I forgot to mention that this is not meant as infringement on Tolkien. It's for pure fun. Also it's my first fanfic. I don't have a beta reader right now either. So I hope the mistakes aren't too bad to irritate gentle readers. We are introduced to Kili's fate and two important OCs.
The clear water had become dark, full of menacing shapes. Kili felt the cold surround him, the water engulf him totally. However, centrifugal forces kept him spinning and trapped in the barrel. Had he been on land, the contents of his stomach would have emptied. Thrown against the rough wooden side, he could not move. He lost all since of direction, up, down, sideways were all the same.
Panic gripped the youngster. There was no opportunity to escape. His death was certain. In the last seconds of life, his thoughts were only of his kin, their quest, and most of all Fili. He prayed to Aule to watch over his brother. Then with a shudder all breath left the dwarf and his eyes closed.
Tomtom rubbed his large nose and yawned. The giant of man leaned against a very old oak. Its leaves had the hint of the fall to come. When he stood it was well over 7 feet tall. Very worn, but clean simple clothes covered his overly tall and formidable frame. He scratched his balding head then stretched. The day had been perfect. A very good way to end the last of summer.
The water falls nearby flowed out of solid rock. Currently it caught the golden rays of the quickly setting sun. A golden hue was cast over the cascading water. The view became breath taking. Gold water, silver ripples, and white bubbles made him smile. This was what he and Ade wanted to witness.
Under the shade of the oak, his companion snored on the patchwork quilt spread out across the grassy river bank. A empty wicker basket and two pairs of shoes lay on the edge. The picnic had been particularly delicious. Meat pies, fresh apples, cheese, and some honey mead filled their stomachs. Ade had fallen asleep soon after the meal.
He was about to awaken his friend, when the strangest sound met his ears. It was a large scrunching noise. The water flow was greatly diminished for a few seconds. Tomtom walked to the small river tilting his head. This did not make sense. But thinking things is not what Tomtom does. No, the giant was for good hard labor. Ade told him what needed to be done and he did it. He screwed his face up, momentarily staring at a loss what to do. Finally, the giant did what he always did in a thinking time, he turned to Ade.
His companion was covered in tan and beige clothes several sizes too large for the frame they covered. A long curly mass of shining golden hair spread untamed over the sleeping figure. Tomtom reached down to shake his friend.
"TOMTOM." He yelled as the scrunching noise grew louder.
The figure sat bolt upright revealing a young female in a state of abrupt confusion.
"What? Where?" She asked.
Tomtom pointed to the waterfall. "Tomtom gahh." He replied.
Ade followed the line of his pointing finger just in time to see a very battered wooded barrel explode out of the rock and water, closely followed by a dark figure. The water was released spurting out all over the place spraying the two friends in water. They were drenched.
They shot glances at each other in surprise then Ade laughed. Tomtom grinned. Their amusement was short lived. Tomtom spotted the dark figure bobbing in the wash of the water fall.
"Oh my stars!" Ade shouted. "It's a person! Grab him Tomtom."
The giant strode into the river and swiftly snatched the sodden shape. He lifted the figure easily and threw the male over his shoulders. His action was rougher than intended and forced some of the water lodging in Kili's lungs to spurt out.
Tomtom waded to shore, and then he sort of dropped the wet dwarf on the quilt. More water spurted out.
Ade's blue eyes grew three sizes larger. "Oh, gently, gently Tomtom, this is not an animal. In fact it's a dwarf." She said very quickly. "My, my, my. What do we do?" She kneeled beside the dwarf. Her hands twisted together in nervousness.
Tomtom grunted.
"Yes, the book. Which book of healing? I forget."
Tomtom shoved Kili on his side. "Grr."
"Green! That's the one. Thank you Tomtom. Page 46. The care and treatment of the drowned. Right. First step, tilt the head back." Her hands reached and moved quickly. "Second step, hold patient's nose and third is to blow into his mouth. Yes, that's it."
Her fingers went to Kili's poor broken nose. She frowned at the mashed appendage. Ade could not remember the last time she had seen a living person other than Tomtom. Now, her she was, touching a stranger's nose and lips with her own. Yuck.
She did this and was rewarded with a slight cough from Kili. She bent again and repeated the process. More water bubbled out. Suddenly Kili strained and coughed. He gasped and gulped in the fresh air.
Ade scrambled away from the dwarf and to Tomtom's side.
Kili coughed and sputtered. His lungs were still sodden. He fell back onto the quilt. Once more he lay still.
Ade and Tomtom frowned at one another. "It didn't work right. He must still have water in his lungs. We have to get it out."
Tomtom had a thought. It felt like a good one. One that got his a quick kiss and beams of approval from Ade. He decided to try it as his friend cautiously decided to kneel down to the dwarf once more.
Tomtom leaned over and grabbed Kili by the ankles. He lifted the dwarf upside and shook him. More water rushed out of Kili's nose and mouth. This time when the dwarf gasped for air, he didn't stop.
Ade smiled brightly. "You did it Tomtom! Well done. Now lay him down, gently this time."
Tomtom lowered Kili to the quilt much gentler. Ade scrambled on her knees to be beside him. As Tomtom stepped back, Ade's hand caught his and gave it a tender squeeze. "Thank you Tomtom. Now, what were steps four through eight?"
Kili's head pounded. It was as if all the dwarfs of the Blue Mountain were chipping away at his head. He heard the rush of blood in his ears. His vision was blurred and his entire body ached. However, worst of all was his left leg. Something was very wrong. He couldn't form words, much less coherent thought yet. He just moaned and made to grasp the aching appendage.
Ade was talking rapidly to Tomtom who watched silently when she saw the dwarf attempt to hold his leg. Her vision followed his hands and that's when the wound caught her attention. She had been too transfixed by the broken nose and the huge bump on her patient's head. She had missed the torn pant leg and the wood embedded in the dwarf's calf.
"OH, oh. More hurts." She tore the pant leg in two. Blood seeped at the edges. "Red book, time for the red one. But we must take him back home." Kili slumped back into the quilt. Exhaustion and injuries had caused the dwarf to pass out.
Tomtom grunted.
"Yes, I know. But he is unconscious. He is in hardly any shape to hurt us. We'll take him there and get him fixed up. Right as rain. Then we'll leave him outside of the valley. Moon is in three days. Time enough to help. Not enough time for him to cause trouble. Agreed?" She looked up at Tomtom hopefully.
Tomtom sighed. He could never refuse Ade.
Next chapter-The dwarfs grieve. Fili angst. Bilbo tries to help Thorin with the guilt.