𝘼 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙁𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙤𝙧 || 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐢 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧

Chapter 5: Missing Horses and Trolls

We awoke to a cloudy and chilled morning. I smelled the wind as it blew and said, "We should get going, it's going to rain soon. " 

The company looked at me with skeptical eyes as Dwalin said, "I dinna think so, Reyna. The air seems dry... " 

I shook my head and whispered, "Alright then... " 

Kili smirked and said, "I believe you and your elven senses. Even if they seem odd at times. " I smiled softly as I packed my things and strapped them to the horse...

Just as I had suspected, rain poured down in heavy, cold, and unforgiving sheets... I had my cloak wrapped around me with the hood on as my loyal horse desperately tried to keep us on the path, poor Oliver could hardly see with the rain in his eyes...

Master Baggins had no cloak, so he shivered in the somewhat formal attire that he arrived in... I turned around as I heard slipping thumps in the mud behind me. "Kili? " I yelled as his horse struggled to walk in the mud. 

"She can't seem to stop sliding around! " 

I waited for him to catch up, grabbed his leed, and spoke to him, "Oliver can help lead her! She might relax if she's being pulled to where she needs to go! " He nodded and gave me a wink as he held on to the horn of his saddle. I turned away to hide my blush as we continued through the forest.

I had begun to recall last night and the Harrowing Howl, Kili was so kind to try and help the best he could... My face grew hot as I felt butterflies in my stomach for the first time in years, since the last time I saw him... He hugged me goodbye that morning when he left, I cried because I knew he needed to go and see the world, but we couldn't do it together... 

*flashback*

"Please don't cry, Mini... I will find you once you make your way into the world. No matter how long it takes... " 

"Will you swear on it? " 

He pulled away, crossed my pinkie finger with his, and nodded, "I swear. " My heart broke as he walked to my doorway and stopped to turn around, "Till I see you again, Gimlelul..." 

I never saw him again until two days ago... Had my feelings grown from a childhood keenness to something more? 

The rain had stopped a few hours later as we ventured into the hills... We rode to what seemed to be a burned house that was left abandoned. Thorin turned his horse to face the rest of the company and announced, "We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them. " 

I hopped off, Oliver, and walked with Gandalf to the burned house. 

"A farmer and his family used to live here... " Gandalf told me as he continued to assess the house, I squatted down, ran my fingers over the wood, and ash had been left on my fingers. 

The ash was very fine and smelled fresh, "Gandalf, this happened within the past few days... Look. " 

The wizard walked over to me and I pointed to the wood, after he touched the wood, he looked at the ash and nodded... "Your senses serve you well my dear... " He turned back to the company and loudly spoke, "I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley. "