Chapter 20

For many days the Company forged ahead towards the mountains, as the terrain around them grew more and more rocky. The air grew cooler the closer they approached the mountains, and nights were spent huddled close to the fire. They were nights full of laughter and fun, for the companionship between them had only grown stronger since Rivendell. Even Thorin was known to chuckle softly at the friendly banter between Ember and Dwalin. Although several of her friends tried to coax her, Ember refused to practice using her fire power. She refused to speak about what had happened in Rivendell, and it was only this subject which would cause her to leave the campfire and lay on her bedroll early. Ember slept between Fili and Kili, wrapped in the arms of her One, her fingers curling around a lock of his hair. Her nightmares had become a thing of the past since they had started sleeping this way. The others made sure that Ember and Kili would take watches together, ensuring a good night's rest for everyone. Indeed, the Company looked after each other like a family. Only Bilbo seemed to stay on the outside looking in, Ember's efforts to include him notwithstanding. Bilbo seemed to have withdrawn a little since Rivendell, and Thorin's continual barbs at any of his perceived failings or delays bothered the Hobbit deeply. Ember's temper at these times flared and she would soothe Bilbo's hurt feelings, with a harsh glare sent towards Thorin, who would cringe, but not back down. He still felt the little Hobbit should have never have come on this journey. Ember knew all Bilbo would have to do is show him what she already knew; that Bilbo was brave, and loyal, and a good friend.

The day had turned to a freezing rain, and the cold chilled them all to the bone. They had reached the Misty Mountains the day before and they were high up on the mountain pass. The trail was narrow and dangerous, with a sharp cliff on their left and a sheer drop on the right. The slippery terrain had them all on edge and the icy wind whipped their faces raw. Lightening flashed across the sky, and Thorin yelled out a warning. "WATCH OUT!" A massive boulder was hurtling towards them through the air. It hit the mountainside above them, causing a small avalanche of rocks to fall all around them. Kili pressed Ember against the side of the cliff, and she met his eyes worriedly.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder-battle! Look!" Balin yelled. A stone giant reared up from a nearby mountain, ripping a massive boulder from its top.

"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants; Stone Giants!" Bofur cried out, as the enormous rock creatures roared in anger.

"We need to find shelter!" Thorin shouted. He turned to his Company as the very ground beneath them began to shake.

"What's happening?" Kili yelled. The Stone Giant threw its boulder fair in the air as another giant appeared behind the Company. The boulder hit the second giant, and the rocks beneath them gave way. The ground between the Company split into a wide chasm. Ember screamed in terror as Kili was torn from her, the chasm separating the group.

"Kili!" Fili shouted desperately, reaching for his brother. "Kili, Grab my hand!" The stone giants began pummeling each other with their fists, the Company struggling to hold on as they were flung around. Ember squeezed Bilbo's hand tightly. She wouldn't let go of him. A third giant rose into the air, throwing a boulder at the others. One of the giants fell to the ground with a gigantic rumble, the vibrations cascading down towards Ember. She was thrown forward by hands as a large stone barely missed her. Then there was silence.

Kili watched as his brother and his One were pummeled by the avalanche. "EMBER! FILI!" He screamed.

"NO!" yelled Thorin, rushing forwards as the space between the chasm filled with stones. The Company raced across to the spot where they had last seen their friends, certain they have been crushed.

"We're all right!" Balin called. "We're alive." Kili leapt towards Fili, grasping his brother tightly. Fili pulled back in a daze, he had covered Ember with his body. Kili knelt down, cupping Ember's face in his hand. She smiled faintly as he crushed her to his body, then Ember cried out in terror. She realized her hand was empty.

"Where's Bilbo?" she gasped. The others called out, as Ori looked over the edge of the cliff.

"There!" Ori yelled. Bilbo hung on the edge of the cliff by just his fingertips. Ember threw herself forward, grasping his arm. Kili held her waist tightly, trying to pull them back up.

"BILBO! Look at me!" Ember yelled desperately. The hobbit searched her eyes, his terror receding as she struggled to pull him towards her. Suddenly, Thorin swung down on the ledge near Bilbo and boosted him to safety. He glanced at Ember, nearly losing his own grip before Dwalin hauled him back up. Kili pulled her up and they all lay panting in the cold rain.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar," Dwalin said.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us!" Thorin glared at the Hobbit who hung his head sadly. Ember rose in anger, her eyes blazing at Thorin. She made to move towards him when Kili grasped her arm.

"Now is not the time to argue, we need shelter, vol kaon," he said quietly.

"Dwalin!" Thorin called for his loyal friend, as he spotted a cave nearby. Dwalin entered, his blade drawn, but the cave was empty.

"It looks safe enough," he called to Thorin.

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied." Dwalin quickly lit a small lantern as he searched the cave.

"There's nothing here," he called. Thorin motioned to the others and they flooded into the cave.

"No, no fires, not in this place," Thorin growled, as Gloin dropped a bundle of wood to the floor. "Get some sleep, we start at first light."

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin looked at Thorin questioningly.

"Plans change, Balin." Ember looked at Thorin, a strange foreboding filling her. "Bofur, take the first watch."

Hours later, the only sound that could be heard was the shivering of the dwarves. With no fire to warm them, and their clothes still icy cold from the storm, the Company was miserable. Kili looked at Ember, who sat beside the shivering Bilbo. She peered around the dim cave, her dwarves and Bilbo could freeze if she didn't do something. But Thorin had said no fires. Suddenly, a thought came to her. She hesitated for a moment. What if she lost control? But the shivering of the small Hobbit beside her strengthened her resolve. She could do this. "Kili," she murmured. He slid closer, entwining his fingers with hers. She looked at her One, felt his love flow through her, then pushed with her mind. He gasped as a warmth flooded from her hand into his, feeling heat spread throughout his body. He looked at her in wonder. She took Bilbo's hand, and he immediately groaned in relief as he felt the heat. "Take Fili's hand," Ember said to Kili. Grabbing his brother, Kili smiled as he felt the heat flow towards Fili. Soon every member of the Company joined together, even Thorin, his eyes watching Ember intently. Ember began to pant, the effort overwhelming her as she settled back breathlessly. Kili saw the strain in her eyes as she struggled to contain her power. He rested his brother's hand on his knee, reached for a water skein, before tilting it to her mouth to drink. She greedily drank before whispering her thanks, the water restoring her strength.

"How long can she do this?" Bofur whispered to Dwalin. They both watched the young lass in awe.

"I think as long as we are all touching in some way, she will keep it up until she feels we are warm enough," Dwalin muttered. He hated putting strain on Ember, but he had to admit that the warmth he felt was comforting and relaxing. Soon, the dwarves slowly drifted off to sleep. Seeing that their clothes appeared to be dry, and they seemed warm in their bedrolls, Ember slowly closed her eyes, resting her head on Kili.

The only person who finally felt the heat leave his hand as she fell asleep was Bilbo. Bofur had moved away to the front of the cave on watch earlier, and Bilbo saw he was quietly puffing on his pipe. Bilbo turned to Ember, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. He quietly rolled up his blankets and packed his things. He grabbed his walking stick, tiptoeing over the sleeping dwarves. He quietly approached Bofur.

"Where do you think you are going?" Bofur whispered in confusion.

"Back to Rivendell," Bilbo replied.

"No, no you can't turn back now, you're part of the Company. You're one of us," Bofur said pleadingly.

"I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right." Bilbo glanced over at Thorin's back, not realizing the dwarf king was awake, feeling a little sorry at how he had spoken to the Hobbit. "I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door." Bofur looked at him sadly.

"You're homesick, I understand that," he said.

"No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do- you're dwarves. You're used to-to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere." Bofur looked at him in shock, and Bilbo realized what he had said. "I am sorry, I didn't…"

"No, you're right," Bofur muttered sadly. "We don't belong anywhere."

"Bilbo?" Ember murmured, her eyes seeking him in the dark. She saw him standing by Bofur. Bilbo groaned quietly; he had not wanted her to know he was leaving. Truth be known, she was probably the only one who could convince him to stay. She raised her head towards him, seeing a faint glow.

"What's that?" Bofur asked, seeing a blue light from Bilbo's side. He pulled out the small Elvish sword Gandalf had given him from the troll hoard. Suddenly, strange noises like machines began roaring and Thorin realized he could see cracks beginning to form in the floor of the cave.

"Wake up! Wake up!" He yelled as the floor of the cave tilted beneath them. The entire Company fell down a long chute, sliding through a massive tunnel before landing in a giant wooden cage. Kili rose quickly, pulling Ember to him. Her eyes widened in fear as a swarm of goblins rushed towards them. The dwarves kicked and yelled, but they were no match for the sheer number of creatures that overpowered them. Ember pulled her hood over her long hair before Kili thrust her between himself and Dwalin as they were herded out of the cage. Bilbo ducked down, and amazingly the goblins failed to notice him. He quietly began to follow the group being led away, drawing his sword. Suddenly one goblin jumped out in front of him, rushing at him. Bilbo swung with all his might, before losing his balance. The goblin leapt towards him and they both fell over the edge of the platform, falling into the darkness below.

The dwarves were hustled through a maze of tunnels and wooden bridges before entering a giant platform with a large throne at the end. Ember gasped in shock at the sight of the monster sitting upon the throne. He was much larger than any other goblin, and uglier, if that were possible. His face was covered in boils and warts, while a massive lump of swinging flesh served as his chin. He smirked in anticipation as they approached. "Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" His voice grated harshly on their ears.

"Dwarves, your Malevolence," a goblin replied.

"Dwarves?" The king replied.

"We found them on the front porch!"

"Well, don't just stand there; search them! Every crack, every crevice!" Ember leaned back into Kili as the goblins approached. Their weapons were tossed into a giant pile. Oin's hearing trumpet was thrown to the floor and crushed. Nori had several Elvish antiques from Rivendell and she raised her eyebrow at him, when Thorin growled in anger. The key to Erebor had been stripped from his neck and tossed into the pile. Goblin claws grabbed at her, and she yelped in pain as they pinched her flesh. The Goblin King sat back down. "What are you doing in these parts? SPEAK!" The dwarves were silent, unwilling to betray their mission or each other. "Well," the king sneered, "if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker! Start with the youngest!" He pointed his finger at Ori, and Ember jabbed her elbow into the nearest goblin's eye. He yanked her cloak, and another goblin spoke up.

"There is a female, your Evilness!" The Goblin King turned in interest.

"A female?" he smiled evilly. "Bring her to me!" Ember shrank back into Kili as Dwalin punched an approaching goblin. A knife to his throat stopped his protective attempts.

"Promise me, no matter what happens, do nothing!" she cried to her dwarves as the goblins pulled her forward. Kili looked at her in anguish, Thorin holding him back. The dwarves could only stand in horror as their beloved lass was thrown violently to the ground in front on the massive goblin.

"This will be fun," He smiled nastily, "Oh yes. This will be fun."

Oohhh...I love suspense! Next chapter should be up later today or tomorrow! Hope you love it!