SEVEN DEVILS, fili durin

CHAPTER NINE

"Not without you!"

It seemed to be by some bastard miracle that they'd eventually found the cave as they trudged on through the downpour, their somewhat good moods at their survival dampened by their king's vile temper while Nymeria seemed to be on the crusps of lashing out with eyes that flickered red. But she supposed it would have to do as she glanced around the small space that seemed so constricting, something brewing in her gut that felt an awful lot like a warning as she tasted something foul in the air but unable to put a name to it as she hovered outside the indented stone for a few moments.

However, eventually, she realized that the benefits of the cave outweighed the dangers of allowing herself another mere second to wait outside as lightning continued to flash across the sky, deciding against tempting fate with hands that glowed crimson in her anxiety as she strolled on in and instantly moved to where her hobbit had laid down their belongings in the far corner away from the others, obviously seeking solitude after his terrifying brush with death.

There was still some vengeful part of her, something that frothed at the mouth and clawed at her insides like beating wings made of steel that begged her to unleash chaos on Thorin as he ordered the company around, still fuming at the cruel words spoken at Bilbo for seemingly no reason but his own spite.

But although she'd desperately wanted too, she instead choose to abide to the halflings wishes and turned her back to the dwarves as she fussed over her hobbit in the safety of their temporary shelter, her hands boiling with unbridled rage pressing warmth back into his cheeks as she heard the others begin to get comfortable behind her, most falling asleep with an ease that she was jealous of as their loud snores suddenly filled the silence, no doubt feeling the tension heavy in the air like a band waiting to snap and deciding that they wanted no part of it when it finally did so.

And yet...once again, seemingly without her permission she found herself glancing over her shoulder over to Fili who was currently talking to his brother unaware of her soft gaze, conversing in low voices in their own language that she was only able to pick up a few words from here and there through passing, remembering the warmth of his arms around her, trying to shield her away from the sight of their death as it rushed towards them...and then had to force her eyes away, laying down beside her hobbit and trying her best to fall asleep alongside him.

However the exhausted faè felt like she'd only closed her eyes for a mere minute before she was awoken to the sounds of things being moved, something shuffling around beside her and she found herself slowly sitting up with confusion gracing her features at the sight of Bilbo stuffing their bags full of their belongings, his shoulders hunched and hands trembling as they worked quicker than she'd ever seen him move in his short life. "Bilbo? What are you doing?"

She watched the hobbit froze, slowly turning towards her with his face pale and bottom lip trembling, his mouth opening and closing as he desperately tried to form some semblance of an answer but finding himself unable to, not wanting to see Nymeria look at his any differently than she always did as he looked away...but the faè knew her Bilbo better than she knew herself most days, as she reached out with hands stained with chaos to place a gentle palm against his shoulder. "Do you want to go home, my dear hobbit?"

"Yes. Yes I do, I've tried- truly I have but-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, my friend. You know that I'd follow you anywhere." She interrupted him with a voice softer than silk, her eyes that were usually so hardened with hate and anger now warm as she stared at him with absolute adoration, stared at her hobbit that had more heart than anyone she'd ever met, who she'd be lost without, who'd saved her life that dreadful night and continued to do so with every painful day that passed. Her blessing, her saviour, her heart and soul, simply her Bilbo Baggins. "Now move along, I'll grab our things, you make your exit and I'll follow behind you."