Later Fili and Kili focused on the party, lots of things had to be organized, Dis was helping to her best ability. They decided to make a garden party, after Fili assured them the weather would be fine. Borin and Farin showed up much earlier and helped out with the tables and chairs. Narvi hung lights and prepared the barbecue, while Kili and Dis were trying to organize the food and kitchen.
"Hey!" Mathilda called from the driveway. "We brought food!" She yelled into the house.
"You didn't have to!" Dis went out to meet her.
"Oh but we did!" Mathilda assured her. Her daughters Dainy and Moli were already unpacking the food for the party. "Bombur prepared just as much as we expect the wolves to eat!" She laughed happily, she reached into the car and gently lifted her youngest daughter. "Bombur is coming in our second car with the other kids." She informed Dis with a smile.
"Mom did you bring in the fancy candles?" Borin asked her with a smile.
"In the back of the truck!" She told him and went into the house.
"What candles?" Fili asked with a smirk.
"You'll see, get back to your work!" Moli scolded the older man with a grin.
"Hey it's my party!" Fili yelled back at the teenager.
"Whatever!" She smiled at him cockily.
"We have less than half an hour, so start moving!" Dainy told her older sister with a grin, and walked passed them carrying a tray.
"Girls help me set the tables!" Dis called in both girls to help her.
"Put the plates on the tables over there." Dis instructed Borin and Farin.
"Smells great!" Moli praised Kili as she went into the kitchen.
"What did you put in this?" Dainy glanced at the soup Kili prepared.
"You'll tell me later when you taste it." He joked. "Cut the vegetables for the barbecue, if you have the time."
The girls quickly grabbed knives and Moli was a bit too quick. Kili immediately senses the blood. Mathilda looked startled as the vampire moved towards the girl, but gasped with relief as he began washing and dressing the fresh wound. Fili tell Farin to come here now. He told his mate firmly.
"Hey Fili said you need me." Farin came into the kitchen.
"You should drive Moli home. She has a fresh wound on her hand." Kili told him.
"And you don't trust your guests?" Farin glanced at him verily.
"I trust them, but avoiding temptation is best for everyone." Kili replied.
Nothing bad is going to happen around almost twenty wolves. Fili noticed.
"I don't want to go home!" Moli told Kili with tears in her eyes.
Are you sure everything will be fine? Kili asked grimly.
Positive. Fili replied.
"Fili says you can stay, but please don't go anywhere alone and stay near me." Kili told her.
"Fine." Moli looked up to him with tension in her eyes, as if finally the idea she would spend the evening at a vampire party with a fresh wound hit her.
"Is anyone here?" Bilbo called from the front door. "I brought cake!" He told them carrying a big parcel and placing it on the table.
"It's great to see you!" Dis hugged him. "So how do you like the house?"
"It's beautiful, but I never expected anything less from Kili's artistic taste." Bilbo kindly admitted. "Do you need any help? Or would you prefer for me to go out and make sure the wolves and vampires won't rage a battle in the back yard?"
"The latter please!" Dis smiled at him.
"As you command Madam." Bilbo made a slight bow and rushed into the garden.
"Come on it's time to join the party!" Dis pushed Kili out of the kitchen. "This might be Fili's birthday – but it'll be better if you actually spend the rest of the evening by his side." She kissed Kili on the cheek and forcefully pushed him out. "We'll handle the rest."
"I see you got kicked out of the kitchen…" Bilbo saw Kili follow him. "It's so good to see you." He hugged the vampire.
"It's great to see you too." Kili led Bilbo into the garden.
"Kili!" Thorin smiled seeing him and embraced him warmly.
"Uncle!" Kili hugged him, but the thoughts of his visions were still at the back of his mind. Don't think about it now, we'll talk to him tomorrow and in private. Everything is going to be fine as long as you don't think about it now… Fili whispered to his mate.
"What a dump!" Tauriel came from the car with a loud exclamation.
"What is a rat doing in our dump?" Kili taunted back with ease.
"We're bringing rat gifts for the birthday dog!" Tauriel told him and with a smile gave Fili a nicely wrapped present.
"Why that you." Fili smiled at her politely.
"I'm planning to kill you both for getting that bear to move in with Legolas…" She spoke in a menacing vice. "He smells even worse than these dogs…"
I see they are getting along just as we predicted. Kili prompted.
Just as I predicted… Fili commented.
"Happy birthday!" Beorn showed up from the car and hugged both the birthday boy and the vampire.
"So are you managing fine with Legolas?" Kili asked in whisper.
"He's really nice, for a vampire." Beorn whispered back to him.
"That's a relief." Fili whispered to them.
"Where is the birthday wolf?" Nori yelled from the driveway.
"We got dog treats!" Bofur followed him and placed a plate with cookies on the table.
"You actually cooked something?" Fili asked Nori surprised.
"How do you think the three of us managed all those years?" Nori just winked. "I just never let it slip not to ruin my reputation!" He hugged Fili tightly and handed a small box to him.
With more people showing up the atmosphere was wavering. There were outbursts of friendliness followed by uneasy moments of silence as the wolves were slowly facing Kili's vampire friends. Both groups were behaving politely, but the wolves felt a bit overwhelmed with the number of vampires. They had an idea the coven was large, but this was beyond their imagination. Thorin, Bifur, Bofur, Dwalin and Balin were the main group, but they were followed by family turned in the eighteenth century Bard, Sigrid, Bain and Tilda. Then a representation from Thranduil's coven Tauriel, Legolas, Elrohir and Elladan showed up, and from Théoden's coven Eowyn along with her husband Faramir and brother Eomer.
"It's really nice for you to invite us." Eowyn approached the hosts warmly. Fili could feel her gentleness and kindness.
"We understand this is a mile stone in the contacts of our covens with the tribe and we really appreciate it." Faramir her husband added.
"Are we going to see the wolves?" Tilda asked impatiently. She was one of the youngest vampires, turned barely after her fifteenth birthday and cursed to be a teenager forever.
"Nah, today is a night for party!" Kili told her and grabbed her and forced her to dance with him. He winked to Fili doing that.
"Great party!" Frerin got his chance to come up to Fili, without the vampire next to him.
"I'm really happy we made it to this day." Fili told him warmly.
"And I'm very happy you're going to stay in the village, even if that means you staying with your vampire." Frerin added. "These vamps don't seem all that bad."
"They are not bad." Fili confirmed.
"We've agreed for Bofur to settle here with Nori." Frerin told him.
"I guessed as much." Fili smiled to him. "What's with Ori moving into Dain's house, and Dain moving in with you?"
"We're back together." Frerin told him curtly. "And Ori is taking care of Dain's house."
"Sounds there is a lot more to it." Fili dully noticed.
"Not today." Frerin knew there was no point in hiding the truth any longer.
"When the vampires leave." Fili told him curtly.
"Tomorrow." Frerin told him and walked away back to Dain.
Tomorrow is going to be a difficult day… Full of serious talking with our elders. Fili told Kili using their bond.
I can't wait! Kili noticed both worried and enthusiastic.
"Dear guests!" Dain called everyone's attention. "Today is a day very important in our tradition, normally it is the twenty first birthday when most of us take on what we truly are. I am proud to inform all of you that Fili has already achieved that transformation." The wolves clapped with enthusiasm. "But today is not only a celebration in Fili's name! Today marks a new beginning for all of us." He raised his glass looking at the gathered vampires. "To new friends!"
"To new friends!" Everyone followed, and those who had drink in their hands drank.
"Enough with tradition!" Dain announced. "We have several more announcements to make!" He smiled at the gathered people. "Today during the council meeting, we the council have made several decisions influencing us all. First of all, I'm happy to say Kili has finished his trial period. During the last weeks he proved to be honest and trustworthy, so he is entitled to live here as long as he may please." Everyone began clapping, Fili was overjoyed clearly that was the best present he could get. "But that's not all! Secondly, Bofur Kili's friend has been granted the same trial period but we all know it's more of a formality than necessity. So we gladly welcome a second vampire into our community!" Nori and Bofur hugged each other. "From what I understand we're all going to meet soon yet again, because two weddings are due to take place in the nearest future!" Fili smiled at Dain, he asked the old wolf to announce it, because in his voice it would sound much better.
"But that's not all!" Dain smirked at the gathered people. "With Frerin we came to an accord that it is time to let the younger generation take flight. Fili you will spend the next half a year preparing to take the role of pack leader under Frerin's guidance, and if proven worthy you will take command of the pack with the following year." The wolves were in shock, everyone glanced at Fili who was clearly very surprised. "That is if you feel up to the responsibility." Dain added.
"Of course he is!" Kili replied swiftly. "He's just in shock!"
"For most of you it might be unclear, but I've been preparing Ori to take the role of Council Leader ever since he proved to be the smartest young wolf in the pack. The next half a year you'll officially be a council member, and if proven worthy he will take my role as well." Dain made the last announcement.
"But…" The young wolf was starting at him completely puzzled. "I'm not leading material!"
"It's not about leading, it's about thinking and using your head!" Dain smirked at him. "And we all know you have plenty where that comes from."
"We'll all be there to support you if needed and to advise you." Gloin assured the young wolf.
"There are other more worthy wolves…" Ori was clearly lost.
"No, in my eyes there will never be a more worthy wolf than my own son." Dain told him in a sudden spur of tenderness.
"What?" Nori glanced at the old wolf. Dori glared at him with a huge weight in his eyes.
"Don't blame him." Frerin got in between them and the older wolf. "It's my fault."
"I see I managed to ruin the party…" Dain gasped uneasily.
"No!" Fili went up to him. "You just made some things clear and fixed a lot of things. We'll talk more about that particular issue tomorrow." He told them.
"Now I believe it's time for cake!" Dis yelled trying to ease the tension among the wolves.
"May I say something?" Thorin stood up firmly and went up to the wolves.
"Of course!" Fili told him.
"I have known about the tribe ever since we settled here centuries ago, and today I have a feeling fate placed us in near proximity. We will gladly call you friends, and we will gladly support you in any matter which may arise in the future. Any wolf may ask us for help, and will receive it. I personally will gladly advise the new leaders and support any matter in the future." Thorin spoke to everyone gathered with ease. His special powers gently eased the tension among wolves, Fili glanced at him, but nodded in agreement.
"That is very kind of you!" Dain shook the vampire's hand.
"As is you welcoming us here. For centuries we have been treated as filth, and the warmth my people found in your people is unprecedented." Thorin shook the wolf's hand tightly.
Thorin pulled Dain along with him towards Balin where Ori was standing with Farin.