Chapter 8

"Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak."—Thomas Carlyle

"To your left, Nina!" Dwalin growled as he thrust his sword again. Nina desperately swung to block the blow.

"Sorry, it's hard when I can't see what you're doing." She snapped back as she recklessly swung back at him. Dwalin caught her sword with his own and swirled it around to send it sprawling to the grassy ground.

"Your enemy will not care about that. They will use it against you, and that will be your downfall." Dwalin sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's hot and you've been training all afternoon, give it a rest now." He concluded, handing Nina her sword. They had found one in the troll-cave that was small enough for her, and one for Bilbo.

"Please Dwalin, I haven't made any progress, just a few more rounds?" She begged like a little child. "I'm just as bad a fighter as I was when we started."

"It wouldn't do you any good to overwork yourself lass, and I have first watch tonight. I can't be so tired that I sleep on the job." Dwalin reasoned. Nina pouted, trying not to let Dwalin see her disappointment. Ever since her argument with Thorin that last night, Nina had been eager to do anything but join the others.

"I'll fight her a round if she wishes, Dwalin." A gruff sounding Kili approached them. Nina sighed, Kili hadn't interacted with her at all, and she was relieved to see him volunteering to do something with her. Maybe, just maybe, he had forgiven her?

"Suit yourself, but don't let her keep you out here all night, she'll need a rest." Dwalin replied authoritatively. He left them to their training soon after, and Nina decided to take her opportunity.

"Look Kili, about yesterday—"

Smack! A sword came down and nearly crippled Nina's arm as she blocked it just in time and glared in Kili's direction menacingly.

"What was that?! I wasn't ready!"

"That's your problem," Kili said evenly, showing no hint that the blow affected him in any way. "You're never ready. You can't always relax because one of us is around, you always have to be alert, waiting for danger."

"So I should expect any of you to just randomly attack me?" Nina snapped back. All thoughts of an apology to him were out the window now.

"You should expect us to fail, all of the time. Never let yourself get comfortable in relying on us to be perfect, expect us to make mistakes when danger comes. That's how you get an advantage over your enemy." Kili explained. Nina knew that it made sense, not letting herself get too reliant on the dwarves, but she couldn't quench the anger she was feeling toward him for his actions.

"And are you planning on teaching me how to fight my enemy when you fail?" She retorted, raising her sword slowly.

"I suppose I am."

He swung again, this time an overhand blow that Nina just barely blocked. She was relying on the sound of the blade swinging in the air, then she would judge where it was and block. She still couldn't resist his strong force in each blow he delivered, nearly numbing her arms with his force. Dwalin's force would have been detrimental surely, but thankfully he held back some.

"Your best chance at survival in a fight is defense, letting the opponent wear himself out first." Kili grunted as he rained down more blows for Nina to block.

"But how would that work considering my arms are going numb from this?" She growled irritably.

"You need to learn to let your sword absorb my power, I'm guessing Dwalin decided not to burden you with that today. He will teach it to you another day." Kili breathed as he finally relented and let his sword point touch the ground. A cool breeze blew through the clearing, and Nina was grateful for anything to break the stagnant heat.

"I guess he will," She murmured, raising her sword once more. "One more round?"

"I suppose." He shrugged, his voice noticeably losing its edge.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings yesterday Kili." Nina mumbled before they began their match.

Kili had her hopping all around the clearing to match his speed and agility, and she was surprised that dwarves (who were described to her as burly) could be so agile. She managed to block most of the blows, though she still found herself being paralyzed by each.

"Dead." Kili stated bluntly as he set the tip of his blade on her neck as she lay flat on her back glaring in his direction pointedly.

"Fine, be that way." She mumbled childishly as he continued ignoring her earlier statement. She accepted his hand when he offered it and he pulled her to her feet, letting her place her sword back into its scabbard.

"I understand that you've been through a lot lately." Kili acknowledged as she started to leave the clearing. "This whole quest is new to you." He called as she turned around to face him.

"Yeah, so I'm sorry I exploded on you."

"We both were in the wrong," He argued. "I wasn't as considerate as I should have been, and you…exploded," He hesitated, obviously having not used the word explode like that.

"Yeah, so we're good?" Nina laughed at his reaction to their different speaking. Kili chuckled back, albeit hesitantly, and started back to the others with her.

"You're not as bad as you think at fighting, you know." He grinned, his signature mischievous voice returning almost instantly.

"Really?" Nina looked up in his direction hopefully.

"Oh sure," He nodded vehemently. "You can last about two seconds if you try."

"I hate you!" Nina laughed as she shoved his shoulder playfully. "I should've seen that coming, though, right?" Before Kili had a chance to reply, they reached the others.

"Something's coming!" Thorin bellowed to them. All the dwarves instinctively brandished their weapons, including Kili who nocked an arrow to his bow. Nina slowly slid her sword from its scabbard and gulped nervously.

"Stay together! Arm yourselves, hurry now!" Gandalf ordered with Thorin. The dwarves did as he said, Nina following the sound of their commotion hurried to where they were gathering, having lost Kili in the crowd of dwarves.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" A new voice screeched from a sled. A sled? Nina shook her head to clear the crazy notion, but she knew the sound was definitely a sled. And it smelled like…rabbits?

"Radagast the Brown, what on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf approached the man calmly.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong, something's terribly wrong." The man rambled. Nina felt the dwarves relax only a fraction around her.

"-stick insect!" Nina heard Radagast shout after speaking to Gandalf hurriedly and quietly.

"Let us go and speak in private for a moment," Gandalf mumbled quietly to Radagast, leading him away a few paces. Nina followed their sounds, not letting Gandalf know she was there as she listened.

"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf. A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows anymore, at least nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But worst are the webs." Radagast explained uneasily. Nina racked her brain for any memories of this in the book, and only found that she remembered a chapter title: Flies and Spiders. What did that mean?

"Webs?"

"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a wizard. I followed their trail, and they came from Dol Guldur." Radagast explained. Gandalf sighed heavily.

"But the old fortress is abandoned."

"No, Gandalf, it is not." Nina moved away from them then, trying to concentrate on what happened during the chapter Flies and Spiders.

"Flies and Spiders…" She thought aloud to herself. She decided not to concentrate too much on it right then, and moved closer to the group again as the two wizards returned.

Then the howling started, and it was all too familiar to Fili and Nina.

"Was that a wolf? Are there wolves out there?" Bilbo cried in a panic.

"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." Bofur gulped nervously.

"Oh dear god no," Nina gasped. She felt an arrow whiz past her face as it sunk its shaft into the Warg's skull, Thorin moving quickly to finish it off.

"Warg-Scouts!" Thorin roared. "Which mean an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo squeaked.

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf suddenly roared at Thorin.

"No one," Thorin answered, a bit puzzled.

"Who did you tell?!"

"No one, I swear." Thorin answered, noticeably glancing in Nina's direction. She said that she did not know of the purpose of their quest, but could he really trust that? "What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted." Gandalf whispered in horror.

"We have to get out of here!" Nina heard Dwalin bellow from somewhere ahead of her. She gulped as the dwarves all agreed, Radagast agreeing to distract the Orcs. The dwarves moved so fast she couldn't catch their voices anymore, and she started to panic as she felt herself being left behind.

She stumbled forward, forcing herself to try to follow the blind trail. She fell over a root, and pushed herself back up quickly. She couldn't hear any sound of the dwarves now. She almost broke down in tears out of the sheer panic of being left behind in this place with an Orc pack closing in. She could feel the ground shaking from the thundering paws of the Wargs, and she could hear the cries of the orcs not far behind at all. In a last attempt to get herself to safety, Nina thrust out her hand and outstretched her fingers. She reached and reached, chest heaving from the stress.

She nearly screamed when a hand grabbed her own and lurched her forward into a full sprint. She ran as fast as her short legs would take her as the hand dragged her further and further, running from death. She tripped a few times but forced herself to keep running regardless, her path becoming more even once they hit a clearing out of the forest.

"Move, quickly!" She heard Thorin bellow from ahead. Nina almost collapsed in relief at his voice (something she never thought she would never do) but thankfully she kept running, being dragged by the hand.

"Where are you taking us?" She heard him growl to someone, presumably Gandalf. There was no response, and they kept running further. Soon they halted abruptly and Nina leaned against a rock outcropping, letting herself catch her breath while trying to be silent.

Thorin nodded to Kili and no words were needed. Kili looked over at Nina hesitantly, noticing how her hand was clinging to his own for dear life. He sighed, looked at her pitifully, and decided he didn't have enough time to calm her.

"I'll come back."

Those were the only words Nina could hear whispered in her ear, and then the hand slipped away. She panicked internally for a moment before she reminded herself that she was with the dwarves now, not lost, and in that she found a little security. She heard Kili nock an arrow slowly beside her, spun around, and shot. An Orc from farther away shouted angrily, and Dwalin finished off Kili's Warg.

"Move. Run!" Gandalf cried and soon they were on the move again, this time even faster and more urgently. Nina thrust her hand out again, and this time she wasn't startled when Kili's hand grasped her own. They ran fast and steady, and she could hear Kili breathing heavily in front of her.

"There's more coming!" He warned them all. The dwarves had stopped.

"What's happening?" Nina breathed in a frenzy as Kili kept dragging her around.

"We're surrounded," He mumbled so only she could hear. It was as if Fili had read his mind.

"We're surrounded!" Fili screamed, brandishing his sword.

"Stay behind me." Kili swung his arm behind his back in order to force Nina behind him, letting her hold onto his blue cloak as he shot the Orcs.

"Kili! Shoot them!" Thorin ordered urgently.

"Where is Gandalf?" Nina screamed to anyone over the commotion.

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin answered her in a voice full of shock and betrayal.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin reigned in the attention of the dwarves.

"This way, you fools!" Gandalf said as he popped up out of the rock. Nina swiveled her head toward his voice to hear Thorin ordering the dwarves in.

"Kili, come on." She pulled on his arm as he shot another arrow.

"Go, follow their voices, jump into the rock, I have just a few more." Kili pushed her away, Nina resisting a little.

"You'll be killed, Kili come on." She reasoned. Kili shoved her further.

"I'm right behind you, go!" Nina sprinted for the crack and jumped in (with the guiding of Thorin to help her).

"Where's Kili?" Fili strode up to her once Nina had gained her balance again in the cave. She looked around even though she knew it was pointless.

"He said he was right behind me, he said he was!"

"KILI!" They heard Thorin's voice from above. Everyone's heart raced as they registered the immense amount of anguish in Thorin's voice as he cried the name. All kept their faces upturned, listening as the battle raged outside and above.

"Grab him, lads!" Balin cried as the body of Kili slumped and slid down the cave entrance with Thorin just behind him.

"What's happening?" Nina gasped through the panic. Bombur pulled her away from the screaming body of Kili. "Kili!" She shouted in a panic of her own.

"Easy lass, he'll be alright, lass, it will be alright…" Bombur tried in vain to soothe her.

"What's happening?" She gasped again, becoming irritated that no one would tell her. The dwarves scrambled to rush around Kili's writhing and screaming body, especially Fili who stayed by his side the whole time.

"Kili's been shot," Balin mercifully answered her. "It doesn't look very good…"

"Where?" Nina gulped. She had never had someone she knew die, and she wasn't about to start. She hadn't remembered her mother when she died, so she feared now that grief was something she might not be able to handle.

"In his ribs, I fear." Balin replied sullenly. Nina nearly broke down in tears then as she heard the intense screams of Kili.

"It's alright, brother, just stay with me!" Fili begged from his side. Just then, a piercingly loud horn entered the already hectic situation. The company all took a collective step back as they helplessly listened to the battle above.

"Elves." Thorin spat as a dead Orc rolled down into the cave. Dwalin ventured further into the cave, only to call back as he found a trail.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?" He called. Everyone looked in his direction.

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur replied, being the first of the dwarves to move and follow Dwalin further down the path.

"I think that would be wise," Gandalf muttered under his breath, ignoring the suspicious look Thorin shot at him before turning his attention to his nephew.

Fili, Dwalin, and Nori hoisted up Kili's near lifeless body and carried him through the narrow pathway after the others. Nina tried her best not to look back at him as they went, and her heart nearly stopped as he got quieter and quieter. The narrow path opened up into a larger rock area that overlooked a beautiful valley filled with buildings forming a city. Nina assumed it was beautiful based on the wistful tone Gandalf took on.

"The Valley of Imladris. In the common tongue, it's known by another name."

"Rivendell." Bilbo breathed in wonder, causing a small, tight smile to cross Nina's features. She stepped carefully, grateful when Bilbo took her arm and led her to the bridge that would take them to the city.

"Thank you," She smiled in his direction, realizing that she hadn't spoken with Bilbo all that much during their journey.

"Think nothing of it." Bilbo answered as cheerily as he could muster. She had always liked the character of Bilbo despite her hatred of the book the Hobbit, she thought he was actually practical out of any of the other characters in the story.

"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." Thorin growled as he moved from Kili's side to yell at Gandalf.

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf sighed, as if he had expected this conversation. "The only ill-will to be found in this place is that which you bring yourself."

"You think the elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us!" Thorin argued fervently.

"Of course they will! But we have questions that need to be answered." Gandalf countered.

"And the girl?" Thorin sighed dejectedly.

"The elves here may be able to take care of her," Gandalf explained. "But it will need to be handled with tact and respect, and no small degree of charm. That is why you will leave the talking to me." Gandalf grinned as Thorin shot him a look, returning to help the others carry Kili into the city of Rivendell.

"Dwarves don't like elves, do they?" Nina peeped as she sensed Gandalf walking beside her and Bilbo.

"No, I am afraid they are not." Gandalf grumbled, still disappointed from the whole ordeal with Thorin. "Both elves and dwarves act like children at times; it seems that nothing will break their grudges." Nina nodded in understanding as she remembered the history of dwarves and elves from the book. She remembered few things from it, and she still found herself troubled by that chapter title—Flies and Spiders.

When they finally reached the entrance to the grand city, a dark-haired rather handsome elf glided down the steps to greet the battered company. His warm and welcoming smile immediately twisted into a worried frown.

"We shall heal your companion if you wish it," He spoke softly, melodically. Nina was startled by the lack of rough…dwarfness.

"Don't—" Thorin stepped forward to give a threat when Gandalf cut him off with a simple thank you, and the elves snatched up Kili and took him away before anyone else could protest.

"Lindir," Gandalf addressed the elf. Lindir gave the wizard a short nod and distracted smile as his gaze set on Nina.

"What causes such a young lady to be travelling with a company of dwarves?" He looked her up and down, noticing her long golden hair and her freckles, and her bright blue eyes.

"I um…" She stammered, unsure whether she was supposed to tell the truth to the elves or not.

"She's my sister." Fili blurted, stepping slightly in front of the blind girl. Lindir didn't argue, considering they both shared the hair and eyes—however Nina's features were brighter than Fili's. The dwarves shot confused looks at the two before they shrugged and went along, Thorin nodding shortly to Fili in gratitude for rescuing the situation.

"Very well," Lindir cocked an eyebrow at the two.

"I must speak with Lord Elrond." Gandalf quickly turned Lindir's attention back to himself.

"My lord Elrond is not here."

"Not here? Where is he?" Before Gandalf had the chance to be answered, the loud horns blew again and a large party of horsemen galloped through the gate and circled the dwarves.

"Ifridî bekâr!" Thorin ordered in the dwarvish tongue as the dwarves tightened together, shoving Bilbo and Nina in the center.

"Gandalf!" Called a new voice, strong and confident. He was the lord of the city, and a handsome elf indeed. He had long brown hair, and his armor was tainted purple to show his rank as he dismounted gracefully from his horse.

"Lord Elrond, mellonnen! Mo evínedh?" Gandalf spoke in the elvish tongue.

"Real live elves of Rivendell, I cannot believe it!" Bilbo whispered excitedly to Nina, who smiled back at him before returning her attention to the conversation between the elf and wizard.

"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na lant Vedui." Elrond answered. No one in the company knew what was being said, and it seemed only to anger the dwarves further. "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has driven them near." Elrond mercifully spoke in English, and Nina was able to hear the accusation in his tone.

"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf admitted sheepishly.

"Gandalf," Thorin growled, stepping forward from the circle. Elrond smiled majestically at the dwarf.

"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met." Thorin snapped, ignoring the greeting.

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain." Elrond regarded Thorin warmly.

"Indeed; he made no mention of you." He spat. Nina resisted the urge to shout 'OOO BURN' and kept her head down to hide the grin.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." Elrond spoke to the dwarves. They gripped their weapons uneasily as Gloin spoke threateningly.

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?"

"No, master Gloin, he's offering you food." Gandalf translated exasperatedly. Nina's heart leaped for joy at the sound of good food, which she had a feeling they had here.

"Ah well, in that case, lead on." Gloin confirmed after a comical huddle with the others.

"How is he?" Nina asked up at the elf maid.

"He has little hope left, I am afraid. We have tried everything, the wound has become too deep and severe for our healings." The maid replied soberly as Nina's face fell. Kili wasn't allowed to die. She knew he would die eventually, and she very much hoped to back home before it happened.

"Could I see him?" She peeped. The elf maid smiled down at her pitifully.

"He is resting now, he is quite exhausted from the others." She answered. The company had just left Kili's room, having spent the few hours with him that they had before dinner was ready and the elves ushered them out to let Kili sleep.

"Please." Nina whispered, more of a desperate plea than a question. He had been a good friend to her so far, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for Kili's injury. She had wanted to let the dwarves have their time with him without her intrusion before.

"Of course, my lady." The maid bowed slightly and Nina listened until her footsteps faded to nothing before she carefully felt her way into the room where Kili would be. She tripped and slammed her hip into the side of his bed.

"Ow, what the—uggghhh!" She grumbled to herself as she ungracefully hobbled to his bedside to find a chair. She found nothing, and growled again. "Does this place have a thing against chairs?"

"The side of this bed is pretty empty at the moment," A weak Kili croaked. Nina squealed and jumped, looking in the direction of the bed.

"Kili," She breathed, sitting carefully on the side of the bed. She could feel his body laying limp beside her as she reached her fingers out slowly. His overly warm hand gently brushed against her fingers. She sniffled a little bit and got irrationally mad at herself when a tear fell from her eye. She wiped it away aggressively, hoping Kili wouldn't notice.

"Don't start crying on me now," Kili groaned as he tried to move.

"No, please just stay still." Nina sniffed as he grasped her hand a little harder from his effort to move. "And I'm not crying," She protested once he was settled back on his bed. "I…I have allergies."

"What?" He frowned in confusion. Nina shook her head, knowing he would see the gesture.

"Nothing," She sighed. "Please don't die." Then she quickly covered her mouth and her cheeks went red with embarrassment. Who says that to people? Kili laughed at her before the laughs turned into small coughs as his face contorted in pain.

"I'll try my best," He chuckled when his coughs had subsided. Nina's face darkened and she looked away from his direction, remembering what the elf maid had said about his odds of living.

"Nina?" He repeated softly, his frown deepening with concern.

"I…I…" She stammered, trying not to let herself cry. "The elf, she said you might not live."

"I know. She told me that I will not live," Kili replied. Nina felt a wave of tears coming on. She hadn't known Kili all that long, but he had been a good friend to her and had saved her life, she didn't want him to die. She didn't want anyone to die.

"You will live, right? I didn't get dumped into this mess just to have one of my friends die." Nina pleaded like a child. Kili smiled at her.

"We're friends then?"

"Yup, until I get home." Nina replied. Kili shook his head at her before his face contorted in pain again. "Are you okay?" Kili hissed in pain and slowly his eyelids fluttered until his eyes were half-closed.

"Kili!" She reached for him as his hand slipped from hers'. "Kili!" He hissed through his teeth as the pain got worse.

Then all went still.

"Kili!" She reached with her hands until they were resting on his shoulders and she shook him a little, willing him to wake up. She ran her hand down his motionless body until she reached just below his chest where the wound was. She gasped when her hand felt the scratches and small, bloody hole where the arrow had shot him.

Kili stirred, feeling a sharp pain in his abdomen where feather-light fingers were brushing across it. He felt himself drifting, a deep sleep threatening to pull him in. His eyes were slits as he looked at the girl before him. Friends. She had called him her friend, and a small smile played on his pale lips. She was a strange but quite funny girl, Nina, and he decided it would be nice to be her friend. He winced as she kept her fingers on his wound, her face twisted in worry and confusion. He pitied her. She couldn't see, for all she knew he could be dead. He wanted to say something, tell her to get Fili or someone to help, to tell her that he wasn't dead yet, but the words wouldn't form and his voice wouldn't sound.

Everything suddenly got warm. It was warm, and then it was hot. A bright white light flew across the room like lightning, coming from Nina's hand. Nina's hand? Why was there hot white lightning coming from her hand? She looked so startled, but not in pain. Kili shot upright in his bed and looked at her with wide eyes. She slowly set her fingers back on the wound. There wasn't anything there but his normal, unscarred skin.

"What was that?" She gasped in a frenzy. "What did I just do?"

"You healed me." Kili croaked, unable to take his eyes off of her hand as she brought it back to her own body and cradled it as if it had been burned. Maybe it had.

"What is wrong with me?" Nina whispered. Her chest heaved as she relived the feeling over and over. One thing was for sure in her mind.

Something happened to her when she came to Middle Earth.

Author's Note: Translations for the Khuzdul and Elvish are below!

Okie dokie well, that's quite the news. Nina healed Kili with something from her hand...huh. By the way I really didn't want Kili to be injured AGAIN since he gets shot in DOS, but it will really make something that's happening next chapter to be possible so it was necessary...Anyway, thanks for those who have stuck with me and it feels like this chapter is longer than most but I don't really know I guess you guys can decide that. Thanks to the new followers/favoriters and please don't forget to review! Next chapter we'll have some more training for Nina, some more Thorin, some more Fili, and some explanations as to what is going on with Nina.

Translations:

Ifridî bekâr (Khuzdul)-ready weapons

mellonnen! Mo evínedh? (Sindarin)-My friend! Where have you been?

Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na lant Vedui (Sindarin)-We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the south. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass.