there and back again

7

The mountain pass was dangerous and thunder became part of the Company, its voice a constant rumble.

When lightning joined in, however, the hairs on Raine's neck rose.

"This can't be a normal thunder storm!" she shouted over the howling wind. She stared as rocks started moving on the opposite cliffside.

Stone giants.

"It's a thunder battle!" Balin hollered. "Duck!"

She vaguelly heard "The legends are true!", but it was hard to tell who had spoken.

She looked at Thorin behind her. "We need to find shelter."

"Agreed."

Just as they started moving after a small avalanche of falling rubble, they found themselves on the knees of another giant.

The creature stood with a moan, half of the company on the one leg, half on the other.

Raine stared as they were pulled away from the others.

"Hold on!!" was all she managed to shout before the giant was hit with a boulder and thrown back.

It turned its knee to block the fall and so doing Raine, Bilbo and some of the dwarves were pushed into the rock face.

She winced, ushering them  towards a safe ledge.

A relieved Thorin joined them and the other dwarve's there when Bifur asked, "Where's our burglar?"

Raine spotted the hobbit's flailing hand and lunged for it, stabbing a dagger into the rock to keep them ankered.

She pushed Bilbo back onto the ledge path and felt the dagger slip. A hand curled around hers and she looked up.

Thorin hauled her back to safety and herded the Company into a small cave.

Raine was breathing heavily by the time she sat down.

The dwarves made their beds and almost instantly fell asleep, all except Thorin who sat silently.

He gave her a long, hard look before speaking. "How did you get shot by that arrow?" he asked.

She sighed. "I took it for you. I couldn't very well let the leader of this Company die."

He frowned. "I don't believe it was a shot to kill, Guardian. Aimed at the wrong shoulder."

Raine held her breath, but he didn't drawl the topic. "I should probably thank you for helping me not to fall earlier. Being flattened beneath a giant's stone foor didn't sound really appealing."

He cracked a smile. "Take it as a thanking for shielding the arrow."

Raine smiled back. "You should sleep, master dwarf. Our journey will only get more dangerous."

She dozed silently for a few hours where she sat until a shuffling woke her. The hobbit was about to step out of ths cave.

"I hope you're not leaving," she stated.

His shoulders sagged and he started saying something about not belonging with the Company when she cut him off.

"Master hobbit, you need not explain." She smiled. "Though I will miss our conversations greatly, I am hardly in position to stop you."

He opened his mouth and closed it again, nodding.

Raine frowned suddenly. "What's that?"

He looked down at his glowing blade, turning pale. "Goblins."

"Up!" she shouted. "Get up, dammit!"

But the warning came too late. With a heavy groan the floor opened up in panels and the Company was dropped into darkness.