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"The path goes this way." Thorin said, following the trail's bend.
The Company had been travelling through the forest for the past day, and it seemed that no progress in made.
Bilbo and Alenia had said that it felt like they were twisting and turning, heading different directions every time, but the dwarves, between their stubborness and the dangerous illusion lingering on the forest, didn't heed them.
Dwalin thumped the ground, searching for the sound of the stones that made up the path. "This way."
"Air. I need air." Bofur gasped, looking to the sky desperately.
"My head, it's spinning." Oin said.
The Company stopped suddenly, bumping into one another in the process.
"What's happening?" Gloin asked.
"Keep moving. Nori, why have we stopped?" Thorin demanded.
"The path...it's disappeared!" Nori said.
"What's going on?" Fili asked.
"We've lost the path!" Dori exclaimed.
"Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!" Thorin ordered.
The Company spread out, as the confused, distressed murmurs grew louder and louder.
"I don't remember this place before. None of it's familiar." Balin mumbled.
"It's got to be here." Ori said.
"What hour is it?" Thorin asked.
"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is." Dwalin cried.
"Is there no end to this accursed place?" Thorin yelled, the noise echoing through the trees.
Alenia looked around, and saw her companions slowly start to lose their minds. Then she took a good look at her surroundings, and noticed the giant cobwebs strung about.
"Kili," she gasped, fumbling for her lover's hand. "C-cobwebs. Giant ones."
Kili looked around, the enchantment broken for a moment, as he realized the complete change of scenery. "Now where did those come from?"
"Giant cobwebs. Means giant spiders." Alenia whispered, shutting her eyes, trying not to picture it.
"Hey, I'll protect you." Kili reassured, pulling the half-elf in for a kiss.
"Wait. That weird brown wizard, Raddish Ghost, from way early in our journey. Remember him?" Alenia asked.
"I thought his name was Radagast but yes, I remember. What about him?"
"He said something about giant spiders." Alenia said.
"And that they came from Dol Guldur." Kili remembered. "But why would they be here?"
"I dunno, maybe because Dol Guldur is an abandoned, evil fortress that borders the west side of the forest?" Alenia said sarcastically.
Kili's eyes got wide, and the half elf whipped her head around to see Bilbo plucking a spiderweb.
"No, Bilbo- don't!" she cried, as he reached for the thick, silky strands again, but it was too late. The hobbit had sent another ripple through the cobwebs, most likely alerting the spiders to their presence.
"Oh no." Alenia moaned, watching as the vibrating web faded, and a strange whispering sound could be heard.
"It's fine. We'll be okay." Kili reassured, squeezing her hand.
"Giant. Spiders." Alenia said, starting to hyperventilate, which caused Kili to move her to the ground, so she wouldn't faint.
"Look." Ori said suddenly, reaching for something on the ground.
"A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods." Dori said, taking the pouch from his brother.
"Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine." Bofur said, snatching it from the other dwarf, and staring at it in awe.
"Because it is yours. You understand? We're going round in circles. We are lost." Bilbo said, standing from his seat.
"We're not lost. We keep heading east." Dwalin protested.
"But which way is east? We've lost the sun." Oin said.
Alenia breathed in deeply, trying to calm herself, before she looked up to the treeline, and caught a glimpse of light through the thick leaves, as she heard Bilbo mutter, "The sun. We have to find the sun. Up there. We need to-"
Alenia shakily stood up, and walked over to the hobbit, before lifting him up to climb higher into the trees. "Figure out where we are, yeah?"
Bilbo climbed higher, until he was lost in the foilage.
"What? What's that?" Thorin asked, as he began to hear the whispers coming from the trees.
The dwarves worried mumblings grew louder and louder, until Thorin finally yelled, "Enough! Quiet! All of you! We're being watched."
A crack could be heard from behind Alenia, who didn't want to look based on the looks of horror on the dwarves' faces.
"It's a giant fucking spider, right?" she asked, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Yup." Fili said, popping the 'p'.
"Great." she said, as she felt a sharp sting in the back of her neck and collapsed to the ground.
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a/n:
feel kinda evil rn hehehe. next chapter will be out on friday ;))
