Chapter Four: Warg Rider
The white blur approached them at speed, his lithe body flying across the sunny forest floor, paws pounding against the ground, ears pinned back, tongue lolling out of his maw. Narâ felt her face split into a genuine smile as her beloved Warg rounded on the pair, the little pony braying in freight. Kili huffed rubbing down his mounts neck and cooing softly into her ear as Narâ instructed Khimâ to sit on his haunches. She jumped down from the pony with a wince, smiling at her riding companion as Kili watched her with a frown, his chocolate eyes lingering on the crusted blood that decorated her lip and nose. She felt embarrassed at his gaze, spitting on her hand she rubbed vigorously across her face, giving him a sheepish smile as he rose a brow at her actions.
"Can we just not speak of this please" she said with a humorless chuckle as she loosened a large sack of provisions off the pony's saddle.
Kili snorted "Aye I won't say anything Narâ although I think it pretty obvious someone hit you and I won't have my uncle shaving my beard thinking it my fault" he said with a pout.
Narâ snorted and rolled her eyes whistling for her wolf, clicking her tongue he dropped to his belly his red eyes staring at her as he thumped his massive tail. She gave him a quick pat on the head, scratching behind his ear smirking as the great beast groaned and rutted her hand for more attention. She gave his head a gentle push with a chuckle and tossed the sacks of provisions across his backside strapping them down, before crawling onto his mighty back. She looked at Kili and sighed "You really think Thorin will care if some man struck me, its hardly a scratch"
"Aint the point Narâ, Dwarrow don't tend to enjoy their dams getting hit at all" he shrugged snapping the reigns to get his pony moving.
Narâ frowned with confusion, thinking that was an odd way of phrasing; she sighed and kicked her heels into Khimâ's soft furry side getting him to follow the pony and his rider. She allowed her Warg to move in sync with the stout little horse and looked at Kili who seemed absolutely bored with himself at the quietness that enveloped the forest around them. She chewed her lip his previous comment grating on her nerves, she was no one's dam, and she certainly wasn't a damsel that needed protection, Dwarven culture was ridiculous in that sense that dwarrowdam were to be treated like nothing more than children, hidden away in their keeps, away from battle and anything remotely adventurous. She grunted rolling her eyes getting Kili's attention and he looked at her from the corner of his eye, finding it amusing that she appeared to be sulking "What's the matter" he said smirking at her.
She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed "I'm not Thorin's dam Kili, I am no Dwarrow's property, I can take care of myself just fine"
"Hey easy, I didn't mean nothing by it, I just meant he looks out for his own is all, you are a part of the company, and he won't be happy you got hurt alright" he said with a sly grin, his eyes narrowed slightly at the corners as he tried to stop himself from laughing.
Narâ snorted "Very well, I will pretend to believe you, now how about a race back to camp" she smiled mischievously, lowering her body she bellowed out "ibsinatî" with a laugh, instantly Khimâ burst forward with a surge of speed, leaving a disheveled Dwarrow and pony in the dust.
"Hey, no fair" Kili protested, kicking his heels in deep to get his pony galloping, its shorter legs never allowing it to gain on the white Warg.
…
Narâ gained on the company faster than she anticipated, the tracks in the dirt making it remarkably easy to find them, her Warg's powerful legs and speed of course made it easy, his endurance never ceased to amaze her. She cooed softly to him praising him for winning rubbing her fingers across his neck as the ponies and Gandalf's beautiful stallion came into view. She turned and looked over her shoulder to see a spec of Kili in the distance, his poor little mount tossing its head angrily at its rider as she was pushed hard to keep up with the wolf. Narâ chuckled sitting up straight with a yawn, stretching her sore muscles she trotted up alongside the fat dwarf Bombur "Bombur" she said in a sing song voice smiling brightly "Look who found everything on the list, think of the meals" she chuckled patting the heavy sack behind her rump.
"Aye lass don't go telling him that, he will eat everything before we even get a crumb" Bofur chuckled smiling at the dwarrowdam.
"Nonsense, Bombur you wouldn't do that to me would you" she said prettily batting her long lashes at him with a innocent smile.
The fat Dwarrow turned bright pink at the attention and shook his head vigorously, his long red beard swaying back and forth at the action.
Narâ chuckled loudly, leaning over her mount to pat the Dwarrow on the sweaty cheek "Good answer"
"Where is my brother?" Fili called from the front of the procession, looking over his shoulder his eyes searching the forest behind the dam.
Narâ smirked evilly "Well we decided to race you see, and well Master Kili lost is all, he will be along in a moment, as a matter of fact here he is now" she chuckled gesturing to a steaming looking Kili. "Master Kili what took you so long, I thought perhaps you had gotten lost" she teased her eyes twinkling happily.
Kili snorted and crossed his arms over his chest "That wasn't fair Narâ everyone knows that Khimâ is faster than my pony, he is faster than Gandalf's horse even"
"I never said I play fair Kili, that's a lesson for you laddie, Dwarrowdam's are notoriously clever and competitive" she cackled throwing her head back in mirth as she laughed as the poor Dwarrow pouted like a babe.
She sighed wiping a tear from her eye and tutted the poor lad "Hey now I was only teasing you, tell you what for the rest of the day why you don't ride Khimâ, and I'll ride your darling little mare"
Kili perked up his eyes shining as he nodded enthusiastically "Really, do you think he will listen to me" he said excitement practically radiating off him.
Narâ smiled and nodded "Oh Aye, he will listen if you give firm commands, but no running off with him I don't want to have to come find you later if you have fallen off"
Kili smiled brightly turning to his brother "Fili do you want to ride with me?" he asked quickly turning to look back at Narâ "Wait can two people ride a Warg at once?"
She snorted and held up a hand "Easy laddie, maybe you just try riding him for a bit before you go inviting the entire company, but yes he can handle two riders at once he is very strong for a Warg"
Kili rubbed his palms together and pulled his mount to a stop hopping down he waved her over
"Come on, lets go already"
She rose a brow a smirk on her face "You are a bossy little Durin aren't ya laddie, must run in the family" she muttered the last part. She clicked her tongue and instructed Khimâ to stop, the Warg lowered himself to the ground looking at her curiously with wide red eyes. She patted his muzzle and smiled at him as Kili approached "Alright lad, give him a pet and command him to stay still while you climb on his back" she said stroking her hand through the Wargs thick pelt.
Kili held his hand out and gently brushed his fingers through the soft white fur, surprised to find it so soft "dubul Khimâ" he said softly watching the red eyes rake over his much smaller stature. Khimâ simply watched the Dwarrow as he ran his hands over his pelt, his eyes flickering between the male and his master who nodded happily at him. He gave a loud happy bark and thumped his tail and Narâ smiled "There you are laddie, he will let you ride him now"
Kili pulled himself up onto the Warg with no amount of grace, almost slipping and falling flat on his face as the dam laughed behind him, "Easy Kili don't want to break your pretty face now, hold his fur and slip your foot into the stirrup, there you go lad" she chuckled as she watched him pull himself up steading himself as Khimâ shifted the strange new weight on his back. Narâ approached the little horse and pulled herself into the saddle she looked over her shoulder at her wolf and the young Dwarrow "Okay tell him to walk now lad, he understands what you are saying so don't go yanking on his fur to steer him about he aint no horse"
Kili gulped patting the beast awkwardly "ibsinî" he said nervously, refusing to yelp out in fear as the Warg stood to his full height and happily trotted forward following the ponies.
Narâ smiled glad that someone was comfortable enough with her pet, she cooed to the stout little pony and gave her a gentle kick, allowing the animal to walk at its own pace, keeping time with the other herd animals. She whistled to herself as the day rode on, the sun was beating down particularly hard that afternoon and the sweat was pooling down her back making her feel rather uncomfortable. She clicked her tongue and gave her pony a pat encouraging it to make haste toward the front of the party.
"Thorin, when are we to stop for the day?" she called getting his attention.
Thorin sighed and looked up at the sky, it wasn't dark yet, the sun was just beginning to make its way down to the horizon. He looked over his shoulder at the dam and frowned his eyes taking in her striking features to find her plump lips crusted with small amounts of blood and a split down the center. He pulled his stallion to a stop and waited for her to catch up to him "What happened in Bree?" he asked gruffly.
Narâ shrugged "Nothing exciting, me and the lad stopped for some rations is all"
Thorin snorted looking more closely at her face as she stared over at him "And these rations did that to your face" he said stiffly gesturing to her swollen lip.
She brushed her fingertips across her mouth and shrugged "Ah just a drunkard at the inn think nothing of it" she said trying to play it off, the attention making her feel uncomfortable.
"A drunkard at that time of the morning" Gandalf said confused, his keen blue eyes settling on her face.
Narâ felt her cheeks flame and she blew out a breath "Think nothing of it lads, was only a small scrap he barely got a proper hit, poor untrained sap he was"
"Barely got a hit, where was Kili when this happened" Thorin barked out, his eyes looking ahead to watch his sister-son prance about on the blasted Warg.
Narâ sighed crossing her arms over her chest "Oh he was tending to the pony, securing our wares while I went to the apothecary"
Thorin gave her an impassive look "And you thought it wise to walk without an escort in a town of men"
She narrowed her eyes "I am perfectly capable of protecting myself Thorin thank you very much"
"Clearly not" he ground out his patient wearing thin as she was so stubborn about everything.
She chuckled darkly "This is nothing my adad has given me much worse" she spit out venomously.
Thorin rose a brow in shock "Your adad strikes you" he said through clenched teeth.
She looked away, shame washing over her as she didn't mean to disclose that information "Never mind, forget I said anything" she said softly.
"Tell me, Lord Narvi has he struck you before" Thorin commanded, the idea not sitting well with him, a mote of anger lighting in his belly.
She shook her head and refused to look at him "Leave it be Thorin" she warned in a low but deadly tone.
Thorin looked at her closely, her eyes were downcast, and a small frown replaced her vibrant smile, she had a haunted look on her face and he immediately hated it, hated the person that put it there. "Can you at least tell me what was so important that you put yourself in danger"
Narâ met his eyes and shook her head once "No" she said with finality, she certainly didn't want to discuss such a topic with a Dwarrow let alone the leader of the company.
Thorin wouldn't relent "Narâ don't be so stubborn" he growled out not liking her tone.
She glared openly at him "I said no"
Thorin chewed the inside of his mouth to stop a slur of Khuzdul insults from spilling from his lips, normally he was so calm and collected but when it came to the most stubborn dam he had ever met he couldn't seem to think straight "Narâ" he warned.
She threw her arms up exasperated "Fine, I went to get Kingsfoil and Shepherds Purse there are you satisfied" she growled out angrily kicking her pony into a canter to get away from all the male hormone suffocating her.
Thorin looked at her ride away, her cheeks tinted pink in anger or embarrassment he could not tell, he didn't see the reasoning behind keeping such things secretive, it was only simple herbs.
"Oin" he called from over his shoulder his curiosity getting the better of him.
"Yes Thorin?" Oin called back adjusting his hearing trumpet to hear him better.
"What would Narâ need Kingsfoil and Shepherds Purse for? She seemed very hesitant to disclose why she bought them in the market"
Oin blushed crimson and smacked his lips "Um well lad, dams use it to prolong their bleeds"
Thorin felt as if he swallowed his own tongue, coughing he looked at the old Dwarrow with a raised brow "Truly"
Oin simply nodded looking at the dam who rode ahead beside Kili and her wolf "Aye lad, probably embarrassed her having to travel with so many Dwarrow for a long period of time, smart lass to think of such a remedy"
Thorin felt his cheeks heat glad for his thick beard to cover his embarrassment "Is that safe" he felt awkward even talking about the subject, but he didn't want Narâ to put herself in harms way simply for convenience.
Oin scratched at his chin and nodded "Oh aye, she will be fine, probably mortified now though"
"Oh Thorin, you sure know the way to a lassies heart" Dwalin jested having overheard the entire conversation, slapping a heavy hand on his comrade's shoulder.
Thorin growled shoving off the heavy appendage "Enough, lets keep riding" he hissed.
Narâ refused to speak to Thorin or anyone else for most of the day after that stubborn Dwarrow wouldn't stop pestering her, it was an awkward subject to broach and of course he wouldn't let it drop. He was frustrating and made her want to throttle him one moment and loose herself in those blasted blue eyes the next, damn dwarf. She huffed to herself glad that Thorin had finally signalled the party to stop for the evening, they had traveled the East Road and decided to settle for the evening in the rocky outcrops of the weathered hills. It provided good cover, and lots of trees to protect them from the winds and rain should it start to turn poorly overnight. She hopped down from the pony and gave her a gentle pat of thanks, removing the sacks of provisions slinging them over her shoulders she headed for Bombur.
"Master Dwarf where would you like these" she said with a pant, as she shouldered the weighty objects.
Bombur looked up at her with a smile, waddling his massive weight to a small flat section of land he pointed to a small pile of cook wear already set up and waiting. She nodded throwing down the rations, cracking her back and stretching her sore arms.
"Narâ, that was amazing, you must let me ride him again" Kili called excitedly rushing over to her to engulf her in a strong hug, squeezing the air from her lungs. She pat him on the back once and snorted as he let her go his face beaming with happiness "So I take it you enjoyed yerself then lad" she chuckled rolling her eyes at the young Dwarrow who was practically bouncing with energy.
"I'll never ride a pony again" he laughed happily.
She smirked and pat him on the cheek "Too bad laddie, Khimâ is my Warg, you go find your own" she teased good naturedly.
Kili deflated with a pout giving her puppy dog eyes, he bat his lashes "Oh please let me ride him again tomorrow"
She snorted and shook her head "If you are a good boy" she chuckled patting him on the head like a small dwarrowling.
Kili shook her hand off and rolled his eyes "I'm not a child Narâ"
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him with a coy smile "Oh laddie, I am old enough to be you amad, so to me you are just a lad"
Kili shook his head "No, you can't be as old as my amad"
She shrugged her shoulders "The lady Dìs is how old again"
Kili rubbed the back of his head sheepishly "Umm" causing her to below out a laugh "Mahal Kili you don't even know your own mothers age"
Kili held up a hand in defence when Fili approached them throwing his arm across his brother's shoulder knuckling his dark hair "brother here doesn't even know my birthday las, my amad is one hundred and eight one"
Narâ nodded "Well that makes us just about the same age then, I am currently one hundred- and seventy-four-years old lads"
"Impossible, you are so much better looking that our amad, you don't even have grey hair yet" Kili shouted mouth hanging open.
Narâ laughed loudly holding her stomach to catch her breath "Don't speak ill of your amad lad or ill box yer ears, but yes I am in fact that old"
"You are almost as old as uncle" Fili said with interest looking her up and down.
She grunted in annoyance "So it would seem laddie"
"Were you born in Erebor then?" Balin asked listening to the conversation.
She turned and bowed her head at the old Dwarrow and nodded once "Oh aye, I was don't remember much of the mountain I was only a wee lass when Smaug attacked".
"Well let me say you look lovely lassie, not a day over one hundred" Balin smiled happily at her.
She smiled in thanks a small blush on her cheeks "Thank you Master Balin, must be in my blood us Blacklock's so youthful" she jested tossing her long dark locks over her shoulder.
"How long do dwarves normally live" Bilbo asked quietly coming to stand beside the chuckling dam.
Narâ snorted "Oh long time lad, my adad is old as the mountain he rules I swear it, he will be two hundred seventy-five on his next name day" she looked over at the curious little hobbit and pat him on the back "And what of hobbits Bilbo, how long lived are your kind?"
Bilbo twitched his nose "Oh that depends really, my great aunt Belba lived to be one hundred and two, remarkably old for a hobbit she was"
Narâ looked at him amused poking him in the middle "Not very long lived but there seems to be an awful lot of you, hobbits must be handsy little things" she chuckled waggling her brows as the other Dwarrow laughed and Bilbo went beet red.
"Mistress dwarf please" Bilbo stuttered in sheer embarrassment.
She chuckled heartily "Relax I only jest laddie, your people seem a gentle folk why not have little ones when food and the comfort of a proper home is so readily available"
Bilbo sighed fishing in his pockets for his long pipe eager for a distraction "Do dwarfs not come from big families then?"
Narâ shrugged "Oh some do laddie, my family there were four of us, that is large by dwarven standards, but there is not a lot of dams you see so there are few dwarrowlings running about our halls"
"And what about you Narâ do you think you'll ever have children?" Bilbo asked curiously.
Narâ gave him a strange look, her face turning somber and bitter as she looked away "Perhaps one day Master Baggins, marriage is complicated for a dwarrowdam laddie" she said simply walking slowly away from the hobbit to sit beside the fire.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked looking at Balin who shook his head "No laddie, you've done nothing wrong"
Narâ busied herself with setting up the small camp, taking it upon herself to go gather firewood, using Khimâ as a wagon, she pilled it high on his back tying it off with leather strapping. The duo walked the perimeter of the camp, catching and cleaning three large hare for dinner, and clearing off any predator that dared to venture to close to the Dwarrow. She was in a sour mood after her conversation with the hobbit, not that it was the lad's fault, she just didn't like the idea of marriage, the idea of being tied down like it was her only duty as a dwarrowdam was to marry and produce heirs for her husband. Her own adad had been pushing the idea of late and she hated it, she wanted to find love properly like her amad had with her father, pure and good not forced into some contract with another royal family. She hacked aggressively against a hardwood, chopping branch after branch shrieking out her frustration as the poor tree withered under her assault. She panted out a breath and looked down at the pine with a frown, perhaps she was being childish storming off like that after all the hobbit was merely curious. She whistled for Khimâ patting his soft fur, burying her face in his warmth as he panted happily above her
"You are all the male I will ever need" she said muffled into his fur to which he replied with a happy bark, glad for the attention he was getting.
She stepped back and grabbed her battle ax slinging it back over her shoulder she looked up at her Warg and sighed "Come along, ankhur" she turned and headed back to camp grabbing up the hares from the ground, they were sizeable with soft grey pelts perfect for mittens in the cooler weather. She ran her fingers nimbly over the hind feet, soft against her skin smirking as Khimâ eyed the prey with wide red eyes mouthing open revealing his great teeth and salivating tongue.
She snorted "You'll get some don't worry" she chuckled pushing playfully against his snout.
Once back in camp she deposited the hares at Bombur's feet, snatching one she tossed it over her shoulder watching with a smile as Khimâ leapt up gracefully catching the hare mind air in his maw, trotting to the edge of camp to devour his prize in peace.
"Only one hare for a beast that size?" Bilbo asked standing next to her awkwardly, fiddling with the golden buttons on his vest.
She snorted "Oh no Master Baggins, Khimâ often ventures away from camp to hunt, Wargs prefer to hunt at night, prey don't know what hits em" she said smirking at him as he gulped.
"That will just hold him off while we eat, Wargs are noisy things when they beg for food, and I rather not have him practically crawling on my lap while I try to feed myself lad, he thinks he's a pup often forgetting he is the size of a horse" she sighed looking at the white blur as it settled down curling into a fluffy ball.
"He is a strange beast" Bilbo muttered to himself and Narâ nodded "Aye he's a fine thing Bilbo, most loyal companion I've ever had"
"Just how old is Khimâ anyway lass?" Bofur asked leaning forward to cook a sausage on a crude looking stick.
Narâ chewed her lip in thought "Oh he's around fifty or so I believe, but still as sprightly as a pup"
"So Warg's are long lived as well then" Bilbo said matter of fact.
Narâ smiled "Aye laddie, and I hope to have him for many years to come"