The entire company began to groan and complain when the rain started up again. At first it was a fine misting that only dampened their clothes, but it quickly transitioned into full-blown torrents the higher they got into the mountains. There wasn't much daylight left, and the combination of the setting sun with their doused clothing resulted in uncomfortably frigid air.

Bilbo and Ammie did not wear shoes, so they had to prevent each other from slipping on the moist rocks and falling off the narrow mountain road. Some of the dwarves began to grumble about hunger and the inability to make a fire in the rain. Bofur could not make stew without a fire, so they would have to seek shelter in an empty cavern later in the evening... If they could find one. The path was windy and treacherous, but even Fili and Kili with their sharp eyes could not make out any crevices or overhanging rocks they could rest under.

Ammie held her hands tightly over her chest and rubbed her arms. She shivered and sorely wished she had more of a jacket to wear in this terrible weather. Rivers of water ran down the sides of her face and into her eyes. Her sodden hair clung to her cheeks and her soaked blouse stuck to her skin uncomfortably. This only made her colder. Her uncle Bilbo was in a similar state of disarray, his teeth chattering noisily. Still, he tried to be responsible and offer her his light coat...Even if it was drenched. She refused. Maybe if they kept walking they'd eventually find a cave. There had to be one eventually.

Every now and then there would be a clap of thunder too close for comfort and a small rockfall from above that the group would have to avoid by pressing against the wall of the mountain. Loose rocks easily slipped out from under their feet on the slick path and served as another means to potentially trip and plummet to ones' death. They would have to pause soon and wait for the rain to let up...Climbing in the foul weather would only become increasingly more dangerous.

Thorin grumbled as much as the others about not only the weather, but his hunger. He tried to feed them words of encouragement and hope, but they were lost over the pounding rain and the roaring thunder. He gave up after that and focused on making sure the Hobbits, namely Ammie, were safe. This was not a good place for them. Well, it wasn't a good place for any of them! But the Hobbits seemed to have a much harder time with it.

The falling rocks made everything just that much worse. Now there was rain, thunder, lightning, wind, slippery paths, AND falling rocks! What else could possibly go wrong?!

In that moment, Thorin vowed never to say that again. Before his disbelieving eyes, giants rose from a deep slumber in the mountains. They were great big hulking creatures made purely of stone! The legends were true! And he was witnessing it! If it wasn't terrifying, perhaps Thorin would have stayed to watch longer. Watched them swing their giant hands at their opponent's faces! Watched them bash their stony heads together. It was all too fascinating!

What Thorin didn't realize, though, was just how lost in his wonder he had become. He hadn't hurt the shouts from the others to watch out for falling rock and he stood, rooted to the spot, watching the giants. Seconds before he was crushed, a gloves hand shot out from seemingly no where, gripped the front of his tunic, and slammed him against the Mountain wall. The figure was cloaked in grey and a large hood hid their face from view.

More than just small rocks began to cascade over the group of dwarves, when the rock giants awoke and peeled themselves from the mountain walls. Soon there were two of them swinging their enormous stone fists at one another. Had the company truly been hearing thunder, or had it simply been the clashing of these titanic beasts in the distance?! Even if they missed, as was often the case, their fists would pummel into the mountain and send showers of boulders flying everywhere.

Everyone was shouting in alarm and clinging to the path for dear life. Ammie and Bilbo were pressed up to the wall in desperation, practically on their hands and knees. Even amidst the chaos Ammie found herself strangely fascinated by the towering stone creatures, if not awed. She had never seen living rock before! What manner of beings were these?! A third giant rose out from behind them and lifted a massive rock above its head, which it flung towards the other two battling a ways off. The rock smashed into one of the giant's heads and knocked it clean off, causing its body to crumble into pieces into the chasm beneath them.

Now the dwarves were all shouting frantically, because at one point it seemed a boulder was going to come down on top of their leader. Fili's heartrate quickened and he dashed forward with the express intention of saving his uncle from a violent, premature demise... But before he could seize the man and pull him to safety, someone else had beat him to it. It was a stranger in a gray robe and hood, slightly taller than Thorin himself.

Panicked and slightly dazed, Thorin shook off the confusion that fogged his mind. A moment ago, he had been in harm's way, thought he hadn't known it until he hit the wall. A shower of boulders and rocks flew passed him, leaving him unharmed. He heard the shouts of his men and looked around at them. He was at a loss for words. Whom had pushed him to safety?

Thorin turned and looked at the figure who still had hold of his tunic. Not recognizing them, he grabbed their arm and pulled them closer to him. With his free hand, he reached up and pushed their hood down. Utter shock at the face he met was no way to describe it.

Naerwyn stood before the Company, soaked to the bone and cold. She had caught up just in time, it would seem. Thorin had almost been crushed by falling rocks. She was relieved that she made it in time to push him out of the way. Thorin despised her. She knew that. But it was no reason to allow him to come to death. She would have stepped in had be not been Fili's Uncle.

Speaking of Fili! Naerwyn's blue eyes flicked over Thorin's shoulder to Fili, then back to Thorin. She could scarcely imagine what the Dwarf King was going to say about her arrival.

Fili's blue eyes flashed in recognition as his uncle yanked the hood back from the stranger's face. Naerwyn? What was she doing here!?! Fili's insides twisted in a bizarre mixture of emotions--excitement, relief, disbelief, and horror. The elf's appearance paired with the chaos happening around them was overwhelming. They didn't have time to puzzle over how she'd managed to catch up with them in the storm, because the giants' battling had become even more hazardous. The remaining two creatures rammed into each other, toppling over into the mountainside with a deafening crash. They collapsed into another avalanche of rocks, which came down upon the company with a violent roar.

Dwalin shouted for everyone to hug the wall as closely as possible, and the group huddled together with their heads down. Ammie had ended up in the center of the dwarven mass, but her uncle was not beside her. As soon as the rockfall ceased and the mists settled, Bofur yelled and pointed down. Bilbo was hanging precariously from the ledge. The dwarves scrambled to get to their feet, but Ammie was more frantic to get to him. She crawled between the others' legs and peered over the side at her dangling uncle. He was about a foot too low for anyone's arm to reach him. "Uncle Bilbo!" she cried, her eyes flooding with tears. If they didn't hurry and save him, he'd fall!

Thorin put the shock of seeing the Elf to the back of his mind. This was no time for that mess. He turned his attention back to the matter at hand. Not being crushed by flying boulders. Absently, he pulled Naerwyn along and in front of him. It was getting harder and harder to hold on with the very rock they stood on trembling like a leaf in the wind. He pushed the elf against the wall with one hand and reached across her with the other to push his nephew flush against the rock. He pushed the two of them hard against the rock, never thinking that he may be hurting them. He was sure the two of them would have preferred a few bruises over death.

When the dust cleared and the rocks settled some, he released the two and checked the others. Bofur was excited about something and pointed over the edge, but the pounding rain made it difficult for Thorin to hear him. He looked down, shocked to see Bilbo hanging on for dear life. A few of the men attempted to reach him, but their arms were too short. Holding his breath and praying, Thorin leaped over the edge of the cliff. He grabbed the rock firmly in one hand and Bilbo in the other. With all the strength that he could muster in his cold and tired arms, he hurled Bilbo upwards into Bofur's arms. But the minute Bilbo's weight left Thorin, his feet slid on the wet rock and he felt himself starting to fall.

It was sickening. Thorin's entire life flashed before his eyes and the whole world seemed to move in slow motion. It was terrifying. He was spared from death, though, when Dwalin snatched him before he fell too far out of reach and dragged him back up onto the ledge. His heart was in his throat and he felt a bit faint. He almost wanted to be sick, but he forced away those feelings and urged the men to press on.

Naerwyn knew now wasn't the time to open her mouth and make a case, so she clammed up and did whatever Thorin told her to do. She moved passed him, coming up along side Fili. She would have given him a nod or some sort of gesture of greeting, but the moment she passed Thorin, she was slammed into the cliff wall. Her back hit the rock hard and knocked the wind out of her, but when she saw the rock falling in front of her, she knew exactly why Thorin had pushed her so hard. His powerful arm was practically suffocating her as he pressed her harder and harder into the wall.

When everything settled down and she was released, she at first attempted to get to Fili, but he was lost on her mind when she saw Ammie going for the edge for her Uncle. Not wanting to lose two Hobbits, Naerwyn grabbed Ammie around the middle and pulled her away from the edge. The danger of the beaten and bruised rock giving way was high and Naerwyn didn't want Ammie to fall. Her heart seemed to stall in her chest until Bilbo was brought back up onto the ledge. And the moment he was, Naerwyn released Ammie and got to shakily to her feet. She turned, looking for Fili among the dwarves.

Ammie felt an arm go around her middle and she was abruptly dragged back by an unseen person.. She didn't pay much attention to their identity due to anxiety over Bilbo. She was shaking and blinking back tears. When Thorin went for him that anxiety multiplied threefold and her heart pounded in her ears with the anticipation of losing them both. Bilbo was tossed to safety, but Thorin very nearly fell, causing Ammie to cry out. Dwalin snatched him from death's door at the last moment and pulled him back onto the ledge.

The arm released her immediately and it took a great deal of self-restraint not to throw herself at Thorin and strangle him in a hug. Somehow she remembered her aversion to the company asking questions about them, even in the midst of her panic, and instead went to Bilbo to help him to his feet. Bilbo was shaken, to say the least, but he was also quite relieved and glad to be standing on relatively solid ground again. They had no guarantee of it continuing, however, so Thorin shouted for the group to press on despite having just suffered a near demise.

Fili had been similarly trying to catch Naerwyn's gaze. When their eyes locked, he sprang forward and pulled the elf into his arms. He held her tightly for a split second, and then whirled around to comply to his uncle's order. He kept a firm hand on Naerwyn's wrist so they would not be separated, and hurried after the rest of the group with her in tow. The group scrambled to get further along the path where pieces of rock were not crumbling down on them from above nor dropping out from beneath their feet. The stone giants had effectively destroyed each other, so that hazard had thankfully passed.

The path eventually evened out after a few more steep switchbacks. The intensity of the rain decreased and the thunder subsided. Ammie would occasionally steal longing glances at Thorin, wanting desperately to thank him for saving her uncle's life and express how happy that he himself was still intact. He was a few paces ahead of her, though, in between Dwalin and Balin. She shivered in the cold and her steps were heavy with fatigue. She was unused to walking so much at high elevations, and her head started to throb painfully. She was dehydrated again... Ammie clung tightly to Bilbo's arm for support and truly wondered how much more of this walking she could handle...

As luck would have it, Fili spotted a depression in the side of the mountain up ahead. The opening was betrayed by darker shadow, indicating depth, and Fili pointed with his free hand. “Uncle, look!” he cried. “That may be a cave there!”

Thorin heard Fili over the settling rain and rushed toward the spot he'd pointed out. It was, in fact, a cave. Feeling a sense of relief wash over him, he rushed up ahead of them and took a careful peek inside. He heard nothing and saw only darkness. He entered the cave hesitantly and looked around. Over his shoulder, he called to Dwalin to search clear to the back. Seldom were mountain caves uninhabited.

Thorin watched the two Hobbits come into the cave. He gave Ammie a nod and the ghost of a smile. It died, however, when just behind her, his nephew entered, tugging the Elf behind him. A new wave of anger washed over him and before he could stop himself, Thorin shot out across the dusty cave floor. One hand grasped Fili's shoulder and gave him a shove out of the way. The other hand closed around Naerwyn where her shoulder met her neck. His sudden roughness startled some of the others. He dragged her away from Fili and pushed her against the wall of the cave. He growled and squeezed her shoulder, "What are you doing here?" Not waiting for an answer, he growled again, "Who sent you?!"

Naerwyn felt her heart flutter when Fili pulled her into an embrace. It was brief, though, and he pulled her along after the others. She slid a few times on the slick rock, gasping loudly when she did so. She was relieved when Fili found a cave just ahead of them. She hurried behind him, still mindful of the wet stone beneath her booted feet.

The moment she was inside, she started to shake her cloak out with her free hand, but a hand on her shoulder startled her out of concentration. She was grabbed, none too gently by Thorin and slammed against the wall of the cave. At first, her chest burned with fear, but she remembered something. He was in her debt and she would quickly remind him. She held a hand up toward Fili, as if telling him to hold back if he tried to come to her rescue. This time, she wasn't going to need rescued. When he asked her what she was doing, she raised her chin defiantly, "Saving your life, apparently." She waited until that sunk in, then answered his second question, "No one sent me. I came of my own accord once I mustered up the courage."

Thorin let out a scoff and shook his head, but he couldn't muster a come back. She had, in fact, saved his life. Whether he liked it or not, he was alive because of her quick actions. He didn't buy her story of coming alone with no influence. He gave her a little shake, "Horse shit! Elrond sent you, didn't he?!"

Naerwyn wasn't phased. Her voice had taken a deeper tone. It was still melodic, but in a darker, scarier in a way. Her eyes seemed to darken, but only slightly. This must be what an angry elf looks like, "I came for one reason. To ensure that your nephew lives through whatever danger this quest poses to him. No one sent me after you."

The dwarven company was quite relieved when the cave was determined to be unoccupied. Many threw down their bags and other belongings, and some even began peeling off the drenched outer layers of their clothing or laying out their bedrolls. In fact, the majority of them had managed to forget the elf's presence entirely until Thorin brought it back to their attention. Naerwyn entered with Fili directly after the hobbits, wherein Thorin abruptly seized her and shoved her rather violently against the cavern wall. Some looked on approvingly, but others were a bit surprised by his manhandling of the woman and thought it too harsh for her to deserve...Particularly since she had, in fact, just rescued the king from a falling rock.

Out of the entire group, however, none were so appalled by his behavior as Fili and Ammie. Fili would have jumped in immediately to defend Naerwyn against his uncle, had she not stopped him with a raised hand and stern glance. He set his mouth in a frown, glaring daggers at Thorin's back while he questioned the elf. It was true! She had just saved him and yet he still insisted on disrespecting her! A low growl emanated from the back of Fili's throat at the thought. His brother was similarly disgruntled, he noticed.

Bilbo was shocked by Thorin's outburst, but Ammie was downright annoyed. Back in Rivendell he'd apologized to her for mistreating the elf in the forest, but when faced with Naerwyn again he'd gone back to treating her cruelly! Ammie thought it was sweet that the elf had, instead of waiting for Fili to return to her after his journey, come to actually see him through it! Even if the others, including Thorin's nephews, remained quiet as the grave...She would not stand for Thorin acting this way towards a woman.. Elf or not.

Ammie stepped forward until she was just visible from Thorin's peripheral vision, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "I don't think she's lying," she stated loudly, albeit shakily. "She is still recovering from her injuries, but...She wanted to help him anyway... I think it's...Sweet..." Her voice lowered a bit, but not so much that Thorin could not hear her. "Don't you think you're being a little...Rough? Shoving her around like that?"

Naerwyn, growing ever bolder with each passing minute, set her foot on the wall behind her. Pushing slowly, but firmly, she managed to push herself off of the wall. She reached up and pried Thorin's fingers from her neck and let his hand drop to his side. She figured it was Ammie's words that softened his grip, not her own new found strength. She straightened herself up and looked the King in the eye. She was eye level with him naturally. "I am not here for glory. I am not here for honor or my own greed. I am here to ensure that your nephew keeps his promise."

She stepped away from him, but turned slightly and spat over her shoulder, "And I have a name. I would prefer you used it."

Naerwyn stepped through the dwarves, politely excusing herself as she passed, but she was not en elf to mess with at that point. On the inside, she burned with anger, but more so with fear. She had never stood up for herself before. Adrenaline rushed through her, making her light headed. She felt like she was going to faint. Finding a small alcove in the back that she could hide in, she settled down on the floor and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

Thorin grumbled when she swore that she wasn't coerced into following them, but he still didn't believe it. He glanced to his side when Ammie came up beside him. Suddenly, he was filled with guilt. What had he become? Had he hated them so much, he became blind to his treatment of women? His chest tightened and he imagined what he would have done if Fili had been this way to Ammie. Well, actually, it was simple. Thorin would have beaten the piss out of Fili.

Glancing over his shoulder to his nephew, he sighed and allowed the elf to free herself from his grasp. He didn't watch her as she went and even winced when she grumbled about using her name. Had he even known it? He'd remembered Fili used it once or twice, but could he remember how to pronounce it? Stupid Elves and their stupid names.

Thorin turned and looked to the men. Some didn't look different, but he couldn't get over the stares of the others. Judging him for manhandling such a delicate creature. He looked at the ground by Ammie's feet. He wasn't sure he could look her in the eye. And Fili? He didn't dare turn to Fili. Though, he thought he might. Standing with his back to his nephew might earn him a knife between the shoulder blades.

At least his uncle still felt shame somewhere, Fili thought, as Thorin allowed Naerwyn to free herself from his grasp and move away...Though it angered him that only Ammie was capable of reminding him of its existence these days. Was he so proud and blind that he would treat a person, a woman even, so unjustly without real cause? Fili loved his uncle dearly, but right now his actions disgusted him. When Thorin turned to survey the group, Fili averted his eyes. He refused to say anything, because he knew that at this moment only hurtful words would pass through his lips...Words that he would surely regret in the future. “Thank you,” he murmured to Ammie, flashing a sad smile. If his uncle truly felt something for this young hobbit, perhaps she would eventually steer him down a kinder path...She was a compassionate girl.

Fili touched his hand to his brother's arm briefly before whirling around and marching off. He sought Naerwyn towards the back of the cavern. She'd discovered a smaller alcove, sheltered from the others, which granted her some semblance of solitude. The blond dwarf lingered at the threshold of the alcove for a bit, watching her sitting alone with a heavy heart. He was not sure whether to leave her be and giver her time to herself...Or to go to her and comfort her as best he could. However, the discomfort of watching her unhappiness gradually wore him down and he went to the elf's side.

He rested his back against the cavern wall, allowing himself to slowly slide into a sitting position, and stared at the ceiling. He didn't speak for a while, but...He wanted to thank Naerwyn for all she'd done... For coming along. He worried for her safety on the adventure as much as he worried for Bilbo and Ammie, but her presence filled him with inutterable joy as well. “I'm sorry about my uncle,” he said softly. “He's infuriatingly stubborn at times...But he means a lot to me. Thank you for saving him.” He looked to Naerwyn and smiled gently. “For what it's worth, I am so pleased that you are here...Saying goodbye to you in Rivendell nearly killed me.”

Ammie breathed a sigh of relief when Thorin let Naerwyn go. She thought the elf woman had stood up for herself rather well, and wondered why the dwarf was so obstinate that he could not sense the truth in her statements. His prejudices against elves made it nearly impossible for him to see the depth of the woman's affections for his nephew. But, the hobbit knew he would see them with time... Slowly, but surely, he would get over his biases. Naerwyn traveling with the company was just what Thorin needed to shed his insecurities.

He did appear embarrassed, at least, as evidenced by his slouching posture and inability to look directly Ammie in the eye. He angled his gaze awkwardly towards her feet, as if he wanted to say something to her but felt too guilty over his actions to do so. Perhaps he thought she was angry at him again? Irritated, yes... Angry no. He'd listened to Ammie's opinion and hadn't pressed the matter with Naerwyn any further... That was progress, the hobbit thought. That warranted some positive reinforcement, didn't it? Some indication of approval?

Ammie stepped gingerly towards Thorin. Now that the spectable had ended, the other dwarves had turned away and continued to set up camp within the cavern. Bofur was taking out his cooking supplies to get started on the stew for dinner. Bilbo cleared his throat and wandered off to give Ammie and Thorin some space... In a decent attempt to avoid drawing attention to whatever exchange would follow. The hobbit girl reached out and laid a small hand on Thorin's forearm to assure him, quietly, that she was not upset with him anymore.

Naerwyn was quiet when Fili approached. She didn't know what to say to him. She put him in an awful position and she felt immense guilt over it. She had pitted him between herself and his Uncle. She felt terrible about it. She calmed her breathing and settled herself down, not wanting to cry in front of him. she managed, somehow, to fight off the onslaught of tears and sighed quietly.

She glanced to him when he settled down on the floor next to her. She looked to him when he thanked her for saving Thorin. She offered him a tiny smile and nodded, "I would do it a hundred times for you, Fili. I really would." She smiled sadly and reached up to gently touch his cheek, "I couldn't bear the thought of never seeing you again, Fili. Your departure hurt me more deeply than anything in my long life. And then I received the gifts from the Lady of the Wood."

Thorin stayed quite still after the commotion. He was deeply ashamed of himself and couldn't bring himself to move. When Ammie touched his arm, he let out a shaky breath and pinched his eyes shut. He blinked away the tears of shame that threatened to fall and grit his teeth. He wondered what his father would say if he knew he was acting like this. What his Grandfather would say. Hell, even Fili's mother wouldn't scorn Naerwyn so badly. She wouldn't let the she-elf near her baby, but she would at least tell her to piss off in a classy manner. But Thorin? Thorin had wanted to leave her for dead, thought about using her as Warg bait, screamed at her, manhandled her. He looked to Ammie and trembled against the cold he suddenly felt from his soaked clothing, "What have I become?"

Fili offered a smile in return, exhaling softly as Naerwyn's hand came to rest on his cheek. He covered her hand with his and leaned into her touch. "It's all right," he breathed. "I worry for your safety, but it seems we will be going on this mad adventure together. We will have to look out for one another so that we can get through it in one piece." The dwarf chuckled, amused by this very strange turn events. Only a few days had passed and the company had already been pitted against trolls, orcs, elves, awful weather, and stone giants? He hated to think what other horrors awaited them before the paramount hazard of Smaug the Terrible. Curiosity gleamed in Fili's blue eyes at the mention of 'gifts'. "Lady of the Wood...Lady Galadriel? What gifts?" he asked.

Ammie watched Thorin's face twist with distress and the disgust he undoubtedly felt for himself. She wasn't sure how to comfort him when he asked, paradoxically, what he had become...After all, the hobbit did not know the answer to that question. The dwarf was far older than she was and she had not been around to see the sort of person he'd been in his youth...And the traumatic events that had occurred to ingrain prejudices so deeply into his psyche. "Don't think about that," she said softly. "The past is the past... You have the future to change whatever it is about yourself that worries you." She was tempted to embrace him again when he shivered with either cold or shame, but was too timid to do so... Something about his current state and the others surrounding them made her shy. Instead, she patted his arm lightly. "I'm here to talk to about things, remember? And...If you go too far, I promise to remind you that you are truly good...Even if it doesn't seem like it to yourself sometimes."

Naerwyn smiled and scooted closer to Fili, her thumb gently caressing his face. She leaned her head on the wall and looked into his eyes. Even in the terrible low light, they sparkled beautifully. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she forgot, for a moment, the terrible position they were in. She would give everything she had to ensure his safety. She would see him through this journey, no matter what it took.

When he asked about the gifts Galadriel had given her, she gently pulled away from him. She stood and pulled off the grey cloak that hid her form. She dropped the woolen garment at his feet and took the weapon previously hidden by it off of her back. She knelt down and showed him a bow. It was masterfully crafted and quite beautiful to behold. The wood was incredibly ornate and the string looked brand new. She smiled down at it, "She gave me a bow. The men of the Galadhrim carry the same bow. My father, the Marchwarden, and his guards. I was trained with a similar weapon, but up until now could never call it my own. She gave it to me in the hopes that I would use it to protect you."

Fili would also notice that Naerwyn was not garbed in a silken gown. Instead, she wore a thick, many layered garment much more suitable for traveling. It was ash blue in color, trimmed in black. The outer most layer, a coat of sorts, was angled and fit her form quite snugly. It came together just under her breasts, a neat row of clasps going down to her waist. From there, the coat flared out and wrapped around behind her. It ended in a dramatic point in the back, just below her ankles. The top, namely the collar, came up from the side of her bust and crashed together at the neck, where it closed with a silver clasp with a blue stone set in the center. The coat created a diamond shaped 'key-hole' on the top, revealing the black tunic underneath. The shoulders of the coat were pointed, giving her figure a dramatic regal look to it. Black embroidery also added a sense of class and elegance as it darted and weaved across the back and sleeves of the coat. Her sleeves came to her elbow and belled, but they were split so that the bell laid behind her forearm rather than covering it.

The tunic underneath bore no special embroidery or fancy silver clasps. It was plain black, held closed with black clasps. It was high collared to protect her skin from the elements and the sleeves covered her arms to the wrist. They ended in points over the backs of her hands, adding just a touch of style to an otherwise plain garment. The tunic was long, reaching just passed her knee. It almost gave the illusion of a dress when she stood still. She wore boots underneath that. Simple and black, they were. Thin, though, hugging her calves tightly. They, too were embroidered in silver. She wore leggings underneath her tunic, which Fili would see when she knelt down before him.

In addition to the bow, Naerwyn had a quiver of arrows on her back and two short swords. She prayed that she never had to use the swords. She didn't know how, really. She was better skilled with a bow and would only use it unless her, or Fili's, life depended on it. Her smile was genuine while she looked at the bow in her hands. She glanced down to her clothing and smiled again, "Ah, yes! And the clothes! They, too were a gift from the Lady. I couldn't have come after you in a gown, she had said. So she gave me these. Much more practical for trekking across the earth after the man your heart yearns for."

Thorin gave Ammie a stiff nod, fighting the urge to pull her into a desperate embrace. He was still so embarrassed and ashamed and he hated himself for it. He touched Ammie's cheek and gave her a soft, sad smile, "Thank you. Truly." He spoke lowly, as to not attract the attention of the others.

He turned slightly when Bofur called excitedly to the others about getting a fire going. Something about it didn't sit well with Thorin and he barked at them, "No! No fires! It's not safe. We'll attract unwanted attention. Everyone should get some rest, we leave at first light. Bofur! Take the first watch."

Thorin gently took Ammie's arm and pulled her to a corner of the cave. While the men were grumbling about being cold and hungry, they weren't paying much attention to their King. He laid out his bedroll and shook out his blanket. He sat down on the cold fabric and held his arms out to Ammie, "Come. I will keep you warm. You look freezing."

~:OOC: The detail of her outfit is tremendous, I realize. If it's too confusing, I have reference pictures! Let me know :):~

Fili marveled at the intricate bow and garments that Lady Galadriel had so kindly bequeathed on Naerwyn. While he assumed that the Lady of Lorien had approved of their relationship, given her behavior earlier that day in the palace, he did not think she would go so far as to encourage Naerwyn to abandon her journey home and come along with him instead. It was incredibly heartening, to say the least. For once he felt quite optimistic over the entire affair, and unable to help himself, stood and pulled Naerwyn into a firm embrace. “I am so pleased,” he said again, practically gushing. “We've been met with so much opposition that it has been wearying, but with the Lady's support I've found some hope again.”

Fili took a step back, but clasped the elf's arms in his hands gently. His blue eyes admired her for a time, and he lifted a hand to brush some stray strands of platinum hair from her face. “You look beautiful and practical,” he laughed goodnaturedly. “And your bow is exquisite. I am excited to see you use it and prove to me once again just how wonderful you are...And yet I hope it will not come to that, as it will mean that we are in the path of danger.”

Then Fili heard his uncle bark at the dwarven company, forbidding them from constructing a fire and bidding them to simply go to sleep so that they would be rested by dawn. He grimaced and plucked at his sodden coat with a heavy sigh. “This won't be the most cozy sleep I've had,” he mourned, but smiled. “But at least I know you will beside me in the midst of my discomfort. Perhaps we shall lay our bedrolls out here? If you get cold in the night...” He winked flirtatiously. “I'll be close by.”

~~~

Ammie smiled as Thorin laid his hand on her cheek. He was still upset at himself, she could tell, but he would get over it. When he heard the other dwarves talk of starting a fire, he commanded them not to and to just go to sleep. She was a bit disappointed over the lack of fire and hot stew, which would have served to warm everyone up and make them feel more comfortable after the ceaseless rain and cold. However, she also understood Thorin's reasoning. It would be easy to spot a fire in a cave on the side of a mountain, and the company hardly wanted orcs catching them mostly unaware in the middle of the night. It was times like these she thanked her own good judgement; she had quite a vast variety of nonperishable snacks in her pack. While the others' stomachs were rumbling she could sit down with a bag of homemade trail mix consisting of dried fruits, nuts, and oats.

In fact, she was just about to lay down her pack and get out said trail mix when Thorin suddenly grabbed her by the arm and led her to a more private, opposite corner of the cave. She hugged her pack tightly to her stomach with her free arm and watched him lay out his blankets, confused and blushing wildly. “Thorin, what are you--” she began, but he cut her off. His suggestion nearly caused her to drop her things. “You want me to--” Her mouth flapped uselessly for a moment and then she closed it, hazel eyes wide. She would sleep...The entire night... In his arms... Suddenly self-conscious, the hobbit girl almost refused out of embarrassment. What if she snored?! “No, I don't think that's...” she started, but then trailed off. Oh, but she was very cold, indeed. Her clothes were absolutely soaked through and the reason he'd mentioned her freezing was because she was trembling like a leaf. She hadn't noticed until he pointed it out.

“W-Well...All right,” Ammie relented finally with a helpless sigh. She put down her things and turned away from the man to peel off her vest and—very discreetly—pull out the long cloth she used to bind down her chest. She never slept with it, as it was very constricting on her breathing... Besides, it wasn't as though she were hiding her gender from Thorin. The hobbit paused to retrieve her trail mix and then knelt down, creeping slowly and shyly towards the king's side. She seated herself on her haunches. She dipped her hand into the bag of mix and then promptly began snacking. “Do you want any?” she offered.

Naerwyn smiled and set the bow down, leaning it against the wall. Her smile widened when he pulled her into a firm embrace and she wrapped her arms around him in return. It wasn't until that she realized how cold she was. Her wet clothes pressed tightly against her body and she could just barely feel his body heat through his own wet clothes. When he pulled back, the loss of that tiny bit of heat was very noticeable and caused her to shiver.

She smiled and blushed lightly when his commented her on her new clothes. She glanced down to the bow when he mentioned seeing it in action. Of course to see the bow in action would mean danger for the pair. She felt goosebumps form when he brushed her hair away from her face. She looked back to his beautiful blue eyes and gave him a sad little smile, "I hope that it will not come to that. The only time I want to use this bow is in practice."

Naerwyn winced when Thorin barked that they were to be no fires. She frowned deeply and looked down to her own coat. She brushed at it with her hands as if her touch would scare the water away from the fabric. She heaved a sigh and glanced up to Fili when he mentioned how uncomfortable the night would be. She nodded lightly in aggreeance of placing their bed rolls next to each other, but blushed deeply when he insinuated that she could seek him out if she were cold in the middle of the night. His flirtatious nature made it hard to determine if he meant exactly that, to keep warm by huddling together, or if he meant something else entirely.

Despite that, however, she pulled the quiver and her pack off of her back and set them down next to her bow. She pulled out her bedroll and her small blanket and went about laying them out on the floor.

Thorin settled down and got as comfortable as he could while Ammie prepared herself for bed. He averted his eyes while she loosened her breast bindings. He stole a small glance, but looked away quickly. He didn't want to create an awkward situation for the two of them.

He looked around at the men, some of them still grumbling about not getting to have a hot meal. A few of them munched on bread they had stored away in their packs and suddenly, he felt bad that he had denied Ammie something to eat. His guilt didn't last long, however, when she plopped down next to him and pulled food out of her bag. Confused, Thorin's brow knit. He leaned slightly closer to her to get a better look at what she was offering him, "What is it?"

Fili chuckled quietly as Naerwyn blushed. Clearly she'd been confused by his statement and was having trouble discerning what he'd meant by it. Truthfully, he'd meant whatever she wanted him to. The comment was vague enough to be interpreted in two directions. He was clever like that. Flirtatious like that. The dwarf prince mirrored the elf's actions, setting down his bag and removing the contents. He laid out his bedding, humming blithely, not even two feet away from Naerwyn's.

Once he'd smoothed out the blankets to his liking, Fili peeled off his outer garments—his vest, coat, and tunic—so that he remained only in a loose dark shirt. The 'v' at the neck cut down low on his chest and he tied his hair back out of his face. The dwarf finally settled crosslegged on his bedroll, glancing at Naerwyn. “Are you hungry? I have some bread we could share, as it seems my uncle has decided to deprive us of a proper dinner tonight.”

~~~

“Trail food,” Ammie replied cheerfully. “I couldn't sleep very well the night before leaving the Shire. I was too excited to trick Uncle Bilbo and end up on the adventure anyway. So I spent a lot of time preparing small snacks for the road. This mix has nuts, dried fruit, and oats. Things that give you energy to hike. I also have--” Ammie seized her pack again and dragged it towards her. She sifted through it until she located two other small bags, which she promptly dumped on her lap and opened. “--Crackers and biscuits, and a bit of jerky. Enough to last a couple of weeks. Any of that sound appealing?” The female hobbit glanced at Thorin and grinned. She was proud for being prepared in one way, despite being naïve with respect to fighting and dangerous situations. Ammie was unlikely to starve anytime soon, lest she was somehow separated from her things.

After looking at Thorin and realizing she was only mere inches away from him in the dark, Ammie's cheeks colored slightly. No one was paying any attention to them, except perhaps Bilbo, but she could not see him from here. And, though she hated to admit it, Thorin was free to do what he liked with her. The hobbit quickly pushed such thoughts aside, to avoid fainting. Since she was too shy to curl up against him first, Ammie busied herself with munching quietly on her snacks. The dwarf could initiate contact, if that was what he wanted.

Naerwyn pulled her pack to her and settled down on her bed roll. She dug through it until she found a comb and took to gently unlacing the intricate braids throughout her hair. Once that was done, she combed it slowly. She was paying close attention to her platinum locks until Fili spoke to her. She looked over, her hand pausing as she looked at him. He had shed everything but his dark undershirt. It was open slightly and through the v, she could see bare skin. Bare, muscular, distracting skin. It was enough to make her heart race. Even just that tiny bit. She hoped by some miracle that he could not read her mind.

At his mention of bread, Naerwyn jumped lightly and shook innappropriate thoughts from her mind. She pulled the comb the rest of the way through her hair and set it down on her bedroll. She dug in her bag and pulled out a little bundle of what looked like leaves. Upon peeling it open, she revealed little squares of waybread, "Here, eat this. It will fill you more than the other bread." Snapping off a tiny piece, she offered it to Fili. It was little more than a bite. Was she insane?

Thorin smiled genuinely when she explained that in her excitement to tag along on her Uncle's adventure, she had well prepared herself with food for the road. She was smart in that aspect. He listened to her explain what trail food was and then showed him what else she had stored away in her pack. He let out a small chuckle, "You came very well prepared, I see. I'm very glad." He thought for a moment and gave a small shrug, "A piece of jerky sounds nice, if that's alright. Thank you, Ammie."

Thorin had noticed how close they were, too. He wanted to pull her close, wrap her up in his coat and let the two of them rest enveloped in each other's body heat, but he fought off the urge while she at least had something to eat. They had been traveling a long way and she was no doubt starving. He wouldn't interrupt her for the time being. He would wait until she was ready to settle down, then make his move.

Fili caught Naerwyn staring only because he was watching her in return. What else was a lovesick fool supposed to do, after all, when his lovely woman sat there combing her beautiful hair? The dwarf prince tried to suppress an amused smile that threatened to creep onto his face. If Naerwyn also looked, it made him feel less like a lecher himself. She was so close, and yet he felt that if his uncle were to catch them holding each other in the morning another argument would begin anew. He'd not suggest to huddle together outright, but he would make no promises regarding his behavior as he slept. If he awoke with Naerwyn in his arms, it was hardly his fault.

Fili peered down at the item in the elf's hand and wrinkled his nose. It appeared to be some pale, crunchy kind of unleavened bread. But why was she offering him so little and saying it would fill him? Either the elf did not eat very much or she was quite stingy... Perhaps that was why she was so delicate and slender. “What is this?” he asked. “I've never seen it before.” He took the food and popped it into his mouth before Naerwyn gave him an answer. Whatever it was, it had a mild flavor...Faintly sweet.

~~~

“I have plenty to spare, too,” Ammie informed him with another grin. “Here you are.” She dipped her hand into one of the bags to retrieve a large piece of jerky, which she promptly handed to Thorin. After she'd had enough snacks to feel relatively sated (at least for a couple of hours), the hobbit returned the bags of food to her pack. She procrastinated sleep a little longer, taking out the various rocks that she'd collected on the path and pulling a final one out of her trousers. She laid them out neatly in a row, inspecting them carefully, and then consolidated said rock collection in one particular compartment of her pack. It would be henceforth known, in her mind, as the “Rock Pocket”.

Finally, Ammie closed up her pack. She had nothing else in it to occupy her, except some pages of parchment in case she wanted to make notes on things, so she pushed the pack away and folded her arms over her chest. “I suppose we should go to sleep now,” she stated quietly. Her heart was beginning to race over the prospect of Thorin touching her again. She liked when he touched her more than she cared to acknowledge.

Naerwyn smiled when he took the bread, then broke off a tiny piece for herself. She popped it in her mouth and wrapped the rest of the bread back up and stuffed it back in her bag. "Lembas. Elvish waybread. It is more strengthening than any food by man. Plus, it outweighs cram in flavor or so I am told."

Naerwyn resumed combing her hair after she ate. She felt full, which was a wonderful and welcomed feeling. Strength would return to her soon. Once her hair had been efficiently detangled, she brought it all around over her left shoulder and weaved a braid through it. It was a hastily done herringbone braid. Her hands moved quickly and without fault. Weaving a herringbone was as second nature as anything where she came from. That was the most popular style of braid. She undid the clasps of her coat and the top of her tunic, but did not remove them. She would be more comfortable with them open, but she would be indecent if she removed them.

Thorin thanked Ammie again when she gave him the jerky and ate quietly. He watched her inspect the rocks she had found while he nibbled the meat. She was truly fascinated by them and it did well to keep a smile on his face. When she packed up, he was just finishing the meat she had given him.

Thorin nodded slightly to her statement. His own heart beat hard and fast in his chest. He wasn't sure how to approach the situation with words, so he simply acted. He opened his fur coat and reached out in the darkness. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body to his. Before she had time to do anything, really, he wrapped the coat around her, trapping her inside the little cocoon of warmth. He reached down with his free hand and pulled the blanket over them. The blanket would help his coat trap their body heat and keep them warm.

Thorin, in a surprising move, pressed his lips to Ammie's forehead and gave her a small, tender kiss. "Sleep well, Amarantha."

Fili nodded, swallowing the remaining 'lembas' in his mouth. He felt the filling effects of the waybread almost instantly, which baffled him. “That's amazing,” he laughed. “It's not the best-tasting bread by far, but it's very, very satisfying. I daresay it makes excellent traveling fare.” He dropped back onto his bedding, fatigue finally beginning to claim him. He rested his arms underneath his head and stared at the cavern ceiling. It was not very high, but high enough for a dwarf not to bump their head standing. Very convenient find, after the chaos of the evening. At least they had made some progress on their journey.

The rest of the company had ceased their disgruntled conversation, perhaps because they'd consumed some food of their own and had laid down to sleep as their leader had suggested. Everyone was incredibly weary from everything that had happened already. What other hardships awaited them tomorrow? They needed to rest well in preparation. “Well, we'd best get some sleep, fair one,” Fili said, although it came out more like a yawn. Now that he'd put his head down, his eyelids had grown heavy and he was having some trouble keeping them open. It comforted him further, to know Naerwyn laid beside him. When he left Rivendell, he had expected to lie awake all night mourning the loss of her. Luckily he'd been spared that fate. Fili reached for Naerwyn's hand nearby. Even if they could not sleep closer together, he wanted some form of contact between them.

~~~

Without much warning, Thorin's arm came around Ammie's waist and he yanked her against him. He wrapped his fur coat around her, and then drew the blankets over them both. She could feel his heart hammering, which caused her own heart to flutter intensely. Ammie was not the only one nervous and excited about their closeness...The dwarf king's body conveyed that he shared the same sentiments as she did. It soothed her... She blushed again as Thorin placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, exhaling a soft, dreamy sigh when he spoke her full name. He was the only one, she thought, who could get away with calling her Amarantha. His voice was so wonderfully deep and pleasant that it made the name enjoyable; she could feel it rumbling in his chest as she laid against him. The hobbit forgot all about the cold and the dampness of her clothes. Thorin's body heat, insulated by the coat and blanket, washed over her rapidly.

Ammie curled her arm around Thorin's waist and nestled her face against his collar. She breathed in his scent and marveled at how quickly things between them had changed. She was so happy to be enfolded in his arms that she wanted to faint...And yet, despite her timidity, she remained conscious. Mostly she knew that if she fell asleep, the moment would come to an end. Too soon. She wanted to savor it for a while... She had never before been held this way by a man. No man other than Thorin had tenderly kissed her on the forehead and wished her a good sleep. It frightened her a bit, that one person could have such a profound effect on her feelings. “Good night, Thorin,” she said softly. “I'm very happy right now.”

She nodded and gave him a smile as she adjusted her clothes, "Yes, it's quite handy. I have plenty more, Fili, and you need not ask me for it."

Naerwyn laid back and wriggled around, trying to get comfortable on the cold stone. She had very rarely slept on the ground in her long life and even when she had, it was the plush grasses of Lorien. It was then that she felt a pang of home sickness. She missed her bed and her pillows and the beautiful silk bed coverings. And suddenly after that, she felt like a spoiled brat. Her head lolled to the side and she watched Fili for a moment. He sounded exhausted. He looked exhausted. Her own body was equally as tired and she felt herself being claimed by sleep. Her mind wandered, her eyelids drooped. In her last moment of consciousness, she pulled her blanket over herself and threaded her fingers through Fili's. She smiled sleepily and gave his hand a gentle squeeze before drifting off to sleep.



Thorin felt his heart soar when she whispered how happy she was while in his arms. He felt a new strength come into his exhausted body. he was quite invigorated. The thought bothered him, though. Which such a sudden rush of renewed strength, how would he ever get to sleep?

Despite that, Thorin, in that moment, was happier than he had been in a long time. He momentarily forgot his troubles, set aside his woes, and shelved his anger and resentment. He was truly happy there with her. He felt like a much younger man, especially when she curled her arm around him. Goosebumps swarmed over his flesh and he shivered lightly. Not very manly, he would admit, but he was as giddy as a young girl. His smile never diminishing, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, forcing himself to get even a little rest.

He fell asleep with that same smile on his lips.

Bilbo woke up from the midst of bizarre dream he only half remembered, groggy with sleep. He needed to use the loo, but of course there weren't any loos in the wilderness. This meant, to his dismay, that he would have to go outside the cavern to relieve himself; he highly doubted the dwarves would appreciate him doing so within the cavern where they could all smell it or, worse, step on it. The hobbit lethargically picked himself up from his bedding and quietly put on his coat. He picked up Sting, his sword (or elven letter opener, rather, as Balin had called it), and slung it into his belt. He didn't know why he bothered, but he supposed it was a precautionary measure. One could never be too careful in these parts.

Bilbo stepped gingerly around the other sleeping dwarves, taking care not to accidentally trod on hands or toes, and headed towards the mouth of the cave. On the way there he passed Ammie and Thorin, whom he only faintly made out in the darkness, and found himself slowing to a halt despite his need. He frowned at the pair for a moment, trying to discern his opinion of the sight. They were both asleep, the hobbit girl resting against Thorin while he had his arm around her and blanket drawn up over them. Bilbo supposed it bothered him, in the sense that he saw no future for Ammie there. Thorin clearly liked her, but kings often liked women and that did not necessarily mean they'd marry them one day. Bilbo sighed and shook his head before continuing on.

Bofur was situated at the front of the gate, half asleep, but when Bilbo passed he snapped awake. "Mr. Baggins?" he said. "Where are you going?" Bilbo held his hands up and waved them in front of him. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise," he whispered. "I just need the loo. Not that there's a loo, but you know what I mean. I'll be right back." He wandered a bit down the mountain path and then returned to the cave when he was finished. However he realized, as he came to Bofur again, that something was amiss. He noticed that he could easily see where he was going.

The hobbit stopped dead in his tracks and drew Sting out of its hilt. It was glowing a faintly blue color. Bofur knitted his brow and he glanced up at Bilbo. It was difficult to see in the lighting, but Bilbo went absolutely pale with fright. "EVERYONE, WAKE UP!" he shouted frantically. "WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!" The shouts jolted everyone awake even more violently than Naerwyn's intrusion the night before, and the cavern became utter chaos. Fili sat up abruptly with a small gasp. Catching his breath, he squinted through the darkness to try and make out what in Durin's name was going on. Ammie, too, awoke with a start, her head popping up from Thorin's chest. "Huh, what?" she mumbled sleepily. "What's happening?"

Naerwyn was dead asleep after only a short time. Her breathing was deep and even and she made no sound. Upon first glance, she was a corpse. Upon further inspection, it would have been plain to see that she was in fact, just a very sleepy elf.

It wasn't even when Bilbo was frantically screaming for them all to wake up did Naerwyn move. When the others jumped up, alarmed and in a panic, Naerwyn whined like a petulant child, rolled into her stomach and dragged her blanket up over her head. She muttered something in her native tongue and made a spit sound. Her exhausted mind hadn't registered where she was. To her, she was home, being berated by her father to wake up and do some sort of menial task which most likely included parading herself to the lower levels to give Haldir an unnecessary message.

It wasn't until Naerwyn felt the ground tremble did she perk up, the blanket covering her like a cloak. She pushed it down off of her head and looked around. When she saw through the dark that everyone was in a panic, she got quickly to her feet and closed her tunic, then her coat. In a flurry of movement, her quiver and knives were on her back and her bow grasped firmly in one hand.


Thorin hadn't been asleep, not really. He dallied in the land nestled between sleep and awake for a while. He wasn't sure which way to go. His body begged him to go down the path that would lead him to sleep, but his mind wanted to tarry for a while in wakefulness. He wiggled a lot during this time. His body would relax and his mind would give it a jolt, desperate to stay awake.

When he heard Bofur and Bilbo whispering, his eyes fluttered open for a moment. He yawned deeply and tried to force himself back to sleep, but it was no use. Bilbo started screaming for everyone to get up. His voice was full of panic and worry. Something was terribly wrong. Thorin grumbled. This had better be good. When he felt the ground tremble, he noticed something. A sudden line in the sand covering the floor. As if the sand were falling through a crack. His heart pounded and he looked down to the Hobbit nestled so perfectly against him. He tossed the blanket off of himself and gently released her, "We have to get up now! Everybody up! Up, I say!"

The ground jolted suddenly, as if it were about to give way. Ammie's stomach did a flip. Oh, no, this wasn't happening now, was it?! The hobbit gasped and scrambled to her feet. She didn't have time to put her bindings or vest back on, but seized her pack and squeezed it against her chest protectively. She wasn't about to lose the entirety of her food or her pretty rocks here if she had any say on the matter!

Fili had scarcely any time to arm himself with his twin blades before an eerie orange glow began to emanate from the crack in the ground. He panicked and grabbed Naerwyn by the arm, tugging her as gently as possible towards the others. He had sincerely hoped for the entire party to get out of the cavern before things went awry, but fate was not working in their favor tonight.

As Ammie, and certainly a great many of the others had feared, the ground beneath them started to violently crumble to pieces. With so many dwarves standing directly on top of unstable ground, it could no longer contain their weight, and soon those pieces were dropping out from under them. Ammie and the others were abruptly falling, some clutching their things, and others having lost sight of theirs. They tumbled down slippery tunnel walls that twisted and turned while around them there was a strange orange light only faintly illuminating their way.

After a great deal of falling and slipping around, and Ammie shrieking uselessly throughout the experience, the group finally reached the end of the vertical tunnel. They collapsed altogether in a heap of groaning and whimpering dwarves, two hobbits, and an elf. Their current location was hard to make out, but they appeared to be on some sort of constructed wooden walk at the moment. Ammie, Fili, and Bilbo were jumbled up somewhere within the piling of bodies. Ammie felt someone on top of her in a very awkward position, not that they could help it. She guessed Kili but wasn't sure how valid of a guess it was. But, before she or the company knew what had hit them, many grubby hands were grabbing at their limbs and yanking them up to their feet. Foul-smelling, ugly hands.

Goblins. Of course it had to be goblins, Bilbo remembered thinking. Otherwise Sting would have never glowed like that up in the cave. He bent low to the ground and covered his head with his arms, and surprisingly, the goblins didn't even notice him there after they'd captured everyone else. They were too preoccupied with Ammie, the female hobbit with her cleavage slightly visible, and Naerwyn, the elf woman. Ammie, amazingly, still clung to her pack as though it were the most dear thing in the world to her.

"Girlsss, girrlsss," the goblins hissed cheekily, jostling the dwarves along with the women in front. They were taking the group directly to the Goblin King for questioning and, of course, permission to do with the girls what they liked. Unfortunately there was always a possibility that the King would want them for himself.

This left Bilbo alone, his mouth flapping open and shut silently in disbelief. Just what was he supposed to do now!? Try and free the others when the goblins weren't looking?!? He would just as soon be caught, and then the company would be even worse off than before! Oh, but Ammie was with them...His niece! Poor, poor Ammie! Bilbo fretted. What to do, what to do...