Sorry for the long update, but I needed to think this out and, to be frank, have not had time to write properly until now. In any case, here it is. Hopefully it will bring to light some things mentioned in past chapters (and again, was part of the prompt).

Chapter 9: Admission

Oin bit his lip, unsure of whether or not to disturb the small amount of supposed peace their company leader had found. The dark haired and somewhat broody dwarf was sitting outside the cave, watching the setting sun, deep in thought like always, especially since there was nothing real productive that he could do. Still, he needed to be told. Oin could not keep this from his king any longer.

Or maybe he could. Just until he saw to it that the two lads who were only now stirring awake were still fine, and their health still on the up and not the down. Sighing, he made up his mind.

"Bofur, come and help me, will you," he said, gesturing for the dwarf to make his way over to the two lads. Oin soon followed the toymaker, having collected the few things he needed to change the dwarves' bandages.

Fili was the first to wake fully, he breathing slightly agitated and gasping, as if he had just escaped the grasps of a nightmare. Oin would not be surprised if he had, with what both he and his brother had been through.

"Alright lad, I'm just going to change your bandages and make sure that everything's as it should be. Bofur will lift you."

He watched as the blonde gave him a look.

"Can I try it myself?" he asked. The healer eyed him warily.

"I'm not sure if that's the best id-"

"Please, let me just try." There was something in the lad's eyes that made Oin finally relent.

"Fine, but if I think you are pushing yourself too hard, I will have Bofur intervene," he said sternly. The toymaker grunted in agreement.

"We can't have you furthering injuring yourself when you have only just begun to heal. We need you and your brother's cheerful attitude towards this quest so the rest of us don't get bunked down in misery during the journey."

Both dwarves watched as Fili barely held back a frown and stinging words, something dark coming to the forefront of his blue eyes which had suddenly turned like ice at Bofur's words. The two older dwarves shared a quick and indecipherable glance before turning back to the heir of Durin.

"Your fever seems to have almost completely disappeared," said Oin, opting to ignore what he had seen and pretend that it had never happened. Bofur seemed eager to do the same, though his eyes betrayed his concern.

"Well, you going to sit up at all laddie?" he asked in a voice that sounded slightly forced. A short look of reluctance crossed the blonde dwarf's face, before he set it in a mask of determination and nodded, gritting his teeth.

Fili placed his hands flat on the ground on either side of him, palms faced down as the muscles in his arms visibly strained as he struggled to lift himself into a more upright position. It took several attempts, but finally the blonde managed to work through the pain and muster up the strength to do just what he had refused to let Bofur do for him.

He sat up.

Sure he was panting heavily, and to Oin he looked slightly faint, but it was a start. It was a definite sign that he was healing, and it did wonders to relive all the worries that the company physician held within him.

"Well done," he said, a small smile spread across his face. Bofur too seemed to be radiating a more positive aura around him at the youth's success. Even Fili managed a small tweak at the lips.

Beside the three, a pair of brown eyes snapped open, the terror in them disappearing unnoticed as Kili caught a glimpse at his brother. He smiled and curled his good hand into a fist, poking his brother with one finger.

"You could've woken me so I could see you accomplish it, rather than just the accomplishment," he said lightly. It appeared that the joyful mood was rubbing off on him as well.

"Do you want to try?" Oin asked the young dwarf, only slightly disappointed when the brunette winced and shook his head, "Well, Bofur will help you sit once I have finished with your brother."

The healer then set back to work, brow creased in concentration. Unwinding the bandages around one of Fili's arms, Oin nodded to himself.

"Some of these stiches can come out," he informed his patient. Fili just nodded mutely, focused on his brother and seemingly communicating to the archer though his eyes.

Oin thought nothing of it and asked Bofur to hold several pieces of equipment that he required as he removed several stiches from what had been some of Fili's less worrying wounds. He checked the gash on the blonde's leg next and was pleased that it seemed to be healing well. Again he marvelled over how it stopped just short of the dwarf's actual knee. This thought process brought along other, more concerning ideas and the old dwarf busied himself in his work to shut them out. He did not need to deal with them now, especially not in front of Fili and Kili.

Once he had finished the first brother, he started on the second who was propped up with the help of Bofur. The brunette was still feverish, but only slightly, and his wounds, like his brother's, were healing. All in all, things were looking up.

"Now, I am assuming you're both hungry," he said. Both bobbed their heads in unison.

"I'll get them some of the broth," Bofur offered, standing. Oin waited until he had returned with two steaming bowls before he stood to leave himself.

"I have matters I must discuss with your uncle," he said upon the questioning looks he received, "But make sure you eat as much as you can." He smiled down at the pair and Bofur one last time before making his way over to his exiled king.

"Oin," the dark haired dwarf said as a way of greeting, "Does something trouble you?"

The healer sighed, sitting next to Thorin and staring out into nothing.

"Aye, something does indeed lurk in my mind," he acknowledged. The company leader did not turn to face him.

"Are you going to depart with those thoughts then?" he asked. Oin sighed in response.

"That is why I came to you."

Now he had Thorin's full attention.

"Is it my nephews?" he asked, a small speck of panic present in his eyes, "Is something wrong?"

"In a way," Oin admitted. Thorin was frustrated with the healer's lack of explanation.

"Are you going to tell me what is go-"

"I do not believe all their given wounds were made by the hands of an orc," Oin stated, causing Thorin to clam up immediately. The company leader sat a while before allowing himself to question the physician.

"And why do you suspect this?" he asked.

"The orcs are cruel and would not have passed up the chance to cripple or maim one of your boys for life," Oin said, closing his eyes as he did so, "And some of their wounds; over half stop just short of permanently injuring the dwarf they were given to."

"Surely that is not all your suspicions are based on?" Thorin knew the healer well enough to know there was something else he was holding back.

"Aye," Oin said reluctantly, "I also happen to recognise the…handy work."

"Wh-" began Thorin next to him before it hit the dark haired dwarf in the face. Oin knew that his king had gotten it.

"The only other two who we know were there," he answered all the same, if only to finally say it out loud.

"Self-inflicted or…?" The second part of the question was left unspoken.

"From what I can tell, none are self-inflicted," he said grimly.

Thorin was silent for a while as he absorbed this.

"We need to find out what happened," he said finally. Oin grunted in agreement.

"Aye, and Fili at least should be able to answer some of your questions. But," the healer said warningly, "That does not mean you will get them."

"In any case," Thorin stated, "It is time we found out what befell my two kinsmen."

So, what did you think?