Thorin rescues Wren from the trolls, while Wren appears to take a shine to one of his nephews.
A/N: Thank you, my darling UKReader, for all your prompts!
A/N#2: My duckies, I will need THREE more prompts before the next one by UKReader, since it is already with Thranduil. We can have more fun before it!
And I bet this Wren (unlike other Thorin's gingers) will have more trouble choosing between the two Kings ;D after all, unlike Thorin, Thranduil is minted:D
They were running through the goblin passages, Thorin twirled his Elven sword in his hand, three ugly heads rolled, and he skewered two more goblins. The blade slid out of them with a disgusting squelching sound, and Dwalin who was running ahead of him had to slow down shaking three more monsters off his shoulders. The tattooed warrior twirled on one spot, Nori lowered his axe, and Thorin passed them, lunging towards the next group of goblins. The sword drew an eight in the air, a loop on each side of his body, and two headless corpses dropped on the ground. Thorin ended up in the head of their company, and he sped up. Suddenly, after turning around the corner, he saw the path divide in two equally dark, stuffy passages, and he took to the right. He made three large strides, when something small and orange flew by him, and he realised his tenacious little thief just cantered in the opposite direction.
"The other passage!" She yelled over her shoulder, and he dug his heels into the ground. Other dwarves bumped into him, one by one, and after seven sensitive blows into his back he growled.
"Back!" He roared, and they scampered. He turned around and followed the mop of copper curls. He caught up with her, and they dashed in the other passage.
They dove out of the tunnel and once again were racing on the wobbly swinging bridges of the goblin kingdom.
"What are you doing here?!" He yelled at her, he had been hoping she'd be safe, but she didn't answer. Another corner, and ahead of them he saw what seemed to be an exit outside. There was a small crack, the heavily guarded gate was slightly open, and with exhilarating joy he saw a glimpse of sunlight.
The Dwarves behind him roared with elation and rushed ahead. And that's when two cave trolls stepped in front of them. She halted abruptly, and he reached her, wrapped his arm around her middle and jerked her back, at the very moment when the troll's heavy battle hammer dropped at the place where she was an instant ago.
The fight was short. They were tired, battered, but very very angry. And nothing spurs a Dwarf like irritated exasperation. The trolls roared with pain, they sounded almost confused to Thorin's ears, and instead of fighting they disappeared in one of the passages, stomping and dragging their drivers behind them on the chains coming from their collars.
The Dwarves quickly took care of the guards and rushed outside. Thorin took a big gulp of fresh air and groaned in relief. Everyone was standing breathing loudly, some pressing their hands into their knees, some leaning on the pines. Gandalf was counting them, but Thorin was too exhausted to object to being treated like sheep.
"Where is Bilbo? Where is our hobbit?" The wizard suddenly raised his voice, and they started tiredly looking around.
"He didn't go into the caves with you," she answered weakly, and Thorin saw her sway. "When the goblins rushed you in, he stayed by the entrance. I don't know what happened…"
"Why did you even go down?" Thorin barked at her. She had no business going into the caves, he assumed she'd stay on the surface. She looked at him angrily. "That was stupid! Have you lost your bloody mind?!"
She suddenly grew paler and pressed her hand to her forehead. He remembered of her wound and stepped to her, but she suddenly stretched her hands towards Fili. The boy instinctively moved to her, and she sagged, into his arms.
"Uncle, she is too weakened. Give her a break," Fili had never before antagonized him, but Thorin felt too remorseful to note his nephew's insolence. She probably tried to help. Her lashes fluttered weakly, and Fili picked her up. The slender arms went around his neck, and she hid her face under his chin.
"So, the burglar has bolted," Dwalin swore intricately, "Or got lost. Curse the hafling!"
The Dwarves and the wizard started squabbling and discussing who, where, and when saw the hobbit last, while Thorin feigned nonchalance and pretended he wasn't watching Fili sit on the nearest hillock and settle the red haired thief on his lap. Her head on his shoulder, she stroked his chest with her small hand and murmured something. Suspiciously there was no trace of paleness and weakness from a few seconds before. Fili smiled to her and picked up her hand. He pressed her knuckles to his lips, and Thorin decided it was enough. First, she pretended to faint, now she was meddling the boy's mind.
At that moment the hobbit stepped seemingly out of nowhere, and Thorin decided that the day couldn't possibly get any worse. Everyone spoke at once, showering the burglar with questions, and Thorin frowned. With all honesty he couldn't summon why and how the little man could come back.
Bilbo was pronouncing his pathos filled speech while Thorin was watching from the corner of his eye how the ginger playfully traced Fili's line of moustache with her tiny index finger and then flicked the bead on the end of his stouche braid. Fili chuckled in his chest, and Thorin saw the redhead's red mouth stretch in a playful grin.
The howl of wargs was almost a relief. They pulled their weapons again, she jumped off Fili's lap, and Gandalf ordered, "Run!"
They ran, and then Thorin realised that while they all followed the wizard she sprinted to the side. The move was smart, the wargs and their riders would obviously follow the Dwarves. She ran quickly, gracefully jumping over pine roots and boulders, and he shortly prayed to Mahal she succeeded. They meanwhile reached a cliff, and all they had left to do was to climb the tall pines on the edge of it.