Erebor's Guardian

Chapter 11

Once freed, the dwarves dashed to dress themselves. I sat on the statue cleaning the blood from my sword with some fabric from the sacks. Thorin came from the forest strutting towards me. He looked apologetic, but I rolled my eyes returning to my sword.

"Lakota," Thorin's gruff voice spoke softly. "I was mistaken not to value your instincts or suggestion." I refused to look at him cleaning my sword which was nearly spotless. "Lakota, please look at me." I rolled my eyes with a huff looking down at him. "I am truly sorry."

I stared at him without saying a word.

"Will you please say something?" He begged.

I sheathed my sword pulling my knees up to rest my forearms on them. "What for? It will never change anything."

I could see how deep my words cut into him. "Lakota..."

Suddenly hands gripped my shoulders and pushed me off the stone troll. I yelped as I tried to stop myself from falling but landed into Thorin's arms bridal style. My heart raced in my chest as I held onto him. I looked up to where I was sitting to find Kili and Bofur with a shit eating grin on their faces. Thorin set me on my feet and I launched for them. Thorin caught me around the waist holding me back as the two dashed for cover.

"They will pay for that." I growled.

"Do remember Kili is my heir." Thorin turned me to him. His hands lingered in mine. "Amrâlimê, please forgive me. My temper got in the way of my judgement." He pulled me closer leaning his head on mine.

I sighed fighting myself for fighting with him and forgiving him. "I'm not going to lie to you. I am still very pissed off."

"I know."

"And it will slip out now and again because you hurt me Thorin." I tried to steady my voice.

"I am so sorry." His lips lingered on my forehead.

"Thorin," Dwalin's voice interrupted us. I recoiled back from Thorin. "We found a cave nearby."

"Go on." I took another step back. "I've had enough of trolls for a lifetime." I left them to find Kylie and Jenna lounging in the sun rays. "How is this going?" I lightly kicked Kylie's boot.

Kylie laid with her eyes closed, legs crossed, and arms folded behind her head. "Eh. Just enjoying the look on your face when Kili pushed you off."

"Oh really?" I growled. "And who's idea was it?"

Kylie opened one eye to look at me with a grin on her face. "Bofur's."

"So, did you two make up?" Jenna asked, running her fingers through her hair.

I gave her a cross look. "Make up? You act like we are dating." They both shared a look smiling at me. "We are not dating!"

Kylie sat up holding her knees. "But you want to be."

I opened my mouth to answer her and my face flushed. A rustling sound caught my ears and drew my sword reading myself for an attack.

"Something's coming!" Dwalin shouted.

We all rushed to prepare for an ambush with everyone following my lead. Out of the brush exploded several large rabbits linked together like sled dogs pulling a wooden sled. The handler was dressed in ragged brown robes and matching hat.

"Thieves, murders, fire!" The man shouted, and his sled team stopped in the center of us.

"Radagast!" Gandalf said in relief. "Radagast the brown." The grey wizard sheathed his sword approaching his old friend. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Radagast looked around in a quirky way before leaning over to Gandalf. "Gandalf, I've been looking for you. Something's wrong. Something terribly wrong." The wizard struggled to remember his words. "Oh! I had it on the tip of my tongue." The wizard opened his mouth to a stick insect on his tongue. Gandalf removed the bug, placing it in his friend's hand. I tried not to gag. "Oh! It's not a thought at all. It's a silly old stick insect."

Gandalf pulled his friend away from the company, so they could speak privately. I sheathed my sword as the princes approached.

"Are you girls alright?" Kili asked, approaching Kylie.

Kylie gave him a look. "Yes, we are alright. We're not that helpless."

"I know that." Kili tilted his head brushing a lock from Kylie's face making her blush. "I just don't want anything to happen to you. You're a part of the company now."

I expected more of a rebellious fight from Kylie, but she swooned under his charm.

Bofur came over, leaning his arm on my shoulder. "That's right. You each have your own names now. Jenna the powerful witch, Kylie the fearless and Lakota the troll slayer."

"Troll slayer?" I scoffed.

"Aye lass." Bofur puffed out his chest holding onto the sides of his coat. "The only one of us to slay a troll and live to tell the tale."

I chuckled. "For now."

The dwarves went into an up roar of cheering. Thorin came over to me holding a new sword in hand. The blade was curved with elvish engravings while the grip was made from an aged dragon tooth. Thorin held the blade out examining it before sheathing it on his back. He then handed me a white bow with golden leaves carved into the wood with a matching quiver filled with arrows.

"A gift." Thorin smiled as I took the bow in awe.

"Thank you." I ran my hand down the limb of the bow feeling each engraving.

A howl interrupted us and Thorin drew his sword once more. Bilbo seemed the most worried as the others scanned around.

"Was that a wolf? Are there wolves out there?" Bilbo asked.

"Wolves? No," Bofur answered him. "That is not a wolf."

A snarl came from behind us as a titanic sized wolf-like creature with mangled brown fur, broken yellow teeth and long black claws came over the ridge of the hill. The beast pounced at us and I pushed Kylie out of the way leaving me with nowhere to go. Thorin pulled me back behind him with one hand and slammed his new sword down into the neck of the beast with such force it wedged in there. Another wolf came from the other direction moving in for the kill. Kili's arrow zipped past my head burying itself into the neck of the beast knocking it off its feet. I ducked behind Thorin away from the snapping jaws of the beast as Dwalin finished it off with his hammer.

Thorin pulled his sword free. "Warg scouts. Which means an orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo squeaked.

Gandalf towered over Thorin. "Who did you tell beyond your kin?"

"No one." Thorin growled back.

"Who did you tell!"

"No one I swear!" Thorin looked the wizard dead in his eyes. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

Gandalf looked around desperately. "You are being hunted."

My stomach dropped to my feet.

"We have to get out of here." Dwalin warned.

Ori and Bifer came running down the hill. "We can't!" Ori puffed. "We have no ponies, they bolted!"

We all looked at each other, the feeling of dread creeping up on us. Radagast volunteered himself. "I'll draw them off!"

Gandalf was not pleased with the plan. "These are gundabad wargs they will outrun you."

Radagast looked a bit insulted and he puffed out his chest. "These are rhosgobel rabbits! I'd like to see them try..." He grinned mischievously.