story following the book or not, so i'm going to ask you guys for opinions.
Should I continue the story following the book? Because if I do, i already had ideas and plans for the chapters so they will not be quite as slow paced and will have more conversation. And obviously more of the love happening between Fili, Kili and Sephira.
Or should i wait to continue this story when the new movie comes out in December? If I do that, then the next chapter will obviously be a very short one, and will follow the end of the movie as it happened. I will also post a side story of the years of Sephira, Fili and Kili meeting and growing up together, and will feature the many events that i've hinted at in this story.
I could really use the opinions on what you think I should do, though if i come up with a decision I will do that. But opinions from my readers would be lovely! :)
~Thanks for reading!