CHAPTER ELEVEN-
Dwalin shoved his boots into my ribs as he hissed my wake up call, "Get up boy! The elves and the wizards are distracted. We're leaving." Groggily, I gained my feet and followed the rest of the party out of Imladris.
Once we reached a point high above Imladris, Thorin called a halt. As he asked Balin to lead the way, I took one last look at the valley, knowing that it could be the last time that I did.
The morning went quickly. Bofur and Ori spoke quietly about how they missed their homes in the 'Iron Hills,' and Thorin was in an an unusually cheerful mood. For once things seemed to be going well. (For the moment at least)
I should have known that the welcomed change in atmosphere wouldn't last. "We go to the mountain pass above us," Thorin said. "This is going to be pure hell," Bilbo muttered. "WHAT WAS THAT! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY HOBBIT?! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT YOU CAN RETURN TO YOUR PRECIOUS SHIRE...ALONE," the suddenly and strangely enraged dwarf prince bellowed! "Thorin," I stepped between them, "I understand your anger, but you need to take it easy! He is not, nor will he ever be used to this life. Besides, if you keep shouting you will alert those who wish us harm to our location!" Thorin charged and I stepped out of his way. He collided with a large tree and turned to face me. "What is wrong with you," I questioned him. The dwarf raised his head and squared his shoulders. Pushing me, he accused me of not caring about their mission.
I couldn't take it anymore. I generally keep my temper under control, but I couldn't take what he was saying anymore (even if he was royalty). My fist collided with the side of his head with a resounding crack and the stout dwarf landed flat on his ass.
A sea of dwarves began to wash over me. They continued to pile on top of me until I managed to explode into a standing position. "ENOUGH," Thorin bellowed again, "Everyone step back! Thank you my friend. I needed someone to put things into perspective for me." Grasping his forearm, I said, "I am sorry I had to do that my brother. You were going insane, and my guess is that it is this mountain pass. Let us traverse it quickly."
With the squabble behind us, we climbed higher into the mountains. Rain began falling in buckets. Lightning flashed, and the thunder was almost deafening. Huge chunks of the mountain began falling around us. Some of them were strangely humanoid in shape.
"ROCK GIANTS," Bilbo shouted over the noise! "The legends are true," Gloin stuttered. Suddenly, the mountainside we were on began to move. There was a flurry of activity as we began to rush to the point where the mountain was splitting to make it across.
Everyone made it across, but when we turned around, Bilbo was gone. "Where's the hobbit," Balin asked me. "I-I don't know! He was right behind Dori three minutes ago," I replied.
"Thorin," Bofur screamed over the sound of the giants' battle, "He's over here! We need to get to him now before he falls over the edge!" No sooner had he said this than the hobbit slipped. Thankfully Thorin was able to get to him in time.
"Foolish halfling! You are a burden! You do not belong here and should never have come," Thorin said to a sheepish looking Bilbo (who looked oddly like Pippin when he was being chastised). "I didn't meant to," Bilbo muttered to Thorin's back as he led on.
Soaked to the bone and gasping for breath, we staggered into the nearest cave. Thorin ordered us to have a quick meal of dried meat, and cheese. When I opened my pack to pull my rations out I found a large drinking skin of a liquid that warmed me and gave me energy when I drank it; as well as a large pack of lembas bread and a note from Galadriel. The note explained that she felt I would need these supplies, and that Gandalf was on his way. I smiled as I placed everything back in my traveling gear and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.