"What are you two doing?" An innocent voice from behind the five beings interrupted their story and they glanced behind them, grinning at Ori.

"Telling the story of how it all happened." Fili answered with a shy smile.

"Anything you want to say? We're at the part where we were about to leave goblin town." Kili added.

"All I remember was Kili acting weird and me falling off a tree. I thought I was going to die."

"Oh yeah, I remember that!" Kili exclaimed, smiling at the memory.

"If it weren't for the eagles we've have been toast." The dwarf elaborated.

"You rode an eagle? I wanna ride an eagle." The girl whined.

"We haven't got to that part yet." Fili whispered.

"Sorry." Ori meekly apologized.

"Come sit. You can help us tell it."

The dwarf smiled at his friends and took a seat beside them in the breeze, listening to the soft humming in the blonde's voice as he continued the story, Ori chipping in when he felt he should.


The moment that Gandalf finished his sentence, Fili was on his feet. He darted over to his younger brother and hastily started to untie the ropes around his wrists with unpractised fingers, but to no avail. He frowned in annoyance and looked around, scanning his surroundings for Nori but instead he noticed Dwalin had began to chuck out each weapon in the pile to their rightful owner and as soon as Fili has his hands around a knife the sharp edges were slicing through the thick bounds and Kili fell to the floor. He rubbed his wrists, staring at the blue marks around them which showed how tight they had been. No wonder his hands felt numb from blood loss.

"Are you ok?" Fili asked hurriedly. Kili nodded in response and looked around to see where they were supposed to go. "Does anywhere hurt?" The archer shook his head. "So...charades?" Fili joked slightly at his brother's strange silence who pushed the blonde forward and into the crowd when a shout from Thorin met their ears, putting them back into fight mode.

"Fili! Hurry!"

The blonde nodded at curtly at his uncle and grabbed Kili's wrist in a lock grip, hauling him forward and dragging him through twists and turns, following Gandalf as well as they possibly could, whilst killing goblins on the way. Well...Fili was killing every goblin and Kili was attempting to do so with one hand, but Fili was as stubborn as his uncle and refused to let go, meaning Kili was starting to feel a little like a rag doll. He kicked out with his feet though, knocking the goblin that had pulled out the goblin cleaver sword over the edge and to his presumed doom.

Fili was eventually forced to let go when they were on a separate platform to everyone else and too many enemies were surrounding them for just one opponent. The creatures started shooting arrows at Kili, and he deflected most of them with his sword until a reckless and stupid idea crept into his mind. He ran to the side, grabbing a ladder as a shield and the company - now on the same platform - joined him, helping the archer tip it over and charge through the vile creatures, knocking an uncountable amount over the edge, and when they came to the end of that ground they leapt onto another platform, using the item as a crossway.

They went from bridge to bridge, all the while keeping their eyes on Gandalf, though this was hard for every five seconds he seemed to be changing direction, rounding a corner or ducking a blow and his unmistakable hat always swam out of view. Kili still didn't have his bow, yet he spotted it in Dwalin's clutch a while away, obviously not having been able to hand it over to the young dwarf. A goblin was approaching behind Fili and Kili shouted his name, but no sound left his throat. Foul curses spewed from his lips over and over though they didn't sound and he yanked a dagger out of his boot, lobbing it at the filth that fell to the ground like he deserved and Fili looked backwards in surprise before nodding a silent thank you to his brother. Eventually they made it to an area where they were half way over a bridge, interrupted in their path by the goblin king falling from out of nowhere and landing in front of them, the wood beneath them shaking uncontrollably.

"What are you going to do now, wizard?" It asked smugly. All that Kili wanted was for the monster to die, and hoped desperately that Gandalf has some form of plan. His wishes were granted when the wizard drew his sword, slitting the stomach of the large creature who squealed, and then it's throat was sliced.

"That'll do it." he confirmed before falling sideways off of the edge. The dwarves fell with his weight though and the bridge crumbled so that they landed in a large heap on the floor, with wooden planks and dust enveloping them in a stack.

"Well that could have been worse." Bofur exclaimed, trying to lighten the mood but only seemed to jinx mahal's plans as the great goblin landed with a crash on top of them, crushing them even more, causing the groans to re-sound. Kili noted the amount of goblins that were running in their direction and went to yell before he realised his situation and nudged his brother who saw what he was looking at.

"Gandalf!" he called, and the wizard nodded, telling them that only daylight could save them in that moment. Kili was yanked forward to run with the rest of the company until they finally broke out into the sunlight that had been mocking them every second that they were in those filthy caves as glimmers of it shone brightly through any possible cracks to remind them of how vulnerable they had been. Everyone sighed in relief, trying to catch their breaths. They were safe for now. Gandalf started to count to see if everyone was present. Fili seized that moment to check on Kili and turned to his brother.

"Did they hurt you?" Kili shook his head. "Kili, will you say something for mahals sake!" Kili frowned about how to explain before bringing a hand to his throat. I can't he mouthed, and the furrow laced on Fili's brows deepend.

"Why?" he asked, and Kili blew some stray hair out of his face in irritation. Fili cocked his head in deep concern so Kili tapped his throat with two fingers, confusing the blonde even more.

Thorin interrupted the strange conversation by strolling over to his eldest nephew, intentionally ignoring the brunette and made a huge deal out of standing directly in front of him. "Are you okay?" He asked Fili.

In case you're wondering I did survive too, Kili thought to himself bitterly.

"Yes, thank you uncle." the blonde dwarf replied politely. "That was close."

"It certainly was." His uncle muttered. They looked up at the murmurings going on around them and everyone appeared to be looking for something. The previously distracted trio knew exactly what when Gandalf asked where their hobbit was.

Fili and Kili looked around themselves, frowning when their small burglar wasn't in view.

"Curse that hafling! Now he's lost." Dwalin spat.

"I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin declared accusingly.

"Don't blame me!" Dori fired back innocently.

"Well where did you last see him?" the wizard demanded.

"I think I saw him slip away when they first collared us." Nori stated.

"And what happened, exactly?" Fili noted how much the wizard cared for the young hobbit, and opened his mouth to make a suggestion but clamped it shut when his uncle stepped forward and started to speak.

"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it. He has thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since he first stepped out of his door. We will not be seeing our hobbit again. He is long gone." Kili glanced at his brother in true upset before looking away. The hobbit couldn't be gone. Bilbo had owned the courage to stall three giant mountain trolls for mahal's sake! Kili and Fili may have got them into that mess, and Kili may have saved his life, but they would have been cooked alive if it wasn't for their burglar, as the blasted wizard wouldn't have showed up in time.

"Actually he isn't." The source of the mysterious yet familiar voice stepped proudly out from behind a tree whence he had hidden, listening to his dwarven companions converse. Kili smiled happily, relief washing over him at seeing their friend alive, and could see Fili with a giant grin on his face, probably at the fact that his uncle was wrong. Weight blew out of everyone's shoulders, and the tension seemed to die, yet build at the same time.

"Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf greeted with a chuckle."I have never been so glad to see anyone in my life."

"How on Earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili questioned after a moment.

"How indeed." Dwalin murmured. Bilbo chuckled slightly, before putting a hand in his pocket ready to pull something out. Kili noticed this little gesture, and also saw how Gandalf spoke to stop him from revealing whatever in the world he had hidden in there.

"Well what does it matter? He's back."

"It matters. I want to know." Thorin stepped forward as everyone gave him their attention. Kili had found slight amusement when it came to the relationship between his uncle and their burglar on the duration of the quest, always finding some satisfaction out of watching them confer. "Why did you come back?" The hobbit paused for a minute, before speaking when the clogs in his brain halted and he figured out what he wanted to say.

"Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag-end. I miss my books. And my armchair and my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back. Because you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." He finished with a small smile, and Thorin looked down, but Fili could tell he approved no matter how much he wouldn't admit it. His heart pined slightly at the thought that he didn't have home - the only home he had ever known was their small cottage back in the blue mountains, where he lived with his uncle and sometimes brother. Well, mostly brother. Except for the five years that he had disappeared, and Fili was determined to find out what events occured in that long stretch of time. The sad yet happy silence was interrupted by a howl in the distance and the sound of warg footsteps approaching them.

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin murmured.

"And into the fire." Gandalf finished for him. "Run...run!" And the next thing they knew they were charging down the hill. Kili knew for a fact that they would be out run soon enough, but where was the harm in trying? Bilbo crouched under a rock when a warg bounded over his head, and spun around, bearing it's razor sharp teeth at him threateningly, before lunging towards him. Kili moved to interfere but didn't need to when the hobbit held out his sword and it stabbed straight into the wargs forehead, who squealed, and Kili smiled triumphantly, even though he was fairly certain that it was accidental.

Fili yanked his wrist forward and pulled him towards the edge of a cliff, with a couple of large trees were towering over it's lofty edge. "Up into the trees! All of you!" Gandalf yelled. Kili felt Fili swing him up, and held out a hand to assist his brother, who took it and the two scrambled higher and higher. "Come on, climb! Bilbo climb!" The wizard hissed, and soon everyone was up as the wargs continued to approach them, but what made everyone's heart drop was seeing Azog ride up, an evil smirk on his face as his snow white warg growled threateningly. For many of the dwarves it was like they were reliving the past; the horror of the battle of Azanulbizar.

"Azog." Thorin said as though he was seeing a ghost. I mean, he kind of is, Kili thought.

Azog stroked his warg as he talked ominously. "Do you smell it? the scent of fear?" Azog asked his fellow orcs, though Kili understood every word that he spoke and hid himself behind a branch, trying his hardest to stay out of view of the eyes of the enemy. "I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain." He continued menacingly as he smiled, baring his disgusting omber teeth. Thorin's glare increased all the more, though his face looked stricken with grief at the mention of his father.

"It cannot be." He murmured. Azog just smirked, and his eyes stopped on noticing the young dwarf that tried his hardest to camouflage his body with the branch, but as he had assumed, it was not enough.

"I remember you Kili, son of Dis." He spoke, and everyone looked at Kili for a translation who just looked down and bit his lip in annoyance that he had been spotted. "I thought my son killed you." He looked surprised when the dwarf didn't answer. "What ever is the matter? Cat got your tongue? Normally you would bite my head off." Kili just stared at him helplessly.

"What's going on?" Fili questioned quickly.

"What is he saying, Kili?" Thorin asked. The dwarf just swallowed, wishing with anything that he could spit out the vile remark that was swirling in his brain right in that very moment. Azog shook his head. "Bolg." he called. Kili leant his body weight backwards at seeing the orc once again, Fili's hand on his shoulder the only thing that stopped him from falling backwards and to a painful death. He felt his whole body collapse with the memories that rushed through his brain and the tension that his body was suddenly holding.

"What's going on?" Fili asked again, and when he got no response he sighed in irritation.

"Kill the archer." Azog told Bolg in common tongue, who nodded with a snivel eagerly, causing Fili to reach out a protective arm. "That one is mine, kill the others!" Azog called, pointing to Thorin with his mace before addressing the rest of his companions who all charged forward. Wargs leapt up, tearing off branch after branch, the ones low enough that their jaws could rip off, causing the dwarves to scream and all were forced to climb higher. Kili clung on for dear life when an orc tore off the branch that he was standing on, and he swung his legs up and curled them around another branch, his core strength enough that he could pull himself up with practised ease. Thorin rolled his eyes - he had forgotten his youngest nephew was basically that of an elf. The bottom of the tree suddenly started to tear from the ground, and was starting to lean over with a creek. Everyone dived into the other tree, and then the next, and by the time the falling had stopped three trees had taken a merry tumble off of the cliff, leaving thirteen dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard cramped on the one tree that towered high over the cliff edge, all attempting to escape the jaws of death. Azog laughed menacingly at their situation. Gandalf set fire to a pinecone and lobbed it in the direction of the wargs, flames emerging from the ground as sparks spat in the air, the wargs stepping back with a snarl, eyeing the mix of red, orange and yellow that blurred into one large weapon as if challenging it.

"Fili!" Gandalf called and when Fili was holding the flaming pine cone it was much hotter than he had expected, and he had to throw it up a couple of times before he had his eye on where he wanted it to land and he threw it angrily, flames bursting like a shockwave and it spread and spread, the more the dwarves threw them. Azog roared with anger, and the dwarves all laughed, Kili smiling at Dori for their short-lived victory before he noticed the tree start to fall. It ended up hanging off of the edge, but what concerned Kili the most is that Ori was clinging onto Dori's foot who was clinging onto a branch, trying to get his grip as steady as possible which was extremely difficult. Kili couldn't reach them to lend a hand. He clung tighter to the branch that he was holding and his heart stopped for a second when Dori lost his grip, but Gandalf was quick enough to point his staff in their direction and Dori was now grasping hold of that, knuckles turning an unnatural shade of white.

Kili accidentally caught Bolg's eye who gestured to the edge of the hecticness, and Kili frowned, following his gaze to same bare ground. The filth was demanding battle. Kili slowly and cautiously pulled his agile body up and slipped off of the edge of the tree, walking slowly to where the orc was stood, still glaring at him. Bolg's deep breaths only held fury, and Kili's held anxiety, though all he wanted was for this orc to die. Fili watched his brother leave with a sense of delirious abandonment directed at himself by the one he loved most - what in mahal's name was Kili doing?! He called his name but the dwarf didn't respond, seemingly busy facing down his own enemy, showing no interest in the company whatsoever now. It was like he had forgotten they were there. Kili had been on the edge, and it was easy for him to get his feet back on the dry ground, yet Fili was still clinging for dear life onto a branch. He blew a breath out of his clenched teeth in annoyance as he continued to grind them together - Kili hadn't uttered a word since goblin town, and Fili had no idea what he had done, but surely it couldn't be that bad that Kili wouldn't talk to him?!

As Kili eyed his enemy, he wondered if this would be the day he died. To tell the truth, he wasn't at all ready to die, but the more he thought about it, what did he have to live for?! He had no voice, he was supposed to uphold a deal in most certainly not enough time, a deal which he knew would generally be impossible, and the company now knew he was scarred. The pain. The bitterness. The shame. They had seen his scars, and they knew he could speak a tongue that all in Middle-Earth except for orcs and goblins feared, and cringed at just hearing a word of it. Fili, he thought. I have to live for my brother.

Bolg was the first to attack, lunging at the young dwarf who dodged the blow with ease and kicked Bolg in the groin who clutched it in anger. His sword struck Kili in the shin who fell to the floor, and Bolg scrambled up and on top of the dwarf who held out his hands to stop the sword form stabbing him in the chest. He silently yelped as the blade cut deeply into the flesh on his hands, and he did the only thing he could think of; he leant all his body weight to the side, Bolg's blade digging into the ground, before he grabbed his own sword from the floor and was on top of Bolg in a second. He was just about to deal the final blow to his worst enemy when something very concerning caught his eye.

Fili screamed his uncle's name before stopping the noise from spilling out of his lips and he stared helplessly as Thorin glared Azog in the eye, before confidence, fury, and grief soared through his veins and he was pushing himself away from the trunk and charging down the log. Fili shook his head - his uncle scolded Kili for being reckless - had he met himself?! Fili screamed in pain, not for himself but for his uncle when the king's walk broke into a run and he raised his sword, Azog warg leaping off of the rock and strucking his face, knocking the air out of his lungs as he fell to the ground in pain. Fili tried to clamber up the tree, but Dwalin put a hand on his shoulder to refrain him from helping, and Fili could only watch as the white wargs sharp jaws locked around Thorin's limp body and crushed, causing only searing pain and cries of distress from friends and family. An orc stepped forward, knife raised, very ready to execute their leaders enemy.

Thoughts whirled in Kili's mind, as he hesitated in killing Bolg due to the sight of his uncle about to be beheaded. His recklessness caused him to run. Run as fast as he ever thought he had so that his body ploughed into the orc that was about to end the life of his uncle, causing it to fall just as the blade was about to touch Thorin's exposed neck. The dwarves blinked a few times, completely stunned at the raven haired dwarf who ran into view, lowering his sword, the wargs all glaring daggers at him.

Fili smiled slightly, before lifting himself up and charging, along with some of his fellow companions, into the raging battle. Kili stood in front of Thorin's exposed body as a shield, challenging any warg or orc that dared lock eyes with him. His bow was thrown to him and he smiled, though he realized that a sword would still be of better use to him in this kind of battle. He looked at his brother who had his dual swords drawn, and was fighting with everything he had in him, completely formidably. He fought for his uncle, his brother, his life, Erebor, and mostly to avenge any soul who had suffered, or died, due to the clutches that these creatures held on pain.

Azog growled in complete hatred. "I thought I told you to kill the archer!" He hissed. "No matter, I will do it myself." He edged closer to Kili, and in that moment all he could think about was how terrified he was. Not because Azog was running towards him with his sword raised in pure anger, a menacing smile playing on his lips that curled back to reveal disgusting teeth, nor because Bolg sat on the floor in pain, ready to shoot the young dwarf with his bow, nor because his friends and family could get killed in this moment in time - he was terrified because he had kept his secret for years on end, and now there was no way he would be able to keep it. What worried him more was he wouldn't be able to describe anything - he wouldn't be able to explain, to...he didn't even know, offer comfort?

He shook his head free of the thoughts as he dodged Azog's sword attack, before using his weapon to block another one and his arm strength pushed the force into the smoke - filled air beside him. Azog growled in irritation, and Fili and Dwalin shielded the young dwarf from the pouncing wargs as the black haired archer himself shielded their leaders body with everything that he had in him. However, he didn't have to keep it up for long. Out of absolutely nowhere he saw an eagle snatch up his brother from the ground, and Kili looked on in confusion before he felt himself being lifted in the air until the talons uncurled from around his body and dropped him onto the soft feathers of another fellow creature.

"Kee." Fili sighed in relief. "You're ok." Kili nodded and smiled, checking his brother over for injuries. The blonde looked forward, eyes darting back and forth for the eagle that had snatched the injured warrior up into its talons and flown away. "Thorin!" He cried upon seeing him hanging limp and motionless in the claws of the eage up front. Kili looked on sadly - come on mahal, please don't tell me I just did all of that for him to die now.

"Ok, so are you finally going to tell me what in the world happened back there?!" Fili demanded, and Kili was surprised at how fast his mood had changed. He shook his head, and Fili blew out an annoyed breath through his clenched teeth once again - why wasn't his brother talking to him?! He noticed the concern etched on his little brothers face and his features softened a lot. He grinned at the realization that Kili could possibly be worried about Thorin.

"That was brave you know." he declared. "After everything that has happened between you two." Kili went to reply and then realized he couldn't, and threw his head back in irritation. Thinking about it, too much had happened between him and Thorin, but for stupid reasons. Kili was sorry that after his birth his mother died, Kili was sorry that he looked like Frerin and that caused Thorin grief, Kili was sorry that his natural behavior was more elf like than anything else, he was sorry if he was a disgrace to his uncle! But, Kili was not sorry that he was born. The world was too small, life was too short, and in that moment, feeling the air blow hard into his face as his arms reached out to dance with the wind, he realized that he should appreciate life so much more.

His thought trail ended when the eagle came to a stop upon a massive structure that was shaped like a bear - the Carrok, Gandalf called it. The eagle carrying Thorin gently deposited him with care onto a flatter area before soaring away with his fellow companions. Fili and Kili slid off of their one and joined the circle of concerned dwarves that were crowding the unconscious one. Gandalf put a hand above Thorin's face and muttered a spell, and after a while Thorin's eyelids fluttered and then cracked open as he looked around wearily.

"Wh...what happened? Who pushed the orc out of the way?" Thorin questioned through a groan.

Gandalf smiled proudly. "It was your nephew. He is here - he is safe." The wizard explained. Thorin arose with a grunt and clasped Fili on the shoulder.

"Thank you." he murmured, furrowing his brow when Fili frowned.

"Er...uncle it wasn't me." Thorin spun around on his heels and stared at his youngest nephew.

"But why? Why would you?" he asked, with a confused head shake. Because you're my family, Kili thought. And I didn't want to see you dead. Kili wished he could answer, and bought a hand up to his throat, trying to stop the brewing tears. He never cried. "Will you not speak to me?" The warrior asked, the thought that his youngest nephew physically couldn't speak not crossing his mind. "I should be the one to speak. I always said that you would be a burden, did I not? I was correct. You could have died back there. I always said you should never have left home." Thorin approached Kili who bit his bottom lip in shame as the company just watched the scene in disbelief. "I have never been so wrong in all my life." The dwarf finished, pulling Kili into a tight embrace who was surprised for a moment, before leaning into it and slightly and hesitantly returned the gesture that he hadn't been offered from his uncle in over fifty years. Kili knew that he would never truly forgive his uncle, and wanted the guilt to burn within the dwarf forever, but he needed this, no matter how much he didn't want to admit it.

Most of the company had tears in their eyes at watching this unfold and Fili beamed, looking to the side he noticed Balin staring fixedly at something that wasn't the hug. He looked up and opened his mouth in complete and utter awe. Thorin strode forward speechless as he too gazed at something in the far distance.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo breathed in surprise as he gazed over the horizon of green that carpeted the ground as far as the eye could see, and to the peak that was the most eye-catching thing visible in the sky.

"Erebor." Gandalf told them "The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-Earth."

Thorin smiled and patted Fili and Kili on their backs. "Our home."