Thorin was eager to start for home at the end of the day. The snow was falling hard around him as he walked through frozen streets of Lake-town.
"Master Thorin!" came a call on the wind as he stepped out onto the frozen lake, headed for the settlement. Thorin turned around to see Bard coming towards him, "I just wanted to see how you and your kin were faring out here."
"We are struggling, but we will endure." Thorin said gruffly. He was not being very truthful about their dire situation because his pride would not allow him, he didn't want pity, after all. "The Dwarves are used to adversity."
"Your resolve is admirable, Master Dwarf ," Bard said, "Our town had fallen on too many hardships and I must question your sincerity. But I brought you something in any case."
Bard pulled out something wrapped in parchment paper from inside his coat and handed it to Thorin, "It's a fish," Bard explained, "It's not big, but it will feed your household. It is hard to fish at this time of the year, as you can see, but once in awhile, someone manages to break through the ice."
"I have no coin to give you for this," Thorin told him hesitantly, though he gazed hungrily at the parchment wrapped fish.
"No charge," Bard said, then stepping closer he gazed down at the Dwarf king, and lowered his voice as if to share a secret between them, "Now that you have experienced the hardships we have faced here in what is left of Escobar, you ought to know. There are some of us who do not intend for our town to go on like this forever. We've toiled for too long under the Master's tyranny."
"What does that mean?" Thorin asked, eyeing Bard suspiciously, "The world of men does not concern me nor my kin."
"Oh but it will the longer you stay here," Bard said, "You cannot stay here and expect to remain neutral. I am just warning you… things will change and you and your company will have to choose a side before long."
And with that, Bard turned to return to the town. Thorin watched him go for a few minutes, trying to ponder what his words would mean for his company. He had no wish to be drawn up into the affairs of this town. He simply wanted to do his work and bide his time until he would someday be allowed to go home. To Erebor. The world of men did not concern Dwarves, after all.
"Thorin!" another cry in the wind. This time coming from across the frozen lake. The winds and snow were fierce by now and Thorin strained to see two tall figures coming towards him in the darkness. The elves. They walked their horses carefully behind them on the ice.
Thorin had almost forgotten about Legolas and Tauriel as it had been weeks since he had heard any word from them. He found himself very surprised by their arrival now. They had promised to take care of the Orc threat, but his mistrust of Elves had convinced Thorin that they would not aid him in the end. Even as they both hurried to join him, he still felt immediately suspicious.
"Tell us that the young ones yet live," Tauriel asked quickly as she and Legolas stood before Thorin.
"They live," Thorin confirmed slowly, narrowing his eyes a little, "What news of the Orcs?"
"We managed to destroy the Orc caves," Legolas said, "But Bolg escaped us. We tracked him as far as we could but he has eluded us. We do not know his location and we came to warn you of that danger. We fear he may be looking for you."
Thorin sighed. That's all he needed, "What of our weapons?" he asked slowly. He had to shout in order to be heard over the storm.
"We have them!" Tauriel informed him, gesturing to their horses. It was then that Thorin noticed the bags and pouches atop the horses. Thorin could see Axes and sword hilts poking out of some of the bags.
"My father did not see fit to return your weapons to you," Legolas shouted, "... So we took them anyway."
And that shocked Thorin most of all. He knew Thranduil. He remembered the elf king and how he had turned a blind eye to the suffering of his people long ago. It didn't surprise him that Thranduil would be content to allow him and his company to perish here as well. But that the elf prince would defy his father's wishes was surprising to Thorin.
Thorin was about to ask why the elves were risking their lives for his people. He opened his mouth to voice any number of suspicions and concerns he had. But he was cut off when heard yet another voice on the wind.
"Thorin!" Thorin turned to see Bilbo running over to him from the settlement. The hobbit gasped as he came to a stop in front of Thorin.
"What is it?" Thorin asked as he studied Bilbo's distraught face.
"Kili…" Bilbo began and Thorin's eyes went wide with concern and fear. All Bilbo had to utter was that word to send the king's mind into turmoil. He knew he shouldn't have given into his nephew's pleads to let them out of the house before either of them had fully healed.
Bilbo quickly told Thorin what had happened. Fili, Kili, and Ori had gone to the forest and now Kili was trapped in a hole.
"Take the supplies back to the houses, Master Baggins," Thorin told him, before turning to the elves.
"We will help you as well," Tauriel said without hesitation, "Though the horses will be no use to us in this snow."
Thorin was easily able to pick his sword out of the bag. Orcrist. He quickly attached the sheath to his belt.
"Asphodel and Brenna went with Ori." Bilbo said as he took the horses, "In this weather… they could freeze! I want to come with you!"
"No, return to the cabin," Thorin instructed, "We'll bring everyone back. It will do no good for all of us to freeze." Bilbo wanted to protest, but he backed down. He moved to take the horses and do as he was told.
Thorin took off full speed for the forest and even the light footed elves had trouble keeping up with him.
"They're over here," Ori said as he and Asphodel and Brenna neared the sight where Ori remembered seeing Kili fall into the hole. They stood in front of the berry bush and were about to round the corner when they were all nearly knocked off their feet by an ear piercing roar.
"What was that!" Brenna exclaimed as the three huddled together beside the bush. They slowly crept through the snow and cautiously peered around it.
The dwarf, the hobbit, and the gnome strained to see through the storm, but when the lightning flashed, both of their eyes widened in sheer terror.
Before them was a creature they had never seen or even heard of. It was massive, easily ten feet tall. It had the legs of an arachnid. Eight hairy legs with spikes at the tips. But mounted on these eight legs was the largest most ferocious rat Ori had ever seen. It's body was huge and it had razor sharp teeth the size of pencils. Porcupine like quills dotted it's back. It had a huge, fat tail with a scorpion like stinger at the end of it and it had eight beady black eyes atop its head.
And it was crouched over the pit where Kili had fallen in, trying to reach its prize below. Fili was no where to be seen.
"What is that thing!" Asphodel whispered to Ori in fear. Ori shook his head. He'd never seen a beast like this before. But whatever it was, it was obviously posing a threat to his dear friends and Ori had to stop it.
Think Ori told himself, Think. What would Dori do? Or Nori? They were unarmed save for a rope Brenna had brought to help get Kili out of the hole. The thing was armed with a stinger, claws, quills, and teeth.
"Where is Fili…" Ori wondered aloud, searching the snow covered forest floor for the blonde Dwarf.
"What if he's dead!" Asphodel exclaimed, distraught, "What if it ate them before we got here?"
"It didn't," Ori said sharply. He refused to believe that.
"Well maybe we should wait for Thorin!" Brenna suggested.
"We can't, they need our help," Ori glanced at the bush and broke off a jagged, sharp branch, "If I try to distract it, maybe you two can get to them."
And as lightning illuminated the forest and thunder crashed around them, Ori let out a mighty war cry and charged the spider rat.
The creature quickly whirled to face him and Ori felt almost crippled with fear. It dove for him and he rolled to the side, getting to his feet and charging again. The creature let out a furious screech and tried to impale the dwarf with its barbed front leg.
Ori jabbed his stick at the creature, forcing it back. It was quick to recover and charged him again.
"Ori!" Asphodel cried as she and Brenna peered down at the hole with wide eyes. Ori gulped and hurried over to peer down as well.
As lightning shed light below, Ori saw Fili holding Kili tightly in his arms as the two shivered and huddled together for warmth. Both were deathly pale and both had nasty gashes on their faces. But Kili seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness and his leg was outstretched and obviously broken. Fili looked only slightly more alert and it was clear he was struggling to stay awake as he held his little brother in his arms. Both met Ori's gaze grimly.
But Ori didn't have time to help them right now. He turned back just as the creature was coming back for another pass. This time it had a hobbit, a gnome, and a dwarf in it's sights. Ori readied his stick for the attack as Asphodel and Brenna both braced themselves. They dodged and ducked as the creature jabbed it's leg at them. and then, it seemed to have enough. It suddenly whirled so that its back faced them.
Ori felt puzzled by this sudden, apparent retreat. But then he realized too late. He had barely enough time to bring and arm up to block before the creature unleashed a volley of quills.
Ori and Asphodel bore the brunt of the attack while Brenna, who had been behind them, was left mainly unscathed. Dozens of quills assaulted the dwarf and the hobbit and they both cried out as the quills embedded themselves in their skin.
Ori and Asphodel went down. They fell to their knees, whimpering in pain as the creature sauntered slowly towards them. It occurred to Ori at that moment that they were going to die. They were both crippled by blinding white pain emanating from each quill. The pain itself more than they could bare. He heard and saw Brenna hurling rocks at the creature as the wind and snow made it hard for Ori to make anything else.
And then terror filled Ori as he realized he felt numb. Hazy. The world was spinning around him. All he knew was white hot pain spreading out from each quill and filling his entire body. Venom, he realized. The quills must have been venomous. He felt himself slump down into the snow and felt Asphodel fall down beside him. He gasped for air as the creature loomed up above them, ready to make the killing blow.
But the blow never came. In the noise of the storm and the haze of the poison, Ori heard a fierce Dwarvish war cry resonating from somewhere behind them and the last thing Ori saw before he lost consciousness was Thorin jumping onto the creature's back..