Oh sweet baby Jesus did it smell bad. Like some awful mix of men's locker room, dumpster behind a day care, and city bus fumes. Ali swallowed and pushed the thoughts away as she continued down the cave. Climbing was easy, she was able to feel her way down the wall, but she couldn't see the bottom and that scared her.
Perhaps she should have asked how deep the cave was or how long they would be climbing before she had actually started. Perhaps she should have asked what they were climbing down this hole for. Perhaps she should have questioned why she wanted the dwarves approval so much. Ali could perhaps all she wanted but it didn't change the fact that she hadn't done any of that. Her legs were burning when she finally saw the flickering light of a torch. Jumping down onto the somewhat unstable bridge Ali's knees gave out and thumped painfully against the boards.
"This way, hurry!" Gandalf strode passed her his voice low. How had he gotten down here first!?
Ali opened her mouth to ask but he was already rushing off, leaving her stumbling to her feet after him. Perhaps he had used his magic, she thought, jogging close on his heels. Ali realized then that she didn't really know much, if anything about Gandalf, or wizards. It seemed the only thing she could bet money on was that the rules that normal people lived by didn't apply here anymore.
Even with all the thinking Ali was still interrupted by the stench, it felt as though nothing would ever distract her from it. The heat only seemed to amplify it more as they continued along the path Ali pulled her sweater off and tied it tightly around her hips. Around her little dilapidated houses clung desperately to the cave walls and she wondered how the occupants could stand living down here.
Also where were they? Normally not a strange thought, but the memory of the orc attack Galadriel had shown her made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. What if this is where orcs lived?
As if he could hear her thoughts Gandalf stopped short and spun to look down at her. Ali almost ran into him before she could stop. Kneeling down Gandalf brought them to the same height. It was strange the way he looked at her, as if he wanted to say several different things but was unsure how to start.
"We don't have much time, this is the home of the Goblin King. If we hesitate the dwarves may come to harm, so I'm going to need you to follow close. When we are free of the caves then we will have much to talk about. Do you understand?" Gandalf spoke low, placing one hand on her shoulder.
"I understand," Ali managed to squeak out past what she was sure was her heart in her throat. Goblins? What on Earth, or whatever world this was, was a goblin? As Gandalf began striding down the paths again Ali felt washed by a cold sensation. Somehow Gandalf didn't seem scared at all, was it just her?
Then it came into view. It was definitely the largest underground cavern that she had ever seen. All around them the haphazard paths and bridges littered the walls, looking closer to falling down than Ali felt comfortable with. In the middle of the cavern, all of the goblins were gathered, it wasn't hard to miss, they were making quite a ruckus over something.
"Oh dear God, they've been caught," Ali gasped as she saw the dwarves at the center of the mass. "Gandalf, we have to help them!" Ali tried to move around him but he held his arm in her way.
"Hold one second," Gandalf whispered, concentrating on what the huge jiggling one was crying out.
All Ali had to hear was the part about them only paying for Thorin's head. The jiggly one was planning on killing him and selling his head. Pain slashed across her heart and Ali shoved Gandalf's hand away, there was no way she could wait for that to potentially become a reality.
"I said follow me," Gandalf snapped, yanking her shoulder back so that she stumbled behind him. "I am going to light the cavern soon, be careful to shield your eyes." Gandalf added a bit softer.
Ali was fuming, Gandalf was not moving with the amount of urgency she felt building up in her chest. She wanted to charge in there fast and she wanted to go now. Like he promised Gandalf raised his staff as she had seen him do in the clearing before turning the trolls to stone. Not heeding his warning though Ali let the light carry her as if it was a shield and pushed forward.
Not as graceful as a rescue as she would have liked as she stumbled almost blinded onto the platform. Ali grabbed the first dwarf she could find and started dragging him to his feet.
"Now would be a good time to run!" Ali yelled, yanking on Bifur's incredibly heavy arm. Behind her Gandalf was yelling for them to get moving and it must have shook them from their stupor. So when the wizard yells for them to run they'll listen but not when she does? These guys were going to have to learn a thing or two, and quickly.
Bifur sprung up as one of the goblins also shook awake and launched towards her. Quickly he spun her around into another's arms as he landed a crushing blow across its face.
"I thought we left you at Rivendell?" Thorin grunted, deflecting a blow with his sword as he spun them both to follow Dori down a bridge. "It would have been safer for you to have stayed back."
They were interrupted as Thorin dodged back, barely missed by a stray arrow. Quickly they were caught by three or four of the misshapen creatures. He was fast dispatching the first, knocking it at her feet. The goblin twitched for a second before shuttering to a stop and dropping its crude shield.
Without a second thought Ali snatched it from the ground and swung the uneven thing at the last approaching goblin. "I don't care!" Ali cried as flat surface caught its face and rocketed it over the side. If it weren't for all the goblins screaming and attacking randomly Ali might have felt touched that they had left her behind out of concern for her safety.
Unfortunately now was not the time for sentimental feelings as Thorin grabbed her arm and began running again. Together they dodged falling debris, arrows, swords, and sometimes just the bodies of falling goblins.
It was pure and utter chaos, Ali almost couldn't even tell what was happening around her as dwarf and goblin fought. Silently she prayed that each dwarf was safe, though she couldn't seem to spot Bilbo. He was here, she told herself, probably way up ahead with the others.
Out of nowhere Dwalin came roaring up to them, slicing open a goblin that Ali hadn't even noticed behind her. Turing Thorin nodded to Dwalin then glared down to Ali.
"It would have been safer for the company," Thorin stepped back from a blow and kicked the goblin off the edge, "to not be distracted trying to protect you as well."
There it was, Ali was a burden, it hurt when the words hit her. Somehow she had to prove she could hold her own, somehow she had to show them that she didn't need to be protected. Twisting her wrist Ali freed her arm from his grasp.
"What are you doing?" Thorin barked as Ali swung her shield point blank into another goblin, causing him to stumble she planted a kick to his head and knocked him off the side. Thank you little bit of Tae Kwan Do.
"I don't need you to hold my hand," Ali blurted as she ran down the path ahead of him, trying to catch up with the group ahead of them. From what she could tell Dwalin, Kili, and Fili were behind them and the rest ahead. The path was narrow and winding but she could see them ahead, lucky for her they had already knocked out most of goblins along the way.
"Ali wait!" Thorin yelled from a ways behind her, but Ali didn't listen. Instead she took a leap over a fallen box and rolled. Sure it was hella painful since it had been so many years since she had really tried it, but she was able to get to her feet with semi grace so she counted it as a win.
It really wasn't until she plowed into Bombur that she stopped. Almost out of breath Ali moved around him to see what had stopped them. It was the huge jiggly one, standing in the path.
"Now what are you going to do about it wizard," the great blob jiggled with every word he spoke, his face in what some might call smug satisfaction. Ali almost didn't see Gandalf move though as he sliced through the goblin's stomach. "That'll do it."
Its fall was thunderous at best, taking the whole of the bridge with it, and consequently them as well. Ali felt herself lifting off the bridge amide the free fall, suddenly torn. If she fell slower then she would be on top, but if she did then she might be separated from them. Bombur answered her thoughts by grabbing her and nearing breaking her in two as he held her to his chest.
As wood splintered around her, Ali buried her face in Bombur's jacket to avoid the worst. The landing was cushioned greatly by his sheer mass but she knew that they would both be feeling it in the morning.
"Thank you," Ali groaned, trying to squeeze away. Around her the dwarves were groaning as well. Ali was smacked back down suddenly, bashing her head against the board before she could register what happened.
"We've got to keep moving," Gandalf called, already standing in front of the pile of rubble. As Bombur pushed her out of the boards Ali wondered if Gandalf was ever in a compromising position at all. Frankly it seemed as if he was always one step ahead, floating around like the good witch of the north from OZ.
Then they were running again, this time along the ground thank god. Ali's head was swimming though as she did her best to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and not slowing them down.
"Come on!" Gandalf yelled again as she saw daylight break ahead of them, hearing her name only vaguely as she passed by him. As they broke through the last of the cave Ali drug in a heavy breath, never again would she take air this clean for granted again. Slowly her head cleared as they all began to slow to a stop.
"Where is Bilbo?" Gandalf roared over, Ali's mind suddenly snapped to attention.
How could she have forgotten about Bilbo? Ali's heart pounded worse than her head, she had been trying so hard to get to know the dwarves she had ignored Bilbo. Bilbo was the first one she met, in all reality her first friend.
"Ali," Thorin's face cut in front of her near mad search, but she paid him no mind.
"We have to find Bilbo," Ali tried to move around Thorin but he caught her face in his hands and forced her attention back to him. Tilting her head slightly his dark brows pulled together almost concerned. "He's so small, he could be injured somewhere, we have…"
"You're bleeding," Thorin stated simply, "you should have stayed closer, then this wouldn't have happened."
"Bleeding!?" Ali practically shoved his hands back into his own face, "who cares if I'm bleeding Thorin, Bilbo is still back there somewhere!"
"Perhaps 'e left before we were taken, saw 'im duck out while they be leading us down the path." Bofur interjected, though he looked as shaken as her.
"Actually I'm right here," Bilbo's voice floated over her self induced cloud of panic.
"Why did you come back?" Thorin growled as Ali stepped forward, instantly Thorin stepped between them.
"Well why does it matter, he's back now," Gandalf interrupted, in an almost fake chipper voice.
"It matters. I want to know, why did you come back?" Thorin threw a small look at Ali, though she wasn't sure why.
"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right... I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden. See, that's where I belong, that's home. That's why I came back... 'cause you don't have one, a home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." Bilbo looked around to each of them as he spoke, and when he finished Ali wanted to clap. That was perhaps the most beautiful speech she had ever heard anyone say ever.
If it were not for a sudden howl Ali would have pushed her way around Thorin to give Bilbo a big hug. Instead Thorin was once again dragging her along behind him like some sort of rag doll.
It feels good to have internet back and be able to post new chapters!
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Thank you and Muah