Chapter 18

*Kili*

Kili forgot where he was when he woke up. He looked around and saw the ponies, but no Fili. Scrambling to his feet, Kili's sharp eyes scanned the area looking for traces to where his brother might have gone. Mabel was missing too, but the other ponies were untouched.

"Fee? Fili, where are you?" Kili called softly, but there was no reply. He walked around the camp for any signs of Fili and saw the tracks of a pony heading north. Kili thought about waiting for Fili to return from where ever he had disappeared to, but another thought quickly replaced it. What if his brother was hurt somewhere and Mabel had run off without him? What if Fili had run into trouble and needed help from Kili? The young Dwarf grabbed up his bow and quiver slinging them over his shoulder after sliding and his securing his sword in its sheath and hurried over to where Coal was tied. For a moment he was unsure of what to do with Myrtle, but then he decided to move her to another tree so she could have fresh grass to eat and head on without her.

Coal seemed to be in a melancholy mood for a change and stood patiently while Kili saddled and bridled him. Kili leaped in to the saddle and kicked his heels into the gelding's flanks silently praying that Myrtle would not nicker for her friends and that Fili was all right. The chestnut- brown mare did not whinny after them and for that Kili was grateful.

Following Fili's trail was hard in some places where vegetation covered it. Kili spotted a quick movement ahead of him, but instead of speeding up after it, he slowed Coal and dismounted grunting as his stiff muscles protested to his sudden action. He led Coal carefully along for a little until he saw something that made his heart hammer in his chest and he blinked, but the tracks remained the same, much to his horror.

On either side of the pony's hoofmarks, there were two sets of Orc foot prints.

"No." Kili breathed. No, the foul creatures could not have caught his brother. Fili was too good of a warrior for that, but maybe…

"No, that could not have happened. It would never happen!" he told himself firmly, yet somehow a cold feeling was forming in his stomach. He shook his head, jumping back on Coal.

"If those foul creatures have so much as laid a finger on my brother, I swear in Durin's name I will…" But he was interrupted by a rustling in the undergrowth off to his right and Coal started as a frightened bird flew out of the bush alarming the woods with its shrill calls. Good going Kili. Now everyone knows you're here! he thought bitterly. Of course it was not really his fault, but somehow he felt it was. After all, he had managed to let Fili leave him alone without feeling the absence of his missing kin.

Why did Fili go in the first place? he was puzzled in that matter, for Fili would not just disappear without some kind of warning to Kili.

Coal suddenly halted snorting in a cautious manner twitching his ears back and forth. Kili felt a tingling feeling running down his spine and quickly turned in the saddle and look all around, but there was no sign of anything. Kili squeezed his knees against the black pony's sides and clucked his tongue at Coal, but the stubborn beast refused to move still with his head high in the air.

"Come on silly. There is nothing here." Kili said and as if to contradict him, there was a snap on the left behind him. Once again he turned only to see nothing at all. He was about to shrug it off as his imagination, when he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder like a bee sting. He looked down to see a kind of dart lodged in his flesh. Slowly, he touched it wincing at the pain and then he set his jaw and pulled. It came out as easily as it had gone in. Kili looked at it closely and saw the point, although it was very sharp and small, was hollow.

"Not good." he muttered and tossed it aside. He continued to push Coal, but still the pony would not move and finally he dismounted and was about to lead the animal. One step, however, and his world was sent spinning into motion. He heard the blood rushing in his ears as he crashed to the ground on his knees and felt his heart labor in his chest slowly as his vision faded in and out of focus with each beat, until, suddenly, he knew no more.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

His head hurt. His back hurt. Everything was burning. Why was he on fire? Ouch! he said to himself. Then a voice, thin and rasping cut though his mind.

"It's not dead, is it?" the voice hissed.

"No, now git out of the way!" a deeper grow answered and Kili landed on something hard and cold. Ouch even worse! Kili thought then, Where in the Abyss am I and who's talking about 'it'? His answer came in a different way he would have liked.

"Are you sure? It looks dead to me." the thin voice asked again to which the deep voice said, "Of course it's not dead! Look!"

At the end of the statement, Kili received a sharp, hard blow to his face. Pain shot through his head when his head ricocheted off something hard. He could not help the groan and he turned his head to the side.

"See?"

"I don't see anything." Kili grumbled then he forced his eyes open. He was in some kind of camp and, based on the creatures looking at him surprise, an Orc camp. His brother was not there and Kili would have breathed a sigh a relief if he was not tied in painful position against a tree that had a sharp piece of bark sticking into his back.

One of the Orcs was smaller than most, with a nose that looked like the owner had run into to many trees and a burn scar along the left side of its jaw. It was stooped and had a crooked foot, its skin was patterned with many scars, but the worst thing Kili could see was: half of its right cheek was ripped out. Kili swallowed and gave a half smile, why he did not know, but it seemed to confuse the Orcs more.

"Hello. Um, you wouldn't happen to know where my pet Warg went, would you?" Kili said. The reaction he got was so comical, he almost laughed. The larger Orc with bulging green eyes cocked its head to one side growling, "You don't have a Warg."

"Oh, yes I do. He ran off, but if he finds me here like this, he won't be very happy. No sir, he'll eat you very quickly and then…" he was silenced when the big fellow swung its meaty fist and hit Kili in his temple, almost knocking him out again.

Where was Fili?! Whatever the answer was, Kili hoped he would find him soon.

A/N I am mean, aren't I? Fili and Kili are horrified at what I have done. I think they are going to do give me a piece of their minds here as soon as they thank: Mira Meliandra, Apophis god of chaos, leggomygreggo2, Lady Hobbit :D, Rebecca, Syblime, and jaymzNshed for their wonderful reviews and support! Please send Kili some hugs and Fili complements, because they want you to. They say so.