Return to Me (Kili)

Chapter Twelve: The Journey Continues

They traveled a ways before Thorin felt it was safe enough to set camp. Even then, Gandalf refused to let anyone start a campfire, enforced a double watch all night long, and set perimeters that no one was allowed to leave. The threat of Azog and his army of Wargs was still too great, and nobody knew if the goblins would decide to go after them. 

"Dwalin, Kili, you're on second watch." Gandalf said, going through the dwarves two by two. "Wake Balin and Bofur up when two hours have passed." 

Priscilla shivered and sat down on a bed of grass that she'd crudely set up. Most of the equipment not physically on them had been lost in the mountains when they fell through the floor, so they didn't have anything but the literal clothes on their backs to keep them warm. Thorin had told everyone to make a bed of leaves and grass against the trees they slept against, to have an insulated layer between them and the freezing ground. 

She found herself lying awake far past everyone else, looking up at the stars and wishing she had had at least half a mind to bring a cloak with her. She hadn't even put one in her pack. The Shire was such a warm place; it never crossed her mind to bring a cloak in her hurry to leave.

After a little while she heard Fili and Thorin move from their posts to wake second watch and head to bed as Kili and Dwalin took their places. She turned on her side and rubbed her eyes, trying to find enough exhaustion in her to sleep, but none came. She was shivering too much and still too wound up around the day's earlier events. Though the chase through the mountain had worn her out, she just couldn't sleep. 

A few minutes later she heard soft footsteps approaching her, hesitantly. A pause followed as she kept her head down, assuming it was Thorin or somebody checking on everyone before heading back to bed, but a moment later she heard them step closer, kneel, and then she felt the weight of a warm cloak being draped over her. 

Kili moved carefully, probably trying not to wake her, and tucked his cloak up further so her hands were covered. As he moved to return to his post, she reached out with a hand and grabbed one of his, noticing how warm his fingers were compared to her freezing ones. He looked at her and she quietly said, "Thank you," and he smiled with his eyes and squeezed her hand before standing and walking away. 

The next morning they risked a small fire to roast some coneys they'd managed to catch in the night, but there wasn't much to go around. The company packed up what little they had and continued moving as soon as they could. 

"If we can make it to the High Pass today, we may be lucky enough to meet some traders." Gandalf said, trying to look for a ray of hope in their otherwise bleak situation.

"There will be no traders on the roads at this time of year, leastways on the High Pass. No mere trader dares to pass through Mirkwood and the Misty Mountains if they have the choice. Whom would they trade with?" Thorin dismissed Gandalf's suggestion. 

"The elves in Mirkwood, perhaps." Gandalf said. "We may have to go to them for help, or else go back to Rivendell."

"I will not seek help from the elves. You know this." Thorin said. 

"Even if it means the death of your Company?" Gandalf asked. Thorin and him shared a hard look before Thorin shook his head. 

Ori came running up to them, out of breath. He'd been sent with Fili to scout ahead of the group, and had evidently sprinted all the way back to them. He leaned on his knees for a breath, then turned to Thorin, who waited for him to speak. Priscilla and the rest of the Company stopped to listen.

"I've found help, Thorin. Just ahead." Ori breathed, smiling through the exhaustion. 

"As fate would have it..." Gandalf said, under his breath. Thorin looked from the wizard to Ori, then nodded.