Chapter 10 The Ravine

Fili - 57 Kili - 52

Kili huffed and threw himself onto Fili's bed. Fili was just finishing changing out of his day clothes. He picked up his comb and began working through the tangles in his hair. He had pulled it back with a strip of leather while working at the forge, but it had made a huge knot in his hair when he took the leather out.

"What's wrong, Kili?"

"No one takes me seriously, that's what." Kili watched his brother struggle with the knot. "Come on, sit down. Let me work on it."

Fili handed his brother the comb and sat down in front of him. Kili started to pick at the knot.

"Now, why doesn't anyone take you seriously?" Fili asked.

"I don't know," Kili said, "but anytime I make a suggestion, everyone dismisses it, but then you or Balin will say the same thing and suddenly, it's a brilliant idea."

"Have I done that to you?" Fili asked.

"Yeah, but never to be mean. At least, I don't think you do it to be mean."

"I don't remember doing that. I'm sorry, Kee. But, do you think that maybe your exaggerating a bit?" Fili asked.

"No, I don't," Kili was hurt. It had happened only just that day. "You remember earlier in the day, Uncle Thorin and Adad were talking about part of the road leading out to the mines is starting to sink and there's a big dip in the road that's unsafe for wagons?"

"Sure, I remember," Fili said. He and Kili had been in on that conversation.

In Thorin's efforts to train Fili to his duties as heir and Kili as a prince and future leader of their people, he had insisted they be involved in more civic matters. That meant a lot of, in Kili's mind, boring meetings, but he was determined to prove to Thorin and the rest of the civic council that he had just as much right to be there as Fili.

"I suggested that in that section of road, where it is sinking, that we lay out layers of logs to fill up the depression and then pack it down with dirt. Thorin didn't even acknowledge my idea, but later, one of the other council members said the exact same thing and Thorin and Balin both agreed it was a good solution to the problem."

"Yes, I remember when that happened. But I didn't really think anything of it. Your solution is being used, Kili," Fili said.

"And Lug gets the credit for it. I don't care about getting the credit, really, I just want my ideas to be acknowledged, good or bad." Kili worked out a particularly difficult knot. "Why do they ignore my suggestions only to praise someone else for the exact same idea?"

"You're the youngest," Fili shrugged his shoulders. "You've always been, well, Amad calls you reckless. But I don't see it as reckless. You jump into things, yes, but it's because you're enthusiastic, but not reckless."

"But why when you say the same thing, is it a great idea? I'm not that much younger than you."

Fili sighed. "I can't say I know what is going on in Uncle Thorin, Amad, or Adad's head, but I'll tell you what I think, as long as you promise not to be angry with me."

Kili nodded his head, but Fili still had his back to him. "I promise."

"Ouch," Fili rubbed at his scalp when Kili pulled on a bit of his hair the wrong way.

"Sorry," Kili mumbled.

"I'm guessing that they still think of you as the wild little dwarfling you use to be. The one who never walked, but ran everywhere. The one who climbed trees, splashed in puddles and locked himself in the hen house." Fili felt a playful tug at his hair. "I think they still think of you like that. For me, it's different. I've been raised with the expectation of being Thorin's heir. Next in line to a throne. Next in line to rule and care for our people. I've been trained and watched over by Thorin. He, they, expect me to think of answers and solutions to problems. They expect it of me, but they don't expect it of you, so when you do come up with a great idea, they dismiss it because all they see is the young, wild dwarfling, and therefore, your ideas can't be well thought out."

"But I do think things out!" Kili said angrily.

"I told you, you can't get angry with me, Kili. I don't feel that way. Not at all. I know how smart you are. But I think that is what the adults are thinking.

Kili sighed and pulled the comb easily through Fili's hair. "Finished," he said.

"They just aren't used to you being grown up." Fili took the comb and turned to face his brother. "But I know and one day, when I'm king, or ruler, or whatever, I will make you my head advisor. I appreciate your ideas."

Kili gave a small smile. "Thanks Fee. It's just too bad I have to wait so long to be accepted."

Fili twisted his ankle. He cursed the hole he had fallen into. He was mad that Oin said he had to stay off of it for a full week and he was very mad that he wouldn't get to go on the hunt with Kili, Joli and Thorin. Kili offered to wait, but it was getting too late in the fall to put off a hunt any longer. They needed to get their meat preserved.

Fili was in a very sour mood when the others left.

"Don't take his words or his mood to heart," Joli said to Kili, whose feelings were slightly hurt by Fili's anger at him for being able to go on the hunt. "He's angry at himself, not you."

Kili sighed. "I know, but it's still hard to leave him behind like this."

Joli nodded.

When it came to hunting, Kili's skill with the bow was invaluable and Kili had shot a deer so large it too the three of them to carry it. They would take it home, butcher it, smoke preserve it and tan the hide. Dis would be able to sew it into something useful over the winter months.

Over the four days, they had managed to catch some other small game and now were headed home with their spoils. They came to the bridge that spanned a ravine about ten miles from their village. It was an old rope and board bridge. Thorin stepped onto it first and then Joli, carrying the deer between them. Kili had stopped to tighten a buckle on his boot and wait for the other two to cross the bridge before he added his own weight.

The only warning to the collapsing bridge was a loud creak of the ropes, right before they snapped.

"Adad!" Kili yelled. The ravine wasn't deep, just wide and so Thorin and Joli didn't fall very far, but it was a sudden, violent drop and they landed hard on the stone below.

Thorin groaned. He tried to push away at the deer's body, which had fallen on him, but it was heavy. He was pinned and his leg was on fire with pain. He looked to Joli. Blood was pooling around his very still body. Thorin watched closely for a few moments before he saw Joli's chest moving with shallow, steady breaths.

Kili was climbing down the rocks to the bottom of the ravine. He made it to the bottom and ran to his Uncle. The deer was heavy and Kili wasn't sure where Thorin was hurt, so getting the large deer off his uncle was difficult.

"Where are you hurt?" Kili asked as he pushed on the deer.

"My leg," Thorin grunted, "or my ankle. I can't tell just yet."

With one last heave, Kili got the animal off his uncle. Thorin clutched at his leg and muttered a few choice Khuzdul swear words. Kili turned his attention to his father. He could feel his heartbeat and he could see the blood at his head, but it was all he could determine about his father's injuries. He knew better than to try and move him. His father would have to wait.

Kili looked to his uncle to ask Thorin for instructions, but Thorin was looking slightly grey and was swaying where he sat. Kili pulled out a blanket and wrapped it around Thorin's shoulders, then he helped him to lay back and recline against a large rock.

"Thorin?" Kili asked. "Are you with me?"

He could hear Thorin's heavy breathing. "Aye, lad," he spoke quietly.

"What can I do for your leg?"

"Needs a splint," Thorin panted.

Kili had never seen his uncle in such a state. Kili looked to the broken bridge and collected two boards from there. He brought them back to Thorin's leg. His mother had insisted he take strips of linen in case anyone had a sprained ankle or cut that would need bandaging. He was quite thankful to his mother now and he pulled out the linen strips and used them to splint Thorin's leg. He gently felt the leg. He couldn't feel a break, but it was hard to tell. He was no healer and Thorin's gasps of pain kept Kili from probing too much.

After finishing with Thorin's leg, Kili looked around. He could easily climb out of the ravine, run back to Ered Luin and get help. But he couldn't leave his father and uncle stuck here. They were injured and vulnerable and with a deer carcass, they were an open invitation to predators.

"I'm going to climb the ravine and see what things are looking like for getting you help. I'm just going to look around. If you need me, call and I'll be right back by your side." Kili stood and went to the rocks. He started to climb and soon he had reached the top. There was a sturdy tree nearby and he could see the path back to Ered Luin. A plan started to form in his mind. He climbed back down.

"I'm going to get the deer out of the ravine. Having an animal carcass is going to attract wild animals." He tied the end of a long rope to the deer's legs. Once again, he climbed the ravine. He wrapped the rope around the tree's trunk and he started to pull. Slowly, he pulled the rope, little by little. Finally, he felt it catch on something, so he tied off the rope and went to the ravine's edge to see how far the deer had made it. To his surprise, the deer was just on the other side of the ledge. He pulled at the rope and the deer's legs until he finally wrestled it over the ravine's ledge. He pulled the deer right up next to the tree.

Satisfied that he had manage to get the deer away from his wounded family, Kili went back down into the ravine. He gave Thorin some water and cram. He looked toward his father, who was still unconscious.

"There's not much you can do for him, lad. He'll either wake up or he won't. You need to go and get help," Thorin sighed.

Kili stared at his father. He would either wake or he wouldn't. Fear clutched at Kili's gut. He started pulling things out of his pack until he found a bundle with herbs in it.

"Here, Uncle Thorin," he said, handing a him a plant sliver. "Chew on this a bit. It's white willow bark, for the pain."

Thorin took the plant and popped it into his mouth. He made a horrible face at the bitter flavor, but he was familiar with the bark and knew it would help the pain in his leg. Once he had chewed it to a pulp, he spat out the remains of the plant.

"Now, before I can go get help, I need to make sure you're alright," Kili sat near his uncle. He pulled out more food and blankets and made sure Thorin had a good supply of knives within arm's reach. "Do you want me to build you a fire?"

"No," Thorin answered. "I'll be able to see better in the dark without the fire. Get going, Kili. The longer Joli goes without aid, the worse it could be." Kili looked worriedly at his father. "Don't you fret, lad. I'll look after him." Already, Thorin was feeling better from the bark. "Now go, Kili, and take care."

"I can't leave you, Uncle. What if wild animals come?"

"I have my sword and my bow. You have to go. We need help."

Kili leaned in towards his uncle and pressed his forehead to Thorin's. "Don't move," he smiled. He climbed up the ravine. He still had a few hours until nightfall. The deer was where he left it. He hated to leave it for other animals. It was their winter provisions, after all. And it was still too close to his uncle and father. If it attracted any wild animals, they would surely find his family.

With some fallen branches, he made a sled and lashed it together with some rope. He put the deer on the sled and tied it down. Then he used a bit of rope and tied the sled to his waist. He started walking. The sled drug along the ground. It weight a lot. That meant a lot of food for this winter. The thought gave him strength and he went as fast as he could.

Kili was beyond tired. Surely he had drug that deer halfway across Middle Earth. Well, that's what it felt like. He was almost there. Another mile. He kept re-seeing the image of Thorin and Joli falling. Then there was the image of his father, unconscious and bleeding and Thorin, grey faced and broken leg. Those images pushed him on. He had to get help. He would find Oin, Master Dwalin, and anyone else that he could. They would need to stretchers, ponies, food, water, medicines, rope, possibly a wagon.

He was ready to collapse when he finally saw a familiar face.

"Mister Dori!" Kili called.

Ever with a smile, Dori turned to see the exhausted prince pulling a deer on a sled towards him. "Why Prince, Kili, what's happened?"

"It's Adad and Uncle. We were hunting and the bridge collapsed and they're hurt. I need help."

"I'll raise the alarm. We'll get help," Dori said.

Kili nodded. "I need to go to Amad. She needs to know."

"Go to her," Dori laid a hand on Kili's shoulder. "Leave the rest to me. Meet me in the village square in a quarter of an hour. We'll be ready to go."

Kili exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Mister Dori. I'll see you soon."

Dori ran one way and Kili in another. Just in front of his house, Kili untied the sled from his waist and let it drop. He felt light and free without the cumbersome sled.

"Amad?" He opened the door. His brother was in the front room his hurt ankle propped up.

"Kili? What's wrong?" Fili sat up straight. His eyes were wide in alarm at the sight of his younger brother, dirty, sweaty and traces of blood on his clothes. He looked exhausted.

Dis came in. "You're home already? I didn't expect you back until tomorrow."

"It's Adad and Uncle, they fell down a ravine when the bridge broke. They're hurt. I ran back to get help. Dori's gathering aid and we'll be leaving as soon as we are able," Kili said breathlessly.

Fili brought Kili a mug of water. Kili thanks him and drank. H wanted to just curl up and sleep.

"What happened?" Dis asked, slightly hysterical.

"They were carrying a deer and the rope bridge snapped and they fell."

"How bad are their injuries?" she asked.

Kili had dreaded this question. "Uncle's probably got a broken leg, but Adad, well, he was still out of it when I left."

Dis gasped. She went to the kitchen. Kili could hear her cry. He went to find her.

"I'm going back," he said. "I'll bring them home."

"Here," she pressed a bundle into his hand. "Some food and herbs. I'll have beds ready for them when you bring them home." She threw her arms around Kili in a crushing hug. "Bring them home to me, Kili."

He hugged her back. "I will, Amad."