Are there no end to them?, thought Bali. They just keep coming. Is there an infinite army of orcs attacking?
He had a brief respite, and looked around. Most of the company was down by the wagon, and he was the two elves climb up the hillside, wreaking destruction on the orcs from the hillside. But he knew now that only Belfalod and Kili were at the dell, and they were outnumbered.
"To our companions on the hill! Hurry!" The warriors dashed up the hill, some stopping to throw hatchets or shoot arrows down at the orcs. Bali slew several more, and was about to head up the hill when a Uruk jumped from the undergrowth.
He was a larth, swarty orc, with many wounds and a long slash upon his left arm. He carried a mounstrous double-bladed axe.
Ignoring Bali, he went for the wagon, and before Bali could do anything he had swung down at one axle, and severed a wheel from the machine. He leaped over to another to do the same.
Bali caught his axe as it was raised, pushed it aside, and swung down, catching the orc a heavy blow in the stomach. He fell over, but pulled a long knife out and hurled it at the dwarf from the ground.
Bali twisted away from it and swung down, slaying the orc chieftain. But now he was surrounded with orcs, and had nowhere to run.
Suddenly, a lound blast of many horns sounded throughout the Weather Hills. The group of Gondorian warriors that Bali had recruited charged into the fray. They attacked the orcs, crashing into them at full running speed.
The orcs, dismayed by the reenforcements, turned and fled, but one grabbed the wheel the had fallen off of the wagon and carried it off with him. The warriors attacked them, slaying many.
But then a group of goblins leaped out of the trees, with bows in hand. Bali screamed the warning to "drop!", but few heard him. Seven of the Gondorians fell to the ground, pierced by many shafts, and several of his close comrades were wounded. They destroyed the goblins, but at heavy price.
The group returned to inspect the wagon. It was leaning heavily to one side, with a wheel gone and more importantly an axle broken. "I never saw an axle that would break under a single axe blow by man, dwarf, elf or orc," stated Belegond.
"Well, we must weigh our options. I doubt that we can fix it, as the axle is broken off. We may have to complete the journey to Rivendell on foot, us dwarves. For the horses are safe, and some can ride." This statement was greeted by many growns.
"However, we cannot take the wagon or horses to the Caradhras. We would have left them at Rivendell, anyway. Thus, this will not slow us up that much. Meanwhile, I would like the Gondorians to watch the camp, while the rest of us go and get provisions and firewood. We must make our current supplies last us until Rivendell."
The group left the camp to find meat, herbs, vegatables, and firewood. Little did they know that orcs still prowled through the woods...
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