With shaking hands, Fíli raised the dagger to plunge it in his attacker's chest. If he was to die, he wanted to take one of them into death as well. But before he could do anything, a torchlight blinded him. Instinctively, as he had learned when he was a mere child, his arm jolted forward to plunge the dagger right into his opponent's heart. Somehow he didn't want to leave it there, he wanted to get it back and fight. He suddenly decided that he would not just let himself be killed without trying to defend himself at first. But before he could decide on further steps, he heard his enemy utter curses in Black Speech. No, he corrected himself. It wasn't Black Speech. He had only learned a couple of words in that vile language and most certainly not such words. It was Khuzdul. Which could only mean that it were dwarves that had found him. The feeling of relief washed over him and he couldn't say when he had last felt such relief. It certainly hadn't been since the battle that had changed his life so drastically. Not even when he was saved did he feel happy or relieved. In fact, he hadn't really felt anything.

"Mahal's beard, laddie, you can't just go around stabbing your uncle's guard" only now, as the torch was lowered, Fíli recognized Dwalin. And he had to repress a sigh. Why couldn't it at least be dwarves of the Ered Luin that had found him? Now they would drag him back to Erebor whether he wanted or not. If it had been someone else than Dwalin he might have been able to persuade them to let him go or at least escape them one day but he was certain that the dwarf who had taught him how to spar wouldn't take his eyes off him. "At least it's good to see you still know how to use this" he handed him back the dagger, with the blade coated in blood "And good to see you in one piece. What were you thinking just running away? Had everyone going crazy!" Fíli didn't know what to say. As a matter of fact, he didn't want to talk at all. "Are you alright?"

"I am" he said quietly, not daring to get up. He stared at the blood on his dagger and wondered where he had hit the older dwarf that he wasn't too hurt

"In case you wondering why I'm still alive… you've obviously been expecting someone bigger. Missed my vital organs by miles"

"I thought you are Orcs" he said quietly, trying to clean the weapon with his sleeve "You are hurt"

"Wouldn't be the first time one of you rammed his weapon into me. I've still got the scar of when your brother thought he surely wouldn't be able to actually pierce my ass with that blasted arrow from this distance…" he ended in roaring laughter "I bet he learned from it when your uncle made him cook and clean for me for a whole month" Fíli looked down. Of course he remembered that. He had tried to warn his brother but Kíli had insisted he wasn't good enough to hit Dwalin. But oh he had underestimated himself. As he often did. "Well anyway, come on, laddie, don't just lay here in that bush" he held out his hand to the young prince who reluctantly took it and let the guard hoist him up and pat some soil off his clothes "What were you thinking?" he mumbled again and Fíli wasn't sure what he meant by that. So he kept quiet. It was always better to keep quiet if you weren't sure what to say. That was something he had to learn the hard way.

Of course Dwalin wasn't alone. He had four other people with him. Fíli thought he knew at least two of them from the Blue Mountains. Whether the other two were originally from the Iron Hills? Or maybe from another great dwarf realms? Maybe even from one of the other dwarf tribes. He remembered how he had spent hours learning all the names, places, family trees and stories of all those tribes and realms in his youth. It had been a mystery to him why he had to learn about each and every dwarf king that had ever ruled anything. Most of them were long dead and didn't really achieve anything in their lives. Suddenly he started to wonder if Kíli had yet had to learn those names too, now that he was Thorin's heir. As he knew him, he surely wouldn't have hidden his discontent at this and Fíli knew for sure that his brother couldn't be pleased about such a thing. Poor Balin. Or maybe someone else taught him now? One of the guards approached him, handing him a piece of dry bread. The prince almost hadn't noticed how the others had lit up a fire and started roasting what he assumed to be their hunting prey.

"It's not much but there's gonna be meat and stew" he was informed and he solely gave a nod, before he started picking the bread apart. He felt bad that he didn't help them prepare anything. On the other hand, maybe they had already started preparing the fire and food before they had found him? It could be that he had gotten their attention just as they wanted to eat. But if he was honest he was quite glad that he now had something to eat that he didn't need to hunt or collect himself. Somehow he still didn't know how he had managed to go hunting the first time but it had been necessary because nothing edible could be found. Furthermore, deep within, the dwarf had to admit that he also felt safer now that he wasn't on the road alone anymore. He knew that his chances of surviving an encounter with enemies was increased a lot. And again he found himself wondering when he had stopped hating life so much that he just wanted to die the moment he saw an Orc. Or maybe that just was because he hadn't actually seen one since he was freed from their captivity. Although he hoped this wouldn't be the case, he never wanted to see one of these creatures again. But they weren't the only dangers out here. Animals or robbers could attack their camp too. When he realized that he had instantly thought of this to be his camp as well, he let out a snort. He placed the bread aside and slowly approached his old friend

"Do you have something I can help?"

"Watch and stir the stew if you don't mind" Dwalin answered, without looking up from the blade he was cleaning. Fíli gave a nod and approached the fire carefully. He still tried to avoid open fires, seeing that he had made many unpleasant experiences with it in the past years. He swallowed and quickly glanced into the pot with the stew. As so often it didn't look very appetizing but it surely would do. Picking up the stirring stick, he sniffed their meal carefully. Definitely better than just bread and meat he thought to himself as he began stirring. Only now did he start to take more notice of the other dwarves around him. He saw them interacting in a way that reminded him of himself and his brother in their younger years. The blonde dwarf couldn't help but smile slightly. He couldn't deny that he was at least a little glad that they had found him.

- oO0Oo -

"No word of them yet?" Kíli asked his uncle.

"Nothing" the older dwarf confirmed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Well, technically they could have found him already… and maybe their message just hasn't reached us yet" the reason the brunette mentioned this was more to calm himself. At times he even had the feeling his uncle wasn't as concerned about Fíli as he and their mother were. On the other hand, Thorin definitely had other reasons to be worried about. A king never had everything running smoothly. Kíli wondered what it was this time. Probably elves or other politicians he didn't quite like.

"That or we didn't get message that something happened to him"

"No" Kíli decided "That will not happen. Fíli will be safe. And if he is in danger…" he gave a shrug and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword "then I will not hesitate to go after him and get him back myself"

"No, Kíli!" Thorin looked up, alarmed "You cannot go out there. Erebor cannot lose another prince" the king's nephew took a sharp intake of breath. He hadn't actually just said this, had he?

"Lose another prince? What are you trying to say with that? That Fíli is dead? That he will never return from wherever he is? That he is not worthy of being king of Erebor anymore?"

"You know this is not what I meant. I didn't mean to say it like this I…" his uncle was lost for words but Kíli didn't care. He might be sorry about his formulation but it didn't change anything. What had been said had been said.

"Save your breath" he raised his hand to interrupt his uncle "I've heard enough. Maybe you should take one of those lesson about speech again you force me to take. Because maybe if you hadn't let such imprudent statements slip, Fíli might would have never left Erebor!" he spat before he turned on the spot and marched out of his uncle's study.

Guys, I'm TERRIBLY sorry that I didn't update this fic in ages! I just got carried away by Harry Potter and then Vampire Diaries and Star Trek that I never thought of finishing that fic. I just never came to anymore but now that I'm writing a Star Trek Fanfiction here I'm always seeing this poor baby unfinished…

As a matter of fact, I was thinking about abandoning it but then I read through all the reviews today and my dear friends, it just made me realize how much this fic meant to me… these reviews literally made me reconsider my decision and so I sat down and wrote you this chapter.

And I'm telling you, officially that I WILL finish this fic properly. After all I still got the plotline in my head and a few notes :)

Besides, yes, I changed my Username and my profile pic becausse I'm not just solely a Hobbit / LotR Fan.