I seem to be rather fast these days with my updates but hey, whatever :D

Borys68: Well, boyfriend is a nice guy and daddy can't really be opposed when there's obviously a strong bond there :D

kaia: Bombur will definitely be a bit more clingy than usual after hearing what happened to his brother, he is just a sweetheart like that :D

Nimtheriel: First of all, thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad you like the story so much. I always try to get the other members of the company to have some space in the story as well because I feel like they're all important. But it is difficult sometimes :D (But as we're on it, there will be more Bilbo, Thorin and all again after this chapter :)) And I'm glad to hear that you're ready for the BoFA because I. Am. Not. Oh god, I'm so not ready but it's approaching fast now, so I'm glad that at least one of us is :D And I thought very long about whether or not to kill Bofur and I had written several outcomes until in the end I decided that I just loved him too much xD

Thanks also to Dalonega Noquisi, KilisAMAROKprincess and Akilah Swiftblade for your reviews! :)

Thanks to the people who followed and favorited, as well! :)

I hope you enjoy the new chapter and leave me your thoughts if you do! Or if you didn't, I'm curious! :D

Even though they were all tired, they walked the whole day, only stopping for a short lunch when the sun reached its highest point. Having to take the long route along the shore of the Long Lake, it would take them probably a day longer to reach the mountain than it had their companions when they had set out from Laketown with boats. Going at their momentary speed, Fili reckoned they would reach Erebor in three days time.

The small group didn't talk much as they marched along the shore, keeping themselves close to the forest that ran along to their right. Oin had treated Bofur's wounds to the best of his abilities, though the hatted dwarf still experienced pain whenever he moved his left arm too much where the fire had burned him. Oin reckoned it would take a while to heal and the burn would definitely leave scars on his skin. Bofur didn't mind much though, he was just happy to be alive if he was honest. He could live with a few scars.

He was walking with Tarya at the moment, Fili and Kili leading the way a few metres in front of them while Oin was trailing along close behind them. The healer had renewed the bandage around the Amarok's arm as well, and Tarya had taken the news that her encounter with the orc blade would leave a scar without any complaints. The sun was already starting to set again above the treetops as Bofur and Tarya trailed along beside each other, exchanging cheerful stories to lighten the mood.

"So Bombur went ahead with his pan at the ready, me following on his heels with a candleholder to investigate the noise in the kitchen," Bofur elaborated as they walked, shooting a short glance at the Amarok that marched along beside him. She had a curious smile on her face and Bofur grinned lightly before he continued. "So we walked in, armed to the teeth as you might say, only to see Bifur asleep on the table while a fox was rummaging through our pantry."

"Why was there a fox?" Tarya asked, giggling slightly as Bofur rolled his eyes with ostentation.

"Because, you see, our dear Bifur had forgotten to close the door behind him when he came home sloshed from the tavern."

Bofur grinned as Tarya's laughter echoed lightly over the path, making Fili and Kili shoot a glance over their shoulder as even Oin chuckled behind them. Kili smiled slightly as he saw Tarya laughing before he turned his head and returned to the conversation he'd had with his brother.

"I once had a friend that was a fox, you know," Tarya said with a smile then and Bofur raised his eyebrows at her, prompting her to elaborate. "I stumbled across her one night after I had hunted down a deer. I only noticed her after a while; she was huddled in a little hole under a tree. Poor little thing she was. She'd gotten her leg hurt in a hunt. So I shared my prey with her and I kept doing it for the next moth until her leg was healed."

Bofur listened to her quietly, shooting her a questioning look when she paused for a moment. "What happened then?"

"She stayed with me wherever I went and I came to quite enjoy her company over the time we had together. Foxes are smart, you know, and very playful," she grinned and Bofur chuckled slightly at the joyful expression on her face. "We parted ways eventually. She found a mate and well… you know."

Bofur just nodded smilingly as Tarya shrugged nonchalantly. "That was a long time ago, though."

"How long ago?"

The Amarok frowned slightly. "About twenty years, I'd reckon. Add or take a few."

There was a distinct silence hanging over them for a moment until suddenly, Oin piped up from behind them. "How old are you exactly, lassie? We never quite came around to establish that."

"Aye, Gandalf only ever told us you were something between 65 and 70," Bofur added, sending her a questioning gaze as he shortly studied her as if to guess her exact age just by looking at her. Tarya looked at them in surprise for a moment before she smiled lightly.

"I'm 68," she said, her face scrunching up in thought for a moment before she shook her head. "Well, 69, since autumn has passed now."

"That makes you almost ten years younger than my dear brother," Fili chimed in, looking back at her over his shoulder as he slightly nudged Kili in the arm. The brunet just smiled silently. "Though I guess since no one actually knows how old Amaroks get, that doesn't really matter anyway, does it?"

"Well, as wolves we get around an age of up to over a thousand years, maybe even two," Tarya spoke, earning a few confused looks. Kili shot her a questioning gaze, as he and Fili slowed down so they were walking closer to the other three. Tarya shrugged slightly. "Only because no one else knows doesn't mean that an Amarok doesn't."

There were agreeing murmurs from the group. None of them had ever actually thought about the possibility that an Amarok might know the average lifespan of their own race. But it certainly seemed very logical now.

"So this means that… well, you'll be living on long after me," Kili said after a few moments, feeling slightly strange about this discovery and the fact that he was only a small part of her long life. Tarya looked up at him thoughtfully from underneath her lashes, apparently catching his gloomy tone. She gave him a small smile as she stepped over a root on the floor and Kili felt his heart give a small flutter at the affectionate look on her face.

"I don't think so," she replied, looking at the ground as they walked along and she fell in step next to him. "My soul is bound to yours. My commitment has allowed me to adapt to your height; who is to say that I haven't also adapted to other things?"

"Like my lifespan?" Kili asked with raised eyebrows, ignoring the looks they were getting from their companions upon their little conversation. In Kili's opinion, everyone could hear that she was his as much as he was hers. He didn't feel embarrassed, if anything, he felt proud. Tarya just nodded at his question, at the same time doing a weird little shrug that had Kili smiling.

"Like your lifespan," she said, sending him a warm smile as they marched along.

They walked for another long while before Fili decided that they were all too tired to move on any further. They had put a good distance behind themselves already and after not having slept the night before, it would not have been wise to force their bodies to go on. They needed to rest in order to renew their energy and reach the mountain as fast as possible. And so they set up a small camp, sheltered nicely by the forest trees a little distance away from the lakeshore. Bard had packed them a few blankets and bedrolls along with food and healing supplies, which they laid out around the small fire that Oin had built.

"So," Bofur cleared his throat after the sun had already gone down on the horizon and they had eaten a small dinner. They were sitting around the fire now, chatting a bit before they went to sleep. Kili had agreed to take first watch and it was him that looked up at Bofur now, noticing that the hatted dwarf's gaze was set on him and the small black-haired woman that was sitting close beside him. Bofur raised his eyebrows suggestively. "What's it with you two, then?"

Silence fell over the camp as everyone stared at Kili and Tarya; the brunet dwarf clearing his throat quietly while Tarya was just staring back at them in silent surprise. Kili shortly glanced at Tarya who was sitting beside him calmly, her shoulder brushing against his as he gently took hold of her hand before he brought his gaze back to the others. Bofur grinned knowingly, looking at their joined hands before his gaze flicked back up to Kili's face.

"I'll be waiting to congratulate you once you make it official, then." A broad smile was playing on the hatted dwarf's face and Kili couldn't quite help his own smile, nodding at Bofur. Fili was grinning silently to himself while Oin looked generally pleased about the situation.

"What do you mean 'official'?" Tarya asked, obviously having no idea what they were talking about. The dwarves exchanged small glances before Fili shot the Amarok a kind smile.

"Knowing my brother, you'll find out soon enough, namadîth," he said, his smile broadening as the Amarok looked even more confused. Fili shortly glanced at his little brother and seeing the look on Kili's face, the blond dwarf was sure that Tarya would be wearing his brother's braid before they reached Erebor. They could have told her about the traditions of braids in their culture then and there of course, but somehow they had apparently come to the silent agreement that Kili should be the one to introduce her to this kind of thing. Tarya didn't push the topic as no one elaborated further, though she was obviously curious.

She merely sent Kili a quizzical look as she lay down next to him after a while as he settled in for first watch beside her. He smiled down at her warmly, putting one hand on her head and letting his fingers stroke through her hair. She silently turned towards him then, her face next to his thigh as she closed her eyes.

"I love you, Kili," she whispered when everything had fallen silent around them, except for the light snores of their companions. Kili looked down at Tarya, smiling at her even though her eyes were still closed. This feeling that he got from her simply lying next to him and saying those words was enough to ease his mind and calm his heart. They had seen horrors beyond imagination last night and yet here they were, together after all. Kili let his fingers tangle slightly in Tarya's dark strands as he leaned his head back against the tree behind him, shortly closing his own eyes as he exhaled quietly.

"I love you, too," he murmured into the night, hearing Tarya's even and deep breathing beside him as he let his gaze wander over the dark lands.

Tarya awoke early the next day, feeling warm despite the cold air that swept over the lands. It took her a moment to realize that something heavy was draped over her middle and her front was pressed against a warm and firm body. When she finally opened her eyes, she found Kili's face merely a few inches from hers, the brunet dwarf sleeping peacefully as he held her safely in his arms. The Amarok felt a content smile build on her face as she took a moment to look at Kili's sleeping face. She could get used to this, she thought, in fact, she would have liked nothing better than to wake up in Kili's arms every morning until the sun would not rise again.

A quiet harrumph from beside her ripped her out of her thoughts and awakened Kili at the same time, his grip on her shortly tightening before he realized the situation. Fili was standing above them, grinning broadly as he pulled on the blanket that covered both of them.

"Rise and shine, lovebirds," he chuckled before he turned to get some breakfast. Tarya and Kili just exchanged short looks before he let go of her and they both rose to their feet, following Fili's example.

They didn't take much time to eat and pack their things before they set back out on the road. They all wanted to reach Erebor as quickly as possible and so they walked the whole day and ate lunch as they went. When evening came again, they had already passed the point where the Running River that came flowing down strongly from Erebor opened out into the Long Lake and were now marching along the river as the land around them slowly lost its green trees and became drier and bleaker. Tarya was tired when they eventually decided to make camp for the night. Making their way a bit further away from the river to a group of rocks that sheltered them from the cold night air, Tarya tiredly laid out her bedroll before she went to help Oin to get a fire going. Before the company had gotten separated, Oin had always taken the duty to build fires along with his brother. Gloin and him were rather talented at getting the flames to spark quickly and strongly whereas Tarya was only proving to be a small help. Oin thanked her with a broad smile nonetheless.

As she sat down between Fili and Kili for dinner, she didn't notice how quiet her brunet dwarf had become until after she had finished eating. Kili seemed to be thinking rather hard about something, his eyes distant, as his gaze was lost in the flames. Tarya looked to Fili for an answer but he just shrugged, calmly stuffing his mouth with a slice of bread when Kili suddenly stood up.

They all stared up at him questioningly, though Tarya found her friends' gazes shift to knowingly rather quickly whereas she was still as confused as ever as Kili held out his hand for her to take. Tarya looked up at him quizzically but he just smiled and so the Amarok slowly put her plate away and took his hand as he pulled her to her feet.

She let him pull her with him as he moved to the edge of the camp and down towards the river. Shooting a confused look over her shoulder, Tarya shortly caught Fili's gaze. The blond dwarf just graced her with a knowing smirk, shooting her a small wink before he vanished out of sight as Kili led her through a few bushes and further away from their little camp. His big hand felt warm and comforting around hers and Tarya walked silently along behind him as he led her over the small and big pebbles on the ground. After a few moments, the Amarok could hear the distinct purling of water and only seconds later, a small part of the Running River came into view as Kili pulled her onto the small riverbank with him.

Tarya came to a halt, eyeing the river warily as Kili turned around to her. She trusted Kili, but the Amarok rather wanted to stay as far from the water as she deemed safe. Kili stepped closer then, tearing her attention away from the flowing river next to them as he put his free hand on her cheek and stroked his thumb lightly over her cheekbone. Tarya looked up at him questioningly, slightly leaning into his touch.

"What are we doing here?" she asked when he didn't say anything, watching Kili take a deep breath as his gaze wandered over her face. He looked more serious than Tarya was used to, making her frown slightly at the brunet dwarf.

"If you'll allow me, I would put my braid in your hair," Kili replied lowly after a moment, his voice slightly deeper than usual and his eyes slightly darker as he looked at her. Tarya's brows furrowed a bit in confusion. Kili smiled warmly, letting his thumb stroke down the line of her jaw.

"When Bofur spoke of making our union official, he was talking about braids."

Tarya thought about those words for a moment, coming to the conclusion that they didn't help her much in her understanding of what was going on. Kili chuckled slightly upon seeing the bemused expression on her face and he quickly elaborated further.

"Braids are something very important for us dwarves. In our culture they are symbols for all sorts of things. Family, friendship, work, marriage… and well, when a dwarf finds his love, he will put a courting braid in her hair and she will do the same as a sign that they belong to each other. And to show others that they are already spoken for."

Tarya nodded slightly in understanding, though she couldn't help the small shudder that ran through her as Kili's fingers slowly slid down her neck as he spoke, gently brushing over her skin like feathers as he followed their movements with his eyes.

"Y-you don't have any," she eventually said quietly, lifting one hand to point at his hair as he looked at her questioningly. Immediately another warm smile came to play on Kili's lips and he shook his head slightly.

"No, not yet," he confirmed, letting go of her hand so he could wrap his arm around her waist instead, pulling her flush against him with a swift tug. Tarya let out a small squealing sound as she felt his body press against hers, feeling her cheeks warm up with a small blush as Kili let out a throaty chuckle. He leaned down and shortly brushed his lips against hers. "But I will wear yours with pride."

Tarya shortly closed her eyes as Kili's warm breath ghosted over her face. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her close to him as they enjoyed each other's nearness.

"May I braid your hair, azyungâl?" he asked quietly into the silence between them and Tarya smiled at the unknown word that flowed from his lips like a caress as she nodded. Kili drew back then, grabbing her hand again and pulling her over to sit in front of a small boulder that stood next to the river. He sat down, leaning his back against it and opening his legs so she could sit between them. Tarya did as he motioned her, sitting down so she was facing him.

Kili smiled and pulled her a bit closer, their legs touching. She couldn't help the slightly nervous feeling that bubbled up in her stomach as he leaned forward and reached behind her head, and Tarya sat still as the brunet dwarf loosened the elven braids that were still in her hair with deft fingers. The Amarok closed her eyes, enjoying Kili's touch as he brushed his hands through her hair, loosening it up and letting it flow freely around her face once again. She opened her eyes when she felt his fingers slip from her hair and saw him fumbling for something in his pocket. Kili glanced up at her from underneath his eyelashes, sending her a small grin before he sat back up straight and held up a pair of small clasps for her to see in his palm. Tarya carefully brushed her fingertips over the intricate carvings on the small objects.

"It's the crest of Durin and it says 'Kili' underneath it," he explained the runes quietly, blushing slightly as she looked up at him in surprise. "Normally, I would forge you your own but as it is, I only have these spare ones at the moment."

"They are beautiful," Tarya just smiled in reply, retrieving her hand and looking at him expectantly as he put the clasps on the floor next to his thigh. She watched as Kili's expression changed into a more concentrated one as he reached up and carefully separated a section of her hair on the side of her head, just above her left ear. Tarya sat still, her hands in her lap as she observed him while he divided the section he'd chosen into separate strands. Kili shot her a short glance, smiling happily before he started braiding and Tarya could only smile in return as she watched him work, his face close to hers and his brows furrowed slightly in concentration.

She was surprised and quite frankly impressed at how fast and deftly Kili's fingers worked in her hair and it was only a few minutes until he reached for the clasp next to his leg, a proud smile playing on his lips as he secured his braid with it. He leaned back then and looked her over as if he was contemplating his work, nodding in satisfaction before he gave her braid a gentle tug.

"There we go. Much better than the ones those elves gave you," he smirked and Tarya chuckled quietly in reply.

"You just say that because you braided this one," she laughed and Kili's grin widened considerably in reply. He quickly reached out then, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her right onto his lap so her legs were on either side of his and Tarya felt her cheeks heat up once more at his boldness as her hands came to lay on his shoulders. Kili innocently grinned up at her.

"Maybe," he murmured, mirth dancing in his eyes. "I do think my braid suits you better than any of this fancy elf stuff." Tarya reached her hand up, slightly fingering her new braid and looking at it happily.

"You looked beautiful with them, mind you," Kili said as he watched her, smiling contentedly. "You always do. But it didn't quite fit you. Now you look like yourself… with a bit of me thrown in for good measure," he added, using her braid to softly tug her head towards him as he leaned forward and kissed her gently.

Kili pulled his knees up, supporting Tarya's back as she sat in his lap. He tightened his hold on her waist, the hand that had held her braid before now trailing down to grip her hip as she sighed against his lips. Kili felt his heart thump heavily in his chest and his breathing become slightly ragged as they kissed. He had always told himself not to rush Tarya with these physical things, knowing that they were as new to her as her own voice had been almost a year ago when she had first transformed. Though now he suddenly came to realize that his beloved got a rather fast hold of things as she lightly nipped at his bottom lip.

Kili felt his heart give an excited flutter as a small groan escaped his lips and he pulled her even closer, her body pressing against his as he allowed his tongue to dart out and ask for entrance to her mouth. He felt his head starting to spin when Tarya's lips parted for him and his tongue met hers in a slow dance that he could have danced for eternity. Reluctantly, he pulled back, looking at the Amarok with hooded eyes, his breathing fast as he tried to regain some air and calm his mind. Tarya bit her bottom lip, her eyes like rich molten gold in the beginning darkness. Kili let his thumb trail over her lower lip, pulling it from the captivity of her teeth as he smiled. Seeing her like this, breathless from his kiss, his braid in her hair, it made Kili's heart well up with pride and happiness, and above all love. It was how she was supposed to be, he thought as he leaned in and placed a few delicate kisses on her neck.

"Kili?"

"Mmh?" He slightly drew back and looked at her questioningly when she hesitated, seeing uncertainty flickering behind the softness in her gaze. The brunet dwarf frowned slightly, bringing one hand up to stroke it gently over her cheek. "Tarya, what is it?"

"You said I was supposed to put the same braid in your hair," she said quietly and Kili nodded once, still frowning at the Amarok in confusion. Tarya sighed heavily.

"I… I don't know how to braid," she muttered then, averting her gaze in embarrassment as an amused smile spread across Kili's face. He nudged her gently.

"I can teach you," he said as she looked back at him, the smile still plastered on his face. Tarya hesitated shortly, looking at him as if she was not sure whether he was serious. Kili knew that he couldn't expect Tarya to know everything that dwarven culture embodied, or to know how to do things that she had never done before in her 68 years as a wolf. But he was more than happy to teach her how to braid, and he would be happy to teach her anything that would come up in the future.

"Come on," Kili chuckled, adjusting his position on the floor and squeezing her waist reassuringly before he brought his hands up, grabbing a few strands of his own hair. He looked up at Tarya who just stared between him and the hair in his hands in confusion before her gaze eventually settled on his dark strands. Kili smiled at the concentrated expression on her face before he started to braid the pattern he'd put in her hair only moments ago into his own, explaining how he did it as he went, his movements slow enough for the Amarok to follow his demonstration without problems.

"Now you," Kili announced after he had shown her three times and Tarya sighed quietly, shooting him a short look before she hesitantly brought her hands up, separating a section of hair above his ear as he had done with her before. Kili resisted closing his eyes as her fingers brushed softly through his hair, instead watching her as she worked, a small crease forming between her brows as she concentrated and her lips drawn into a tight line. Her golden eyes were set firmly on what her fingers were doing. It took her about thrice as long as it took him to make a braid but Kili didn't mind at all. He waited patiently, enjoying having her this close to him and all to himself with no one else around. Moments like these were rather rare, after all.

"It's finished," Tarya eventually said, looking at him as she held the braid between her fingers. Kili nodded slightly, reaching for the second clasp that still lay next to them on the floor. The Amarok took it from him silently and Kili smiled as he watched her secure her braid, slightly frowning at it as she looked at her work. With a sigh, she gave it a small tug before she looked back at him, her lips pursed slightly. "It's not as good as yours."

"You made it, which makes it perfect for me," he replied genuinely, shortly fingering the braid in his hair and smiling. Tarya had done more than just well for her first try. "I love it."

The Amarok smiled happily then and Kili revelled in her proud expression for a moment before she leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on his lips. Kili returned it eagerly, hugging her to him a bit tighter. They sat there for a long while, not saying much and just enjoying each other's company as the night fell over them. It was only when Kili felt Tarya yawn against the crook of his neck that he gently lifted her from his thighs and pulled her to her feet with him.

"We should go back to camp," he said as he grabbed her hand and Tarya just nodded tiredly, slightly leaning against his arm as they slowly walked back the way they had come from.

The others looked up when they arrived back at camp, the fire still burning. Fili was sitting on his bedroll, talking quietly to Bofur who was lying on his back next to him. Oin was sitting near the fire, warming his hands on the small flames.

"You've been gone a while," Fili said as the two of them stepped into the light of the flames, though a broad smile broke across his face when he noticed the matching braids in their hair. He nudged Bofur in the arm. "Aha. You owe me two gold coins."

"Couldn't just wait until tomorrow, eh?" Bofur sighed, feigning an exasperated look at Kili before a broad grin broke across his face. "Well, congratulations then, you impatient dolt."

Kili just grinned in reply, tugging Tarya over to where their bedrolls were laid out next to each other. The Amarok just followed quietly, shoving the hatted dwarf slightly with her foot as Bofur shot her a cheeky wink when she walked past him. It didn't take long until they all went to sleep, except Oin who was on first watch, and when Kili had settled on his bedroll he pulled Tarya closer, wrapping his arms around her as she carefully placed her head on his shoulder. They lay together for a while, Kili's hand tracing small patterns on the Amarok's arm while her fingers played with the thin bands on the collar of his tunic. He felt her turn her head slightly and he glanced down, seeing her golden eyes gleam up at him in the dark night. He questioningly raised his eyebrows at her.

"What does azyungâl mean?" Tarya asked in a quiet whisper and Kili felt himself oddly reminded of the night they had confessed their love to each other in Laketown when he had asked her a similar question in a similar moment. He chuckled quietly.

"My love," he whispered back and Tarya smiled warmly, shortly lifting herself up to place a chaste kiss on his cheek before she settled herself back down on his chest. Kili smiled as she snuggled against him, and it wasn't long after Tarya's breathing had evened out beside him that sleep lulled him in as well.