The orcs quickly overwhelmed and slew the elves on guard. Dozens of the foul things crawling over the walls. Namir tore the first one to come at him to pieces with his claws and the body clattered over the edge and into the water. The next one had it's throat ripped out and black blood sprayed. Namir snarled, the gore dripping from his teeth (orc blood was disgusting) as more orcs swarmed from the left, elves falling under their quick onslaught. "Namir!" Kili called. "The leaver!" Namir's tail flicked and he fixed his eyes on the wooden leaver a few feet away. He jumped, hooking his weight over it and pulling it down. The gate opened and the dwarves all yelled as the current washed their barrels away. 

Namir rolled off the leaver and onto the stone. An orc fell behind him and he turned. Legolas was running down the bank, bow out and arrows flying. Tauriel behind him. The two leaving a trail of dead orcs behind them as they chased after the dwarves. Legolas glanced at Namir. The cat stared back for a second before flicking his tail and climbing over the wall and disappearing after his companions. The orcs all following. 

The river knocked the barrels about like acorns on the wind. The current moving the dwarves faster than the orcs could keep up with. Namir raced along the riverbank, leaping at any orc that came close. His sharp claws ripping through their skin with all the savageness of an angry animal. His teeth bared and black blood matting his fur. In the water, the dwarves were fighting with whatever they could grab. Weapons from the dead orcs, branches floating alongside them. Namir was quite impressed they how synchronised they were, throwing weapons back and forth to each other and knocking any orc that tried to attack them. On orc tried to spear Bombur but the spearhead jammed in the wood of the barrel. The ginger dwarf grabbed a axe from the orc's belt and cut off it's head. The spear staff them caught on the rocks and flipped the barrel and it's dwarf up into the air. 

Namir dodged out of the way as the barrel rolled past. It bounced along the rocks, knocking down orcs as it went. When it finally came to a stop, arms burst out holding axes stolen from the dead orcs. (If he was human, Namir would have been laughing so hard he cried. The sight was hilarious). Namir threw himself to the dwarf's aid as he cut down the orcs surrounding them. The cat using the orcs as platforms to leap from as he tore through armour. When they were all dead, Bombur pulled off the remains of his barrel and threw himself back into the rive, landing neatly in an empty barrel with a shout. Namir continuing to follow them along the bank.

During the fight, Legolas had caught up with them. The blonde elf switching between his blades and his bow with lighting speed as the river dragged them on. The orc that charged at Namir was stuck down by an arrow and the panther leapt over it's body. From the other bank, Legolas nodded at him before throwing himself into the water. His feet landing on Dori and Dwalin's heads. The dwarves both shouting in surprise as the Elf balanced on them, the water pushing them all along. Namir was slightly impressed, which he took out on the orc archer who had been aiming for the blonde prince. 

Legolas twirled in on Dori's head to avoid a black arrow, his own arrows finding their marks, then he was leaping across the dwarves and onto the bank where Namir was running. The elf tackling a orc as Namir dug his teeth into another's shoulder. The bodies fell and the elf was skidding down a slope to fire his next arrow between an orc's eyes. Namir and the elf keeping pace side by side for a moment. "You are terrifying in your animal form", Legolas commented as he slashed an orc's neck. Neither of then stopping moving to watch the body choke. Namir made a pleased rumble and turned. He leapt out onto water, paws landing on Fili's shoulders and using him as a stepping stone. "Again!" Fili shouted in annoyance as Namir leapt onto bomber and Ori in quick succession before landing on the other bank. Legolas following, with much angry shouting from the floating dwarves. 

Namir threw himself at the nearest orc with a savage growl. The orc's throat filling his teeth as he ripped the flesh away. He stepped back from the nearest body then ran after the next one. Legolas was busy fighting two orcs but a third was coming up behind him. Namir tore the orc down and the creature shrieked as it died. The cat looked up, mouth messy with blood and snarled. No more orcs surrounded them. Down in the river, the Dwarves were rapidly being washed away. The few remaining orcs, for there was less than thirty now, running after them. Namir turned to run after them when a bolt of pain lanced through his side. He whimpered and twisted to see an arrow sticking out of his skin. It was an elf arrow. 

Legolas turned as Tauriel jumped from the rocks above to draw her blades down on an approaching orc. A handful of elf guards following her. All of their bows pointed on the last orc, or at Namir. Legolas shouted at them in alarm upon seeing the arrow sticking out of Namir's skin. The he waved his arms at the orc, stopping Tauriel from beheading it, the elvish stern and boding no argument. Then he turned to Namir. 

Namir growled warningly as the elf approached. Legolas slowed and held out his hands gently. "Namir. You're hurt. Let me take out that arrow and bind your wound", he coaxed. Namir hissed at him, the arrow was burning. The elves had shot him! Beorn had been right, people feared him. Some of the guard still had their hands on their bows and were watching him with fearful eyes. Tauriel yelled at them in elvish as Namir bared his teeth at them. "Namir", Legolas' voice was soft and his blue eyes were concerned. The elf crouched down next to him, being careful to move slowly and calmly. "Please let me help you". 

Namir's eyes flickered back after the disappearing dwarves, then at the elves. His heard jerked once and Legolas let out a breath of relief as his hands gently touched the black fur. It was softer than he expected, the cat warm under his fingers. For a second he gently ran his hands over the ears soothingly, scratching in the way he knew Namir liked. The cat let out a small purr as Legolas gripped the arrow shaft. He yanked it out and Namir twitched with a whimper that was rapidly smoothed by fingers stroking his head. Then the cat pulled away, red blood still seeping from the hole in his side. Legolas sighed softly and reached out after him but paused as Namir let out a warning growl. Then the panther was off, bounding down the rocks and leaping into the river to swim after his companions. 

"Legolas", Tauriel spoke as the elves watched the cat swim away. "How do you know that beast?" 

"That is a skin-changer", Legolas replied. Then he tuned on his men with sharp, angry eyes. "He is not our enemy. None of you are to raise a weapon against him again or they shall face my sword. Am I clear?" The guards all nodded with visible surprise. Legolas glanced back down the river, but Namir was long out of sight. He turned back towards his father's kingdom. "Come. Let us bring that orc to my father". 

unedited