"Kili, wake up. Wake up." He was dreaming that he and Fili were small, and he had lost Fili in the scrubby pines at the foot of Blue Mountain.
Rhavaniel shook him awake, "I have something to show you."
Kili was startled by her appearance. He had not seen her with her black hair loose and hanging down to her knees in waves. She was scrubbed clean, and her leggings and blouse were neatly restored. She had cleaned and changed the bandages on her hand and arm, and the wounds apparently no longer pained her. The ability of an Elf to heal herself was not just a myth, Kili noted.
He rose, stiff and sore, from the bower. His pack was already gone, but his bow and quiver, which he had kept his hand on even in his sleep, were still there. Rhavaniel gathered up the bedroll for him.
They trudged silently for a quarter league before Kili heard the stream, and he let out a sigh of relief.
Rhavaniel turned and smiled. "I found it last night and washed my clothes. I would have washed yours as well, but I thought it unwise to wake you."
The thought of an Elf doing common labor was unimaginable to Kili, and here was one offering to wash his clothes. He supposed even the high and mighty Elves got dirty and someone had to get down on bended knees and scrub the floors. He just never thought he'd find an Elf to admit to it.
"You had no need of sleep?" Kili asked.
"Not last night. I prayed for a long time instead, for the souls of my brethren. I felt much better afterwards, and was able to focus again on what we needed - fire, food, water." She gestured to their provisions. She had set up their supplies by the stream, with a lembas pudding cooking on the primus and her jacket still drying by the fire.
"That's the last of the bread and berries," she said, "but here is good news."
She bent down to the shallow edge of the stream and brushed at the silt. The morning sun caused it to sparkle.
"Gold dust. This stream comes from Lonely Mountain. The Men of Lake-Town sluice all such streams for bits of gold. Your second rendezvous point with your companions is under the shadow of Lonely Mountain, you said? We can follow this upstream, have a sure water supply, and cover our scent."
Kili was not convinced, "That may take much longer than a crow's flight."
"Aye, but this may be the safest way. What would your Uncle do?"
Kili hesitated. Uncle Thorin would have lied to this Elf, which is exactly what Kili had done. He had told her they were heading to the Iron Hills to find work. Kili certainly could not share the true nature of their quest, or the very limited time they had to succeed.
Kili mumbled, "He would take the fastest way."
"Alright, but what direction is that? Can you see the Mountain?"
"Point taken." he conceded, "We should follow the stream one day and night, and judge again tomorrow. It will at least take us to higher ground and show us more possibilities."
Kili pulled the cook pot off the primus, since the pudding was done, and allowed it to cool.
"You shall have to share this time." Rhavaniel told him as she began to braid her hair. She gestured to a pooled part of the stream, where she had left soap and some clean cloth. Kili was grateful for a chance to wash his hands and face, the least he should do before sharing breakfast.