Scouting the Towers

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By the time we reached the top of Ravenhill, I was several yards behind everyone else. They had already fought off numerous attackers, leaving me looking somewhat pathetic as I stood there panting. The others came back over, wiping the blood off their blades. I turned back into my Elven form and bent double, panting.
"Honestly," laughed Fili "Can't manage a little hill Eleana?" I glared at him, bestowing a look on him that told him to shut up. Fili paled.
"You try running all the way up yourself and then tell me it's not that hard," I gasped. Thorin chuckled. I smiled at him.
"At least you've got your sense of humour back," I commented. Aleron looked incredulous.
"Did he have a sense of humour to start with?" She asked. We all chuckled, except from Dwalin; who looked increasingly confused.
"Dwalin?" I asked.
"Why on earth are you lot telling jokes in the middle of a battle?" He asked, his bushy eyebrows rising.
"Just tying to defuse the tension," said Fili and Kili at the same time.
~{<>}~
Thorin's face suddenly turned serious. I detected it too, something had changed. I pricked up my ears and scanned our surroundings, my nose trying to pick up so much as a trace of what it was. I glanced to the others, everyone had gone still.
"Where is he?" Asked Kili "It looks empty, I think Azog has fled."
"Don't be a fool, Kili, he's just hiding," said Aleron, looking out across the ice. Thorin turned back to us and looked at Fili.
"Fili," he said "Take your brother. Scout out the towers. Keep low and out of sight. If you see something, report back. Do not engage. Do you understand?"
"We have company," said Dwalin, cutting the boys off "Goblin mercenaries. No more than a hundred."
"We'll take care of them. Go!" Said Thorin "Go!"
"We'll go with you," I said "You take the left, Aleron and I will take the right." Fili and Kili nodded and we disappeared into the towers.
~{<>}~
I could hear the battle ensuing behind us as Aleron and I disappeared into the depths of the tunnels. Metal clashed on metal as Thorin and Dwalin battled the goblins. Half of me wished I had stayed with them but the other half knew I was making their job a whole lot easier by keeping an eye out for Azog. Aleron and I walked in silence, keeping our eyes and ears open for the enemy.
~{<>}~
Aleron and I reached the top of the tower. We looked out, no enemies in sight. Suddenly, an ominous drumming filled the air. Aleron and I froze. She drew her bow from its holster on her back and nocked an arrow, keeping the bow slightly drawn in her hands. We watched the other tower as figures began to appear out of the icy mist. It was Azog, dragging Fili behind him. He held Fili up by the collar, speaking in his rough, wretched language. Not knowing what he was saying infuriated me as I watched Fili in horror. Aleron raised her bow warily but didn't shoot. I looked down at her with wide eyes.
"Shoot his hand Aleron!" I ordered, panic taking over my mind as Fili squirmed in Azog's grasp.
"Run!" Yelled Fili, looking in panic at his uncle. I could see Kili at the base of the tower, looking up at his brother.
"Shoot him!" I yelled at Aleron. She shifted onto one knee and drew her bow back all the way, her eyes fixed on the target. She still didn't shoot.
"Shoot Aleron! For gods sake shoot!" I screamed, not tearing my eyes from Fili. Azog swung his blade. I looked away. I grimaced as a scream filled my ears....

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