Of The Sun (The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings/LOTR)

Pt. 1 - Chapter 20 - The Duty of the Light

The speed of the current had slowled drastically. Slow enough to now give concern of the orcs that had been left behind catching up.

Anariel looked like something that had been dragged from the bottom of the river. Her hair was drenched and sticking to the sides of her face and hanging over the front. Her clothes made her feel a good five kilos heavier and being dragged through the water like a rag doll had taken its toll a lot more then those inside the barrels. Bilbo, who had also been on the outside of the barrel ride, seemed to fair a lot better in appearance but hanging on had taken a lot more out of him then it had done the elf. Having a greater height did not go in ones favour in this situation and she was clung on to Thorin's barrel, the dwarven king pretty much doing most of the holding for her. Her thin leggings hadn't done much in the way of protecting her legs from being thrown about underneath and although she hadnt felt them rip or any sort of cutting pain she was sure they would be bruised near black.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin yelled.

"Not that I can see." Balin answered as they drifted further down stream at a lot more leisurely pace.

"I think we've outrun the orcs."

"Not for long. We've lost the current. Make for the shore." Thorin ordered before the dwarves slowly piled out, paddling over to the edge and walking up to land. Kili was one of the first and he soon collapsed back down with a grunt of pain. Bofur came up to him concerned while Ana, still in the water, was heaved out and nearly tossed by Thorin in his barrel to a dry rock.

She winced in pain as she found her footing and the dwarf came out after her.

"Never in my life, Thorin Oakenshield, have I been through so much consistent endless danger for one journey." She said, getting to her feet with more effort then she thought it would have taken.

"We're not there yet. And there's still a dragon yet to come."

"You'd make a fabulous motivational speaker." She grumbled back before turning and looking around at the company, glancing over each of them until her eyes landed on Fili. He was crouching down with Bofur, the both of them looking over Kili. She moved right away before Thorin could respond, her fixed attention causing the King's eyes to narrow. He couldn't help but feel that even though Kili was injured it had been his other brother she had been searching for among the crowd. She had automatically without realising began to look for him even if she moved for the sake of helping Kili.

"I'm fine. It's nothing." Kili was saying, composing himself as the elf made it over to them. "Really, it'll be fine." He reassured quite convincingly.

"Are you sure?" Ana questioned, crouching down as Oin, the most experienced of the dwarves in healing approached.

"Yes, I'm sure. Good battle scar." He smiled. The elves had great healing magic it was true but without the right herbs there was little she could do other than ease the pain. She could not just stitch flesh together with magic. Not without some time at least and they did not have time. Nor was it an art she was particularly practised in. Not like Elrond.

"On your feet." Thorin ordered.

"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding." Fili argued back.

"There's an orc pack on our tail. We keep moving." Thorin said.

"To where?" Balin asked as Anariel ripped her sleeve from the tare the spider made and down, leaving her arm exposed.

"Here." She said, handing it to Fili. "It's cleaner and softer than that." She nodded to the rag he held that looks near brown with mud and like it was made out of scratchy wool.