"Fili!" Shouted Kili, shocked and horrified as the blond disappeared from view, the ground dropping from beneath his feet. The fog swirled in the space where the other boy should have been.

An ominous sucking sound and Kili heard lots of shouting as he was roughly grabbed and pulled backwards, being nearer to the others. He reached out toward Fili, but encountering nothing but the cold fog and mist even as the ground he himself had just been standing on collapsed like a bad soufflé. Only empty space occupying the place where he'd just been standing.

Struggling against the person holding him he slowly began to hear what the others were saying.

"A ledge, there's a ledge down there!" The voice sounded like Mr. Baggins, and there was a definite note of relief in it.

Kili strained to see through the mess and the adrenaline with very little success. But the voices around him were reassuring and panic started to recede as the fourteen year old leaned forward to try and peer over the edge of the ruined cliff, nearly hanging from someone's arms. Beorn grunted and tugged him back roughly. "Stop." The older teen commanded.

Kili licked his lips hopefully as he saw Legolas leap nimbly down toward a small ledge below them. His movements clearing the fog enough to catch a glimpse of golden blond hair separate from that of the teen practictioner. He made a weak sound of utter relief. Fili.

"We have no choice, we have to descend down to that ledge and follow it down. It does connect to the lower path, not that I wanted to go this way." Gandalf said quite solemnly. "We cannot go back up, however."

Kili swallowed, nodding and lightly tapping Beorn's hands to let him know that he was listening. His heartrate slowing to something approaching merely fast.

"You okay now?" The older boy rumbled, reluctantly letting up on his hold. "Fili's fine. See?"

In the darkness, Kili flushed, a bit embarrassed at how he'd reacted. "Don't want to see anyone hurt. Even him." He said with deliberate rudeness.

A flash of white showed Beorn was smiling at him. "Of course." He accepted the words at face value, or at least appeared to do so.

One by one the group descended carefully until they joined Fili on the ledge that had caught his fall. It was wide and rather sturdy. Thankfully. Kili looked back up at where they'd been standing, his breath hitching as he saw even more of it crumble while he watched.

"It'll make pursuit harder at least."

Kili didn't need to turn his head to recognize that British accent tinged with an Ereborean accent. Not sure what to say, he nodded, feeling uncomfortable.

"Don't worry."

"I'm not afraid." Snapped Kili, his feelings raw. He turned fierce eyes onto the older blond boy. His eyes flicked over the warrior braids, a pit in his stomach wishing he was wearing his own braids. Declaring himself before one and all. It burned that Fili thought him of a lesser dwarrow clan, rather than of the House of Durin. Even though it was safer this way.

"Never said you were." Came the rather chilly response, the blond looking a bit hurt and confused.

"Glad you're alright." Kili mumbled, moving away to follow the others, biting his tongue as he left.

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

"Lord Peredhel." The tall practitioner bobbed his head in an abbreviated greeting of respect. Not out of rudeness, but of expediency.

"Lindir." The peer looked perfectly groomed and dressed, and yet there was an aura of having just been awoken. "Tell me."

"Glorfindel and Erestor are checking the wards. The individual cabins for the campers have all had their shields enacted and have been warned to stay inside." The assistant paused a moment. "The campers have been told it's a drill. Yet I fear the children who have been with us before will realize this is out of the ordinary."

"Cannot be helped." Elrond nodded, his sharp mind mentally reviewing the cabin wards that he himself had sung into being with the help of the rest of the Board of Trustees. "Those shields should hold."

Lindir nodded. "Unfortunately Gandalf is out with six campers on horseback."

Surprised, Elrond turned and stared at his friend and assistant. "At this hour? In this weather?"

Lindir shifted his weight a bit nervously. "I'm afraid it is so. He left word that he was going to check on our erstwhile neighbor, Mr. Baggins and was taking along several of the campers who were already acquainted with the man."

Elrond pulled a face even as the phone on his desk began to ring. He raised an eyebrow, and the receiver. "Peredhel." His lips settled into a rather sour look. "Ah, the Master of Lake Town."

Lindir wasn't surprised. Elrond wasn't fond of the leader of the town connecting the island to the outside world. He was even less enamored of the man's instance in being called the 'Master' rather than the mayor.

"I have no answers to share." Elrond spoke in a cool voice, then listened a bit longer. "No. You telling me you insist does not change the fact that I have no answers to share."

A second line on the phone began to blink. Elrond tapped his antique desk and pointed over to a second phone and then to Lindir.

The tall assistant hurried over to the sideboard and the second phone. He spoke quietly into the receiver, knowing that Lord Elrond was watching his every move. He nodded, then covered the phone with his hand looking at his employer. "Erestor." He mouthed without actually speaking.

Elrond stood and gestured for Lindir silently, handing him the line. The Master of Lake Town was droning on about something or other. The assistant made slight sound as if to indicate he was listening, not bothering to tell the man he was no longer speaking to Lord Peredhel.

Elrond picked up the second line, speaking quietly for a moment. When he finished he returned to Lindir, making a gesture for the return of the phone. He listened politely to the Master of Lake Town for about two more minutes before finally taking a breath and clearly interrupting. "Yes, I thank you for your offer of assistance, but we are fine at the moment."

Lindir watched his employer hang up with some surprise. "That man actually offered help?" He did not bother to hide his expression of distaste.

"No. I was being sarcastic." Elrond sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"And are we really fine, or was that sarcasm as well?" Lindir asked.

"More like a lie." Elrond stood, pinning his assistant with a commanding look. "Move all the campers to the main dining hall. Set up a movie or something. Open the kitchens. Pool all the energies from the cabin wards into the main hall."

"Yes sir!"

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

"Figure it out?" Legolas walked next to Fili as they moved through the darkness. They'd left the cliffs and the beach behind and now were moving back toward the main camp. "Hollywood?"

"Think so." Fili said, then grimaced. "Maybe. It feels like it should fit, but I just don't know."

"You lads tired yet?" Gandalf chuckled from somewhere ahead of them, the fog clearing only slightly.

Tired? Legolas' hair was plastered flat to his face and chest, wet from periodic rain and mist. Fili felt sore and achy, and not just from the fight he'd had with young Hollywood. The brunet sure could pack a punch. He paused, his mind caught as he recalled the other boy's movements. "That's what's bothering me!"

Legolas gave him a look of 'tell me' while at the same time making a hand gesture to keep his voice down. "Don't flip. We don't know who was pressing on the island wards, or if they are around."

Fili grinned, taking the warning in stride as he nodded and dropped his volume. "I guessed that Hollywood is from one of the European dwarrow clans. That's old-time Erebor to the likes of you. Ancient history and all. We don't claim them, though some of them might try and still say they're of us. Lesser bloodlines. Anyway, I thought that Hollywood was just too embarrassed to claim his family name because I'm the heir and all that."

"The light switch is still off." The Greenleaf scion said, prodding his friend to continue as he shook his head in indication he didn't quite understand yet.

"But his swordplay and fighting stance? You don't learn those in a classroom, no matter how fine and posh. That's pure Erebor. Full bore engine, hotrod stuff. The two of us could have had the same teacher, though I know we didn't."

Legolas shrugged. "Maybe his family, lesser or no, hired a private tutor. Hollywood is here at Imladris. Means his family has to have money and connections at least."

Feeling deflated, Fili nodded while he frowned, sure he'd been on to something though he wasn't sure what exactly. "Maybe. But I don't know anyone who'd willingly hire themselves out to the Broadbeams or Stiffbeards, not to mention the Blacklocks." He shuddered.

"Snob." Chuckled Legolas in a way that showed he recognized that same flaw within himself. "You yourself told me how those from Erebor lost everything, forced to flee that Smaug person. There was then a whole world war followed by Korea. Tell me. Are you positive there are no Ereborean warriors who might have felt the need to take someone's paycheck and become a private tutor for one of those families you mentioned? High standards aside, a body has to eat."

Fili grimaced as he sighed. "You're right."

"Yes I am."

"Snob." Fili returned the verbal jibe with a flash of a grin and a return to his good humor.

"So I am, so I am." Legolas said smugly even as the fog swirled menacingly around his legs.

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

Ori winced as he walked. Next to him Faramir frowned. "Skeet?" He called the boy by the nickname he'd become known by.

Ori shook his head. "These aren't my boots. They're too big. Padded them with thick, thick socks but its rubbing blisters on my heels."

"We should be back soon." Kili frowned, wiggling his shoulders in the too-snug shirt he was wearing. He'd raided Legolas' trunks after the older boys had stolen all their clothes out of their cabin. "Wait here."

"Hollywood! Don't!" Ori yelped as his friend sped up, though he didn't join him.

Kili pushed up between Fili and Legolas, flashing his irrepressible smile at each of them. "When we get back?"

"You want a truce?" Fili guessed with the lift of his eyebrow.

"Just our stuff back would be a good start." Kili said with a shrug as he plucked haplessly at what he was currently wearing.

Legolas stiffened as he saw how strained the seams were in his green shirt the younger boy had on. Hollywood wasn't as tall as he, but was definitely broader through the chest and arms. "You've ruined that shirt entirely."

"What? Am I going to make your tailor weep? Had nothing else to wear." The brunet said with a widening grin. "As you know too well."

Sour-faced, Legolas conceded with a nod of his head. "Tailor won't be upset, more custom for him."

"Custom?" Kili parroted.

"Sales." Legolas' lips drew up in a small sneer.

Fili held up his hand in a rolling gesture. "Tell you what, your stuff …for your names."

Kili turned to give the older blond a shielded look. "You said hands off and no pressure."

"No politics, I promise. Just ….alright, if not a name at least let me ask … why no braids?" The blond Ereborean finally asked instead. "I've seen you fight a little, I know you've studied."

Weighing his words, Kili offered the truth. "My braids tend to fall out of my hair. Un … I just, er, it's been pointed out that I usually put them in too fast. Always in a hurry."

Legolas rolled his eyes even as he grinned. "Ain't that a bite." He agreed with the assessment.

"Wear them. Starting tomorrow." Fili said. "I won't say anything to you about your name or your family politics. But it's wrong to leave them off like this."

"Ordering me?" Kili stiffened, clearly taking affront. His eyes darkened with temper.

"If need be." The blond said rather flatly. "Come on, you know you want to wear them."

"Cop a breeze." The younger brunet told him. Then sighed as the two Brits gave him an odd look. "It means leave."

"Ah." Legolas grinned at the parlance. "I like that one. May keep it."

Fili shook his head. "Tomorrow. Braids."

"You're not the king." Kili stuck out his chin stubbornly.

"No, but I am the king's …." He stopped, they all did. They were walking in the dark woods one moment, the next they found themselves caught up in a giant net, dropped from above. Surrounded.

The boys all tugged and pulled only to fall still when they noticed the weapons leveled in their direction by men in combat uniforms. Though Fili was interested in noting that not all the uniforms belonged in the same division, much less the same nationality. Hired guns sporting their own gear. Mercenaries?

"Well, well, well. Thought we'd have to break in through more wards to get what we wanted." Came an oily, snake-like voice. "But here they come, walking up to us all cat-like."

Fili ground his teeth together, furious at himself for getting so distracted he'd missed sensing the ambush. He looked around, the dim light of the moon didn't light much, but he could see all six campers, surrounded by men dressed all in black.

Wait. Six. Where was Gandalf and Mr. Baggins?

The leader, well the speaker anyway, walked up to them. Beside him Fili could feel Hollywood tense up as if ready to strike. He put his hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Wait." He whispered while his other hand went to surreptitiously ready itself if he needed to pull a weapon in a hurry.

Legolas sent him an odd look, then flicked his eyes around the area. Yes. Fili nodded very slowly. The Greenleaf had also noticed that Gandalf and his friend weren't with them.

"We found our treasure boys. Right out here in the open. How's that for fate being on our side?" The leader laughed happily.

Hollywood growled. "Fate might be on your side, but it looks like genetics failed you. Ugly."

The insult struck a chord as the leader of their captors scowled. The man really took the ugly award, Fili had to admit. Wide and burly with burn scars along one side of his face, hair cropped so short he might as well have been bald with one ear so badly damaged it almost looked pointed. But it was the large goiter hanging from the man's throat that had them all staring.

"For that? We won't let the rest of you go once we take who we want. Your fault little boy." Their captive sneered.

Legolas huffed. "You had no intention of letting any of us go."

The man nodded, making the large goiter swing sickeningly. "True enough. But now we might be disposing of you a bit harsher than we would have. Starting with the youngest ones." He pointed over at Skeet and Faramir.

To their credit, neither boy cried out. Instead they glared at their captors, ready for anything. The armed men pulled away the weighted net cords, but pushed the lads all into a circle.

Fili glanced Legolas with an elbow, earning a glance. He touched his side. The taller blond nodded. He'd be ready when the signal came to attack, though they probably didn't stand much of a chance, six against ten, all armed.

Sudden light blinded everyone, as if a star just decided to be born right in their midst. "Run! Fools!"

Taking the cue, all the campers followed the sound of Gandalf's voice as their headmaster provided the necessary distraction and escape route. Beorn, Legolas, Fili, Kili, Faramir and Ori took off with the Graymane right behind them.

Shouts and curses rent through the night air as they were pursued. But the leader of the cutthroats was not to be denied. He gave a stout whistle and five more men appeared, tackling the boys.

Hollywood fought off two of them, only to get knocked down when their compatriots showed up. Skeet made a reasonable showing as well while Faramir had dropped one man to his knees, bleeding. It took three of them to knock Fili back while Legolas was holding his own, but getting pushed back toward the group.

Gandalf, who was not so caught, came to a halt. The goitered and ugly leader of the intruders smirked at him as he approached. "You thought you could escape me old man? What are you going to do now?"

The boys all looked at their camp's headmaster, who appeared completely unfazed. The gray-bearded man struck quickly, knocking the mercenary leader with his overlong walking stick and then with his other hand cutting him open with a swiping move, metal glinting in the dim moonlight.

The ugly man's eyes widened with both pain and shock. He looked down at his belly as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. "Well, that'll do it." He fell to his knees.

The other men raised their guns and rifles, pulling their triggers.

Nothing happened.

Gandalf smiled as Lord Elrond's voice rolled out over the area. "I think that is quite enough!"

"But …" The fallen mercenary leader held his belly, blinking stupidly up at Gandalf.

The headmaster smiled at him a bit sadly. "The wards you broke? Were only one level of defense. Did you really believe we'd allow guns to work here? We just needed to move you closer to the main camp so your weapons would be so affected." He paused and made a slight bob of his head. "Thank you for being so accommodating."

Lord Elrond Peredhel made a gesture and suddenly there were people everywhere. Relieving the mercenaries of their weapons, and their freedom.

The boys all grinned, relieved. Legolas flashed a grin, then sniffed. He touched his nose in disbelief, pulling back his hand and seeing blood. "The nerve!"

"For attacking you, or actually landing a blow?" Fili chided his friend.

The Greenleaf heir laughed and shook his head, then winced, blotting at his nose again. "That actually hurts."

Hollywood looked around, as if confused.

"We won." Beorn told him with a grin.

"Where's Mr. Baggins?" The young brunet asked of no one and everyone.

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

"Lads all settled in their cabins?" Gandalf asked, his feet propped up quite inelegantly upon Elrond's desk.

The peer sighed, eyed the stocking feet, and decided to allow the moment. It had been a long night. He looked at the glass of ice Lindir had just put down in front of him. Elrond shook out his handkerchief and poured the ice cubes into the center, making a pouch that he pressed to his temple. He then poured the fine scotch into the glass sans ice. "We've already received several calls from concerned parents. How they learned of the events of the evening, I am unsure."

Bilbo Baggins tossed an object up into the air, catching it neatly.

Elrond startled, he'd not seen the diminutive man enter his office. "When, how?"

"Ah, my friend." Gandalf smiled widely. "Any luck?"

At the question, the smaller male tossed him the object. Gandalf turned it over several times in his hands, chuckling. He next passed it over to Lord Elrond.

"Oh dear." The peer sighed, immediately recognizing the plug to a boat. "Their boat, I presume."

Bilbo made a saluting gesture, indicating the guess was correct. "Knew they had to have a get-away plan. Doubled back to the beach. They'd left a guard at their boat. He was …an interesting fellow."

"Any problems with him?" Gandalf asked curiously.

"No, no." Bilbo huffed, then blew out a long breath. "Well. He was the least of them. Still dangerous mind."

"Oh, of course." Elrond nodded sagely, managing not to smile. It was hard to try and picture this soft, gentle seeming soul as someone used to combat.

"Out witted him, you might say." Bilbo continued. "Got the boat plug. Military vehicle. Second hand I do believe."

Gandalf nodded, closing his eyes as he took in a deep breath of relaxation. "Find anything else of interest."

There was a slight pause, then the small man gave a rather weak smile. "What else could they have had on them? Mercenaries like that, not even well armed. Hodgepodge, the lot of them." He patted his coat pocket and made a great show of straightening his waistcoat.

"They were meant to fail." Elrond announced with no dramatics, though his words did pull the attention of both men.

"Oh?"

Elrond sighed. "How else would parents already know of what happened? Someone tipped them off. Of particular interest, Mr. Azog has called to inform me that while he is in the area, he will 'drop by' on the morrow in order to pick up his ward. Feels we are not a safe place anymore."

Gandalf frowned lightly, though his eyes didn't open. "So. It begins."

o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

"This is yours." Beorn held out the clothing toward Ori, who shook his head and pointed toward Faramir. "Ah, sorry."

The youth from Gondor nodded gratefully, taking his things. Still, he hesitated. "Your stuff has honey all over it, sure you don't want to borrow anything?"

Beorn laughed and straightened up, dropping a hand from the level of his own head down to Faramir's. "Think it might fit?"

The young man blushed as both boys laughed.

"Nice job tonight." Legolas said to everyone. "We fought back pretty well, I think. Considering the odds."

"My uncle would have been appalled we didn't trounce them." Grumbled Hollywood.

Fili chortled and nodded. "Mine as well. You live with your uncle? Me too." He picked up some items and held it out. "Here."

The young brunet nodded his thanks, taking his clothing without really looking. "Sorry about the honey."

"It was a pretty good gag. Sticky though." Legolas sighed, looking at the mess in his travel trunk.

"We took personal items out, it's just the clothing." Faramir sounded apologetic. "See?" He pointed over toward a framed picture on Fili's bunk. "I made sure to take that out so it wouldn't get ruined."

"Thanks." The blond nodded, rolling his neck and shoulders with weariness.

"No, that's Hollywood's picture." Skeet said, with a soft frown. "Fili must have taken it by mistake when you took our clothes."

Fili shook his head. "No I didn't. That's mine."

Skeet shook his head back at him. "Not hardly." He protested, frowning more.

Hollywood turned to glance at the picture, starting to deny he'd ever seen it before when he caught sight of the duo in the photo. "Hey!"

"It's mine!" Fili said, starting to get irritated. "Those are my parents."

Skeet blinked, then his eyes went wide with shock. "YOUR parents?"

Hollywood picked up the picture, which Fili made a grab for though the brunet moved just out of reach. He looked down into the photo. "Dis and Reneli. Durinson." He said the names almost reverently.

"That's right." Snapped Fili. "How would you know? Anyway, they're my parents."

Kili looked up, his eyes utterly confused and looking lost. "But …but they're my parents."