Chapter 15
Traveling Through Mirkwood

We rode across the plains heading towards Mirkwood. I was comfy against Fili. We arrived at the borders of a gloomy looking forest. I felt vial come up my throat. The forest felt sick. Gandalf gets of his Horse and heads to the ancient looking archway. He turns around.

"Here lies our pathway through Mirkwood." Gandalf called. I felt Fili get off as I stared out at Mirkwood.

"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin said as he dismounts. I had a feeling Beorn was helping us get to Mirkwood.

"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master." Gandalf said. Fili turned and held his arms out for me.

"You alright?" Fili asked as Bilbo heads to the forest.

"I don't know. The forest feels sick. Should we really be going through that?" I ask as Fili helped me get off the horse as Gandalf entered the forest.

"There's no other way." Fili said, holding me in his arms.

"Don't worry, Bell. We'll get you through safely." Kili said, coming over. Fili and I help get the bags off the ponies. Fili and I stood talking with Kili for a bit before Gandalf came running back towards us.

"Not my horse! I need it." Gandalf yelled. We all look at him in surprise.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked. Gandalf came to a stop near Bilbo.

"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf said. I looked at Fili.

"Why would he be leaving when we need help?" I ask.

"Something must be wrong." Fili said.

"Hopefully nothing bad." I said.

"I'll protect you." Fili said, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"I know you will." I said. Fili smiled and we kissed.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor." Fili and I pull away as Gandalf talks and walks by us. He stops to look at Thorin. "Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." He gives Thorin a stern look and continues to walk. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." It started to rain with no cloud in the sky as Gandalf gets on his horse.

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo asked.

"You must stay on the path, do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf said. Gandalf wheels his horse around and rides off. "No matter what may come, stay on the path." We turn towards the forest and Fili takes my hand. Thorin walks towards the front of the group.

"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin said.

"Durin's Day. Let's go." Dwalin said, following Thorin. Fili, Kili, and I were right behind.

"This is our one chance to find the hidden door." Thorin said. We enter Mirkwood. Fili kept my hand in his as we walked. We followed the path. It suddenly curved at one spot. "The path goes this way." We keep following the curve. It twists and turns over terrain. We were going over bare ground, high ledges, fallen tree trunks, and more. Dwalin thumps the handle of his hammer on the ground, looking for the path. I was walking between Fili and Kili at the moment.

"This way." Dwalin said. I grabbed a tree after we were walking for awhile and threw up. Fili hurried over and pressed our foreheads together.

"You alright, my love.

"My head is spinning and my stomach is twisting. The forest is making me sick." I said.

"Air. I need air." Bofur said. Fili picked me up bridal style and carried me to catch up with the group.

"My head. It's spinning." Oin said. The dwarves run into each other. Fili was towards the back so he was able to stop.

"Why dd we stop?" I ask as I rested my head on Fili's shoulder as my stomach twisted more.

"What's happening?" Oin asked. Thorin heads to the front where Nori was leading us.

"Keep moving. Nori, why have we stopped?" Thorin asked as Fili heads to the front to see what's wrong also.

"The path. It's disappeared!" Nori said. I looked as Fili came to a stop to see that we were standing on a steep cliff with no path in sight.

"What's going on?" Dwalin asked.

"We've lost the path." Oin said.

"Find it. All of you look. Look for the path." Thorin exclaimed. We wander through the forest looking for the path. Fili still carried me. I still felt sick and didn't want to take the chance. I could tell the dwarves were loosing it.

"I don't remember this place before. None of it's familiar." Balin said.

"It's got to be here." Dori said.

"What hour is it?" Thorin asked.

"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is." Dwalin said.

"Is there no end to this accursed place?" Thorin asked. I passed out in Fili's arms. I woke up to arguing and Fili setting me on the ground and getting into a fight with Ori and Nori with Kili. I tried pushing my way between them, trying to stop them. This wasn't them. They wouldn't turn on each other. The forest was making them see things.

"Enough! Quiet! All of you. We're being watched!" Thorin said. We all went silent and listened. Some whispering was heard and then it went silent. I screamed as spiders fell on us.

"Bell. Run!" Fili yelled. I ran, but a spider fell on top of me and I felt a pinch. I heard Fili's yells for me as blackness over took me.

AN: We get to meet the elves next chapter. Wow. Over 50 reviews. Never had this many this far into the story. Thank you especially for the favorites and followers. Till nex time