The King's Pet ON HOLD

Friend or Foe

Clara's POV

We began to reach calmer waters as we travelled on down the river.

“Anything behind us?” the dwarf who appeared to be in charge asked.

“Not that I can see.” someone replied.

“I think we’ve outrun the orcs.” another dwarf said hopefully.

“Not for long; we’ve lost the current.” the leader pointed out, a serious look on his face. “Make for the shore! Come on, let’s go!” he commanded.

As we paddled towards the shore I noticed that kili was struggling. I attempted to help him, but he just shook his head. The stubborness of dwarves.

"Come on!" A dwarf shouted as he climbed onto the river bank. As I crawled onto land I looked back to see kili, who had fallen to his knees. Blood soaked through a hasty bandage that had been put around his thigh.

“I’m fine, it’s nothing.” Kili assured us, but his voice shook.

“On your feet.” the leader order.

I looked at him in shock. One of the members of his group was badly wounded and he did not seem to care at all.

“Kili’s wounded. His leg needs binding.” a blonde dwarf pointed out.

“There’s an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving.” the leader responded.

As the dwarves continued to argue I made my way towards kili. As I approached he looked up and gave me a tight lipped smile, I could tell it was forced.

“Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes.” I heard a voice from behind me say. "And you" it continued.

I turned to face the speaker. It was the dwarf who I assumed was leader of this party.

"I don't know who you are or why you were in that dungeon, but it is time for us to part ways." He said sternly

"Uncle!" Kili cried out. So this man was Kili's uncle - interesting. "She saved us - she saved me - if she hadn't pulled that lever we would have all been slaughtered by the orcs" he argued.

"He has a point" a white haired dwarf pointed out. "What's your name lass?" He asked me.

"M-my name is Clara" I replied.

The white haired dwarf then continued to introduce the rest of the dwarves and the hobbit to me.

The blonde haired dwarf - who I now knew as fili was the next to speak up. "You're welcome to travel with us until you reach somewhere safe" he said as he finished tying Kili's bandage "its the least we can do to thank you"

"Fili!" The lead dwarf I now knew as Thorin exclaimed "I still do not trust her. Beorn said he was the last of the skinchangers." He said suspiciously. "She must be under some curse."

"I am under no curse" I responded flatly "whoever this Beorn is was wrong, for I am also a skinchanger."

Thorin continued to grumble under his breath but did not argue anymore.

Kili then limped over to me on his newly bound leg. He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder "Welcome to the party Clara"