Clill sighed as she sat by the campfire alone. She had ridden a couple days straight with no sleep and had finally decided to stop for the night, giving her pony a chance to rest for once. She hated putting herself through this, but she hated the thought of staying out in the wilderness alone. That was the rhythm she had followed within the month she traveled. Clill was only a few days away from the Dwarven city she and Thorin started in the Blue Mountains. Then, she would be able to recuperate within the company of her family.

"Thorin…" Clill sighed. "I hope you are well."

She was worried about Thorin. There was no possible way for him to send any word that he was alright with the distance he was traveling, with very few settlements he could take refuge in.

As Clill rubbed her hands together, trying to keep warm, she felt the jewel charm around her wrist, bump against her hands. She sighed unwrapping the necklace and held it in her gloved hand. It was all they had left of Sidda. Just looking at it brought back the pain of losing her so horribly. Clill pulled the gloves off her hands, looking at the burned scars forever marking her experience of that day.

"Sidda…" she fought back a cry, holding the jewel necklace.

The pony tied to the tree started to neigh. Something was close and it was spooking the pony, warning it. Clill looked around and reached for the mace that was strapped to the saddle.

"What do you want?" she yelled in Dwarvish.

"Who's there?" a voice answered in Dwarvish.

As soon as Clill pulled her mace out, swinging the weapon in her hand, an arrow came flying, hitting the tree beside her, spooking the pony even further. Clill looked at the arrow and smirked.

"Now, is that any way to treat your aunt, Kili?" she asked.

"Clill?"

She smiled as a young Dwarf came out from the shadows, stepping into the light. His long, dark hair scruffed features revealing he was, in fact, an heir of Durin. Kili smiled and hugged his aunt.

"Kili, what are you doing out here so late?" Clill asked her youngest nephew.

"It's a wager between Fili and I", he answered. "He said I couldn't make it one week without my older brother here to protect me."

"How long have you been out here?"

"Three days."

"Does your mother know about this?" Clill asked worried that Dis was allowing her sons to behave like this.

Kili pulled a small stone from his pocket. She recognized it as a gift Dis gave him, the Dwarvish runes marked the stone to ensure his safe return. Dis always worried about Kili's wellbeing, being more mischievous than Fili. She smiled and patted his hand.

"Playtime is over", Clill said. "We need to return. I have urgent news from your uncle."

"Where is Thorin?" Kili asked.

"He had some urgent business to attend to", she answered. "But, for now, I must speak to your mother and my father."

She untied her pony from the tree and took her place on the saddle.

"I trust your campsite is not far from here?" Clill asked.

"Just past those trees over there", Kili pointed.

"Pack up your things", she said. "You're coming home. Wage or not."

She kicked her heels into the pony, making it run toward the city.