"Ugh! These stupid things are so impractical!" I snarled as the long skirt of the teal dress seemed to get caught on every single branch or thorny brush, I got close to. It swirled out around me with each step and tangled itself in everything.
Angrily, I wrenched the fabric away from the thorns threatening to drag me down before continuing, stomping on my way through the dark dense forest. The trees were so close together, I couldn't see the sky above and I wanted so desperately to sleep under the stars. Deciding it best to climb to the tops of the trees, I bid farewell to the wildlife I'd met along the way before scaling to the top of the forest. I could breathe easier the moment I broke through the tops of the trees. I cast my hands out above me as a gentle breeze whipped around me and smiled as I saw the stars in the sky above.
I began to relax a little as I spotted some stars I recognized, in the sky above. Even if I was half a world away from my kin, at least most of the stars were the same stars. As I breathed in the fresh chilly air and basked in the light of the stars and moon, I heard something large moving through the forest in the distance. Turning in the direction I'd heard the sound, I saw some of the tree tops shift as something massive lumbered in my direction.
Curiously, I peeked under the leaves in the direction I heard the sound. It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. In the distance I saw a large creature with a huge bulbous body and eight spindly legs. A giant spider. The largest spider I'd ever seen before now was about the size of my father's head and was incapable of communicating with anyone in the tribe. Would these spiders be able to understand me? Would they be willing to listen to me?
The trees around me called out to me in warning but there was one, closer to the giant spider that called for help. Agilely I flipped from my perch landing on a lower branch of another tree before leaping from branch to branch to get closer to the tree that had called for help. Cursing at the stupid dress as it threatened to fell me, I picked up the pace, running faster using the muscles in my legs to propel me further in an attempt to keep from getting tripped up by the stupid dress.
I slowed to a stop as I sensed something large overhead and flipped backward dropping to a lower branch to avoid the giant spider's body that dropped down from overhead. Gripping the thick trunk of the branch in my hand I swung myself around it and launched myself into the air landing swiftly in another tree and turned to the massive spider. It was huge!
I met its gaze and tried to penetrate its thoughts with my mind. The spider stood a little taller on its perch holding my gaze. Was it working? As I tried to communicate with it, I heard something move behind me. Chancing a glance over my shoulder I let out a yelp of surprise as a second massive spider, even larger than the first, appeared behind me and tried to pierce me with the poisonous barb on the back of its bulbous abdomen.
They'd set up a trap, luring me to them as if they knew I'd try to communicate with them. I flipped out of the way of the second spider taking to another tree. Two more spiders dropped from the forest above, trying to entangle me in their webs. They were beyond reason. They had no desire to communicate with me, they only wanted to poison the forest and kill and eat everything they could. Truly wicked creatures.
One of the webs caught the ridiculously long ineffective skirt, throwing me off course as I tried to flip out of the way. I tumbled toward a web and felt a momentary flash of panic overtake me. I was weaponless, and the trees in this area weren't responsive, the spiders' webs appeared to be poisoning the trees keeping them in a death like state. A low growl escaped me as I mentally cursed myself for running in blindly.
"I won't be easily beaten, scum!" I snarled as I grabbed hold of the thread of webbing that had stuck to the end of my skirt and used it to pull myself toward the spider who'd shot it at me. They swarmed me not seeming the least bit threatened by me as I was wearing a horribly inefficient garment, barefoot and weaponless. "Underestimating me will cost you!"
I clenched my hands into fists as I launched myself at the spider who'd managed to attach its web to my skirt. Raising my hands above my head I fell toward the spider smirking as it rose up to catch me hoping to pierce me with its fangs. Using the momentum from my fall I swung my arms down with pure lethal force managing to strike the two pedipalp, appendages extending around the mouth to help them feed. They broke off with a loud crunch along with the fangs and the spider let out a horrendous wail of agony.
It thrashed about falling away from me and managed to sever the web from me, freeing me to fight. Before I could celebrate the mini victory, another spider lunged at me from behind. I felt it's claws tear across the fabric on my back. I'd managed to roll out of the way to avoid it penetrating my skin but felt some of the fabric split open revealing some of the tattoos across my back. There were too many of them!
"Damn." I swore under my breath before swiveling around to face the spider that had tried to slice me open. I caught sight of my reflection in its beady eyes, my eyes were glowing bright gold as I called on the great beast spirits imbued within me. A tingling in my back alerted me that it was starting to work as I felt the spot where the bear was tattooed on my skin begin to burn. Channeling the strength of the bear, I dove at the spider dodging its attempt to bite me before interlacing my fingers.
I swung at it letting out a fierce roar of rage as the great bear beast's spirit channeled through me giving me strength. There was a sickening crunch from the spider's cephalothorax as I struck it with my interlocked hands. It let out a wail of pain as its body crunched beneath the force of my blow.
This would go so much easier, if I had my battle axes. Two more spiders lunged at me, using pack tactics trying to flank me and strike from either side. I struggled to avoid the lethal fangs. One of them managed to graze my arm with the sharp claws on one of its legs. Blood poured from the wound and I let out a low hiss of pain. Poison entered my blood stream, I could feel it trying to take hold, trying to fell me.
With a snarl of rage, I dipped my fingers in the poison infused blood streaming from the wound before drawing a line with it across my face from cheekbone to cheekbone and across the bridge of my nose before painting another line from the center of my bottom lip down to my chin. A sense of calm washed over me as I applied the blood and poison like war paint before launching myself once more at the two spiders that tried to overtake me.
Through sheer willpower alone I managed to stave off the effects of the poison knowing if I were to survive this I'd have to destroy as many of them as I could and flee somewhere safe to wait until the poison left my system. I managed to strike one of the spiders' abdomen but due to the poison now coursing through my veins I felt the strength of the great bear spirit begin to leave me. The spider let out a yowl of pain but there was no crunch, its body did not break. It swung at me with one of its legs and I was sent flying. I fell into a nearby web and let out a panicked snarl as I tried to wrench my arms and legs free, to no avail. I was stuck!
Uselessly, I flailed against the sticky web only managing to get myself more stuck. No matter what, I couldn't pull free. One of the spiders scuttled toward me. My heart thundered in my chest as I was overcome with terror. I was going to die here, eaten by spiders because I was too stubborn.
As the spider reached me it raised up preparing to inject me with more poison. I struggled helplessly against my bonds. A shiny sleek elven blade suddenly cleaved through the giant spider's body. My hazel eyes widened as I saw the blade slice through the massive creature with a stealthy and lethal precision. It hadn't even realized what had happened until it tried to strike me and its body fell in two.
I choked on a gasp and looked to see who had rescued me as Thranduil had expressly told me he'd send no one to help me. My heart stuttered in my chest as my gaze fell on the Elven King himself in all his shining glory. His long silken hair glowed like starlight in the darkness as he easily cut down the remaining spiders, like a true warrior.
He made quick work of the remaining spiders before swinging his blade fiercely to the side sending the poison and vile blood flying from it before sheathing it. His piercing blue eyes fell on me struggling to get out of the web. A small smirk wormed its way onto his lips.
"I thought you said you weren't sending anyone to rescue me." I snapped at him as I felt rage and humiliation burn through me, I'd had to be saved by a stuffy Mirkwood elf.
"I did, and as you can see, I haven't sent any of my men to save you." His smirk grew as he watched me struggle. "Need assistance, little wildling?"
"No!" I snapped at him more out of my own embarrassment than anger at him.
He chuckled at this and my heart skipped a beat. I had no idea he could make such a sound. It was warm and inviting. "I can wait." He leaned against one of the trees and waited patiently watching me struggle with amusement dancing in his bright blue eyes.
Stubbornly I continued to thrash around against the web feeling the poison coursing through my veins making me weaker with every attempt. As my head began to spin and I gave up with a snarl of frustration, admitting my defeat. "Fine. I need help." I refused to meet his gaze.
He made no move to assist me.
I turned to him thinking maybe he'd left when I'd looked away only to find him still leaning against the tree watching me with a smug look on his face. "Why aren't you helping?"
"I'm waiting for you to ask properly." He shrugged.
"Please?" I spat out between gritted teeth.
"You'll have to address me properly if you want my help." He smirked.
"LIKE HELL!" I snarled. A wave of dizziness washed over me as I felt the last dregs of my strength beginning to waver. My head slumped forward as I felt the paralyzing effects of the poison begin to take hold.
King Thranduil sighed, "I guess there's no helping it." He cut me from the web and caught my limp body in his arms as I fell. "I'll say this, little wildling, you've surprised me once again with your tenacity. You're a fearsome warrior, to be sure, but you are young yet, practically a babe. You have much to learn of the world." He shifted me in his arms as I felt the poison begin to overwhelm me.
My head dropped onto his shoulder and I felt myself fall into darkness.
Video- "Fornheim" By Danheim