Victoria in Middle Earth

Chapter Twenty One

As his White Warg growls, Azog strokes it and talks ominously. "Do you smell it? The scent of fear? I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain." said Azog in Black Speech. 

Thorin looks stricken with pain and grief, realizing that Azog had captured his father. "It cannot be." said Thorin. Azog speaks to his Wargs and Riders. "That one is mine. Kill the others!" said Azog in Black Speech. 

At his command, the Wargs leap forward and try to climb the trees. They jump as high as they can, scrabbling at the tree trunks and breaking apart branches in their jaws in their efforts. The trees shake violently at the assault, and the Dwarves struggle to hold on. 

"Drink their blood!" said Azog in Black Speech as the Wargs continue shaking the trees, trying to get to the Company. With the weight of the Wargs climbing it, the furthest tree from the edge of the cliff, which Bilbo and several other Dwarves are in, gets uprooted from the ground and begins leaning wildly. 

As more Wargs grab onto it, the tree tips over and lands on the next tree; the Dwarves and Bilbo jump from the falling tree to the next. However, this tree as well tips over, all the trees begin falling over. 

All the Dwarves, Victoria, Bilbo, and Gandalf manage to jump onto the last tree, on the very edge of the cliff. This tree doesn't fall over. Azog laughs. Looking around in desperation, Gandalf spies a pinecone. He grabs it and uses his staff to set the pinecone on fire; he then throws it down amid the Wargs, who retreat in fear of the fire. 

Azog is startled and angry at the unexpected resistance. Gandalf lights two more pinecones and throws one down to Fili.] He catches the pinecone. Bilbo and the Dwarves gather pinecones and Gandalf sets them on fire; then throw the flaming pinecones like missiles at the Wargs. All the area around the tree gets set on fire, forcing the Wargs to retreat a distance. 

At least one Warg gallops away with its fur alight. Azog roars in anger and frustration as the Dwarves cheer. Suddenly, their cheers turn into cries of fear as the roots of the tree they are in start to give way; the tree tips precariously over the edge of the cliff, but comes to a rest sticking straight out away from the edge of the cliff. 

Gandalf looks down and sees the ground far, far, below. The Dwarves try to hold on as they get flung around. Ori loses his grip on the tree and falls, but manages to grab on to Dori's leg.] "Aahhh! Oh! Oh no!" yells Ori. 

"Mister Gandalf!" yells Dori. Because of the extra weight, Dori loses his grip on the tree as well and falls, but Gandalf quickly swings his staff down and Dori grabs on to the end of it. "Hold on, Ori!" says Dori. [Azog growls, Thorin, clinging to the tree, looks at him in hate and anger. 

Thorin pulls himself up, his sword drawn, and walks down the leaning trunk as Bilbo and the others, hanging from the tree, look on. Thorin runs through the burning ground at Azog and his White Warg. "Thorin!" Victoria yells, but he ignores her. 

Azog spreads his arms wide with a smug grin on his face.