DISCLAIMER: VONCE AGAIN, SEE PREVIOUS CHAPTAHS. DANKE.
Another small bit for ya'all! You've all been wonderful inspiration! Thank you so much! Please comment! ;)
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"Thorin?! Thorin?!"
Bilbo could see the form of the Dwarf, bent over and breathing heavily as if in pain. This was far from being good. He should have convinced the foolish Dwarf to leave him!
"Are you alright?!" he asked more urgently.
The Dwarf answered, still managing to growl despite his discomfort. "I am...quite alright!" he snapped angrily. Cursing under his breath, Thorin lifted the palm of his hand ever so slightly away from his body, but Bilbo could still see the bright red covering it.
The Dwarf tore a piece of cloth from his cloak, applying direct pressure to his wound.
"You're not!" Bilbo protested.
"Perfectly fine! I just need to rest for a moment." Thorin answered with an edge. The Hobbit was indeed the most bothersome creature he had ever met. What did he expect Thorin to do? To stop and allow for certain death from the creatures that pursued them? Going on was the only option. He could last long enough.
"You can't...this is stupid!" The Hobbit started.
With a snarl, caused by his pain and annoyance, Thorin turned at the Hobbit.
"And what would you have me do?!" He shouted. "Stay here and await our friends with open arms?! Oh of course, it would be so wonderful to catch up on old times!" He spat out the word "friends" as if it was distasteful to him. Thorin shook his head and turned away from Bilbo, attending to himself once more.
The Hobbit had been effectively silenced by this, but Thorin's heart suddenly felt heavy with guilt for having spoken so harshly. Sighing and giving in he coughed. "Bilbo-" he began, but was interrupted by an angry Halfling.
"No no! I understand completely!" The Hobbit yelled back. "It's not the Orcs over there, but your pride and arrogance that will kill the both of us!"
"Foolish Hobbit!" Thorin shot back, eyes flashing with anger, "You know nothing! Nothing! Would that I had never promised Gandalf to bring your miserable hide!"
"Oh!" Bilbo was getting even more excited, "It's back to that is it?! You think that I wanted a part in this foolish venture that is sure to end in ruin?!"
Thorin looked furious, "I would kill you Hobbit. If you but knew how to handle a sword. End in ruin?! Yes! There never was much hope! But with you there is less! You are but a burden for the others to carry!"
Bilbo looked as if he could not believe what he was hearing, after all that had happened, but suddenly threw his hands up. Grabbing up a stick from the leaves he rose as best as he was able. He did not look back as he began limping slowly away. The pain in his foot shot up his leg again, but grinding his teeth he bravely plodded forward.
"Where do you think you're going Halfling?!" Thorin shouted.
"Away! I'm done with you and your company Thorin Oakenshield!" The Hobbit answered without turning his head.
He heard the Dwarf scoff, "You'll be dead come sundown. I'd bet a pretty penny on that!"
Bilbo ignored him. Head held high with nose in the air, leaving with what dignity remained to him.
Thorin shook his head. Good riddance. He was tired of playing nursemaid. The Hobbit did not desire his company. Fine then, no where in the contract was it stated that members could not leave if they wished. So be it.
But then he thought of the promise he had made earlier...He promised himself he would see the Hobbit safe...If Bilbo left then he would die. It would be on Thorin's head if this did indeed come to pass. Bilbo knew nothing of direction, lands, peoples, and as far as Thorin knew hadn't even any money at all. Not even mentioning his atrocious sword skills.
With a curse to the sky Thorin grabbed up the supplies attempting not to double over with the fiery fingers that danced all along his side, and hobbled after the hopeless Hobbit shouting.
"Bilbo! Wait!"
He was just in time to see the Hobbit fall again, groaning as his foot refused to work properly.
"Fool." the Dwarf muttered.
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"Here we are! Perhaps you'll show some gratitude, although I doubt it." Kili led the Grey clad wizard and his brother into a part of the forest that was eerily silent and smelled of death. A crow upon seeing them leapt into the air, cackling with it's throaty voice. With a certain cockiness in his walk Kili waved his hand, proudly presenting to the wizard an Orc body.
Fili and Gandalf both gave the youngster a disgusted look.
"And how," The wizard began, trying to keep his growing annoyance under check, "Is this supposed to be news of a good nature? I see it as the exact opposite."
"A dead orc's always good news!" Kili grinned, "Anyhow, it's clear that Uncle killed it."
Fili during this time had been wearing a deep frown strangely like the one Thorin wore when displeased. This last quip however, added to the Dwarf's growing anxiety as to the whereabouts of his uncle, was too much.
Striding to his younger brother's side with great purpose and fierce countenance, he gave Kili a sound blow to the back of his head.
Gandalf nodded in approvement, but his eyes quickly left the Dwarves and their disagreement to look more closely at the gory scene.
"Ow!" Kili yelped, attempting to fend off his older brother with his hands. "Get off will you?!"
"You'll speak with more respect towards your elders Kili!" Fili barked, landing him a last smack for good measure.
Kili rubbed the back of his head, scowling at Fili. "You-" he began
"Will you two be quiet!?" The Wizard hissed, silencing both Dwarves immediately.
This order however proved to be no obstacle for the brother's quarrel, as they fell to arguing and berating one another in Dwarven sign language. Gandalf ignored them as best as he could, gazing at the Orc.
It had indeed suffered numerous wounds that appeared to be caused by a sword, but then again nearly every intelligent traveler made sure to never leave home without one. The consequences of being caught on the road unguarded were not fancied by many.
The upturned earth and scattered leaves paid witness to a hard struggle, showing that whoever had fought this fight, had won a hard battle. The Orc was tall, with a scar across it's still leering face. He was much more muscular than common orc, clearly a soldier, and Gandalf could not help but wonder where it had come from. The crow still jeered at them in his croaking voice, as if knowing what they sought and laughing at their attempts.
"Now why are you so far from home I wonder..." the wizard whispered to himself. His thoughts on the matter however, were quickly interrupted, as Fili somehow insulted his brother using the Dwarvish sign language.
"You!" Kili shouted, leaping at Fili and knocking the both of them over and rolling into the leaves. The brothers scuffled, laying heavy blows to one another and shrieking offensive Dwarven expressions. The noise of their struggle echoed throughout the forest. Gandalf stiffened at the sounds.
That was the last straw.
"FILI AND KILI! IF YOU DO NOT CEASE IMMEDIATELY, I SHALL TURN YOU INTO THE VERY ROCKS FROM WHENCE YOUR FATHERS CAME!" Gandalf seemed to grow enormously in height and appeared very intimidating. His very frame seeming to stretch far beyond what was normal,, the sun growing dim behind him. The wizard's impressive voice becoming as deep as the Earth itself, laden with threat that he would carry through if pressed. The Earth rumbled angrily from within its core, as if to back the wizard up on this matter.
The Dwarves ceased their fight immediately, and were quite cowed by this display. They stared at Gandalf with wide eyes and mouths agape, so that they appeared quite ridiculous sitting among the leaves and foliage.
Gandalf however was not softened by the youngster's fear, and scowled a deep and terrible scowl. He silently stared at them as they held their breath, and finally turned in triumph back to his work in comfortably quiet surroundings.
A closer inspection of the Orc revealed what Gandalf had suspected. It was odd. Very odd indeed.
"This is no Goblin." The wizard spoke suddenly, causing Fili and Kili to jump.
Fili was the first to speak, still quite nervous of the wizard, "W-what do you mean?"
Kili though curious, said nothing, content to have survived.
"Yes," Gandalf answered, "By all appearances I would say it is a Morannon Orc."
"What is it doing here?" Kili piped up.
"What is it doing here? I haven't the faintest idea. Curious indeed to find one in these parts." The wizard mused to himself, ignoring Fili and Kili's worried looks.
Pushing the annoying foliage out of the way with his staff, Gandalf made his way to the place where Bilbo had fallen. Wrinkling his brow he said slowly, "Someone fell here clearly..."
"A body perhaps?" Kili tried helpfully.
A frown from Gandalf silenced him and ended his attempts to aid the wizard.
Fili bent down and pulled a scrap of cloth from the bush, holding it up for the wizard to see. "Look!" he said.
The wizard snatched it from Fili hand, as Kili glowered at Fili, who in turn made a Dwarven hand signal at Kili. This caused Kili to shake his fist at his brother from safely behind the wizard.
"I would say this is a Hobbit's waistcoat!" Gandalf exclaimed. "Good work Fili! So, we now know that they were here."
The wizard turned sharply, and the Dwarves dropped their argument and sprang to attention. Luckily for them, the wizard seemed to have taken no notice.
"Come! This way!" Gandalf sprung quickly in the direction Thorin and Bilbo had gone with agility quite surprising for one his age, leaving the two Dwarves to follow as best as they may.
The crow laughed insanely with his harsh cry echoing through the forest like a bad omen, as the Dwarves and their wizard raced against time to find their comrades.