Hello again, whats it been 10 minutes. I was planning on putting this up at least the next day but I just couldn't help myself :)
Chapter 20 – Eavesdropping & Wargs!
"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it." Radagast said in hushed tones. The company had to sit around and wait until the two wizards were finished as Radagast and Gandalf had separated from the group to discuss this urgent business privately. Unfortunately for them, years of growing up around Fred & George Weasley had finally rubbed off on Hermione as she subtly used her magic to listen in while pretending to fasten her new blade to her belt, a task she had already completed with magic but she needed to look busy as she sat next to Ori. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Thorin glance at her momentarily every so often.
"Nothing grows anymore, at least nothing good. The air is fouled with decay, but worst are the webs."
"Webs? What do you mean?" Gandalf pulled his pipe from his mouth gazing at Radagast with suspicion.
"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. I followed their trail, they came from Dol Guldor."
Gandalf spun around staring at his old friend in disbelief. "But the old fortress is abandoned." Gandalf explained not wanting to believe that was no longer true.
"No Gandalf. It is not." Radagast finished in a whisper his voice wavering in trepidation. Hermione looked down at the two wizards, extending her magic enhanced hearing as they moved further away before fiddling with the sheath again.
"A dark power dwells in there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror. One that can summon the spirits of the dead." Hermione's head snapped in the wizards' direction dread written all over her face, completely blowing her cover as Thorin was already suspicious of her behaviour. Thorin began to walk over to Hermione, concerned as she rose from her seat on the log. Her brow drew in, turning her head so her right ear was fully facing them.
"I saw him Gandalf out of the darkness, a Necromancer has come." Thorin gently grabbed Hermione's elbow trying to draw her attention from the wizards discussion but she was so focused she didn't even feel Thorin hand gently squeeze her arm. By this point the rest of the company had become aware of Hermione's odd behaviour and were looking between Thorin, her and the wizards. Everyone saw Radagast give Gandalf an object wrapped in cloth.
"That is not from the world of the living." Radagast whispered that Hermione barely heard it. She gasped at what the Brown wizard had just said and subconsciously took a step closer to Thorin. A few of the younger Dwarves raised their eyebrows at the sudden closeness of the two while the other older dwarves looked at Hermione with concern, wondering what the wizards could have possibly said to evoke this kind of reaction from her.
A dreadful howl filled the air. Everyone looked around them and all reached for their weapons including Hermione who had finally snapped out of her trance.
"Was that a wolf? Are there wolves out there?" Bilbo asked his head snapping in the direction of the first howl as he moved to Bofur's side.
"No, that was not a wolf." Bofur held his mattock up as he stuttered his response to Bilbo. Bofur and Bilbo spun around at a growling coming from above to see an emaciated feral mass of ragged brown fur covered in scars across its back, baring its rotting razor sharp teeth as it crawled over the rock face and leapt down at the company.
It leapt over Bofur and Bilbo straight for Nori, who manage to jump aside just in time for Thorin to get a clear aim. He swung his new elvish blade high in the air before bringing it down deep into the beast's neck, killing it on impact. Another one appeared behind Thorin, but was slowed by Kili's arrow and Dwalin crushed its head with his battle axe.
Gandalf and Radagast joined them just as another warg leapt at Bilbo from the shrubbery, Hermione was the quickest and without a second thought, she let a green shot of light leave her wand and hit the beast square in the chest. It fell at Bilbo's feet unmoving staring blankly at the sky. For a moment no one said anything all looking at the distress displayed openly on Hermione's face as she stared blankly at the beast. All a little wary that she could kill without a single word, just the flick of her wrist. Thorin grunted, "Warg scouts," as he yanked his blade from the warg's carcass. Once his blade was free he turned to his company anger boiling within him, "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."
"Who did you tell about you quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf's voice was serious with accusation.
"No one."
"Who did you tell!?"
"No one, I swear."
Gandalf's looked around scanning their surroundings for any more imminent threats. "What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin growled in frustration.
"You are being hunted." Gandalf sighed, worry entering his voice.
"We have to get out of here, and fast." Dwalin stated, Hermione who was standing next to him nodded her head in agreement, not wanting to have to use that spell again.
"We can't!" Ori and Bifur came running over the rocky hill, "We have no ponies, they've bolted." Ori said in a scared tone.
"I'll draw them off." Radagast sad with pure confidence. Everyone but Hermione looked at the wizard like he was nuts. Hermione unlike the others had identified the magic embedded in his sleigh an knew to never underestimate mysterious beasts.
"These are Gundabad wargs. They will outrun you." Gandalf said a little frustrated at the daftness of his old friend.
"These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try."
"Here," Hermione said to Radagast as he went to mount his sleigh. She walked over to Thorin and cut a piece of his shirt off before handing it to Radagast. "They are tracking the dwarves not you, so you will need to have their scent."
"Brilliant idea!" Radagast exclaimed, looking deep within Hermione's eyes with a knowing look before taking off.
The company moved quickly as they neared the edge of the forest only to be faced with a rather large open plain leaving them exposed on the vast rocky valley. They were off as fast as their little legs could carry them. Hermione was on point with Gandalf scanning the surrounding areas, seeing where they could run to next. While poor Bilbo was near the back, but not alone Bofur had stayed behind to keep an eye on him and Bombur who was last. They waited behind a large boulder until Gandalf gave the single to move. He and Hermione watched as the large orc pack chased after Radagast.
"Stay together." Gandalf whispered to Thorin as the orc pack raced by just in front of them. Thorin took point with Hermione now as they weaved their way across the rocky plain.
They kept running even though they were functioning on no sleep and barely any food. That is until they spotted Radagast rush by barely half a kilometre in front of them, with the pack not far behind. Ori kept running and would have been seen if Thorin and Hermione hadn't grabbed each of his arms and flung him back into Dori's arms.
"Come on! Quickly!" Gandalf whispered counting the dwarves as they ran passed him.
"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked his voice dangerously low. Gandalf didn't answer and began to follow the group. Hermione grabbed Thorin's arm and began dragging him towards the company, "Now's not the time Thorin, please come with me."
He looked into her pleading eyes for a moment, still not used to her using his first name, before tapping her hand that was holding his arm and running after the others with Hermione by his side.
"Hide!" Hermione hissed from her position at point again as she spotted Radagast headed in their direction.
They all pressed into the rock face as a single rider climbed up onto of the rock that they just so happened to be hiding against, both the creatures were sniffing the air. Hermione thought that Thorin's description of orcs was extremely accurate. Bilbo felt his anxiety growing and began breathing erratically. Luckily for him he was next to Hermione, who took his hand in hers and started tracing circles with her thumb again just like she had done that night in his dining room. Thorin, looked over Hermione and Bilbo at Kili nodding for him to shoot. Kili's normally relaxed face became very serious as he quietly unsheathed an arrow and cocked his bow. With a deep breath he moved away from the rock to get a good shoot straight at the wargs neck. Unfortunately it choked violently and both creatures toppled down in front of them. Both the warg and orc made awful screeching sounds as the dwarves struck at them. Hermione realising how loud their cries were cast a silencing spell on them but she and all the other fighters knew it was too late.
"RUN!" Gandalf shouted as the warg pack charged straight for their now compromised hiding spot. Hermione grabbed Bilbo by the collar and ran as fast as she could. She wasn't going to leave him behind so he was just going to have to keep up with her.
"There they are!" someone shouted as the warg pack honed in on them coming at the company from all directions
Bilbo looked around frantically fear engulfing all of his extremely heightened senses, from the adrenaline.
"This way! Quickly!" Gandalf urged them on as they ran for dear life.
They were surrounded everyone came to a halt. Thorin and Hermione were back to back their respective weapons at the ready. Kili tried to keep the wargs at bay with his arrows for as long as possible but they were outnumbered. They would have no choice but to fight. Bilbo unsheathed his sword and to his astonishment it was glowing bright blue just as Gandalf had said it would.
"Where is Gandalf?" Bofur cried out.
Bilbo looked all around but could not see the wizard anywhere.
"He had abandoned us." Dwalin shouted as the pack closed in on them.
"Hold your ground!" Thorin shouted, taking a battle stance that was identical to Hermione's the only difference was she held her new sword in one hand and her wand in the other, once again readying herself for battle.
"This way you fools!" came Gandalf's voice from behind them. He stood in what looked to be a well hidden entrance to a cave or something of that sort before disappearing down out of sight.
"Come on, MOVE!" Thorin bellowed to his company, they all ran for the entrance. One by one they jumped down the hole into darkness. Thorin counted each as they went not willing to leave anyone behind. Stabbing a riderless warg that tried to attack, allowing Hermione to finish it off beside him while he count the rest of his company.
"KILI! GO!" Thorin's shout echoed within the cave, the dwarves looked up nervously awaiting the last three to join them. Kili ran towards the entrance but the wargs were gaining on him and fast. Hermione knew he wouldn't make it in time, he was about 100 metres away now.
"Kili, Duck!" Hermione shouted a spell that shoots out a dagger at your opponent. She thought this would be subtle enough for her magic to go unnoticed by the enemy.
Hermione decided to do something she had never tried before, unsure if it would even work she yelled, "Adcelararium." Kili shot through the air towards Hermione leaving the wargs behind, though to the onlooking orcs it just looked as though the Dwarf was running super-fast. Hermione and Thorin caught him together and tossed him down the hole before grabbing each other and jumping in together.