Kili grabbed onto Thranduil's arm for dear life as the Moose sped out of the clearing. I could have walked. Why couldn't I walk. It wouldn't have… oh Mahal that's a long way down. He thought, shuffling closer to Thranduil and closing his eyes. Bloody Ponies. Did they have to bolt?! Aulë save me.. or Thranduil save me. Whatever.

"It's okay, I have you." Thranduil soothed with a smile, holding a little tighter and trying to ignore the searing pain throbbing in his ligament. "Just keep your eyes closed and we'll be there in a heartbeat."

Kili's eyes shot open as he felt the moose jerk and grabbed harder at the material that made up the King's robes. "Nope. Keeping eyes open. Much safer." He said, mainly to reassure himself that he was not going to fall off the animal.

Laughing a little at the Dwarf's desperation, and the firmness with which he clung to the silver robe, Thranduil shook his head. "Kíli." He began, gently resting his chiseled chin on his companion's head. "You will be fine. I'm not going to let you go, the moose isn't going to throw you off."

"It has it's own mind, it might decide it has an immense dislike to me and throw me off." Kili rambled frantically. "Look at it's face. Oh Mahal, that is not the face of an amused moose!"

"Kíli! Enough! It's an Elk, not Sauron in Elk form! It will not unexpectedly turn against you, it has no personal vendetta!" Thranduil said sternly, slowing the Elk down slightly. "Do you not trust me?" He frowned, cocking his head slightly so his cheek was buried in Kíli's thick mass of chocolate brown hair.

"I trust you." Kili said, casting his eyes downwards in defeat before seeing the height difference once again ans shot them back up. Not natural for a dwarf to be this high off the floor. "I just really.. hate heights. Comes with - argh - living in a mountain, close to the… TREE!"

Thranduil sighed tiresomely and pulled the Elk into a halt. He gently put his hands on Kíli's heated face and lifted it to his gaze. "You're being silly. Stop panicking." He said softly, seriousness crawling onto his graceful face. He shifted his shoulder slightly and cursed in Elvish.

Kili met the king's gaze and nodded, subconsciously making sure that he wasn't the one aggravating the wound. After his breathing had leveled out, he sat looking up at the trees as to not look down and start panicking again. Thranduil set off, wrapping his arm around him, securing him into place just in front of his chest.

"There, see? It's really not that bad. We're almost at the gates anyway." The Elf cooed, shifting again and wincing. He really tried to mask the pain. He couldn't show too much weakness, and he felt like writhing in agony among the padding of the dead leaves on the ground.

Kili scowled at the Elf, and frowned when he saw him wince. Need to ask something, take his mind off of it. Ask a stupid question, you seem to be rather good at those. "How do you even tell this place apart? It's just trees, and they all look the same." He asked, holding onto the elf's arm again.

Thranduil shook his head and bit his lip. "It's easy enough when you're brought up in it. You learn to study each tree and distinguish between them. They're all different to the trained eye…a tree can tell you a lot. Well, it can tell an Elf a lot."

Kili nodded and thought on this new information. "Like rocks then. Gems, jewels and metals, give me any and I can tell you what it is and if you are being cheated on your products." He said proudly.

Smiling a little, Thranduil rested his chin on Kíli's head again. "That's quite a talent…it's funny you should say that actually. I've recently come into possession of an emerald necklace. Maybe you could tell me something about it. It's from Beorn, so there's half a chance that it's genuine and half a chance that it's a knock off." He reflected on the strange reliability of his forest friend whilst groaning internally at the persistent pain.

"I'll have a look for you once you've been to the infirmary. After the stables, that is our only destination." He said firmly, Tightening his hold on Thranduil's arm, every time there was a low branch or the Elk jerked a bit too much for his taste. Elks. Never again Kili, Never get on one ever again. Beorn in usually trustworthy, only every now and again something falls into his hands which isn't and he just sells it on."

"Don't worry about me. I just need to rest." Thranduil lied, keeping his composure and taking a light breath. Spotting the gates not far in front of them, the Elvenking sighed with relief and jerked the reins a little to slow the beast into a trot. "And yes, I've been trading with him for years. He's wonderful."

"Infirmary, no buts." He said, grinning at the sight of the gates of Mirkwood. "Beorn gives me food." He stated simply, finally relaxing into the king's hold, making sure not to go near his injured shoulder, so he didn't cause any more damage to it.

Pulling the Elk to a stop, swinging his leg over and hopping down swiftly, Thranduil gazed up at Kíli. "I'll take care of myself, fusspot." He laughed. "Do you need help getting down?"

Fusspot?! Me?!"I'll be… uh… Yes. Please." Kili sighed, looking at Thranduil.

Thranduil smirked with a little satisfaction. "Would you like me to do it quickly, or in a way that won't momentarily degrade you?" He asked as his smile disappeared. He lightly rubbed his shoulder, shuddering at the pain it brought him. "Tanya awra…why did I do that?"

"Thranduil, I don't care whether it meant that I had to proclaim a love of Orcs in front of Thorin. Get me off of this thing!" Kili cried desperately. "As long as it doesn't hurt your shoulder any more than it already is, I really don't give a damn! And Why did you do what?" If I'm staying here, I need to learn Elvish, and fast.

"I rubbed it. I didn't realize how much it would sting…and I think your uncle would be more offended if you proclaimed a love of Elves." Thranduil rubbed his hands together. "Right…" He began, wrapping his hands around Kíli's waist. He waited for the Dwarf to cling to him before lowering him from the moose.

Kili wrapped his arms around Thranduil's neck and felt the beautiful feeling of solid ground underneath him. Thanking Aulë for small miracles, he let go of the Elf's neck and nodded. "Uh thanks." He said with a small smile and walked a bit away from him, remembering how personal space worked in the world. "Uncle probably would hit the roof of the throne room, then go straight through." he chuckled before looking up at the Elvenking. "Infirmary, now."

Chuckling at Kili's concern, Thranduil shook his head, and folded his arms around himself as the warmth left him. "Will you stop panicking about my wound?" He said, walking towards the gates. "Would you want to come along? Perhaps you would learn a thing or two about Elvish medicine. If you're interested." He shrugged and gestured to the watchguards to allow them to enter.

"I'm not panicking. you need to make sure that it's not too bad." He said, glancing at the wound. "I'll come along though. Might come in useful at some point. "At least the bandage held, That would have given it some support at least." He commented, walking beside Thranduil and following him through the gates and into the square.

-oOo-

Tanya awra - That hurt

Thanks for reading,

Tanith and Tam