Sorry for the late update! The holidays and my work schedule are insane!

"The young one…The black-haired archer... We stuck him with a Morgul shaft…the poison's in his blood… he'll be choking on it soon."

The words echoed in the walls of her mind.

Not him. Not the boy with the bright smile, the one who spoke without thinking. Not the sweet, innocent Dwarfling who had a mother waiting for him at home.

Not Kíli.

She wished Thranduil had granted her the pleasure of cutting the foul creature's tongue from its throat when she had the chance. She could picture the Orc scum screeching and wailing at the slice of her blade.

She bounded through the woods, jaw set in anger and determination.

Her thoughts wandered. She thought back to the river. She remembered engaging in battle, her eyes falling on the wounded Dwarf. Kíli lay on the ground, eyes wide and gasping in pain. An arrow much too large jutted from just above his knee. She remembered how she felt in that moment. How her blood ran cold. How her body moved of its own accord. She killed everything.

Her heart stopped in her chest when she realized Kíli's motive. He was trying to set his companions free.

Arrow after arrow flew as she shot down every stray Orc that attempted to speed the young Dwarf's death.

She had watched as Kíli struggled to open the portcullis. She was offered only some relief when she saw he had made it safely to his barrel.

Her eyes never left him as he drifted away.

Had she known it was a Morgul arrow sooner, she would have acted immediately. One could not possibly conjure up a poison more excruciating, more deadly.

She might already be too late.

She broke into a sprint.

Her steps never faltered, and she didn't tire for several minutes. Water lapped at her ankles as she came into a clearing near the river. Her sharp eyes studied the landscape. She spotted splintered wood on the shore. Meandering footprints were embedded in the sand.

The Dwarves had been there.

She darted about on the stones, eyes continually scanning for anything out of the ordinary.

The wind blew through her hair as she searched. She frowned as a coppery smell overwhelmed her senses. The scent led her to a small puddle on the stones near the shoreline. She knelt down next to it, dipping a finger into the liquid. It was blood. Her heart sank. Near the puddle lay torn clothing and a single arrow.

Yes, they had definitely been there.

She should have known. She should have known when he denied his recklessness in the dungeons that he was lying.

But she understood how he thought. Acting on pure impulse rather than wisdom.

What Kíli did was foolish. It was stupid and reckless. But it was brave.

In the end, which was more valued? Wisdom or courage?

She supposed it didn't matter. Kíli would never learn to be wise if the poison took him before he had even started living.

She nearly shouted in frustration.

The Orcs were likely not far behind the Dwarves. Their direction would lead them into Esgaroth, many miles away.

Time was wearing thin.

She would not live with herself knowing she let Kíli die. She had lost her parents as an Elfling, a nightmare that still threatened her sleep. She had lost countless others to battle in her short 600 years. She would not lose him too.

She didn't realize until that moment that she had made a promise to herself while she spoke to him that night.

Kíli would return to his mother. Tauriel would make sure of it.

Yay for Tauriel! I'll have another chapter up by tomorrow. And for those of you who were wondering if I was planning to expand this story beyond where the movie ended, the answer is... I'M NOT TELLING ehehe. BUT, after I finish with this fic, I will be continuing my other Durin family fic, "The Line," which will have everything in all 3 movies and more! SO, if you guys wanna check out my other fic, that would be great!

However... I won't be able to continue that fic for much longer, cuz I'm leaving on an awesome LDS Mission/adventure for 18 months at the end of February (I know, I won't be able to see There and Back Again until like, 8 months after it comes out) :( BUT! I will be back! And I'll finish it for sure!

And don't worry, this fic will be completed before I leave!

Thanks again guys! You da best!:D