Fire and Water

Chapter 7: Gift of Fire

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf yelled pulling Kili out of the trance he was in. He had not taken his eyes from Amanda since she passed out, he was constantly making sure she was still breathing.

"Who's that?" One troll asked the others.

"No idea." Another answered out.

"Can we eat 'im too?" The last answered as Gandalf stricken the rock that he stood on, causing it to break in half to let the light of the dawning sun hit the trolls. They yelled in pain as the light hit them. They tried to get away but failed as they quickly turned to stone. Everyone began cheering as Gandalf helped them out of their sack. As soon as Kili was out of his he rushed to Amanda who was still unconscious. He took her face into his hands and shook her gently.

" Amanda?" He whispered trying to wake her. It took a few moments auntie she scrunched her face up and opened her eyes softly. The first face she saw was Kili, who was smiling gently to her.

" Oh thank Durin. I thought the worst." Kili whispered as he healed her out of the sack. She sat up next to him with a smile and rubbed her dull aching side. The pain had slowly began to vanish as she smiled to Kili .

" You cannot get rid of me that easily." She chuckled with a wink. Kili returned the chuckle and place a hand onto her side.

" Your ribs? How are they?" Kili asked with concern.

" Better." Amanda smiled gently to him. Kili smiled and helped her too her feet. They stood looking around as the other dwarves helped each other back into their clothes. It was then Amanda realised Kili was in his underwear. Her face flushed red and she gasped covering her eyes.

" Amanda? Are you alright? You have gone bright red." Kili asked as he looked to her. He tried to turn around to look at him but she fought him off.

" Kili..." Amanda said quietly.

" Yes?" He answered worried about what she was about to say.

" You don't have any cloths on." Amanda said pointing to him. Kili looked down and blushed slightly embarrassed.

" Oh right... Sorry. Ehh, one moment then." He said stuttering heavily with embarrassment as he quickly rushed off to put his cloths on. For some reason she was alright with seeing the others with no cloths on but Kili... Not so much.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin asked Gandalf as Amanda walked over to them. Thankfully Thorin was dressed.

"To look ahead." Gandalf simply said nodding to Amanda with a smile.

"What brought you back?" Amanda asked him as Gandalf turned his gazed to Thorin.

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece." Gandalf sighed looking to the stone trolls

"No thanks to your burglar and..." Thorin began but was cut off by Amanda.

" Watch it." She growled to him.

"He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Gandalf defended the hobbit from the dwarf's remarks.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors." Gandalf said while examining the stone figures before them. Amanda ran her hands over the stone and shivered.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asked Gandalf curiously.

"Oh, not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." He answered in a low voice and took a large gulp at the thought.

"They could not have moved in daylight." Amanda muttered to herself as she took the words from Gandalf's mouth.

"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin said as an answer to his thoughts.

" Let's find it." Amanda said with a smile. Thorin nodded but stopped her.

" First lets rest, you will need it after your injury." Thorin told her and Amanda nodded in thanks to him. They built a smaller fire not too far from the trolls fire pit. The flames danced high with a gentle heat as they cook their breakfast. Amanda watched the flames with love and admiration.

" You seem to be in a trance." Kili said as he sat next to her. Amanda smiled looking to him and then back to the flames.

" When I look t the flames, I just have this urge to dance with them." Amanda stated to him as his thought went back to her fighting.

" Then why don't you?" Kili asked wanting to test his theory. Amanda looking to him and smiled.

" yeah, I think I will." Amanda smiled as she jumped up and took in a breath. The company stopped and looked to her with curiosity in their eyes. Amanda then took a single step and began a dance with twist and twirls. She pictured the flames dancing within her mind as she jumped off the ground and landed back on her feet dipping her head to the ground and lifting a single leg into the air. Kili watched her and turned his eyes back to the fire that Bofur stood next to. And just like the night before, the fire seemed to dance with her.

" Bofur! Stand away from the fire." Kili said as the fire grew higher and higher. Amanda swiped a hand along the ground and began to spin fast on the spot. The fire shoot out and began to wrap around her twisting form.

' Dance, dance Amanda.' An unfamiliar voice called softly in her mind. She continued to dance with the flames, in complete sync with them. Where her hands went the fire followed them. Amanda then came to a stop as she finished her dance. Everyone stood in silence as she panted heavily with a smile.

" Well! It seems we have found your gift!" Gandalf smiled walking over to her with a nodded.

" Gift?" Amanda asked him heavily.

" You can control fire! Oh this is wonderful." Gandalf smiled happily to her. Amanda smiled back still unsure by his words.

" That was..." Kili said struggling to find words as he rushed over and embraced her tightly with a smile.

" Amazing!" He whispered into her ear. Neither of them wanted to break this embrace. They wanted to stay within each other's arms from ever. Amanda buried her face into his shoulder and took in his scent. He smelt like a fresh forest in the winter. Kili doing the same as he took her scent in. She smelt of fresh spring flowers. They reluctantly pulled away from each other's hold and smiled softly to each other.

" Breakfast is ready!" Bofur called out causing everyone to scramble. Amanda chuckled at their eagerness for food.