The sun had risen on the next day and with it Thorin and his company were packed up and on the move again.

Kili had made a small "nest" in the satchel bag with a blanket and one of his extra shirts. After feeding the fox a little bit of the leftover bird meat from last night he had re applied the medicine that the hobbit had given to him. Then he had gotten the little creature settled in the bag and could now feel its weight, or what little weight it had, resting against his hip. The animal was sleeping soundly and Kili tried to make as little jostling movement as he could so the fox wouldn't awaken.

"How is the parcel?" Fili asked walking up next to his brother.

"Appears to be resting peacefully right now," Kili replied glancing down at the bag.

"So let me just try to understand this one more time…You went to find dinner, stumbled upon this fox, and some powerful thing in the universe told you not to leave it?" Fili questioned still not understanding what was so important about this little animal his brother refused to part with. Sure his brother had a soft side for animals, but this was just childish. It was like when he would bring wild animals home and their mother would try to shoo them out but Kili would cry and throw a fit. So their mother would simply wait till he had fallen asleep then shoo them out and the next day Kili would be on to the next adventure and not give the missing creature a second thought.

"Listen brother I don't understand it either, but there is just…something…telling me to watch over this fox," Kili said frustrated. He didn't want any of the older dwarfs to think of him as a child still. This was a very childish thing to do; he knew it was; yet he couldn't shake the eerie feeling he had. There was a reason that he wasn't able to kill the animal, and an even better reason to explain why he was starting to feel so protective of it. He only hoped that these reasons would be shown to him as well as the others soon.

"Whatever you say," Fili said with a sigh as the two brothers fell silent again.

Everyone in the troop had been fairly quiet for most of the morning. All of them simply trudging along the path that Thorin and Gandalf had depicted was best route. As the sun approached the center of the sky above them everyone decided it was time to stop for a small lunch and short rest. They stopped at the edge of the forest near the plains that had been their center of travel. Everyone started dropping their stuff to the ground and moving about to set up for lunch. Kili slowly took off the satchel and set it gingerly on the ground. He could feel the animal within it starting to stir so he opened the bag slowly. As he did so the widest pair of gray blue eyes he had seen greeted him, at least for a small animal that is.

"Well hello there," Kili said to the fox, "I see you are awake." Not that he was expecting the animal to reply with actual words but it did let out a small 'yip' sound as if to agree with the dwarf. "Well let's get you something to eat," Kili continued as he watched the fox slide itself the rest of the way out of the bag and stand on its own. Even the animal looked down at its paws in surprise that they were able to hold it up.

The food was distributed evenly and every dwarf, hobbit, and wizard dug in. Kili shared his portion with his newfound companion. It didn't complain either, munching on every piece of meat that the dwarf set in front of it.

'Poor thing probably hasn't eaten in days,' Kili thought as he watched the small animal finish the sixth piece of bird and move onto its seventh, 'I wonder what happened to it? How did it end up there?'

As Kili thought through the millions of questions that he had in his head he noticed that he was examining the creatures fur. It was matted with mud and in some areas small patches of dried blood, and appeared to be covered in soot and dirt. All in all the thing was filthy. 'Geez, it certainly seems to have gotten the crap beaten out of it. Whatever it ran into was nasty,' Kili continued thinking to himself until one of the other dwarfs broke his thought process.

"Say, whys the thing got nine tails?" Bofur asked from where he sat kitty corner to Kili and the creature. He flicked his spoon up in the direction of the fox as if to infer that that was what he was talking about.

"Well I don't know?" Kili responded. That was just one of the many questions he wanted answered.

"I've never heard of a fox 'aving nine tails before," Bofur continued with his mouth partially full of the small biscuit he was munching on. "Has anybody ever heard of that?" he asked inquiring to the rest of the party.

Everyone simple shook their head no as they partially ignored the dwarf and focused on their food.

Kili had finished his food and noticed the fox had as well. The small animal was now, sadly, attempting to lick its fur clean, but to no avail. After every lick or so it would turn away and cough while shaking its head to try and get the dirt out of its mouth.

"I think it's time for you to have a bath," Kili said as he knelt down to get closer to the fox. "Mind if I carry you?" He asked the animal. 'Why are you asking permission to carry it! It isn't a person!' He shouted to in his head.

The fox looked up at the dwarf for a moment as if weighing his words, then, it seemed, happily shook its head. It then stood as to allow the dwarf to pick it up easier. Kili simply lifted it gingerly under its front arms and held it against his chest with its warm belly in and it's back facing out.

"Where are you off to youngster?" Dwalin asked as he watched Kili holding the animal gingerly while he picked up one of his packs next to him.

"I'm going to go and give it a bath," Kili responded, "I need to get its fur clean so I can properly treat its wounds." He hated when they called him 'youngster'. It made him feel even more like a child.

"You ain't going too far," Dwalin said.

"No, I'm not. I saw a small river a few steps away that seems to lead into the forest. I'll just be right over there," Kili said trying his best to get away from the beating eyes of the group. He pointed off behind himself towards the forest. "I won't be gone too long." And with that last statement he simply started walking not wanting anyone else to stop him.

They were frustrating him with the way they were treating him, yet he was frustrated with himself because he was doing something that a child does. However what was bugging him the most was why he felt such a strong urge to protect the little animal he had held against his chest. 'I just don't get it!' he thought as he entered the forest.

He soon came across the river that he had saw and followed it a few paces further to where it flowed into a small shallow pond. Kili moved over to where it was shallowest and set the little animal down next to him as he dug in the bag he had brought for a bar of soap.

The fox peered into the water at its reflection. Kili watched out of the corner of its eye as it laid down at the waters edge and let its ears droop. It looked so sad after seeing its own reflection.

"Not to worry," Kili said once he found the bar of soap and set it on a towel, "we will have you lookin' pretty in no time." With that remark he patted the fox on the head and as it looked up at him he gave it a sweet smile. That seemed to cheer it right up seeing as it hoped up and appeared much happier again.

Kili slowly and gingerly cleaned off the little animal. He took great care as to not tug its fur, or bump its wounds. The fox itself behaved quite well to. It allowed the dwarf to clean wherever it needed cleaning and it never once seemed to protest.

"I must say you are no like any other wild animal I have ever dealt with before," Kili spoke breaking the silence.

The fox merely looked up at him with a look almost questioning as to what he meant.

"I just mean that, I don't know. You appear much more human…even though you are a fox," Kili continued with a chuckle at himself. "God what is wrong with me! I've been talking to you as if you can actually understand me?!" the dwarf continued laughing at himself, that is until he saw the fox nod its head as if to say yes.

The dwarf simply blinked to himself. Did he really just see what he thought he saw? No, it couldn't be. Sadly he found himself asking anyways.

"You can understand me?" Kili asked to the small animal in front of him. He had paused the rinsing of the fox after he saw it "supposedly" nod.

The animal nodded its head again, looking straight into the dwarfs' eyes and holding the gaze.

'Alright, well…this is a little…freaky,' Kili thought to himself as he slowly resumed rinsing the creature of soap. He really didn't know what else to say to that.

The last few minutes of the bath were in silence. Kili couldn't decide if he was comforted or freaked out by the fact that this fox in front of him could supposedly understand what he was saying.

Once finished Kili removed the small fox and placed it onto the ground. Then he proceeded to wrap it in the towel and dry it off. The sun was bright and warm so he didn't necessarily have to worry about the animal catching a cold, or any other sort of illness from the weather.

Kili removed the towel slowly and made sure that the animal was completely dry. He proceeded to re apply the medicinal cream on the wounds. Surprisingly the burns and cuts looked five times better than yesterday, especially after the good bath.

"Man, this stuff that Bilbo gave to me certainly does work. I wonder what it is?" The dwarf spoke out loud, examining the vial of medicine. The fox looked at it with equal interest.

Kili looked down at the creature and examined his handy work. Once all the caked on dirt and grim was removed it certainly was a beautiful fox. The color of its fur coat was a gorgeous mix of light and dark reds, some browns, and when the sun shone through the trees and hit it just right it showed streaks of blonde. It's paws and ear tips were the typical black while its belly and end of tail were white.

"You are quite beautiful little one," Kili complemented the fox. It appeared to perk right up and almost smile at the dwarf. Kili found himself smiling right back.

There was a pause while Kili debated on whether or not he wanted to go back right away. If the company really wanted to get going quickly they would have come and found him. Since it didn't seem like anyone would be coming anytime soon Kili decided he would enjoy the nice, fresh, clear waters that sat before him. Besides he could use a bath.

"Well I guess it is my turn to take a bath, huh?" The dwarf asked cocking his head to look down at the fox next to him. The fox simple returned his gaze.

"Umm...," Kili mumbled as the thought of getting completely naked in front of the animal made him feel uneasy for whatever strange and unknown reason. "Would you be able to not look…at me…at least until I get in the water?" 'Great! Now I am asking it not to look at me while I strip! It's an animal for Pete's sake! An ANIMAL! His conscience shouted in his head.

Surprisingly the animal did as he asked and turned around so it was not looking. Kili watched it for a few seconds to make sure it wasn't going to turn around, then proceeded to strip off his clothing. He then stepped into the water that was surprisingly fairly warm, like bath water. The little animal on the shore heard the water make a splash and took that as a signal that it could turn back around.

Right at that moment, almost as if on que, Kili hear footsteps approaching the small pool of water he was in.

"Ah there he is!" Nori said as the rest of the company of dwarfs entered the small clearing. All of them minus Thorin that is, and even the Hobbit was in tow.

"And he has beaten us to the punch!" Ori said coming up the edge of the pond and sitting down and removing his boots.

"Make room brother. We are coming in for a swim as well!" Fili explained as he to started removing his clothes, just like every other dwarf in the clearing.

Bilbo on the other hand had made his way over to where the fox was sitting looking off in the other direction.

"I can watch after him…her…it…uh, for you while you swim, if you want," Bilbo offered speaking to Kili.

Kili gave an approving nod, "thank you Mr. Baggins! It's much appreciated."

"Not a problem," the hobbit replied taking a seat against the small tree standing near the critter. The fox looked in Bilbo's direction and gave him a smile. Bilbo did a slight double take before turning back to Kili. "Did it just smile at me?" he asked, unsure.

"Honestly, I've been trying to figure it out to," was all Kili's reply before his brother jumped on him and pushed him under the water.

Soon every dwarf was in the water; some lounging, others playing, fighting, and wrestling.

"Say, what are you calling it?" Oin asked calling over to Kili from his lounge spot.

Kili turned to look at the dwarf then towards the fox sitting next to Bilbo near the edge of the water.

"I…I don't know. I don't really have a name or anything for it?" Kili replied. The idea of naming the animal hadn't even crossed his mind yet.

"Well lets think of one!" Bofur suggested, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Uhhhh…" was all Kilis' reply.

"How have you not even checked that!?" Bofur shouted. "Go check right now so that way we know at least what gender we are dealing with."

"Fine, fine," Kili mumbled as he moved over to where the fox was sitting. He went to pick it up and look, but as he placed his hands under the animals arm pits and started to lift, it let out a low growl and stared him straight in the eye. Almost conveying the thought of 'don't you even dare.' Kili didn't push it and slowly placed the animal back down.

"Well at least we know that it's a girl!" Dori laughed near Kili.

"What! How do you know that?" Kili asked turning to the dwarf.

"Because! Women don't like it when you try and look at their private parts without permission!" Dori exclaimed as he busted out in laughter.

This remark caused most of the older dwarves to start laughing as well.

"Well we still need something to call it by if it is going to be traveling with us," Fili said backing up his brother. Neither Fili nor Kili quite understood the joke seeing as they were much younger than the rest and had not had such experiences with a woman yet.

"How about Kits," a voice suggested from one of the nearby trees. After a moment Gandalf stepped out from behind the tree followed by Thorin. As usual the two had been planning out different routes they could take.

"Kits?" Bilbo asked quizzically.

"Yes, Kits. I'd say it's short for the term Kitsune, which stands for fox in another language," Gandalf informed.

"I certainly hope that other language isn't elvish," Thorin stated angrily.

"No, it is not," Gandalf informed Thorin who was standing next to him.

"I think that is good. What do you think?" Kili said swimming over to where the little fox sat and patted it lightly on the head.

With that question the little fox nodded its head in approval.