Disclaimer: All recognized characters and lines are copyright their respective owners not limited to J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson & Co. The fox, Kit, and plot are mine, and I have a muse as fierce as dwarvin warriors to support that claim.

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A Fox Tale
By: C.K. Blake

One: A Curious Thing—Fate

For a proud people forced to a life of wandering and peddling wares and metal work skills, it is a curious thing when fate and a wizard combined intervene. For the dwarves of Erebor it is a thing of wonder, especially those trained in warfare and given fealty to the heir of Erebor, Thorin Oakenshield son of Thrain son of Thror, and even to the end of his line, his sister-sons Fili, the elder, and Kili, the younger by five years.

Of the two youngest of Durin's heirs, Kili is the most curious, a dwarf of three and eighty years, taller than most, fair of face, soft fine hair, and scruffy rather than properly bearded. Even dwarvish lasses half the lad's age have finer, fuller beards than the scruff growing upon his face, and yet his colouring and bearing suggest the royal lineage of Durin, and this a tale relative to the youngest of Durin's heirs, the young Master Kili, sister-son of Thorin Oakenshield, curious dwarf indeed.

Now with the strange introduction of the tall wizard, Gandalf the Grey, there is a spark born again in their uncle, Thorin's grey eyes alight with the fires of vengeance and a thirst for glory, a longing for his homeland renewed, and this is how the youngest heirs of Durin begin their journey, apart from the others of their party, and having heard of the journey and swearing their services and loyalty under much protest from their beloved uncle.

With a fond smile the younger of the traveling companions speaks up, "Why do you think Uncle protested so much against our joining the journey Fili?"

The fairer brother, with blonde hair and kind hazel eyes looks to his younger brother with a smile and says, "No doubt it was concern for you Kili. You are young yet, not full in beard and still mischievous like a child."

"I am but five years your junior!" Kili replies in offense.

Fili smiles and laughs, "And yet you act quite like a wee child fairly but aged five years! Uncle has reason for his concerns. You, his youngest heir, and the most searching and finding of trouble!"

The younger huffs indignantly and rolls he dark brown eyes. "And you so willing to follow in my schemes as well you know! Enough of this, how far off are we from the land of the Halflings, or is it they prefer to be called hobbits?"

"Hobbits, I might imagine. Halfling sounds like a mixed race, half of one sort, half of another," Fili says, and Kili nods, logic permitting his agreement with his elder brother, and rarely are they ever out of agreement, an oddity among brothers, but it is the brother's strong affection for each other that keeps them so readily together, and that same affection that has long made Fili his younger brother's keeper, protector, and fellow conspirator in mischief.

"All well and good brother, but again how far off are we from the Shire? Surely we have time yet to arrive, for it would be mores the pity to miss out on the feast, proper planning, introduction to our burglar, having to race on toward the journey on little more than squirrel and rabbit. A feast Fili, that we cannot miss!"

"Settle brother, we have time yet, a week to arrive, and according to the map and turn of our direction we should reach the shire in two or three days. Settle the restlessness of your belly that I yet hear scolding and demanding of food. We've still the bread and some dried meat left. We should stop now, the sun's been gone now half an hour. Let's build camp and fire, and tomorrow you might use that elvish weapon and find us squirrel or more rabbit for breakfast."

"How is it elvish if I myself made it?" Kili says with pride, patting at the top of his bow and the quiver attached at his back.

Fili shrugs as they venture from the well-trodden path and soon find themselves in a flattened grassy glade surrounded by several yew trees. Fili takes the initiative, "Go brother, gather wood and I'll settle us into camp with our packs and fire pit."

"Leave me to wander the woods for kindling? Woman's work and whelp's work," Kili scoffs.

"You are the youngest and it must be done brother. Now get to it lest we have no fire for the night, and last I recall you aren't so fond of the dark now are you?" Fili says with a bright smile.

Kili scowls as he dismounts from his pony and does as bid, wandering the edges of the glade in search of kindling and dry wood. He has nearly an armful when he notices the movement in the brush. He drops the kindling and unsheathes his sword, ready to face unknown foe.

He hears a high-pitched yip, and readies his blade, his eyes widen as something clears through from the brush, limping, favoring its right paw. Curious he kneels down, sets his sword aside as he no longer senses a threat, and holds out his hand to the creature.

It is a fox, young yet, covered in russet fur, it's paws black, the tips of its ears and tail also black, white fur surrounding its wide dark eyes, and white about its snout, and its snout tipped with a pointed black nose. The animal's right front paw is held close and tight to the creature, and Kili hopes it will come to him with a childlike wonder he has yet to grow out of.

The fox lifts its snout to the air, scenting the immediate surroundings and draws cautiously closer to the extended hand of the dwarf. The dwarf in turn remains still, smiles at the small creature, and lets out a soft laugh as it scents his hand, and then with rough tongue licks the dwarf's fingertips.

"Come then little one, I will not harm you. Perhaps we can see to fixing that paw. Come now," Kili says gently, his tone meant to encourage the fox. The fox draws closer and Kili kneels down, draws his hand across the top of the fox's head and it in turn encourages him with a trusting lick.

The fox rubs into the hand, and cautiously Kili reaches for the creature, gently picks it up and cradles it in his arms. Firewood forgotten, Kili heads back in the direction of the camp his brother is setting up.

At the sound of the younger dwarf's return the elder looks up, his golden brows rise and he shakes his head. "I send you off for kindling and you come back with another mouth to feed, lest you mean for us to eat this little fellow."

"You will not," Kili says, drawing the animal closer against him, and fixing his brother with a rather cross look.

"Fine, fine, sit by the pit, I've the bedrolls out and the ponies settled. I'll be off to gather the wood you louse about," Fili says with a smile, and the younger snorts and finds his bedroll by the pit.

With care he puts the fox down on his bedroll and then heads over to the ponies to get cloth for bandaging and some herbs to clear away any fever and infection from the wound in the small animal's paw. He returns to his roll and settles down, the fox limping into the dwarf's lap, settling down, curling it's tail about its body and then tending to its own paw, bringing the right paw to its snout and licking at the wound.

Kili gently reaches for the paw and the fox startles and looks up with liquid brown eyes, only to meet concerned dark brown eyes. "Easy there little one, I only mean to fix and mend it. Let me see, I promise to be gentle, I know the wound must hurt."

The fox holds out the paw to the work roughened hands of the dwarf, and Kili examines it closely. He notices the slivers of wood deeply embedded in the padding of the swollen paw. He sighs and looks to the small animal and says, "I am afraid this might hurt, and you would be rather cross with me for the pain it will cause, but I can mend this, however I will need to remove the slivers, and we'll see to treating and binding it."

"Talking to it are you? As though it could understand brother, and what is wrong, is it hurt?" Fili asks as he comes into camp, arms filled with the wood Kili had abandoned in favor of the animal now nestled in his lap.

"Careful brother, for that little wretch will bite you should you help it, especially if pain is involved. It is the way of wild things," Fill says as he begins to start a fire.

Kili sighs and says, "It can't be helped its urges, especially if it is in pain."

Fili shakes his head laughing and mentions the tenderness of Kili's heart. Kili sees to tending the fox. He reaches down, gently stroking the russet fur of the creature's snout and up over its brow. The fox nuzzles against the dwarf's hand and holds out the injured paw, stiffening in the dwarf's lap, and Kili takes that as time to do the worst of the task ahead. He takes hold of the fox's right foreleg, and with his free hand he carefully takes hold to one of the two slivers buried deep in the creature's paw. He winces as he pulls and the creature in his lap jolts and lets out a shrill yip, but the animal does not move to act in violence, merely trembles before bracing itself again, for the second and final splinter. Kili is astonished with the strange behavior of the little beast and makes quick work of removing the second sliver.

Again the fox does little more than yip at the removal of the sliver, and Kili works to staunch the animal's bleeding. He adds some herbs to stave off fever and infection, and finally he binds the paw in the cloth bandages, carefully wrapping and tying it off. The fox settles again into his lap, curling up, wrapping its tail about it, and Kili strokes the soft furry head of the animal.

"Looks as though you've gained a pet then, little brother," Fili says as he tends the fire.

"So it would seem," Kili replies and smiles at the small fox as it drifts off in slumber.

Kili, so distracted by the animal misses his brother's approach until the fox is snatched up from his lap. The fox lets out a startled noise and struggles against the grip that Fili has on its red scruff. Fili pulls at its tail, parting its hind legs and the animal continues to struggle, twisting and then it finds purchase and chomps down on Fili's thumb so dangerously close to its snout. Fili drops the fox with a shout and glares at the creature.

"Serves you right, Fili," Kili snaps and gathers the fox to him as it limps toward him, a satisfied smirk seeming to twist at its maw, and Kili chuckles at the sight of the little fox.

Fili sucks at his wounded thumb to staunch the bleeding and then he looks at his younger brother and says, "You and that bitch are quite right for each other, you would only find a better match when you take to wife."

"So it's a girl then is it? And did you really have to examine her so roughly?" Kili asks, annoyance peppering his tone as he strokes down the fox's back to calm it, and then he looks at her with a smile and says, "Looks to me if you insist on staying and keeping me better company than m' brother, you should have a name at the very least. What to call you?"

"I'm rather fond of the title Bitch for the beast," Fili says as he shakes his hand. "She certainly has as much bite as she may have bark.

Kili fixes his elder brother with a sharp glare and then looks again to the animal in his lap. "She needs a proper name… Oh, I know. The fox young are called kits. She seems young to me, I think Kit would suit her."

The fox nuzzles the rough, but gentle hand of the younger dwarf and licks his palm. "Such a charming little thing, aren't you? I rather expect you're probably hungry. I've bread and jerky, perhaps the meat is more to your liking?"

The fox yips in interest, and Kili smiles and looks up at his brother who looks strangely at the small animal in the younger dwarf's lap. "It's strange how the little blighter seems to understand our speech. Probably some elf's pet. Best to let it go and wander off back to its master."

"I'd rather keep her. She seems well trained, clever, and she likes me at least," Kili says with a smirk and then says, "How about you fetch our provisions and pipes. Let's have a little food, and then we'll bed down so we can continue onward come morn. We certainly don't want to be late, what with a feast promised."

A moment later Fili returns from the ponies with their stores of food. Fili tosses one pack to Kili and goes over to his own bedroll. They occupy themselves with tearing into a portion of bread and a few pieces of jerky. Kili takes care to offer some of the jerky to the fox who takes the offered dried meat with enthusiasm born of hunger.

"How can you object to such a little creature, Fili? She's quite tame," Kili says with a warm smile, to which the lighter, elder dwarf snorts.

"She bit me," Fili points out.

Kili narrows his dark eyes on his brother. "And was it not deserving, just snatching her up, yanking her tail, parting her legs to have a look. Why if mother knew she'd box your ears right and proper. Poor thing's been injured and you go about your rough way to determine whether its male or female. I'd have bit you too if I were in her place!"

"Well, when the time comes you'll see not only to her care and feeding, but you'll be telling Uncle about her. See what he thinks of your little pet," Fili says with a huff, putting his drinking skin and uneaten provisions back in his pack. He then lays out on his bedroll and turns his back to his brother, still annoyed over his brother taking the side of a quick to anger little fox.

-THE HOBBIT-

When morning comes Fili shakes his head as he rolls over to see his brother, and he raises a brow at the sight of the little fox curled about Kili's neck, head and snout nuzzled under Kili's neck and buried in Kili's hair. The creature begins to stretch and lifts its snout from Kili's hair, and blinks her eyes at Fili before she swishes her tail beneath Kili's nose. Fili watches with amusement as his brother wrinkles his nose and lifts his hand to bat away the disturbance. The fox paws at Kili's hand and licks his palm. Kili groans and startles as the fox nips his finger.

A smile pulls at his mouth and Fili shakes his head again. Kili sits up, careful not to jostle the little beast too much. She settles across the back of his neck, from shoulder to shoulder she stretches, her tail curling under his chin.

"What a fine scarf you have there, brother, careful it doesn't tear your throat out in the night."

Kili pulls a sour face and gives the fox's tail a playful tug. She in turn nips his left ear before licking over the nipped area soothingly. "There's a girl. Fancy a bit of hunting? Let's see what we can find, maybe squirrel, rabbit, or quail. Something that would be good in stew. You're rather a bit quieter than Fili, so I imagine we might actually get lucky for tonight's supper."

"Oh, funny," Fili says with a snort. "When the sun meets the tops of the trees I intend for us to be off. That leaves you an hour, two at best with your bow and your new hunting companion.

Kili chuckles. "Jealous are you?" he asks, and then he notices the fox tugging at the bandage; perhaps it needs changing?

Kili unties the bandage and carefully unwinds it. The fox shifts and perches on his left shoulder. She holds out the paw he's unwrapped and he examines the paw, his eyes widening.

"Already healed, what magic is this? Are foxes so clever then?" he asks with wonder in his voice.

The fox lets out a high pitched bark and licks his cheek and he scratches behind her ears. "Well, this may prove useful as we hunt for our supper. Let's off then."

"Remember, when the sun meets the tops of the trees Kili. I'll have us packed by then, and the ponies fed and watered," Fili calls after them.

Kili lets out a sigh as he makes his way further into the forest and away from the clearing, and his shoulders slump. The fox sensing his melancholy flicks her tail against his face and kneads her front paws into his shoulder.

He reaches up and scratches behind her right ear and she lets out a sound of contentment, not unlike that expected from a cat. He smiles and chuckles.

"Finally a creature that acknowledges me as being more than a child. I am eighty-three years old now and still Uncle and Fili treat me as a dwarfling. My choice of bow is not to their satisfaction, my use of broadsword is not good enough, my words unwise, and even Mother says that I am reckless! I am here to prove myself worthy of the crown of Erebor, worthy of acknowledgement as a dwarf. I know of the rumors, the things they say of my mother in secret. I have a face uncommon among dwarves, soft, fine, lacking a proper beard, and my hair also too soft and fine for proper braiding and binding. I am uncommonly tall among my people, and I choose what they would say are queer weapons. I should be well practiced and skilled in broadsword, axe, mace, and instead I have mastered bow," he says, a hint of shame in his voice, as he pauses and then says, "But my greatest sin is that I do not care for Erebor. I care only for my family in the regard of the lost kingdom, but I prefer the sun, grass, open fields, forest. These are the riches I long for, and this goes against the nature and expectations of a dwarf, especially a dwarf prince. I needn't worry of you telling Fili though, it would appear you are not so fond of him, are you little vixen?"

The fox snuffles and flicks her thickly furred tail against his cheek, and then jumps free of his shoulders. She lands on her paws and within a moment she darts off. Kili takes off after her, afraid that his little friend is abandoning him. A moment later he hears a sharp high-pitched bark and heads toward the sound. He is surprised when a nest of fine, plump quail break free from the brush and he reaches for his bow and quiver, bringing down several of the birds, and he is greatly amused when the vixen herself emerges with a limp quail in her mouth. The fox looks pleased with herself as she adds her own quarry to his with a proud yip and circles her catch.

"How clever you are indeed," he comments and kneels down to pet her head. He gathers the birds and ties them off at his belt.

Their hunting continues and added to their catch are two hares, a few squirrels, and another quail. After the success of their hunting, he looks up to the sky and gives a whistle to catch the fox's attention. She looks up to the sky as well and then trots back over to him. He kneels down and she leaps up to return to her perch on his shoulder. He laughs in amusement and they head back in the direction they first came, back to the campsite that Fili has managed to pack up, all save one of the water skins and some bread.

He raises a golden hued brow as he watches his brother and the fox return to the camp with a bounty of meat. He is impressed and says, "Watch that you didn't go through so much trouble only to have that fox steal it all away, brother."

"Why would she steal away what she helped to catch?" Kili counters and again reaches up to scratch behind the animal's perked ears.

Fili laughs, for surely his brother cannot be serious. Soon they find themselves mounted on their ponies and Fili bursts out laughing as he watches the fox struggle to maintain her perch on his brother's shoulders. Finally when they stop for a rest and to water the horses the fox, looking rather disgruntled, leaps from Kili's shoulder with an annoyed chitter, and Kili having dismounted kneels on the ground to coax the creature back to him.

"It is evident, little brother, that she is not fond of horseback riding," Fili snickers.

Kili sends a glare Fili's way and then looks at the various packs on his pony, an idea forming in his head. He goes through several of the packs, shuffling his things about, and then loosens one of the leather packs from the pony. He empties the pack of its contents and then he puts in a couple of his shirts and inspects the bag before he is satisfied.

He secures the bag over his neck and across his chest to rest by his side, and then he kneels down to call to the fox again. "Come Kit, come here, you'll have a better ride of it now."

Fili watches in amazement as the fox trots out of the brush and goes up to Kili, licking his fingers before consenting to being collected. Kili takes particular care as he deposits the fox into the pack at his side, and the fox seems pleased with Kili's cleverness as she pokes her nose out from the loosened flap and yips her pleasure.

Kili turns to his elder brother with a smirk of his own and says, "It would seem she is pleased with this arrangement."

"So it would," Fili says with a furrow of his brow. "Such a peculiar creature. She really helped you hunt earlier too?"

"She chased the game out from the brush," Kili answers.

"Perhaps your pet has use yet," Fili says, and soon the brothers are once again on their ponies and continuing their journey, growing ever closer to the Shire, the fox content to nap nestled in the smell of her new master's shirts in the leather pack at his side.

That night the brothers feast on Kili and Kit's earlier catch, Fili grumbling over looking for roots to add to the stew made from the quail. Kili smokes and salts the rest of the meat to make more jerky to add to the other dried meat they have for the journey yet to come.

It is with amusement that Fili watches the fox sneak from her bag and clamour up Kili's shoulder. Kili continues to eat, and Fili watches in amusement as the fox leans down and dips a paw into the stew, bringing the paw up to her snout to enjoy it. Kili makes a face at the paw having dipped into his food, and places the bowl on the ground. The fox jumps down and enjoys the rest of the bowl's contents while Kili searches for another bowl to get his own portion of the stew.

Both brothers can't help but wonder at the fox's strange eating habits, the creature seeming to prefer cooked food to raw. How very odd for the little creature, lest it was previously spoiled before coming upon Kili.

"Surely she had to belong to someone. It's clear she's been domesticated," Fili points out around a spoonful of the stew.

Kili shrugs. "Whatever the fate of her previous master, she has now chosen me, and I've grown fond of her. If she wishes to keep me company I see no reason to object, and if she continues to be so useful in hunting, then you can't object simply because she is another mouth to feed."

Fili cannot fault that logic. He must admit that his brother's spirits have seemed to lift since the little fox joined their hunting party. He is not a fool and he knows that his brother is quite lonely save for his company and that of their uncle. Kili being so odd in bearing and looks among the dwarves makes him singularly unique among their people, and add to the fact that he is a prince among the people, brings him under closer scrutiny than most. Fili has come to his brother's defense many times over the years concerning his brother's peculiarities, and it's good to see his brother with a companion who will not judge him for those peculiarities, even if that companion is a moody little fox, and only fate can guide in the meeting of creatures, even creatures as seemingly insignificant as a peculiar little fox chancing upon a peculiar dwarf and his elder brother.

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