Just a notice. It might be awhile until I post the next chapter. I have to stop crying over the third movie... *bursts into tears again*

"Please Enjoy!" - Emilie Brandybuck(covering for her idiot emotional author)

SPIDER! Nononononononono… Emi's thoughts funneled down into a torrent of mayhem as she made out the hulking shape through the filmy stretch of white webbing. She was surprised she could even move at this point. Spider poison had supposedly paralytic effects. Her back skidded over bark again, knocking the little hobbit back to the situation at hand. I am about to be eaten. Not that it did much good. If she could only reach her…

A solid thunk sounded as her small sword plunged into the creature's unguarded belly. It let out a shriek before it was more or less dropped over the side of the branch. Emi's eyes widened in horror as she ripped the rest of the webbing off of her. The scuttling of even more of the horrid things filled her ears and was growing louder. Emi glanced around to see several bundles of white cocoons nestled amongst a nest of webbing. Thirteen bundles to be exact. Not that she had time to count. Emi quickly scrambled behind the nearest tree trunk as the sounds drew closer.

She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck prickling as eight long, hairy legs crept up the opposite side. She would have to use it. Taking a deep breath, Emi fished the small gold ring out of her pocket. And, taking a quick moment to glare at the thing before slipping it onto her finger.

As soon as she did so, the world around her grayed everything seeming in a constant struggle of trying to float away while remaining grounded to itself. The all too familiar cold wrapped around her body, penetrating it, as whispers of overgrown arachnids crept into her ears.

"Kiilll theemm. Kiilll theemm."

"Eat them now, niiiiiiice and runny."

"Their hide is tough. There's good juice inside."

"Stick it again! Stick it again! Finish it off!"

"Ahh! The meat's alive and kicking!"

"Kill them, kill them now. Let us feast." Emi paled.

"Feast feast feast feast feast" they chanted hungrily scurrying through the branches and webs. Emi had to do something. She knew that much. But what? It's not like she could go in blade flying. Even if they couldn't see her, one of them would get lucky and "FEAST" She whipped around and ducked quickly as on came right through where she had been standing. "Feast feast feast feast" If only she could distract them long enough to free the dwarves… Her eyes fell on a loose piece of wood. How lucky was that? The hobbit quickly scooped it up and hurled it off into the trees. All chanting stopped immediately as heads swiveled towards the sound.

"What is it? What is it? Kill it! Feast! Feast!" Emi had to quickly side step to avoid getting run over by the overgrown insect… alright, so technically, not an insect, but- wait… one of the spiders had stayed behind.

"Fat and juicy. Just a little taste." But the thing let out a cry of pair as it felt metal bite into its flesh. It spun around hissing, looking for it's attacker, only to get hit again in the face, the leg, the head again. "Curses! Where is it? Where is it?" Emi smirked to herself before slipping off her ring.

"Here!" she grinned. The spider let out an angry scream charging at her. The hobbit wasted no time, however, in plunging her sword into the spider.

"It stings! Stings!" the thing cried before she gave one last thrust and it toppled off of the tree branch, dead as a doornail.

"Sting…" She looked at the tiny sword in her hands. "I like it." she weighted it in her hand once before turning to the dwarves. "Sting."

Emi made quick work of freeing the dwarves, using her newly named Sting to slice through the thick webbing, slowly lowering the dwarves one by one to the ground. She could hear the sound of the company freeing themselves below, then Bofur's anxious call.

"Where's Emi?" he sounded weak and muddled. Most likely from the spider poison. Several dwarves called out as well for the hobbit.

"Don't worry!" Emi called down to them. "I'm up here!" The all turned just in time to see a large spider leap out from nowhere. Emi quickly found herself pinned down by the creature, just barely managing to stab it before it was able to get it's pincers in her. It shriveled up in pain before stilling and dropping off the branch, taking Emi with it. Branches tore at her face as she plummeted to the ground. Even though the spider carcass had absorbed most of the shock, Emi still felt a jolt of fresh pain surge up her arm. So it hadn't healed like she had hoped.

Holding back a curse, she scrambled to her feet, teeth gritting in pain. Without so much as a thought, her hand flew to her pocket, just to make sure it was… where was it? It wasn't in this pocket… or that one… where- oh. There it was. Thank goodness.

She started towards it, then stopped as the leafy forest floor began rising. A paler spider crawled out of a whole and began advancing towards her. And as it walked, it bumped the ring. Her ring.

"How dare you." She hissed before charging. Emi brought Sting down on the thing hitting it again and again every time it moved or shrieked until at last, it stilled completely. She hit it once more for good measure. In the same breath, she bent down and scooped up her ring. "See this? This is mine. Got that? Mine." She then retreated to the incline as sat down in relief, turning the golden trinket over in her hand.

It was hers. She had found it. This was her ring and no spider or goblin or dwarf or …thing had any claim to it. It was her precious now. Emi chuckled slightly at her own joke. That Gollum character was very odd. Always calling it his precious and all. He didn't deserve it if he could keep track of such a small thing. But she had just lost it too very briefly. But she could defend it. She could keep that nasty little spider… away.

Emi's smile disappeared. The hobbit frowned at the ring before glancing over at the spider. What used to be the spider. Her eyes widened as she saw the pile of… No. She couldn't have done that, could she? She didn't! But who else? There was no one but her around. But why would she do such a horrible thing?

Emi glanced at the ring again.

No.

It made her do it. This tiny thing had made her kill the spider so violently. Why had she gotten so angry? It wasn't like her. It wasn't like her at all. It was changing her. She could tell. That was it then. She would put it in her pocket and never think of it again. And that would be the end of it. Right then. That was that. All was…

The sounds of fighting had ceased.

"Do not think I won't kill you dwarf." A voice sounded. "It would be my pleasure." Emi's eyes widened as she peaked up from the little ravine in which she sat. Over a dozen elves surrounded the dwarves. Bows notched and aimed at the company.

So much for putting it in my pocket and never thinking of it again. Emi sighed silently as once more, she slipped the golden ring on her finger. The grayness and cold enveloped her once more.

Oh, there was Kili. Another elf was bringing him in. Emi crept out of the ravine as quietly as she could. The hobbit doubted throwing another branch would distract this lot. She crept forward as close as she dared as the dwarves were subjected to a search. Emi spotted Fili handing over two knives begrudgingly with the rest of the company. Where was Thorin? Gloin listening to the blonde elf insulting his family. Ori was getting his journal taken! Fili was relieved of three more daggers. The two seemingly leaders began discussing something in elvish. Fili opened his jacket, showing no more daggers. The elf searching him proceeded to draw another one from his hood.

The blonde elf was holding Orcrist! Emi moved around to the same side to get a better look. And there was Thorin! He was alive. Thank goodness. Emi sighed in relief. She quickly brushed off how unreasonably worried she had been for him.

"Where did you get this?" the Blonde elf demanded.

"It was given to me." Thorin replied levelly. Well, that's not… entirely true. Emi noted, but forgot as Orcrist's tip was turned towards Thorin's neck.

"Not just a thief, but a liar as well." The elf sneered before turning away and giving orders to his men. Emi's mouth gaped slightly. Had Thorin really just told a lie? Well… I guess it wasn't entirely a lie. Lord Elrond did give it back to him after examining it. Which could be perceived as being given it.

The elves began corralling the dwarves off through the woods in a single file line. Emi hurried to keep up.

"Thorin," Bofur hissed quietly. "Where's Emi?" The hobbit watched in surprise as the Dwarven Lord looked around worriedly. Very worriedly. His gaze passed right over her without recognition. It felt wrong. Emi wanted to call to him, to whisper that she was fine and would figure a way out of this. But she knew she couldn't, for more reason than one.

After travelling far through the forest, the trees began to thin and look more like trees and less like warped goblins. Emi was forced to drop back as the elves took the dwarves over a narrow, railess bridge to a large elaborate door. After all the dwarves were through, the blonde elf instructed the guards to do something, then froze and glanced over the bridge. Emi was worried for a brief second that she might have been discovered, but realized she had no time for that now. She took the opportunity and slipped through the still open gate into the halls of the wood elves. And a good thing she took that chance when she did, for the gate closed right behind the blonde elf.

But the horrid realization struck her. There would be no leaving that way. She was as trapped as the dwarves were. Where was Gandalf when you needed him?

*pathetic sobbing*

"Just a quick reminder that reviews are always appreciated! Just because she's crying doesn't mean she can't read! Maybe if enough of you folks review she'll get over herself and stop using up all my pocket handkerchiefs!" - Emilie Brandybuck.