Here you go, the next instalment in this story. Updates may be a while due to Christmas and stuff I need to do after it, but I will try my best to get one out as soon as possible.

Chapter 10: With the waking of day

Fili awoke with a jolt, his mind pulling itself together sluggishly for a moment until a sudden realisation hit him.

Damn it, he thought, berating himself in his mind, I'm an idiot. A big, thick headed idiot.

Standing, the blonde dwarfling stretched and looked around, checking to see if the twins and Merion were still all there beside him, only to find, to his relief, that they were. It had been a mistake on his part to have allowed them all to fall asleep without setting a guard and the youth knew it was only pure luck that nothing had come across the four in their sleep. What was more was the fact it was clearly past dawn, not by a whole lot, but enough for the orcs to have gained a small amount of ground which was only added to the distance Fili and the others had yet to cover. So much for trying not to mess up his newly given responsibilities.

Turning around, Fili first shook Galvin, and then Garvin and Merion awake. The three woke groggily, yawning as they did so.

"Just a few more minutes," Garvin mumbled, trying to curl back up into his brother's side, the same way Kili usually sunk into Fili. The blonde, however, was in no mood for any more delay. Without further ado he took a hold of the younger dwarfling's arm and hoisted him up, much protest sent his way as he did so.

"We cannot afford to waste any more time," Fili stated, gesturing to the sun overhead. Garvin fell silent, his brother and Merion beside him stander straighter as they prepared for the long and tiring day ahead of them, one that would be filled with more than a few dangers.

"Maybe we should wait for the adults to get here," Galvin said hesitantly as Fili turned his back in order to pick up the trail again. The blonde froze for a brief moment before continuing his work.

"But that would give the orcs even more of a chance to get away," he replied, trying to keep his desperation to find his uncle out of his voice, "And in any case, Melvin, Kili and the others should have found and told Dwalin what has happened by now." He hoped so anyway.

"Still," Galvin answer, one finger twisting a lock of his dark hair continuously, "We aren't experienced enough to take on a group of orcs that big. You saw what they did back in the gorge, and that was with five fully trained and grown warriors, warriors who have had experience with things like this before."

"We can't stop now," Fili said, turning to face the dwarfling, "And besides, we may be able to pick up some information that could help the adults formulate a rescue when they get here." The blonde was determined to remain optimistic, at least on the outside in any case, for he knew there was a great chanced that many things could go wrong which could either delay or even keep help from arriving.

"We should at least inform them somehow of the path we are taking so that they are not having to run around and find us as well," Galvin said, worry still evident in his peer's eyes. Fili thought on this for a moment. It made sense to leave something behind them, and if they got lost, having markers along the path they had taken would be a great help.

Turning to a sturdy branch only a little out of his way and close enough for him to reach easily, the blonde tore of a small strip from the hem of the cloak he was wearing. Under the curious gazes of the others, he tied the scrape of fabric firmly to the branch before taking a step back and dusting off his hands, giving his handiwork one last look over.

"Wha-" Merion began as the twins stood flabbergasted beside him. Fili turned back to the three, a small smile gracing his face.

"See," he said happily, "Problem solved. We can leave markers like this every so often along the path we take, that way the adults will know what way we have gone and it will make their job easier in finding the orcs. Now is there anything else or can we get going?" The other three shook their heads and Garvin gestured for Fili to lead the way.

"Show us the way, our most supreme and intelligent leader," he said, adding a deep bow to his over exaggerated words. Fili's smile widened and he turned back to the trail, crouching down to find where they had left off the day before.

It was not long until the foursome were on their way, armed with their newly found weapon and hopeful spirits that everything would turn out alright in the end.

Kili blinked his eyes open, having been shaken awake by firm hands. For a moment the brown haired youth believed the hands belonged to his brother, and he was home, warm and safe in bed. The face of Melvin greeted the lad, the grey eyed dwarf urging him up before moving on to wake the few others who were still asleep, mainly those who had been a part of their ragtag little group that Dwalin had come across the night before.

The brunette sat up, looking around himself as his fears from the night before came flooding back. Kili glanced over towards where Dwalin was standing in the midst of a seemingly intense conversation with the other dwarfish adults. The older dwarf's eyes flashed in the youth's direction, and the seasoned warrior flashed the dwarfling a small and reassuring smile, regarding him with shrouded eyes before turning back to reply to something one of the others had said.

Clave yawned awake beside him, having been nestled into the sides of one of the older boys. The slightly older dwarfling then looked around at where he was and shrank into himself, lower lip trembling in fear.

"Well, come on," Dwalin called from where he was standing to the now mostly awake villages, "And no dawdling either. We need to get back to the village as soon as possible and before nightfall preferably."

Thirteen pairs of eyes stared up at the warrior, rounded spheres shining with confusion and apprehension. Dwalin heaved a sigh, one that was audible to the small ears listening.

"Here, stick close to either me or one of the other adults," he informed them in a softer voice, "You will need to move fairly swiftly. I do not want to risk running into any dangers, not now."

The boys nodded in understanding and set about following the bald dwarf's orders, attaching themselves to the closest dwarfish warrior. Kili went straight to Dwalin, the burly and intimidating dwarf providing the young brunette with a small level of comfort against all that had happened and was still happening around him. The boy felt a large hand ruffle his hair briefly before it was withdrawn. Kili fought back a whimper of despair, trying to keep up a brave front just as he knew is brother and uncle would want him to.

"Are we following the path we took to get here?" the youth could hear one of the adults asking. Dwalin's voice rumbled beside him in response.

"We would lose time that way. It would be faster for us to make our way directly from here."

Kili trusted the bald dwarf to do what was best, for he knew the warrior to be just as worried as he was for his uncle and his brother, not to mention the other dwarf and dwarflings still out in the forest, unprotected and in immense danger. He had lost count of how many times the warrior had gotten both him and his brother out of one tight spot or another, his gruff personality giving way to his more caring side. So long as Dwalin knew what he was doing, nothing could go wrong. Kili's mind set was somewhat eager to take a more negative approach to things, for his uncle had been caught by orcs, and all his young life, the brown haired youth had always thought his uncle to be invincible. If the Great Thorin Oakenshield could not defeat a group of orcs, what hope did anyone else have?

Thorin fought of the feeling of disgust and rage that flew through him as he found himself being hefted up again, knowing such an outburst would only worsen their situation. Rather he caught Balric's slitted eyes with his own half opened ones, giving the slightest of nods as the other dwarf blinked his affirmation at the plan. Now they only had to wait until the orcs stopped again to carry out what they had thought up the night before.

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