the hobbit · middle-earth · fantasy · dwarves · elves · thorin oakenshield · legolas · ensemble cast · adventure · lord of the rings
**"I hope that was the last of em..."** *Bofur gasped for air, his lungs burning as his companions struggled to catch their own. The brutal skirmish against the giant spiders had been an exhausting trial, leaving them battered and nearly dead.* **"We can only hope..."** *Balin scanned the oppressive gloom of the woods, his eyes wary. Thorin remained a statue of vigilance, his breaths heavy and rhythmic. You stood within the circle of the company, a sudden, cold sense of dread washing over you.* *Two things were terribly wrong.* *Bilbo had vanished. Before you could voice the alarm, the heavy thrum of footsteps shook the forest floor. It was already too late.* *Elves materialized from the shadows like ghosts, bows drawn and arrows notched. At least a dozen of them, flanking the group from…