11. Detoured

            “Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?” Gandalf boomed, demanding an answer from Thorin. Hmm, how did an Orc pack know about our voyage? I wondered.

            “No one,” Thorin said.

            “Who did you tell?” The Wizard’s voice echoed in the forest. This side of Gandalf I wasn’t used to, nor did I like him very much.

            “No one, I swear!” Thorin looked around once, which made me paranoid enough to do the same. “What in Durin’s name is going on?”

            “You are being hunted,” Gandalf said gruffly.

            Of course. Of course we were being hunted! What other explanation was there?

            “We have to get out of here,” a Dwarf suggested.

            “We can’t,” cried a voice from above. It was the two Dwarves who went on pony-checking duty. “We have no ponies.” Howls in the distance made the revelation even worse on me. “They bolted.”

            My heart dropped into my feet. No, we couldn’t have lost them. Remy couldn’t have just left me! I guess seeing a predator for the first time was enough to make Remy leave me in the dust. Well, animals were animals, and there was nothing we could do to change that. The ponies got away while they could.

As for us, we weren’t going to be as fortunate.

            “I’ll draw them off,” Radagast volunteered. I looked to the Brown Wizard. Was he mad? How in the hell was he going to keep the Orcs off our tail?

            “These are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you,” Gandalf warned the Brown Wizard.

            “These are Rhosgobel rabbits,” Radagast challenged Gandalf. “I’d like to see them try.” He waddled quickly over to his rabbit-pulled sleigh. “I’ll give them a chase they can’t refuse. Don’t hesitate!” With that, Radagast and his Rhosgobel rabbits fled out of the forest, ready to put their lives on the line for us.

            I swallowed, hoping that the Brown Wizard and his pets didn’t perish all to keep our journey alive. I would never be able to live with myself if I knew they died, even if it was for a good cause.

            “We mustn’t delay,” Gandalf agreed. “Come on, hurry! No one fall behind!”

            We charged out of the woods into no man’s land. Our terrain: open plains with the occasional huge rock formations. We had very little cover to use.

            Gandalf took lead, with Thorin and the rest of us on his heels. In the distance, we heard the hunting calls of the Wargs. We hustled like it was nobody’s business, finding a massive rock to take cover against. We all panted lightly as Gandalf peeked around to see if the coast was clear.

            “Come on,” he urged us.

            We sprinted away from our cover, our pursuers distracted by Radagast. They were running somewhere else while we ran wherever Gandalf was taking us. Does he have a plan? Do any of us? Nobody had really established where exactly we were going. The only thing I knew was that our destination was to be somewhere safe, if that was even possible at the moment.

            The Dwarves, Bilbo, and I all tailed Gandalf, skidding to a halt as we saw Radagast, his sleigh, his rabbits, and some Warg scouts fly by in front of us. My heart pounded with adrenaline. On the wiry-furred beasts I caught glimpses of disgusting, dark-colored creatures riding them.

            Those had to be the Orcs that were mentioned from time to time.

            “Stay together,” Gandalf warned us.

            “Move!” Thorin barked.

            Our company turned one-eighty, running in the opposite direction we had just been going in not a minute ago. Though my legs were handling the running nicely, my lungs weren’t. They were beginning to burn. I tried to ignore the pain and maintain my position in the middle of our pack. The last thing we needed was for me to lag behind and be seen by a scout.

            We passed another huge rock formation just as Radagast led our pursuers before our eyes again. We all halted, except for one Dwarf who wanted to go onward.

            “Ori, no! Get back!” Thorin warned, pulling the Dwarf back to stay with the rest of the group. We had a momentary rest while we kept out of sight from the scouts.

            “All of you, come on,” Gandalf said. “Quick!” He waved us onward. In single file, we broke from cover, running wherever Gandalf directed us. I ran past Gandalf and Thorin, who seemed to have had a questioning look in his eye as I passed.

            “Where are you leading us?” I heard the head Dwarf ask our Wizard.

            Gandalf didn’t answer, so I assumed he didn’t want any of us to know.

            We continued our run through no man’s land, the Wargs’ howls echoing in the air around us. I took in breaths with my mouth, I couldn’t with my nose. For some reason, it was proving difficult.

            Another flash of brown crossed our vision. We banked left, heading for the nearest rock. We all pressed our backs against it, some of us breathing more heavily than others. I bent over, panting; my legs were shaking from standing still for less than a minute.

            “Stay with us, Red. Don’t pass out,” Fili murmured to me. I nodded, though the motion nearly made me dizzy.

            We all fell silent as padding was heard above us, on the rock. My heart wanted to race into my throat. A scout. We’re sure to be found by the others now. I looked from one face to the next, wondering what we were going to do. Above, sniffing could be heard. It must know we’re here, or near.

            My eyes stayed on Thorin, who looked to Kili. There must’ve been some signal given, because lithely, Kili jumped out from cover, loaded an arrow, and took his shot at our enemy. An awful howl of pain erupted above, I briefly covered my ears. Kili shot again. This time, the Warg and its rider came tumbling down from the rock.

            Chaos ensued. I was pulled and pushed aside between Bilbo and some of the Dwarves. A few took on the Warg and its rider, making the loudest ruckus possible out in the open. I watched with wide, terrified eyes as I looked into the beast’s eyes. I saw only one emotion—no, two: bloodlust and malice.

            The Warg was the first to go; its furry body lay limp on the grass. A Dwarf or two handled its rider, who cried out as he was slain. Orcs were grotesque looking creatures; they stood erect like any Wizard, Dwarf, or Hobbit. Their skin was grossly dark, looking as though they were burned by fire. Their eyes sent chills bone-deep into me.

Once silence fell again, it was obvious as to what was about to happen. Radagast and his rabbits was no longer the pack’s target. We were.

            “How bloody brilliant,” I hissed under my breath.

            “What other choice did we have?” Thorin retorted back to me.

            “Stop squabbling!” Gandalf growled. Howling interrupted our bickering further. “Move! Run!”

            Once again, our troop was on the move. I couldn’t erase the images of the dead Orc and Warg on the grass where we had just been hiding. I wanted to forget that just happened, but I couldn’t.

            We went right upon hearing our pursuers coming from our left. We went down a slope before encountering a brief uphill battle. Few trees were scarcely placed around the land, I just realized. I skidded to a halt upon seeing a few figures in the distance up ahead.

            “There they are!” I squeaked, feeling pure terror creep into my veins.

            “This way! Quickly!” Gandalf ordered.

            Our group stayed together as tight as we could. I constantly looked around. Almost everywhere my eyes strayed they saw a Warg and rider. Inside, I was screaming like there was no tomorrow. I would have really screamed had I not been gasping for breath so badly.

            “There’s more coming!” Kili shouted from behind me. I whirled around to see he was right. From all sides, they were coming.

            We were being herded.

            “Kili! Shoot them!” Thorin demanded. I wonder if I should do the same. I looked at the arrow I still had loaded in the bow. How bad of a shot will I be? Is it worth wasting an arrow on a first shot?

            I looked around, counting to see if we were missing anybody. It seemed all the Dwarves were still here, as was Bilbo. I didn’t see Gandalf. I looked around anxiously to see if I had mistaken him for something. I didn’t.

Our Wizard had disappeared again.

            “We’re surrounded!” Fili warned.

            Our group came closer together, some already brandishing weapons. We were homing in towards an area with rocks.

            “Where’s Gandalf?” asked a Dwarf.

            “He’s abandoned us,” said another.

            “He can’t have!” I panicked. “We need him!”

            “Hold your ground!” Thorin commanded, pulling out a long, thin sword. Seeing him take charge in place of Gandalf made me understand what Balin had seen the day Thorin had taken on Azog the Defiler. He was not one to keep running, he would stand and fight.

            “This way, you fools!” Gandalf called behind me. I whipped around just to catch the tip of his hat disappear behind a rock.

            “Come on, move!” Thorin urged us all. “Quickly! All of you!”

            I slowly backed up towards where I last saw Gandalf, eyes bugging as Wargs were closing in.

            “Lily, come on.” I yelped as Bilbo grabbed me and pulled me along with him.

            “Go, go, go!” Thorin roared. I squeaked as Bilbo slid down with me following.

            We slid into a hidden way inside one of the rock formations. I rolled on the ground, quickly moving out of the way as more Dwarves rolled in. I pressed myself against the wall, looking out of the mouth of the entrance. I heard Gandalf taking count under his breath.

            Thorin was the last one in, before him were Fili and Kili. I let out a semi-relieved breath. We were safe…for now. Any minute now, the scouts would worm their way in, and then we’d have to fight. It would certainly make a tight squeeze if fighting would commence down here.

            A new sound caught our interests. A loud horn, a foreign noise, travelled down to our hiding spot. Noises of battle were heard. I grabbed the wall I stayed against, my palms being cut into by rock.

            I cringed as I heard inhuman cries. I jumped out of the way as an Orc came rolling into our hiding spot. I covered my mouth, resisting the urge to puke. Some of the Dwarves poked the Orc. It didn’t move. I looked out at the entrance way to hear hooves disappearing.

            “Elves,” Thorin snarled, holding an arrow that had no doubt been in the Orc. Elves had just saved us? Did they know the scouts were after us?

            “I cannot see where the pathway leads,” called a Dwarf. “Do we follow it or no?”

            “Follow it, of course,” Bofur said, as though it was a stupid question to ask. Really, it was.

            “I think that would be wise,” Gandalf agreed. His blue eyes found mine. “Are you all right?”

            “A little queasy,” I confessed in a small voice. “But I think I’ll manage.”

            Gandalf gestured. “After you.” I smiled at the Wizard, following Bilbo and the Dwarves through the pathway.

            The path was narrow, forcing us to remain single file. At times, I’d glance up to see it was underground, as there was a crack high above us. I could feel my anxiety lessen. We had just avoided a situation that could have gone bad. Not much fighting had gone on. But what if something like this happens again and we have to fight?

            Whenever we’d rest next, I’d have to urge archery training and its importance to Kili. A knife wouldn’t be enough for me. I had a bow and arrows; I wouldn’t let them be just for show.

            I let my mind wander endlessly as we trudged along the pathway. Where would we end up? Would it be night before we’d find a safe spot to rest? How far were we from Erebor?

            My mind travelled back to Remy and our lost ponies. Would they remain in the wild? Would they attempt to find their way home, wherever that may be? I preferred Remy going back to the Shire than him trying to reunite with me. As much as I loved him, I didn’t want him to die trying to find me again.

            Nobody would ever believe this back home, when Bilbo and I would return. Though there was a chance that we may not make it home, I was hopeful that we would return to Hobbiton. After all, I had Jack and Cecelia, and Bilbo had Bag End.

            Thinking of Cecelia and Bilbo made my mood turn sour. That was one thing I didn’t want to think about now of all times. As much as I loved Bilbo like a brother, I still held a grudge against him for hurting my older sister. That was one thing I would never forgive him for, not unless he begged till the end of his days or I was brainwashed into forgiving him.

            Instead of thinking about various things, I forced my brain to remain blank until we came to the end of the path.