Hi again, here's the next update. Thank you to everybody who has loyally followed and reviewed this story all along. Please let me know what you think!

His lungs were burning, muscles screaming after days of inactivity and starvation. Breathing felt like the air had turned to molten rock, his heart thudding painfully in his chest, but still he forced onwards, sprinting towards the source of the noise, towards his brother.

Light beckoned ahead and spurred on, he found a new, desperate strength that pulsed through his veins like fire, throwing himself forwards with rapidly dwindling vigour.

Then the narrow passage opened up and there he was, pinned down on a great, blood-soaked stone slab by four of the foul things and his blood roared within him.

Not pausing to breathe, he dashed forwards, revealing himself in his pure, unadulterated fury, rage and terror driving him forward across the great cavern.

Time slowed, every breath seemed to last a lifetime as he watched the creature raise a large, heavy stone, crimson with chronic use – his brother's terrified expression, eyes screwed shut, the leering of the hungry beasts, the ravenous glee in the eyes of the one who held the stone.

And just as suddenly, it resumed normal service and he was tumbling forward with a furious yell, sending the rock-bearing creature crumpling to the ground with a heavy thud, the rock smashing into the stone floor, sending rippling echoes spiralling around the large space.

Having tackled the vile thing to the ground, it struggled beneath him, strength superior to his, despite its thin frame. Larger and in better health, it thrashed angrily, nearly sending him flying. Then, quick as an arrow flight, he was thrown backwards onto the rock floor, knocking his head.

Dazed, he scrabbled desperately around him for something to use as a weapon, the creature advancing dangerously quickly. His vision blurred and the creature was on top of him, bony fingers squeezing the life out of him, crushing his throat with a famished excitement and he was struggling in terror, fingers clawing the rock for something, anything – his outstretched hands clutched at something long and slender, with a vicious point.

No idea what it was, he gripped it tightly, gasping for breath as he wheezed.

With a swift, frantic movement, he thrust it upwards, eyes bulging with the pressure on his throat.

He felt resistance, felt it slice through skin and sinewy muscle, heard the scream and agonised shriek of the beast above him and forced upwards with the last of his strength.

The hands about his throat slacked and the beast tumbled atop him, writhing as blood poured from its abdomen. He threw it off him, still gasping for breath, his eyes searching wildly for his brother.


Kili had braced himself for the impact, for the blackness to come, for the end. Terror swam through him, the desperate anticipation of what was to come as he lay helpless and restrained on the cold rock.

The icy chill seeped into his bones and he could not think of a more uncomfortable way to spend his final seconds alive, bitterly bemoaning his impulsive decision to leave home. His Uncle had been right. He was reckless, hasty, careless. He had led himself and his brother to their deaths, and now the time had come, he was a trembling coward.

It was a miserable last thought, he considered, as he waited for the rock to fall.

There was a clatter, muffled yells, a loud thud and a tremulous, unending echo that rattled through his bones. The grips on his limbs were suddenly released and a cacophony of snarls and hisses in the air.

He dared to open his eyes.

A strange, red haired man fought two beasts at once, his savage blows sending the first creature sprawling backwards. He swept his gaze around to see his brother struggling with another, straddling the beast and hitting it with a desperate fury and he and never been so pleased to see him in all his life.

The fourth beast eyed him warily, snatching at him suddenly and he lashed out, kicking it angrily in the chest with all of his strength, launching himself at it, fresh determination lending him vigour and might. He gripped its skeletal head between both hands, smashing it down on the rocky floor with satisfaction.

Watching the eyes fall out of focus and not caring whether it was stunned or dead, he kicked the beast, turning to help his brother's companion.

He watched, a little in awe as the thin man snapped the first creature's neck, sending the other sprawling with a weighty punch.

Sensing something he could do, he dispatched the dazed second beast with a boot to the throat, glancing over at his previous opponent to check it was still out of it.

Satisfied, he nodded appreciatively at the red haired man before turning to find his brother still struggling with his opponent, skeletal hands wrapped around his throat and he could only watch in horror, frozen to the spot as his brother choked for air.

Fili's face was contorted into intense concentration as he fumbled around him for something and then in a split second, there was an implement in the creature's ribs and it was shrieking and howling horribly.

It fell still and he watched, relieved as he brother pushed the vile thing away, pushing himself up with what looked like a great deal of effort, still wheezing as he touched a hand to his rapidly bruising throat.

He rushed to his brother's side "Fili!"


Fili lurched to his feet, his breathing finally under control as Kili launched himself at him. Relief flooded him at the realisation that his little brother was unharmed, at least physically. Anything else could wait until they'd escaped the underground caves.

Everything hurt, from his aching head, his throbbing shoulder and his burning, swollen hands that screamed from gripping the makeshift weapon.

What exactly had that been? He released Kili from the crushing embrace long enough to glance down at his fallen foe. What appeared to be a shattered shin bone protruding from the creature's gut, the base splintered to create a brutally sharp point.

The urge to laugh was overwhelming, but his strength was dissipating rapidly and he needed to get his brother out of the caves.

He turned to glance at his red-haired companion as the man glanced around the cavern, examining the passageways that led out of it.

Apparently satisfied, their companion beckoned him over. Now that he had the chance to do so, he briefly appraised the man, noting he was broad of stature – perhaps once muscular, but starvation had caused his frame to waste. Not tall for a man, but taller than he by at least a head and a half, their companion was in his prime, not old but no youth either. His face displayed his years, eyes hooded and sunken from his imprisonment.

As they glanced up the passageway, a slight breeze tugged at his braids. He nodded at the man, signalling for them to move upwards, when the pattering of feet sounded not far away, perhaps aroused by the clatter.

He pushed Kili into the passage and they started upwards, hearing cries of dismay and snarls of fury emanating behind them as the creatures discovered their fallen kin.

Heart thudding in his chest, Fili started to sprint, hearing the echoing footfalls grower louder and louder behind them, resonating through the passage in a cacophony of sound that spurred them ever onwards and upwards, following the twists and turns of the cavern and all the while, praying to find the way out.

Suddenly, the passage came to an abrupt halt and terror rose in his throat as he cast around wildly for another passage or an exit, but there was nothing, no openings or corridors or rooms, just a dead end, an oddly appropriate word considering what was following them up the passage, hungry and full of anger in their chase.

His heart sank and pulling Kili behind him, he and the red-haired man prepared to fight once more.

Another Cliffhanger! Please don't hate me...