Chapter 4

Amli awoke with a pleased grin to the first rays of sunlight peeking through rounded windows. Last night turned out to be a most exciting evening and they had yet to even depart for their quest.

Sitting up, her grin grew seeing the company's sleeping forms inhabiting the small room. They were almost piled upon one another with a few exceptions here and there; one being simply Fili who lay beside his brother against the wall.

Getting up from her precarious position on the sofa, Amli tiptoed around the dwarves nearby as she made her way to the door.

Drawn by some magnetic force, Amli found herself at Fili's side placing her blanket over his shoulders; his own stolen away by Kili sometime in the night.

She pulled her hands away hearing a contented sound stir from Fili.

Walking quietly to the kitchen, Amli's brows furrowed as a thought popped into her brain. A group this large would more than likely want breakfast but they cleaned the pantry out and then some last night.

Sighing, Amli grabbed her bag and cloak as she made her way outside. There was unfortunately one thing that would resolve the problem, and it was one of the vilest things to her in the whole Middle Earth. Housework

Fili awoke to the familiar sounds of his uncle's rumblings echoing painfully through the hobbit's home. Blinking away the sleep from his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the comforting warmth encircling him.

Glancing around, he found that Kili was the only one beside him currently wrapped in his blanket. Then Fili located the source of his warmth; a blanket wrapped high along his shoulders.

A small grin graced his features as he realized that all the dwarves had their blankets still on their person's except one. That grin soon disappeared as Thorin entered bellowing as all the dwarves were startled awake. "I knew that dwarf was going to be more trouble than she was worth." He bellowed as Fili got to his feet Kili not far behind. "What is it uncle?" Kili asked not fully alert.

"Amli is gone; I awoke this morning to find her belongings gone." Thorin said voice full of anger that even Kili backed away from.

Fili couldn't help but feel his heart sink at the prospect of the girl disappearing in the wee hours of the morning. He thought that the two were starting to get along well.

"No not quite for you see I'm right here." A voice said as they all turned finding a grinning Amli.

"Then where if I may ask did you run off to in the middle of the night?" Thorin bellowed as the half-blood made her way to the kitchen.

"Actually it was this morning at dawn, and I went to the local shop. Figured though I absolutely despise housework, you all deserved a hearty breakfast before we left." Amli replied with a satisfied smirk on her face as they eyed the table full of food.

"Well go on, it'll get cold if you keep on gawking at it." She added as the younger dwarves rushed to the meal while the elders, specifically Thorin and Dwalin held back.

"You two might want to hurry up, Bombur has got a voracious appetite if you hadn't noticed." That sent Thorin to the table but left Dwalin eyeing the food and her eerily.

"Oi you stubborn dwarf, eat if you want I give up." She growled smacking him upside the head as she walked straight outside.

"Brother what is it with you and that girl?" Balin questioned in between mouthfuls of a rather delicious breakfast.

"Just rubs me the wrong way or perhaps it's her lack of beard. It leaves me uneasy." Dwalin growled finding himself rather hungry and unfortunately the food rather tasty.

"I think she looks rather nice." Ori murmured as his brothers were quick to grumble.

"You are a foolish boy! You don't know…." Nori mumbled with a touch of anger at the naivety his youngest brother had.

"I know plenty. Have you ever petted a wild wolf? I think not." Ori replied chest swelling up with pride at his feat of bravery.

"…partially domesticated, Ori not wild." Thorin gently teased the lad as the group broke out into laughter at the youngest' expense. This was turning out to be a rather relaxing breakfast in deed.

Amli took it upon herself to secure provisions and ponies while the dwarves went about with breakfast. Now some could see this as sucking up but Amli thought of it as being productive.

Besides how good was it going to feel when Thorin couldn't say a bloody word? His face when she showed off breakfast was priceless enough but this would truly take the cake.

Making her way back to Bilbo's home, she found sure enough that the dwarves were beginning to pack up.

"And where exactly did you run off to?" A voice questioned causing Amli to nearly jump out of her skin as Gandalf appeared besides her shooting the girl a grin.

"I went off to secure provisions and ponies. Was I sorely missed?" She replied sending her own grin.

"It seems so." Gandalf said titling his head down the hall where there was Fili glancing at her amongst a conversation with Thorin, and Dwalin.

Under his gaze, Amli couldn't help but feel a warmth in her chest as a flushed color painted her cheeks. Her brows furrowed however as the warmth in her chest felt rather strong.

Turning so her back would face the dwarves, Amli glanced down her tunic and plucked the necklace away from her skin. The damn thing was warm to the touch. Granted it was not burning but it felt as if it had warm

. "Gandalf?" Amli questioned as the old man's brows furrowed. Once he took it his hands, the look of confusion seemed worse.

"Keep it out of sight. This is rather troubling but we will get it dealt with not to worry." Gandalf replied keeping his voice level as Amli returned the pendant to its rightful place in the nick of time seeing as how Kili came to her side.

"And how are you this fine morning, homemaker?" He asked throwing an arm around her shoulder as she scowled.

"Don't use the h-word around me Kili. It tends to make me rather volatile." She replied with a giggle as she pinched his side causing him to yelp in some pain. Laughing, Amli slid into the room to retrieve her pack.

"Don't suppose you're looking for this?" Fili questioned appearing at her side with her pack dangling off of his hand with her blanket safely inside it.

"I am, and just how did you know?"

"Well perhaps a little bird told me, or maybe the fact that I woke up with a blanket draped across my shoulders." Fili replied his blue eyes gazing into her green ones intensely.

"Come brother, Amli we're off to Bywater." Kili called entering the room while simultaneously interrupting their gaze as Amli took her bag and slipped around the brothers.

"I hear from Gandalf that you have already secured provisions." Thorin muttered unimpressed as the half-blood came out from the hobbit's home.

"Yes they shall be ready and waiting at the Green Dragon whenever you are ready your majesty."

"Come Amli you shall be riding with me." Kili said taking the girl's hand and leading her to his pony besides Fili breaking the tense glare the two had.

Once both dwarves were a top it Kili murmured, "You must be more careful Amli. Thorin does not take well to challenges in authority."

Sighing, Amli only nodded wrapping an arm around his waist as the pony began to move. "I shall try to watch my tongue but it's not for Thorin's sake."

"Then for whose?" Fili questioned as the girl sent the two a grin.

"Well for you two of course. I would not dare deprive you of my delightful company for long." The brothers' hearty laughter filled the air for some time after that. .

Chit-chat broke out amongst the dwarves as the space between those in the line varied.

"Has Trouble been following us?" Fili asked as Amli gazed around seeing for any immediate signs of her wolf.

"My guess is that he's keeping distance considering we have not left Bag End just yet."

"I imagine it was difficult to train a wolf-hybrid." Kili added not imagining how someone as petite as Amli could take on what was a full sized wolf.

"The little bugger normally makes it easy. I stumbled across him when I was about three years old. The poor thing seemed to be the runt of the pack left to fend for himself. Grew like a weed before we knew it…" Amli began as Kili interrupted her.

"Yes, that is the case when one raises a wolf from pup."

"Oh shut it!" She replied smacking him on the shoulder.

"Is he always this cheeky?" Amli asked Fili who rolled his eyes playfully.

"You have no idea; barely gives me a moment's peace." That of course caused a whine of sorts to escape Kili's lips.

"I'm wounded brother, Amli he has hurt me so."

"Oh you poor fool. What shall we do to mend your broken pride?" Amli questioned sending Fili a wink hoping that he would get in on the joke.

"A kiss from you would be all it would take." He replied as Amli almost let a giggle escape her lips and Fili's eyes widened in shock. Surely his brother wouldn't.

"If that is all, I shall heal you. Come close your eyes, I'll take the reigns." Amli said grabbing the reigns from his hands as he closed his eyes.

Glancing at Fili, she could see the blonde looked a little dumbstruck. However that quickly changed as she nodded her head at him then back at his brother's cheek. As silently as he could, Fili nudged the pony so that he was alongside theirs.

Freeing one hand, Amli dug into her satchel and dug a fresh piece of fruit out. "I am waiting!" Kili cried with a grin.

Silently handing the piece to Fili, Amli watched in delight as he gained his pony's attention then dangled it besides his brother's cheek. Much to their delight the pony slowed then reached up and licked Kili's cheek grabbing its reward while simultaneously rewarding the two trouble makers.

Kili let out a small scream almost falling from the pony if it hadn't been for Amli's quick grasp. The rest of the dwarves primarily glared while the younger members chuckled.

"I warn you that payback will be a bitch." Kili whispered taking the reigns back while attempting to avoid Thorin's glare.

"We're quaking in our boots, aren't we?" Fili replied sending Amli a wink.

"Oh most definitely," She began with a grin though blushing.

The company came upon The Green Dragon Inn at a good time and Amli found herself going to collect their provisions. She was not entirely thrilled at the idea however figured that it would be most tactfully handled by her. Thorin would probably bark at these poor inn keepers who gave her a rather good price for the provisional sacks.

Exiting out of the inn, she found the dwarves resting besides their ponies.

"Took you long enough lass." Dwalin bellowed as she shoved a package in his hands.

"Not all of us are as lucky to be as charming with our gestures as you, Dwalin. Some of us actually have to make conversation." She replied sending him a grin handing more packages out to the dwarves and one to a grateful Gandalf.

"Back to your ponies, the more land we can cover in the daylight the better." Thorin called as the dwarves returned to their riding companions.

"Come we shall ride together for a while." Fili offered taking her hand aiding her behind him. Neither cared to admit or linger on the sparks that shot from their arms to their spines at the simple touch.

"Now pardon me for the stupid question simply Fili but why do we share a pony though there is an empty one following Bombur." She asked as a pout appeared on his face.

"Now I am the wounded one. You do not wish to share a pony with me?" He questioned as Amli was quick to correct her mistake. "No…I…All it was…"

A grin quickly painted his face as he whispered, "Not to worry Amli I was only playing."

"Of course, like brother like brother." Amli murmured partially to herself though Fili chuckled.

"Gandalf is convinced that our burglar may be joining us yet. We're to leave that for him."

"Do you believe he will?" She asked arms resting comfortably across his waist much to his pleasure.

"I do. He looks to have a wild side of him. Shall we take bets?" Fili asked her as she nodded.

"What do you say lads anyone interested in wagering on whether or not our burglar will show?" He called as people started shouting out their thoughts.

"And you?" Kili asked glancing at Amli who rested comfortably behind his brother. "I vote that he shows." She replied with a grin as some of the dwarves rolled their eyes at her vigor.

Much to Amli's delight, the hobbit's voice rang out through the clearing calling for them to wait.

"I signed it!" Balin gazed over the paperwork then offered the hobbit a wink as he said,

"Welcome Mr. Baggins to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

The head of the company in question just gazed upon the interaction then barked another order. "Get him a pony."

Amli seriously questioned if the dwarf did anything but bark orders. Did he ever laugh? Or perhaps grin at his nephews when they were children? She was stirred from her thoughts watching Fili and Kili lean over and place him on the empty pony that had migrated down the line to be their responsibility.

"Are you well Master Baggins?" She asked gazing at the hobbit's stick straight posture upon the pony behind her.

"Yes, I've just never ridden one of these blasted things in all my life." Bilbo replied glaring down at the pony with foreboding look.

"Well my only suggestion then is to relax. The calmer you are with her, the better relationship the two of you will have."

"I say it would be very wise for you to listen to the animal expert." Gandalf replied sending her a wink.

A little ways up the line Nori was called to pay up and bags of coins were exchanged between the dwarves.

"Oh Dwalin!" Amli called in a sickeningly sweet voice to the gruff dwarf.

Within moments, a bag of coins were chucked at the half-blood as Fili caught it before it could do any damage.

"Thanks." She murmured blushing at him as he tossed it into her lap.

"Think nothing of it." Fili whispered sending her a grin over his shoulders.