Hi again! Long time no see!...well technically it's been 6 days, but still who cares? Glad that people are still liking the story and I was wondering...how do you think I should finish it?...I mean like what should happen? Anyway I shall let you read this chapter (PLEASE REVIEW FAVOURITE AND FOLLOW MY LOVELY READERS)

DISCLAIMER- oOo LOOK IT'S A DISCLAIMER WOW HAVEN'T SEEN ONE OF THESE IN A WHILE...WOW! XD GUESS IT'S TRYING TO TELL YOU THAT I DON'T OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT MY OC'S AND THIS STORY LINE :D

Chapter 42 - Death is Immanent, but always Untouchable

Frerin had lost track of how long they'd walked for...days...minutes...weeks...seconds...months... he didn't know. All he knew was the empty pit inside his stomach, the numbing cold gnawing him and the pain in his wrists. The only thing the little dwarf wanted was to curl up and sleep. He was exhausted... no he was beyond exhausted. The boy's stomach growled pitifully and the hollowness began to ache. The 8 year old looked round. Tyli's breathing was wheezy and the older boy was white as a sheet. The back of his head had dried blood and mud caked to it and it looked as if caused him agony. Nyli limped next to him, barely conscious of anything happening...his eye had swelled shut and a ghastly greeny-yellow bruise covered the left side of his face...he too had blood and mud on his head. His sister was pale and quiet, the ropes round her hands had cut through the skin and were rubbing against her wrists, absorbing the blood leaking from them.

"Ny..."

"Huh..hmm..oh...What is it Darin?"

"m hungry..."

The twin behind him to the 3 year old on his back. Darin had muck on his face and didn't look well, their mother would have had a fit if she'd seen them like this. Nyli felt a stab of pain in his gut at the thought of her...her lifeless body...his leg twitched painfully and he shook his head, ridding the tears from his eyes.

"There is nothing I can do bud...I don't have any food."

"But...my tummy hurts..."

Tyli looked down at their brother and squeezed his hand.

"We know...our tummies hurt too..."

They cast a wary look to the silent riders. The silent villains never moved, nor spoke for the entire time they'd been walking. It was unnerving, but then again none of the children wanted to hear the hissing voices.

"When can we go home?"

"I don't know Darin..."

"I miss Mama...and Papa...and Auntie Anne...and Uncle Fee...and Nana Dis...and Grampa Thorin...and..."

"Quietttt!"

Darin flinched and tears filled his eyes, but he'd learned that no one would care if he cried so, he buried his head in his brothers' sides. Ny and Ty sent matching glares and they carried on walking in silence.

…

"What news?"

"We have found the bodies of Urzd and Irzd not far from the borders of Mirkwood...it is now easy to say that it was they who took the children...but they are nowhere to be found...someone else has them..."

"Uncle let me and Kili go out and find them...please!"

"No Fili, you are both needed here...for your wives."

"They'd sleep easier knowing that more was being done!"

"I beg your pardon?!"

"UNCLE IT'S BEEN WEEKS!"

"You do not think that I don't know that?! We have all barely slept! But Fili I cannot lose you and Kili...neither can Anne or Daisy...right now they need you."

…

It was late at night and the riders had stopped for the night. The children were amazed that they actually stopped. Nyli managed to rock Darin to sleep and he, and Ty, leaned heavily against a tree. Tyli looked at his twin...sweat trickled down his brother's forehead.

"Nyli are you ok?"

"Yeah..it's just..."

"Just?"

"It's his ankle..."

Idona and Frerin shuffled closed and she pointed to the dwarfling's swollen foot. After being thrown to the ground by their kidnappers, he'd landed on it funny and now it was snapped and looked horrid. Tyli's eyes widened.

"Ny? Why didn't you..."

"Didn't..want to..."

"But you can't keep walking!..."

Nyli moaned and Tyli hugged his twin tightly. Leaning his forehead against Ny's Tyli felt tears spring into his eyes...what would Dad do?...what would Dad do?...Dad wouldn't cry...Dad would get them out of there...Dad would do something...Idona looked at the riders, they all stood in a line, their backs to the children...it would've been easy to run into the trees, but they couldn't survive long and they'd be found within the hour...

The ranger crouched in the tree and looked down at the camp. It had taken him a while to catch up with the riders, but he'd finally done it. He heard them talking in their own language and his grey eyes moved round the camp...there were the children, huddled for warmth, barely alive. The man struck the flint in his hand and lit the torch, then he jumped into the camp with a yell.

"What the?"

"MAHAL!"

Tyli pulled his brothers closer to him and Idona and Frerin ducked closer as the stranger appeared outta nowhere. The man held a sword and torch...he swung them wildly at the riders, who screamed and shrieked at the flames which licked at their long black robes. Their horses bolted and they shrieked again, giving chase after the frightened beasts. The man yelled something in elvish after them, lowering his torch slightly. Darin had jumped awake and was clinging to Idona like his life depended on her. Tyli glared and pulled Nyli closer to him, his twin moaned in pain and shivered feverishly. The stranger dropped the flaming torch and sheathed his sword, before running over to the terrified children. He stooped low and looked at them gently.

"You are the princes and princess under the mountain?"

"Who wants to know?"

"A friend of Gandalf the Grey. My name is Estel and I'm a ranger from the North."

"You know Gandalf?"

"Yes, now please we don't have much time...I'm here to take you home."

Darin launched himself at the man and hugged him tightly.

"Thankie!"

Tyli loosened his hold on his twin and Estel frowned. The boy looked up at him pleadingly.

"Please...he's broken his ankle and..."

Estel scooped up the boy and held him delicately in his arms.

"Quickly, we have to move somewhere with more cover..."

They followed him into the cover of the trees and he lead them to a cave. A small camp was already set up and Estel gently lay the injured dwarfling down. Tyli stroked his brother's hair and Darin curled up next to Nyli as Estel bustled about him, binding his ankle. Idona hugged Frerin tightly and they lay by the fire and fell asleep quickly. Darin too, eventually, fell asleep beside his brothers. Estel sat back and puffed his pipe, it was now an hour after he'd finished on Nyli's ankle. Tyli looked at his sleeping brother.

"Thank you..."

"You're welcome Master Dwarf."

Another hour later and the dwarfling woke up.

"Tyli?! Idona?! Frer?! Dari?!"

"Shhh shh Ny we're here...we're safe..."

Tyli hugged his twin.

"Where...where are we?"

"We're in a cave with a man...he saved us Ny...he's taking us home..."

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