AN: Here's the next chapter! Hope everyone enjoys it!
Thorin's barrel takes him over the falls and down the river, the water coming over his head when the barrel bobs under the water. Thorin pops back up and he spins around, looking for his nephews and not seeing them just yet. He knew Kili was hurt, he just doesn't know how bad or where; he also knows there is a very real possibility that Fili would stay behind with Kili knowing he is hurt. Thorin's barrel tips and turns in the raging river and he continues to keep a lookout for his nephews. Finally, he sees Fili's blonde hair emerge along with Kili's black hair and the two of them going over the waterfall, disappearing under the water. Thorin doesn't take his eyes off them until he sees them pop back above the water.
Seeing his nephews are okay and with them, Thorin turns around and swings the sword he stole from an Orc at another Orc leaping at him. He slices the Orc in the stomach causing the Orc to fall into the river. Thorin takes in all of the Orcs running along the river bed, keeping up with them. Thorin also notices the Elves running alongside them as well, attacking the Orcs as they do so. Thorin turns his attention to in front of him where he sees an Orc jump at Balin and Thorin throws the sword at it, hitting the Orc in the face and embedding it into an overhanging tree log. The Orc drops its sword and Thorin catches it, spinning around and looking behind him, seeing an Orc on a rock ledge, waiting for the last of their group to go by; waiting for Fili and Kili.
Thorin shouts Dwalin's name and Dwalin glances behind them, seeing the same thing Thorin had. Dwalin turns back around to Thorin who throws the sword to him, which Dwalin catches. Dwalin throws the sword behind him, shouting Nori's name. Nori looks over and catches the sword, the current spinning his barrel around. Nori sees the Orc waiting on the side and throws the sword to Fili at the back of the group and Fili easily catches it, swinging and slicing the Orc in the legs, causing the Orc to fall in the raging rapids. Thorin breathes a sigh of relief and turns back around to face the front. His eyes widen when he sees a fallen tree stretching from one side of the river to the other, Orcs piled on top of it.
"Cut the log!" Thorin shouts to the company as Balin throws Thorin an axe. Thorin swings the axe and cuts the fallen tree. Thorin looks behind him to see Dwalin hit the fallen tree with his own axe, cutting the tree in half the rest of the way. The two halves of the tree fall into the water and Thorin holds his breath as the logs almost crash into his nephews. Seeing Fili grab Kili's barrel and move him out of harm's way, the two of them skirting by the logs and down the river towards the rest of the group, Thorin's lets out a breath.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
Kili feels his barrel begins to move once again, but not as much as it should. He lifts his head off the side of his barrel, pushing the pain down and looks around, seeing Fili right next to him hanging on to his barrel. Suddenly, Kili feels his barrel drop and then his barrel submerges in the water. Kili clings to his barrel, panic filling him for a second before his head emerges from the water, and he begins coughing and trying to bring in air. Pain is shooting throughout his leg and he muffles a groan, a grimace placed on his face.
"Kili!" Kili hears his brother shout and he opens his eyes, looking around for Fili but doesn't see him anywhere.
"Fili," Kili says but it's not loud enough for anyone to hear, the pain muffling his words. Kili rests his head on the side of his barrel trying to control his breathing and the pain. His barrel bumps into something and his barrel's movement slows down slightly, but not before it jerks and sends a wave of pain through his leg. Kili lets out a groan and he hears his brother's voice right next to him.
"Kili, stay with me." Kili opens his eyes and sees his brother's form in the barrel next to him, relief flooding through him knowing his brother is nearby. There is a shout from somewhere up ahead and Fili swiftly lets go of his barrel and catches a sword. Kili feels panic rise in him and his eyes widen and he tries to grab for Fili's barrel but misses, the current spinning his barrel around to face the front. Kili's eyes focus on a fallen tree up ahead and his eyes widen in fear, his voice calling out for safety.
"Fili!" Kili freezes, the pain working its way up his leg and into the rest of his body, preventing him from thinking clearly. The fallen tree has been split in half and is falling directly in front of him and all Kili can do is stare at it. Abruptly, his barrel is maneuvered over, Kili just missing the falling log. Kili grabs at his barrel as it tips haphazardly into the water but it is quickly righted. Kili looks over at Fili and sees the concern and worry seeping through his eyes.
"Almost there Kili," Fili assures as he pulls Kili's barrel closer to him and glances ahead of them at the river. He notices the rapids beginning to calm down some and thanks Mahal for it; he doesn't know how much more of the tossing and turning Kili can take.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
The river has calmed down and all of the Dwarves have begun paddling with their hands. Fili is hanging onto Kili barrel still, paddling with his other hand. Kili is almost limp in his barrel, the pain from the rapids and waterfalls still radiating in his leg.
"Anything behind us?" Thorin asks the company as he stops paddling and looks around them. They had lost the Orcs some time ago.
"Not that I can see," Balin answers searching behind them as well.
"I think we've outrun the Orcs," Bofur says, also halting his paddling and studying the landscape for any sign of said beings.
Thorin shifts his attention to his nephews as they move closer, Fili hanging on to Kili's barrel with one hand and the other paddling them towards the river bed. Kili looks towards his uncle and sees him watching him and instantly sits up and begins paddling with his brother.
"Not for long; we've lost the current," Thorin says to Bofur and the rest of the company. Fili looks back when the weight he's paddling isn't as much and sees Kili paddling himself. Fili lets go of his brother's barrel and Kili paddles past him, grunting through the pain as he tries to get to shore hastily.
"Bofur is half drown," Dwalin says as he begins paddling once again. Thorin sees his nephews paddling towards the shore and shouts an order to the rest of the group.
"Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!" Once Kili gets to shore, he quickly tries to climbs out of his barrel, his injured leg causing him to stumbles. Kili groans in pain but shoves himself back up and onto his feet. Fili scrutinizes his brother's movement as he climbs out of his barrel himself, forced to look away in order to climb up the rock next to him.
Kili moves over to a spot that his even and his leg gives way and he drops to the rocks, groaning and grunting in pain. He rips off a piece of his tunic and presses it to the wound, gritting his teeth and groaning out loud from the pain. Fili looks over at his brother painful noise and quickly climbs the rest of the way up the rock. Bofur looks over from his spot nearby and he squats down looking from the wound to Kili's face. Feeling someone watching him, and knowing it's not his brother, Kili jerks his head around and sees Bofur watching him carefully.
"I'm fine, it's nothing," Kili says firmly, abruptly pushing the pain down. Kili drops his head and looks down at the wound, not wanting Bofur to see any pain on his face that might leak through. Bofur gives him a disbelieving look but doesn't say anything as Fili rushes to Kili's side. Fili rests a hand on Kili's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze as he looks at the wound on Kili's leg. The worry begins to build up inside him seeing how much the wound is bleeding.
"On your feet," Thorin orders the company, his gaze drifting over his nephews. Fili looks over at his uncle.
"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding," Fili counters, fixing his uncle with a stubborn look even as he is ripping his tunic for a binding.
"We have an Orc pack on our tail. We keep moving," Thorin say in turn as he turns around and walks away. As much as he wants his youngest nephew to rest and get treatment, he knows they can't stay here long. If the Orc pack catches up to them, an injured leg will be the least of Kili's worries; and his and Fili's.
"To where?" Balin asks, looking around them and not seeing anything that'll help them.
"To the Mountain; we're so close," Bilbo says, walking up next to Balin.
"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it," Balin counters, looking over at the hobbit. Fili is kneeling next to his brother, already trying to quickly bind Kili's leg. His worry is increasing as Kili just sits and allows him to take care of the wound without any argument.
"So then we go around," Bilbo says, looking to the company around him. Kili watches Fili begin to bind his leg; he wants to argue against it. He's fine; he's not weak, but Kili can't find the energy to do so. The pain throbbing in his leg is only intensifying and he just wants it to end. He'll let Fili bind his leg with no argument, if only to hope that Fili can relieve some of the pain.
"The Orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves," Dwalin grumbles out, not liking the idea of no way to protect them. Fili glances over at Dwalin, pausing in his administrations to Kili's leg, dread filling inside him. Kili can't go around, not with this leg; and he most definitely can't fight against the Orcs.
"Bind his leg, quickly," Thorin says, glancing over at Fili and meeting his gaze. "You have two minutes."
Thorin turns and walks a few steps away. They have to find a way across that lake; and quickly. He forces himself not to look at Kili and focus on him; Fili has him under control. As much as he wants to check on Kili and see that he's okay, Thorin knows he needs to find a way to get his company to safety.
AN: Please review and leave some feedback! Love hearing from everyone!