"Atta boy, Minty!" Kili patted his pony, after doing a trick with the nicely mannered and quick to learn steed. He'd been teaching his little pony all sorts of neat things! Like how to sneak a carrot out of Kili's back pocket! Though, in teaching him that, the pony began taking other things out of people's pockets, like Bilbo's handkerchief and Ori's beard brush. It had upset a few people, his pony being a bit playful and taking their things, but Kili still thought the pony was cute with his learned behavior.

He had also taught the steed how to kneel down to mount him easier, how to do this fun rearing trick where he'd hop like a bunny on his back legs before landing back down on all four. It was amazing how easy it was! Tauriel has been a big help, she would talk kindly to the pony, sometimes in elvish. The pony really responded well to her kind words and gentle pets. Making it all that more easier to teach him nifty little tricks!

Kili and Tauriel were riding about the group, Kili making his pony do some fun prancing about, laughing and smiling as his lady held onto him happily.

"You're the best pony I've ever had, Minty Junior!" Kili praised the pony, doing so as he passed by his uncle and Bilbo.

"What did you call that pony?!" Thorin demanded, his ears ever alert to things relating to his beloved pony.

"Minty Junior..." Kili spoke wearily. At the time, Kili had named the pony as a way to honor his uncle's prized pony, but now it seemed his reason behind naming his mount was irrelevant. Uncle Thorin had that look in his eyes, the kind of look that stated, 'You're ass is in deep trouble!'

"Don't you dare call that pony by my sweet mare's name ever again! It's blasphemous!" Thorin raged, while Bilbo groaned in annoyance at his companions irrational behavior.

"But uncle, I did it because I thought it would make you happy." Kili pulled out his puppy dog eye routine, this time it wasn't an instant hit with the pissed off uncle. He took things relating to Minty very seriously.

"Call that pony Minty Junior one more time, and your little friend behind you gets to ride double with Dwalin the rest of our journey!" He threatened, making Kili gasp and nod his head hurriedly.

"Yes uncle..." Kili agreed, not wishing to be parted from his lady. As his uncle rode ahead, out of ear shot once more, Kili leaned in and whispered to his pony, "Its alright, boy. I'll just call you Junior, but you'll know what I really mean when I say it." He chuckled, petting his steed's silky soft neck before urging him into a faster pace. What uncle didn't know couldn't hurt him...

-0-0-

They were following the Anduin River, Gandalf had informed the group that if they kept following the river, they'd get to the Lady Galadriel all the sooner. It was a very long river, and the group still had many miles to go, but it made Bilbo feel better knowing they were on the right path. Lately his stomach pains had been more frequent, hurting him very badly, to the point that he almost passed out over the intensity of it.

Thorin was riding now with the hobbit securely in front, so that if the fellow did pass out, his dwarf companion would easily catch and hold onto him. Thorin tried his best to do things like that to look out for his little hobbit. He wasn't a fan of imagining his little Bilbo falling off their pony and hurting himself even more.

When Bilbo wasn't in pain, he felt normal enough, making small talk with Thorin and the rest of the company. He had noticed the blond elf leering after Kili as he'd ride about playfully among the group, his elf lass behind him smiling happily. It was obvious that the blond one liked Kili's girlfriend, she didn't seem to pay him much mind at all though, which was good, because she was suppose to be with Kili after all.

It worried Bilbo a little though, he knew how people's hearts could make them do irrational things to get what they desired. What if that male elf wanted Tauriel badly enough that he tried to hurt Kili? That wouldn't happen though! There was a group of dwarfs here to take vengeance on such an act, the elf wouldn't possibly try that scenario. Still...the way he looked at Kili, it kept Bilbo's attention. Apparently he'd been staring long enough the the elf had noticed. The blond looked over at Bilbo, stared directly at him and raised one well groomed eyebrow, "Is there something you wish to say?" He called towards Bilbo, making the hobbit blush.

Thorin looked down at Bilbo, and then over to the elf who'd just spoken.

"I'm sorry for staring, I'm just not use to such clean shaven company." Bilbo lamely excused himself, the elf shrugged and turned his attention elsewhere.

"My hobbit is now fascinated by the clean shaven elf?" Thorin playfully teased the hobbit, "I've a mind to dump you off for staring so much at that girly boy." He was being ornery with Bilbo, making the hobbit tisk and shake his head.

"Why were you really staring at him?" Thorin inquired, seriously wanting to know.

"I keep noticing he stares at Kili as if he'd like to throttle him. I'm guessing that Kili isn't the only one in love with that pretty elf lass." Bilbo expressed his opinion, receiving hostility from his dwarf partner.

"Don't say that word! I refuse to call it love between those two! It is an unhealthy obsession, nothing more!" Thorin growled, looking over at his nephew Kili with loathing.

"Thorin! You're being unreasonable again, what's so wrong in saying that they're in love?" Bilbo demanded to know, finding his dwarf friend's attitude insufferable.

"Love is a very meaningful word, Bilbo. One not so easily used upon such an unworthy pairing." He snorted in his contempt over it.

"Thorin, how come you've never used it on me?" Bilbo cautiously asked, bringing on an awkward silence between them, the kingly dwarfs cheeks were flushed as he chewed on his lower lip uneasily.

"Thorin?" Bilbo said his name again after a few more long moments of silence.

"Don't push me, Bilbo!" He moodily huffed, feeling very warm and incredibly trapped with the hobbit resting in front of him, making no easy way for an escape from this serious question that frightened Thorin so very badly.

"Halt the ponies!" He hailed the group, surprising everyone as he dismounted quickly, leaving a bewildered and pissed off hobbit to sit on their pony alone.

"We'll rest the ponies for a few hours, let them drink and refresh themselves." He informed the entire group looking towards him. "Kili, I want you and your brother to scout ahead while we rest." He started to order his nephews.

"But uncle, I want to stay here, next to Tauriel. Can't she come along as well?" Kili pleaded, not wanting to be parted from his lovely maiden.

"I can still bend you over my knee, boy. Is that something you wish for her to watch?" Thorin growled irritably, giving his kin the stink eye.

"No, uncle..." Kili's lower lip jutted out as he followed Fili to go scout, leaving behind his elf lass.

-0-0-

"Thorin Oakenshield, you can not ignore me forever! I'm talking to you! Hello?" Bilbo was following the dwarf king around, practically chasing after him as he ordered other dwarfs about, blatantly ignoring the hobbit's words.

"Thorin, you are going to answer my question or so help me!" Bilbo attempted to threaten the still retreating king, the plump and rounded Bilbo waddling faster as Thorin started to march hurriedly away towards the less crowded part of the river. Once near the rivers edge, he turned quickly to face his hobbit pursuer, a look of utter annoyance upon his bearded face.

"Will you stop chasing me and hollering so damn loudly! I am not going to answer you Bilbo, so leave it be!" He gruffly spoke to the hobbit.

"Well why not?! Lots of people say they love each other, why haven't you said it to me?" He stomped his swollen hairy feet in frustration.

"Bilbo, you haven't said it to me either. So why is it that important to say when none of us have done it yet?" He asked of his impatient and pushy companion.

Bilbo paused a moment, thinking over what Thorin had mention. Bilbo really hadn't said the word love to Thorin yet...He didn't know why, because it was a true statement. Bilbo was in love with Thorin, so why hadn't he actually said the word out loud before? Had he been waiting for Thorin to cave in first and say it? Was that what they both had been waiting for, the other to admit it first? Well, Bilbo knew one way to fix that issue.

"Thorin Oakenshield, I lo...I Lalala...I luv you." He spoke the last three words fast, making the dwarf tilt his head as he stared quizzically at his hobbit.

"What did you just say, little one?" He questioned, head still cocked as he gazed uncertainly at the lightly blushing and somewhat fidgety Bilbo.

"Iloveyou." He spoke it as one word, quickly too and it made the dwarf stare even more questioningly at the hobbit.

"I...I think you just said that you loved me." Thorin spoke, smiling lightly at the other companions silly manners. Bilbo was rocking his body back and forth, his making circles in the soil as he gazed a bit bashfully at Thorin.

"That's exactly was I said. Now it's your turn!" Bilbo turned the tables, waiting to hear the same words from his counterpart.

"Uhh." Thorin dumbly spoke, feeling like he was being put on the spot.

"Go on, I did it, now it's your turn." He urged his companion, Thorin's eyes beginning to shift about uncertainly, his hands wringing themselves.

"Well, hobbit, you know that I Lalala...That I lala...That I care deeply for you. What's so important that you need to hear me say the other word?" He tried backing out of the situation.

"You're the one who stated that it was a very meaningful word so why not use it on me!" He glared at the dwarf, starting to get hurt feelings over Thorin's actions.

"It is meaningful! I just have a hard time saying it on the spot, Bilbo! I want to say it in context, for when the time and the mood is just right, can't a dwarf choose when to use his special words, damn it?!" He argued back, not one to be cornered into doing or saying anything when he didn't want to.

"Well fine! Maybe I'll just start looking for some other dwarf that isn't afraid to use the damn word!" He turned around, starting to stomp off in anger.

"What did you just say? I am not afraid to say anything! Bilbo! Are you listening to me!" He yelled, glaring as the hobbit ignored him and continued to march away unhappily.

"I can say it..." He frowned to himself, feeling upset that his hobbit thought him a coward over a stupid word for crying out loud!

"It's his hormones, that's all. He'll be less emotional once we get that thing removed..." Thorin tried to reassure himself, wanting to believe the fault was Bilbo's and not his own.

-0-0-

Legolas moved in fast, once the young dwarf took off to scout with his brother. He was watching Tauriel, she was letting her pony drink from the river, petting it's shoulder lightly as she waited for the animal to drink its fill. Suavely he walked up, stoic look on his chiseled face as he neared her. He stood a few feet from her, looking off into the river water.

"My legs are not use to being so folded riding these short ponies." He spoke offhandedly, not really knowing where to start his conversation with her.

"Hmm." She shrugged, not even bothering to use a full word to reply, this miffed him greatly, as he tried very hard to keep his brows from furrowing.

"I've noticed you've taught this pony tricks. Tell me, do you like exploiting natures creatures?" Okay, so maybe his words could have been less hostile, but damn it! She'd made him mad at being so unresponsive to his other statement! Her lidded eyes tore into him with so much loathing that he jerked back at her mere stare. He felt himself starting to slowly move away she she kept glaring poisoned arrows into his heart but just using her eyes.

He was now a couple yards away from her, safely away from that horrible look she had given him. He tried to think of another way to approach her, his mind coming up blank as his eyes looked over towards the near by trees. He noticed one of the trees held some sort of fruit upon its large branches, maybe she'd be more agreeable if he gave her one of those.

With nimble hops, he was in the tree, quickly picking the round pink fruit and bringing it over to the auburn haired elf. He rubbed off whatever dirt there might have been on the fruit, and handed it towards the uncertain looking Tauriel.

"Please, take it." He asked politely, getting a sigh from the female as she took one and started to slice it open with her short knife. Slicing of a small piece, she turned and went to give the pony a taste first before she tried it.

The friendly beast happily took if from her slender hands, chewing it up and then abruptly falling over, surprising both elves as they tried seeing what was wrong with the downed creature.

The pony was foaming at the mouth, it's eyes fogging over as it shook and twitched errily. Tauriel took her hand and shoved it into the animal's mouth, pulling out a few chunks of the fruit it had eaten. Her hand went deeper, trying to see if it was choking but felt no blockage.

"The fruit, it's poisoned him!" She glared towards her elf counterpart, receiving a shocked expression from the unaware Legolas. He hadn't done this on purpose! Their actions had been luckily noticed by the wizard, he hustled over and placed his staff against the animal's head, saying an incantation as he did so.

"You lecture me about teaching the thing tricks, and then come over with poisoned fruit?" She scolded the blond elf, Legolas tried informing the other that he hadn't known it was poisoned, but she wouldn't listen to him.

"It's no good. This pony is done for." Gandalf sighed, taking his staff away as the group watched the ailing animal lay silently still, no longer twitching.

"We're back!" Kili called, his brother Fili right behind them as they came towards the nearest group to them, it unfortunately was the group surrounding his beloved pony who wasn't moving anymore.

"Oh look, Tauriel taught him how to play dead, isn't that neat, Fili?" Kili nudged his brother, his kin had a very strange look on his face for some reason.

"Kili, I don't think he'd playing..." Fili informed his brother, Kili was ever the light hearted fellow and attempted to show him that his pony was only playing.

He kneeled down and petted his pony's neck and talked to him, telling him he could get up now. When he noticed the funny looking foam around his steed's mouth, his eyes grew huge with shock.

"Kili, I'm so sorry..." Tauriel placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"He was just fine a few minutes ago...He was just fine..." He spoke more to himself than anyone, petting the pony still as he tried to wrap his mind around this horrible and horrific incident.

"H..How?" He asked, his eyes glassy as he searched Tauriels face for an answer.

Her eyes turned cold as she turned her head towards the awkwardly standing about Legolas.

Gandalf picked up the fruit that the elf had found, shaking his head sadly at them, "These are a poisonous fruit, where ever did you find them?" He asked, Legolas lifting his arm to point towards the near by tree.

"Better for take care of that..." Gandalf spoke to no one in particular as he marched off with his staff, though what he was going to do to the tree with only a staff, it was anyone's guess.

"You...You fed my pony poison?" Kili squeaked out the question, looking at Legolas with teary eyes, making the elf feel very strange as the group of three gazed at him, all with different emotions on their faces. Tauriel held utter contempt and fury, while Fili looked at him like the elf was touched in the head, and then there was Kili. Kili, the dwarf he truly despised, looking at him with such hurt and sadness, Legolas should be laughing in his stupid, teary face. Yet he wasn't. He felt bad for harming the animal, he hadn't plotted against them in that manner, though it surly looked that way. He had been trying to get Tauriel to like him, and now he looked even uglier in her eyes by the act he had unintentionally preformed.

"Actually, it was Tauriel that fed him. I had offered her the fruit and she used your animal as a food tester. If you should be mad at anyone here, it should be her." He quickly informed the dwarf, making Kili turn his head quickly towards the she-elf, shocked and unbelieving.

Tauriel's mouth gaped open as her eyes grew big, "But Legolas was the one who gave me the fruit in the first place!" She pointed a finger at the blank faced blond elf.

"You are more immune to poisons because of your blood, as am I. If you had simply tasted the fruit first, that pony would still be alive." He spoke truthfully, elves could handle poisons much better than humans, dwarfs, and in this case, ponies.

"That isn't fair!" She accused her elf counterpart, Kili shook his head in dismay, "Is it true what he says, did you feed Minty Junior the fruit? Could you have lived if you'd tasted it first?" He asked her, his deeply saddened eyes boring into her for an honest answer.

"Yes." She sighed after a moment, her words making Kili suddenly burst out in tears and wails. Fili kneeled down and placed an arm around his little brother's shoulders.

"I'm sorry Kili. You can ride along with me." He offered, helping his kin up so that he could take him over to their uncle. Thorin would need to be informed of this. The two young dwarfs shuffled off, leaving the elves alone with one another.

'If I can't win her affections, then at least I can make her dwarf despise her.' Legolas thought to himself as he stared at his fellow elf, she was still crouched by the animal, not looking at him as she made the creatures eyes close.

"You know I didn't pick that fruit for his pony." Legolas commented.

"No, you picked it for me." She looked up and eyed him angrily. "We are able to handle poison, but what if it was a potent amount, Legolas? I might have died just as easily as this creature." She commented, making the blond cough awkwardly.

Their awkward moment was disrupted by a very loud, thunderous sound, made by the entire tree that had held the poisoned fruit. Gandalf had taken his staff and created a spell that had exploded the entire plant, little pieces of bark and leaves flying everywhere from the gigantic explosion. He was walking back with a very self impressed look on his face as he came over to the group with the dead pony. He lightly tapped the pony with his staff, then suddenly the pony awoke! As if he'd been sleeping the entire time! The elves looked from pony to wizard with awe as he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Destroying the tree saves the things it corrupted. With a little magic to spur the regeneration process." He winked, petting the now standing ponies head before leaving the bewildered pair of elves.

"I've never heard of such a power!" Legolas scoffed as he watched the wizard saunter away, feeling plucky and self important for 'saving the day'.

Tauriel was hugging the pony around the neck, tears of joy streaming down her face as she happily spoke to the living Minty Junior.

"Kili's going to be so relieved!" She spoke to the animal, stepping back to hop nimbly on the animal's back and riding it away from Legolas towards the direction Kili had gone.

"Well, back to the drawing board." Legolas spoke to himself, glad that the animal had come back to life but also knowing that he was going to have to work even harder to either win Tauriel's affections of make her dwarf hate her enough to dump her. Whatever came first...

-0-0-

Thorin was listening to Fili's tale of coming back and finding Kili's pony dead when all of a sudden, the elf lass came running towards them on the supposedly 'deceased' mount. The entire time Kili had been bawling, so when he heard a very familiar whinny, he looked up and was speechless as his eyes took in the living form of his beloved pony! He stopped crying and skipped happily over to his lady and his steed, hugging the pony's neck and receiving a sort of hug back from the friendly mount.

"How did this happen?" Kili asked of his lady, his answer was spoken by the sauntering wizard that approached them, "I destroyed the tree, thus healing anything that was harmed by it's evil fruit." Gandalf smiled at the now cheerful Kili.

"But the pony was dead!" Fili shook his head in awe, "How did you bring him back?"

"He just needed a little magic tap." He chuckled, gesturing at his staff he carried.

"Can we continue onward now?" Thoirn spoke toward them all, lightly irritable. His hobbit had wandered off and Thorin still hadn't located the pouting Bilbo anywhere. The sooner they got him and his moody ass to the Lady of Light, the better things would be between them, Thoirn was sure of it!

"Bilbo! If you can hear me, little one, we're going to start leaving." He called out around them, wondering if the stubborn hobbit had heard him.

"Well then, I'll just be riding with Gandalf then." His little snippy voiced came from out of nowhere, the fellow popping out of a bush and walking over to the wizard, never glancing at the king once.

"Ah, fighting again I see. Very well, Thorin you can travel with Legolas." The wizard informed the dwarf king, walking off with the hobbit to go fetch his sturdy built pony.

"The elf?!" He seethed, even though he was going to assist the blond in winning the affections of Kili's lass, he still didn't want the bastard riding behind him! No one paid Thorin any mind as he cursed and huffed about having to share his pony with Legolas.

"That hobbit is going to be the death of me, I just know it!" Thoirn growled to himself as he went off to inform the elf about their new riding arrangements...

-0-0-

The Hobbit belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien!

A/N: LONG chapter! Hope you all liked it! :)