Chapter 17
Traveling through Mirkwood

We rode over hills and stuff. Winter was able to keep up with us. We arrived at Mirkwood. I looked at the woods as I slid off Midnight. My stomach was starting to twist and turn because I could feel the sickness coming off of it as Gandalf walked over to the woods.

"Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Gandalf called.

"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin said as he dismounts. I turn my head and see Beorn in his bear form in the distance. dI smile.

"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master." Gandalf said. I turned and started to get my bags off my horse as Bilbo goes to talk to Gandalf. I was about to put my bag on when a fiery eye flashed through my head. I dropped my bag and clutched my head.

"Ella?" Fili asked.

"I'm fine." I whisper, as I see Nori turned in worry. I pick up my bag up and put it on as Nori went to undo Gandalf's horse. Gandalf came rushing out of the forest.

"Not my horse! I need it." Gandalf called. We all look at him. I felt myself pale. I knew something was wrong.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked.

"I would not do this unless I have to." Gandalf said.

"Ella. Your pale." Kili said as Gandalf and Bilbo talk.

"I'm fine. Stop sounding like Nori when he's worried." I mumble. Winter jumped around me. I smiled tiredly. Gandalf walks by.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter the mountain without me." Gandalf said. He stopped when he said that, giving him a stern look. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter you mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo asked. Gandalf gets on his horse.

"You must stay on the path, do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf said. He turned his horse and rode away. "NO matter what may come, stay on the path." I turned and saw that the others were turned to the forest already.

"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin said as they walked to the path. I stayed at the end.

"Durin's Day. Let's go!" Dwalin said.

"This is our one chance to find the hidden door." Thorin said. We come onto the path and walk. I stayed at the back with Winter walking beside me. "The path goes this way." I wasn't paying attention but after a while I saw that the path was going over bare ground, high ledges, fallen tree trunks, and etc.

"This way." Dwalin said as we turn and continue to walk. Nori was leading.

"Air. I need air." Bofur said.

"My head, it's spinning." Oin said. I run into the dwarves as Nori comes to a stop.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"What's happening?" Oin asked. Thorin went up to Nori.

"Keep moving. Nori, why have we stopped?" Thorin asked.

"The path. It's disappeared." Nori said. I swore in elvish. I should have led them in. I wouldn't have left the path. Stupid dwarves.

"What's going on?" Dwalin asked.

"We've lost the path!" Ori said. I stepped over to Thorin and Nori. We were standing over a very steep cliff.

"You had to get us lost." I said.

"Keep your mouth shut. Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!" Thorin yelled. I rolled my eyes. We wander around the forest looking. I heard the others talking but didn't listen. I saw webs.

"What are webs doing here?" I whisper. I took one of the strings and flicked it. It vibrated and I heard weird whispering sounds. I raised an eyebrow.

"Look!" Ori called. I saw him holding a tobacco pouch. Doir takes it.

"A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods." Dori said as Bofur takes the pouch.

"Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine." Bofur said.

"Because it is yours. You understand? We're going round in circles. We are lost." Bilbo said. I didn't hear the rest. Winter was growling.

"What is it, girl?" I ask as the dwarves got into fights. I heard the whispering and my eyes scan the trees.

"Enough! Quiet! All of you! We're being watched." Thorin said. The dwarves go silent. I kept my eyes on the trees as a sticky thing grabs me and yanks me. I yell out as my back hits the ground.

"Ella!" Nori yelled. I screamed as a spider comes in front of me. I hated spiders and this was huge. Its fangs went down into my stomach and everything went black.

AN: There's that chapter. I'll have the next chapter up soon. I'm sure I got people want to see how she interacts with the elves. LOL. It will be interesting. I'll update soon.