Chapter 17

*Fili*

The clear, bright blue sky and the scent of the earth and green grass filled Fili with a kind of peaceful calm. Kili laughed at something unknown and tapped Coal with his heels bringing the pony to a canter. Mabel nickered, pulling slightly on the bit, wishing to go faster, but waiting for her master's command. Fili glanced back at Myrtle and saw that she too, was eager for a faster pace, so he patted Mabel's silver neck and loosened the reins.

Kili was smiling very widely with a spark gleaming in his dark eyes.

"Feeeee! I can't believe we are finally doing something just on our lonesome! This is amazing!" he said, half shrieking his brother's nickname. Kili's high spirits were contagious and soon Fili was smiling and laughing at something either of them knew anything about. They slowed the ponies after a little while, but Coal was as friskily as a foal during its first snowfall and, without a warning, gave a kick jolting Kili. Then the troublesome little thing bucked and Kili had to grasp Coal's mane to keep from falling off. Mabel shook her head at her fellow companion's antics as if she disapproved of such behavior.

Finally, Kili was able to get his mount back under control and glared at Fili when he made a poor attempt to keep from laughing at his little brother's disheveled appearance. After about an hour or so of riding, they reached a part of a small forest that connects to Mirkwood.

"Okay Kili. Do we go through Mirkwood, or around it?" Fili said halting right before the tree line. Kili look at the forest and thought of Tauriel. He would like to see her again. Then he looked at Fili and thought of the spiders. Fili, when they were young, used to have a very strong fear of the hairy creatures and he still hated them. If they went through Mirkwood, they would most certainly encounter the spiders of monstrous size that inhabited the forest and this time they might not be as lucky as to escape. Then there was Thranduil. Kili did not trust him in the least and he knew Fili did not either. They both did not know how the Elven King would react to them crossing his realm, especially if they had been among Thorin Oakensheild's companions when he had imprisoned them. But then again, they were princes now…

"We go around." Kili decided and Fili breathed a sigh of relief. He really did not want to see those spiders ever again and the very thought of the horrendous beings made him shudder. The image of Kili being dragged away flashed through his mind and he looked over at his little brother who smiled and turned his pony's head.

"Let's spend all the time we can get. After all, Uncle never gave us a deadline so really, we can take all the time we want as long as we do come back. Plus, we might get to pass by Moria."

"Moria. We could see the Mirrormere, but I don't think I would want to stay there."

Recently, they had been told that Thrain once had two sons. Thorin was, of course, the eldest, but Ferein had been seven years older than Dis. When Fili asked why they had never been told before, their mother had told them that he had been killed in the battle before Moria. Ten minutes after the battle, Fain had told her she must come quickly and had just been able to answer to riddle he had given her and say farewell to her beloved brother before he died.

"No, I don't want to stay there at all. The very thought that Azog lived there is revolting to me."

"Agreed."

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They continued on with some silence for quite a while until the sun began to set and they agreed to camp down for the night in a small circle of trees. They dismounted and Kili made a comment about being sore in the morning as they undid the saddle girths and slid the saddles off Mabel, Coal, and Myrtle's backs. Then they took the bridles off of the ponies' head and put halters on them tying lead ropes to the metal rings on each of the halters and then tied each pony to its own tree. After they were tied, Fili and Kili brushed them down gently so the creatures would not itch where the saddles had been on their backs all afternoon.

"Well, what do you want to do now?" Kili asked settling down at the base of a tree. Fili shrugged and absently pulled his knife out of one his gauntlets and balancing its handle on his finger until it fell and stuck point down in the ground next to his boot. He picked it up and threw it at a knot in the trunk of another tree across from him and the blade sunk dead-center in the gnarled wood. Kili glanced at it and unsheathed his dagger and also threw it at the knot. It hit just below where he had aimed. Fili retrieved both weapons and handed Kili's back to him.

"If you were to stand up and throw, you would probably have a better chance of hitting your mark." Fili said and Kili shook his head.

"Are you hungry Fili?" he asked.

"Yes, I am. Kee, do you.." Fili started to say when Kili jumped suddenly to his feet and shouted, "Ha, I see you, you rogue!" Then leaped on top of a large slab of rock that was off to one side of the clearing, and, snapping a twig off one of the branches hanging over his head, brushed a large wolf spider on to the ground.

"This is my rock. Now go chase my brother before I squash you!" Kili said and the spider seemed to hear his threat, because it began its journey over toward Fili. Fili stared at the eight-legged horror and took one step backward, and then the spider scurried quickly at the Dwarf. Fili skirted around the open space as fast as he could and jumped on to The Rock of Kili exclaiming, "Kili, that thing is listening to you! Make it go away, please!"

"I must say I did not think it would really follow my command." Kili mused as the spider crawled after Fili once more then continued, "But I did say I would get my revenge and I guess my little friend decided to do it for me."

"Revenge for what?!" Fili asked pushing Kili in front of him.

"Revenge for bringing up you-know-what again." Kili replied.

"Oh, well I'm sorry! Now, please make it go away!"

Kili considered his brother's plea before turning to the spider and addressing it, "Okay, Master Spider, my brother has had enough of your teasing."

But Master Spider did not comply what had been asked of him and still continued his quest to terrify Fili. Kili stepped off the rock and walked until he stood before the wolf spider.

"Hello there. Yes, um, you can leave Fee alone now. Mister Spider! Did you not hear me?" In answer, the creepy crawly bolted up to Kili, ran up the toe of his boot and promptly bit it.

"Hey! That does it, you rebellious thing! If you can't do what you are told more than once, you are going to pay for it." Kili, but it looked to Fili like the critter was in no mood to be kept from its original task when it headed farther up Kili's boot and bit it again. Kili glared at it and the spider seemed to glare back at him.

"Just kill it already!" Fili said watching the proceeding antics of spider verses Dwarf.

"I'm giving you one last warning, sir. Get off my boot and leave my big brother alone, or there will be consequences." Kili said and the spider just stared at him with all its eyes. Kili bent and flicked it off then stepped on it declaring, "And so ends a friendship approximately one minute long."

Fili shook his head. Why Kili did not just do that to begin with, he did not know. He was about to make a comment when his attention was caught by a quick movement in a tuft of tall grass. No, it could not be! But, there it was, his perfect way to get back at his brother for the spider scare. Fili went after his prize, but it moved out of reach so he grabbed at it again.

"Uh, Fili? What are you doing?" Kili asked behind him. Fili snatched the small animal up and turned to Kili.

"Kee, this is someone I found. Say hello to Master Garden Snake." he said as he held the little thing out to Kili. His little brother's eyes grew wide as he looked upon the scaly thing and then his face paled as Fili stepped closer to him.

"S-stop it Fili! It's not funny, please, take it away!"

Fili heard the hint of desperation in Kili's tone of voice and immediately became serious. Kili's fear of snakes out did Fili's distaste of spiders by a long shot and Fili remembered last time a snake had crossed Kili's path when he was not looking. That memory made Fili even more sober as he walked away from Kili and let the little creature go free. Then he returned to Kili's side and wrapped his arms around his brother's slightly shaking shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Kili."

Kili buried his head in Fili's cloak shoulder and gave a muffled reply. After standing there like that for a minute or so, Kili suggested supper again and Fili full heartedly agreed. When the meal of venison and some bread that they had brought with them was over, Kili set to work whittling a stick for an arrow shaft while Fili sharpened one of his swords and by the time its twin was done, Kili had fallen asleep with his back still against the tree. Fili smiled when he saw the position Kili was in. He walked over to their packs and fetched Kili's bedroll and spread it on a flat place on the ground next to the fire then carried his brother over to it. Fili laid Kili down carefully and draped a blanket over him then folded Kili's cloak up and gently lifted his head so it could be used as a pillow.

Later, Fili too bedded down for the night next to Kili and when he woke up in the later hours of the night, Kili had rolled over in his sleep until his head was on Fili's chest. Fili sighed in comfort stroking Kili's dark locks until he fell back into a deep slumber.

A/N Almost 2,000 words in this chapter! Wow, I guess I had fun writing it. I hope you all liked it and please review! Pretty please?

*uses Kili's puppy eyes for better reaction*