Hey guys, I'm back! :) I was waiting for my beta to catch up and I officially have until Chapter 19 completed and beta. So far it looks like this story is going to be about 28 chapters...oh boy. Anyway, Happy Holidays! I hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday season and as a little treat, here is a chapter! I'll be snowboarding for three days at Christmas BUT I may post a chapter for Christmas Eve. We shall see ;)

Chapter 13

Bilbo was lost.

He had lost track of how long he had been wandering in those caves. He wasn't sure if it had been a few hours or even a few days. The lack of light made time seem to stand still beneath the mountain.

And in the entire time he had been searching, he hadn't found a single clue or sign of where Kíli was.

Bilbo came to a stop, resting against a large rock as he steadied his breathing. His legs were weary from continuously walking about but he couldn't stop. He had to find Kíli.

For Fíli's sake.

He just hoped he found Kíli soon. Bilbo longed to get out of the mountains and feel the sun's rays on his face; the wind through his hair.

He missed the lush green grass of the Shire; he missed his garden, his books... his armchair. Oh, how he loved his armchair. How he would curl up in his armchair with a book and a cup of tea as he sat by the fire.

Oh, how he couldn't wait to get back to Bag End.

He was so busy reminiscing about home that he hadn't noticed the glow of Sting until he heard the chatter of Orcs. When he heard it, he quickly dropped to the ground, knocking the wind out of him as he peered around the boulder. Bilbo wasn't sure what they were saying but he felt compelled to follow them. Something told him they knew where they were going.

So he followed.

Without his ring, Bilbo had to be extra careful to not be detected. There wasn't much light in the caves, if at all and not wanting to gain the attention of the goblins he dared not bring out Sting to light his way, so he found himself stumbling over rocks. Hobbits were not meant to explore caves. Not that they were really meant to go on adventures yet there he was.

Oh, how he couldn't wait to get home to Bag End.

Bilbo's ears picked up more voices and a muffled cry of pain. His stomach twisted because that sound was not any Orc or goblin.

It was too human for that.

When Bilbo rounded the corner he found a nice big boulder to hide behind and when he saw the sight that lay before him, his face paled.

Bolg was circling a crumpled, wounded figured on the ground, whose brown hair was plastered to his face. Red welts and blood oozed through his clothing and his hands were bound tightly in front of him. An Orc stood by him, holding a torch, the flame casting dancing shadows on the wall. "Why do you remain silent? Why subject yourself to this pain?"

Kíli's brown eyes kept their gaze fixed on the ground in front of him as his chest rose and fell to keep his breathing calm. Bolg grabbed a fist full of his brown hair and wrenched his head back, a knife glistening in his hand as he ran the blade against his cheek. "All you have to do is tell me where he is and all of this will stop."

"Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul."

Bolg growled as he slid the knife down Kíli's face, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. As the blood fell Bolg asked in an angrier tone, "Where is he?!"

Kíli kept his mouth shut, his eyes showing no fear.

With anger welling inside him Bolg took the torch from the Orc and grabbed Kíli's bound hands. Kíli tried to wiggle away but he was too weak from his wounds and Bolg was much stronger. The Orc held a sinister grin as he brought the torch closer and closer to Kíli's arm. Bilbo couldn't watch the moment he heard Kíli's screams of agony; he didn't want to see the fire burning on his skin.

The cries stopped when an Orc spoke up. They spoke in the Black Tongue, so Bilbo wasn't sure what they were saying. He was more focused on Kíli, who was curled up in himself, the skin on his left arm blistered and blackened.

Whatever the Orc had told Bolg had brought a smile to his face. "Did you hear that, gazat? The Goblins have found a yellow dwarf in the mountains."

From where Bilbo stood he could see Kíli stiffen and a brief glance of fear in his chocolate eyes as he stared at the ground. Bolg gave an order to the Orcs around him in their speech which spurned a few Orcs to grab Kíli and drag him away.

Bilbo wanted so badly to follow Kíli and get him to safety, but there was no way he could carry Kíli out by himself, not in the state he was in. No, he needed to enlist the help of Fíli.

But first things first, he had to get to him.

The Orcs that had brought the news were walking away and Bilbo decided he was going to follow, hoping they would lead him directly to the dwarf he sought. In the back of his mind he prayed that Fíli was in much better condition than his brother.

Then he remembered that the poor dwarf had taken a tumble and who knew how far he fell.

Why couldn't things be easy just once?

Bilbo jumped out of his skin and hid quickly when he realized that he had nearly walked into a Goblin, and mentally criticized himself. He needed to pay better attention to his surroundings.

Once he controlled his breathing he took a glance and sighed in relief when he saw that it was a group of Goblins and the two Orcs he followed who were escorting a hurt Fíli. His hands were bound in front of him with a Goblin in front of him tugging on the rope to usher him forward.

Bilbo withdrew Sting from his sheathe and altered his grip as he took a deep breath. There was no time to formulate a plan of stealth.

Kíli didn't have that kind of time.

After taking a deep breath Bilbo let out a battle cry that would make the dwarves proud and jumped from his hiding spot, slashing and thrusting at the Goblins. The creatures were completely unprepared for the attack, making them slower in defending themselves.

Bilbo managed to slay four creatures before they were armed. The distraction had given Fíli the chance he needed to take the rope the Goblin was pulling him with and wrap it around its throat, tightening it and strangling the beast. With that creature dead, Fíli rushed over towards Bilbo who quickly cut the ropes from his hands.

"Bilbo, how did…?"

"Now is not really a good time," Bilbo squeaked as he watched the group of Goblins close in on them. Fíli nodded and noticed the Goblin who carried his swords.

"Got any ideas?" Fíli asked.

"I was rather hoping you would have thought of one already."

Fíli looked around, trying to find a solution. He just needed to get to his swords. "When I tell you to, charge."

"What?"

"Just do it!"

Bilbo nodded as Fíli kept his eyes focused on the Goblin with his weapons.

"Now!"

Fíli and Bilbo charged, both unleashing battle cries. Bilbo slashed, still uncomfortable holding a weapon but much more skilled, which gave Fíli the advantage he needed.

After sliding under a Goblin blade that was meant to slice him down, he grabbed the hilt of one his blades and pulled, drawing the blade and slicing the Goblin. The Goblin fell and he grabbed his other sword, hacking at the Goblin coming up from behind. His wounds shouted in protest but there was no time.

Fíli managed to salvage his hunting knife from another Goblin before he realized that more and more Goblins were running towards them.

"Bilbo!"

Bilbo turned to see Fíli waving at him. He knew what the dwarf was telling him.

It was time to disappear.

At a speed he didn't know he was capable of, Bilbo followed Fíli through the tunnels.

It was the blind leading the blind; they had no idea where they were going, only hoping to find a way to lose their pursuers.

As they ran, Fíli's eyes caught of a tunnel that seemed to head downwards. With his right arm he grabbed Bilbo by the shirt and dragged him towards the hole.

"Jump!"

The Dwarf and Hobbit jumped down the spinning tunnel, their bodies tumbling downwards as they fell deeper into the mountains. They didn't know where they were going but one thing was for sure; wherever they were headed, the Goblins did not want to follow.

TBC…

Khuzdul translations:

Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul. - You probably recognize this as the insult Gimli gave Haldir, and yes, it is that insult. Although the definition is unclear, there seems to be one consensus on what it is: I spit upon your grave. It is either that or "I shit on your face," according to Richard Armitage while he was doing publicity for the Desolation of Smaug which, if you haven't gone and seen yet, GO SEE IT! And, of course, before I leave, a little teaser:

Bofur and Nori breathed a sigh of relief. "Well that's good, right?" Bofur asked.

Beorn growled under his breath, making the smiles drop from their faces.

"I don't think I like the sound of that," Nori whispered to Bifur.

"They may have been fine when I last saw them, but I can't tell you for sure the state they are in now. There's an Orc pack on their tail, led by Bolg."

"Who's that?" Bofur asked.

Beorn looked at him in complete dismay. "Who is... who is?! By the heavens, are your heads as hard as the stones you mine?"

Bofur and Nori shrugged.

"Bolg is the son of Azog and he is currently after the dwarf who killed his father."

Realization hit the two dwarves as they turned to one another. "Fíli," they said in unison.

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