Chapter 4

Gandalf helped the dwarves down and out of the sacks.

"These trolls couldn't have travelled in daylight, there must be a cave nearby," Thorin announced before searching for the mentioned cave.

The tunnel-like cave hoarded many treasures, the dwarves made a 'long-term deposit' by burying a chest of gold. What caught Lara and Dewni's attention was the huge pile of elven swords. Gandalf and Thorin had already picked the ones they fancied.

"It wouldn't hurt to have a way to protect ourselves, and they are elven," Dewni mentioned to Lara.

Dewni picked a light short-sword that could bring a heavy blow and a small dagger in her boot. Lara took a similar broadsword and two sai.

As Dewni was leaving she found a small, pearl moon necklace on a gold chain with small blue stones embedded into the pearl full moon as it's craters. It seemed perfect for her. Gently she picked it up and placed it around her neck.

The cave led to another forest, greener and filled with more trees. Seeing Lara next to Fili and Kili, she made her way over there.

"Lara, I'm going to practise with my new sword and I need someone to practise with. Are you getting my hints?" Dewni gave not-so subtle clues.

"Just a minute, Fili's gonna teach me how to smoke," Lara reached for Fili's pipe.

"You're gonna smoke! Lara, you know how our mothers felt about that."

"I know Dewni! But they're dead! We have to stop living in their shadow."

"At least, she's not a wimp. I guess we know who the rebel in family is," Kili sneered.

"Are you calling me a wimp?" Dewni raised her eyebrow."Give me the pipe!"

Kili smirked smugly as he prepared his pipe and handed into her. "Just breathe and let it out," he advised.

Dewni cautiously brought the pipe to her lips and took a breath, her lungs immediately filled with smoke and she fell into a coughing fit. Laughter rang around her ears, blushing she quickly left.

She hated herself for being such a fool, for falling for his trick. She drew her sword and cut off a branch as if it were soft butter.

"You have serious anger issues, you know?" a voice behind her teased.

"What do you want?" she didn't turn around to greet him.

"To apologise."

"Did I hear right?" she finally spun around, to face him.

"It was a bit nasty to embarrass you like that."

"It was."

They stood awkwardly, shuffling their feet and rubbing their hands.

"Why do you like the moon so much?" Kili attempted to re-start the conversation.

"What do you mean?"

"Your necklace and that night when you stood on the cliff, staring at the moon. You looked really happy," he faltered when he saw her expression.

"You were spying on me?" her voice steely calm and her face blank.

"I didn't mean to. I couldn't sleep and you were really obvious."

"Leave."

"You can't tell me what to do," he narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to her.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" she stepped forwards.

"Maybe it's because I like irritating you," he stepped closer so their faces were inches away, they gazed defiantly at each other.

Without thinking Kili smashed his lips on hers, pinning her against the tree. She found herself responding fiercely as he deepened the kiss. It wasn't a kiss of love or passion, it was a battle to see who's the dominant. Things quickly escalated when he tugged at her blue shirt.

"Stop," she moaned. He didn't listen, continuing to demand more of her.

"I said STOP!" she pushed him off her. He looked at her for a while and wiped at his lips with the back of his hand.

"This means nothing, it was just the heat of the moment," he mumbled and walked off.

He left her in a blaze of tears and anger. Why'd she kiss him back? Why didn't she stop him sooner? How could he leave her like this? She fixed her hair and re-adjusted her shirt. No, she wasn't gonna cry for him.

After a few minutes after Kili left, Lara trudged up to her.

"Hey, I saw Kili coming back looking scarily angry. What happened?

"Nothing, just the usual. We got into another argument."

"Liar."

"Look, I don't want to talk about it. Can we practise?"

"If you say so."

They started off easy, practising strokes and strikes but soon it turned into a serious duel between the sisters. They hacked at each other until their bodies were drenched in sweat and limbs were close to falling off.

"Feeling better?," Lara asked her sister as they made their way down to the others.

"Much better."

As they walked down, they saw an old, short man, dressed in brown with bird poop on his head and hat. He seemed very familiar to Lara. She pondered about it until her memory provided her an answer.

"Radagast the Brown. Gandalf mentioned him one day when we were riding but you were too busy sulking to pay attention," Lara laughed.

"What's he doing here?"

"Why do you expect me to know?"

"You seem know quite a bit about him already."

"But I don't, so let's go find out. We can ask Fili," she strode up it him.

"Because Fili knows everything," she muttered darkly, reluctantly following her sister.

A sudden howling noise was heard and Dewni's body was crushed by a monstrous wolf, as she struggled to reach for her sword an arrow pierced it's eye. It fell limp on her body. She managed to struggle out, she looked shakily at Kili, who shot the arrow. She nodded her head in acknowledgement before another warg scout attacked, which Thorin killed this time.

They were running hard. She could hardly breathe. They were playing a game of cat and mouse, trying not to get killed by wargs. A rough hand pushed her against a ledge and covered her mouth. She struggled until she saw who it was. He carefully extracted his hands and pointed a finger upwards.

He slowly notched an arrow on his bow, moving nimbly to bring down the warg. Soon, they were running again. They were cornered and Gandalf mysteriously vanished.

Lara and Dewni stood back to back. Lara's sword decapitated the head of a wolf and just as the great beast collapsed, Dewni's sword made it's way in and out of the warg's heart.

" Quickly, you fools! In here!"

With a small glance, the sisters jumped into another cave. They made sure that everyone was ok.

" Gandalf! There's a tunnel down here. Should we follow it?"

" We have no other choice."

So as they reached the end of the tunnel, they met a breathtaking sight. Rivendell.