Price of Battle ➝ The Hobbit ✓

Part Twenty-One

PART TWENTY-ONE ~

Out of the three dozen Dwarf warriors that risked their lives to defeat the merciless creatures, only about fifteen of them remained, excluding Thoros and Arien. It was a poor sight, and Fili declared they could not leave the dead there, but they didn't have time to bury them or set them upon a pyre. Although the battle had been a surprise; only a dozen orcs reported, yet there seemed to have been a lot more. Nevertheless, they were victorious against the beasts.

"We shall return when this mess is over. When the battle is won, all brave warriors who died in battle shall be released to the light together," whispered Arien to the despairing Fili. "We shall not forget this place. But now we must be returning to the others and setting off."

Fili sighed but nodded, ordering for his scattered soldiers to team back up.

It took them less than an hour to return to Fili's small army, and they were soon back on their way, plodding through the forest as the sun sank low in the horizon, and the forest was covered with the pale light of the moon, cascading its slivers of silver down upon the group and leading them towards their home; Erebor.

~

"Orcs!" The distressed cry rang through the ranks of soldiers commanded by Kili, Thorin's other nephew. His head snapped from it's drooping position to attention, and he halted his pony as murmurs and inaudible, yet clearly distressed, mutters rattled through the crowd. Kili's pony, Aphas, reared up lightly, as the first signs of battle approached from the shimmering horizon. Without stopping for a break, Kili had urged his army onwards through dusk, and now the plains were shrouded in a hazy darkness. The tops of grotesquely formed heads peaked out of the misty wall, and a great booming rattled along the plain as the Orc's let off a loud tumult of drums.

Kili was somewhat confused at the situation; the orc's were suppose to be heading toward Erebor. How come they had turned back? Perhaps to finish the opponents off and then head to their home? No, that didn't seem likely. Whatever the reason, a fiersome battle was quickly approaching, and they had to be ready for the impact.

"Form ranks!" Kili commanded to his startled soldiers. "We meet them head on!" He urged Aphas back to his second-in-command, Fario, and ordered him to send forth scouts. He needed to get a rough idea of how many they would be facing.

Fario nodded solemnly and complied with Kili's wishes. Kili, himself, drew out his Dwarven sword and positioned it in front of him, his eyes glinting savagly at the oncoming enemies. This was going to be a bloody battle; he had no idea how it was to end, but he hoped his brother would hurry, for their home and family were in grave danger.

Three dwarven figures rode swiftly towards them, urging their steeds to ride as fast as they could manage, pushing them to the limit. They arrived before Kili shortly.

"My prince! We have estimated there are about a thousand and five hundred. Perhaps more."

Kili's heart filled with dread; two thousand orcs had set out for Erebor, yet there were five hundred missing from this army. The dwarf hoped to Durin that the rest were merely lost in the forest and not riding to his home. He nodded solemnly, thanking them quickly, before signalling for the battle horn to be blown.