Riswynn blinked back the fatigue that seemed to grow with each passing hour watching as she leaned against a sturdy tree stump as the others scattered around like ants desperately searching for something. She frowned, smacking her lips in thought, she couldn't remember what it was they were even looking for anymore, she thought harder squinting her golden eyes, surely it was important or else why would everyone be looking so diligently. She groaned rubbing her temple with the pads of her fingers, all this thinking was giving her a headache, she stood on shaking legs and stumbled toward Oin. The old Dwarrow was sitting alongside his brother, a blank expression on his face as he stared out into the twisted and gnarled trees.
"Master Oin" Riswynn called as she approached him, hand outstretched as if to take something from him.
Oin looked up at the golden dwarrowdam, she was a sight to behold in this dark and dangerous wood, he told Gloin they should have never travelled through Mirkwood, but his younger brother was always so stubborn, now look at them lost. He cleared his throat, adjusting the trumpet in his ear "What you say Madam?" he said squinting his eyes as he stared up at her, strange one this, bright golden eyes, so unusual for their kind.
Riswynn grunted and snapped her mouth shut, she cocked her head to the side and let her arm drop, she couldn't remember walking this way, and she couldn't fathom why she required Master Oin's assistance. She shrugged "Nothing Oin, resume your search"
Oin scratched at his chin "What do you need searched again" he said his mind clouded with confusion.
She blinked and hung her head with a sigh, this forest was making her senses far to dull for her liking, the air was poison to her lungs and made her mind turn to mush. She looked up and away from the pair her eyes gravitating toward Thorin who stood stalk still, hand clutching Orcrist as he watched Nori and Dori scatter about looking around. She smiled at the sight of him, her leader would know what was happening more than anyone, she left the large tree behind her, not even noticing as large hairy feet came skittering downwards.
"Thorin" she called her voice higher than normal, in a singsong tone. She moved to his side with grace like a predator stalking its prey, at his side he turned to look down at her, his icy eyes softening at her sight for a moment.
"What is it my gold" he said in a thick tone, her skin shivered in delight, she leaned toward him "What are we looking for again, Oin asked me but I can't remember" she said innocently batting her long lashes at him.
Thorin grunted hiding the smirk that pulled at the corner of his mouth, his one was behaving strange as of late, the thought made him frown, everyone had been acting strange. He sighed scratching at the back of his neck to ease the tension growing there, "The path, my love, we are searching for the elven path" he said his voice laced with venom.
She nodded her head, of course, how could she have forgotten, the blasted path, they had only lost it hours ago and yet it seemed they had been walking blindly since entering the forest. The words of the wizard sounded in the back of her mind; she could remember all that was said but was certain he stressed the importance of staying on such a path. She yawned, leaning her weight more firmly against Thorin, he was warm and smelt of earth and pine, she was so tired of travelling, a moments rest was all she needed to get her bearings again then she would help. Something stirred in the deepest recesses of her mind, something dark and dangerous flickered like a molten flame. She groaned rubbing her face into firm flesh as her headache gnawed at her mind like old bones. She pried open an eye, surprised to have the strangest sensation overcome her, she felt power swell in her veins red hot and angry, her senses returning all at once nearly toppled her over, she felt Thorin's steadying hands on her shoulders as she hissed clutching her head. She could hear something coming, a strange scent on the wind accompanying it.
Thorin looked down at her in alarm, one moment she was pressed against him, savoring the comfort she brought, the next she was groaning in pain, hissing under her breath, her hands wrapping themselves deep into her golden locks. "Riswynn, what's wrong" he said shaking her gently to get her attention. She snapped her eyes open, and he sucked in a breath, her eyes normally a honeyed color, were the brightest flame red he had seen yet, her pupils blown wide and her breath coming in pants. She seemed to ignore his presence as she scanned around them, taking in a deep breath of air. He held her tightly by the shoulders as she adjusted to her senses, she was strange with the curse that befell her, but he was never afraid of her, she was amazing even with her dragon's curse.
"They are coming" she whispered placing a hand on his chest she gently pushed him away, widening her stance she felt for the daggers strapped at her hips, she could hear the skittering footfalls, hear the strange hissing breath, the soft plunk of thread, she shook her head and looked more closely at the surroundings, something wasn't quite right. She narrowed her eyes at the treetops, noticing for the first time the thick shade wasn't entirely from leaves as she once thought in her addled state of mind, but thick white webs. It coated nearly everything in sight, "Thorin call everyone now" she growled out between clenched teeth.
"What is going on" he stood his ground beside her, sword clutched tightly as he looked around desperate to see what his one could. She sucked in a breath "Spiders, look at the webs, just there in the treetops"
He didn't have a moment to respond when something heavy landed on him, sending his body crashing into the ground, the air squeezed from his lungs in one painful gasp. Riswynn could feel the creature's breath, hear its sound as it lowered itself to her, she lunged out of the way, growling out as she watched her companions being ambushed. Thorin was pinned beneath a hairy behemoth of a spider, something straight out of one of her nightmares, the thing was freakishly large, with a dark body and long legs, its face decorated with too many eyes and huge mandibles. She could hear his pained grunt and the yelps of fear from the other Dwarrow, and she felt the curse flood her veins white hot anger exploding outwards, she lunged, slicing a dagger through the many pairs of eyes, the spider reared back in pain, striking out, one of its eight legs smashed into her torso and sent her sailing through the air. She groaned rolling to her feet, a sticky substance coating her lower legs, she went to move but the more she did the more she weaved herself into the thick webbing. She watched in horror as her one was stabbed through the back, foam gathering at his mouth as he gurgled and thrashed once before falling limp, the injured spider making quick work of entangling him in a fine cocoon of webs. She trashed wildly, unaware of the spider behind her until a searing pain burned through her abdomen and she felt her muscles spasm and go limp. She was strong she knew that the cursed dragon's blood in her veins allowed her to remain conscious as the spider stabbed her again for good measure, taking her limp form into its legs its many eyes regarded her, as its foul language passed through her mind, she realized she could understand these beasts, just as she could understand the orcish black speech. She never removed her glowing red eyes from the spider even as she was spun about covered with webbing.
….
She was entirely sure how long she had been hanging upside down, her body felt like an anvil was dropped upon in, her muscles sore and weak from the spider's venom but her mind remained sharp. She could hear the foul beasts circling them, could hear them arguing about devouring them, and she felt angered that she was unable to do anything other than hang limply like a plump juicy calf awaiting slaughter. She twitched her fingers as a numbing sensation washed over her, she willed herself to move, praising mahal above when her hand clenched into a tight fist, perhaps the venom was wearing off, she needed to act quickly if she was to escape and help the others. She felt for the dagger at her hip, glade she was always heavily equipped with weaponry, hissing in outrage as her fingers numbly prodded her flesh. Nothing not a thing of use was found, she wanted to scream out, but bit her tongue to stop the sound from overflowing, she needn't alert the spiders of her current state. She chewed her lip In thought, she was vaguely aware of the presence of clawed fingers when Azog attacked, she remembered slashing at his flesh, the dark blood getting stuck in her nails, before she used them to cut her own hair. Perhaps if she focused hard enough, she could summon them at will, she needed something sharp and fast. She held her breath and channeled the rage, imagining sharp claws at her fingertips, slashing the sticky webs, coated with the dark blood of the spiders, imagined her one, being attacked as she was helpless to help, her companions being eaten by a hoard of devious spiders. She sucked in a deep breath as pain shot through her hands, like dipping them in molten lead, she tasted blood as she bit into the soft flesh of her bottom lip, flexing her fingers as large talons burst from her nail beds. She felt the pressure and pain dissipate as quickly as it came leaving her with a numbing sensation as she clenched her fists, something sharp digging into her palm. She wiggled her head trying to see her own hand, growling out she thrust forward, her sharpened claws breaking through the web like silken cloth. The remnants of daylight that filtered through the canopy of leaves was much brighter higher up, she could see the world below bathed in light as she tore through her cage. She sucked in a breath as she was airborne falling downward, she latched onto a thick branch digging her nails in to stop herself from falling. She panted a breath pulling herself upright, getting her bearings she zeroed in on movement, lowering herself into a stance ready to pounce forward at the spider, surprised to find little Bilbo rushing toward her, her claws inches from slashing into the soft flesh of his abdomen.
"Riswynn" he squeaked out in alarm, ducking at the perfect moment as her claws slashed the open air, she leapt back and smiled brightly at him "Oh thank Mahal you are alright Master Baggins, I thought you were among the others"
"Spiders, yes, we must free the others at once" Bilbo stuttered holding his chest, casting her a side glance he watched as she stood tall nodding her head, her eyes glowing like a hearth, claws extended like a wild animal she moved like a predator toward the bundles of Dwarrow suspended in the air, she slashed their bindings watching as they slowly sank toward the ground, the webs below slowing their descent.
"Come along Master Baggins, help me cut them down" she growled leaping to another thick branch to reach the others.
Bilbo swallowed holding his sword tightly in hand he made a move to follow her when a spider dropped on him and sent him sailing through the air toward the ground. He didn't have a moment to scream, only surviving on instinct alone, he thrust his blade hard into the spider's middle, it withered and shrieked above him, closing its eight legs around him like a cage as it died, the creature broke his fall and he struggled to get free.
Riswynn was unaware of the condition of her hobbit companion, so focused on the task of getting down the others she didn't even notice his absence. She sliced through the last of the webs watching as the Dwarrow sailed toward the ground, she wasn't entirely sure who was in each bundle of webs, but it mattered little, everyone needed cutting down. She leapt after the falling bundles, grabbing a fistful of web to slow herself down, she landed with a heavy thud. She immediately started slicing through the cocoons pulling her companions free. She made quick work of the webs thrusting her clawed hand into the sticky pouch she grabbed for an arm and yanked, a bald head greeted her vision and she smirked of course Master Dwalin would be the first she found.
"Dwalin, can you hear me?" she shouted, rolling him onto his back, slapping him hard across the face to wake him up.
Dwalin groaned in pain, struggling to sit up he found a hand on his shoulder steadying him, he rubbed his stinging face with a meaty hand and pried open his eyes, coming face to face with a smirking dwarrowdam with crimson eyes. "Oi lassie, didn't need to slap so hard"
Riswynn pat him on the top of the head like a young disobedient dwarrowling and stood up "Come along Dwalin we need to free the others quickly now" she said tossing him a dagger. He caught it with fumbling hands, his senses returning to him slowly, he felt a tingling sensation spreading through his hands as he cursed trying to maneuver the small dagger in his giant hands. "Ridiculous this" he grunted standing up slowly approaching one of the spiders' sacs.
Riswynn looked over her shoulder at the bumbling Dwarrow and snorted a laugh, he looked completely uncomfortable handling one of her daggers "Dwalin you can't go tearing open the spiders webbing with an ax, you'll behead one of the lads"
Dwalin grunted rolling his eyes "Aye I know lassie, but it feels wrong using a dagger, too small this" he said holding up her gleaming knife.
She nodded "Hurry up and you can have your battle ax back" she teased pulling a sleeping Ori out next, patting him gently on the face he woke with a start flailing his arms arounds wildly to fend her off.
"Shh easy lad, its me Ris, calm down" she cooed patting him on the knee giving him a warm smile to which he blushed furiously.
Eventually everyone was freed, standing up on weak and shaky legs as their bodies worked to rid itself of the dangerous spider venom. Thorin looked around spotting the long slender legs poking from the treetops "Watch out" he shouted throwing his sword at the spider lunging downwards toward an unsuspecting Fili. The blonde ducked grabbing his own daggers, he reached a free hand upwards and pulled his uncles sword from the spider's belly, the creature hissing and thrashing in pain.
"To arms lads" Riswynn roared out, getting down into a crouch she launched herself forward, slicing off a spindly spider leg as Kili shot it through the one of its many eyes.
Riswynn panted after killing yet another spider, they seemed to come in never ending waves, like parasites. She blew out a breath, rubbing the sticky congealed blood from her face and rolled through the dirt as an arrow whistled past her face. she sucked in a breath and looked around for its source, surely Kili wouldn't be so careless as to fire an arrow in her direction. She looked up into the trees, spotting a flash of gold and green and sucked in a deep breath, the spiders were becoming the last of their worries.