Chapter Seven: Run Khimâ Run
She allowed Khimâ to follow leisurely behind the Dwarrow as they searched for the caves that the mountain trolls most certainly used to travel during daylight hours, relaxing in the afternoon sun atop his wide warm back. She closed her eyes and let the sunlight wash over her face, the warmth of it putting an easy smile on her face.
"Over here" someone shouted in excitement, and she pried a jade eye open to look lazily over the top of the Warg's white head. It sounded like Fili to her, no doubt he and his brother found it before anyone else as they tended to have the keenest eyes in the company besides Bilbo who she feared would be the last person to volunteer to go looking for troll holes.
"Down Khimâ" she cooed running her fingers through his mane of fur, scratching behind his ear as he lowered himself to the ground, his great tail thumping happily as he groaned and pushed back into her hand for more attention. She smirked pushing him away playfully as she hopped off his backside and stretched, grabbing her ax she fastened it across her back and joined the others standing just outside the mouth of a small dingy looking cave.
"What you have their lass?" Bofur chuckled pointing to the gleaming battle ax shining proudly on her shoulder.
Narâ snorted and crossed her arms over her chest "Can never be to careful Bofur, who knows what might be lurking in there"
"Something that smells awful I would imagine" Bilbo mumbled to himself causing her to laugh out loud and slap him on the shoulder good naturedly.
"Oh, I can assure you Master Baggins that whatever lived in these caves was indeed disgusting, trolls are foul dirty things so try not to touch anything once we get inside" she said grabbing a crude looking torch moving toward the mouth of the cave.
Bilbo grabbed for the Dwarrowdam's forearm in alarm "We aren't really going inside there are we, its dark in there"
She smiled gently at him "Oh Bilbo you forget that I dwell within a mountain range, darkness doesn't scare me I'm a dwarf" she said with a wink pulling away from him slowly to walk as carefully as she could manage, her boots finding purchase in the slick and damp earth beneath her boots.
The smell that hit her almost knocked her back on her behind as the buzzing of insects sang in her ears and the stale filthy air coated her nose. Narâ coughed covering her nose with her free arm the other swinging the torch around slowly to illuminate the surroundings.
"Ugh what is that stench" Nori said behind her holding his weapon out in front of him as if the mere sight of it would fend off the foulness that lingered in the troll's home.
"It's a troll hoard, what did you expect" Gandalf sighed moving around the stout Dwarrow his staff held tightly in his hand, he gazed around looking at the scattered bones and littered pieces of armor.
Narâ fought back a smirk as Nori scowled at the wizard, grumbling under his breath about being dragged down into this grime. She let her eyes sweep across the dark cave walls, the piles of gnawed bones and the tattered pieces of clothing, belongings of men littered the small area. The insects pestered her, landing on her face she swatted them away in annoyance and blew out a breath stumbling backward, her metal boots crunching down on something. She held the torch lower to the ground and smiled "Well look what we have here lads" she called kicking a loose pile of golden coins, watching them roll into a larger pile beside a small wooden chest.
Bofur came to stand beside her looking down at the gold with a greedy eye, his furred boot poking gently at the gold as she watched him with amusement shining in her eyes. He looked at her sheepishly and cleared his throat "Seems a shame to just leave it lying around" he said over his shoulder watching as Gloin and his brother inspected another small chest, lifting the lid to reveal more golden coins and jewelry "Anyone could take it" he said trying to justify his need to take the gold for himself.
Gloin nodded elbowing his older brother to close the lid of the chest "Agreed" he said standing up turning toward Nori who seemed to also be fascinated by the sight of golden coins. "Nori get a shovel" Gloin said flickering his eyes toward Thorin who only rolled his eyes at his companions.
Narâ snorted a laugh and moved away giving them space to dig what she assumed would be a hiding place for their newfound treasure. She often wondered why she didn't fancy gold as much as other Dwarrow, the precious metal was nothing more than an object to purchase goods in her mind, it wasn't something to be cherished and hoarded, her father liked to dwell with his wealth, often times flashing it in front of others and keeping it to himself when it could be put to better uses to better his kingdom. She walked further into the cave, moving her torch back and forth she kicked at several wooden baskets inspecting them for goods out of curiosity when she stumbled apon a rack of weapons. She leaned down to get a better view of them and was surprised to find them of fine quality. "Thorin" she called out turning to look over her shoulder at him, she jerked her head toward the weapons when he looked up at her and rose a brow "Come look at these" she said standing up straight holding her torch closer as he neared.
Thorin stood beside the dam looking down at the weapons she had found with curiosity. He reached forward and grabbed the hilt of one, it was remarkably light in his hand, it was of superior quality and craftsmanship. He passed it to Narâ who happily accepted the sword, turning it over delicately in her pale hands. He grabbed another and pulled it out of the pile, it was heavier and much longer than a sword meant for a dwarf, he looked up at the wizard as Gandalf held out a hand for the weapon. He sighed handing over the blade, surprised to find Narâ handing him another one, this one was slim with an odd, shaped hilt, unlike a traditional blade. "These swords were not made by and troll" he said turning the blade over to get a better look at the etchings carved into its blade.
Gandalf pulled the sword from its sheath and blew gently across the metal, cobwebs floating away, the torch light reflecting off the blades gleam. "Nor were they made by any smith among men" he said turning it over "These were forged by the high elves of the first age" he finished looking up in disappointment as Thorin and Narâ tossed the blades down with disgust on their faces.
Narâ brushed her hand off on her skirts, riding it of the filth of webs and elvish trash. Her eyes scanning the blade as it sat discarded on the ground, it was a rather short sword, perhaps it would have been traditionally used as a dagger of sorts. Although it seemed to be a fine piece of craftsmanship, remarkably light and sharp despite sitting in a cave for however long the trolls possessed it she couldn't fathom keeping it, having learned it was smithed by elves.
"You could not wish for a finer blade" Gandalf hissed returning his new sword to its sheath with a forceful shove, eyes glaring holes into the side of Thorin's head as Thorin attempted to throw away the elven blade.
Thorin sighed knowing full well that Gandalf was likely right in his assumption that this sword was finer than his own, he pulled it from its sheath and eyed the craftsmanship, it was smithed almost to perfection, his keen eye for smithing he knew of the skill needed to craft one such as this. He reluctantly left his old sword behind and fastened the new one to his belt, eyeing Narâ who stood stunned at his side.
"Are you going to lecture me on keeping an elvish weapon" he grunted in annoyance, and she just blew out a breath shaking her head.
She smiled at him "You use whatever weapon you want Thorin, I shall use my ax and my Warg, I never was very good with swords"
Thorin nodded looking down at the small thin blade at her feet grunting he nudged it with his boot "what of this one then?"
She looked down at the forgotten blade and shrugged picking it up she brushed the dust from its hilt, "Perhaps our burglar will have better use of this than I, its far to small for my liking"
"You only like playing with the big ones then" Kili chuckled waggling his dark brows at her as he approached his uncle and the dam a torch in one hand.
Narâ sighed and shook her head, dark hair tumbling down her back "Oh Master Kili, only you would refer to weapons as playthings, unless of course you are insinuating something else entirely which might I remind you is very childish and inappropriate" she said trying to keep a straight face biting her lip to stop the laughter from spilling out as the cheeky grin faded from his face and his eyes went wide.
"Oh..uh..course not Narâ" he stuttered looking away from the harsh glare Thorin sent him.
Narâ chuckled tossing the little sword up and down in her hand testing its weight as she walked away from the two Dwarrow stopping beside Bilbo who seemed completely uncomfortable in the environment. "Here Bilbo I thought you might need a weapon, and this one seems to be your size" she said holding it out to him.
Bilbo looked down at the sword offered to him and twitched his nose, the thought of holding a weapon let alone using one made his toes curl into the damp ground. He felt himself take the blade in a shaky hand and inspect it under her fire light, it looked nice as far as looks went but he had no idea how to wield it properly. He opened and closed his mouth trying to explain that giving him a sword was ridiculous but the look in her eye and the happy smile on her face made him rethink it and just nod at her with a forced smile.
"Come on lets get out of here" Thorin grunted moving toward the sunlight at the cave mouth, wanting desperately to get a breath of clean fresh air to clear his nose. The troll cave was damp and humid, and the very air seemed to cling to his person infecting him with its grime. He walked into the sunlight and brushed off his coat tails, wiping the sword off with the inside soft grey furs.
Narâ sighed following her leader out of the cave stopping momentarily to snort in amusement at her fellow Dwarrow who were deeply emerged in burying the small chests of gold they had discovered. Small piles of dirt flew past her and she chuckled dancing out of the way of the tiny flying projectiles. She stood outside waiting patiently for everyone to emerge, standing beside Khimâ who was currently sprawled out in the long grass lounging in the sun like an oversized cat. His white coat shining beautifully in the warm sunlight. She tutted the large beast clicking her tongue and he lifted his giant head red eyes watching her carefully, as his thick pink tongue lolled from his maw.
"Lazy beast isn't he" Thorin grunted folding his arms across his wide chest.
Narâ smiled looking up at him, surprised to find not anger or resentment but humor and amusement shining in his blue eyes as he looked down at her Warg. She shrugged "Oh Khimâ is anything but lazy, he just takes advantage of moments of peace when they present themselves, he is very resourceful for an animal"
Thorin looked over at the dam, watching as she swelled with pride and love for her wolf as she gazed down at the white beast. She was a remarkable dwarrowdam, taming and taking care of such a wild creature who seemed completely loyal to her. "You are very proud of him aren't you"
She looked at him with a blush of embarrassment and nodded sheepishly "Of course, he is my greatest accomplishment, I don't know what I would do without him"
Khimâ wagged his tail as the two Dwarrow watched him, he liked the attention and sat up on his haunches towering over the short male. He sniffed him as he stood up on four legs, his thick chest coming to the top of the male's head, he cocked his head as he watched the small creature take a step back In surprise, he reminded him of master, stout and sturdy with intelligent eyes. He heard this one speak in the same tongue as master, he was smart and seemed to take care of the pack well, he nudged him with his snout, blowing out a warm breath, waiting for hands to pet his fur.
"What is he doing" Thorin said in alarm as the beast continued to press against him, his red eyes slightly unnerving as he stared into his own, almost as if he was getting a measure of him.
Narâ chuckled "He likes you Thorin"
Thorin smirked running a hand over the soft fur of the Warg's snout "How can you tell?"
Narâ shrugged stepping up beside Khimâ to scratch under his chin "Well his teeth aren't currently in your neck so that's a good sign" she giggled winking at Thorin who only snorted rolling his eyes at her as the Warg continued to beg for attention almost pushing him over in the process. "Khimâ is very intelligent, he is more than a wolf, he understands me, understands our language, he is an excellent judge of character"
Thorin hummed low in his throat, allowing his hands to run through the thick fur between Khimâ's large ears, a small smile on his face as his massive tail swung wildly behind him. "If only more people thought as you did Narâ, perhaps more Dwarrow would be riding Warg into battle instead of Hogs" he said with a small chuckle.
Narâ laughed "Don't let Dain hear you say that he loves his boars more than his own wife"
Thorin rose a brow at her "You know Dain?" he said with surprise.
She nodded "Aye, I have met him on a few occasions when father was establishing trade routs with the Iron hills Dwarrow"
Thorin nodded in thought that made sense, he sometimes forgot that she was a Lady of the Grey Mountains, not a miner or a toy maker like some of the others here, she would be well educated and respected in her kingdom, and alliances were common among dwarven kingdoms, he wondered if perhaps their paths had crossed in the past, but the thought was quickly dismissed as he would remember a face such as hers. "Have you traveled to Ered Luin with your father?" he asked causally stepping back from the Warg only to be ambushed and assaulted with a slobbering wet tongue.
She giggled and whistled for Khimâ getting her beast to leave the poor Dwarrow alone, patting him on the haunch she turned to watch Thorin clean himself off with a scowl on his face "Aye I have been to the blue mountains before but no for many years, father didn't like me being outside our home very often" she said with a sigh.
Thorin rose a brow "How were you able to lead such successful patrols through the Misty Mountains if you were unable to leave your fathers halls?" he asked curiously.
She smiled mischievously "I had my ways, father was always so busy that it was easy to fool him on my whereabouts, my best friend used to help me sneak out of the fortress and go scouting with me"
Thorin frowned looking at the Warg "And how did your father feel about you keeping such a pet as Khimâ"
She shrugged "Oh he ordered the guards to kill him, but I told them if they laid a single finger on him, I would rid them of their family jewels"
Thorin found himself laughing with mirth "And how did that go over"
She smiled running a hand through her elaborate plaited hair "Oh well I do believe most of those guards now have dwarrowlings of their own, so remarkably well I would say"
"What are you two laughing on about" Balin said with a smile and a raised brow as he approached a laughing Thorin and a smiling Narâ, such an odd sight to behold for his friend never laughed.
Narâ shrugged sighing happily "Nothing of interest Master Balin, only retelling how I was able to keep my Khimâ under my father's nose" she went to pat her wolf when he shot to his feet with alarming speed, his spine ridgid and tail held out straight behind him, ears pinned back.
Balin took a step back in surprise "What is the matter with him lass?" he asked alarmed at the sudden change in behavior.
Narâ cooed softly at her Warg, who only lifted his lip to reveal long canines, a low growl rumbling deep in his chest. She turned her attention back to Thorin, her eyes wide with alarm "We must leave at once, where are the others?" she asked with haste.
"What is the matter?" Thorin asked taking a step toward her, hand on the hilt of his new sword.
She ingored him tromping past him approaching the hobbit with an urgent pace "Bilbo where is the sword I gave you?" she called stepping up beside the surprised hobbit as he moved out of the cave, the sword held loosely in his hand.
Bilbo looked up in alarm as the dam practically pounced on him grabbing for his sword, pulling it from its scabbard, looking down with alarmed eyes at the faintly glowing blade. He was confused swords don't glow blue, it must be a trick of the light, and why did Narâ look so concerned about it. "What is going on?" he asked quietly head snapping behind him as the cries of Wargs sounded in the distance.
"Orcs" Narâ growled, looking down at the scared little hobbit with a fierce determination.
She whistled loudly for Khimâ grabbing his scruff pulling herself to sit high on his back "Thorin get the others away from here at once, there is an orc pack on our tail"
Thorin turned toward Ori "Get the ponies ready" he shouted watching as the younger Dwarrow flinched back in freight "They have bolted"
Thorin turned toward Gandalf panic in his eyes "What do we do?" he asked with urgency surprised to find Narâ clear her throat "I shall lead them away" she said with a fierce determination.
Gandalf spun to face her a frown on his face "These are Gundabad Wargs, you will never outrun them"
She smiled viscously throwing up her white hood, hidden under the thick cowl to reveal a wolf headdress, almost matching her own Warg, the white fur concealed the darkness of her hair, she peered down at the wizard her emerald eyes shining "Khimâ is a Misty Mountains Warg, I would like to see them try" she lowered herself down her abdomen leaning on the Warg's shoulders as she whispered low in her throat to him, the Warg snarling aggressively long claws dug into the soft ground beneath him.
"Narâ you will be killed" Thorin shouted standing beside the tall imposing figure of the wolf and rider.
She looked down at him and gave him a small smile "ik-kund ukhrab is not so easily killed, my blue eyes" she said softly kicking her heel into the soft flesh of her wolf "haftbagd" she shouted bracing herself as Khimâ lunged forward with a burst of speed, his muscles flexing as he ran, paws pounding against the forest floor.
Gandalf watched momentarily stunned as the female broke away from the company, her white figure a beacon against the darkness that surrounded the forest, she was gone like a burst of light. He turned and looked down at the Dwarrow "Run you fools, let us use the escape she has provided us" he urged moving with haste through the forest.
Narâ felt the trees scape against her cheek as Khimâ burst through the underbrush, his form leaping through the air into the open fields surrounding the thick wooded forest. She turned her head to watch the Wargs and their riders seek out her retreating figure, pointing crude weapons at her backside they shrieked out ushering their beasts to follow.
"malmel Khimâ" she whispered sitting up straighter grabbing her bow from her bindings on Khimâ's back, knocking an arrow she let it fly watching it sail through the air and embed itself into the skull of an orc. She felt alive a wicked smile on her face as the wind assaulted her, blowing her wolfen headdress off her long black plaits flying in the wind, she allowed arrow after arrow to fly some hitting their mark others missing as Khimâ ran and dodged incoming Warg. He was faster than them, but also carried greater weight slowing him down enough to allow the smaller dark Warg to snap at his heels. Narâ growled in unison with her Warg, grabbing her ax from her back she swung wildly at the snapping Warg, watching it bring forth blood and death she laughed wickedly. She felt an arrow slice through her cheek, and she hissed ducking her head, as more arrows sailed over her. She bit her lip and shouted for Khimâ to keep running, his panting breath letting her know he would eventually tire, he snarled in warning as a Warg lunged for him, the smaller beast flying upward to tear her from his back. Khimâ snapped viciously catching the Warg by the foreleg, stopping its forward lunge, he shook his head tearing flesh from muscle and bone, his own legs still pumping as blood splattered his pristine coat. Narâ rubbed her hand through his thick coat in thanks, looking behind her in alarm as more and more Warg seemed to stop in their chase, noses in the air as their masters commanded them to slow. She panicked grappling for her horn, she brought it to her lips and blew, the sound piercing the air, the Wargs instantly snapping their attention back to her they burst forward, and the chase was on once again. Khimâ ran as fast as he could, leading the Warg as far away from his own pack as he could, he could smell the Dwarrow on the wind, and he knew where they were, but the smaller Warg didn't seem to take notice, so focused on his Master they allowed their baser instincts to cloud their minds, bloodlust made them incredibly stupid. He snapped his maw in frustration as one single Warg broke from the formation turning on his heel he must have smelt his pack. Khimâ roared out in anger and dashed with newfound energy after the small dark Warg and its filthy rider, he could hear Master firing off her little arrows and smell the blood of the orc as they died, smell the blood of his own kind but it mattered not, if Master cared for the little pack, she had formed than he did as well, and he would never allow any harm to come to them.
….
They had been running for what seemed like an age, and his legs were burning, the muscles cramping as the energy needed to run so fast and so long was completely foreign to them. He looked up at the dwarves and Gandalf and envied them, they seemed to have endless stamina while he felt like he was one step away from a heart attack, especially with a pack of Warg and orc trailing behind them. He slowed for a moment wondering where Narâ was, he had watched with amazement as she rode her Warg, able to ride and use a bow at the same time, completely unfazed by the speed in which Khimâ was running, she only past them once but it was enough to give them a full view of what it meant to be a wolf rider. He stumbled leaning against a rockface catching up with the others, huffing as quietly as possible as Gandalf bid them to quiet down, he could hear something above them moving, kicking small stones, and a heavy panting breath. He pinched his eyes shut sending a silent prayer that it was only Narâ and Khimâ finally returned able to throw off the Orc pack. He looked up in disappointment and fear as Thorin gestured to Kili with a nod to shoot down whatever was stalking them.
Narâ watched in horror as a Warg and its orc rider moved on her companions, the beast lunging forward as Kili rolled out from cover and placed an ill-timed shot at its heart, missing it impaled the Warg's shoulder. She winced as it shrieked in agony alerting the pack behind her of their presence.
"igribî" she shouted pointing at the fallen Warg and Khimâ responded with a feral roar, colliding with the other Warg with a thud, teeth snapping, claws scraping, he tore into its viscously, as Narâ raised her ax over her head and brought it down in one swoop into the skull of the orc just as it stood up. The spray of blood on the ground let her know her wolf was successful in his hunt as he stood to his full height, panting out a breath, long teeth stained red with blood.
"Nice of you to join us" Dwalin grunted looking up at the female warrior.
'Come on we need to move" Gandalf urged, worried now that the dwarrowdam returned their escape was no longer hidden "This way you fools" he said pointing with his staff toward more fallen rock. They ran through the open grassy fields, only a few rocks and scattered trees to offer cover as the howls and roars of the Warg grew ever closer. Narâ could feel her Warg tire, his muscles quivering beneath her, and she knew she could no longer outrun them, while her beast was fierce and deadly, he was not indestructible.
"There they are" Gloin shouted fiercely pointing toward a grouping of four Warg.
"There is more over here" Kili shouted rushing up behind her pointing to a group of orc riders.
"Kili, Narâ" cut them down Thorin shouted as he clutched his sword tightly watching as his sister son and the dam fired arrow after arrow at the approaching pack.
Khimâ puffed himself up, his chest expanding, ears flat to his skull, fur line standing tall along his spine as he roared out his challenge to the other Warg, let them come forth and meet their death at his teeth and his master's blade.