In the early hours of the morning, just as the sun was starting to rise, the Company left, at the insistence of Gandalf who stayed behind to cover their escape.
The rest of the Company hadn't taken the news of Selene leaving to scout ahead very well, saying that there were more dangers now they knew that they were being hunted by a pack of orcs. They doubted even Selene could handle that, but as she had already gone, there was little they could do but complain of it, the only one remaining silent, although in a very bad mood, was Thorin. Even as he led them towards the Misty Mountains now, his mood did not improve, the discussion (or several) he had heard were weighing heavily upon him.
It wasn't until half way through their second day away from Rivendell that Selene caught up. They were starting up the steep slopes of the mountains, and poor Bilbo was having a hard time keeping his footing on the slippery ground, at one stage he slipped and with a cry, rolled backwards, only to be stopped by a pair of legs standing behind him.
Selene smiles down at him. "You alright?"
There were many happy cries, some of them having feared the worse, as the dwarves turned around. Selene just grinned at them and helped Bilbo up.
"You gents clearly still don't believe that I am capable of defending myself." She laughs. "Just as you clearly don't know that hobbits are not used to such a steep climb."
There were a dozen excuses made up at once but this just causes her grin to widen, only faltering when she locked eyes with Thorin.
She could see something was wrong.
"Come on, let's keep moving." He orders and turns away.
Selene, a little hurt by this, turns to Bilbo, who was still looking rather embarrassed. "Would you like me to carry you?"
"What?" He squeaked, almost in sheer terror.
"Until we reach a flatter path, I can carry you. It's either that or I will just follow behind and stop you from tumbling back down, but you may still end up with a few bruises." She couldn't help but grin again at the hobbit, looking at her with wide eyes. "It's no problem Bilbo, and they are clearly not going to offer you help."
So, Bilbo found himself on Selene's back, his arms wrapped tightly around her neck as she carried him. The dwarves had found it very funny at first, but as the path seemed to get tougher, even for them, their teasing died down. Selene had no problem with the path, her legs powerful enough to just keep moving, so Bilbo was actually grateful that she had offered.
Finally reaching flatter ground as night fell, Selene put Bilbo down, staring at the path ahead. It was narrow and clearly wound high into the deeper parts of the mountains. What worried her more about that was the smell of rain in the air, these paths would be treacherous enough without water thrown into the mix.
It was clear the dwarves did not share her concern.
As Thorin started to push ahead, she spoke up. "Wouldn't it be better to wait through the night?"
He glances at her. "We have lost enough time already, we cannot wait."
"There is rain coming Thorin, these paths will be dangerous enough-"
"We need to keep moving." And he storms ahead, a disquiet settling over her to see him like that.
Ignoring it, she insisted that they all go first, Bilbo near the middle, and she followed at the rear.
It was a slow journey up the path, they had to constantly watch their footing, and as the first rumble of thunder sounded above, many thought that Selene may have been the wiser one here.
It didn't take long for the storm to surround them, thunder cracking through the skies following brilliant flashes of light. Rain pelted at them and soaked them through, but still, they kept moving.
Another loud thunder crack and Selene whimpered at the back of the group, practically clinging to the mountain. She did not like this at all, the thunder hurt her ears, making it near impossible to hear anything, the rain threw off her sense of smell, and the lightening was making her whole body tense as she was blinded for seconds on end, none of which was helped by her fear of heights.
She had never known of course, having usually followed safer paths through mountains where there were no sheer cliffs below, but this was very different, her hands gaining a death grip on the sides of the mountain, her knuckles turning white.
The thunder cracked again above them and this time she froze, both from pain and fear, her head resting against the rocks. She couldn't even hear her heart beating but she knew it was frantic, all she could was whimper again.
A hand touched her arm, causing her to start, and she looks up to see Bombur looking concerned. He tries to ask her something, but she cannot hear over the ringing in her ears, so she just nods and rests back against the wall. He tugged at her though, trying to get her to move.
Selene moved a few more steps, enough for him to let go, but as more thunder burst around them, she froze, whimpering and shaking, unable to move anymore.
Bombur tried to pull her again but now she refused, simply ignoring him and holding tightly to the mountain, trying to ignore it all. Shouts went down the line as he told them she would not move.
She didn't know how long she was there shivering from fear and the cold but she found her attention drawn back as a warm arm wrapped around her waist.
Looking up, her eyes met Thorin's, his gaze filled with concern.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
Selene had no idea how she had heard him but he quickly got his answer as the thunder bellowed again above and she flinched back into the wall, her hands covering her ears.
His grip tightened. "Come on, let's get you between Fili and Kili, they will guide you."
She let herself be led, his arm not leaving her waist as they manoeuvred to the middle of the group, where he placed her between the brothers, saying words to them she could not hear. She whimpered as his arm left her but two other strong hands took his place, Fili and Kili both looking very serious as they helped guide her on when Thorin had reached the front again.
Selene let them move her, she knew there was no way she could do it on her own. Every time she froze with the thunder, they would simply wait and move her along when she was ready. It wasn't until a scream went out that she realised things were much worse.
"Look out!"
A rock smashed above them, Fili and Kili dove onto her to protect her from the showering of rocks now upon them.
"This is no thunderstorm, it's a thunder battle!"
Selene didn't know what that meant at first, but as she turned, more shouts going out, she stared at the giant before her, and saw another, they were throwing large rocks at each other and sheer terror gripped her.
The rock bellow them started to move and they all shouted then as the path started to split, Selene caught in the middle. Fili grabbed her pulled her to his side and shouted for Kili, but it was too late, they were already far apart.
She gripped blindly at the wall, holding on for dear life as the giant joined the battle. It got hit and she watched as the other group managed to get back on the side of the mountain, watching on with pale faces as the giant seemed to move them farther away. Jamming her eyes shut, she thought with everything she had just hoping that they would get through this.
The giant rocked violently and she felt the world start to tilt, the others with her screaming. Opening her eyes, she wished she didn't, as the mountain rushed up to meet them and she braced herself for impact.
There was a mass of confusion as they hit the mountain, she wasn't entirely sure how they managed to avoid being crushed, but they had. Scrambling to her feet as Thorin and the others re-joined them, looking relieved, she bolted back, getting as far from the edge as possible, breathing hard and trying to ignore the ringing in her ears.
"The hobbit! Where's the hobbit?"
Selene shared in their panic, realising Bilbo wasn't with then, then watched as several of them dove forward to try and help him off the edge.
She wanted to help, but the fear had gripped her legs, she couldn't move.
Until Thorin went over.
Blood seemed to pump through her quicker as panic took over, even as Bilbo was pulled back over the edge. Dwalin was there and shouts, diving forward to catch Thorin's hand before he fell, but she could see him slipping.
"No!"
She didn't even realise she had shouted as she dove forward, catching Dwalin's belt before they both fell and hauling both dwarves up, looking stunned. Collapsing back, seeing him safe, she scrambled back to her position on the wall, breathing hard.
She stared at her shaking hands, even as words were being said around her and as another thunder clap or crash of rocks went up, she covered her ears, whimpering down into her knees as she buried her head, not wanting to see it anymore.
A hand took hers and she looked up to see Thorin, he was worried but said nothing, instead he gently pulled her hand until she was on her feet and led her into the caves that they had found.
Inside was quieter, and she automatically moved to the furthest part, sinking against the wall as Thorin stays back to talk to Balin. Shaking, she pushes her wet hair away from her face, trying to get her breathing under control, and for the first time in her life she didn't pay attention to what was around her.
Feeling herself settle, she rests her head down on her knees, shutting her eyes to close out everything else. Her head hurt and she couldn't help but cover her ears as there was another rumble outside. She felt Thorin sit next to her, but he leaves her alone, something she is grateful for.
Selene settled enough that she began to doze lightly, still sitting up. Most of the dwarves were already asleep, so the snoring would occasionally make her stir, but she still doesn't move, just settling back down again.
It was when she heard Bilbo and Bofur arguing that Selene started to focus a little more, the noise outside having dissipated. Bilbo wanted to leave and she couldn't blame him, the poor hobbit had not had an easy journey, even though she was more than willing to protect him.
That was when she smelt it.
Her head snapped up and she noticed Thorin was awake, his eyes darting to her as she moved, but it meant little at the smell now overtaking her senses.
"Goblins." She hissed.
That was when the floor went beneath them, the dirt seeping through a crack appearing, barely enough time for Thorin and Selene to react when it opened and they all fell.