Chapter 56: Close
-Expedition Team-
In the distance, sixteen figures could be seen running across an open field. Among these figures, two men stood out; in the arms of one of them hung a small figure looking back in panic. Behind these men, thirteen small figures were running, gripped by fear, as a huge bear relentlessly pursued them.
The brilliant moonlight illuminated the open field, revealing a cabin. This cabin was the destination of the expedition team. Moments ago, they had been discovered by the enormous bear, leaving them with no choice but to run to the cabin for refuge.
"ROAAAR"
The giant bear roared, its imposing figure clearly visible in the moonlight. It was eager to catch the figures running ahead of it. For some reason, they were very fast, perhaps due to adrenaline or something else, but the bear didn't consider this. All it wanted was to catch and maul them for daring to enter its territory.
The roar seemed to spur the expedition team on, and they ran even faster. Bombur, in his panic, glanced back to see the bear gaining on them. He immediately urged his feet to run as fast as they could. Miraculously, his obese body responded, and with unusual speed for a figure like his, he managed to outpace the other dwarves, catching up with the two taller figures.
"Huff" "Huff" "Huff"
Bombur's gasping breaths made the dwarves even more nervous. Thorin shouted, intending to motivate his men, "Hurry! Hurry!"
However, Thorin's shouts weren't necessary, as the dwarves, seeing the increasingly imposing figure of the bear, ran like madmen, using every bit of energy they had left in this critical situation.
All of this was being observed by a group of orcs riding Wargs. They watched from a distance in the forest, led by Azog. After months of recovery, Azog still felt the pain of the new scar he had received. It was a humiliation; first from the mother, now from the son. Yes, Azog knew Aldril was Tindómiel's son, as he had the same scent, eyes, and hair as her. Every time he remembered the fear he felt, his fury and desire for revenge intensified. He wouldn't stop until those filthy dwarves and that wretched woman's child were dead.
A scowl formed on his face. He didn't want those bastards to die by the bear; he wanted to be the one to kill them. But those were just his desires. If Thorin's team died by the bear, the dwarves would be left leaderless and easier to eradicate. Yes, there was that red-bearded dwarf, but Azog was confident he could kill him.
***
"Tum, Tum, Tum"
The ground trembled with each step the bear took, its enormous body causing the earth to shake, a living testament to its immense size. The expedition team felt this, sweating profusely, as if this chase would never end. The cabin seemed to recede with each step they took.
But these were just hallucinations. Soon, Aldril, Gandalf, and surprisingly Bombur, were the first to reach the cabin. In front of them stood a massive wooden door secured by a chain. In his desperation, Bombur yanked at the chain, hoping to break it.
"Move aside!" Aldril shouted, having already set Bilbo down. With a swift motion, he unsheathed his sword.
"Clink"
The sound of the chain falling echoed as Aldril sliced through it. Quickly, Gandalf and Bombur opened the heavy door. Bilbo, being the smallest, dashed through the opening as it was being created.
The other members arrived running and hurried into the cabin. Aldril and Gandalf began to close the door after the last dwarf entered. Feeling that the door was closing too slowly, everyone began to push.
As the door was about to shut, the bear's head appeared in the remaining gap. Panic ensued, and they applied more force, hoping to close the door. But the bear didn't give up and exerted even more force. Seeing this, Aldril didn't wait any longer and delivered a powerful punch to the bear's snout, making it retreat. The others quickly seized the opportunity to close the door.
"Uf, I thought we were going to die," Kili said, collapsing on the floor near the door. Fili nodded in agreement and leaned against the door.
"Ahh!" He screamed involuntarily as the door shook from the bear's continued pounding.
"Bang Bang Bang"
The pounding continued, the door and floor trembled. They were fortunate that the door was very thick, capable of withstanding such powerful blows. The dwarves held their breath, fearing that making noise might further agitate the bear. As the minutes passed, the pounding and external noises ceased. Only then did the dwarves breathe a sigh of relief and collapse on the floor.
"Is it gone?" Ori asked, approaching the door and placing an ear against it, trying to hear if the bear was still nearby.
"I hope so," Nori added.
"Don't get too close to the door!" Balin whispered urgently, pulling Ori back, fearing the bear might break through at any moment and attack them.
"What kind of bear is that?" Thorin asked, turning to Gandalf, expecting the wizard to answer his question.
Gandalf sighed in relief, sensing the bear had left. He sat on a nearby hay bale and looked at Thorin. "He is the master of this place," he said, surprising the dwarves, whose faces were filled with disbelief. Aldril already knew this but still feigned surprise, raising an eyebrow.
"The master of this place?" Kili asked incredulously, unable to imagine how a bear could live in such a place. From what he glimpsed, it looked like a place where a person would live, not a bear. 'Or maybe the bear is his pet,' he thought.
Gandalf, seeing the incredulous faces, explained, "Yes, this is his home. He is a skin-changer; his name is Beorn."
"A skin-changer? What's that?" Bilbo asked curiously, having never heard the term before.
-Meanwhile, with Azog-
Azog was extremely annoyed. He saw how the expedition team managed to enter the cabin, escaping the giant bear. It seemed that fate still wanted Thorin and his group alive.
An orc beside him approached and asked, "Shall we attack them?" The question earned the orc an irritated look from Azog, who, with an angry roar, said, "Don't be stupid, this is that bear's territory, and I doubt we can kill it with our small numbers."
Turning to another orc, he gave an order, "Watch them. When they leave, inform me. We'll kill them on the road." At that precise moment, the sound of footsteps through a bush made him alert, fearing that another creature might emerge and attack them.
But he relaxed his guard upon seeing a tall, pale, deformed orc with a metal structure covering part of his skull, riding a warg. This was his son, Bolg, whom he had left in charge of the army while he pursued the dwarves.
The orc did not greet his father; it was not their custom. With a growl, he spoke loudly, "I bring a message from the master. He wants you to go to Dol Guldur." This surprised Azog, who was silent for a few seconds before looking at his son.
"Grr, the dwarves are yours. Kill them on the road." With that said, he urged his warg to ride off and left.
***I'm back and stronger! you filthy orcs!!! I may still be in pain, but I'm doing my best.
Enjoy the chapter, I greatly appreciate your comments of support, it's gratifying to know that when a camarda needs help there will always be someone willing to offer a hand in support.
Remember to support me on patreon where there are 15 chapters ahead "P@treon.com/Mrnevercry".