Hi all! I have for you the next chapter and yes I had a bit of trouble figuring out everything I wanted to do in this one. That is what took me so long to update, but I hope you guys like it. Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

Pain, searing agonizing pain radiated from Kili's useless dislocated shoulder. The intense pain shot down every muscle and every tendon, making the young dwarf's mind a haze of agony. Only once before in his young life had Kili felt pain worse than this and Carrek was responsible for that too.

After Carrek ruthlessly dislocated Kili's shoulder the dark-hair dwarf was stripped of his dirt covered coat, then the orcs holding him forcefully tied Kili's hands behind his back, before returning him to the ground in the very back of the cave. The position of his arms put stress on his injury, making Kili's breath come out uneven and ragged. The dwarf tried to calm his breathing, because every breath jarred his shoulder and shocked his body with jolts of pain, and with each unwanted movement his arm felt like it was ripping away further from its socket.

Kili tried his best not to think about the damage Carrek surely did to his arm or how long until he would be able to use his bow again, if ever. It wasn't easy changing the thoughts of his mind, especially with the unnatural lump sticking out on his skin lower than were his shoulder should be. The sight made the young dwarf nauseated and again had Kili wishing his family was with him. That Fili was here to protect him from Carrek's cruelty, but Fili was not here and Kili was alone against dozens of enemies. He was alone against Carrek.

Kili could see light streaming in through the entrance of the cave, taunting him with freedom. Freedom that was so very close, but was untouchable, because between the injured dwarf and freedom was two groups of brutal enemies. On one side of the cave a group of goblins were cackling around a fire and on the other side the orcs were gathered around the imposing form of Maluc, bearing their blackened teeth as their leader spoke quietly. However, all of the orcs and goblins were the least of Kili's worries.

Carrek was sitting across from Kili, much too close for the young dwarf's comfort. Carrek had a spark of excitement in his dark eyes since he yanked Kili's arm out of its socket, and that spark had yet to fade. The glee in the goblin's eyes made Kili shiver in fear of what was next to come. Carrek was sharpening a small frightening knife slowly, eyeing his trapped prey with a sneer. The scraping noise as Carrek slid the sharpening stone across the blade's surface echoed loudly in Kili's ears, making him cringe. He knew the size of that kind of blade was not meant for battle, Kili knew that the knife in Carrek's hand was used for more delicate situation, painful delicate situations.

Time stretched on with no movement beyond Carrek's mangled hands sharpening his blade, putting Kili even more on edge. Suddenly Carrek's hands stopped and without the constant scraping of the sharpening stone, silence fell over the cave. It was a silence that no one would ever expect with so many goblins and orcs around. It was such a sudden deafening silence that for a moment, Kili thought his hearing may have failed him. This thought was quickly proven wrong only moments after it enter Kili's mind by Carrek's voice.

"Do you remember?"

Kili glared at Carrek stubbornly, while his mind was turning, trying to figure out what the goblin's words meant.

Carrek chuckled and moved closer to Kili, making the young dwarf press his back harder against the wall to get away from him, a sharp jagged part of the rock wall digging into his lower back painfully.

"Do you remember, the day I gave you your scar? Maybe you want another one, just like the one on my face." Carrek hissed and as he reached Kili the goblin stretched his hand not holding the knife out and traced where his scar was on Kili's face, starting around the ear and traveling down under his left eye, ending under the chin. His hand then traveled down to push Kili's dark locks away from his neck. Kili froze under Carrek's scrutiny, holding his breath and willing the creature away from him. Instead of moving away like Kili hoped, Carrek just started to trace the scar with the tip of his finger, like he did to his face only moments before.

Kili began breathing faster as Carrek touched his scar, memories of that horrible time flooded Kili's mind. He could remember what happened easily, he saw what Carrek did to him many times in his nightmares. He could feel the hands and nails digging into his arms as he struggled to get away from the glowing heated blade. Kili could hear the screams that came from his mouth as the blade made contact with his skin, and could still feel his heart pounding rapidly in his chest.

Kili pulled himself from the horrifying memory when he realized that the pounding of his heart was really happening. He blinked several times, trying to refocus on what was happening and jerked his body away as far from Carrek as he could and glared at the pleased goblin.

"You want to know what I remember?! I remember my uncle's blade sinking into your shoulder. I remember when he came for me and my brother and he will again, but this time it will not just be my uncle you will have to deal with. I can tell you now that there is no way in this that you get away with your life!" Kili said forcefully, believing every word.

Carrek's eyes darkened, "Is that what you think little Kili?"

"Yes!" Kili growled,

Carrek leaned in very close to Kili's face, "Then you have no idea who you're dealing with."

"Fili, slow down!" Thorin yelled to his determined nephew, who had gotten too far ahead of the company in his haste.

Fili did not respond with words, but he did look back as his slowed his steps slightly. When he caught sight of Dwalin struggling to keep up with his blistering pace, Fili slowed down to a normal stride with a frustrated sigh.

"Thorin we need to get him to slow down, if he does not Fili will surely tire out much too quickly." Balin whispered quietly to Thorin as they walked through the forest.

The group had been quick to find a trail to follow after searching the training grounds in the daylight and was hoping to find some more signs of Kili and the enemy before nightfall. All day Fili had rushed after the trail without a thought of the other older dwarves behind him. No one blamed Fili for wanting to hurry. Kili had been in the hands of the enemy for a little more than a full day and everyone remembered what happened the last time this same enemy had the young dwarf.

"I am aware of this Balin, but he will not listen to me right now, you know this as well as I." Thorin replied gruffly.

"The lad is just angry Thorin. Once we find Kili and everything settles down he will understand that you told them Carrek was dead for their own good." Dwalin said suddenly, slightly out-of-breath.

Thorin turned to look at his friend. Dwalin was walking slower than usual and you could see pieces of white bandages sticking out from under his clothes in certain spots. Even injured as he is Dwalin was an imposing warrior to look at, but Thorin could see the sweat on his brow as his friend pushed himself past his limits.

"If I recall correctly, it was you who said we shouldn't lie to them for this very reason Dwalin." Thorin said matter-of-factly.

"I did, but I also know that after you told them, Kili slept the first full night of sleep since the attack. What you did helped them Thorin, and they will understand that."

"I know. Do you need a rest? You look as if you're going to fall over any moment." Thorin asked with concern in his blue eyes.

Dwalin grinned, "Ha, no need to worry about me Thorin. I could still take out a group of orcs, goblins and wargs singlehandedly if I need to."

"NO…no fighting for you, if you reopen your wounds I will force you back home." Oin ordered as he walked beside Dwalin, keeping a practiced eye on the injured dwarf warrior.

"Looks like Oin's got you on a short chain there Dwalin. Ha I never thought I'd see the day." Bofur's joyful voice rang out from the back of the group where he walked next to Bifur.

"Don't worry brother, I'll protect you." Balin said to Dwalin with a glint of amusement in is wise eyes.

Dwalin growled deeply and glared at the dwarves around him, making them bark out a small amount of laughter.

"Uncle Thorin, come quickly!" Fili shouted from far ahead of the group.

All the dwarves snapped their heads towards Fili's voice and broke into a run to see what the young dwarf had found.

Kili didn't even feel the first cut of the knife as it slid across his exposed chest, but as the cuts grew in number they began to sting and burn. Carrek started to push into the wounds with his revolting hands to make the pain increase, but Kili refused to scream, he would not give Carrek the satisfaction. The only way that the goblin could tell Kili was in pain was by the quickening of his breath and the small hisses and grunts that slipped passed his clamped lips.

Kili could tell that Carrek was disappointed and frustrated with the lack of his screams. The longer Kili held his pain back the deeper Carrek push the knife into the young dwarf's flesh. In a flash anger Carrek abruptly plunged the small knife into Kili's already dislocated shoulder, finally extracting the scream that he wanted from his captive.

The blow left Kili breathing rapidly, his chest rising and falling at an alarming rate and Carrek watched as the dwarf tried desperately to control the pain coursing through his abused body. Kili trembled from the agony and when he finally got his breathing under control he opened his eyes, not realizing that he had shut them in the first place and glare at Carrek as forcefully as he could manage through his haze of pain.

Through Kili's pain-filled mind he didn't process that Carrek was now gripping the hilt of the knife, but he did feel as the blade very slowly was pulled from his body. Kili could feel his consciousness slipping away from him, and the injured dwarf saw the edges of his vision turn black.

"Oh no this will not do, you're losing too much blood." Carrek said as he slapped Kili's face lightly to keep him awake.

When he was sure he had the dwarf's attention Carrek smiled widely, "We'll just have to stop the bleeding by cauterizing the wound."

Everything was happening too fast and Kili couldn't understand what was going on. Why was he in pain? Why was his hands trapped behind his back? Why was he holding a sharp rock? What was that noise? What is the glowing in front of him? Wait, glowing?! Kili shook his head, trying to clear away this unsettling feeling that was clouding his mind and focus on what was happening.

When his vision cleared Kili saw the same images he had seen so many times in his nightmares. Was he asleep? No, if he was asleep then he wouldn't be feeling so much pain. Then why did he see Carrek walking towards him with a glowing heated blade like when he was a child?

"We'll just have to stop the bleeding by cauterizing the wound." What Carrek said before echoed in Kili's head. "Oh Mahal no," Kili whispered to himself and closed his eyes tightly for a moment.

As Carrek got closer to his captive, Kili began struggling again. Trying to get away from the evil vicious goblin, but it was no use because as soon he tried to get away another goblin was suddenly there, holding him in place.

"Now, now little Kili relax, this will only hurt a lot." Carrek sneered and then pushed the burning knife against the heavily bleeding wound on Kili's shoulder.

Kili's scream was deafening and it continued until his voice cracked and broke off into silence.

Carrek slowly stood up from his position kneeling in front of Kili and looked down at the unconscious dwarf and after a moment, turned swiftly to one of his goblins. "You are on watch. Everyone else rest, we leave the moment the suns gone!" He ordered and stalked to the other side of the cave to sleep undisturbed.

Kili cracked open one of his eyes when he was sure Carrek had finally moved away from him. The young dwarf was in immense pain, his whole body ached and burned but he knew this would be his only chance to get away. If it will even work.

The entire time Carrek was talking and torturing Kili he had sliced away at the ropes binding him with a sharp rock he found on the cave floor and he was almost free. All Kili would have to do once he was free was wait until all the orc and goblins were asleep and then kill the one left awake for watch, simple. Well at least it would have been before Carrek popped his shoulder out of its socket. Now Kili wasn't sure how he was supposed to kill the goblin without making any noise one-handed. He was going to use a move his uncle Thorin taught him and Fili, but that required two hands, one over the mouth and the other killing the creature.

Finally the rope snapped and Kili's hands were free. The young dwarf almost shouted in delight that the darn rock worked! Part one of his plan of escape was done, now on to the next. Kili quietly struggled to his unsteady feet and had to bite his lip to a blood to keep from crying out as he jostled his numerous injuries.

Kili crept silently through the cave and around the sleeping bodies of his captors, thanking Mahal for all the times he and Fili had practiced sneaking up on their uncle. On his way the dark-hair dwarf picked up a discarded weapon off the floor. It was a smooth curved dagger that's blade was stained with dried old blood and he gripped the hilt like a lifeline.

Slowly Kili approached the goblin standing watch close to the caves entrance, but far enough away so the sun's light could not touch it. Kili's heart was pounding so loud in his ears that he could not hear anything else and adrenaline buzzed through his veins. Closer and closer he stepped until he was just behind the unaware creature.

Bracing himself for what he had to do and how much pain it would cause, Kili jumped into action. He swung his hanging left arm around to the creature's mouth and jammed the dagger deep into the back of the goblin's neck killing it instantly. However, the pain in his shoulder from the movement was so intense that he could not stop the cry of pain that broke passed his bloody lips.

Kili froze and prayed that no one heard him, but again his prayers were not answered as another goblin close to him woke up and spotted their prisoner trying to escape. Kili bolted out of the cave and ran for his life and as he ran he heard a loud commotion and angry terrifying shrieks behind him.

Well what did you guys think? Was it worth the wait? Please review and let me know what you thought! Reviews help me get motivated to write, "cough" (hint, hint).

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed this story so far! You all are incredible. Also thank you to all those who have added this story as a favorite as well as to all those who are following my story. Until next time...