They'd been traveling for days on end, yet their destination seemed just as far as it had been in the beginning.
Or maybe it was the fever talking.
He always did have trouble differentiating the two.
He sighed and scrunched his eyes tight as he gripped the reigns guiding his pony. It was going to be a long day. All he wanted was sleep, and if he really delved deep, a batch of his mother's rabbit stew and Kili's soft voice singing him tales of wonder and adventure that they had once dreamed being a part of.
Now they were experiencing those ballads first hand and he wasn't so sure living the dream was as great as it sounded. And yes, he was aware how un-dwarf like he sounded, but he was exhausted and hungry - but not, and cold and hot, all at the same time.
He was allowed to think things that made no sense; he was sick after all. And it wasn't like he'd be telling anyone any time soon anyway.
"Are you alright, brethren?" asked Bofur.
He wasn't sure if he responded or not, but instead of possibly answering again and looking a fool, he kept quiet.
"Are you quite sure? You look a little... lousy."
Oh thank the higher beings, he had actually said something.
"I am well, thank you. I'm just bored... of the scenery."
"Aye," said Bombur.
"Tree after tree, rock after rock. I swear they're all the same," exclaimed Bilbo.
"They mention nothing of this in the great ditties and lores," said Ori, exasperation clear in his voice.
"When we get back to Ered Luin to collect everyone , I will sing them songs of truth. Truth that has been too long ignored!" continued Ori.
"And what will you sing to them, dear Ori?" said Dori.
"I will sing stories of our valiant triumphs, of course, but also something that is just as important! The time spent between them. How it's just as tedious of a task as defeating any warg."
This prompted a chuckle throughout the party. Thorin's mouth even twitched in what Fili suspected was as much mirth as his uncle could muster at any given moment.
"Is it now?"
"Of course-"
He wasn't sure when, but he soon found himself becoming inattentive and languid.
He felt horrible. His head and stomach ached and his body felt heavy. Yet, he didn't dare say a word. There was too much at stake. Not just building a good reputation for himself, but he needed to look after Kili and Mister Bilbo, as well as keeping an eye on his uncle, the other dwarves and Gandalf.
He would prove to them that he was worthy of the honour of going on this trip and taking back what was rightfully theirs.
Fili snuck a glance at his brother. The protective urge in him growing as he saw Kili laughing along with the rest.
It didn't matter how sick he got, he would do anything to keep his little brother and the others safe. And nothing would stop him, especially a silly little fever.
THWAP
He was sharply dragged out of his reprieve.
Everyone went deathly quiet.
It had sounded like a-
THWAP
His pony bucked. Suddenly he was falling, falling and-
SMACK
The breath was knocked out of him as soon as he hit the rough terrain. An arrow had just barely missed him, embedding itself in the trunk of the tree right next to where his head had been moments before instead.
Everyone jumped off their ponies (a horse in Gandalf's case), their weapons ready.
Eight wargs with an orc each were charging right for them.
He scrambled up and grabbed his own sword. Kili came beside him, his hand grabbing Fili's elbow as if he were a wee child again. He looked to him and saw concern and question in his brother's eyes. He nodded his head, a way to let him know not to be worried; he was fine.
They readied themselves.
The orcs and wargs were on them in seconds.
He made sure to keep an eye on his brother and Bilbo the entire time. Bilbo, thankfully, had found a safe spot behind Dori, Nori and Ori.
A lone Orc swung an axe at his head, causing him to drag his full attention back to the battle. He ducked just in time, and slashed at the Orc's legs, almost cutting straight through the thick flesh and bone.
The Orc crumpled to the ground with a shout of pain, yet still grabbed for him. He delivered the final blow: a clean stab through the head and quickly got up.
Where was Kili? Bilbo was still where he'd last seen him, but where was Kili?
The enemy was thinning, but it was still hard to see any given dwarf past the sheer size of the wargs and orcs.
He ran forward, slashing at anything that advanced on him, only stopping when a particularly relentless warg refused to let him be. He attacked and won, the only thought on his mind that of finding his brother and making sure he was safe.
He heard a shout, one from Kili. Fearing the worst, his heart stopped until he found who he was looking for.
His brother had just finished slashing the throat of an orc, a look of triumph on his face.
Fili breathed a mental sigh of relief as charged forward, trying to get to his brother. He took down another warg - with the help of Dwalin, and ran to his brother, striking an orc who tried to get too close.
His brother and he fought back to back, successfully taking down anything that entered their path until there was nothing left.
The battle was done. Thorin ending it with harsh blow to the head of an orc.
They all breathed heavy as they took in their handiwork.
"Is everyone alright?" inquired Balin.
A murmur of yeses answered him.
He looked Kili over, making sure nothing was out of place or bleeding.
"I am fine, brother," said Kili with a small smile.
"Good."
"We better move. More may be on the way," said Thorin. He started trekking over the hill, to where the ponies had run off to. The rest followed.
He was mere yards from the ponies, when a sudden strong wave of dizziness hit him. He tripped up, but kept himself from completely making an arse of himself.
Kili shot him a worried look but he waved it off. He would have to avoid his brother best as he could 'til he got over this illness.
They got on their ponies, and continued on their journey.
It was thundering outside, rain coming down in giant globs, forcing them to find shelter early.
As luck would have it, they found an unoccupied cave not far off their path. They set up camp, created a small fire, and got cozy as Bofur took first watch.
The other dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo all huddled around the fire, telling tales of long past. Fili quickly excusing himself, ignoring the curious looks from the others, citing he wanted to get a head start on his sleep before he took watch.
Fili laid down away from the others and tried to sleep, his head cushioned by his bag as he clutched at his sides to warm his hands. His joints ached, whether from the fall or his sickness, he did not know, he just wished it would at least subside.
He shivered as a sudden wave of cold overcame him.
"Are you alright, dear friend? Do you need anything? A blanket perhaps?" inquired Bilbo.
He twitched in surprise, his eyes flying open. He hadn't even heard Bilbo approaching.
"I'm sorry," said Bilbo as he sat near him, "I didn't mean to startle you."
His eyes began to feel heavy, so he closed them and tried to get comfy once again.
"You didn't," he assured Bilbo.
They sat in silence for quiet sometime, Fili almost managing to fall asleep, when the Hobbit posed a question.
"Are you well, Fili?"
Without opening his eyes, he answered: "I am perfectly adequate Mister Bilbo. Please don't worry yourself on my behalf."
He felt the Hobbit shift.
"...It's just that... I haven't seen Kili and you separate since I've known you. In fact, I was sure you were twins - the fraternal kind of course - until Bofur told me otherwise."
He twitched a smile. It was common for ones who didn't know better, to believe them twins, especially those not acquainted with Dwarven customs.
"We are not angry at one another, if that's what you mean. I am just tired from the day's travels and battle and wish to sleep."
He heard Bilbo sigh in relief.
"Thank goodness. Nothing is worse than a spat between family I've always said."
"...You would be right, Mister Bilbo," he whispered as he drifted off. The last thing he heard was a soft goodnight before sleep gripped him completely.
His own shivering was what woke him.
The cave was almost pitch black, the fire having gone out long ago, Oin now on watch at the entrance. Meaning he must have slept for a good five hours if the one on watch had already changed.
He clutched his coat tighter around him as he shook again. Kili, who was curled close beside him and clutching at him, stirred. He stopped moving as best he could, even holding his breath when suddenly he coughed. And coughed and coughed again. A hoarse kind that tore at this throat and left him breathless.
Most of the other occupants stirred awake, Kili included. He tried to stifle the coughs by covering his mouth with his hands, but that only seemed to make it worse.
Kili was on him in seconds, asking if he was okay; telling him to breathe. His brother started grabbing at his hands, trying to pull them away from his mouth as the coughing fit continued.
"Fili-!" his brother shouted. "Let go, let me see."
He let his brother take his hands as his coughing diminished.
"Brother!" said Kili, worry clear in his voice. "You're burning up. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"What's wrong, move- what's happened to my nephew?" demanded Thorin as he pushed himself through the crowd of dwarves. Thorin sat next to Kili and put his large hand gently to Fili's cheek then forehead.
"He's right, you're feverish."
"No, I swear-," he coughed again. "I'm fine. It's just a little cold, nothing I won't get over with a goodnights sleep."
"Fili-," started Kili.
"Move, move, let me see the poor lad," said Balin.
Fili was (reluctantly) laid down and quickly checked over by the older dwarf.
"Tell me lad, how do feel? And be honest now."
Everyone seemed to lean in toward him, awaiting his answer.
"I'm fine. Real-"
"-Wargs!"
Everyone jerked in surprise, but soon jumped up and grabbed for their weapons and ran to the entrance where Oin stood, ready to fight.
Off in the distance, but running straight for them, were five lone wargs. Their massive bodies and deep, loud growls easily distinguishable in the night.
"Nori, Dori, Bifur, you take the left. Dwalin, Gloin, Oin, the right. The rest, stay here with me," said Thorin.
Fili went to stand by his uncle's side, when the large hand kept him back.
"Stay behind me, Fili." He beckoned for Kili to get closer. "Watch him, Kili."
He was so shocked he almost dropped his sword. His uncle had never held him back before. And never, even from his own mother, had he ever heard someone say for Kili to watch out for him instead. It went against every baser instinct he had, to let his younger brother look after him.
No, he would prove he was still useful. He wasn't going to lose the respect he'd worked so hard for, not, at least, without one hell of a fight.
He charged straight for the wargs as soon as Thorin had shouted for them to attack.
The battle was quick, but bloody - mostly on the wargs side. Once again the dwarves, plus a hobbit and wizard, stood to gather their wits.
"Hopefully the rest of the journey isn't so eventful," stated Ori.
"Weren't you the one who was buggin on about how uneventful the days were?"
"Well, yes, but-"
Fili suddenly felt dizzy, like he had after the fight with the orcs, except this time, it was much worse. Everything just- tilted and the voices of the others went distant like they were far away, not mere feet from him.
Then everything went black.
"-ink he'll be alright?"
"Of course he will, you dolt."
"Oh wait- shh- I think he's coming around."
Fili groaned, his eyes fluttering.
"Come on brother..." He felt Kili's fingers gently brush the side of his face and tuck a stray lock of hair behind his ear.
His eyes fluttered again, this time keeping his eyes slightly open as he peered at everyone leaning over him.
"W-what?"
Everyone laughed in relief, happy to see the second youngest in their company awake.
"How are you feeling, laddie?" asked Balin.
He tried to answer, honest, but all that came out was another groan.
"You've gotten a rather bad bought of the flu it seems," explained the older Dwarf.
"W-wha' ab-" he began.
"Don't worry, we took care of everything. We even found a different cave to stay in while we take a nice break until you're better," said Bilbo, a small smile on his face.
Balin coughed in interruption.
"Why don't the rest of us tend to the stew and get ready for bed once again, hmm?"
The dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo all excused themselves as they shuffled away to leave Thorin, Kili and himself alone together.
There was a nice quiet after that. The glow of the crackling fire - cooking rabbit stew it smelled like - creating a nice, calm atmosphere within the cave.
"You should've told us sooner," chastised Thorin, only... with a soft undertone.
He felt a hand lay atop his head and pet his hair. A hand he knew to be his uncles. He must've scared them half to death if his the man was outwardly showing affection. Fili soon realized his head was also cradled in Thorin's lap, something horribly mortifying and would normally have caused him to blush, but his face was already so flushed with fever, even he could feel the heat radiating off him. He tried to get up, to let his uncle be, but was held down by the man himself.
"Don't move, brother." Killi said as he laid down next to him and wrapped his arms around Fili's torso and put his head right under the older dwarf's chin.
"Everything's alright now, I promise," whispered Kili as he curled into Fili's chest, his free hand rubbing soft circles into his brother's back in comfort as he started to sing to him quietly.
He hugged Kili back.
And though it was a small moment in his life - just a blip in time - he felt that everything really was going to be alright.