A Thousand Miles[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Five]

The dwarves had set up camp, and supper was served. Alyndra ate her fill and looked for a comfortable spot to rest until the others went to sleep so she could scout the area from up high, to look for any signs of evil tracking them. Thorin glanced over to see the woman was sleeping with her head against the rock, the wind had blown her long dark brown hair over her face.

The dwarf prince didn't know what it was about this girl that was driving him nuts. She was too stubborn for her own good and yet part of him wanted to know more about who she really was. When he thought about it, he realized she was avoiding saying anything about herself and where she was from; she remained a mystery to him and he didn't like mysteries, it was bad enough the secret door into the mountain still remained a mystery.

Thorin couldn't believe he was doing this, but he didn't like seeing her look so uncomfortable against that rock and he walked over towards her, making sure the others were busy distracted with something else and he folded her cloak up and carefully lifted her head and placed it under her head and leaned her back against it and he let out a sigh of relief when she remained sound asleep.

The dwarf quickly left and climbed back on the rock, he had chosen to sleep for the night, and he closed his eyes. Fili and Kili were on guard for the night. They were sitting in front of the fire, sharpening their blades, while they smoked their pipes. Bilbo had awoken from the surrounding snores coming from the dwarves around him. Letting out a sigh he got up and it suddenly hit him, he wouldn't be getting much sleep as long as he was with these annoying dwarves and he better start getting used to it.

Bilbo quietly walked over to his pony, Myrtle and greeted her with a friendly smile. He pulled out of his pocket an apple and checked to see if anyone was watching him, but the dwarves and the young woman was fast asleep and Fili and Kili were too busy chuckling at whatever it was they were talking about. He held the fruit up to the pony and the animal took it happily. The hobbit was about to head back to his spot and attempt to get some sleep, when a sharp screech pierces the night air, and he felt a chill go through him.

Alyndra shook herself awake, having heard the noise clearly, they were close. She got up, clutching her blade that was attached to her belt. " W-what was that?" Bilbo asked, panic was clear in his voice, as he looked at the two brothers. The horrifying sound was heard again. Alyndra looked around, her senses were more then the average human but they were even more credibly when she was in her animal form.

" Orcs," Alyndra finally broke the long silence.

" Orcs?" Bilbo repeat, hadn't heard of such a name before. Alyndra was no stranger to those monsters. She still remembered as clear as day, when they attacked her home and the biggest orc that she had ever seen, killed her mother in front of her and nearly took her father from her that same day.

Thorin jolted awake, lurching to his feet, ready to fight when he glanced to his side to see it was all a joke to his nephews and his face was filled with irritation. The two brothers laughed at the frightened little hobbit. Alyndra heard every word from those two boys and she was tempted to march up to them both and give them a smack, they were just like their uncle. " You think that's funny?" Thorin growled, making the two brothers go silent and looked down at the flames in shame that they had upset their uncle. " You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

" We didn't mean anything by it." Kili mumbled discouraged.

" No, you didn't" Thorin harshly retorted. " You know nothing of the world." the prince stalked towards the edge of the cliffs, passing the woman, with his back to them, his shoulders were tense as memories of that tragic day, flooded his mind. Balin begun to tell the tale of what happened in the battle of Moria. When the elder dwarf had mentioned the most vile orc to have lived, Alyndra stood up, full of hate, anger and sadness at his name and stormed off towards the woods. Only the wizard knew why.

Thorin came back to reality and turned to his side just in time to see the young woman disappear beyond the trees. Some of the dwarves wondered if they should go after her, but the wizard insisted she just needed some time alone to calm herself, he would not reveal the true reason for her disappearance, it was not his story to tell. The dwarves had stood, staring at their future king in awe.

The dwarves started to go back to their spots to get some rest, dawn would be coming to awake them to begin their long journey once again. The company had failed to notice, that the woman hadn't returned. The snores were heard once more. One dwarf in particular was starring at the sky and just as his eyes were about to close he saw the faint outline of a giant bird sorrowing over them through the sky.