Nightfall came quickly. Hana kept the fire going, and sat at the chair beside Thorin's bed when not washing bandages or her hands. The winds grated on the walls and roof of the smithy mercilessly. Hana was not aware she had fallen fast asleep in the chair, when three steady knocks were heard at the door. She second-guessed herself, wondering if it was just the wind. When three more knocks came, she looked over at Thorin, fast asleep and breathing hard. Bleary eyed, she armed herself with the largest of three knives she had with her. She stuck it in her belt, and proceeded cautiously towards the door. There were male voices on the other side. "Thorin….we're freezing out here. Answer!" One of the voices insisted gruffly. Hana mentally planned out what to do if an attack followed, and unbolted the door. When she slowly pulled it back just open enough to see out, she saw two Dwarves standing opposite her. The dim light of the fire inside offered her poor visibility. One Dwarf was more elderly than the other. The elderly one revealed a remarkable tuft of white hair when he pushed back the hood of his cloak. The other Dwarf, taller and a bit younger looking, did not push back his hood. Hana thought she had seen them both before, but could not place them immediately. ] Both Dwarves were visibly shocked when they saw not Thorin answering the door, but a woman. A young, feminine, non-Dwarf woman. The older one spoke first, after allowing himself a moment of shock and wonder at the unexpected but pleasant sight before him.

"Good evening, lass. We were looking for someone who lives here, a Dwarf by the name of Thorin. Thorin Oa.." The other, hooded Dwarf turned to the older one and silenced him. "Balin! SHH!" he snapped. He faced Hana again, every inch of his face wearing suspicion. Why did she answer, and not Thorin? Who was this woman?

Hana frowned at the older one, rather confounded.

"Oh, forgive my lack of manners. Balin." He bowed at her, and though he too looked puzzled by the woman at the door, he smiled warmly at Hana. The other Dwarf did not. He stared at Hana, alert, cautious, even with a twinge of disgust.

"Where is he?" The other Dwarf bellowed at her. He turned around to survey the dark night, impatient. "Maybe he's not even here. Maybe we have the wrong place."

Balin looked at his companion with incredulity. "For heaven's sake, man, have some manners. This ornery bloke is Dwalin, my brother. We are kin of Thorin's. Is he, 'em…about?"

Hana was not about to stand for the rude Dwarf's tone. She did not even look at him when she answered Balin.

"How do I know you're telling me the truth?"

Balin was not expecting this comeback. He looked down and blinked a few times, mildly agitated. "If he saw us he'd know us. I swear on my honor as a Dwarf…" He glanced at her dubiously.

Hana was not sure he was being truthful, but trusted him more than his ornery companion. She sized both of them up, remembering the knife in her belt.

"Yes, he's here," she said quietly. "But….he's… "

Balin's eyes widened as he awaited her answer. Dwalin's narrowed.

"He's wounded, burns from working. I think he may also have come down with a fever. Do you want to come in? It makes no sense to stand out there…freezing." She shook her head briskly with doubt and admitted them in. Hana did not really want to admit them. Light snow trickled from their boots as they tramped the floor. Dwalin stood taller than Hana, about as tall as Thorin stood. Balin was a little shorter. Dwalin removed his hood, and Hana instantly remembered where she had seen them before. His tattooed head gave him away. He was the Dwarf who rudely blocked her way up the stairs one of the nights she stayed at the inn. They exchanged some hostile glances before Balin broke the silence.

"Where is he? Balin asked in a hushed tone. Hana led them to Thorin's room. Hana left them for a moment to drop another log in the fire and returned. She could hear them muttering under their breath. Both Dwarves stood at the end of the bed, looking at their friend with concern.

"What happened, exactly?" Balin asked. Dwalin just looked at Thorin, seemingly disconnected from the situation. His face read with concern and shock.

Hana stood in the doorway; her sleeves rolled up to her elbows and observed the two Dwarves. "He told me he burnt himself with a blade he dropped. Apparently did not tend to the burns properly because now there's an infection and fever." Hana strode in and sat beside the bed, gingerly peeling back the bandage on Thorin's forearm. She frowned slightly, wrinkled her nose, and carefully removed it. The perplexed Dwarves watched her every move as Hana set the dirtied bandage aside and wrapped a fresh one on the wound. As she fastened it, she looked up at them, not moving her head.

"What is your business here, if I may ask?" Hana did not mean for her question to come out as harsh as it did.

Dwalin looked up from his sick friend at her, saying nothing. Balin was about to speak but Dwalin beat him to it.

"To talk to him. Obviously…" He let out an exasperated breath. "How long has he been like this?"

"This is the second night he's been sick. His condition is….worsening. If his fever doesn't break in the next couple of hours, action will have to be taken." Hana's voice was low. She looked at the wall, her dirty hands in her lap, fingers splayed out.

Balin took the opportunity to interpolate. "What sort of action? Is this serious?" He walked closer to Thorin, examining his pale face. Dwalin did also, using his thick thumb to lift Thorin's eyelids. "Look at his eyes, brother!" Dwalin murmured quietly. He scowled at Hana and left the room. Hana stood up and wiped her hands on her trousers. She sighed wearily and then spoke to Balin.

"It is quite serious. If whatever is causing this infection has reached his bloodstream, it will cause septicemia. Blood poisoning. It may have already. It might be what is causing his fever and chills. If left untreated, it will kill him." Hana bit her lower lip and shivered, and wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. She was about to sit down in the chair for a minute to rest when another forceful knock on the door was heard.

She sat upright and looked at Balin. Dwalin turned from them and answered the door. More male voices were heard as Dwalin greeted visitors. Presently, two more Dwarves joined them in Thorin's room. They were younger than Balin and Dwalin, and looked closer to Hana in age. When they threw back their hoods, Hana discerned they were both quite handsome. One was fair-haired, with elaborate clasps binding the thin plaits in his hair and moustache. The other was darker haired, his mane tousled and unbraided. He had but a few days growth of beard and moustache on his bright eyed, youthful face. Balin embraced them both, and the Dwarves walked to the edge of Thorin's bed where Dwalin stood earlier. They took in the sight of their sickened comrade, but no notice of the young woman sitting in the chair beside the bed. It was not until the fair-haired Dwarf walked closer to Thorin and leaned over him to listen for breathing that he beheld Hana, looking back nonchalantly. His companion walked closer to the bed after exchanging hushed words with Dwalin, presumably about Hana, because the dark haired young Dwarf turned to face her. Both of the new arrivals glimpsed at Hana with widening eyes, as if she were freak of nature. She was fading with fatigue, so she let them speak first.

"Who might you be, ma'am?" The fair-haired one asked.

Hana shifted in the chair wearily. She leaned over and felt Thorin's forehead and cheek with the back of her right hand. This action did not go unnoticed by the Dwarves in the room.

"My name is Hana. I live nearby…." The fair one began to ask her "How do you know…"

Hana interrupted. She screwed up her eyes and then opened them again rapidly, fighting off sleep. "He's my friend. Who are you two? I heard you whisper uncle..." She also spied similar patterns on the fair-haired Dwarf's clothing she had seen before on Thorin's.

"I'm Fili. This is my brother, Kili. We're Thorin's nephews. Our mother, Dis, is his sister." Kili's dark eyes were keenly alert. Hana did not know if it was nerves or just his nature, but it was a bit distracting.

"Dwalin here tells us he's ill," said Kili grimly.

"Yes, that's correct." Hana stood up and took a clean rag out, gently dabbed it in a bowl of clean water and put it on Thorin's forehead. Closer observation revealed his color was paler, and his clammy skin felt searing hot. Hana leaned her ear closer to Thorin to listen to his breathing. All four Dwarves watched her with reservation as she placed her hand, icy cold on his chest and then felt his right wrist. She held her pointer and middle fingers on his wrist for a few seconds and then let go. Balin walked closer to her, facing Hana, and nervously asked, "What is it, is he still….?"

Hana nodded briskly. "Yes, he's still alive. But he might not be for much longer unless I get access to some medicines. " She breathed deeply and turned to Fili, who stood like a guard at the left side of the bed for a while. "How bad is the weather out there?" she asked.

Fili shrugged. "Not bad at all, yet, just very cold. Why?" He and Kili, who was standing beside him, looked at each other, their glance saying it all. What was this strange woman thinking? Dwalin, who stood in the doorway with a mug in hand, drinking, rolled his eyes at her.

Hana marched out of the room purposefully, grabbed her cloak and gloves, and reached in her cloak for two vials, which she handed to Balin as she gave him instructions.

"Here. This is athelas (she held up a vial with white powder in it and pressed it into his hand). Please see if you can get Thorin to ingest some, especially if he begins to convulse. Keep cold, yes, cold compresses on his forehead and listen for his breathing constantly. I left a day's worth of compresses in his room. Please try to get him to drink some water. It's important." Balin looked back anxiously at Hana. He looked as if she asked him to bake a cake. Hana slide her longest blade into a sheath on her belt.

"Where are you going off to, Hana? Why are you leaving? He's…"

"I have to. I'm going to Briarly to the apothecary to find him something stronger, something to cleanse his bloodstream. It's vital that I go." Dwalin, who watched this transpire, but had had the sense not to interject for a while, took the opportunity. "You're not using some sort of dark medicine on him. Whatever you have done so far seems to have had little effect."

Hana's face turned red with anger. Her cheeks burned, and not from the fire in the hearth. "Well, if I do not try this, he will certainly die. If I do not go tonight, it might be too late. I don't see you doing anything constructive but standing around, observing. So don't interfere if you can't be of help." She met his eyes, determined, furious. He said nothing, a bit shocked that the woman spoke to him in such a manner, but was fuming. Fili, KIli, and Balin watched, silent and glimpsing at Hana in a mixture of awe and bewilderment. She gave Dwalin a parting raise of her eyebrows, a side tilt of her head, and proceeded to the door. She knew Dwalin was watching her with contempt as she left. Hana had not been out of the door ten seconds when it flew open.

"Hana! Wait!" shouted Kili as he ran to catch up with her. The clop of his boots grew louder as he approached her. Fili followed. What do they want? I haven't got time for this. She sighed with exasperation.

"I really ought to get going," said Hana sternly, right hand perched stubbornly on her hip.

"Let us come with you. You're leaving at night, headed through the mountains alone. Please." Kili was so overly animated as he spoke Hana actually tried to suppress a smile.

"I've been there several times. I'll be fine." She almost turned to leave again. Fili stood a few paces behind his brother. "We've got ponies," he said. "It'll go faster. Didn't you say that Thorin's time might be running short? This way you'll get to Briarly by daybreak and might be back here by nightfall tomorrow, if the weather is on our side."

Hana could not argue with his point. She knew time was growing short. She turned her eyes to Kili, she could see the whites of his eyes, even in the dark. Fili looked equally as earnest, brow furrowed. She had the intuition she could trust them not to harm her, but was not sure of their cleverness. She knew she needed to act quickly.

"Do you have enough ponies?" She was not about to ride with one of the Dwarves. Kili nodded.

"Let's go, then," Hana agreed. "I'll lead the way." The three of them quickly saddled up the ponies and headed out of town in a slower trot, then increased to a galloping speed as they were surrounded by woods. The cold air enveloped them within minutes. Hana hoped with all her heart that Thorin would be alive when they returned.

The journey to Briarly should have seemed shorter than it did to Hana, especially since she was on horseback. Fatigue was slowly claiming her, but she fought it with tenacity. Fili and Kili rode closely behind. The meandering road through the woods was cloaked in foggy darkness, occasionally streaked with moonlight. The faint glow of Fili and Kili's lanterns barely lit the path a few feet ahead of them. The sounds of wind mixed with the faraway echo of a wolf 's howl followed them as they rode. Hana's fingers were growing numb as she held the reins. She began to hold them precariously loose, in her palms, as her fingers were losing the ability to grip. Her fingertips were succumbing to frostbite. Once out of the woods, they would ride through rocky mountain terrain for a good two hours, and she knew she needed to stay vigilant for that portion of the trip. Visibility was poor in the dark, more than once Hana thought she lost both Dwarves, who stayed close behind. The woods seemed to go on endlessly over the next few hours. As the sun rose signaling the impending dawn, Hana reached to pull her reins to slow the pony down. She overestimated her energy and almost lost her balance. Hana came to a stop and Fili and Kili followed suit, seeing she was waiting to speak to them.

Fili screwed up his face at the wind and the rising sun shone hazy orange on him, bathing him in light. "What's the matter? Why did you stop?"

Through broken breaths Hana found words. "It's about two hours through the mountain to Briarly. (She nodded her head in the direction ahead of them, breath short). Once there, we will come upon the apothecary presently. Watch yourself out here, the terrain's uneven." The cold made her lungs burn. Hana was unsure if she could last two more hours to reach Briarly, let alone the journey back to Eldfell.

Fili glanced at Hana, frowning. Kili mirrored his brother's expression, looking a bit more confused than concerned.

"You alright?" Fili asked her.

Hana did not turn to look at Fili when she answered briskly, blowing off his question. "I'm fine. Onward." Her pony continued. The brothers looked at each other doubtfully and followed Hana as they left forest behind and approached the vast, rocky road ahead.

The two hours through the mountains were dangerous, not only because of the terrain, but because of the threats lurking in the crags and caves within. The boy who drove the cart to Briarly would often talk at length about the possibility of running into predators, specifically wild cats, bears, and animals he had heard described as enormous wolves – with riders. No one had lived to see these, he told her, but he had heard stories of them in the taverns he frequented. Hana would pay dim attention to most of his babble on those journeys, but the wolves with riders stuck in her memory. She knew what they were. The deceptive sun provided the three with good light, but not much warmth. A dense expanse of tall pines signaled the edge of Briarly in the distance. Hana was again reminded to keep her wits about her as she noticed a hawk flying above them, its call loud against the cold silence of the morning. She gasped as she almost lost her balance again, and knew it would not go unnoticed.

As they made their way into Briarly, Hana paused about a mile from the apothecary and motioned for the Dwarves to come closer. Their ponies stood in a triad as she spoke to them quietly.

"I already know what I need, so leave the talking to me, unless you need something as well. I'm not trying to sound harsh, I just know how to deal with this woman. It might be better if you wait outside, with the ponies." Hana covered her mouth with the side of her hand and coughed into it.

Fili frowned at her, mildly suspicious, but nodded. Kili did as well, and they slowly rode up to the hovel. The withered yew tree had a sprinkling of snow on its branches. The smoke coming from the stumpy chimney gave Hana relieve as she dismounted, not only because someone was inside, active, but also for a brief respite from the cold. Fili and Kili hopped off as well, then Fili took the reins of all three ponies.

"Use caution," Kili said softly, eyes as wide and earnest as ever. Fili nodded in agreement with a furrowed brow. "Call if you need us, he said confidently, motioning to an ornate sheath holding a knife in his belt.

Hana felt her sleeve to ensure the vials were still there, and with a toss of her long, dark hair, glanced back at them both.

"I will," she answered truthfully. She turned and timidly opened the door, as the smell of burning wood, hemp, and must preceded her entry. It was not much warmer inside, much to Hana's disappointment. The sound of her boots on the old wood floor and the pained creak of the door sounded her arrival. The old man who usually assisted his wife was there, but not the wife. He stopped tending a bubbling concoction over a small iron cauldron and stood with his back to the door, a hunched over mass. He turned around slowly. The startled man looked tired and mildly inconvenienced by Hana's presence. He waited until she flipped back her hood to speak.

"Can I 'elp you, miss?" The man spoke through the right side of his mouth. His ears and nose might have been more proportionate to the size of his narrow face in his youth, but looked too large for his elderly frame now. He pursed his almost nonexistent lips without nuance and narrowed his eyes shiftily at her, blinking purposefully.

Hana strode as close to he edge of the table as she could without looking pushy.

"Yes sir, I wish to trade for a few specialized items if you have them…(she reached into her cloak to pull out the vials) cures, specifically." She awaited his answer, as she placed each one in front of him.

"What sort of cures, lass?" he asked. His rapid blinking was distracting to Hana but she tried to ignore it. She was impatient and did not have time for inane questions.

"For serious infection. Caused by wounds that were not treated properly. I need the strongest you have, and quickly."

The old man sensed the urgency in her voice and started nodding before Hana finished her sentence. He slowly made his way to a shelf behind the table, and searched for about a minute. He pulled out a small jar. Then he crouched down, bent over, and reached gingerly into a cabinet at the base of the shelf, not visible from where Hana stood impatiently. He carried the jar and two small bottles, about the length of her hand, with shaking hands. He spoke as if he were giving her first time instructions. "I can get you some comfrey for the skin treatment. Use this salve on the wounds themselves, until healed. It will sting, but flush the wound out with saltwater first." He reached under the table and pushed a tiny burlap pouch shakily towards Hana. Then he motioned to the two small bottles and looked back at her, his blinking becoming incessant as he spoke in earnest. "This is echinacea, this other one is refined cannabis. These will both be effective in treating the infection and for pain relief. Mix a measure of the echinacea into hot water up to twice a day, morning and at night, if needed. (He waved his hand in emphasis). "The cannabis can be smoked, in a common pipe. Stop use of both after the wound is healed and the fever is gone."

Hana picked each of them up in her gloved fingers and held them one by one at her eye level to inspect them. Then she put them next to the small jar of comfrey salve. She let out a couple of deep breaths and spoke. "These might make the difference between life and death for him."

The old man looked back at her, blinking aggravatingly, and squeezed his lips a few times, into a straight line. "These here are your best shot at treating severe wounds and fever, girl."

Hana nodded to herself as she placed both hands on the counter calmly.

"What is the pouch for?" she asked.

"To store them in, at least on your journey back." He was becoming annoyed with her.

"How much do you want for these?"

The man gave his head an annoyed twitch. 'What have you got?"

Hana looked to her left a moment, and pinched her lips together as she thought. She reached into her cloak, up in to her left sleeve, and extracted a tiny bottle no bigger than her thumb. It was not like the other, nondescript, clear glass vials she kept. It was opaque glass, with a silvery substance inside, an ultra fine powder. Its lid was reinforced by two little hinged brackets on each side.

"What's that?" the man asked when she slowly, calculatedly, placed it in front of him.

Hana took in his wonder, and answered plainly. "It's an Elvish antivenom. Specifically for lethal poisons, like spiders. It is very hard to find, and takes months to mature." She leaned her forearm on the wood and flexed her fingers as he inspected the jar, held inches from his elderly eyes. "How do I know what you say is true?"

Hana remained calm. "I have no reason to lie. I have two witnesses outside that would vouch for me. I will give you this as well." She pushed forward the last three coins she had on her.

The man eyed the coins, the jar again, then looked her in the eye and nodded.

"Very well, girl. Very well. This will do."

"Right then. Give your wife my regards." Hana said, as she threw her hood on and turned towards the door.

He was too enthralled with the jar to answer Hana back.

Hana, Fili and Kili began the journey back to Eldfell through overcast skies. As they edged out of Briarly and made for the mountains, Hana kept flexing her hands in the pony reins to keep the blood flowing. She felt a twinge of sadness at having traded away some of the antivenom she had spent months perfecting. It represented a success she had achieved in her life, amid difficult circumstances, and felt like trading away a prized possession. She knew, though, that the situation called for it. She and the Dwarves kept up a brisk trotting pace, as not to tire out the ponies and make good travel time. After meandering through the mountains, they still had about an hour through the woods before they reached their destination. They had been out of Briarly for about a half an hour when Fili, who was riding a few yards ahead of Kili and Hana, pulled his pony to an abrupt stop and raised his hand to signal halt.

Hana rode closer to Fili and saw his face wrought with apprehension.

"Fili, what is it, why've you.."

"Shh! Don't….I thought I saw something move out there." His amber colored eyes were alight.

Kili rode closer and stopped alongside his brother. "An animal?"

"No. Definitely not animal. And there was more than one. I thought I saw two. There could be more…we should stick closer together, at least until we reach the forest."

Hana's hood blew back as the wind strengthened. "We cannot afford to lose time, Fili. We need to move fast. Thorin will not survive another full day without treatment." Her tone was anxious with a hint of exasperation. She did not have the energy to argue.

Kili looked at them both , one, then the other, sporadically as tension grew. Fatigue and urgency did not make for a harmonious combination. Fili scowled at Hana and his tone grew cross.

"Speed will only separate us. Whatever is out there could be waiting to kill us. If we spread out, we will be easier to take down. This is a group travel safety measure." He faced his brother and Hana, decisively preventing them from passing.

Kili took the opportunity to speak. "It is not the whole journey, just this stretch of mountain pass. It is safer if we stick together, Hana, you must trust us." He leaned in towards Hana, on his right, and said in a low voice, "All sorts of foul dangers lurk in the mountains." Again, his eyes grew wide and distractingly animated.

Hana said nothing. She sighed in defeat and shook her head. 'Well let's continue, then."

As they rode in close formation, they still kept up a decent pace, though they were moving slower than before. They were coming upon a large vertical rock crevasse on the edge of the woods when Fili's pony whinnied with caution. It stopped and kept jerking its head in he opposite direction, trying to lead the party in reverse. He turned and confronted Hana and Kili, shaking his head. "She senses it. Whatever I saw, it is nearby," said Fili, voice worried. The wind blew against the mountain quiet. No other sounds were heard but he clopping of hooves and the nervous breathing of the other two. Fili was slightly ahead of Hana and Kili, and her back was to the long stretch of mountain pass behind them.

"Look out!" Fili yelled at her. His warning came a few seconds too late. The creature's club struck Hana in the side of the face before she saw it coming. The pony screamed as another swing came, almost striking it in the legs. Hana was thrown onto the rocky ground, the wind knocked out of her. Her palms were bruised and deeply grazed as she attempted to stop her fall. It hurt as she pushed them to the cold rock. She stumbled to her feet, shaken. A warm trickle crept down from her mouth. She touched her hand to the side of her face where the club hit, and saw the blood on her fingertips. Her jawline had been hit, so hard her teeth rattled like a hammer in her mouth. One of her molars felt like it had been loosened. Arrows whistled past her as Kili aimed for her assailant, who was charging the three of them without hesitation. "There's another!" screamed Fili as a different attacker boldly grabbed at his boots in an effort to pull him off his pony. Fili kicked his aggressor in the face and brandished one of his many blades, slicing at its face. Kili fired an arrow into the first creature's leg, as Hana tried to make sense of what was happening. She got her bearings straight after a few moments, determined and enraged. She wielded the largest blade she had on her, and holding its serrated edge in plain view, went straight for the first one. In the seconds it took him to locate his dropped club, she swiftly kicked him in the groin. He groaned and fell to his knees for a minute. He resembled a Dwarf in stature and bone structure, but was much dirtier, with beady, savage eyes that exuded contempt. His clothing was filthy and hair matted. Even with the arrow in his leg, he looked at her with only one motive: to finish her. When he spotted the Elvish blade in her hand, the whites of his were alight, his rotting teeth bared in disgust. Hana kneed him again, as hard as she could in the back, the creature crumbled to the ground, writhing. She grabbed the creature by the hair, and held the blade to his throat. He shouted curses at her in a language she did not understand, but the tone said it all. He foamed at the mouth like a rabid animal.

"LET HIM GO! NOW! OR I WILL RIP HIS THROAT OPEN!" She screamed out in a hoarse voice at the other bandit, who had been waving his own club at Fili, even though Kili had fired an arrow into his thigh. Both assailants were grimy, their mottled, wrinkled faces covered in thick dirt, as were their coarse, large hands. Fili's opponent had now succeeded in pulling him off his pony, and was slowed by Kili's shots, but no less driven. He had Fili pinned on his back, his club raised above the Dwarf's head, ready to pulverize him.

Hana tightened her grip as much as she could on the first creature's neck, yanking its hair. She was out of breath, her head throbbed, and her body bruised. She would not relent until the bandits surrendered.

Fili looked up at her, saying nothing. Kili walked forward gingerly, bow aimed at the second creature's head. He bellowed something at Fili's adversary, words Hana did not understand but assumed was Dwarvish. The creature lowered his club, but did not drop it until Kili pulled the string of the bow, ready to fire. Fili took the chance to kick the creature in the abdomen, immobilizing him. He leaned in, face to face with his would be killer, and voiced a warning, snarling. Hana was ready to kill her hostage, but Kili lowered his bow and out the arrow back. "Don't, Hana. Don't waste your energy." He walked a few steps toward the struggling, filthy captive and grabbed him by the neck, issuing a warning. Whatever he said, Hana's attacker did not like, as he snarled back at Kili in his crude language.

"They have been warned. The next time they attack us they die," Kili said coolly, as he stepped back. Hana looked back at the creature, which had stopped moving, but glanced at her, awaiting her parting shot. Hana delivered it to him, in the form of a sharp blow across the face.

"Should we jog his memory?" Kili asked.

"Yes. I'll be….(she kicked him in the head) happy to." They turned to Fili, who did the same to his assailant.

The three of them rejoined the ponies, which had been spooked and were jittery. Hana looked pained as she touched her jaw, holding her pony's reins in the other hand. It had already begun to swell. Fili scowled at her, assessing her wound.

"Will you be able to ride?" He asked, concerned. Fili had been looking out at their unconscious robbers. His glance echoed his brother's worry.

He helped Hana into her saddle, which she normally would have been annoyed by, but was grateful for the help.

"I think so, yes." Hana said quietly as the Dwarves hopped onto their ponies. "What were those things?" she asked, nodding in the direction of the two still bodies lying out on the rock.

Fili let out a deep sigh. "Those? They're petty dwarves," he said. "Thought to be extinct, from starvation and hunting. Hunting by Elves."

Kili scowled in the direction of Eldfell. "And they will be awake before long. We'd best keep going, if we are to reach Eldfell by dark."

Hana nodded. They set off, as the afternoon sun blazed their path.