Chapter 10: Out of the Frying Pan
"[Run them down! Tear them to pieces!]"
The voice that yelled the words of black speech was as loud and as harsh as the wargs that howled with it.
The sound of it made Ariel's heart almost freeze in her chest as she ran helter-skelter along with the thirteen dwarves, the hobbit and the wizard down the slopes of the high mountain and into the trees.
SHIT- SHIT- SHIT- SHIT! The sun!
She gasped in horror as the sun began to dip low over the horizon, staining the sky a bloody red.
"Quickly now" Gandalf called from the head of the company as he led them through the trees, but Ariel knew it was no good.
Even though she and the company were far ahead, the warg scouts after them would have no trouble using the force of gravity to propel themselves down faster than any of them could ever dream of running.
We need high ground!
But even as the thought crossed her minds, she skidded to a stop. In her sprint, her legs had taken her to the very tip of a tall precipice on which several tall trees were precariously holding onto with their tough roots.
There were snarls from behind, and Ariel quickly turned to see in the dimming light the dwarves already fighting wargs that had leapt upon them from behind.
They were well and indeed trapped.
Ariel looked back over the top of the cliff, and her heart sank further. There was no path of the high top she stood on. There was only a tremendous massive jump into oblivion.
Unless-
Ariel blinked as unbidden a small memory of hers played before her eyes. A small nine-year-old girl with dark red-brown hair, climbing up a tree to avoid getting picked on by several large hulking bullies in the school playground.
It probably won't achieve much but what choice do we have?
Without waiting for anyone she quickly jumped up for the lowest foothold in the bark of the closest tree she could find.
Seeing her jump up Gandalf cried out.
"Up in the trees all of you! Climb!"
"Bilbo!" Ariel cried out in horror as she saw the poor hobbit look about in confusion, a bloodied sword in his hands. He had only just managed to tug the blade out of the head of an attacking warg only to find himself alone on the ground as the Dwarves hoisted themselves up into the surrounding trees.
He looked up at Ariel's voice as she quickly scrambled to the lower branches of a tree to his left and held out her hand.
The warg pack was almost upon him when he finally was pulled up onto the lowest branch.
"Quick get to the top-AH!" Ariel squeaked as a large set of snarling jaws snapped at the hem of her dress tugging it down.
"Hold on Lass" Oin yelled as he grabbed onto Ariel's arm and swiftly pulled her up.
Ariel winced as the snapping sounds told her that her dress was ripped once again.
Despite herself, she groaned with irritation. She already had that long slit along the side of both her green dress and the white petticoat underneath that revealed her leg. Also, she'd lost her hair tie so that her hair now flew all about her face in the cold wind and one of her sleeves was barely hanging on by two threads. All this, of course, was courtesy of the Great Goblin's rough handling. She was sure that by the time she was done with this quest she'd barely even have rags to wear.
Though would you prefer it if they ripped your legs off?
She reasoned in her head as she and the others scrambled up into the trees. As she climbed, she could almost feel the tree beginning to keel over from the top from the combined strain of its carriers.
She gulped as she managed to hang onto a branch while pointing her staff towards the tree trunk.
She tried her best to concentrate on finding the roots; however the constant growling and howling from beneath her was proving to be a most unsettling and terrifying distraction.
Eventually, however she finally felt the tingle of energy flow through her and pushed the tip of her staff deeper into the wood.
"Come on" she grunted as she felt the roots react slowly to her powers. She'd managed to grow other plants fast so why wouldn't tree roots work?
She tried to concentrate harder on her powers but felt to her frustration something like a barrier.
No, come on don't block me out now-not now when we're all going to die!
But even as she barely managed to dig in the foundations ever so slightly into the earth, there was a sudden silence from the Wargs and several gasps.
"Azog"
She looked up and saw that it was Thorin who had spoken, his voice breathless as he stared in horror at the Wargs in front of them.
Ariel turned, and her gut fell away into nothingness.
There stalking towards them from the top of a large boulder was a white warg, baring its teeth and snarling at them. Upon its back an orc, unlike any Ariel had ever seen so far, was sneering victoriously up at them all. He was as pale as the steed he rode, though many battle scars marred his skin. But what drew Ariel's attention the most was the fact that his left hand was not there. There was only a strange metal claw-like scrap of metal stuck crudely through the stump of flesh.
She shuddered as the pale orc spoke to the darkness of the night, his voice rough like stones and metal as he spoke in the black tongue of his kin.
"[Do you smell it? The scent of fear? I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain]"
"It cannot be" Thorin breathed, but already Azog was bellowing a command to his followers.
"[This one is mine. Kill the others!]"
There were many cries of fear as the warg pack suddenly charged forwards and swarmed about each one of the trees the company were taking refuge.
The could not climb very far, but still, they could jump just high enough to snap at those in the lower branches.
Ariel shrieked as one warg almost managed to grab hold of her foot in its massive jaws. She quickly struck at it with her staff, poking it in the eye and it fell, though it was replaced by another one of its fellows who crashed into the tree making it shake violently.
They're going to shake us off or topple it over!
Ariel winced as more and more the Wargs' put their strength together to push against the large tree trunk.
"Be ready to jump lass!" she heard one of the dwarves shout at her, and she opened her eyes just in time as the tree began to tilt sideways.
With a cry, she leapt forwards onto the branches of the tree behind her only to feel that one tilt too.
Oh crap!
She jumped again off to the next tree with the others, and the tree after that, and the tree after that one too, until she and all the dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf were all clambering to the top of the single tree on the edge of the cliff.
Azog laughed with malicious delight as he caught sight of his terrified foes doing their best to climb higher up the tree like terrified birds.
"They're gonna push us over!" Ori yelled out as the tree gave a jerk backwards.
"Ariel!" Gandalf cried out as he stood from one of the topmost branches. "ARIEL use your powers and secure this tree! I'll try to get rid of the wargs."
"On it!" Ariel nodded before securing her feet on a branch. Once more she pressed her staff into the wood and focused as hard as she could.
However just like before it was difficult to get the roots to grow and it took all her energy and focused even to get them to move an inch, especially with all the noise about her.
Come on Ariel; you can do this…you can do this…just reach for the roots-just reach for it and…and-come on!
Seeing his apprentice focus on her task, Gandalf turned back to his own as he grabbed a pinecone from a tree branch and held it up to his staff. With a couple of blows and whispers into the gem set in the tip, a red spark suddenly lit up. It caught onto the small pinecone, and at once the little globe turned into a tiny, fiery ball, which the wizard quickly flung down onto the wargs beneath.
It struck one hard on the shoulder, setting it's fur alight. It yelped in terror and pain barking and snapping at its concerned packmates before promptly diving into a bush. However, the bush itself caught the flame from the canine's back and also burned bright.
Seeing this new weapon, the dwarves and the hobbit's hearts soared and quickly Gandalf threw down to them their projectiles to fire.
The company all cheered as the wargs scattered and fell back with many loud barks and yelps and Azog roared in anger.
However, Ariel screamed, her voice a yell of terror and nightmares that made everyone's stomach's turn to ice.
The noise…the stench of the smog and smoke-
Despite her attempts to block it out, Ariel's mind suddenly geared straight into overdrive.
No-no-no! Don't think about that now! Don't go back there!
But it was no use. She could see the flashes of bright light, could see the small girl screaming in the blaze as a wooden support beam fell burning to the ground.
"Mummy! Daddy!"
The little girl was screeching and screaming as the fire leapt up high before her. It licked at her skin as she raised her hands to shield herself from the heat. Her throat burned her lungs were clogged; she couldn't see the way out…she could only see a few metres away, as a shadowy figure stalking towards her through the flickering light a mysterious figure with burning red eyes-
"NO!" Ariel cried out as with a hard, mental tug; she pulled her powers away from the tree, her mind suddenly snapping back to the present.
There were a shudder and a groan, and suddenly all the dwarves too were crying out as their tree, shaken too much by their movement began to keel over the side of the cliff to lie perpendicular to the cliff face.
As it fell, Ariel also felt her grip slip.
Desperately she grabbed hold of a tree branch only to hear a crack as the wood strained under her sudden weight.
She was going to fall again; only this time there was no way she would survive the drop.
Tears sprung to her eyes as she heard another small crack and groaned as the branch began to bend. She gripped the piece of wood tighter even though she knew it was of no use.
No, I have to live…I have to or else Ian won't…my mum and dad…oh please god…please let me live!
"ARIEL!" she heard one of the dwarves' yell, but she was too terrified to respond or do anything else save hold on.
CRACK!
"AHHH! AH!"
Ariel squeaked as suddenly she felt a rough hand grab onto her outstretched wrist fast and tight before she could drop even half a foot down.
It was with wide eyes that she recognised the leather bracers on the arm.
"Thorin" she gasped grasping for his hand.
"Don't worry, I've got you" Thorin grunted as he began to pull her upwards towards him.
The dwarf prince's grip tightened as he caught sight of the frightened, pleading look over the young girl's face. It was just as scared as when she had been about to fall off the mountain cliff.
"I'm sorry Thorin" she blubbered as she clung on to his hand "I'm sorry I couldn't hold onto-I couldn't-"
"Shh…I've got you, Ariel, just hold on" Thorin murmured as he managed to pull her up far enough for both his arms to grab her shoulders.
Before that moment he had always thought how pitiful it was that she was such a skinny girl, but now he could not have been more grateful for her lighter build as he managed to drape her securely over a much stronger branch without much trouble.
His hand gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze as she managed to secure her feet on the branches below her. She did not thank him aloud, but her brown-green eyes were wells of both relief and gratitude as she clung on to the tree-branch, her staff in her hand glowing dimly as she seemed to calm down.
But even as she regained her grip on her new post, Ariel looked up, and her heart sank.
Thorin followed her gaze silently and found that they were resting upon Azog's distant figure flickering horribly in the firelight. Thorin's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of his nemesis's pale eyes roving the rest of the tree, to the other members of the company as they struggled for their lives to hold on.
Most of them were like Ariel, clinging on securely onto the branches but there were few like Nori and Ori who were barely hanging on for dear life.
Azog chuckled as he caught sight of the girl the dwarf was still holding secure his lip curled up into a sneer.
So noble Oakenshield.
He smirked wickedly.
But still so weak.
Thorin's entire body tensed as the pale orc nodded wordlessly towards the dwarf reining in his white warg
"Stay here" he growled softly before standing to his feet.
"No Thorin-!"
Ariel struggled as she held onto her branch, terror flooding through her as she watched the Dwarf prince stride down the tree trunk and back onto the solid ground before the fire.
She looked across from her spot to Bilbo who was also hanging just on the opposite side of the tree trunk across from her. His eyes too were wide and terrified as he watched Thorin unsheathe Orcrist and brandish it before him.
As he ran into the flames, he picked up a large tree branch in one arm holding it almost like a shield as Azog's warg steed reared and pounced upon him from its vantage point.
Thorin fell to the ground as the warg's claws scratched him hard over the shoulder.
He clambered clumsily to his feet as the warg made to turn about however he was too late, and once more he was thrown back as Azog swiped his spiked mace at him, this time hitting him squarely in the chest.
"NO!" Balin shouted along with the others as they saw him fall back down, his head hitting the ground hard.
Ariel, however, could not find the voice to scream as she watched horrified at what was unfolding before her. Azog's warg, which was as great as a lion in size, had taken Thorin's body in its mouth and sunk its teeth into him. The jaw was so strong that the fangs sliced straight into his armour like a knife through soft butter.
Thorin in his pain and shock did his best to strike at the beast and managed to hit it squarely between the eyes with the hilt of his sword. The warg roared in pain as it flung him aside.
However, the damage had been done, and Thorin now lay sprawled on the ground unmoving.
"[Bring me the Dwarf's head]" Azog smirked coldly to an orc that had just ridden up by his side.
The evil creature snickered as it dismounted its mount and unsheathed its ugly dark blade from its hip.
There were cries of despair and of outrage from the dwarves as they watched on in horror, unable to move as their leader lay unconscious and unaware of his impending death.
No this can't be how it ends; it just can't!
"THORIN!" Ariel screeched through tears of panic and terror "THORIN! COME ON YOU MORON! YOU IDIOT GET UP! GET UP! HE'S GONNA KILL YOU! YOU HAVE TO GET UP! THORIN!"
By Mahal, for a small person, she has a set of lungs on her.
Thorin's head lolled to the side as he stirred, just in time to see the orc advancing upon him.
His eyes darted to his sides. Orcrist was just there, just barely out of his outstretched fingers reach. He twitched and struggled to reach, but his body was almost spent.
But even as his fingers scraped the pommel of the hilt the edge of a blade came level with his throat.
He glared defiantly up at the orc standing over him as it raised its sword high above its head ready to strike.
Wham!
The body of someone small had hurtled sidelong into the orc at a run and had shoved it out of the way.
In the later days following, Ariel would describe that the moment she saw the face of Thorin's saviour would perhaps be the most surprising memory of her life.
It was not one of the dwarves, nor was it the wizard or a great hero…but a hobbit of the shire who wielded a small but bright sword in his hands and a heart that was by far larger than many fully-grown people she'd ever met.
"Bilbo…" Ariel breathed as she watched in awe as the halfling ran his blade through the orc that had raised his sword to his friend.
As soon as he was dead, Bilbo quickly stumbled to his feet to stand in-between Azog and his prey.
The Pale Orc, who had just looked just as surprised as everyone else, was now snarling with hateful venom as he looked upon Bilbo who swung his sword wildly in an amateur attempt to ward off the snapping wargs before him.
The Halfling had come between him and his prey…and that would certainly not do at all.
"[kill him]"
Ariel did not need a translation to understand the order that left the Orc leader's scarred lips, and it was with a great effort that she raised her staff.
Please work! Please. You've gotta work now!
She begged as she pointed the glowing green gem into the wood.
…you've got to protect them.
And then suddenly it was as if something like a wall had been lifted as her power suddenly shot straight down the length of the tree and right into the earth in a flash of light just as the first warg rider bore down on Bilbo.
At the same moment, the other few orcs and wargs with them fell back as several of the dwarves rushed forwards in a charge led by Dwalin, Fili and Kili.
Ariel struggled up onto the tree trunk, her body aching but her mind suddenly alight with determination and renewed hope as she saw many of their attackers retreating in surprise, some accidentally burning themselves to death in the flames around them while others were hewn down by swords and axes.
Of all the orcs, Azog was by far the least scathed by flame or weapon for his attentions were focused on hunting and stalking Bilbo who had fallen back down to the ground in fear, still in front of Thorin's lifeless body.
She didn't know whether it was because of the flames or because of the new cut above her eye bleeding down her face, but suddenly Ariel saw red.
With a roar, she sprang to her feet and fired a burst of magic straight at Azog that sent both him and his white warg flying backwards into a tree.
However, Ariel did not have time to observe her victory. Not when a great feathery mass descended, and two large claws suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her into the air.
Bilbo gaped in absolute astonishment as a great massive bird greater than any warg they had ever encounter swooped down from on high and seized the young girl in its talons before lifting promptly into the air.
As the eagle screeched the sound rent the air like an ancient war cry as an entire flock descended from on high and down into the fiery mass of trees.
Many were grasping at the wargs and orcs and tossing them over the cliff. Others were grasping at the trees or fanning the flames onto those enemies that remained earthbound. The rest meanwhile were picking up the dwarves and tossing them down onto other eagle's backs, as the first one had just done to Ariel who squeaked as she landed on a mass of feathers covering the muscle.
She gripped the neck of the great bird hard with her fingers, gasping in shock as she looked about.
Oh my god, what the hell just happened? Am I flying on a giant bird! No, wait-the others!
"No, my friends-"
But even as she cried out, the eagle she rode tilted its wings gently in the air, and it circled back around to face the cliff.
Ariel gaped as she saw one by one each of her friends be picked up by birds from off the cliff face.
One…two…four…seven…twelve…fourteen-and me that's fifteen…but wait-GAH!
She held on for dear life as the bird she was on suddenly swooped down into a very steep dive.
HOLY SHIT-HOLY SHIT!
She screamed as the bird began to pull up sharply at one of the cliff edges. With a great flap of its wings, it increased the drag of air and slowed down enough to slip its talons over something before lifting once more into the air.
Ariel had to gulp down bile in her throat as the eagle's flapping wings made the bird bounce up and down in continuous almost sickening patterns as it rode the wind, far away from danger…and even further away from the mountains.
Meanwhile back on the ground Azog the pale orc had finally rid himself of the tight bonds of ivy that had imprisoned both him and his warg against the burning tree. With a growl, he winced as tendrils of dark blood dribbled down his exposed pale flesh from where his bindings sharp thorns had pricked painfully at his skin like tiny needles.
When he looked up into the sky, he was just in time to see the great eagles and their passengers ascend into the night sky and beyond reach.
They are gone.
His grip on his mace in his only hand tightened as his teeth bared into a growl
THEY ESCAPED!
He tried to take a step forward only to be tugged back by a small rope of vines still tied about his wrist.
That witch.
He snarled to himself. There were very few people with power in the world like this.
He looked about at the bodies of the fallen followers who lay burning amongst the flames.
A Halfling and a woman did that.
It seemed he had underestimated Thorin Oakensheild's alliances.
But no more.
Azog tugged harshly at his organic bonds, and they broke…along with his temper.
No one got in the way between Azog the Defiler and his prey!
"[Thorin Oakenshield!]" He roared into the darkness in his foul tongue "[You shall burn! You, your friends, your Halfling and your Green Witch! You all will burn!] RAGHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The shadow of Dol Guldor had been growing darker day by day. But nothing could compare to the howling darkness that surrounded the ancient ruins now even as the pale light of dawn peeked over the horizon.
Even the elves felt it in their halls of Mirkwood. Something had disturbed the peace. Something evil and it was slowly seeping into the woods beyond the ancient ruin's borders.
One elf, a tall female with vibrant red hair and a fair face, could feel such enmity about her as she looked down on the gigantic dead spider that lay a few feet away.
Its black blood drenched her sword and made the metal of it glimmer oddly as she sheathed it.
"[Filthy spider]" the elf woman spat in her smooth tongue just as someone's footsteps came up behind her. She quickly turned about drawing a bow and an arrow as swiftly as the wind, only to stop dead when she saw her would be victim.
It was a male elf, with long silvery blonde hair and bright blue eyes wearing all green like her.
"[Careful Tauriel]" he smirked as he looked down the length of the arrow facing him. "[You wouldn't want to shoot the royal prince down now would you?]"
Tauriel snorted however lowered her bow down gently and turned back to the spider.
"[One cannot be too careful out here Legolas. Especially with these monsters roaming the forest]"
"[You made quick work of it]" Legolas nodded with admiration as he inspected the wounds on the dead creature.
Tauriel opened her mouth to speak but as she looked up her words faltered in her mouth.
"Tauriel?" Legolas quickly straightened up looking about them warily and placing a hand on his bow and quiver. But the female elf merely shook her head and tugged his arm down.
"[no look]" she pointed into the trees.
There standing just several meters away in the thicket was a white hart, tall and with a full pair of antlers set high upon its head like two great branches of trees.
It gazed at Legolas and Tauriel for a moment, its dark eyes assessing with a piercing stare, before quickly darting off into the forest.
Wordlessly the two elves darted forwards
Such creatures rarely appeared in this part of the vast forest, especially in these dark times and so it was with great excitement that they came upon the spot in which it stood. However, as they came upon the spot, they were astonished to find nothing was there.
Not even a leaf on the ground was out of place. It was like nothing had ever moved in that spot.
"[A trick of the light? Or perhaps the enemy is now trying to lure us into a trap]" Tauriel suggested though Legolas was already seething.
"[No! It must have been here for a reason. A pure creature like this never shows itself in places of such evil unless…. unless…]"
His voice fell away as he looked down to the undergrowth.
Tauriel looked down too, and her eyes widened in shock.
Where they had thought was only dead and sickly dark leaves a little flower was blossoming. Its petals were of the purest white, and its stem was thornless and whole even as it peeked out from the dark, harsh forest undergrowth.
"[But…]" Legolas breathed as he looked at the other almost dead plants about him and his friend "[but what does this even mean?]"
"[Maybe…]" Tauriel smiled gently as she crouched down to caress the plant's petals "[maybe it means there is hope yet for us]"
"[Hope?]" Legolas snorted "[hope from where? It is just one flower Tauriel]"
"[One from thousands]" Tauriel nodded "[but still one strong enough to push through on its own. And such strength and purity is precious and should not be lost or left behind to wither in the darkness]"
Legolas watched curiously as with gentle hands Tauriel scooped up the small flower, roots and all and deposited it safely into a small pouch on her side.
For some reason he could not fathom, he had a feeling that this plant no matter how small had just drawn them into something far more significant than they could ever have dreamed. Though what it was the elvish prince had no idea, though he was to learn.
Ariel should have sighed with relief as she felt the first rays of the morning sun hit her face as it rose over the tops of the misty mountains.
But she could not. Not when Thorin Oakenshield was half dying in the talons of the great eagle she was riding.
She gripped her staff tight trying her hardest to resist the urge to look down. She wanted desperately to see if the dwarf was alright; however she was also very much terrified of seeing the massive drop between her steed and the earth below.
She'd almost dropped off two cliffs within twenty-four hours she didn't think she could handle the terror of dangling for her life another time. At least not for a few more days.
Instead, she looked sideways at the birds that flew around her. From the horrified faces of the dwarves, she figured that Thorin was looking in a rather terrible shape.
But he can't be dead. He can't be.
But what if he was killed? Or worse, what if he was alive but would never wake up or open his eyes?
"I'm sorry Thorin…" she murmured tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry…you were right…I was an idiot. I was a stupid, naive idiot who thought I could help. But what have I done up to now? Just caused trouble and been a big smart arse. But when the time came that you needed my help, I just crumbled. You may be a stubborn ass sometimes, but I was wrong to compare you to that dragon. Please Thorin, forgive me, and please don't be dead."
Ariel's grip on the soft dark feathers tightened, as she bent her head down to rest against the eagle's neck, her hair whipping out behind her, tangled by the breeze.
The faces of Bilbo and the other dwarves about her fell as they heard the small sob carry on the wind.
Gandalf himself sighed heavily. While he was relieved to hear that Ariel had made her peace with the dwarf prince it nearly broke the wizard's heart that it had to happen after such drastic circumstances. After all, the girl was still at a young tender age, and while she'd already dealt with the loss of her brother, he doubted that she would be able to deal with the loss of someone else dear to her.
And neither would Fili or Kili or even Bilbo for that matter
He reasoned as he looked upon the two brothers and the hobbit who were all watching the eagle carrying Thorin with fear and anxiety.
The other elder dwarves, however, were looking far more despairing, for many of them had seen wars and much death and while the loss of their prince was a devastating blow to them all, they knew that some things in life were inevitable.
But Thorin's not dead yet
The wizard's hand on his staff clenched tight. He could still sense Thorin's life flowing within him, though it was holding on by the barest of threads.
He was relieved when he felt the eagle beneath him tilt downwards as they passed over the last outpost of the misty mountains and down over towards a great stony peak that stood in the centre of a large wood.
The Carrock of the eagles was an excellent vantage point even in the Misty Mountains. Though open on top it commanded a broad view of the vast expanses of Wilderland, Mirkwood and the River Anduin of whose upper reaches ran fast and powerfully through the lands below.
Ariel, while knowledgeable about the key plot points of Tolkien's works, did not know this nor did she care about her location as the great eagle she rode, descended upon the Carrock.
In a small hop, it deposited Thorin's body gently upon the large slab of rock before tilting its neck down for Ariel to slide smoothly down.
Her feet had barely scraped the surface of the rock when she fell to her knees beside Thorin.
She tried to take deep, steadying breaths as she pressed her fingers to his neck, feeling about for a pulse. However, she could feel nothing.
No don't panic, don't panic, check his wrist
But even as she inhaled a deep shuddering breath, she bit her lip. The bracers over his arms were thick leather and very difficult to shift away from his wrists.
"Come on you bloody bastard-come on just give me a heartbeat or something" she sniffled angrily as she quickly leant down and pressed her ear over his chest.
Thump-thump…thump-thump
Ariel's breath caught in her throat, and she looked up just in time to hear footsteps come up behind her.
It was Gandalf and the dwarves.
"Thorin" the wizard cried out as he knelt by the dwarf prince, just as Balin snatched Ariel up from the ground and held her back securely by the shoulders.
"He'll be alright lass" the old dwarf muttered softly he patted her trembling back gently. "He'll be alright."
"He better be" Ariel whispered as she gulped down the lump in her throat.
She felt a warmth about her hand as it was taken by Kili who was standing beside her along with Fili whose face was pale.
She squeezed the dwarf's hand back tight as she watched Gandalf murmur something softly under his breath as he hovered his hand over Thorin's face.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the dwarves and the wizard, Bilbo watched on his face a mask of worry and guilt.
He felt like he was intruding on a very private family moment and yet he felt as if he too should have been included.
But who am I really to them?
He thought bitterly.
I'm just another piece of baggage…I'm not-
But then suddenly the hobbit's thoughts stopped entirely as a pair of deep blue eyes slid open and a gasp of breath was released.
Oh, thank god!
Ariel sighed with relief, pinching the bridge of her nose to stem her tears as Thorin murmured hoarsely to Gandalf.
"The…the Halfling"
"It's alright" Gandalf assured him gently "Bilbo is here. He's quite safe."
Bilbo seemed to sigh in relief but then quickly stumbled as Thorin suddenly rolled over and began to scramble to his feet, his face livid.
"You!" Thorin barked at the hobbit who was looking bewilderedly up at him as he stalked forwards slowly "What were you doing? You could've gotten yourself killed!"
"No Thorin-" Ariel tried to baulk forwards only to be held back by many hands.
Thorin, however, ignored her his eyes narrowed upon Bilbo who was now looking down at his own furry feet in guilt and shame.
"Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the Wild? That you had no place amongst us?... I have never been so wrong in all my life!"
Hold on a moment-What the F-!
Ariel's eyes bulged out of their sockets, and her jaw dropped as Thorin Oakenshield wrapped both his arms about Bilbo and hugged him tightly.
Bilbo himself looked very confused but also immensely relieved when the dwarves all about them began to laugh and cheer at the gesture.
Gandalf also smiled warmly as Bilbo gingerly returned the gesture with a soft pat on the back before he was released from the hold by the dwarf prince who made to grumble softly.
"I am sorry I doubted you."
"No, I would have doubted me too" Bilbo admitted, "I'm not a hero, or a warrior or sorcerer…I'm not even a burglar" he added much to the amusement of the others.
Even Thorin managed a small smile.
The only one of them who didn't smile was Ariel…but that wasn't because she wasn't happy.
"Is that…" she breathed before quickly darting out in front, past everyone to stand at the head of the Carrock. "Is that what I think it is?"
Everyone turned to see what she was looking at and whatever comments or words they had been about to utter die in their throats.
There far in the distance but standing very tall was the shadow of a single mountain with a sharp snow-capped point.
"Erebor," Gandalf nodded as he looked out over the great view before him "The Lonely Mountain the last of the Great Dwarf Kingdoms of Middle Earth."
"Our home" Thorin smiled as he looked upon the silhouette of the old kingdom in the distance just as a bird twittered overhead.
They all looked up, however instead of seeing a giant eagle, they saw a tiny bird, flittering and swooping gracefully through the air and singing joyfully as it steered itself in the direction of the mountain.
"A raven" Oin chuckled "The birds are returning to the mountain."
"A raven?" Ariel squinted "That doesn't look like any raven I've ever seen."
"That's because it isn't" Gandalf snorted "that dear Oin is a thrush."
"But we'll take it as a sign" Thorin nodded in the direction of the mountain "A good omen."
"You're right" Bilbo agreed warmly "I do believe the worst is behind us."
"NO!" Ariel suddenly cried out "Don't say that!"
"And why not?" Thorin looked up surprised at the girl who raised her eyebrows in return.
"Uh maybe perhaps because after the last person said that we had a giant goblin king crash down on top of us and nearly squash us to death?"
"Well aren't you a cheerful ray of sunshine this morning" Thorin snorted and Ariel rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to retort only for Gandalf to suddenly snap.
"Oh for goodness sake will the two of you ever stop this petty arguing?"
"He started it?"
"And you're continuing it so who's being a petty chi-"
"Thorin Oakenshield if you want to live don't you dare finish that sentence!"
"And here we go again" Balin pinched the bridge of his nose as Fili and Kili both exchanged small sniggers of amusement.
"Told you it would happen, now pay up" Bofur muttered to Gloin who rolled his eyes as he begrudgingly handed over a couple of silver coins.
Meanwhile, Bilbo was chuckling under his breath.
We have barely been in safety for more than ten minutes, and already you both are arguing once more. This must be a new record.