Disclaimer: I still own nothing, unfortunately, but I would like to thank all the people who have reviewed, favourite and followed my story. You have no idea how much that helps to inspire me. I would also like to thank my housemate, Alice, who gave me the idea for this next chapter.
Previously
As he stepped towards his younger brother the ledge they were standing on gave way completely. Fíli, tied to the rope fell only a few feet before the rope became taught and caught him leaving him suspended above the river, watching as Kíli disappeared into the roaring river below with a startled yell.
Chapter 2
"Kíli!" cried Fíli, as his eyes scanned the surface of the river below for his younger brother to surface. Suspended from the rope as he was, he could see much further than if he had fallen down there, but he would much rather have fallen with his brother than be unable to help him at all. For several heart-wrenching moments, only his voice echoed back at him over the roaring of the river, and Fíli felt a horrible weight settle itself over his chest. Why hadn't he listened? Kíli was known for being immature but he had never intentionally caused harm to anyone with his jokes, why would he have started when they were both in danger. Did he really not trust him that much? Look where that distrust had gotten them!
Movement from below caught his gaze and his eyes snapped to the dark shape of Kíli trying to stay above the water below him. He was quite far downstream by now but Fíli could still make out his brother's arms clinging at the rock walls of the canyon, and his ears heard the faint cry of his brother. "Fíli!"
"Kíli! Do not move! Stay right there! I will... I'll get to you!" He couldn't tell whether Kíli heard him over the water that must be much louder in his ears, but he had to try and offer some measure of comfort. Not knowing what else to do he began to climb up the rope that he was suspended from, the entire time kicking himself for simply doing this when his brother had first suggested it. On several occasions it felt like the arrow the rope was tied to would come loose, but like Kíli had promised, the rope held and Fíli found himself standing on the path, with the two ponies. Scrambling quickly to his feet he turned to peer over the edge, eyes shooting to the exact spot where Kíli had been, only to find no sign of his brother.
Leaping onto his pony and grabbing the reins to Kíli's the older dwarf, spurred his pony into a gallop following the river. Trusting his horse not to run itself of the Fíli keep his eyes on the river, eyes roving over the surface trying to locate his wayward brother. For several tense minutes, with his heart pounding in unison with the ponies' hooves, all Fíli could think about was his brother, since Kíli had been born, the two had been nigh on inseparable, what would his life be without him? He could not do this without him. The path suddenly verged away from the river and Fíli's horse moved to follow it but with a gentle tug of the reins he kept it following the river, and soon left the path behind.
The sensation of the ground crumbling from beneath his feet was not one that Kíli would forget anytime soon. The feeling was similar to awakening from a dream where you are falling, your limbs all shooting up of their own accord to try and secure yourself. Only the feeling didn't dissipate as your foggy brain registers a bed beneath you. The feeling was horrible, and Kíli didn't even have the time to yell before he was already halfway to the water.
If the feeling of falling was unpleasant then actually hitting the water was torture. The impact alone was enough to knock him senseless for several seconds, and he was carried along by the current under the water. It was the cold that slowly brought him back to his senses. He shivered and tried to suck in a breath only to get a mouthful of water. The panic set in then, and Kíli's eyes shot open, trying to find the way upwards.
He broke the surface, gasping for breath, only to submerge again seconds later. Kicking his legs furiously he broke the surface again and managed to grip at the rocky wall weakly. Barely able to hold his head above the water, he faintly heard his brother's voice yelling his name and tried to answer in kind, the rawness of his throat not letting him shout overly loudly. He tried to look up to find his brother but his arms were already stiffening from the fall, and as he moved to look up he lost his grip and the river claimed him once again.
He lost sense of all time, his world narrowing to the seconds spent at the surface and the minutes spent trying to force his tired muscles to breach the surface again. Despite knowing that he was now classified as a grown up in dwarven culture, only just, he couldn't help but want his brother. Fíli had always been the one to pull him out of any and all the scrapes that they'd managed to fall into. He didn't understand why Fíli hadn't trusted him, he could have saved both of them, if only he had listened! It hurt Kíli that his brother didn't trust his idea. If they had acted upon it immediately, they would be riding to Hobbiton right now, not trying not to drown in this river!
The river turned a sharp corner, and unable to stop himself Kíli was swept into the far wall of the river, head smacking hard against stone. His mouth opened of its own accord and he found himself swallowing water. Sound started to fade out as his vision swam, before his cloak caught on something and he felt all forward momentum stop. Kicking out weakly his feet touched the bottom, and his eyes shot open. His cloak was caught on a small bush that was miraculously growing out of the side of the sheer rock wall. But the river bed was just below his feet. He swung his head around to face the other way, swallowing down the nausea that his head wound caused and saw that the sheer rock wall gave way to a bank about 20 feet to his left. If only he could get there.
With a sharp yank, he ripped his cloak from the bush and was immediately swallowed by the river again, but with the depth tapering off, he was able to push himself to his feet and unsteadily weave his was towards the shore, falling down to his knees and crawling the last few feet. Before flopping onto his front in exhaustion, legs still half in the water, and gave into the pull of unconsciousness.
Fíli was still riding at full pelt through the fields surrounding along the banks of the river, unable to comprehend what would happen if he did not find his brother. The river below him was still encased on both sides by sheer walls, so there was nowhere that Kíli could have escaped the river, but that didn't ease his distress. Until he found him alive and well, nothing would. It felt like hours of riding without catching sight of his brother, before finally, a dark shape came into view in the distance. It was undoubtedly Kíli, body sprawled on the shore awkwardly, clearly not conscious, but hopefully not dead.
The only problem with this was the shore on which Kíli was lying was on the other side of the river and at least 20 feet below where Fíli was standing. "Kíli!" he yelled. There was no response from the younger dwarf, but Fíli had no idea how to get down to him. "Kíli!"
