….Hello? It's been SO long, I realised- writer's block hit me BIG TIME for this, plus real life got in the way a lot. I hope you can forgive me?
Enjoy this chapter!
'They can't be far now!' Fili called as he pulled his brother through the thicket of trees- Kili was barely keeping up, but Fili couldn't afford for them to fall behind and lose the others again; they could slow down when they reached them. Bofur ran along beside him, using his small axe to forge a path through the branches.
'Can we not stop for a moment?' Kili panted, wincing as a branch caught his face. Fili looked back, slowing as he saw his brother's face. It was etched with pain, and as Kili rubbed his chest and manoeuvred his shoulders were the spider had attacked him, he felt a surge of guilt.
'Sorry Kili, I just don't want to lose Thorin and the others- they could be anywhere in the forest by now!'
'I know….just….five minutes is….all I ask…' Kili managed to get out. Bofur and Fili looked at each other. 'I'll go on ahead, and see if I can spot them.' Bofur finally said, patting Fili on the forearm before walking off. Fili watched him go, trying to supress a sigh, but again he saw the pain in his brother's eyes as he settled awkwardly against a tree. 'Does it hurt a lot?' he muttered, rubbing a dirty hand on his trousers as he walked to his side. His palm was also streaked in blood from his arm; it was throbbing badly, but he pushed it out of his mind as he turned back to Kili.
'Not a lot, its fading I think…but it did hurt.' Kili returned, his brown eyes wide as Fili rubbed his shoulder.
'Alright- five minutes, and then we must get back to Thorin. If we do not I am not sure we ever will…'
'Don't talk like that!' Kili cried, voice high. Fili gave his brother a small, reassuring smile.
'Ok, so we will find them eventually….' He muttered, winking at his brother- Kili snorted and shook his head, before wincing again as he held his chest. The sound of wood snapping caught their ears- they stood straighter, hands to their weapons as they listened intently. 'We must not linger here…' Fili breathed, blue eyes wide and staring into the fading darkness.
'Could be a mouse.' Ventured Kili, peering around in the gloom. His brother supressed a smile, almost daring to believe it could be a small, insignificant creature…but then they didn't have much like on their side these days. He stood, arm outstretched across Kili's chest as he looked into the undergrowth. Barely breathing, he stepped closer, fingers curled tight around his blade. The bushes began to tremble and twigs snapped again as a….large rabbit hopped out of the trees in front of them.
Fili snorted out a laugh as they watched the rabbit go on its way, shaking his head. 'See!' Kili teased. 'I was almost right!'
'Yes well, next time I-' Fili didn't get a chance to retort as something big did come crashing through the trees at them- barrelling towards them like lightening was on its tale. Fili barely had time to push Kili back next to the tree before the wolf-creature was on them again; how had it found them so soon? They were well away from where they had been attacked…with dawning horror and a stab of pain, he remembered the wound on his arm, the blood streaking his palm. It must have followed the blood scent.
'Kili run!' he yelled, moving away from his brother to try and confuse the creature and allow him time to escape. 'Don't be stupid!' was his reply, as Kili grabbed at his bow and arrows and stepped forwards. The creature barrelled at Fili, snapping jaws foaming as it launched itself at the Dwarf- Fili caught it full on the snout with his sword, but it barely even made an impression on it; it merely made it angrier.
Kili, eyes wide, notched an arrow and fired at the creature's back; it turned with a snarl, its jaws open and eyes rabid. Kili stepped backwards, desperately trying to notch another arrow into his bow, but it was too late- the wolf jumped at him, making him yelp and throw himself to the side; he raised his arms in self-defence as the jaws came down at last- Kili could smell rotting meat on its breath as it bore down on him. Suddenly, a battle cry was heard in the dark; a blade was embedded into its side, causing it to yelp and fall into itself as it left Kili and turned around. Bofur was standing between Fili and the creature, eyes dark as he clutched his axe.
'Why don't you pick on someone your own size, hmm?' he growled, turning his axe in deft fingers at the wolf as it bade, teeth bared. It ran at Bofur, who slipped deftly to the side, slicing at it with his axe- but neither dwarf could have foreseen what would happen next. Now Bofur was out of the picture, the creature was now free to get its original target…
The next few seconds went by in a blur of sound and blood. Kili could do nothing but watch open mouthed as the creature lifted a giant claw at his brother- two screams and a dismayed yell permeated the air as the brute force of the blow came down on Fili.
'NO!' Kili yelled, running at the creature with Fili's forgotten axe- with all his strength he buried it deep into the side of the creature, wrenching it out to maximise the wound. The wolf balked, curling into itself as it fell to its side- a high pitched wine sounded in the silence, and as it fell silent at last, Kili fell to his knees beside his brother.
Night had fallen in the forest now, not that anyone could tell the difference between night and day just by looking- the spaces between the trees were always dark and dense. No, what made Thorin think that nightfall had begun was the stillness- like death creeping in shadow. He curled his fingers around his blade, feeling the knuckles pop. His breath fogged in front of him as he slowly breathed out. 'Any sign of them?' he hissed at Balin as he elder Dwarf stepped beside him as they walked along the brick path. He watched his friend's shoulders sag, before Balin shook his head sadly. 'None- but we mustn't give up hope.'
'I do not intend to.' He growled, pushing his sword further up his back. Not even a sound had been heard since they had gone missing- that was what had been bothering him. The forest was silent, gloomy- any sound should be easy to hear.
The rest of the group were solemn, quiet. Thorin needed to find his nephews and Bofur- if anything happened to them he didn't know what he would do, despite how strong everyone expected him to be.
The forest pressed in more and more as they walked slowly, carefully, always keeping an eye and an ear out. Thorin was anxious about what came out in this forest at night- he had heard the stories of the spiders, and they had already encountered the fabled wolf-like creatures. He hoped nothing ill had befallen his kin.
Suddenly a sound met their ears, and it made Thorin's stomach turn over. He pointed a shaking figure to an area ahead of them 'Over there…' he muttered, voice dark. The sound he had just heard…he hoped to anything he was wrong….it sounded like screams of pain.
'What is it?' Balin muttered, eyes creased in a frown.
'I…I am sure I heard something…' he replied, frowning himself. Maybe he was hearing things; he knew how the forest could play tricks with your mind. He turned back to the others, 'It was probably nothing.' He reasoned. But still something gnawed in his mind…what if it was his nephews. Even it was a small, insignificant thought- it was more than he could handle. Gripping his blade he looked at Balin and the others. 'Stay here, and do not move- I will check out that sound and come back round to meet you.' He instructed. 'Make one small fire only!' he growled- they needed warmth, and he needed something to find his way back later. Without waiting for an answer he walked into the forest, hoping against hope his thoughts were wrong.
Kili moved his brother so he could see him better- blood was smeared his face, illuminating his blue eyes as the two dwarfs stared at each other. 'Fili?' he whispered, hand curling into his brother's sleeve, slick with blood and sweat. 'Where you hurt?'
Fili's eyes rolled upwards before he coughed, wincing as he did so. 'I don't know….' He replied, voice hitched. Eyes wide, Kili began his search of the wound- he gently moved his cloak and tunic before he reached his chest and stomach area. He tried not to whimper or show how bad it was, but nothing could escape Fili. 'How bad?'
'Tis but a scratch.' Kili tried to joke, but the humour died on his lips as Fili cried out in pain. 'No, no don't do that….dont you do that…' he cried, taking his own cloak to stem the wound. It wasn't very deep, but that didn't mean that it was ok- blood was seeping from the long claw marks, running down the length of his brother's chest and stomach. He needed help, and fast. 'Can you stand up?' he asked, knowing how stupid a question that was.
'I will need to if I want to make it out of here.' Fili smiled, before curling his fists into Kili's shoulder as pain shot through him. 'Is it deep?' he managed to get out.
'Not as bad as it could have been.' Reasoned Kili.
'That is as good as could be hoped for- help me up.'
'But Fili…'
'Kili if I don't get up know I never will do.' Fili muttered, now using Kili to help lever himself up- Bofur stepped forwards, face ashen as he surveyed the damage. 'I'm sorry Laddie….I should've…'
'Bofur, this is my own stupid fault- I should have bandaged my wound properly before going anywhere…' Fili replied, his teeth chattering together. Kili looped an arm around his waist as he teetered, blood seeping to his tunic. 'Fili I don't think you should be moving too much…'
'Kili I t-told you, I ne-need to…' Kili's eyes widened as Fili's own eyes rolled back into his head for a second, before the strength in his legs left him completely. 'Fili! He cried as he helped him to the ground. Bofur watched as tears streaked the younger dwarf's face as he looked up at him, looking for all the world as a child, lost and bewildered with the big bad world.
'What do we do now?'!' he cried, voice high and cracked as Fili moaned in his arms. 'We need to find Thorin! We need to get out of here now!'
'I know boy, I know!' Bofur wrung his hands, utterly lost himself; he needed to pull himself together, to get them out of here- suddenly more twigs could be heard cracking in the bracken and bushes ahead of them. Kili felt his heart drop- they wouldn't survive another attack, not now.
'Oh come on! Give us a break!' Bofur cried, but ready with his axe nonetheless- these two needed him now. Kili looked down at Fili, watched as blue slits looked up at him, before only the whites of Fili's eyes could be seen. 'It's going to be ok Fili….its going to be fine…' he promised him, catching his hand and squeezing it.
Seconds later, something did come out of the forest.
I hope you enjoyed! Who could it be?
Thank you so much for reading! Now I am more into this fic and I know exactly where it is going, updates will be more forthcoming…again, huge apologies for the massive wait you had for this, I can only say sorry.
Please review! I would love to know what you thought!
xx
