"Someday you will be the greatest King under the Mountain that ever lived, brother!"

Fili scoffed at the now far-off memory as he sat, drenched and exhausted atop his pony. Beads of rain dripped down his hood that did little to shield him from the cold wind that blew into his face, making his entire body shiver. Hunched over, Fili let his body rock with the movement of the pony as it trudged along the rocky and jagged path, never taking his eyes off of him, the leader of their Company.

"Even Uncle Thorin?" Fili asked, turning around to help Kili up the rocks.

The younger boy grabbed hold of his older brother's arm as he hoisted him up, being too short to make the climb himself. Kili grabbed at the rock face and stuck his tongue out in concentration as he scrambled to reach the top. With some effort, he managed to wiggle himself over the ledge and rolled over onto his back, huffing while he stared at the kaleidoscope of trees above.

"Sure," he replied, not taking his brown eyes off the green pines. "You're really good at sword fighting, and you're strong, and you're the bravest person I know!" Kili said, turning his head to look up admiringly at his giggling brother.

"Don't you think Uncle is all those things too?" Fili asked, offering his hand that was clasped by a smaller one. Kili stood up and Fili picked the bits of leaves and pine needles out of the unruly dark hair.

"Well, yes." Kili said thoughtfully, tilting his head to the side. "But Uncle Thorin is so grumpy all the time! And you're much more fun, brother!"

At this Fili laughed, knowing exactly what the younger boy wanted. Looking at the big goofy grin that always warmed his heart Fili knew he wouldn't be able to resist. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes as he said, "Alright," and allowed his little brother to climb up onto his back with a few uncomfortable tugs and pulls here and there.

With the little dwarf's legs wrapped snugly around Fili's waist and arms hugging his neck, Fili set back to walking through the forest.

"You're going to burn a hole straight through him if you keep staring like that, lad."

Fili's head snapped up in surprise at the sound of the voice. He turned to see a mischievous-looking Bofur grinning at him from behind the pipe he was somehow smoking in the downpour. He had evidently been watching the young prince knowingly for some time now, carefully evaluating the scowl that had been previously set upon his face until just a moment ago.

"What do you mean?" Fili asked, sitting up a little straighter for some reason, his brow slightly furrowed. He suddenly felt like a child again; about to be reprimanded for something he shouldn't have been doing, ready to hide behind his mother's skirts.

Bofur chuckled. "Ah, it's perfectly alright. I might be a bit resentful if I had to stare my future in the face every day, too." he said, looking ahead with a smirk.

Fili looked back down quickly, feeling somewhat ashamed. Were his thoughts so obvious?

"But…" Bofur said taking another long mouthful from the pipe and blowing it back out into the cold air, "that future is still a long way off. Remember, we still have to face countless perils, the possibility of certain death, and defeat a man-eating, fire-breathing dragon that's likely going to incinerate us on the spot!" he exclaimed cheerfully.

Fili let out a low sigh of defeat, looking wearily at his smiling companion. Bofur certainly had an odd sense of humor-one he didn't particularly understand most of the time. It was probably why he got along so well with Dwalin who was lumbering alongside his weary pony in the falling rain, looking less pleased than his satirical counterpart. As he did his heavy boot fell into a rather large puddle and filled with the frigid muddy water.

"AUGH! For the love of-" Dwalin shouted gruffly, throwing around various extremities and a few curses in Khuzdul, frothing with rage from a combination of cold, exhaustion, frustration and of course, wet socks. He took off his water-logged boot and hurled it into the tangle of trees beside the path, which Balin went and retrieved with a sigh and look of strained patience at his younger brother's temper.

Bofur snorted and looked back at Fili. "Don't walk as if all the weight of Erebor is already on your shoulders, lad." He said sympathetically, clapping his hand on the younger dwarf's back. "Besides," he said, straightening up in his saddle again, "I know of one person whose spirits have not yet been dampened by the responsibility of royalty."

Knowing precisely of whom he was speaking and the said person's whereabouts, Fili turned to look at his incorrigible younger brother who was, of course, finding a way to entertain himself. At that exact moment Kili was holding a stick and poking at the back of Bombur's neck, making poor Bombur's pony sway to the side a few steps every time he shifted to scratch at the mysterious itch. Feeling his brother's gaze on him, Kili turned around to grin at Fili who couldn't resist but chuckling at the foolish antics.

Shaking his head, the smile slowly turned sad as Fili glanced over at Bofur. "It is not the weight of Erebor that worries me…"

His arms were beginning to tire from carrying his brother. The younger boy hadn't spoken in so long Fili thought he was asleep until he suddenly felt a tug on his braid.

"Look Fee! A turtle!" Kili said excitedly, shimmying off his brother's back to chase after the animal that was making its way down the rocky bank of a creek.

Fili followed Kili as he always followed his little brother, trailing not too far behind, making sure he didn't get into too much trouble. Every once in a while Kili would momentarily pause to turn around and make sure Fili was still there. Despite the fact that he had never once found himself alone, Kili was always comforted to find his big brother only a few paces away.

Kili crouched down and observed the turtle in rapt fascination. Its wrinkly green limbs stretched out slowly with each careful step, one rough foot placed down after another. Timidly, he reached out his small hand to trace the repeated square pattern of the turtle's waxy shell. The turtle dragged itself and the home upon its back a few steps more before receding into the safety and comfort of its hollow house, hiding from the world and two intruding young dwarves.

"He's probably from the Lonely Mountain." said Kili and picked it up.

"That's quite a long way for one little turtle to travel." Fili said. "What makes you think that?"

"Because his shell looks like the walls of Erebor!" the younger brother exclaimed, holding the turtle directly in front of the older's face for proof.

Fili let out a little laugh, "But you've never even been there!"

"Neither have you!" Kili replied indignantly, his face changing immediately from mirth to seriousness then he turned his back and hunched his shoulders. The extremely quick transition was one of the many things about his brother that had always amused Fili and he refrained from indulging the laughter that threatened to bubble over his lips, should he offend Kili even more.

"Well then, what does it look like?" he asked, leaning around Kili playfully not wanting to have his brother upset with him.

Kili sat down cross-legged, holding the turtle in his lap, staring into the shell. "Well," he began begrudgingly as Fili sat down on the rocky bank next to him, "it's really, really big! And everything is made of stone and there's delicious food and pretty gold everywhere. Everybody is happy all the time because there are lots of fun toys to play with like the ones Bifur and Bofur make for us and even the men like them because they buy loads at the markets. And even though it's under a mountain, it's really bright and warm like this." he said, the smile having returned to his face.

"And how do you know all of his?"

"Because Uncle Thorin told me about it. He said it's the most wonderful place ever and that we're going to go there someday and take it back from that nasty old dragon!" he said pointedly, lifting his chin in a show of defiance but Fili saw the way his grasp tightened a bit on the turtle atthe idea of Smaug.

"And what will happen after that?" Fili asked, rather amused.

Kili contemplated this question for a while, still waiting for the turtle to emerge from hiding. "After that, you'll be the King and I can stay with you, then we'll be happy there together forever."

Fili leaned over so his shoulder was touching Kili's and Kili rested his messy hair on his brother's arm. A warm summer breeze passed over the brothers' faces and the rays of sunlight danced across the cool water, reflecting in their brown and blue eyes. The creek bubbled and flowed over the time-smoothed rocks, making its way down the well-worn path to some unknown lake or river, carrying with it the promise of those words.

Forever…

Thank you for reading! Chapter Two will be up soon...

Reviews, critiques, and constructive criticisms are always much appreciated! :)