I do not own any of the characters or The Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC). Those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, and without his genius, this and many other fan fics would not be in existence.

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Cirashala yanked her broken hand back with a gasp as the blood drained from her face. Oin shot to his feet with a shout, before stalking toward the young woman. She quickly rose to her feet as well, but the angry healer stepped right in front of her, preventing her from going anywhere.

"What in Durin's name were you thinking, lass?!" he growled at her. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Cirashala met his gaze as her jaw tightened, her own frustration of the past several days bubbling up to the surface. Tears began to fill her eyes, but she blinked them back as her fear turned to anger. The blue orbs narrowed as she glared back at the healer.

"What was I thinking?" she snapped angrily. "I nearly fell off a hor-pony today because of this blasted hand! I've ridden horses-horses- since I was five years old! I've never fallen off of one- ever! I'm tired of being helpless!" The healer's eyes narrowed back at her.

"Helpless?" he bit back. "You keep doing this, and your hand will take even longer to heal! Bones don't mend overnight, lass. You should know that!" The young woman's eyes sparked as she thought about the many times over the past three weeks that she had been significantly impaired whenever she had needed both hands, which served to make her even angrier at the whole situation.

"I can't do anything with the blasted thing!" she cried, tears threatening to form again. "I can't use my bow or my sword. I can't even braid my own hair, for heaven's sake! I don't want to be stuck in the splint anymore. For Durin's sake, I want to be able to fend for mysel-"

The young woman was cut off mid-sentence as a bowl slammed down on a fallen trunk behind Oin with a loud thump and splash. Her gaze went over the healer's shoulder as the old dwarf looked behind him, and the young woman paled as a very angry young dwarf prince shot to his feet.

XXX

Kili had been reluctantly eating his beans and squash and silently wishing for meat himself when Ori suddenly shouted across the clearing. His eyes darted up, before coming to rest on Cirashala's unbound right hand. He cursed under his breath.

Mahal above- is she insane?!

He moved to stand up so he could give her a good scolding for being so reckless and stupid, but Fili suddenly grabbed his arm, preventing him from doing so. The younger turned toward his elder brother in confusion, but Fili's grip refused to lessen as he pointedly stared at him. The blonde dwarf shook his head slightly, and Kili did not need words to know what his brother was saying.

No. Let Oin handle it.

The blond dwarf glanced up at the healer in question, who was already standing in front of the young woman angrily scolding her. Kili saw a glimpse of the healer's expression on the side of the old dwarf's face, and knew that look well.

The young prince was more than acquainted with Oin's wrath. He had often injured himself during weapons training until he got used to them, and wasn't known to be the most cooperative patient either. There had been many times growing up when he'd hurt himself and subsequently delayed his own healing out of stupidity and pride, which also had the consequence of delaying his training as well. He keenly remembered the days of being stuck watching his elder brother train, rather than being out there himself, and hating every minute of it.

He'd always known afterward that the healer was right, especially when his carelessness regarding a mildly sprained ankle had resulted in him being on crutches for a month longer than originally planned. But that hadn't stopped the headstrong young dwarf from often pushing the healer's orders nearly to the breaking point. That is, until he'd learned the very real danger of his stupidity causing lasting injury. Once, a bad infection arising from a small cut had made Thorin, in no uncertain terms, warn him that if he continued to be reckless with injuries, he may never become the warrior he longed to be. After that, though he still wasn't the most cooperative patient, he at least tried to follow healer's orders within the best of his ability as much as possible.

But when Cirashala mentioned using her bow in her protests, his anger surged. Being an archer himself, he was more than aware of the dire consequences of an improperly mended bone in the hand or wrist.

If it doesn't heal correctly, she'll never be able to draw that bow again.

The young dwarf wrenched his arm out of his brother's grip and shot to his feet, the remains of his supper strewn upon the grass beside the log he had been sitting on.

"Fend for yourself?!" he yelled, the young dwarf unconsciously grasping his broken ribs after the sudden movement as pain shot through his torso. "If that bone doesn't heal properly, then you won't be able to fend for yourself at all."

"It will be fine," she insisted, her tone clearly indicating she was very angry as well. "I defended myself and you with it broken, and-" She was cut off by the young dwarf.

"You will never draw your bow again, don't you understand that?!" he shouted at her. "If it doesn't heal right, you will be crippled for life!" The young woman's eyes blazed as she glared at him.

"Well, I didn't exactly plan on breaking it in the first place, now did I?"

"Enough!"

XXX

Thorin was done. First, Dwalin, Dori, and Nori, and now his youngest nephew and the young woman- again. The dwarf king almost felt like he was back at the training grounds in Ered Luin, dealing with a group of hot-headed young dwarves arguing incessantly amongst themselves. He stepped around the fire and stood between the now silent combatants.

"What in Durin's name were you two thinking?" he growled while keeping his volume down at the same time. "Every orc within five miles heard your bickering!" He glared at the young woman.

"Kili is right," he stated angrily. "You are being incredibly stupid and foolish, and it could cost you the use of your hand permanently. That splint stays on until that bone is healed." The young woman's eyes widened.

"But-" she began, but the dwarf king cut her off.

"No buts," he ordered firmly. "That splint does not come off unless Oin takes it off. Is that understood?" The young woman stared at him stubbornly, though there was less fire in her eyes than before. Turning her head away, she nodded reluctantly.

"Yes, sir," she said quietly through clenched teeth. Thorin sighed in frustration.

At least she's obeying my orders, even if it isn't willingly.

"Give me your hand," the healer demanded firmly. After a moment's hesitation, the young woman stuck her hand out so Oin could wrap it, still not looking directly at him. Thorin then turned toward his youngest nephew, the pained flinch and his grab at his torso when he stood up not going unnoticed.

"And you," he said, noting that the young dwarf wasn't making eye contact with him either. Thorin reached up and firmly grabbed the younger's arm, before pulling him aside.

"What in Mahal's name is going on with you?!" he hissed after they were a few paces away from the group. "Cira's mistake I can forgive, foolish though it was, because she's still learning what it means to be in the wild and be a warrior. But you? I've trained you since you were a small lad playing with a wooden sword, though you may not have known it was training at the time. You should know better than to give our position away when there might be orcs around!" The lad's jaw tightened as he looked away, causing the dwarf king to become even more frustrated.

"Kili," he continued. "You've put your brother and the rest of this camp in jeopardy with your reckless shouting. I do not know what's gotten into you but it needs to be resolved now. We do not have time for foolish bickering. Is that understood?" The young dwarf nodded.

"Sorry Thorin," he said quietly.

"And you need to listen to Oin as well," he commanded sternly. "Those ribs are not healed yet, and you know it. Cirashala will ride in front of you until we reach the edge of the forest. She should have never been behind you with that hand. Understood?

The young prince nodded. Thorin released his nephew's arm, before turning toward the company.

"I will not have all of you at each other's throats," he commanded. "Beorn said that these lands are crawling with orcs, and the last thing we need to do is alert them to our positions with our needless bickering.

"We will have double watches tonight," he added. Blue eyes glanced toward the hobbit and the black and white haired dwarf. "Bilbo- you and Bifur take the first watch. If anything-even so much as a blade of grass-is out of place, you wake me. Understood?" Bilbo and Bifur nodded, moving to their places. Thorin turned back toward the rest of the group.

"The rest of you, get some sleep," he ordered. "We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow, and need to be as alert as possible if we are attacked tonight."

XXX

The young woman headed to her bedroll, guilt pooling in her stomach at the thought of her harsh words to Kili.

The moment the venomous question passed Cirashala's lips, she wished she could take them back. She had said them before she even realized it in her anger. The young dwarf had stared at her in complete shock, hurt filling his wide eyes. His mouth had opened slightly, but no words came out.

She knew she had been very wrong to use the accident against him like that, but in her anger at the limitations she faced with it, all she could think about was that the break might have been preventable. But in her heart, she knew- it was nothing more than an unfortunate accident, and Kili wasn't to blame for squeezing her hand too hard in his startle. Azog's movement had been enough to make her jump with fright as well, and she knew her hand was far more slender and her bones were likely less strong than a dwarf's.

Once he realized he'd broken her hand, the young prince's eyes had filled with tears. He apologized profusely, and she knew he still felt terrible about it. He'd even consented to braiding her hair for her because she could not do it herself, despite how clearly nervous he had been about it. A thought suddenly entered her mind.

Was that why he was so angry with me for taking the splint off? Because he blames himself for breaking it?

She drew her woven blanket over her shoulders, before glancing toward his bedroll. Kili was lying down as well, his back facing her, and her eyes filled with tears as his hurt and shocked expression flickered through her memory.

I'm sorry Kili. I should have never said that.

"Please forgive me, Kili," she whispered as a tear trickled down her cheek. "I'm so sorry."

XXX

Gandalf watched as all but Bilbo and Bifur bedded down for the night. Tendrils of smoke wafted up from his pipe, before dissipating in the clear night sky. His gaze landed on the forms of Kili and the young woman, his thoughts troubled.

His mind went back to Valinor, where he had studied under the Vala Nienna for many ages. She was a sensitive, thoughtful soul who cried for the hurts that Melkor and his evil had inflicted upon the world. She was known as the Lady of Tears, and the wet drops ran at the feet of her brother Mandos for the suffering of Arda. Of all the things he'd learned from her in his time, her pity was what resonated most within him.

He knew his power had limits. He could not bring back the dead, and his ability to heal broken flesh was limited to elvish spells and herblore. He was also quite reluctant to use his powers at every whim, for he believed very strongly that the inner strength and simplicity, and love, were far better than power and outer strength. Using his power more than absolutely necessary was something the grey wizard had resolved never to do.

But he could not help but feel pity stirring within him at the two injured young ones. Their struggle for survival had been very great, and even he still marveled at how they had managed to survive the wilderness long enough to reach Beorn's house, considering their injuries and what they had faced when alone in the wild.

He then thought about what they all had yet to face. Beorn's words continued to trouble him, though he knew the great bear was indeed following them to look after his own. They would not be attacked between here and the elven gate, but after that...

These lands are crawling with orcs. Their numbers are growing.

The wizard knew that once he and Beorn left the company at the edge of the forest, they would be on their own. He was still unsure about leaving the group to go investigate Dol Guldur, but the ominous words of Gwaihir, Radagast, and Beorn all sounded in his mind. Something was not right about that fortress, though he did not know what. But a heaviness such as that which he had not felt for a very long time had been growing in his heart, and he had always trusted his instincts.

His eyes landed once more on the young dwarf, now asleep though his expression was still troubled and hurt. His keen eyes looked beyond him to the young woman, where the tracks from her tears that evening still shone on her face.

And if he should leave, then how would he ensure her safety? Her knowledge of the world was not something the wizard took lightly- especially with what she knew about the bearers of the three elven rings. He had counted on the young dwarf to protect her because he could clearly see that the dwarf felt more for her than simple friendship. Whether it was love yet or not, Gandalf did not know, but he knew that the young dwarf would be willing to protect her with his life should the need arise.

And yet- Kili was injured too. His broken ribs pained him more than he would admit, and Gandalf knew that he would not be able to protect her to his full ability should they be attacked by orcs after they entered the forest. He would hope that the orcs could not find the elven gate, but though it was well concealed by the growth of the forest, it was not invisible. He wasn't sure if orcs would tolerate using an elvish path, but given who was after Thorin, he would not risk underestimating them.

He looked at the pair for a very long time. His pipe went out, but he didn't notice until a shooting star across the sky flew past where the smoke had been coming up previously. He knew that all the dwarves were protective of each other, and that Cira and Bilbo had been accepted into their group. But he would feel far more comfortable leaving them if Kili were able to adequately defend her, and if she were healed enough to defend herself as well.

Maybe I should take a look at those broken bones again.

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A response to guest reviewer Kitcat12: Hey :) Glad you liked it! Yup, only girl children are rare amongst dwarves- most of the males outnumber the girls in a family. The reading and writing- that comes from my historical knowledge of primitive societies and history prior to the institution of free public education (which is a novelty even today in many countries). Yup, she certainly did lol!

A response to guest reviewer Lillalil: Thanks min ven! I'm glad you liked it :)

A response to guest reviewer Amanda: Thank you! (blushes). So few words? Part 1 had over 300,000...but I do thank you for the compliment ;) Thanks! I'm glad (and relieved) to hear the plot is still flowing well. That's always a worry of mine, especially considering the length of the story so far. That's really awesome :) The visualization- that's how I write everything. I "see" it in my mind as though I were watching a movie, but jump from the point of view from person to person so as to capture what's also going on in their minds. I also like the connection between Kili and Cira- they are friends for sure (and he's in love with her as well), but life isn't all roses and perfect. Even the dearest and closest of friends fight- in fact, the closer they are, oftentimes the worse the fight! I can imagine Kili and Fili's fights are ones for the ages! It's the relationships- both friendship and otherwise- that can make it through those bumpy moments that are the ones that last, and that's part of what I try to capture with Kili and Cira. They do have a connection for sure- they have a lot in common, and their hearts and morals are where they ought to be- which is a natural thing for someone to be drawn to. She's drawn to his open offer of friendship and his sincerity, which she finds comforting and safe as she heals from her grief, and he's drawn to her desire to do what's right, and her ability to see beyond the exterior of a person and into their heart and acceptance of a person for who they are, not what they are. Her inner strength (whether she knows it or not) is also another thing that draws him to her, and she senses an inner strength in him as well, and a true friend and good heart. Characterization- THAT comes from many months of studying the films, the vlogs, reading everything Tolkien wrote about dwarves that I can find, online theonering DOT net forums, cast and crew interviews, etc. I wrote what I saw, and heard (even watched with subtitles, which annoys me but gives me insight into who says what if off screen, which was very helpful, and also watched frame by frame especially in chaotic scenes). I had someone recently say they were very out of character, which surprised me (and dismayed me, as I worked very hard to make sure they were in character). So I'm glad to hear you say that they are fine :) I can't stand extreme and unrealistic traits in ANY character- canon or not. I can't stand Mary sues/gary stus either! :) Your review was wonderful- thank you for being willing to elaborate :) It's very helpful to me as a writer :)

A response to guest reviewer Ri-chan: I'm glad you got the time to read :) Work sounds hectic for you- my poor husband worked long days the ten days before Christmas without a day off, had Christmas today off, then has to work another six days straight before his next day off! He's worn out...but tis the season (he's a retail manager). Ch 21 did feel a bit short, but it was good on length- perhaps it was because there was a lot of dialogue, or less POV's throughout? I think ch 20 was really long, so that may also be why. My average is about 2,000 words per chapter, so I do try my best to at least hit that mark. Yup- they are both having issues that will be resolved soon- but it's going to be a bit awkward until then :)

A response to guest reviewer Kaia: Yup- busted! ;) Hopefully this chapter met your expectations for that confrontation :)

MANY thanks to all who review, favorite, and follow- they're picking back up again! Thanks for your loyalty and encouragement :D :D :D