AU: Hi :) So I probably won't be able to post a new chapter of Shivers this weekend, if you guys read that story, and the reason for that is my school is having its prom and I'm going! (Excited Face!) Anyway, I was working on this one and decided to get it up.

ALSO: I have a poll on my account and I'd love people to vote. Not that I'm super close to the last chapter of Shivers, but I'm thinking about what I'll be writing when Shivers is done, and that poll is about my two Hobbit ideas. I'd love to see what people think...

And without further ado... The next chapter!

Kili awoke to a crash of thunder, the world lighting up before it plunged into darkness. Confused, Kili shivered as he realized he was drenched to the bone. He looked around to find himself still sitting on the beach, though it was hard to see very far through the torrential raindrops.

A different sort of crash met his ears, and he realized that it must have been the waves. Looking ahead made him gasp, for the waves hitting the beach were taller than he was. He shrank away from the frightening swells, his back running up against the dripping rock. Cold rain water ran down the back of Kili's shirt, and he sprang away, only to see a wave crash right in front of him. Confused and frightened by the place and weather he wasn't used to, Kili sprang to his feet, only to slip and fall back against the rock; his legs had fallen asleep and couldn't yet hold him up.

Kili gasped from breath as another flash of lightning lit the beach, and Kili could have sworn that he saw a person over near the cliffs. Kili tried to call for help, but this only resulted in water filling his mouth. When the lightning flashed again, the figure was gone and Kili realized it must have been his hopeful imagination.

Still, there had to be people somewhere, and Fili or one of the other dwarves might be looking for him by now!

The thought brought a bit of hope into Kili's heart, only to be dashed away when a gigantic wave crashed against a rock near Kili's sending spray flying into the air. Who would be dumb enough to be out in this weather? He certainly was and Kili was sure he'd receive a long drawn out lecture from his uncle when he next saw him.

With the waves pounding against the rocks and the rain clouding the air so he couldn't see, Kili hoped he'd see his uncle sooner rather than later, despite any foreboding of lectures. The stormy night was ever so much more foreboding.

Again Kili tried standing, and though this time he was successful, Kili wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now. He could hardly see the hand in front of his face let alone the way to the village.

Of course, he knew the village was the opposite direction of the churning sea, but what was to keep Kili from staying and running into one of the tall cliff sides.

Kili attempted to call for help, but there was no answer to his desperate plea.

Shrugging, Kili figured he could at least try to walk through the rain, and so he started walking in a direction that wasn't the sea. He'd gotten several steps before lightning lit the beach and a figure again danced through his sight-line, disappearing into the night before the next flash.

Kili's breath caught, his eyes searching for any sign of life, of which there was none. Perplexed and very on edge, Kili had the undeniable feeling that it wasn't his imagination and that something was watching him, yet spinning to look behind him only showed him the dark of night and the endless rain.

"Is someone there?" Kili tried, unsure if he wanted an answer or not, but either way he received none.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Kili started walking in the same direction. The flashes of lightning were less frequent now, making his way even darker, and the rain still pounded upon the beach.

Kili thought he might be getting somewhere since he hadn't run into anything yet, and just as he was getting his hopes up, they were dashed to the ground. His hand ran up against something hard, and he realized he'd reached a wall. He supposed that he could change direction, but then he remembered his uncle telling him it was better to stay put when lost, rather than making yourself more lost and wandering.

Taking a deep breath, Kili called for help once more, and then felt a wave of despair wash over him. The rain would clear up, and he'd find his way home, but in the meantime he was stuck on the beach, drenched with rain, only able to wait for Fili and Thorin's anger and worry when he did find his way back to the inn.

As it was, Kili leaned against the cliff, sliding to the ground and pulling his knees to his chest.

He shivered lightly in the rain, his hands eventually falling to his side. To his shock, he felt something soft and, glancing down, he realized it was a seal pelt.

Disgusted, Kili pulled his hand away, but a second glace made him realize that it was a seal pelt like one might find for sale in a store, if stores sold seal pelts. It was just a pelt, not a body, and for some reason it had been left here on the beach by someone who, presumably, hadn't meant to leave it. As it was smooth and soft, and though Kili didn't particularly want anything to do with it, he was very cold. It wasn't unusual for dwarves to make coats out of pelts, and so perhaps it could keep him a little warmer and dryer in this rain storm.

Kili gingerly picked it up, wrapping it around his shoulders, and immediately he felt warmer. It was such a change that Kili was rather shocked, but he didn't particularly want to question it. With a sigh, he leaned his head back again the rock wall and let the rain run over his face, hoping he'd been found soon.

He had taken it. It was around his shoulders. Why had he taken it? Was he like the stories? The stories, the old tales that they were told as children, were they true? Were humans as shallow and terrible as the stories?

And yet… He was smaller. Was he a child? He couldn't be a child. He didn't look like a child, but he was so small… What if it was the only thing keeping him warm and alive?

It didn't matter what he was, he couldn't have it. She had to go home. He couldn't have it; she could take it. It was hers, not his to take.

She was so close, when voices sounded. They were human voices, she had to go. Only a backward glance, and then disappear behind the rock.

"He wouldn't be out here, would he?"

"He could be; he loved the beach when I brought him here."

"But this is sea storm, it's dangerous! He would know better!"

Fili said nothing, but why would Kili know better? Kili had never even seen the sea before this trip, and he had no way to know what was safe and what wasn't.

The wind whirled on the beach, spray flying through the air sending a deep, salty, fishy smell toward the dwarves. Fili couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at the smell, but the turbulent wind soon sent the smell shooting away again.

Waves roared as they collided with rocks and the beach, and the two dwarves were practically knocked off their feet with the wind.

"Do you see him?" Thorin shouted over the blustery weather, "Is he here?"

He didn't appear to be, but then Fili noticed a dark lump over on the far side of the beach. The dark lump was curled up against a wall, and Fili rejoiced.

"There, someone's over there!"

Thorin followed his nephew, hope blossoming in his chest. When he saw his younger nephew curled up in a fetal position, sopping wet, shivering like he hadn't in years, Thorin fairly ran the length of the beach, kneeing beside the small dwarf.

"Kili," Thorin nudged his nephew, Fili mirrored the action, but Kili only just cracked his eyelids open.

"Quite a storm, isn't it?"

Kili's voice was soft, but his usual humor hadn't been lost. Fili let out a nervous chuckle, whereas Thorin was both relieved and incredibly angry. He supposed he would have to save the lectures about safety until Kili really was safe, and he gently helped Kili to his feet.

Kili's feet didn't seem to want to support him, and he almost flopped back onto the sand again.

"Kili!" Fili cried, catching him in time. "Here, I'll help you."

Kili nodded, and he tottered foreword, latching onto Fili like a lifeline.

"Perhaps we should carry him. It'll give us better time."

Kili shook his head adamantly, forcing his legs to carry him, and it didn't take long for him to be able to walk without help. Unintentionally wrapping the pelt around his shoulders, Kili was led back toward town, extremely thankful he was finally found. However they did it, however they found him, he was thankful. It was getting cold on that beach!

He walked off with it! How could he do that? How could he walk off with it? He and two others…

Where were they going? Dare she follow them? Wrapping a soft linen cloth dress around herself, she chanced it.

And yet, what if there were others? What if it was a trap?

But she felt a need to follow him. There was something about him that made her follow him; an aura that made him something to be followed. And he had the pelt. He couldn't have the pelt! She would take the pelt back; there were no other options.

And yet… As she walked farther from the beach, the pelt was pushed to the back of her mind. It was becoming distant, but he wasn't. She had to follow him. Why? It didn't matter. She had to follow him.

As usual, I love reviews! :) And please vote in the poll!