'No Kili, come back this way...'

'Kili, come on here... No not in the-puddle.' Thorin sighed deeply as Kili let out a cry as he overbalanced and sat in the muddy puddle. After their little walk with Bilbo it had started to rain heavily, causing them all to shelter under trees, all their belongings hastily packed as the rain lashed down.

Thorin was thankful it hadn't been a thunderstorm- he really would have had his hands full then. Now it had petered out they had started putting their things back on higher ground, avoiding the large puddles of rain that has made little rivers in the grass.

'Come on...' He muttered, picking him up and putting him back on the floor, his back and bottom wet and covered in mud, 'I've just changed you and all...'

Gandalf chuckled behind him, shaking his head. Thorin gave him a look as he wiped his nephew down before taking hold of a hand. 'Come on, let's go and find you some fresh breeches.' He chuckled, before gently leading him over to his bedroll.

'Where's Fili?' He muttered, looking round for him. He was usually with Bilbo, listening as the hobbit regaled him with stories of times gone by, or simply pointing out flowers and creatures of interest. The burglar was indeed on his bedroll, but he was snoozing, with no little dwarf by his side.

'Bilbo!' He snapped as he passed, quirking an eyebrow as Bilbo started awake, eyes wide. 'Fili?'

'Oh, I think he went with Dwalin to get firewood.' He muttered, massaging his heart as he settled back down. He was still resting after looking after the boys- which consisted of running around chasing Fili, or walking around bent double so Kili could have a walk around.

Thorin suppressed a chuckle at the thought- he was sure Dwalin was going to soon regret agreeing to that later.

'Come on, you,' he said, smiling down at Kili as his nephew looked up with wide brown eyes, a beaming smile on his face. 'Let's get you sorted.'


'Mister Dwalin?'

'Yes, lad?' Dwalin asked fondly as they ambled along slowly, gathering a little more firewood- the rest of it had been soaked by the rain.

'Where are we going?'

'Just a wee bit further and we can turn round, alright?'

'Ok!' Fili answered, nodding his head. They continued waking for a little while longer, until Fili looked round, a confused look on his face.

'Why is there still water everywhere if it's stopped raining?' He asked.

'Well...' Dwalin started to answer, 'because...because the ground only drinks so much water, and then it can't take anymore.' He said confidently, looking down at Fili- he stopped as he saw the little one looking up at him, horrorstruck.

'What's the matter?' He asked, hand going to his blade as his eyes scanned the forest for something- Fili clutched his jerkin, perching his feet on top of his worn leather boots.

'The ground drinks things?!' He repeated, looking down with wide eyes. 'Don't let it eat me!'

'Ach naw, lad!' Dwalin chuckled, holding on to him so he didn't fall backward. 'It canny eat you!'

'You said it drank the water!'

'I meant it absorbed it, laddie!' Dwalin explained, 'it just went into the ground is all, nowt to worry about!'

'So it's not going to eat me and drink my blood?' Fili asked, cautiously stepping back down.

'No lad.'

'Promise?'

'On my life.'

'Ok...' Fili nodded, looking down at the grass and puddles distrustfully.

'I think we better go back to the others in a minute, we've got enough firewood to last.' Dwalin grinned, ruffling Fili's blond curls.

'Ok...look, a river!' Fili shrieked, before pelting down the sodden grass.

'Wait, lad! That's not a river, it's just a puddle!' Dwalin called, growling in the back of his throat as the young dwarrow took no heed.

'Look, there's a bird sitting in it- it must be river!' Fili argued as the older dwarf caught up.

'Its just having a bath, lad- come on, let's go back.'

They both turned, Fili nodding his agreement- Dwalin sighed as he saw they'd walked into a mud patch. He lifted a foot, wrinkling his nose at the squelching that met his ears...how had he not noticed that? Probably too preoccupied with making sure Fili didn't drown himself, he mused.

'There must be a path here somewhere...Fili, no!' He called, closing his eyes with a small smile as Fili let out a surprised noise- he'd ran into the deepest pile of mud, and got himself stuck.

'Now look!' Dwalin called out, shaking his head ruefully. 'Now you have to wait till the mud dries and we can get you out!'

'No, no! Mister Dwalin please get me out! Help!' He cried, loud enough to wake the dead.

'Hush, lad!' Dwalin called, suddenly wary of turning round and finding Thorin bursting from the trees. 'I'm coming!' He added with a small chuckle.

He picked his way through the mud, mouth in a line as he avoided the heavier parts. 'Come on now, nice and steady...' He muttered as he reached him- he took hold of his arms and gave a pull, with Fili looking around with a worried expression on his face.

'Its not working!'

'Give it a chance, lad!' Dwalin grunted, pulling with all his might. Fili wiggled his legs as well, the squelchy mud sticking to his breeches like slime.

'Almost!' He called, making Dwalin chuckle.

Seconds later, and Fili managed to get his legs out- 'quick, over to the side!' Dwalin ordered, and Fili ran across the less deep parts of mud to a bit of grass.

Dwalin was just about to follow, when he realised with a grunt of surprise that he, too, was stuck fast in the mud. He mumbled a dwarvish curse to himself, shaking his head, 'Mahal...' He sighed.

'Are you stuck too, Mister Dwalin?'

'No, I'm just stood here to admire the weather!' He shot back, rolling his eyes.

'Oh...'

'Yes laddie, I'm a wee bit stuck.' He admitted, shifting his weight from one leg to another, growling.

'Do you want me to come and pull you out?'

'That's kind, lad, but I don't think you'll be able to get me out!'

'...do you want me to get Uncle Thorin to pull you out?'

'If you so much as take a step in the direction of your Uncle Thorin I will come right over there, so help me!' Dwalin warned, a stab of embarrassment in his chest. 'I can get out myself, ta.'

'I'll...wait here then.'

'Aye. Do that.' Dwalin muttered, before concentrating on the task ahead- at least he wasn't sinking, he told himself. 'Just a little pull here...' He muttered to himself, growling with effort as he tried to de-mud his legs. One little pull... He grinned to himself as a leg came free, and seconds later he managed to release himself.

'Quick mister Dwalin!' Fili called, jumping up and down as Dwalin hurried to the edge, where he groaned again and began wiping mud from his trousers. 'These were fresh on this morning...' He muttered, shaking his head.

'Sorry...' Fili muttered, blue eyes to the ground.

'Don't worry about it, lad.' He smiled, putting a hand on the dwarrow's head and smoothing his hair. 'Nothing that a wash canny fix!'

Fili smiled up at him, nodding, 'can we go back now?'

'Aye, I think we should.' Dwalin nodded, but his heart sank as they eyed the mud trail that they still had to traverse. He looked down at Fili, before shaking his head with a smile.

'Come on, lad.' He chuckled, kneeling down in front of him.

'What?'

'Hop on me shoulders and we'll get back much quicker!'

'Ok!' Fili giggled, before clambering up on Dwalin's shoulders.

'Oh, I remember this well...' He chuckled to himself as Fili held tightly onto his head. 'This will be the only time, alright?' He added, bucking his shoulders a little so Fili was in the right place.

'Why?' Fili asked, bending forwards so they looked each other in the eyes.

'Because I'm getting old!' Dwalin muttered, already feeding his back protest. Give him a sword or axe any day.

Slowly he made his way through the mud trail, Fili holding tightly onto his head. 'Ease up, lad! You'll pull me scalp off!' He scolded, before carefully bending down to his dropped pile of firewood and gathering it to his chest again.

'Come on, that's enough adventures for one day...' He muttered, turning around and heading for the camp.


'Where have you two b...' Thorin trailed off, all worry for Fili's wellbeing fading in favour of a smile as he and the others took in the sight in front of them.

'Not a word.' Dwalin warned, a hard glint in his eyes.

'Look Uncle Thorin, I'm a bird!' Fili giggled, holding his arms aloft as he sat atop Dwalin's shoulders as he walked towards the camp.

'I can see that, lad.'

'I thought I told you to hold on?!' Dwalin muttered, rolling his eyes as Fili returned his hands to his forehead, 'that's better.'

'Had fun?' Thorin chuckled as his friend dropped the pile of wood. Dwalin didn't answer- he dropped to his knees instead, so Fili was facing his uncle. 'Mister Dwalin got stuck in the mud!' He cried as Thorin helped him down.

'I told you not to say anything!' Dwalin muttered, rolling his eyes with a smile as he stood back up.

'Did he?' Thorin laughed, looking to his friend, noting the mud on the both of them. 'I see.'

'I'm going for a wash...' Dwalin muttered, before he started walking away.

'Thanks for the ride!' Fili called after him.

Dwalin stopped and turned, rubbing his neck as Thorin looked down at his nephew with a smile.

'You're welcome lad!' He muttered, before turning away again to find a cleaner puddle for a well-deserved wash.

Thanks for reading, please review!