The Lastborn: A Middle Earth Story(Book 1)(EDITING)

Chapter 28: Warg Attack

   Despite Raldis' attempts to cover their trail, the sound of the wargs grew closer. Gerithor couldn't tell how many there were, but he knew that if they were caught by any more than a couple they were in trouble. With Eldahir injured as he was, they'd have to focus on protecting him. And he didn't expect that Raldis was much of a fighter, given his easy defeat at Eldahir's hands at Fornost. He also realized that he hadn't really seen Kalan's capabilities as a warrior either. A knot formed in his stomach, and feelings of doubt filled his mind. If they couldn't defeat a few wargs, how could they possibly defeat Arnakhor?
He tried to keep the hopeless thoughts away, but they kept coming. Even if they did defeat him, what then? This was clearly bigger than Arnakhor. What if all his friends died? How would he go on?
Enough! He mentally shouted. He was the leader of this group, like it or not. And he wasn't about to let them fail while there was still a chance.
"Turn to face them!" He said bravely. "We can't outrun them, we might as well fight!"
Kalan looked at Gerithor with a gleam in his eye and a grin. "Aye lad. As me mum used to say..." He seemed lost in thought for a second. "Never mind what she used to say, we've got a fight on our hands!"
Gerithor smiled and looked at his companions. Eldahir was pale, but wore a determined look. Sarina stood in front of him protectively, sword drawn.
Gerithor had noticed that she was growing closer to Eldahir during the journey, even protective of him. The thought filled him with a small amount of comfort.
Raldis was looking back and forth furtively between the companions and into the distance. A snowstorm was beginning so it was difficult to see that far.
"Never thought I'd be drawing swords with a ranger," Raldis said and laughed nervously.
"I never thought I'd be drawing swords with a Black Numenorean either, so we're even," Gerithor said as he pulled out his bow. He'd try to get at least one shot off before using his sword. He fitted an arrow to the string.
They all stood in a defensive semicircle, Gerithor at the front and Eldahir behind them all. The sound of hunting wargs grew closer. Snow was now blowing wildly around, and they couldn't see much more than a few feet in front of them.
The howls were very close now. It was clear there were at least four wargs, perhaps more. One of them was only a few feet away but none of them could see it through the blinding snow.
Gerithor aimed his bow in the direction of the sounds, tilting his head slightly to hear. He fired the bow with a twang, and a second later a warg howled out in pain. He quickly pulled out another arrow and shot into the snowstorm again, this time in the opposite direction. Another warg was silenced.
Suddenly the wargs were upon them. From out of the storm came six of them, snow white in color. They attacked the group without warning, and soon the party was separated. Gerithor was knocked to the ground as a warg pounced on top of him. He stabbed it in the side and it jumped back, baring its teeth at him. Gerithor quickly stood and slashed at the beast. It dodged out of the way and jumped on top of him again, repeatedly clamping its mouth shut in an attempt to reach the young ranger's neck. He held it at bay with one arm, but the strength of the beast was overpowering him. He pulled out his dagger and quickly thrust at the warg's neck. It collapsed on him and he quickly rolled out from under it, back onto his feet.
He looked around, and began to panic when he saw nobody around him. The storm had separated him from the group.
===============================
Eldahir and Sarina fought side by side, Sarina trying to protect Eldahir and Eldahir trying to help as best he could. Two wargs circled them, waiting for an opening to attack. One warg already lay slain on the ground beside them.
Without warning both wargs simultaneously charged, knocking Eldahir to the ground. Sarina rushed one of them, trying to keep it away from Eldahir. The other one came from behind and began to claw at Eldahir, who swung at it but was still too weak to do much damage. Sarina turned and slashed at it with her sword, making it jump back.
At that moment a sword cut through it from behind and it fell to the ground. Raldis helped Eldahir up and stood back to back with the other two.
"Thanks for the help my friend," Eldahir said gratefully as the remaining warg retreated into the storm.
"Where's Gerithor? And Kalan?" Eldahir asked, filled with worry.
===============================
He was right to worry, for just a little distance away Kalan was fending off three wargs all by himself. He brandished his axe menacingly.
"Khazad abod amuriz!" He cried as he rushed into the wargs. He swung his axe around madly, hewing two of the wargs immediately. Another warg appeared and joined in the attack. It leapt into the air, landing on the dwarf and knocking him to the ground. His axe flew from his grip and landed a few feet away.
The warg snapped at him, its face getting closer and closer to his. It growled, and hot smelly air hit Kalan's face.
"Don't ya clean yerself at all, beastie?" He grunted as he tried to push the warg away. Just then he heard a cry ring through the air.
"Defend the North!!"
He looked over in the direction of the cry and saw Gerithor, sword raised high, rushing towards the wargs. The one on top of Kalan looked over and gave Kalan an opportunity. He heaved with all his strength and pushed the beast off him just enough for him to roll out from under it and grab his axe. He swung and his axe made contact with the warg's skull. At the same time Gerithor slashed at its neck, cutting its head off. Kalan paused a moment.
"I had it sorted lad! That was my kill!" He snorted and rushed at the other warg. Just as he reached it a dagger planted itself in the warg's eye socket. It howled and fell to the ground with a thud. Kalan spun to face Gerithor, who had his eyebrow raised. Kalan couldn't see his mouth under the scarf but the twinkle in his eyes made it clear he was wearing a smug grin.
"Now that's just rude," Kalan said with a smirk. He winked at the ranger and laughed.
"I'm glad I found you Kalan, I was separated from everyone for a time." Gerithor walked over to the warg and retrieved his dagger.
"Aye, I don't know where the rest are." Kalan cocked his head to the side, listening. Other than the howling wind, it was silent. There was no sign of wargs.
"I think we drove the warg pack back for now," Gerithor said, watching the dwarf.
"I think so too. Now to find our friends," Kalan said. He took a few steps forward, then stopped. Directly in front of them was a tall black wall.
===============================
"The Wall is just a short ways away if I'm not mistaken," Raldis said as he trudged through the snow. "If the others survived they probably made their way towards it."
"How do we know that though? They could still be out there somewhere!" Sarina shouted through the howling wind, pointing into the storm.
Eldahir stumbled as he tried to keep up, and fell into the snow. Sarina ran back and helped him up, pulling his arm around her and letting him lean on her for support.
"We have to look for them," Eldahir said in a shaky voice. His face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot.
"No! You're barely able to walk, if we get past the Wall I know of somewhere we can take shelter. We can look for them from there." Raldis pulled his black cloak closer to himself, but seemed mostly unaffected by the cold.
Sarina shivered. "We can't leave them out here to die! There may be more wargs around!"
"We can't take the risk, Eldahir can't fight." Raldis turned to face her, his piercing blue eyes looking into hers. "If you value his life, we must go."
She sighed. They couldn't leave Kalan and Gerithor to die. As mad as she was at Gerithor, she still didn't want anything to happen to him. But Eldahir was doing terribly. They needed to get him somewhere safe.
"Very well, lead the way," she said cautiously. She still didn't trust the Black Numenorean but they really had no other choice. She was still confused though... If he was deserting, why was he running toward Angmar instead of away from it? She decided she'd ask the next time she got a chance.
Raldis smiled slightly at her. "Follow me." He took off at a jog through the snow. Sarina and Eldahir followed at a slower pace, Eldahir leaning heavily on her.
"Thank you my friend..." Eldahir said weakly.
"I'm glad to help." She smiled and put an arm around him, helping him over the uneven ground.
They soon reached the wall, and there was a small gate in its side. It was wide open, and no guards were in sight.
   "That's very odd indeed... The gate is never open," Raldis mused.
"Why would it be open now?" Sarina looked at the soldier nervously.
"I do not know. But it's good fortune for us." With that he ran through the gate. Sarina and Eldahir followed, into the snowy wastes.
===============================
   Kalan and Gerithor stood at the wall, uncertain of what to do.
   "Maybe there's a gate further down?" Gerithor suggested.
   "Even if there was, it'd be closed. I have just the thing for this though." Kalan pulled his pack from his back and pulled out a rope and pick. He tied the rope to the pick, and with a heave threw the pick over the wall. A dull thud sounded from the other side.
   He tugged on the rope, and it went taut.
   "Lucky throw!" The dwarf laughed and handed the rope to Gerithor. "Climb to the top and make sure it's safe. I'll climb after. Believe it or not I'm most likely heavier than you."
   "I'll take your word for it friend," Gerithor laughed and patted the dwarfs stomach jokingly. Kalan frowned, his bushy eyebrows covered in snow.
   Gerithor leapt lightly up, holding onto the rope and climbing the wall. The strong wind made it difficult, but he eventually reached the top. He looked to either side before climbing up. Nobody was on the wall that he could see. He hoisted himself over onto the wall and looked down to see Kalan already halfway up the side of the wall. He made it to the top in half the time it took Gerithor, and sprang lightly onto the top.
   "Let's go then! What're you waiting for!" Kalan and Gerithor climbed down the other side, and made their way into the vast expanse of Angmar.