A few days later we were camped by a cliff, Fili and Kili keeping watch and I rested with my back to a boulder, sword resting in my lap, waiting for sleep. But it didn't come as I listened to the annoying snores of Bombur and the others. I swore they could shake the mountain loose with their snores. Tho it was interesting to watch a group of moths being sucked in with each breath and then exhaled back out into a cloud. Finally giving up, I got up and with a sigh went over to see how Laddybuck was doing. Burying my hands into his warm mane I murmured praises into his ear until a terrible screech rang through the air. Hair stood up at the back of my neck and I moved closer to the fire, hand on my sword hilt, "What was that?"
Another scream was heard and Kili said softly as he studied the dark, "Orcs."
"Orcs?!" My voice must have been louder than I thought because Thorin jolted awake. But my attention went to Fili when he said, "Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The low lands are crawling with them."
Kili said softly, "They strike in the wee hours of the night. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood."
Glancing back at the cliff I heard them chuckle and glared, only to be startled when Thorin snapped, "You think that's funny? You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"
Kili said meekly, "We didn't mean anything by it."
Thorin growled as he stalked by me, "No you didn't. You know nothing of the world."
Thorin's words rang in my ears, something was there underneath what he said. A great sadness, and hatred. Balin came up and soothed, "Don't mind him laddie. Thorin has more reason than most to hate Orcs."
I stood there as Balin told the story of how Thorin's grandfather tried to take back the Dwarf Kingdom of Moria when the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, only it was overrun by Orcs. Goosebumps ran down my arms as he told of the battle and the many dead that fell under the Orcs blows. And one, the pale Orc, Azog the Defiler, wanted to destroy the line of Durin and beheaded King Thror.
Thorin's father went missing and Azog tried to kill Thorin. Thorin stood against him with only an oaken branch as a shield and then grasped a fallen sword and took off Azog's hand. Azog learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Balin continued after a pause, "Our forces rallied, and drove the Orcs back. And our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, nor song that night. For our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one, I could call king."
I watched as the other Dwarves who were awake looked at Thorin, who stood at the edge of the cliff in thought and turned towards us. I asked Balin softly, "And the Pale Orc, what happened to him?"
Thorin growled behind me, "He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago."
I looked at Gandalf and Balin, who shared a look and I wasn't so sure. Going back over to Laddybuck I petted him as what I had been told went through my mind. Looking out at the cliff face across the gorge I suddenly froze. I could have sworn something moved, and I had seen two shining eyes watching us. Then it was gone. A chill went down my spine and I went over quietly, murmuring in Gandalfs ear what I had seen. He reassured me it must have been a deer. But I was not reassured, my instincts told me it meant trouble. But I let it go, knowing I had to trust Gandalf so I settled down again to sleep, deciding to keep alert just in case.
