(Arulla's POV)
The forest was dark, almost murky and damp. Everywhere you looked there was darkness. The only light came from the smallest bit of sunlight that peeked through the trees. The air was thick and heavy. My head pounding as I breathed.
Only a few times did I falter and Kíli or Fíli was quick to help me back up before our leader noticed my fall. My head was getting heavy, my pack felt like boulders pinning me down on the ground. My eyelids dropping, getting closer together every minute. I was exhausted.
But then I hear voices, little whining voices and I look around the forest and see my closest friend when I was growing up in Rivendell, the same friend who was murdered before my eyes. "Elemmírë." I whispered softly, no one seemed to notice.
She smiled at me, "Why did you leave us Ari? Why didn't you help us? You only stared as me and Tharon died."
I whimpered at the memory and gave her an apologetic smile, "I didn't mean to, I had no choice. I'm so sorry."
"You let us die! Its your fault we're dead!" She shouted.
I boxed my ears so tight but I could still hear her voice clean and clear through my tight fists.
"Your fault. Your fault. Your fault."
"MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!!!!!" I screeched, this time gaining everyone's attention, more importantly Thorin's. Oh goody.
"Make it stop... Make it stop... Make it stop..." I begin to whine as the voices keep thundering in my head.
Your fault. Your fault. Your fault.
I was on the ground my head bowed to the ground, and my ears still boxed as I wailed. I do not remember when I was engulfed in strong arms, one moment I was cold, another I was wrapped tightly to someone's chest.
Then two heads leaned on my shoulders.
Wait, two heads...
I opened my eyes and saw that the arms that engulfed me, were not who I assumed. It was Fíli and Kíli, sitting beside me as I huddled into Fíli's chest.
"We'll rest here for a while." I faintly hear Thorin say as Fíli rubbed my back soothingly and Kíli grasped my leg.
"Shh shh shh..." Fíli began to sooth as Kíli rubbed my back. "Nothing will harm you. Me and Fíli are here with you. With Bilbo and Uncle, no one is going to harm you here." Kíli finished. My sobs quietly cease and I lift my head to see Fíli smiling at me as he wipes my tears away.
"There see? All better." Kíli chuckled, I smile a slightly amused grin and begin to stand once more. "I'm fine now. Let's keep going." I begin to say as the boys try to help me up. The small, sad grins I received afterwards was something that made my heart twinge.
Once I stood and took a few steps, my head clouded with haze. I stopped and looked around...
No screaming in my ears... No dizziness in my head... Everything was fine... or so I thought.
I looked ahead and smiled slightly dazed at what I saw, or at least I thought I saw. I almost shouted in glee as I began to run, Kíli following close behind me to make sure I didn't fall. I stopped short when I found it, my heart almost leapt in joy
"We found the bridge!" I shouted.
"Bridge!" Bofur shouted dazedly.
Thorin scrambled, his feet swaying slightly as he looked at the broken bridge and the blackened water beneath it.
"We could try and swim it." Bofur suggested, and I thought it was a pretty good idea, but apparently not.
"Didn't you hear what Gandalf said?" Thorin rumbled, "A dark magic lies upon this forest. The waters of this stream are enchanted."
"Doesn't look very enchanted to me." Bofur mumbled, almost sounding half drunk. I shook my head,
"We must find another way across." Thorin barked.
I locked eyes with Kíli and when I looked up Kíli followed my gaze we both smiled. Branches and vines hung above us, and an outgrown root was the stepping stool to getting close enough to reach them.
Kíli and I walked slowly to them and I hopped onto the root and stretched my hand out for a vine and Kílí took the one beside mine.
"These vines look strong enough." Kíli encouraged and I gave my branch a fierce tug before nodding in agreement. I was about to jump on before,
"Kíli, Arulla!"
I stopped and turned to Thorin who gave us a small glare, "We send the lightest first."
All eyes turned to Bilbo, who gave an uncomfortable huff.
I sigh and jump down off the branch mumbling quietly, "You're no fun." Kíli giggled beside me, and we watched Bilbo climb up and latch on to the first vine.
Bilbo was quick, but even he was affected by the foggy haze. He swayed here and there but he seemed to have a good grip.
"It's all right. Can't see any problems." He said. I sagged in relief but then...
Bilbo reached for another vine but missed, his legs were wrapped around the vine beneath him and he was turned upside down only inches from the bubbling liquid.
"Ahh! There's one. Everything's... Fine." He mumbled.
I moved to help him but Thorin pulled me back saying, "He's fine. Let him be." I scoffed and looked back at our burglar and to my surprise he had maneuvered around and now was reached out across the river but his face was still dangerously close to it... And he just stayed there.
"Bilbo!" His head shot up, and once again he began to move safely across the river. But I had enough, I pushed passed Thorin's arm and swiftly and nimbly made my way across, Thorin following me close behind, only to pull me back I'm sure.
I looked ahead to find Bilbo again, only to see him jump off and land safely on the other side, his head bent over and clutching a nearby root, I moved faster.
He was mumbling something to himself before I heard him shout, "Stay where you are!" and then he said, "Oh."
I turned to look behind me and saw the entire company trying to climb across, probably followed after Thorin and me, and Bomber was nestled between a vine ,and I think it was Nori, fast asleep in snoring slumbers. I chuckle mentally but reach for the last vine and jump down next to Bilbo, Thorin right behind me.
Bilbo stands up next to me and I stop moving thinking that I heard the rustle of leaves and I wanted to make sure it wasn't my imagination, apparently Thorin heard it too. Then out from the bushes came something I could never believe to find in this forest.
A white stag.
It was the largest stag I had ever seen... And it was beautiful, and pure... I stood in awe as I watched it huff and snort, then the soft creaking of a tight strung bow was heard behind me.
I turned around, and I see Thorin slowly drawing back his bow, an arrow knocked perfectly in the cradle and his eyes glued firmly on the white animal.
"What are you doing?" Bilbo slurred, Thorin only continued to stare, as if in a complete daze with only him and the stag. He then pulled back quickly all the way and let go.
The arrow missed the stag above his head, and in fright scampered off into the dark woods once again.
Bilbo sighed, "You shouldn't have done that. It's bad luck." I snort for I know that-
"I don't believe in luck." Thorin growled... Yep... "We make our own luck."
I smirked, but my mirth was cut short when Bombur fell into the stream, snoring loudly and would not wake up.
"Oh great..." I mumbled, "Now whose going to carry him?" Everyone groaned as we hauled Bombur to the shore.
In the end it was Fíli, Kíli, Nori, Dwalin, Bifur, and Bofur who ended up carrying the dwarf on a long stretcher as he was fast asleep.
I for one had no care I was far ahead of the company grumbling on how this venture would never end, and our bellies never full, and our eyes forever heavy.
"We need to take a rest." Nori shouted.
And my legs gave out from underneath me and I looked up at Bilbo as he plopped down beside me. I look down the way to see Thorin swaying back and forth on a loose vine and roots, looking like he's in a trance. I sigh, "Sit down. Rest. You need it-"
A soft whispering hiss was heard softly in the air... I stopped moving...
Attercop.... It whispered again
Voices
"What is that?" Bilbo slurred beside me. "Voices."
"Voices! Can you hear them?" Bilbo spoke louder.
Thorin shook his head, "I hear nothing. No wind. No birdsong. What hour is it?" His voice echoed in my head as he spoke. "I do not know, I do not even know what day it is?" Dwalin answered as I leaned against the tree for I sat by.
"This is taking too long. Is there no end to this accursed forest?!" Thorin whined. "None that I can see Adad, only trees and more trees." I answered druggily.
Then I looked over and saw a faint flicker of a light, "There." I mumble. "Thorin!" Thorin stumbled back as he moved from his perch moving members of the company along with him, "This way! Move! Do as I say follow me!"
I grumble slightly as I slowly stand up and sway on my heals heavily enough to make me stumble. "Adad!" But he doesn't listen only continuing on, and I have no choice but to follow. "Come on Bilbo!"
Bilbo turned his head towards my retreating figure and stuttered heavily, "Wait! Wait! Stop! We can't... Leave the pa- We must stay on the path!!!" But no one listened instead we moved on.
Then we were lost....
"I don't remember this place, none of its familiar." Balin shouted
"It's got to be here, it can't have just dissapeared!" Dori bellowed.
"Unless someone's moved it." Dwalin countered.
"It's not over here neither." Ori whined.
"Then we'll find another way through!" I said, I was beginning to be frustrated with their everlasting whines. "Come on, the faster we move forward, the faster we're out of here." They all silently agreed, and we were moving again.
The air became a heavy anvil over our heads, the sight almost foolish but seeing everything and then again nothing at all. The weight on our backs unbearable to a slight fault.
"Look..." Dori began, breaking my trail of thoughts, we were apparently all in makeshift huddle, with a few dwarves spread out here and there. "A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods."
"Dwarves from the Blue Mountains no less." Bofur interrupted, "This is exactly the same as mine." "That's because it is yours." Bilbo sighed in frustration, "Do you understand? We're going round in circles! We are lost."
"We are not lost!" Thorin growled, "We keep heading East!" I swiftly move over towards him putting my hands on his shoulders, "Your pride is so full that you cannot even admit that we are lost?" Thorin eyes narrowed as he turned away from me, facing the ongoing path of the forest.
Suddenly I hear commotion behind me and I turn around to see the company groggily trying to fight our a brawl. Only then did I hear the voices again. This time though, Thorin heard them with me.
"What was that?" He whispered quietly, as he quickly turned around to address the company, "Enough! All of you!" The dwarves stop their arguing and turn towards their leader, "We're being watched." Thorin hushed.
Suddenly a sharp pain entered my back and I grunted softly as I whined, the feeling in my legs becoming dull, "Adad..." Thorin turned around in time to see me fall to the ground and silence erupted my ears and I blinked slowly as I could see Thorin screaming my name, and everything fades to black as I tried to warn them of the back creatures behind them.
Then nothing.
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Elemmírë- "Star-Jewel"
WHEW!!!!!!!! Okay I know I promised to update sooner when I posted my last chapter and I'm so terribly sorry it took me so long... But I hope this will make up for it... Thank you all so much for your votes and comments, they truly put a smile on my face when I am able to see how well my story is loved. So thank you very much. :)
Merry Christmas to you all :) :)
-TC110