Chapter 29
*Fili*
They had decided to keep going for a few more hours until it became too dark to see properly and the ponies began to act skittish at movements in the tall grasses. Fili thought Kili was going to ask if they could keep on going, but he did not say anything when his brother asked him to stop for the night. Then Fili remembered how Kili may not feel like going on after his unexpected and most likely freezing cold bath thanks to Coal.
When they dismounted, Kili flopped on the ground and just laid there. Fili grinned and asked, "What's the matter? Are you tiered?" There was no reply to his question, so Fili figured the answer must have been a "yes" and so he unstrapped a blanket for Myrtle's back, throwing it at his little brother. Kili wrapped it around his shoulders and did not move again afterwards. Although Fili felt like doing same thing as what Kili had done, he knew he had to take care of the ponies first. He slipped the bridals off and put halters with leads on them each at a time before unsaddling them and giving them a quick brushing. Finally he was able to tether them to a stake and wrap up in a warm blanket beside his brother.
He had only slept for about three or four hours when Fili suddenly woke up and it did not take him very long to find out what had been the cause of the disturbance. A strong wind was blowing from the north bringing a harsh chill with it. Fili groaned, but figured that he would end up not going back to sleep if he did not do something and so he did what he could. He got up and walked over to Myrtle's packs and brought out more blankets along with the neglected bedrolls. When he went back over to Kili, placed his bedroll where he thought his brother might roll over next, and laying more blankets over Kili. Then he spread out his own bedroll and wrapped the extra blankets he had brought for himself firmly around him. In no time at all, Fili was sleeping sounding again and did not wake until the sun was rising and that was only because his braids were being pulled, not harshly but hard enough to rouse him.
"Get up Fili," Kili was saying, "I'll sit on you if you don't."
Fili groaned and rolled over in response to the threat. He heard Kili mutter something about wishing Bombur were there and that caught the blond prince's attention enough to have him roll back over and open his eyes. "What did you say, Kee?"
"Oh, nothing. Did you sleep well last night with the stupid wind blowing and all?"
"Yeah, I did until you pulled my hair and said something about Bombur." Fili said, obviously not wanting to let that curious subject drop. Kili shrugged. "You're awake now. I've been trying to get you up for ten minutes. I believe that a marching army of Oliphants couldn't have woken you up earlier."
The elder Dwarf smirked and sat up. Then he saw what Kili had been trying to get him up for. His little brother had made a fire and apparently shot a rabbit, because one was roasting over the flames. Fili looked at Kili a little wonderingly. "When did you get that?"
"About an hour and a half ago. I thought it would be a nice thing to have." Kili said with a grin. In a surprisingly small amount of time the Dwarves had eaten almost every bit of flesh off the rabbit. It was very tender and juicy meat despite the fact that winter was coming on and most rabbits and things like that were getting a little skinnier. Fili swore that he had never tasted anything better and Kili full heartedly agreed that it was delicious.
When they were done being gluttons, which took considerable time, they saddled and packed the ponies, mounted and then started off again. It was only about noon when they were almost to the great river and now the Misty Mountains were a good deal larger than they had look in the previous evening when Fili had first pointed Anduin out as the sun sank.
"Kee, do you think we can get across the river before tomorrow?" Fili asked.
"Probably, after all, it's not even past dinner yet and we're almost there. We do have a setback, though."
"And what might that be, pray tell?"
"Coal. I thought you would have noticed that he hates water by now."
"Oh." was the reply and neither Dwarf spoke for a while as they both were trying to think of ways they could get Coal to cross the river that lay only a few miles before them. Unfortunately for the lot of them, they reached Anduin before anyone could think of a solution.
Fili and Kili halted, looking at the river as it flowed by. At least it's not flooded. Fili thought with relief. However, it was flowing swiftly and then it might be deeper in some places then it looked and Fili began to wonder if there was a better crossing place downstream or maybe farther up. Kili looked like he wanted to just get the crossing over with and Fili did not blame him. The sooner Coal was across and they didn't have to worry about it, the better. But still, it was getting it was about mid-October and quickly closing on November so the water would be getting colder. Cold water was not sounding in the least comfortable to either of the young princes.
Kili did what Fili was just about to do and dismounted, taking Coal's reins beneath his jaw and also taking Myrtle from Fili he said confidently, "Here goes nothing."
And with that the dark-hair archer step into the water with Myrtle following along with Coal, who was actually behaving for once in his life. While Fili watched them, he dismounted Mabel just in case something went wrong. He could still remember the keen fear he had felt the time Kili had almost drowned the year before during the quest.
Everything was going smoothly until Kili stumbled and almost fell when he was about waist deep in the water. Coal and Myrtle shied, pulling back from Kili which did not help him regain his balance. When Kili did recover his footing, the ponies he was leading were jumpy and that was not helping either. They were half way across and Kili's feet were not able to reach the riverbed or so his elder brother guessed by the way he put an arm around Myrtle's neck, when Coal really decided to act up. The cantankerous animal tried to plunge ahead of Kili and his companion causing the mare to falter in her way across and his master to lose his grip on Myrtle's mane.
A/N Hehehe! Yes friends, this is the end of the chapter. *evil smirk*
So, this would have been done sooner, but with Memorial Day here in America and my birthday, I didn't have a lot of time to write. But I did manage to get it done, so I'm happy. Very, very happy. Now there's a couple more things to say: 1. I am working on another multichapter fic as well now. 2. Lady Hobbit, you need to get an account so I can PM you sometime! Ok, that's all other than all the hugs and thanks to leggomygreggo2, Mira Meliandra, ACreativeHobbit, Lady Hobbit, jaymzNshed, Alicia457, and yolo1200 for reviewing and of course anyone out there who has liked, favorited or just is reading my story. You guys rock. (:
