AN - Finally got caught up - hope you enjoy.

Standard disclaimers still apply. Warner Brothers, MGM, Wingnut, Tolkien. They own em... I just play with them

Chapter 6 - The elder brother's burden

Kili tensed. The warg howls were closer now, and there was no mistaking the fact that they knew exactly where he and the boy were hiding. The only advantage they had now was the fact that the beasts could only enter the enclosed area one at a time, and their shoulders were far too broad to simply allow them to reach in and strike at them.

He knocked an arrow and waited, his tension was obvious, but his gaze was fixed and focused. He made sure that the lad and the dog were out of the direct line of sight and prepared for the coming battle. He carefully counted the arrows laid out before him. Twenty four arrows, twenty four shots he could take and then he would have to fight.

As he waited, Kili heard additional howls outside: the wargs were calling their pack mates to join them.

-:-

Fili did his best to remain calm as assignments were given and preparations were made. He checked the saddle on Kili's horse on more time. Although the beast was tired, it had already proven more reliable in a fight than his own mount.

As the last of the plans were ironed out and the supplies were loaded, he studied Addrunyc and his companions. The humans were an odd mix of age and build, but they seemed to know each other and their capabilities.

He forced himself not to pace. Normally he would have been the one trying to keep Kili from urging the rescue party on, but this was different. This was not preparing to go out on a routine patrol and this was definitely not a simple rescue mission.

There was no doubt in his, or anyone else's mind: they were riding into battle. Unfortunately, that meant more preparation. He suppressed a wry chuckle, knowing just how much he was acting like his brother right now. The fact that he'd been using his brother's tactics all night to deal with the orcs hadn't helped in the matter.

He'd be the first to admit, that Kili's technique of adapting to a fluid situation had served him well, but it had also taken a lot out of him, and after running fast and hard for what felt like hours, waiting was not something he could take with ease.

He noticed Kieran as he paced between the wagon and the horses, trying to be helpful and do anything other than sit there and think about his brother. That was something Fili could understand completely.

Something in the way the lad moved brought a slight smirk to FIli's lips. He recognized some of himself in the lad's tension and concern and realized he had much in common with Kieran, including, but not limited to the need to be underway.

As if he sensed Fili's gaze Kieran turned to him. "How can you remain so… calm?"

Fili smiled, and chuckled. "Years of practice," he assured the lad. "Years of practice."

"Thirty, as mother says?"

"Longer than that," Fili assured him. "And this… this is nothing in comparison to some of the things my brother has gotten himself into."

"Such as?"

"I wouldn't know where to even start," the dwarf admitted rolling his eyes.

There was a long silence between the two. Kieran spared a glance to the gate before studying his own hands. "It was supposed to be my turn out with the flock tonight—but Runnic… he knew I wanted to spend some time with my friends. So he got himself in trouble, knowing just how much trouble it would take so that he would be sent out to watch the flock in my stead."

Fili gave him a knowing smile. "Everyone thinks it's always the eldest looking out for the youngest—but they'd be wrong."

Kieran nodded. "But now…"

"Now you wish it had been you, and that is the elder brother's burden," Fili assured him, understanding even more Kieran's earlier outburst. "But there is nothing we can do about the past. Your brother volunteered to be out there. I left my brother in the position I felt was best… and we all must live with the consequences."

He was surprised when Kieran looked at him, with a slight frown. "No 'it's going to be all right'?"

"Not from me. Not tonight. Perhaps when we are back here with our brothers safe and sound—but… you are my friends' son, and I will not lie to you to make you feel better. We will do what we can, and pray it is enough."

Kieran thought about that for a moment before nodding. "Thank you."

Fili nodded. It was the least he could do.

-:-

Kili tensed, glad the cave was still dark enough that the boy couldn't see the slavering jaws as the first warg tried to gain access. He drew back, focusing his entire being on three things – the arrow, the target and the distance between them. Without conscious thought he sensed the air movements around him and knew how it would affect the flight of the arrow.

He fired, allowing for the slight temperature changes that drew air into the cave to draw the arrow away from him and into his target. He smiled with cold satisfaction as the warg yelped and fell.

He wasted no time firing a second arrow into the beast before it could attack further or retreat, leaving room for another of its pack to take over. He knew the orcs would soon tire of the game and of allowing their precious beasts to bear the brunt of the attacks, but for now, he was satisfied that any success on their part would come at a high price.

He prayed Fili had escaped and not fallen to these vile creatures. With the number of wargs he could hear, he tried to convince himself that his brother had to have found shelter, otherwise there would not be as many, and they would not be so eager to seek him out: the sons of Durin did not surrender to death easily.

-:-

As the small rescue party made its way outside the walled town, Fili was not surprised to hear the yips and padding, not of wargs but a small pack of the very large mountain dogs that Kareswen's father had been famous for breeding.

While the dogs were maybe half the size of a warg, he knew they would die before they let one of the fell beasts anywhere near those they protected. He smiled, remembering seeing one of them take down a bear that threatened a flock without a moment's hesitation. Something told him they were going to need that kind of protectiveness if they were going to get Kili and Runnic back safely.

If nothing else, they would warn the small party if any of the wargs were waiting for them. As soon as the group was moving the dogs ranged out to the sides, covering the small group's flanks.

For the first time that evening, Fili allowed himself to feel hope.

-:-

Kili let his breath out slowly as he saw the pile of warg carcasses starting to move. He fought to keep his heart rate calm and steady. Adrenalin might help to fuel a berserker rage, but that rage had no place in archery. For now he needed to remain calm and focused. He could not give in to the battle frenzy his people were famous for, not yet.

Focusing on the movement he realized someone or something was moving them away to give them better access to the cave. With three wargs cut down, he knew the orcs would try something else he just wasn't sure what they would try.

Then he heard the guttural sounds of the orcs speaking common, for his benefit he was sure. "Burn them out!"

Kili looked at the boy and then at the entrance of the cave- there was nothing to burn here—but smoke would do them in just as easily as fire and the orcs knew it. He quickly drew his dagger and cut his mantle into pieces. As he worked, he spoke to the lad.

"They mean to smoke us out… have you anything you can wrap over your nose and mouth?"

The lad did his best to unwind an oversized rectangle of cloth he had wrapped around his neck, which Kili quickly helped him with.

Keeping an eye on the entrance he wet first the pieces of his mantle and then the boys' scarf, but as he handed it back, the lad shook his head.

"Use it— you can wrap it around your head and mouth or tie it easily… "

Kili gave the lad a grim smile, realizing for the first time that the lad could now see him. Dawn was coming, but would it be enough? Somehow he doubted it.

He quickly tied the scarf around his nose and mouth and handed the lad the pieces of his mantle. "Breathe through it… it will help filter the smoke."

The boy nodded then looked worriedly at the dog.

"Hold onto him, If he's your mother's dog… he'll stay with you and protect you, but you need to keep him away from the opening. I need to keep the area clear so I can shoot when need be.

Kili watched as the boy gripped the dog's collar, holding him closer. At least it would give the lad something to focus on while he dealt with the orcs and wargs he new would be coming for them.

'Fili,' he thought to himself as the smoke started filling the cave. 'Now would be a good time to ride in to my rescue.'

-:-

When they crested the final rise, Fili felt his heart stop. His first glimpse of the area where he'd left his brother only filled him with aching loneliness. He bit back a sob when he saw three crumpled forms in front of the cave entrance as smoke rose from behind them.

He'd taken a breath to deny what he had seen when he saw an arrow fly from the cave at one of the waiting wargs, and suddenly everything started to move again. Belatedly he realized that the forms were far too big to be those of his brother, Runnic and the dog.

He smiled as he saw another warg fall to his brother's arrows. With a battle cry he joined the riders from the village as they charged towards the orc's and wargs, As Fili swung his weighted blade he saw that time may have slowed Addrunyc, but he was still a force to be reckoned with.

They made quick work of the remaining orcs, but Fili knew it was time his brother really didn't have, not with the amount of smoke pouring into the cave as they fought. As he moved forward, he tried to remember the dimensions of the cave and how much air they would have before succumbing to the smoke.

He called to his brother, praying he was still conscious. Beside him Kieran surged forward, anxious to get to his own brother. He quickly grabbed the younger man and pulled him away from the opening as another arrow flew out of the cave.

While Kieran gave Fili a startled look Addrunyc bellowed, "Kili, I thought I taught you better than to fire blind!"

They were rewarded with a cough and a grumble from Kili. "I thought you had better sense than to step between an archer and his targets!"

Fili smiled. His brother's tone and answer told him what he needed to know. Kili was all right and more than ready to get out of there. He grabbed his shovel from his pack and quickly went to work burying the smoldering scrub in front of the cave.