Ashes Of Mirkwood

Camping

No ones POV

The company is camping for the night near the edge of a cliff. As Gloin slept, tiny flying insects get sucked into his mouth every time he inhaled, and they are expelled when he exhaled. Bilbo watches in disgust, then finally got up and walked around. Most of the dwarves are asleep; Gandalf, Ash, Fili, and Kili are awake. Bilbo walks over to his pony and gives her an apple, after checking to see that no one is looking.

"Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. sh, sh" bilbo says. Suddenly he hears screams and his happy attitude is whisked away. He turns quickly to Fili, Kili and Ash.

"What was that?" He asked. "Orcs" Kili replied. As soon as he uttered the word thorin, who was dozing, woke.

"Fantastic.. you woke your uncle.." ash muttered. Another scream was heard making her flinch.

"O.. orcs ?.." bilbo asked. "Throat­cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili said.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili replied. As soon as bilbo turned away from fright, Ash hit kili and fili over the back of their heads while they laughed. "Idiots.." she muttered.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"thorin asked. Fili and kili stoped laughing and smiling. "We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said, looking down slightly.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin said before walking off to the edge of the cliff and looking out over the valley. Balin walks up to the trio instead, glancing at thorin sadly.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." Balin said. "Really?.. could you tell us why?" Ash asked. Balin simply nodded in response.

"After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first." He again. "Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler." A shiver went up ash's spine as soon as she hears that name. "The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King...Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc." Balin said, smiling.

"Thorin.." ash muttered, glancing back at the cold prince slightly.

"He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent...wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived...And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." Balin finished. At this point the whole company was awake. Staring at thorin in awe.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked. "He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin said, hatred lacing his tone.

The next day
Ash's POV

We tracked slowly through a muddy forest. The rain is unforgiving. We're all cold.. wet.. and utterly miserable..

"Here, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori asked. "He's a wizard idiot. Not a god.." I muttered under my breath.

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard." Gandalf replied.

"Are there any?" Bilbo asked. "What?" I heard Gandalf ask, he either didn't hear him or wanted more time to make up a lie.

"Other wizards?" Bilbo added. "There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards; you know, I've quite forgotten their names." Gandalf said, looking back as if he were in great thought. I chuckled. "And who is the fifth?" Bilbo asked. "Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown." Gandalf said with a smile. "Is he a great Wizard or is he...more like you?" Bilbo asked. Gandalf looked slightly offended and I could barely contain my laughter. "I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world." Gandalf said.

"Radagast? Isn't he the wizard in the west side of mirkwood close to the doguldor border ?" I asked. Gandalf nodded. "How would you know that lassy?" Gloin asked. I froze for a moment. "I went to but herbs for medicine from him once. Got stabbed by an arrow or two on my travels and I didn't feel like getting infections" I replied.

After a few hours we arrived at an old abandoned farm house. It looked wrecked. I jumped off my horse and trailed my fingers along the walls of the ruined home. " a farmer and his family used to live here.." Gandalf said. Everyone was ignoring us. I sighed. Thorin started giving everyone jobs. Gandalf went back over to thorin. I leaned against the wall and looked at the sky, listening to their conversation.

"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley." Gandalf commented. My ears perked up. I glanced at them, covering my ears with my hair. Hidden valley?.. rivendale..