Chapter Five

Thorin Oakenssshhh?

"The Warrior stands before the foe,

protecting us where e'er we go.

With sword and shield and spear and bow,

he guards the little children."

We were just on the edge of the village, and from what we had seen.. If we going to be able to find survivors, we'd need all the luck we could muster.

"Jake, leave Colton by the river. Keep him out of danger." Jake nodded, and led the large pack horse deeper into the woods. I waited and a few minutes later, Jake returned, riding Grayston, Finn on his lap.

How many people did you know put armor onto a goat? Finn, surprisingly, came handy in a battle. Often biting the enemies unguarded ankles and bucking them between the legs. The blonde goat bleated at me, he knew when I was thinking of him. A slightly psychic goat.

The smoke rose from the destroyed homes, dead farm animals and people littered the ground. I frowned and my heart ached when I saw a mother and child, clutched together in an attempt to protect one another.

Hearing a shift, I grabbed my bow and nocked an arrow. I gestured Jake to stay back and I urged Blitz forward. The spunky white mare was incredibly good in battle. It was like she was bred for war. She was quick and listened, and her feisty ways were very useful in getting us out of sticky situations.

As I peaked around the fallen wall, I saw many orcs surrounding several fires, eating something and cackling amongst themselves.

I quickly counted, four at one fire, six at another, and five at one more... 15. A pack, but honestly I expected more.

I walked back to Jake, who had dismounted and had his own bow ready. My little brother, wasn't so little anymore. Over the past few years, he'd grown up, without me knowing.

Before, when he was 10, he was at my shoulder, now I was below his chest.

At home, he'd always get ridiculed for his long hair, but here he fit in. His yellow blonde hair fell passed his shoulders in waves, and his cobalt blue eyes always twinkled. He had a light brown, short, neat beard and a cheeky smile with dimples that matched mine.. It devastated me how much he'd grown.

Where was the little boy that pitched a fit when he couldn't have more candy, another soda before bed? Who wanted nothing more than to watch cartoons and play games? That child was gone and in his place was a full grown man. It really tore me up when I realized mom and dad would never see or meet the great guy he'd grown into.

He was quite a ladykiller and had many women stumbling after him, but he never seemed to like any of them. At one point I asked him if he liked guys (a valid question!), he got all annoyed, saying that he wanted a girlfriend that wasn't such a 'twit' (his words, not mine).

"There's 15.. We should take high ground, shoot as many as we can, then wipe out the rest. Remember, shoot two, then relocate. We don't want them hitting us, or knowing where we are right away." I urged, nodding and gesturing to a house that still stood.

"If they come after us, they'll bottle neck." He nodded to the tower.

I looked to the smoking, charred, white brick tower. "All right, but remember.. Check the rooms before you set up. Don't want them jabbing you in the back."

"Alright, see ya!" He jogged away and crept into the tower.

I swallowed, and ducked into the house. The inside was a skeleton of what used to be a home. The stairs barely intact and everywhere lay ash and soot. I stepped up the stairs, what remained of the stairs, peeking out of the window, I got a perfect view of the orcs a few yards away and below.

I looked across the road and saw Jake in the tower, waving my hand, I gave the sign to fire.

Quickly we had already taken out two, orcs.. Four. Shifting to another window, I fired taking down two more.. In situations like this, I knew I couldn't constantly keep my gaze on Jake, but I knew he could take care of himself. Training, all those lessons, and years of experience told me so.

We were down to eight orcs. They were running straight to Jake, they hadn't seen me. I took my chance and fired arrows into their unarmored necks, taking down four orcs. Four had ran in. I nearly froze, but I wouldn't allow myself to freeze up now. I jumped out of the window, landing quite roughly on my feet but sprang into action. Chasing the orcs inside, I cut down two more, and saw Jake dispatching the last of them.

I sighed, "Jesus... That was... stupid how tense that was." I growled, smacking Jake's shield with my arrow.

"I know it." He grinned, "That was awesome!" He shoved his hair away from his face.

"Tie your hair up, it's in the way. Or Ill cut it off." I warned, pointing at him, putting the spare arrow back into the quiver.

Jake ignored my threat, and quickly counted his kill, "How many did you get?"

"Eight, you?"

"Five." He grinned, then his grin faded.

"What?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"We only killed 13."

"There was 15." I whispered, we ran out into the street and were met with the sight of two orcs running away with several wargs. "Damn it." I growled, whistling through my teeth.

Quickly Blitz was by my side, dancing at the chance of a chase. I mounted her swiftly, glancing to the retreating orcs and wargs.

"Get Grayston, we're on a hunt." I couldn't help but grin, and Blitz took off.

I didn't like the idea of letting anyone else ride Blitz, but from what Jake has told me is that when she ran, it was like she was a blur of white, streaking across the plains. Like a flash of lightning, like blitz.

She was quick and easily we caught up with the trailing wargs. I shot down two of them and was working on a third when the other wargs realized I was there and began chasing me.

Blitz altered her course and skirted around them, the wargs right behind us. I noticed she was only running fast enough so I could get a clear shot and keep us out of the wargs' mouths. I brought down the chasing wargs with arrows shot right into their eye sockets.

The wargs were huge wolf- hyena creatures, and the first time I saw one, I nearly cried. I knew Blitz was considered a pony, or a small horse, but in comparison she looked like a Shetland pony.

I saw Grayston and Jake in the distance, I urged Blitz forward and we caught up with the pack again. The same two orcs had their bows aimed to us and began firing, I pulled my shield from the side and held it out, knocking the arrows away.

"Let's get 'em, B!" The horse neighed, skipping and suddenly bolted forward. The orcs roared and the wargs dove at us. One fell dead and I saw Jake and Grayston on the other side of the pack.

I nodded to him and let the shield swing and lay behind me on the saddle, I pulled my bow back and fired another arrow, knocking an orc down but not killing him. I ignored him, and we kept on, I assumed he'd die on his own.

Killing the rest of the wargs was simple, it was more of a chase than anything. We stood at the dead orcs body, around his neck I recognized Boran's necklace.

My face burned and my stomach lurched. I tore it from his neck and gripped the pendant with a wretched anger.

How dare this creature have something so beloved by Boran?!

The pendant was a winged horse, from what he had told me, it was his wife's sigil.

Apparently she was some kind of royalty, and Jake said I wasn't fancy or rich enough for Boran. I had beaten the brat up that day. He may be a foot and a half taller than me but that didn't mean I couldn't kick his ass.

"Other than this, there's no villager's loot on them." I stuck the necklace into my pouch and walked towards a squirming mass.

"What is that?" Jake jogged over and quickly leapt back, dodging a knife.

"What the hell!" I ran over, whipping my sword from its scabbard and knocked the orc's dagger away. I pushed the tip of my sword against the green creature's throat, "What brought you to this village?"

He growled, gurgled and coughed, an arrow jutting out from his chest.

"Answer me!" I roared, adding a bit more pressure.

"We're lookin' for the dwarf king," he choked, gasping for air. I glanced to Jake and he cackled.

"Who is this dwarf king?"

"...Thorin... Oaken...ssssshhh-" he gurgled suddenly, his eyes glazed over and blood dribbled down his chin.

I frowned and smacked Jake, "Shut it."

"What? I thought you were the only dwarf royal around here!" He laughed, bracing himself against his knees.

I rolled my eyes, "Can it, dweeb. Let's get back to the village."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" He laughed and ran off, hopping onto Grayston and rode off.

With a whistle, I mounted Blitz and we were back in the village in no time. After retrieving Colton, we roamed the houses and stables, calling and shouting for people. Letting them know, if there were any, that it was safe for them to come out.

We waited for hours and finally some people wandered out from the stables.

A mix of people, young, old, and middle aged. Men, women, children. They whispered and cried at the devastation.

I spoke to the town's leader, or mayor of sort. He told me that a few orcs left the pack with some of their villagers in hand, Boran one of them.

Walking back to the horses, I look to Jacob. He was flirting with a young village woman. I scoffed, shaking my head.

After some time, he left her giggling. He stood beside me, crossing his arms, "Shut up," he muttered, blushing.

I only laughed under my breath, "You'd flirt with a tree if you could."

"What!" Jake gasped, his face red and smacked the back of my head.

"Butt-face." I elbowed his ribs, "Anyway." I deflected another smack with ease, "Listen up!" I urged and he quit, settled for pouting and crossing his arms. "Some of the orcs did escape yesterday. They took a few of the villagers back to some hide out. Something about a goblin lord having a bounty on Boran's head."

"Seriously? Boran must have done something pretty kick ass if he's pissed off a goblin lord!" Jake grinning.

"Yup, and it's up to us to get him back." I smiled. There was a chance to impress Boran, and I was going to take it.

"When do we leave?" He grinned, petting Finn who sat on Grayston's back.

"I don't see why we should wait." I smiled, mounting Blitz, who danced beneath me.

"Hell yeah!" He hooted and hopped onto Grayston, shifting the goat to sit on his lap.

"Let's ride!" I took off, Colton right behind me.

"You totally just ruined Ghost Rider." Jake grumbled and urged Grayston to keep up with Blitz and Colton.

I rolled my eyes, "Oh, shut it!"

Author's Note:

Hmm.. Wonder what's Boran done to piss off a goblin lord?

Karliene, "The Song of Seven" from G. R. R. Martin's 'Game of Thrones'.