The IRE of Winter

9.2

I stood feeling defeated, I need to keep walking until I could walk no more. Rod was right, any delay means trouble and the wind seemed unfriendly as dawn drew near. Besides, the Elf thought I'm a burden, I'll prove him wrong! But all the whilst, I turned my head in the hope that he would pity me, he didn't.

Aramis offered help but I turned deaf on him. 'I can walk,' I lied in a grumpy tone.

Suddenly, we heard a loud crashing sound, rumbling noise followed by a howl from a distance. My heart pounded, panic made me stumble back to the ground. Everyone readied their weapons, Gimli swung his ax side to side, Legolas and Aramis readied their bows while Rod drew his sword, I only had a knife. Bless me! Someone should have given me a sword! I found myself praying help to good Valar. 'This can't get any worse, can it?'

'Run... run...' Gimli bellowed.

It happened so fast. Legolas picked me up, Aramis started to fire arrows while we all ran forward. Breathing fast, frightened to my bones. Wargs, a pack of them. A few stumbled on the ground. Aramis continued to fire arrows. Rod hurled burning pinecones but fire simply made it even worse. Soon, there were goblins hopping out of the dark.

'Save your arrows...run,' Gimli shouted. He was quite falling behind. 'Run faster lads.'

'I can't,' Legolas cried back. He was fast even if he had me in his arms. His eyes were fierce. He's more scary when tensed.

'Put me down...put me down.' I yelled out of pride. And he did.

He pulled his bow and started to shoot. He never missed. He fired two arrows at a time, Gimli swung his ax and smashed  goblins by the heads, jabbed and hammered and the creatures hesitated in painful shrieks. Gimli was strong, the creatures backed away upon seeing him crushing heads with ease. Rod joined. He swung his two swords and goblin heads came flying off one by one.

I stood trembling behind Legolas.

'Retreat...' Gimli cried raising his ax as he called on the others. More and more came, furious goblins armed with spears and bows. Blimey! I knew this was coming, I didn't know it's going to be this worse. I ran as fast as my feet could take me, jerking awkwardly hopping on one leg.

'Safirah!' Aramis ran towards me but before he could pick me up, Legolas scooped me off the ground and dashed - faster this time. He was breathing fast, I could feel his pulse raising with mine.

'Legolas, take the girl away from here. We will try to hold them off.' Gimli shouted. I saw the three battled with a hoard of goblins. Legolas ran faster leaping in the air. He was extraordinary he carried me like a child in his arms. I could feel his heartbeat pounding, heaving.

I saw Gimli swung his ax, jabbed and danced, until the goblins covered him. 'Giiiimli...'

'He'll be alright,' Legolas murmured as he heaves for air. ' He is a dwarf. Dwarves like him do not get killed by goblins.'

O that's very comforting!

I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly as he galloped to the clearing. Gimli roared, yelping all sorts of mocking words in dwarvish. I saw the three ran with a horde of goblins following them. A fleet of angry goblins chasing their backs, firing spears and arrows.

Rod and Aramis had their shields, Gimli covered his head with his arm under the safely of his leather gauntlets. Legolas did not look back, he had much confidence on his friend than I thought. Ill luck came and we found ourselves near a fifty feet cliff, the other side was fifteen away. Legolas put me down and he searched for something to get us across. There was no way we could outrun wargs, the safest thing to do was to get to the other side.