Saving Durin {Hobbit/Thorin}

Chapter 35: Smaug dominates hide-and-go-seek

Chapter 35:

Smaug dominates hide-and-go-seek

Despite the clumsiness of dwarves and Smaug's gigantic size, everything within the cavities of Erebor is dead quiet. Out of the tunnels, we flee twisting and turning down stone passages at Thorin's very whim. It may have been decades since Thorin traversed his home, but obviously, he still knows his way around. For that, I am grateful.

The pulling on my hand ceases as we come to rest at the mouth of a stone bridge that climbs over the treasure hoard. The arches and buttresses that hurdle above my head glow in the light of the gold from down below, with no waning in the footsteps of the dragon, as he is nowhere to be found. Thorin raises his hand, signalling the stop of our progression as he surveys the quiet land of jewels and coins. Nothing is heard, and nothing is seen.

"Shh. Shh," Thorin shushes the antsy group. Sidel falls into place behind me, her hand resting on my shoulder as I raise mine to lay on top of hers. I turn back around to look at her, our eyes uniform in their worry for the dwarves and our fate. I send her a quick smile, to which she returns, before turning back to the situation at hand.

"Quiet," Dori reminds at the worried whispering of the louder dwarves, also known as Bifur and Gloin. Thorin's head peeks around the gigantic column bearing the bridge, squinting his eyes in speculation over Smaug's whereabouts. Honestly, for a dragon, Smaug is great at hide-and-go-seek.

"We've given him the slip," Dori whispers hypocritically. I doubt that Smaug is blind to our whereabouts, as the dwarven footsteps are noisy in their large boots. If anything, the dragon has given us the slip.

"No, he's too cunning for that," Dwalin replies, mirroring my own thoughts. It's as if the dragon suddenly vanished from the dwarven premises, for we have not seen him in a matter of minutes.

"So where to now?" Bilbo asks from the middle of the company. He brings that idea to the forefront of my mind: where could we possibly make an escape from the world's cruelest dragon? Just the idea is a hopeless nomer, causing me to sigh into Thorin's side.

"The western guardroom. There may be a way out," Thorin replies, though to what end, I do not know. Sure, we may escape the Mountain's potentially fiery interior, but that in no way deals with the looming issue of Smaug. If we are to reclaim this mountain, Smaug must be vanquished, and escape is only putting off the inevitable firestorm.

"It's too high. There's no chance that way," Balin adds in from his typical position at Thorin's side.

"It's our only chance. We have to try," Thorin replies optimistically, though his eyes show his true helplessness. This reply is shocking to me as Thorin usually takes on the persona of a "Negative Nelly."

We quietly cross the looming bridge over the cavern's interior jewel hoard, our feet as silent as dwarven feet can be. A sudden clang and ringing whips my head around to look to Bilbo's feet where a coin now rests in waiting. The hobbit looks startled, so obviously he did not drop the coin himself. That only leaves one option.

Gazing upward to the previously stone ceiling, my eyes witness the slithering belly of Smaug. Within the mighty folds of his wings and scales, treasure is tucked away after the years of hibernation in the Mountain. Surprisingly enough, the dragon is not aware of our presence on the underside of his body, as he continues to move deeper into the Mountain in his search for the "intruders." Even more surprising is the dragon's sudden appearance, as none of us saw nor heard his coming in our direction. Smaug is obviously killing us in this game of hide-and-go-seek.

Thorin motions to our startled group to continue our progression across the long bridge, our feet dancing around the fallen coins and jewels of Smaug's chest. Upon reaching the western hallways, our feet fly down it's stone passageways to our only chance of immediate survival. Thorin leading the way again, with my hand tightly enclosed in his, we fall into step at the fear of Smaug's seeking eyes. Turning about one corner, we find ourselves in the room that I can only assume is our intended destination.