Chapter 21

Into the Woods

He poured us some milk and looked at Thorin.

"So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you? Is it because of the dragon elf?"

I looked up and then Thorin.

"You know of Azog? How?" he asked.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains. Before the orcs came down from the north. The defiler killed most of my family. Not for work you understand, but for sport. Caging skin changers and torturing them, seemed to amuse him." Beorn said.

I now noticed the shackle on his left wrist. I looked down sadly.

"There are other like you?" Bilbo asked.

"Once there were many." he said softly.

"And what about now?" Alejandro asked.

I pinched his arm.

"Now there is only one." Beorn answered.

We all fell silent and Beorn sat down in his chair.

"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn." Beorn said.

"Before Durin's day, yes." Gandalf answered.

"You are running out of time."

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."

I sighed.

"Lo sabía." (I knew it.) I whispered.

"A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees."

"We will take the elven road. That path at least is still safe."

"Safe? The wood elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They are less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

Thorin and I looked at him.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"These lands are crawling with orcs. And you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive."

Thorin took my hand but he was not looking at me. Beorn stood up and walked towards him.

"I do not like dwarves. They are greedy, and blind. Blind to the lives they deem lesser than their own." he picked up a mouse and stroked its head. "But orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

I smiled and looked at Thorin. I squeezed his hand and he nodded. Beorn gave us provisions, ponies and horses and bows. He looked at me.

"I remember the last dragon descendant. She breathed fire like a real dragon. That is all I remember of her. Remember, you were given this gift because you are worthy of it. Prove unworthy…..and it will destroy you."

My eyes went wide and I nodded. He smiled a bit.

"I do not doubt you are worthy. Be safe Lady Dragon."

I smiled. I rather liked that name. I bowed.

"Thank you for everything you have done."

"My house is open to you, should you ever come this way again. Go now while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind."

I nodded and mounted the horse behind Thorin. We rode nonstop to the forest. Just the look of it made me feel uneasy. I got off the horse and walked towards the trees. I closed my eyes and touched one of the trees.

"This forest feels sick. As if a disease lies upon it." Bilbo said.

I saw Gandalf walk into the forest. There was still something worrying me about this forest. I followed Gandalf and he moved some foliage aside to reveal a red eye. It had been painted on the statue of an elven lady. It gave me a very bad feeling and Gandalf looked extremely worried.

"The High Fells. So be it."

He turned back and looked at me. As I was about to ask him what was wrong he walked off.

"Not my horse! I need it." he said.

"You are not leaving us?" Bilbo said.

"I would not do this unless I had to."

He and Bilbo started to talk and I continued to look into the forest. I did not particularly want to go in it, even though I loved the forest. I would have to be careful and make sure my friends and family did not get hurt.

"This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air is heavy with illusion, it will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." Gandalf told us.

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo asked.

"Pretty sure it means sorcery vato." Alejandro said.

"Stay on the path, and do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again. No matter what may come stay on the path." he said.

He rode away and Thorin turned to the forest.

"Come on, we must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day. We have one chance to find the hidden door."

I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Into the woods it is then." I said.

It did not take long before I noticed that the dwarves were confused. I myself felt a bit drowsy, but not enough to be led astray. For a long time we were able to stay on the path, but then we came to a ravine.

"Nori, why have we stopped?" Thorin asked.

"The path, it has disappeared." he said.

"What's going on?" Alejandro asked.

"We have lost the path." Dwalin answered.

"All of you look! Look for the path!" Thorin said in a panicked voice.

I looked everywhere, but we had lost the path. Ori stopped and picked up a pouch.

"Look."

Dori took it from him.

"A tobacco pouch, there is dwarves in these woods."

Bofur took it next.

"Dwarves from the Blue Mountains no less. This is exactly the same as mine."

"That is yours, do you understand? We are going around in circles we are lost!" Bilbo said.

"We are not lost, we keep heading east." Thorin said.

"But which way is east? We have lost the sun." Oin said.

I looked up and saw Bilbo starting to climb a tree.

"Be careful Bilbo!" I called.

They all looked up and so all we had to do was wait. Alejandro and several of the other dwarves looked ready to fall to the ground. Thorin looked tired as well but he stayed strong. He looked at me and I walked over to him. He took my hands in his and I smiled at him.

"We will get through this forest. I promise." I said.

He nodded.

"I only hope we do not meet any of the wood elves."

I looked down sadly.

"Do you truly hate them so?"

Thorin's POV

I looked at her. I did not mean to make her feel bad.

"After what they did to me, to my people…..yes I hate them."

She sighed and put her hand on my face.

"It does not do to dwell on the past. The hate you hold for them will only bring you pain. And I do not believe all of them to be bad."

I sighed and pulled her into my arms.

"I know, but I cannot help but be angry. They never helped us."

"You have an elf helping you now. Does that not make it a little bit better?"

I smiled and pulled back to look at her.

"Yes it does."

She smiled and kissed. However she pulled away rather abruptly and looked around. She took out her bow and fired an arrow past my head.

"Elena what…"

There was no time for me to finish. She ran forward and then I saw it, or should I say them. Giant spiders.