Chapter 1
It was nearing the end of the first day of travel when Thorin Oakenshield and his company rounded a bend and noticed two shapes also on the Great East Road, far in the distance.
Kili was the first to notice, grabbing his brother's shoulder and pointing, "Do you see those two things up ahead?"
Fili moved his head a little to see. "Aye. Looks like a couple of ponies if you ask me."
And that was all they said, for it was not unusual to see travelers along the Great East Road - they had already seen a few odd hobbits and men today, going to and from their business.
xXx
But by midmorning on the second day, remarkably, Fili gazed ahead and saw the two ponies in the distance again, but a bit closer now.
"Kili will you look at that! There's those two ponies again from yesterday!"
This caught Thorin and Gandalf's attention.
"The very same?"
"Oh its nothing to worry about, probably a couple old souls on their way back from Bree."
xXx
They stopped for the night at the edge of a cliff, and Balin told a story of long ago, when the dwarves of Erebor tried to reclaim Moria. This story was usually buried deep within Thorin's mind, but as Balin told it, the memories came back fresh and sharp as the day in which they had been made. The Battle. The Fear. The Anguish. The Sorrow. The Anger.
xXx
Fili could not fall asleep that night, partly from the shame of being told off by Thorin, but also his mind kept flickering back to the story of the battle for Moria, and his many fallen ancestors.
He got up, and started walking away from the campsite.
"Where do you think you're going?" whispered Bofur, on watch.
"Just getting some more firewood," he mumbled, but really he just needed a walk to clear his mind.
"I'm coming too!"
Of course, thought Fili.
"Come along then brother!"
He must had been having troubles falling asleep as well.
xXx
They wandered farther than necessary, (as usual).
"Alright I'm getting cold, let's head back and pick up some firewood along the way to make Bofur happy," said Fili, turning around and starting to walk back.
Kili didn't answer.
"Time to go," said Fili.
"Fili, look! There's a light."
xXx
Kella really did think they needed more firewood, late as it was, because they had a difficult time finding a good shelter to stop for the night that also was far enough away from the company of dwarves who had been following them.
Hooded and cloaked, it was a cold night, and Kella was tired. She had gone several paces from the campfire, looking behind her shoulder now and again to make sure it was still in her sight through the trees.
With her arms full of timber, she began making her way back to the campsite.
Suddenly, she heard a twig snap to her right.
Her senses jolting awake, she froze.
After a moment of straining her ears, she let out her breath, and continued towards the campfire.
SNAP.
She froze again.
This one was louder. Much louder, and closer.
Slowly she turned around and as quietly as she could, set down her bundle of firewood, her eyes straining to see in the darkness behind her. She then drew her small dagger at her waist, the one weapon she always kept with her.
Her hair prickling, she sensed something was near, and just as she turned to sprint back to the campsite, a figure stepped in front of her path. She screamed.