-General-
The expedition team camped in a rugged mountainous wilderness, a landscape dominated by rocks as far as the eye could see.
Aldril and Kili's deer were brought back to camp, where the dwarves began preparing them for dinner and as rations for their journey. With the addition of the deer meat, along with a variety of vegetables and greens, tonight's dinner was exceptionally hearty. Then again, dwarven dinners are typically substantial, given their hearty appetites.
"Tsssssss."
A pot hung suspended over a makeshift stone base. Beneath it, wood crackled, steadily bringing the simmering meat soup to a boil. The venison soup released a delightful aroma, causing several dwarves' stomachs to rumble in anticipation.
Dinner provided a welcome respite for the expedition group after a full day of hiking through the arid mountains. However, despite their relaxation, they remained vigilant. They had, after all, entered territory where several orc groups had been sighted.
While the dwarves prepared dinner, Aldril sat atop a rock not far from camp, enjoying the cool evening breeze and keeping watch. Out of curiosity, he opened his system and checked his world exploration progress, which had barely increased.
[World scan: 0.41%]
"It's been a whole month, and I haven't gained any attribute points despite killing all those deer and bears along the way," Aldril thought, maintaining a positive attitude. "At least world exploration has gone up a bit." He was grateful for the small 0.01% increase a few days prior, no matter how minor.
Looking at the dwarves, Aldril sighed. After demonstrating his bow skills, he had been assigned the role of the team's hunter alongside Kili.
"Aldril!"
A shout broke his contemplation, calling him to dinner. He turned to see that the meal was ready. Approaching the group, Aldril filled a bowl with venison soup, poured himself a glass of fruit wine, and began to enjoy a relaxing moment.
As they dined, Glóin stood up. Raising his glass, he declared, "Here's to Aldril and Kili, who brought us such a good portion of meat, allowing us to enjoy this magnificent dinner!"
"Hey Glóin, you've had enough to drink."
"Yes! We don't have enough wine for a toast every dinner."
"We can toast with water. Maybe you can get drunk on that, hahaha."
"I agree!"
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha."
The dwarves' witticisms filled the air, making everyone laugh and lightening the atmosphere.
...
It had been a month since the team departed from Hobbiton. Their journey had led them into the wild mountains, a potential orc territory, leaving no towns or villages in between. Consequently, the dwarves' drinks were being consumed at a rapid pace. Now, they relied heavily on dried, easily transportable, and well-preserved foods like dried vegetables, potatoes, and meats. The quick depletion of their drink supply was no surprise; dwarves, after all, were known for their prodigious drinking habits.
After dinner, the night grew quiet, broken only by the cool breeze of early autumn. Aldril, Bilbo, and Gandalf sat atop a rock, gazing at the night sky. Bilbo and Gandalf enjoyed their pipes, while Aldril sipped fruit wine. He had never tasted alcohol before, but a few weeks prior, he'd been persuaded to try the fruit wine and had found it quite pleasing.
"Ahh, smoking on a night like this is truly relaxing," Bilbo said, closing his eyes contentedly.
Aldril chuckled softly and offered Gandalf some wine. "Would you like a sip?"
"No, thank you. I have some here." Gandalf declined, shaking a canteen he pulled from his tunic.
Rising, Aldril stretched and climbed down from the stone. "All right, I'm off to sleep. Remember, it's your turn to stand guard, Bilbo; don't fall asleep."
Bilbo's eyes widened in surprise, and he jumped. "Is it really my turn? But I'm no good at standing guard!" he protested quickly, but his words fell on deaf ears as Aldril simply waved dismissively. Aldril knew that even if Bilbo wasn't the best at keeping watch, he and Gandalf possessed keen instincts and could easily sense impending danger.
Watching Aldril depart and seeing Bilbo's nervous expression, Gandalf laughed. "Don't overthink it, Bilbo. If you see anything amiss, just shout."
...
As the night deepened and the moon disappeared behind the clouds, a campfire glowed in the makeshift camp. Around it, several dwarves slept soundly. Only one small hobbit remained awake, nervously surveying his surroundings. Next to him, Gandalf slept. All around was silent, as if the entire world had fallen asleep, which only amplified Bilbo's nervousness.
In front of Bilbo, Aldril leaned against a rock, his sword and bow at his side. Suddenly, Aldril's eyes snapped open, a sense of danger prickling him. With his keen night vision, he spotted a group of orcs deep in the forest, moving silently towards them. Without hesitation, he stood up and grabbed his bow. This action unnerved Bilbo, who could only stare as Aldril's shout startled everyone awake.
"Orcs!" "Shiss!"
After his warning, Aldril fired an arrow, striking an orc squarely in the head and killing it instantly. Hearing Aldril's shout, all the team members sprang to their feet. Exposed, the orcs abandoned their stealth and charged towards the group. Without time to ponder why the plot differed from his memories, Aldril fired another arrow, successfully killing a second orc. All of this unfolded in mere seconds.
The dozen dwarves selected for the restoration expedition were seasoned warriors who had experienced skirmishes with orcs in the past, and even the younger ones possessed excellent sword skills. Awakened by Aldril's shout, they reacted immediately and without panic, quickly grabbing their weapons to confront the orcs.
***
Surprise chapter for the two hundred power stones!!!! How do you like my writing? I have found that unlike other authors, I focus a lot on the dialogues.
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