Disclaimer: J.R.R. Tolkien owns all the works save for the characters not in his story.

"all of those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain"

~Blade Runner

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

T.A. 2941

The weather took a turn after a few fair days of travel and finally arrived one morning. Dark clouds rolled in and a steady stream of rain followed for most of the day. Poor Bilbo had not brought a cloak with him and was utterly soaked to the bone within minutes of the first droplets. She was glad that he was toward the back of the company and when his pony took a fancy to a spot of flowers, slipped her cloak into one of his saddlebags without his notice.

Bilbo discovered the mostly dry cloak that evening when they stopped, staring at it in a very puzzled manner before gratefully pulling it around his shoulders. It was much too large for his short stature, but it kept the water from him as he curled up to sleep. She watched the company from the shadows as they settled down for the night.

Gloin and Oin had trouble starting a fire and the first night was spent without a warm supper and the steady drip, drip, of water droplets falling from the leaves. Nuil curled up around the base of a tree, watching them settle down. She was tucked away in the shadow with no possibility of being seen or found. But there was one who still watched.

Thorin stood looking into the trees, a crease between his brows, blue eyes searching the trees. Just like he had before on the outcropping of rocks a few days prior. Nuil knew he was looking for her. She had told him that she would follow; he was expecting her to show herself. Which she would not do. She would do without the comforts of camp for as long as possible, not only to make the company happy, but also to stay out of the way. They didn't need her now. Not yet.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then snapped it shut as he glanced at the dwarves surrounding him. Nuil knew he wanted to speak with her, wanted to, but couldn't. She did too. So near. It would be easy too. But she had made a choice and she would stand by it. He would just need to understand. So she stayed where she was. Thorin sighed. Clenching his jaw he sat on a log at the edge of camp, lighting his pipe and taking first watch.

Satisfied, Nuil shut her eyes and slept.

The next morning was dull and gray. Dew covered everything, leaving the dwarves wet and in foul moods as Thorin called for them to move again. A quite tasteless breakfast followed and they were riding again. Bilbo looked quite miserable, and felt it too. He was only glad that he had found the cloak he wore. It had kept him warm through the chilled night. Which he was grateful for.

Didn't mean he was in any better of a mood.

Fili and Kili rode beside him all through the morning, casting him strange looks. Fili was frowning while Kili tilted his head to the side, eyes narrowed. They would look away briefly before turning their eyes to him again. It was like they recognized something, but were unsure about it. Bilbo sighed, pulling the cloak tight against his cold body. Couldn't they bother anyone else?

"What is it?" he asked them, annoyance lacing his voice.

"Where did you get that?" Kili asked, frowning. "You did not have it yesterday."

"I found it in my pack," Bilbo replied stiffly and a bit defensively, "must have forgotten that I brought it." Fili snorted, not believing his words. Bilbo felt slightly insulted that he didn't. He didn't steal it, that was for certain. Though he was the company 'burglar' he wasn't really one at all. Bilbo was still questioning the reasoning behind Gandalf's intentions when he was given that title.

"It's not yours though," Fili mused, "much too large." He shared a glance with his brother before pulling his pony closer and picking up the hem of the cloak, looking at it closely.

"Excuse me!"

Fili's brows shot up into his hairline. "Mahal! This is Aunnie's. But how did you get it?" he said incredulously. He cast his blue eyes around the road. Kili sat up straighter following Fili's example. They both seemed warmed by the fact that it was Nuil's cloak. Bilbo couldn't help the bitter resentment towards the two for their close ties with the woman. For most of his life, Bilbo had thought that Nuil had only him. That perhaps . . . he was special to her.

"You don't think she is following us?" Kili asked Fili, eyes bright with excitement. Fili gave a slow nod.

"Aye, that would make sense." He glanced at Bilbo. "Aunnie seems to be following you cousin." His lips parted in a smile.

What? Nuil had come? Bilbo whipped his head around searching for any sign of her. Would she be walking behind them, or traveling ahead? Fili clapped him on the shoulder, nearly sending Bilbo to the muddy ground from the force.

"She won't show herself, if there's one thing we know about Aunnie, it's that she will remain hidden until she wants to be found," he told him.

"Perhaps that is why uncle is in such a foul mood," Kili whispered leaning closer to his brother to not be overheard. But Thorin was all the way at the head of the company. Fili smiled at his brother. Bilbo watched the two with his mouth slightly agape.

Plop.

A fat raindrop landed on his head, and he looking up, feeling more hit his face. Bother it all, not more rain. Bilbo groaned and lifted the hood of Nuil's cloak over his head. Fili and Kili grimaced, doing the same with their own.

"Looks like there will be no fire tonight either," Fili sighed despairingly. Bilbo deflated, slumping in his saddle. Oh, why did he leave his warm chair and fireplace. He could be eating a fine dinner right now. Not shivering to death in the wilds.

It rained most of the afternoon. Nuil was glad that Bilbo had her cloak, even if it meant that she was soaked to the bone. She shivered slightly, but she was used to the exposure. And she was healthy. The downpour became torrential at one point, making the dirt beneath her feet turn to mud. It sucked at her boots, pulling her down and slowing her progress. It was above her ankles in some parts of the road.

She was nearly two miles behind the company now.

Hopefully they would stay safe till she caught up with them.

She had overheard Bilbo and her nephews earlier that day, and was glad that Kili and Fili thought she was following them. It was not hard to see how happy the knowledge made them, and how relieved Bilbo looked. Nuil brushed the wet strands of hair escaping her braid from her face. A tired breath left her lips. The rain was letting up, that was one relief. Near nightfall the rain had stopped enough to allow a welcomed reprieve. Hopefully it would not rain through the night.

Nuil didn't mind the rain, it was just that she now had no protection from the elements. She could handle it, she knew. Bilbo needed her cloak more, that's all that mattered.

Huffing she tried to pick up her pace, hoping that maybe tonight she would get to enjoy some warmth of a fire. Sneak into camp when they had all gone to sleep and warm by the coals. . . it sounded very nice. She came to a bridge not long before the sun went down. The Hoarwell River, if she remembered correctly. It was swollen from the rain, rushing past and carrying debris in its murky waters. The banks had risen a good several feet.

But the bridge was crossable. Mostly.

Little tiny rivers of water ran over the stone bridge, the only thing keeping her from the rushing river. If she were to take one step off the bridge, or stray near the edge she could be swept away with the current. It was dangerous crossing it, and she wondered why the company had crossed it. Thorin must have realized that there was a risk to crossing such a large body of water, especially with a company of fourteen and a wizard. He must be determined to get as far as possible, she thought.

The mud was up to her knees, caked and dried by the time she came to their camp. Nuil knew she would have to wash it off, and did not enjoy the idea of going back down to the river. In fact, she did not like where the company's camp was either. Too close to the river. But perhaps it was better for them to sleep on dry ground. It was not what she would have chosen. Nuil would have picked high ground, that way if it rained again it would not all sit in the camp. Or the river rise and wash them away.

Nevertheless, she sat at the base of a tree and sighed. She was tired and grateful for the rest. It felt nice to stretch her legs after the grueling day of walking through mud. Nuil shut her eyes, but only for a moment. She just needed to rest. Her mind began to wander.

"Stop it!"

"Don't let it get away!"

Nuil jerked, eyes snapping open as the camp came alive. She saw a pony bolting off into the trees, Fili and Kili running after it. She frowned, watching before she realized where the pony was running towards.

The river.

Surging to her feet she took off after them, running through the camp as she followed. Several alarmed shouts rose after her but she disappeared through the trees. Low foliage whipped at her face and arms, scratching and cutting as she left the safety of the trees. The river bank was roaring with water. River rocks shifted under her feet as she kept running.

Kili was grabbing the pony's bridle, while Fili was trying to calm it. But their near frantic actions only made the animal even more agitated. The pony jerked, rising up and ripping the bridle from Kili's grasp. Kili stumbled, trying to avoid the pony's hooves. Fili grabbed the saddle, where supplies were still strapped onto, forcing the pony back down.

Then the pony bucked, knocking Kili into the water. A yell escaped Nuil's lips as Kili disappeared into the dark rushing water. His arms broke the surface as he was swept downstream. Fili made to move after Kili, but the pony gave another whinny, stumbling into the water. Fili, tried pulling it back out, knowing that the food supply was on the pony. But his eyes were on the figure in the water, desperately trying to keep his head up and calling for help. Fili wasn't paying attention. It only took a moment for the water to pull the pony in.

And with the pony, Fili also.

"No!"

Yeah. A short chapter. I did try and make it longer, but it didn't work out and I am upset about that. But the next one is longer, and it's basically a second parter to this one. Can anyone tell me where I'm getting the next part of my plot line from? :) Trying to update as often as possible, because I do have up to chapter 35 written, but I have school and homework. Which I totally blew off tonight to do this.

To my lovely reviewers! Just imagine me giving you all a batch of freshly baked cookies: Fangirlatyourservice, Sam0728, Just4Me, Chilled Souls of the Forgotten. And a thank you to my readers and followers! I just looked and I have over 100 reviews to this story, and it's only to chapter 24. That's never happened to me before! :)

Read and Review!

~filimeala