Elm

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Gandalf caught up with me. We were inside the small cave. I could see sunlight outside. I smiled. I chose the right cave.

"Hurry!"

Shouted Gandalf to the company. I ran faster, I could taste the sweet air. Finally, I escaped the stuffy cave. I slowed down my pace to watch the others pile out of the cave. Fili and Kili finally came out after six dwarves. I followed after them. Everyone was running, but I didn't understand why. Goblins couldn't come outside in the light. When it got dark then they should start running.

"Well, look who it is! Lady Elm, nice to see you."

Kili told me as we started to slow down. I gave him a smile.

"Please call me Irene."

I replied nicely. He smiled back. Fili looked up at me with his gentle blue eyes. The fear had left his eyes. The company finally stopped to catch their breath. I stopped next to Fili.

"Who's she?"

Someone asked nastily. A big scary dwarf with tattoos came up to me. He had his ax aimed for my head.

"Master Dwalin, she's not a threat. Put down your ax and welcome Lady Irene. She's here to help."

Gandalf answered Dwalin's question. I gave him a nice smile.

"Lady Irene? No, her name is Elm!"

Thorin told Gandalf out of confusion. Gandalf turned to him and sighed.

"For now and evermore you must call Irene. It is to protect her."

Gandalf replied putting down his staff. Thorin rose his eyebrows in question.

"Since you are going to help us, Irene. Go and search to see what the trail leads us to."

Thorin told me. I nodded my head and walked off. I eyed Gandalf a little bit as I walked past him. When I was far along the path I could hear them start to talk.

"Dwarves!"

I said as I kicked a rock. I started to sketch out what was in front of us. It wasn't much of a trail more like a small path. The small path led me to the cliff with a bunch of trees. I sighed a little bit. We would have to find a different trail down. I started to walk back up only to find the dwarves running towards me.

"Wargs!"

Thorin shouted at me. I turned the other direction towards the cliff and started to climb a tree. If they were just Wargs then maybe if we stayed up in a tree for a bit they would get tired and leave. Then I remembered of the goblin messenger. I sighed to myself as I got into a nice comfy place of the tree. The company followed my actions by climbing the trees. I looked out to find Wargs and their riders. I bit the side of my cheek. Azog the defiler rode up to the scene. I almost lost my balance as he came into my vision. The Wargs were ordered to try to kill us. The dwarves below me got up a bit higher on the tree branches. I yelped out of fear as the Wargs started to hit the tree. I tightened my grip on the tree branch above me. Then the tree I sat on started to fall. I jumped to the next tree only for that one to fall also. I jumped to the next tree with Kilis help. I looked up at Gandalf who was sitting above us. Thorin had finally caught sight of Azog. Gandalf threw down a burning pine cone to me. I grabbed a pine cone that was next to me and set that on fire. I threw that one down at the Wargs that barked as it hit their heads. I passed a couple of pine cones down to the dwarves that were already in flames. I watched as the pine cones were thrown down to the floor. Wargs and their riders rode back so they didn't catch fire. It took interest in me as everything was in flames. Then the tree started to fall. I gripped one of the sturdy branches and slid my sword into its sleeve. I put two hands on one of the branches. Then the tree finally fell. We dangled by branches. I saw a few of the dwarves having difficulty holding onto the branches. I saw Thorin get up. I took interest in this, my father was standing up to fight his nightmare. I bit my lip. I pulled myself up and stood up on the branch. I balanced myself and walked to the trunk. I started to help Fili up who was closest to us. I then heard a sound of cries. I looked over to Thorin who was in the jaws of a warg. I almost fell down. My mouth fell open. I put my hand over my mouth. Thorin was thrown like a broken toy. I could hear yells of the dwarves. I needed to help pull them up so they could help Thorin. The hobbit who I had met once before started running towards Thorin. An Orc started towards Thorin with a sword in his hands. Then the young hobbit stopped him. I then grabbed Fili's arm and helped him up. He started to help the other dwarves up also. I then noticed Gandalf had two dwarves dangling on his staff. I jumped down dangling by my arm and helped the two grab a branch. Gandalf looked relieved by my help. I then got back up and started to help fight the Wargs. If only I had noticed one behind me. He attacked me so suddenly as I got off the tree branch. I was clenched in between his jaws. I started to scream in pain. Someone had noticed me and killed the warg before it could do anymore damage.

"Elm! Elm!"

I heard a dwarf scream. I looked around only to find Azog interested in my name. His warg started coming at me.

"Elm, the demon killer. Elm, the one who protects Middle Earth. Elm, the one to die in my hands!"

Azog said as he came towards me. I laid there on the ground unable to move afraid it would hurt. Fili kneeled down next to me.

"Elm?"

He asked as he wiped the hair out of my face.

"Run."

I told him as I started to spit up blood. I could see Azog start to run for me only to be stopped by an eagle. I looked around. The Eagles are coming. The Eagles.